Compared on published prices, billing models, emergency handling and how they behave in a heat wave.
Rings your on-call phone during gas, fire and flood calls; books into Jobber; spam not billed. $149–$829/mo; 14 days or 500 minutes free, no card.
$49 for 100 answered calls; texts the on-call tech on urgent calls; Spanish included; 14-day trial, no card.
$85–$399/mo regardless of call length; Pro adds seasonal weather-demand alerts and 3 lines.
$49 / $149 / $299 with voice minutes, SMS replies and chat; 14-day trial, no card.
HVAC demand follows the weather. The first heat wave or cold snap of the season can swamp your phones with no-cool and no-heat calls in a single day, while spring and fall fill up with tune-ups and replacement quotes. Many shops also sell maintenance agreements, and members expect priority. Your AI receptionist has to tell these apart.
| Call type | Suggested handling |
|---|---|
| No heat in freezing weather, or no cooling in extreme heat (especially elderly, infants, medical needs) | Mark urgent; alert or transfer to on-call per your after-hours policy |
| Gas smell or carbon monoxide alarm | Tell the caller to leave the home and call the gas utility or 911 first. Then alert you. No scheduling or troubleshooting. |
| Maintenance-agreement member | Ask for name/address; flag as priority if you offer it |
| Tune-up, replacement or new-system quote | Collect equipment type and age; book or log for business hours |
| Thermostat or filter question | Optionally offer basic checks you approve; otherwise log |
Wakeman lists gas, fire, live wires and flooding as emergencies it escalates live. OnCrew lets you define emergencies and texts the on-call tech. Jobber's Receptionist escalates on keywords you choose; Jobber's own example keywords include "no heat."
| Tool | Plans (monthly)* | What's included* | Overage* | Trial* | Contract* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wakeman | After Hours $149 · Front Desk $349 · Dispatch $829 | 300 / 750 / 2,000 minutes | 59¢ / 39¢ / 29¢ per minute; spam not billed; you set a spend limit | 14 days or 500 min, no card | None; cancel online; 1st-month refund within 30 days |
| OnCrew | Starter $49 · Pro $149 · Multi-Truck $349 | 100 / 400 / 1,000 answered calls | $0.99 per extra call; alert texts $0.05 past allowance | 14 days, no card | Month to month; 30-day money-back |
| Jobholler | Starter $85 · Core $149 · Pro $399 | Flat price; call length doesn't change it | None published | 3 days (terms at checkout) | Cancel from Account → Billing |
| OrangeChat | Starter $49 · Growth $149 · Pro $299 | 250 / 1,100 / 2,300 voice minutes + SMS & chat allowances | Not published on pricing page | 14 days, no card | Not stated |
| Jobber Receptionist | $29/mo add-on (included on Jobber Plus) | Calls & texts; books into Jobber | See Jobber (its pages differ) | Jobber 14-day trial | Follows your Jobber plan |
*From each vendor's pricing page, checked October 16, 2026. Prices change; confirm before buying.
Answers in your business name with an AI-and-recording notice, asks trade questions in a dispatcher’s order, checks addresses against the postal database, and books into Jobber once you switch booking on (Housecall Pro "not generally available yet," ServiceTitan not supported). You set a monthly spend limit; past it, calls ring your on-call phone. Full Wakeman review.
Per-answered-call pricing (100/400/1,000 calls, then $0.99), text alerts to you and 3–15 people, live transfers that announce the caller, Google Calendar appointment requests, and Spanish at no extra charge. Plan changes are immediate, so you can move up before a forecast heat wave. Full OnCrew review.
Flat plans: Starter $85, Core $149 (adds voicemail transcripts, Google review requests, team dashboard), Pro $399 (3 lines, seasonal weather-demand alerts, quick-book self-scheduling, advanced routing). Leads arrive by email. Full Jobholler review.
Answers calls, sends instant SMS replies, runs a website chatbot and a built-in CRM. Starter $49 (250 minutes), Growth $149 (1,100 minutes, Google Calendar booking, English + Chinese), Pro $299 (2,300 minutes). Its site lists an HVAC template for heat waves and cold snaps.
If you already run field service software, check its AI first. Jobber Receptionist is a $29/month add-on (included on Plus). It answers calls and texts, books from your online booking settings, can text back callers who hang up, and handles multiple calls at once. Housecall Pro CSR AI answers calls and chats and books from your Housecall Pro data; its price isn't published. Wakeman's own pricing page acknowledges Jobber's receptionist may be enough if your calls are simple. See Jobber vs Housecall Pro.
| Tool | Normal (200 calls / 600 min) | Heat wave (600 calls / 1,800 min) |
|---|---|---|
| OnCrew | Pro $149 | Pro $149 + 200 × $0.99 = $347, or Multi-Truck $349 |
| Jobholler | Starter $85 / Core $149 | Same (flat) |
| Wakeman | Front Desk $349 | Front Desk $349 + 1,050 × $0.39 = $758.50, or Dispatch $829 |
| OrangeChat | Growth $149 (1,100 min) | Pro $299 (2,300 min) |
| Jobber Receptionist | $29 add-on | See Jobber’s terms |
Other trades: plumbers · roofers · electricians.
It depends on what you need. Wakeman for live emergency escalation and Jobber booking; OnCrew for the lowest cost with on-call text alerts; Jobholler for a flat bill; Jobber Receptionist if you're already on Jobber. Based on published features (October 16, 2026), not hands-on tests.
Published plans run $49–$829/month, and Jobber's Receptionist is a $29/month add-on. See our cost guide for billing models.
Jobber says its Receptionist handles multiple calls at once. OnCrew and Wakeman let you change plans or set spend caps. Ask any vendor about concurrent call limits.
No. All the tools here work by forwarding calls you miss.
Yes. Wakeman (14 days or 500 minutes), OnCrew and OrangeChat (14 days) need no card; Jobholler offers 3 days.