# Best Phone Automation > Scored ranking of phone automation apps (Apple Shortcuts, Tasker, MacroDroid, Automate and others) and of AI phone answering services for businesses, scored on published rubrics with dated, cited facts. The best phone automation in 2026 is Apple Shortcuts on iPhone: it scores 8.2 out of 10, it is free and built in, and Apple lists 20 triggers that can run it without asking. On Android, MacroDroid (8.0) is the easiest strong pick and runs 5 macros free; Automate (7.6) gives every feature free up to 30 running blocks, and Tasker (7.5) goes deepest for a one-time $4.49. Last updated: 2026-11-09. Publisher: Best Phone Automation. Scores use a published rubric (Power 25%, Ease of use 25%, Reliability 20%, Price 15%, Privacy 15%). Facts and prices cite their sources on each page. ## Phone automation apps - [Apple Shortcuts](https://bestphoneautomation.com/apple-shortcuts/): #1, 8.2/10. Best for iPhone and iPad owners. Apple's free automation app, built into iPhone and iPad, with 20 triggers that can run without asking. - [MacroDroid](https://bestphoneautomation.com/macrodroid/): #2, 8.0/10. Best for Easy Android automation. An Android automation app with over 120 triggers and 200 actions, free for up to 5 macros. - [Automate](https://bestphoneautomation.com/automate/): #3, 7.6/10. Best for Budget Android power users. A free Android app from LlamaLab that builds automations as flowcharts from more than 410 building blocks. - [Samsung Modes and Routines](https://bestphoneautomation.com/samsung-modes-and-routines/): #4, 7.6/10. Best for Samsung Galaxy owners. Samsung's free automation feature, built into the Settings app of Galaxy phones and tablets. - [Tasker](https://bestphoneautomation.com/tasker/): #5, 7.5/10. Best for Maximum Android control. A paid Android automation app with 350+ actions and 130+ states and events, sold for a one-time $4.49 on Google Play in the US. - [Google Pixel Rules](https://bestphoneautomation.com/pixel-rules/): #6, 6.9/10. Best for Pixel owners silencing by place. A setting built into Google Pixel phones that turns on Do Not Disturb or sets the phone to silent, vibrate or ring when it joins a Wi-Fi network or reaches a location. - [IFTTT](https://bestphoneautomation.com/ifttt/): #7, 6.1/10. Best for Cloud and smart-home links. A cloud automation service that links iPhone and Android phones to 1,000+ apps and devices through Applets. ## AI phone answering Full ranking: https://bestphoneautomation.com/best/ai-phone-answering/ - [Retell AI](https://bestphoneautomation.com/retell-ai/): #1, 7.9/10. Best for Pay-per-minute AI call agents. A pay-per-minute platform for building AI phone agents that answer and place calls, listed at $0.07 to $0.31 a minute with no platform fee. - [RingCentral AI Receptionist](https://bestphoneautomation.com/ringcentral/): #2, 7.6/10. Best for RingCentral phone customers. An AI receptionist from the cloud phone company RingCentral that answers, books and routes calls on any phone system; the standalone plan on its pricing page is $49 a month with 100 minutes. - [Bland AI](https://bestphoneautomation.com/bland-ai/): #3, 7.4/10. Best for Regulated, high-volume call teams. An enterprise voice AI platform that runs AI phone agents on its own speech and language models; the Start plan has no platform fee and charges $0.14 a minute. - [Goodcall](https://bestphoneautomation.com/goodcall/): #4, 7.3/10. Best for Small US service businesses. An AI phone answering service for small businesses, billed from $79 a month by unique customers served, with no per-minute charges. - [Vapi](https://bestphoneautomation.com/vapi/): #5, 7.2/10. Best for Developer-built voice agents. A developer platform for AI phone agents, billed at $0.05 a minute in hosting plus speech, model and voice costs at provider rates. - [Smith.ai](https://bestphoneautomation.com/smith-ai/): #6, 7.1/10. Best for AI with human backup. An AI receptionist backed by 500+ North American live agents, billed per call, with a free plan of 25 calls a month. - [Dialpad](https://bestphoneautomation.com/dialpad/): #7, 6.6/10. Best for Teams already on Dialpad. A business phone and contact center platform whose Resolve AI agents answer calls at $1.99 per voice conversation. - [Synthflow](https://bestphoneautomation.com/synthflow/): #8, 6.2/10. Best for Enterprise contact centers. An AI voice agent platform from Berlin for contact centers and multi-location brands, sold only as an annual enterprise agreement. ## Best picks by situation - [Best AI receptionist for small business](https://bestphoneautomation.com/best/small-business/): top pick Retell AI. - [Best phone automation for iPhone](https://bestphoneautomation.com/best/iphone/): top pick Apple Shortcuts. - [Best phone automation apps for Android](https://bestphoneautomation.com/best/android/): top pick MacroDroid. - [Best phone automation for Samsung Galaxy](https://bestphoneautomation.com/best/samsung-galaxy/): top pick MacroDroid. - [Best free phone automation apps](https://bestphoneautomation.com/best/free/): top pick Apple Shortcuts. ## Comparisons - [Retell AI vs Vapi](https://bestphoneautomation.com/compare/retell-ai-vs-vapi/): Retell AI for a faster start, Vapi for full developer control. - [Synthflow vs Retell AI](https://bestphoneautomation.com/compare/synthflow-vs-retell-ai/): Synthflow for enterprise contact centers, Retell AI for everyone else. - [Vapi vs Synthflow](https://bestphoneautomation.com/compare/vapi-vs-synthflow/): Vapi for developers who start today, Synthflow for enterprise rollouts. - [Bland AI vs Retell AI](https://bestphoneautomation.com/compare/bland-ai-vs-retell-ai/): Retell AI for most teams, Bland AI for regulated volume. - [MacroDroid vs Tasker](https://bestphoneautomation.com/compare/macrodroid-vs-tasker/): MacroDroid for ease, Tasker for control. - [Apple Shortcuts vs IFTTT](https://bestphoneautomation.com/compare/shortcuts-vs-ifttt/): Shortcuts for the phone, IFTTT for web services. ## About - [Methodology](https://bestphoneautomation.com/methodology/): how scores are calculated and checked. - [About and disclosure](https://bestphoneautomation.com/about/): who publishes this site and how it makes money. ## Optional - [Changelog](https://bestphoneautomation.com/changelog/): dated record of every ranking change. - [Full text](https://bestphoneautomation.com/llms-full.txt): the ranking and every review as plain text.