Straight answer
How much does an answering service cost?
US answering services typically cost between $25 and $700 a month, depending on volume and billing model. Per-minute providers charge roughly $1 to $2 a minute; per-call providers charge roughly $4 to $11 per answered call. Entry plans start around $25 to $50; a typical small business with 50 calls a month lands between $150 and $300.
What you're actually being charged for
There are three models in this market and they behave very differently as your volume grows.
Per minute. The most common. You buy a block of minutes; every call consumes what it consumes. Typical published rates were $1 to $2 a minute in August 2026. A talkative caller costs more than a brief one, and your bill depends on something you don’t control.
Per answered call. One call is one unit whatever happens inside it. Published per-call rates run roughly $4 to $11.50. Predictable, and better value when calls run long.
Pay as you go. No included volume, a monthly minimum, and a higher unit rate. Suits a line that rings rarely but must never ring out.
Published entry prices, August 2026
| Provider | Entry price | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| ReceptionHQ | from ~$25/mo | Per minute |
| PATLive | from ~$49 (pay as you go) | Per minute |
| CloudSecretary | $49/mo | Per answered call |
| Moneypenny | ~$165/mo, 50 min | Per minute |
| Abby Connect | ~$165/mo | Per minute |
| Ruby | ~$250/mo, 50 min | Per minute |
| Smith.ai | ~$300/mo, 30 calls | Per call |
Taken from each provider’s published pricing page on the date noted. Prices change — verify before deciding.
What drives the number up
Volume, obviously. Call length, if you’re billed by the minute — and length is driven by your customers, not by you. Overage, which is where most of the surprise lives: entry plans include very little, and the per-unit rate above the plan is usually the highest rate the provider charges. Add-ons — some providers charge separately for appointment booking, call transfers, bilingual support or CRM delivery. After-hours and holiday surcharges, which some apply and some don’t.
What a real bill looks like
Take your actual call volume and your actual average call length, then:
- Per minute: volume × average minutes × rate, plus overage above the block.
- Per call: included calls at the plan rate, plus each extra call at the overage rate.
A business taking 50 calls a month at 4 minutes each pays roughly 200 minutes’ worth on a per-minute plan — around $300 to $400 at $1.50 to $2 a minute — versus a per-call plan at the same volume, which on CloudSecretary is $209.
If your calls average 90 seconds, the arithmetic flips. That’s the point: run it on your own numbers, not on an example.
Questions worth asking before signing
What counts as a billable call or minute — and are spam calls, hang-ups and wrong numbers included? What’s the overage rate? Is there a contract or minimum term? Are appointment booking, transfers and Spanish included or extra? Is there a night, weekend or holiday rate? What happens if volume doubles for one month — can I move plan and move back?
Related
Questions people ask
How much does an answering service cost per month?
Between roughly $25 and $700 a month for most US small businesses, depending on volume and billing model. Entry plans start around $25 to $50 with very little included; a business taking 50 calls a month typically pays $150 to $300.
How much does an answering service cost per call?
Per-call providers publish rates of roughly $4 to $11.50 per answered call, usually falling as plan volume rises. Per-minute providers don't have a per-call rate — the cost depends on how long each call runs.
Is per-minute or per-call pricing cheaper?
Per-call is cheaper when calls run long or their length varies; per-minute can be cheaper for consistently short calls. Convert both to a cost per call using your own average call length before comparing.
Are there hidden costs in answering services?
The common ones are overage rates above the plan, setup fees, charges for appointment booking or call transfers, bilingual surcharges, and night or holiday rates. Ask about each one specifically rather than assuming they're included.