Curious Thing Lucy alternative
Lucy AI pricing is now US$24 or US$99 a month with no trial, while Jodie bills in pounds and gives you 7 days free.
Sarah from Bristol
Jodie answering...
Lead texted to you
12 seconds after the call started
Lucy by Curious Thing is worth it if you need low-cost missed-call cover: US$24 a month, billed in dollars for UK numbers, with no free plan since July 2025 and no free trial. If you want bookings made during the call, the Curious Thing alternative to try is Jodie Professional at £99 a month.
Lucy figures come from curiousthing.io pricing, product and terms pages and its 14 July 2025 plan notice, checked 13 October 2026. Pound figures use exchange rates from 5 October 2026. Jodie prices exclude VAT; Lucy's pages do not mention VAT. Jodie's unlimited minutes are subject to fair use of 1,000 calls a month.
Each one is set out on Curious Thing's own pricing page or terms.
Lucy texts callers a link to your online booking page, so the booking still depends on them. Jodie Professional offers your free times and puts the appointment straight into your calendar.
Lucy's own pricing page lists 'appointment setting via web link' as its booking skill.
Curious Thing closed the free Lucy plan on 31 July 2025 and advertises no free trial, so you pay before you test. Jodie gives you 7 days free with no card, on your real calls.
Lucy's terms make fees non-refundable, and its pricing FAQ says no refunds for periods already paid.
Lucy bills UK numbers in US dollars under terms governed by New South Wales law. Jodie prices in pounds ex VAT under the laws of England and Wales.
Lucy's pricing page lists 'USD$24' for US, UK and Canadian numbers alike.
An illustrative script built from the features each company lists, not a recording. Lucy Business at US$99 and Jodie Professional at £99, the plans with call transfer.
Scenario: A homeowner rings a heating engineer at 7pm to book an annual boiler service
Competitor
Lucy
Hi, thanks for calling [your business]. Sorry we can't take your call right now. How can I help?Caller
I'd like to book my annual boiler service, ideally next week.Lucy
I can text you a link to our online booking page so you can choose a time. Can I take your name first?Caller
Sarah Patel.Lucy
Thanks Sarah. I've sent the link to this number, and I'll pass your message to the team.Jodie
Jodie
Good evening, [your business], Jodie speaking. How can I help?Caller
I'd like to book my annual boiler service, ideally next week.Jodie
I can book that now. I have Tuesday at 9am or Wednesday at 2pm. Which suits you?Caller
Tuesday at 9, please.Jodie
Lovely. Can I take your name and the address of the property?Caller
Sarah Patel, 14 Elm Road, Bristol.Jodie
You're booked in for Tuesday at 9am, Sarah. The team will see you then.Both calls were answered. Lucy sent the caller off to book online; Jodie booked the job before they hung up.
Curious Thing publishes Lucy's prices and cancellation terms. The gaps are tax, trials and what 'unlimited' means.
| Jodie | Lucy by Curious Thing | |
|---|---|---|
Monthly price on the pricing page Jodie lists £49, £99 and £199. Lucy lists US$24 Professional and US$99 Business. | ||
Billing currency for UK customers stated Jodie bills in pounds. Lucy bills UK numbers in US dollars and Australian numbers in Australian dollars. | ||
VAT basis stated Jodie's prices exclude VAT. Lucy's pricing page and terms do not mention VAT. | ||
Free trial without a card Jodie: 7 days, no card. Lucy: paid plans only since the free plan closed on 31 July 2025. | ||
Fair-use limit on unlimited calls stated Jodie: up to 1,000 calls a month. Lucy's terms reserve the right to limit 'excessive usage' without a figure. | ||
Cancellation and refund terms stated Jodie is month to month. Lucy cancels from the dashboard, runs to the end of the paid period and does not refund it. |
Businesses where a caller wants a time booked, not a link to follow up later.
A homeowner with a dripping boiler wants someone out this week. Jodie Professional puts the visit in your calendar while they are still on the phone.
See Jodie for plumbersQuote requests land while you are on site with your hands full. Jodie takes the job details and, on Professional, books the site visit into your calendar.
See Jodie for buildersWeekend viewing requests need a slot, not a text. Jodie Professional offers your free viewing times and books one before the buyer rings the next agent.
See Jodie for estate agentsA bride ringing to book her hair trial wants the date fixed while you are mid-colour with another client. Jodie Professional offers your free slots and books the trial on the call.
See Jodie for hairdressersLucy is an AI phone agent from Curious Thing, an Australian company bought by MaxContact in 2025. Lucy answers your missed calls, or all calls, takes messages, answers FAQs and texts callers links, then sends you a summary by text and email. Plans cost US$24 or US$99 a month.
You set up conditional call forwarding so missed calls on your mobile or landline go to a dedicated Lucy number. Lucy answers, talks with the caller and sends you a summary by text and email. If you change mobile carrier, you have to set the forwarding up again.
No, Curious Thing closed the free Lucy plan on 31 July 2025, along with any free accounts that were not upgraded. Lucy now costs US$24 or US$99 a month with no free trial. Jodie has no free plan either, but you get 7 days free with no card.
Lucy Professional costs US$24 a month and Lucy Business US$99, with unlimited calls. UK numbers are billed in US dollars, roughly £18 and £75, and fees are non-refundable. Jodie costs £49 Basic or £99 Professional a month, ex VAT.
Not into your calendar during the call. Lucy texts the caller a link to your online booking page or website, and the caller books themselves. Jodie Professional, at £99 a month, offers your free times and books the appointment while the caller is still on the line.
Reviews on Lucy's own site, mostly from US users in 2024, praise how it handles missed calls and turns voicemails into texts, and some praise the free plan. All of them predate July 2025, when Lucy became paid-only. Test any AI receptionist on your own calls before you pay.
MaxContact does. Curious Thing announced on 22 May 2025 that it had been acquired by MaxContact, a customer engagement technology company, and Lucy sign-up is now branded Lucy by MaxContact. Lucy's terms are still governed by New South Wales law.
Lucy runs on conditional call forwarding, so switching means pointing those forwards at a new number. You keep cover the whole time.
Total time: Under 30 minutes of setup, plus 5-7 days running both
Sign up with no card and let Jodie learn your business from your website. You get a Jodie number to send calls to straight away.
Call your Jodie number from another phone and check she greets callers, asks your questions and books the way you want.
Point only your no-answer forward at Jodie and leave busy and unreachable calls going to Lucy. Compare the two sets of summaries.
Cancel from your Lucy dashboard in a web browser. Lucy runs to the end of the period you paid for, and paid periods are not refunded.
Point busy and unreachable forwards at your Jodie number too, then let a call ring out and confirm Jodie answers it.
Buyer's guides
This comparison is part of our independent buyer's guides ranking the whole field.
No card and no sales call. Point your missed calls at Jodie and compare her summaries with Lucy's.
First 7 days free, then pricing from £49/month
