Crixin vs Ruby Receptionists
Ruby is a premium human receptionist service starting at $235/month with per-minute billing that has led to documented billing disputes. Crixin offers AI-powered answering at 90% lower cost with predictable flat-rate pricing.
Side-by-side comparison
| Feature | Crixin | Ruby Receptionists |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $0/month (pay-as-you-go) | $235/month (50 minutes) |
| Mid-Tier Price | $99/month (1,500 minutes) | $640/month (200 minutes) |
| High-Volume Price | $199/month (4,000 minutes) | $1,640/month (500 minutes) |
| Billing Model | Flat-rate or per-minute at $0.12 | Per-minute with expensive overages |
| Operators | AI (natural voice) | Human receptionists (US-based) |
| 24/7 Coverage | Yes, always | Limited hours; 24/7 costs significantly more |
| Setup Time | Under 5 minutes | 1-3 business days |
| Languages | 25+ languages | English and basic Spanish |
| Knowledge Base | Auto-scraped from website (RAG) | Manual script provided to receptionists |
| Billing Transparency | No reported billing issues | $12M lawsuit over deceptive billing practices |
Pricing breakdown
Crixin
Pay-as-you-go: $0.12/minute. Starter: $99/month for 1,500 minutes. Professional: $199/month for 4,000 minutes. No hidden fees, no overage surprises.
Ruby Receptionists
Plans range from $235/month (50 minutes) to $1,640/month (500 minutes). Per-minute billing with expensive overages. One customer reported their expected $660 bill rose to $5,100 with no notice. Ruby was ordered to pay $12 million in damages in a class-action lawsuit alleging deceptive billing.
The verdict
Crixin is 90%+ cheaper at every volume. A business using 500 minutes would pay $99/month with Crixin vs. $1,640/month with Ruby. Ruby's per-minute billing model has been the subject of a $12M class-action lawsuit.
Strengths of each option
Why choose Crixin
- 90%+ cheaper at comparable call volumes
- Predictable pricing — no bill shock
- True 24/7 coverage without paying extra
- 25+ languages vs. English and basic Spanish
- Auto-learning knowledge base from your website
- 5-minute setup vs. multi-day onboarding
- No contracts, cancel anytime
Why choose Ruby Receptionists
- Real human receptionists based in the US
- Warm, empathetic service for sensitive calls
- Long track record in the receptionist industry
- Good for businesses that specifically require a human touch
Which one is right for you?
Choose Ruby Receptionists if...
Ruby may be right for small professional firms (1-5 people) that place a very high premium on having a real human answer every call, and whose callers regularly need empathetic or emotionally sensitive handling. You should carefully monitor bills and overages.
Choose Crixin if...
Crixin is the better choice for virtually any business that wants reliable 24/7 call answering without the risk of surprise bills. At 90%+ lower cost, with better language support and instant setup, Crixin delivers more value for the vast majority of small businesses.
How to switch from Ruby Receptionists to Crixin
Sign up for Crixin (free, no credit card needed) and build your knowledge base
Configure your greeting and choose a voice
Run Crixin in parallel with Ruby for a week to compare quality
Once satisfied, update your call forwarding to Crixin
Cancel your Ruby subscription (check their cancellation terms)
Frequently asked questions
Are Ruby's human receptionists better than Crixin's AI?
For emotionally complex or sensitive calls, human receptionists have an advantage. However, Ruby receptionists have been reported as 'not competent to handle specialized inquiries.' Crixin's RAG-powered AI gives accurate, business-specific answers because it learns from your website.
Is Ruby's billing really that bad?
Ruby was ordered to pay $12 million in a class-action lawsuit over deceptive billing. Customer reviews document bills jumping from $660 to $5,100 without notice. Per-minute billing makes costs unpredictable during busy months.
What if I need a human on some calls?
Crixin can forward calls to you or your team when a caller specifically requests a human. You handle the exceptions; Crixin handles the routine 80%.
Can Ruby match Crixin's pricing?
No. Ruby's lowest plan ($235/month for 50 minutes) provides less than 4% of the minutes you get with Crixin's Starter plan ($99/month for 1,500 minutes).
Does Crixin sound robotic compared to Ruby?
Crixin uses natural-sounding voices from OpenAI and ElevenLabs. Most callers cannot tell the difference. Unlike Ruby's receptionists who may not know your business well, Crixin's answers are always accurate because they come from your own website content.
See for yourself — try Crixin free
$20 off your first month. No contracts. Set up in 5 minutes and compare with your own business calls.