Google Ask for Me vs CallForMe
Google Ask for Me is a free Google Search feature that calls local businesses in set categories to check prices and availability, then sends you a summary. CallForMe works from your own agent, handles any errand with any business, and reports back live, for $1 per answered call.
What Ask for Me does
Google's Ask for Me (shown in Search as "Have AI check pricing") calls local businesses for you, asks about price and availability, and sends a summary by text or email, usually within about 30 minutes. It launched in 2025 for auto shops and nail salons (9to5Google). At Google I/O 2026, Google announced expansion to home repair, beauty, and pet care for US users (JobNimbus summary). The AI announces itself as an AI from Google, businesses can opt out in their Business Profile, and Google caps calls per business.
It's free and it works well for what it's built for.
Side by side
| Google Ask for Me | CallForMe | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free (as of September 2026) | $1 per answered call incl. 5 min, $0.25/min after |
| Where you use it | Google Search | Your agent: Claude, ChatGPT, Codex, Cursor, and more |
| Which businesses | Google picks nearby businesses in supported categories | Any US or Canadian business number you or your agent choose |
| Tasks | Price and availability checks | Quotes, bookings, reschedules, cancellations, stock holds, hold-for-me, bill calls |
| Results | Summary by text or email, often within 30 min | Live status, transcript, and structured answers in your agent |
| Mid-call questions | Answered up front in a form | Asked live; your agent answers |
| Patch you in | No | Yes, with transfer_to |
| Programmable | No | MCP, REST |
When to pick Ask for Me
- You want prices from several auto shops, salons, groomers, or home repair pros and you're fine letting Google choose who to call.
- You don't need the answer in the next few minutes.
- You want to spend nothing.
When to pick CallForMe
- You need to call a specific business, like your dentist, your gym, or a restaurant that doesn't book online.
- The task isn't a price check: booking a table, cancelling a membership, waiting on hold.
- You want results inside the agent you're already using, so it can act on them next.
- You want to compare quotes on your own terms. See getting quotes from several businesses and auto repair quotes.
Questions
Is Google Ask for Me free?
Yes. It's part of Google Search in the US. You pick a business category, answer a few questions, and Google's AI calls nearby businesses and sends the results.
What can Ask for Me call about?
It started with auto shops and nail salons in 2025. Google announced expansion to home repair, beauty, and pet care in 2026. It's built for price and availability checks, not bookings, cancellations, or disputes.
Can I use Ask for Me from Claude or ChatGPT?
No. It runs inside Google Search. CallForMe is built to be used from other agents through MCP or its REST API.
Why would I pay for CallForMe if Ask for Me is free?
If your task is a price check in a category Google covers, use Ask for Me. Pay for CallForMe when you need a specific business, a task Google doesn't cover, live back-and-forth, or results inside your own agent.
Add CallForMe to your agent
One URL for any MCP agent. No key needed to install.