Call Catcher takes the details.
Swoopd books the job.
Both are made in New Zealand, and both get back to the calls you miss within seconds. The difference is what happens next. Call Catcher's standard service sends you a job summary and leaves the booking to you. Swoopd books the job into your calendar, confirms the time with the customer, and carries it through to the invoice and the Google review.
Updated 30 September 2026. Call Catcher details are taken from callcatcher.co.nz on that date.
“You remain responsible for following up with your customers.”
Their FAQ backs this up. The standard service collects and prioritises the details, but it doesn't promise attendance times or commit you to the work. So you still get back to each customer to lock in a time. That's the phone tag Swoopd is built to cut out.
Side by side
What each service does once a call goes unanswered, based on what each company publishes.
| Feature |  Swoopd |
Call Catcher |
|---|---|---|
| Catching the enquiry | ||
| Replies to a missed call within seconds | Yes. Yes, on WhatsApp | Yes. Yes, by textOr Carl, an AI voice, on Voice plans |
| If the caller would rather talk | Yes. Arranges a call-back from youYou get their details and ring them back | Yes. Carl answersVoice plans only |
| AI voice answers the call | Coming soonOptional add-on, if you want it | Yes. Yes, CarlVoice plans only |
| Customers without WhatsApp | Yes. Call-back leadPaid SMS short code add-on, set up on request | Yes. Reached by SMS |
| Facebook Messenger enquiries | Yes. Answered and bookedEvery plan | Not listed. Not listed |
| Website form and email enquiries | Yes. Turned into leadsEvery plan | Not listed. Not listed |
| Booking widget for your website | Yes. Yes | Not listed. Not listed |
| Urgent jobs flagged straight away | Yes. Yes | Yes. Yes |
| Booking the job | ||
| Calendar that allows for travel time | Yes. Traffic-aware | Not listed. Not listed |
| Reschedules sorted by message | Yes. YesCustomer gets the new time | Not listed. Not listed |
| Running the job | ||
| Review requests after the job | Yes. Every planGoogle reviews, from $97 | Yes. From Catch More$79 text, $109 voice ($99 launch offer) |
| Invoice from a finished job | Yes. YesStraight into Xero on Pro | Not listed. Not listed |
| Analytics and monthly ROI report | Yes. Every plan | Not listed. Not listed |
| Connections | ||
| Fergus | Coming soonIn testing now | Yes. Yes |
| Xero, Google Calendar and Stripe | Yes. Yes | Not listed. Not listed |
| Price and terms | ||
| Starting price | $97 a monthStarter, no GST added | $49 a monthText. Voice $79 ($69 launch offer). GST not stated |
| Call limits | Yes. NoneNo per-call fees on any plan | 50 to 130 calls a monthThen $0.18 a text or $0.50 a call |
| Free trial | 14 days | 7 days |
| Contract | Yes. Monthly, cancel anytimeAnnual optional, 2 months free | Yes. Monthly, cancel anytime |
| Made in New Zealand | Yes. Christchurch | Yes. Yes |
Call Catcher starts cheaper. Here's what the difference buys.
Call Catcher's text plans run from $49 to $99 a month, depending on how many calls you get. Swoopd Starter is $97 a month with no call limits. Here's what each gets you.
- No call limits and no per-call fees
- A full dashboard for leads, calendar and analytics
- Books the job into your calendar
- Traffic-aware calendar that allows for travel
- Booking widget for your website
- Facebook Messenger and email enquiries
- Google review requests
- Analytics and monthly ROI report
- Google Calendar sync
- $49 for 50 calls, $79 for 100, $99 for 120, then $0.18 per text
- Texts the caller back
- Evening and weekend triage
- Fergus integration
- Review requests from $79
- Returning-customer recognition and priority flagging at $99
Call Catcher texts the caller back and flags urgent jobs for you to follow up. Swoopd is a full dashboard for running the job, from the first message to the invoice. Swoopd's $97 is what you pay, with no GST added. Call Catcher's site doesn't say whether its prices include GST. Their Voice plans ($79 to $139, with a launch offer) are left out here.
Why tradies pick Swoopd
It books the job. You don't chase it.
Swoopd asks what the customer needs, where they are and when suits, then books them in at a time you're actually free. Most get a confirmed time on the spot, so you get a job in the calendar, not another number to ring back.
One flat price. No counting calls.
Call Catcher plans include 50 to 130 calls a month, then charge per text or per call. Swoopd has no call limits on any plan, so a flat-out week after a storm costs the same as a quiet one.
Messenger, email and web enquiries too.
Missed calls, Facebook Messenger, your website form, email and the booking widget on your own site all land in one place.
It carries the job through to the invoice.
It allows for travel time between jobs, handles reschedules by message, lets you invoice from the finished job (straight into Xero on Pro) and asks for a Google review once it's done.
When they want to talk, they get you.
When a customer wants to talk, or a bigger job needs a quote, Swoopd takes their details and tells them you'll call back, instead of handing them to an AI voice. An AI voice add-on is coming for tradies who want one, but it's your call.
Twice as long to try it.
14 days free instead of 7, on your own number, with your real calls. Plenty of time to see what it books for you.
What if the customer would rather talk?
Call Catcher's comparison says text-based services like Swoopd have “no voice option at all if the caller would rather talk”. An AI voice is coming to Swoopd as an optional add-on for tradies who want one. But we think most customers would rather talk to you than a robot. Even Call Catcher's Voice plans follow up by text when a caller doesn't want to talk to Carl.
So by default, Swoopd sends a quick written reply, and if someone wants a chat, it takes their details and tells them you'll call back shortly. When you ring, they're expecting you. Most people are happy with a message anyway: 88% would rather get a text back than a voicemail callback (Twilio).
Where Call Catcher might suit you better
Fair's fair. If a lot of your customers ring from landlines or don't use WhatsApp, Call Catcher's Voice plans answer them by phone, and its Text plans reach mobile callers by SMS. Swoopd replies on WhatsApp and turns everyone else into a call-back lead, with SMS as a paid add-on we set up on request. And if you want an AI voice picking up the phone today, Call Catcher's Voice plans have one now, where Swoopd's is still coming. If you want the job booked, confirmed and followed through to the invoice without chasing it, that's what Swoopd is for.
Questions
Is Swoopd a good Call Catcher alternative?
If you want the job booked, rather than the details collected for you to follow up, yes. Swoopd replies to the calls you miss within seconds, books the job into your calendar and follows it through to the invoice and the Google review. It's made in Christchurch, with one flat price and no call limits.
Call Catcher starts cheaper. Which is better value?
Call Catcher's text plans start at $49 a month for 50 calls (their site doesn't say whether that includes GST). For that, it texts the caller back, flags urgent jobs and connects to Fergus. You still arrange each job yourself. Swoopd Starter is $97 a month with no GST added and no call limits, and it books the job, runs your calendar and asks for the review once it's done.
Does Swoopd answer the phone with an AI voice?
Not yet. An AI voice is coming as an optional add-on for tradies who want one. By default, Swoopd replies in writing within seconds, and if the customer would rather talk, it arranges a call-back from you. We think most customers would rather talk to the tradie than a robot.
What if my customer doesn't have WhatsApp?
They don't get lost. Callers without WhatsApp, or ringing from a landline, show up in your dashboard as a call-back lead with their number, so you can ring them when you're free. A paid SMS short code add-on is also available. Ask for it and we finish the setup for your account.
Can I keep my phone number?
Yes. You keep your number and switch on call forwarding for the calls you miss. Customers keep ringing the number they already know.
Does Swoopd work with Fergus?
Not yet, but it's close. The Fergus connection is in testing now. Once it's live, jobs Swoopd books will flow into Fergus, ready to schedule, quote and invoice.
Do I have to sign up for a year?
No. Every plan is monthly and you can cancel anytime. Annual is optional and works out to two months free: Starter $81, Pro $148 and Business $331 a month.
Does Swoopd charge per call?
No. There are no call limits and no per-call fees on any plan.
See your next missed call get booked
Try Swoopd free for 14 days on your own number. Monthly, cancel anytime.
Start your free trial Or compare Swoopd's plans.Sources. Call Catcher plans, prices and features are from callcatcher.co.nz (homepage pricing, FAQ, terms and their pricing comparison blog) on 30 September 2026. Prices and offers change, so check their site for current details and whether prices include GST. Swoopd prices are in NZD, with no GST added. Call Catcher is operated by Scaileboard Limited. Swoopd Limited is not affiliated with Call Catcher. Spotted something out of date? Email hello@swoopd.io and we'll fix it.