Ruby Receptionist alternative in Australia and the US: MAVRK
Ruby is a US virtual receptionist company, in business since 2003: trained people — not bots, as their homepage puts it — answer your calls 24/7 on plans priced by receptionist minutes. MAVRK is an AI receptionist for small businesses in Australia and the US: it answers 24/7 in a natural voice, quotes from your real price list, books the appointment and texts you what happened, for one flat monthly price with 500 minutes included. One sells people; the other sells software. Here is how to tell which you need.
Ruby is good for
Businesses whose callers should hear a trained person — someone who can read the room, take a difficult call and make a judgment call. Ruby covers phone and website chat with people, 24/7, in English and Spanish, and has a mobile app to manage it all.
MAVRK is for
Owner-run service businesses in Australia or the US that want their phone answered instantly, every time, by AI that already knows their prices and hours — with the website chatbot included and one predictable monthly bill.
Ruby vs MAVRK, side by side
Ruby figures were read from ruby.com on 23 September 2026; the sources are at the bottom of the page. MAVRK figures are our current pricing.
| Compare | MAVRK | Ruby |
|---|---|---|
| Who answers | MAVRK:AI, 24/7, in a natural voice. It quotes from your real price list, books appointments and texts you what happened. | Ruby:Human receptionists — "A trained receptionist—not a bot—answers on your behalf." AI works behind the scenes on transcripts and sentiment analysis, and optional AI enhancements are included in all plans. |
| Pricing model | MAVRK:One flat monthly price. Site Chatbot $29/month; Starter (AI receptionist plus the chatbot) $49/month. | Ruby:Monthly plans priced by receptionist minutes, listed at $250/month for 50 minutes up to $1,725/month for 500 minutes on their pricing page as of September 2026. |
| Included minutes or calls | MAVRK:500 call minutes a month on Starter. | Ruby:50, 100, 200 or 500 receptionist minutes a month depending on the plan. Overage rates: see their pricing page. |
| Free trial | MAVRK:7-day free trial on every plan, no card needed. Cancel any time. | Ruby:Not stated on their pricing page when we checked — see their pricing page. |
| Setup time | MAVRK:Paste your website address or upload a price list; it learns your services, prices and hours and is live in minutes. | Ruby:Not stated. Their pricing page says there are no additional fees for activation, onboarding, setup or customisation. |
| Geography | MAVRK:Australia and the US, with phone numbers in both. Australian company, based in Sydney. | Ruby:US company — their About page places the team in the Pacific Northwest. Answering in English and Spanish. Whether they serve businesses outside the US is not stated; see their site. |
| Website chatbot included | MAVRK:Yes, in every plan. One script line on the site you already have — Wix, Squarespace, Shopify or custom — or the WordPress plugin. How it installs → | Ruby:Sold separately as live chat staffed by people, listed from $143/month for 10 chats on their pricing page as of September 2026, with 20% off when bundled with a receptionist plan. |
| Mobile app | MAVRK:Yes — iOS and Android. | Ruby:Yes — iOS and Android, per the app-store badges on their homepage. |
Hear MAVRK answer before you decide. Call the demo line on +61 3 4821 5555 (Australia) or +1 (361) 321-4123 (US). It picks up as a demo business — ask it whatever a customer would.
When to choose Ruby
- You want a person on the line. A trained receptionist can handle an upset caller, an unusual request or a sensitive conversation in a way software cannot yet match.
- You want people on your website chat too. Ruby sells human-staffed live chat plans alongside the receptionist plans.
- Your call volume is low and predictable. Fifty minutes a month may be all you need, and a human doing those fifty minutes may be worth the price to you.
- You value a long track record. Ruby has been doing this since 2003; MAVRK was founded in 2026.
When to choose MAVRK
- You are in Australia, or you want an Australian or US number live today. Ruby's site does not state whether it serves businesses outside the US.
- You get more calls than a 50- or 100-minute plan covers. MAVRK's Starter includes 500 minutes for $49/month.
- You want the phone and the website handled by one front desk on one bill. The chatbot is included in every plan.
- You want to try it first. Every plan starts with a 7-day free trial, no card needed, cancel any time — and the demo line is open now.
Common questions
Is MAVRK a Ruby alternative for businesses in Australia?
Yes. MAVRK is an Australian company, based in Sydney, and offers phone numbers in Australia and the US. Ruby's site does not state whether it serves businesses outside the US. Call +61 3 4821 5555 to hear MAVRK answer; US callers can use +1 (361) 321-4123.
How does the pricing compare?
Ruby's plans were listed at $250/month for 50 receptionist minutes, up to $1,725/month for 500 minutes, on their pricing page in September 2026. MAVRK's Starter is $49/month with 500 call minutes included, and the site chatbot alone is $29/month. The difference is what you are paying for: Ruby's minutes are answered by trained people, MAVRK's by AI.
Can an AI receptionist do what Ruby's receptionists do?
It does the front-desk basics: answers every call 24/7 in a natural voice, quotes from your real price list, books appointments and texts you what happened. It does not replace human judgment. If your calls regularly need a person — sensitive conversations, complicated situations — Ruby is the better fit.
How long does it take to switch?
Minutes. Paste your website address or upload a price list at signup and MAVRK learns your services, prices and hours. Every plan starts with a 7-day free trial with no card needed, and you can cancel any time.
Five hundred minutes, one flat price, live in minutes
Paste your website address or upload a price list. MAVRK learns your services, prices and hours, answers your calls 24/7 and texts you what happened — $49/month with 500 minutes included, after a 7-day free trial.
7-day free trial on every plan. No card needed. Cancel any time.