Upfirst Review: Pricing, Features & Is It Worth It?

Review status: Researched | Last updated: November 2026

This Upfirst review examines the pricing, features, integrations, and limitations of Upfirst’s AI-powered virtual receptionist for small businesses. The service is designed to answer calls around the clock without the cost of hiring a traditional receptionist or answering service.

Plans start at $24.95 per month for 30 calls, and every plan includes core features such as appointment scheduling, call transfers, call recordings and transcripts, multilingual answering, spam filtering, and Zapier integration.

Upfirst at a Glance

How we reviewed Upfirst: This review is currently based on independent research of Upfirst’s product documentation, pricing, features, and policies. ReceptionScout has not yet completed hands-on testing of Upfirst. If we independently test the service, we’ll update this review and our review status.

Upfirst Pricing

Upfirst uses call-based pricing rather than charging by the minute. All standard plans include the same core features, so the main difference between plans is the number of calls included each month and the cost of additional calls.

Plan	Monthly price	Included calls	Additional calls
Starter	$24.95	30	$1.50/call
Premium	$59.95	90	$1.00/call
Pro	$159.95	300	$0.75/call
Scale	$299	600	$0.70/call

Pricing note: Prices shown are for monthly billing in USD. Upfirst also offers annual billing at approximately 20% less, with the included call allowance pooled across the year rather than reset each month. Prices and features may change; check Upfirst’s official pricing page for the latest details.

Upfirst includes its core AI receptionist features across all plans, including appointment scheduling, call transfers, call recordings and transcripts, multilingual support, in-call texting, spam filtering, and integrations. Higher-tier plans add benefits such as personalized setup assistance and help with custom integrations.

How Upfirst’s per-call pricing works

Upfirst bills by answered call rather than by the minute, so a longer conversation doesn’t cost more simply because it lasts longer. Spam calls, calls under 15 seconds, and calls where the caller doesn’t say anything don’t count toward the monthly call allowance.

Upfirst Features

Upfirst includes most of its core AI receptionist features across its plans rather than requiring separate feature add-ons. The service can answer calls 24/7, collect caller information, answer common questions, schedule appointments, transfer calls, send texts, and provide recordings, transcripts, and call summaries.

24/7 AI Call Answering

Upfirst can answer calls around the clock, or businesses can use it only for overflow and after-hours calls. The receptionist can be trained with information about your business, such as services, pricing, opening hours, and frequently asked questions.

Appointment Scheduling

Upfirst can check availability and book appointments during a call. It currently supports scheduling integrations including Google Calendar, Microsoft Outlook, Calendly, Acuity Scheduling, and Clio. Different appointment types can have their own duration, availability, and booking rules.

Call Transfers

Businesses can create rules that determine when a caller should be transferred and who should receive the call. Transfers can be restricted to specific hours, and Upfirst also supports warm transfers, where the receptionist tells the recipient who is calling and why before connecting the call.

Call Recordings, Transcripts & Summaries

After a call, Upfirst provides a recording, transcript, and summary so businesses can review what happened without listening to every conversation. Call details can also be delivered by email or text.

Multilingual Answering

Upfirst supports more than 35 languages and can automatically switch languages based on the language a caller uses. This can be useful for businesses serving multilingual customers without maintaining separate phone lines or receptionist teams.

Text Messaging

Upfirst supports two-way SMS messaging, allowing businesses to send and receive text messages through their Upfirst number. Its AI can respond to incoming messages, while businesses can also use texting to share appointment links, directions, and other useful information.

Text messaging has certain restrictions, including supported phone numbers, usage limits, and messaging rules. Businesses should confirm that their intended SMS workflows are supported.

Integrations & Automation

Upfirst connects directly with several scheduling platforms and can use Zapier to send caller information to CRMs and other business applications. It also supports custom actions for more advanced integrations, allowing the receptionist to interact with external systems and APIs.

Upfirst Pros and Cons

Who is Upfirst best for?

Upfirst is likely to be a good fit for small businesses that want 24/7 phone coverage without paying traditional answering-service prices. Its low starting price makes it particularly accessible to businesses with relatively modest call volumes, while the higher-volume plans can accommodate businesses receiving hundreds of calls each month.

It may be especially useful for service businesses that need callers to book appointments, receive basic information, or be transferred to the right person. Businesses with calls that sometimes run long may also benefit from Upfirst’s per-call pricing, since calls aren’t billed by the minute.

Upfirst may be less suitable for businesses that require a human receptionist on every call or need advanced messaging workflows beyond its supported SMS capabilities.

Upfirst Integrations

Upfirst offers direct integrations with several popular scheduling and business tools, while Zapier can be used to connect the service with thousands of additional apps. For businesses with more specialized requirements, Upfirst also supports custom actions that can interact with external systems and APIs.

Direct integrations

• Google Calendar
• Microsoft Outlook
• Calendly
• Acuity Scheduling
• Clio
• Square
• Zapier

Custom integrations

Upfirst’s custom actions can be used for more advanced workflows, such as looking up information in another system or sending caller information to external software. Businesses considering a custom integration should confirm that their specific workflow and software are supported before subscribing.

Is Upfirst Worth It?

For small businesses that primarily need calls answered, appointments scheduled, leads captured, and callers transferred, Upfirst offers a strong feature set at a relatively low starting price.

The $24.95 Starter plan is particularly attractive for businesses with low call volumes because it provides access to the core receptionist features without requiring a more expensive plan. Upfirst’s per-call billing can also be advantageous when calls vary considerably in length, since longer conversations aren’t charged by the minute.

The main consideration is call volume. Businesses that regularly exceed their included allowance will pay for additional calls, so comparing the expected monthly cost against higher Upfirst tiers—and against competitors with different billing models—is important.

ReceptionScout’s current assessment: Upfirst appears to be a strong-value option for small businesses, particularly those with low to moderate call volumes. However, our assessment is currently based on product research rather than hands-on testing, so we aren’t assigning a numerical score yet.

Frequently Asked Questions About Upfirst

Does Upfirst offer a free trial?

Yes. Upfirst offers a 14-day free trial, and no credit card is required to start the trial.

Does Upfirst charge by the minute?

No. Upfirst charges based on answered calls rather than call duration. This means a longer call does not cost more simply because the conversation lasts longer.

Can Upfirst schedule appointments?

Yes. Upfirst can check availability and book appointments during calls. It supports scheduling tools including Google Calendar, Microsoft Outlook, Calendly, Acuity Scheduling, and Clio.

Can Upfirst transfer calls to a real person?

Yes. Upfirst can transfer callers to designated people based on rules you configure. It also supports warm transfers, where the recipient is told who is calling and why before the call is connected.

What happens if I exceed my Upfirst call allowance?

Additional calls are charged at the overage rate for your plan. Current rates range from $1.50 per additional call on the Starter plan to lower per-call rates on higher-volume plans.

Does Upfirst support multiple languages?

Yes. Upfirst supports more than 35 languages and can automatically respond in the language being used by the caller.

Still comparing your options? Explore our Best AI Receptionists for Small Businesses guide to see how Upfirst, Smith.ai, and five other services compare.