Naming note: My AI Front Desk now uses the Frontdesk brand. This comparison keeps the familiar name in its title for readers searching the older product name. Prices and features below were checked on 23 September 2026 against Frontdesk's pricing page and Trillet AI Receptionist pricing.
Quick Decision Guide (30-Second Read)
| Buyer question | Frontdesk (formerly My AI Front Desk) | Trillet D2C |
|---|---|---|
| Current voice entry | Business-in-a-Box: $99/month for 200 voice minutes ($79/month billed annually) | $49/month for 150 AI minutes, then $0.20/minute |
| Beyond voice | 100 website-chat conversations, 400 SMS, AI-native CRM and sequence automations are listed in Business-in-a-Box | Emailed call summaries, supported calendar booking, configurable SMS follow-up; outgoing SMS separately billed |
| Usage above inclusion | Shared 1,000-credit monthly overage pool, then auto-reload; voice is 25 credits/minute, credits cost $0.01 each | $0.20 per additional AI minute; check separate messaging or carrier charges |
| Trial/guarantee | 7-day free trial advertised | Paid plan with a 28-day money-back guarantee, not a free trial |
| Agency resale | Separate first-party white-label/partner offer | Not part of the $49 receptionist plan |
Bottom line: Frontdesk bundles more channels and built-in CRM/automations at a higher voice-plan entry price. Trillet starts lower for an inbound receptionist with supported native calendar booking. Neither product “actually closes leads” as a guaranteed outcome.
The “Callback Gap”: Where Revenue Is Lost
Answering a call is only the first step. A caller who asks for a quote may need a person to price the job or send a follow-up. Before comparing tools, count unanswered calls, lead details captured, bookings completed, and callbacks made from your own logs. Unsupported conversion percentages or an invented $31,200 revenue gain cannot tell you what either service will produce.
What Happens When a Customer Says “I'll Think About It”?
Frontdesk can record and summarize the interaction, add the contact to its AI-native CRM and use its listed SMS and sequence automations when configured. It is wrong to say it only takes a message and waits for a manual callback. Trillet can capture approved intake details, send an emailed summary and, with consent, run a configured SMS follow-up. Trillet's outgoing SMS is not free. Neither AI should promise a quote range or a calendar opening it has not verified. Set a staff owner for the lead if the call cannot finish the task.
Why This Matters for Your Revenue
The opportunity is to respond consistently to genuine inquiries. Use an illustrative business-specific worksheet instead of a claimed industry conversion multiplier:
| Your input | Example only | What to measure |
|---|---|---|
| Missed qualified inquiries per week | 12 | Count from your call log |
| Share later reached by staff | 50% | Check CRM/callback records |
| Value of a booked job | Your own figure | Use realized gross margin, not headline revenue |
| Monthly tool and message cost | Chosen plan plus usage | Include SMS, credits, number/forwarding and staff time |
If an AI improves follow-up, compare booked outcomes over several weeks. The article cannot guarantee a certain number of customers or annual savings.
Feature Comparison: Where Revenue Gets Lost
| Workflow | Frontdesk Business-in-a-Box | Trillet D2C |
|---|---|---|
| Answer and summarize inbound calls | Listed voice and call workflow | Configured inbound AI and emailed summary |
| Collect intake | AI-native CRM, agent actions and automations; verify setup | Owner-approved questions and summary |
| Appointment scheduling | Frontdesk markets booking; verify the calendar and action on selected plan | Native supported Cal.com, Google Calendar and GoHighLevel Calendar |
| SMS to caller | 400 included messages plus credits/auto-reload for more, subject to rules | Configurable follow-up, separately billed with consent |
| Post-call sequence | Sequence automations listed | Configure supported follow-up; do not assume full multi-step campaign tooling |
| Other channels | Website chat and two-way SMS included in published Business plan | D2C receptionist is inbound voice with limited messaging, not an agency multi-channel workspace |
The comparison is about which workflow is ready on the plan you buy, not an assertion that Frontdesk cannot follow up.
Core Capabilities: The 3-Step Conversion Framework
1. Vetting the Call
Both can be configured to screen or categorize callers. No spam filter catches every unwanted call, and false positives can lose genuine leads. Review samples and keep a fallback route.
2. Automating Intake
A home-services agent can ask about service type, address and desired time; a shop can ask vehicle make and issue. Configure only details needed for the workflow and test what lands in the summary or CRM. Frontdesk's built-in CRM is a real strength. Trillet D2C's CRM connections beyond its named native calendars are DIY via API, not a managed connector. Neither should collect protected patient information through an unapproved $49 D2C process.
3. Handling Follow-Ups
Frontdesk advertises SMS and sequence automations. Trillet advertises configurable SMS follow-up. Compare consent handling, timing, sender identity, message limits and charges. Staff should approve claims about price, availability and urgency. A follow-up can make a lead easier to revisit; it cannot force someone to book.
The Financial Impact of Automated Follow-Up
A useful financial test is incremental gross margin from verified additional bookings minus plan, usage, messaging and staff costs. For example, if your own measured process creates two additional jobs in a month at $100 gross margin each, that is $200 before software and labour. It is not evidence that either product will do so for another business. Avoid reusing unsupported response-time, SMS open-rate or lead-conversion statistics as promises.
Summary: Which Tool Is Right For You?
Choose Frontdesk If:
- You want a broader voice, chat, SMS, CRM and sequence bundle in one $99/month Business-in-a-Box plan.
- Its 200 included voice minutes, 400 SMS and shared overage-credit model fit your workflow.
- A 7-day free trial is important for testing.
- You are evaluating its separate first-party white-label/partner offer for resale. Do not treat that as part of the $99 voice plan.
Choose Trillet If:
- You want a lower $49 paid entry for an inbound AI receptionist and can model the $0.20/minute overage.
- You need native booking with Cal.com, Google Calendar or GoHighLevel Calendar, subject to setup.
- You can configure a consented follow-up and budget SMS separately.
- You prefer a 28-day plan money-back guarantee over a short free trial.
For broader options, read the AI receptionist buyer's guide and our Frontdesk alternatives guide.
Where Frontdesk Genuinely Wins
Frontdesk is a first-party application, not a mere voice-platform wrapper. Its Business plan advertises a built-in AI-native CRM, two-way SMS, website chat and sequence automation alongside voice. It also publishes a separate white-label reseller offering. These can be valuable to a business that wants one tool for more than inbound calls, or to an agency assessing resale.
The trade-off is price and metering: Frontdesk's voice entry is $99/200 minutes, with 1,000 shared overage credits and auto-reload. A voice minute above inclusion uses 25 credits; the credit pool can also be consumed by other over-limit features. Check how auto-reload works in your selected plan before projecting the invoice. Trillet's $49 D2C offer is narrower: one inbound receptionist for your own business, without multi-client management or agency tools, so do not compare those entitlements as if D2C included them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Trillet really handle follow-ups without me doing anything?
Trillet can send configured SMS follow-ups for suitable, consented leads, but messages are billed separately. Someone must define the rule, review the copy, monitor replies and handle questions outside the AI's scope. Frontdesk also offers SMS and sequence automations, so this is not exclusive.
Can Trillet integrate with my CRM?
Its D2C plan natively supports Cal.com, Google Calendar and GoHighLevel Calendar for booking. Other CRM connections can be made through the platform API on a self-serve basis; managed CRM integrations belong to separately priced agency/enterprise offerings.
What happens if the AI can't answer a question?
Either product needs an owner-configured fallback. Trillet can collect contact details, send a summary and route or flag a call where configured; Frontdesk offers its own agent actions and notifications. Do not promise an immediate text or a human callback within two hours unless your actual team can deliver it.
Does Trillet work for multiple locations or team members?
The $49 D2C plan should not be advertised as a multi-tenant franchise dashboard. Multi-location, dedicated routing and agency client management need the appropriately scoped Trillet plan or another product. Ask each supplier for location limits and reporting.
Can I test Trillet risk-free?
The D2C receptionist is a paid plan with a 28-day money-back guarantee, not a free trial. The plan guarantee should not be assumed to refund separately billed SMS, usage, telephony or carrier fees. Cancel at least 24 hours before the next billing date if you do not want renewal; see Trillet's Terms. Frontdesk advertises a 7-day free trial on its own pricing page.
What if I already use a scheduling tool?
Check whether the selected tool connects to Trillet's named calendars or Frontdesk's current booking action. Test a real booking, a no-slot case and cancellation handling. Sending a booking link is not the same as writing an appointment to the calendar.
The Bottom Line: Reception vs. Revenue
Both offer more than simple message-taking. Frontdesk has broader built-in channels and CRM/sequence tools at $99/month for voice. Trillet's D2C receptionist starts at $49/month, with 150 AI minutes and $0.20/minute overage, plus separately billed SMS follow-up. Which one improves revenue depends on real lead quality, configuration and staff action, not a published guarantee of conversions.
For patient or other restricted information, do not use a generic D2C price as compliance proof. Trillet's $49 plan does not authorize HIPAA-covered PHI; an eligible Agency or Enterprise deployment needs an executed BAA and an applicable Order Form naming the workflow. See Trillet healthcare. Ask Frontdesk for its own relevant agreement and approved scope.
Compare Trillet AI Receptionist pricing or explore the product.
Updated for September 2026: Removed the pointer to Trillet's agency plans from this receptionist comparison.
