SkipCalls vs. Grasshopper: AI Receptionist That Actually Answers vs. Basic Call Forwarding
Why Small Business Owners Are Switching from Grasshopper to SkipCalls
Grasshopper has been around since 2003 as a virtual phone system for small businesses. It gives you a professional business number, call forwarding, and voicemail. But here's the problem: Grasshopper doesn't answer your calls. It just forwards them to your voicemail.
SkipCalls is fundamentally different. It's an AI-powered receptionist that actually picks up the phone, has a conversation with your callers, qualifies leads, books appointments, and sends you summaries - 24/7. No more missed calls going to voicemail that customers never leave.
The Fundamental Difference: Voicemail vs. AI Receptionist
| What Happens When You Miss a Call | Grasshopper | SkipCalls |
|---|---|---|
| Caller Experience | Hears voicemail greeting, 80% hang up without leaving message | AI receptionist answers, has natural conversation |
| Lead Capture | Only if caller leaves voicemail | Every call captured with details |
| Appointment Booking | Never | AI books directly to your calendar |
| After-Hours Coverage | Voicemail only | Full AI receptionist 24/7 |
| Caller Questions | Unanswered until you call back | AI answers common questions instantly |
The Reality: Studies show that 80% of callers won't leave a voicemail. With Grasshopper, those callers are lost. With SkipCalls, every caller gets a response and you capture every lead.
Price: Grasshopper's Hidden Costs Add Up
| Feature | SkipCalls | Grasshopper (Solo Plus) |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Cost | $99/year (~$8.25/month) | $300/year ($25/month) |
| Per-User Fees | None (unlimited) | Unlimited users included |
| Add-on Costs | None | Call blasting $9/mo, extra extensions $3/mo each, extra numbers $9/mo each |
| Pro Voice Recording | Included (AI voices) | $75 one-time per recording |
| Actual Call Answering | Yes - AI receptionist | No - just voicemail |
The SkipCalls Advantage: Grasshopper looks affordable on paper, but you're paying for a system that doesn't actually answer your calls. You're paying $300/year for sophisticated voicemail. SkipCalls costs 67% less AND actually answers every call.
What You Get with Each Service
Grasshopper Gives You:
- Professional business phone number
- Call forwarding to your cell/office
- Voicemail with transcription
- Business texting
- Basic auto-attendant ("Press 1 for sales")
- Mobile and desktop apps
SkipCalls Gives You:
- AI receptionist that answers calls 24/7
- Natural conversations (not "press 1 for...")
- Lead qualification and capture
- Direct calendar booking
- Spam call filtering
- Call summaries and transcripts
- CRM integrations
- Bilingual support (Spanish/English)
When Grasshopper Makes Sense vs. When SkipCalls is Better
Grasshopper might work if:
- You can answer every call yourself
- You don't mind customers going to voicemail
- You just need a professional number to forward calls
- You have zero budget and voicemail is acceptable
SkipCalls is better if:
- You miss calls during jobs, meetings, or after hours
- You lose business when calls go to voicemail
- You need someone to actually talk to customers
- You want appointments booked automatically
- You're tired of playing phone tag
Real-World Comparison: What Happens at 9 PM on a Tuesday
With Grasshopper: A homeowner has a burst pipe. They call your business at 9 PM. They hear: "Hi, you've reached ABC Plumbing. Please leave a message..." They don't leave a message. They call the next plumber on Google.
With SkipCalls: Same scenario. The AI answers: "Hi, thanks for calling ABC Plumbing! I'm your assistant. How can I help you tonight?" The AI confirms it's an emergency, collects their address and contact info, and tells them a plumber will call back within 15 minutes. You get an instant notification with all details. Job captured.
Why Grasshopper Users Switch to SkipCalls
- Tired of voicemails that never get left - Most callers hang up instead of leaving messages
- Missing after-hours emergencies - Emergency jobs are the most profitable, but Grasshopper can't capture them
- Want actual AI, not just call forwarding - Grasshopper is 2003 technology with no AI capabilities
- Need appointment booking - Grasshopper can't book to your calendar
- Seeking better ROI - Why pay $300/year for voicemail when $99/year gets you a full AI receptionist?
The Numbers Don't Lie
| Metric | Grasshopper | SkipCalls |
|---|---|---|
| Calls actually answered | 0% (voicemail only) | 100% |
| Lead capture rate | ~20% (those who leave voicemail) | ~95% |
| After-hours coverage | Voicemail | Full AI receptionist |
| Appointments booked | 0 (no capability) | Automatic |
| Cost per actual answered call | Infinite (doesn't answer) | Pennies |
Migration from Grasshopper to SkipCalls
Switching is simple:
- Keep your Grasshopper number (if you want) - just forward calls to SkipCalls
- Or port your number to SkipCalls directly
- Setup takes 60 seconds - not days
- No contracts - annual plan, cancel anytime
Conclusion: Voicemail Service vs. AI Receptionist
Grasshopper and SkipCalls solve completely different problems:
Grasshopper = Virtual phone number + call forwarding + voicemail SkipCalls = AI-powered receptionist that actually answers and handles calls
If you just need a business number to forward to your cell, Grasshopper works. But if you need someone (or something) to actually answer calls when you can't, book appointments, and capture leads 24/7 - there's no comparison.
The choice is clear: Pay $300/year for fancy voicemail, or pay $99/year for an AI receptionist that never misses a call.
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