Answering service pricing,
without the sales call
Most answering services quote by the minute and hide the monthly minimum. Here's what the options actually cost a small service business.
| Option | Typical monthly | How it's billed | Booking included |
|---|---|---|---|
| Human answering service | $250–$600+ | Per minute, rounded up, monthly minimum | Usually an add-on |
| Virtual receptionist plans | $100–$400 | Per call or per minute bundles | Varies |
| AI answering services | $30–$300 | Monthly plan plus per-minute overage | Varies — many take messages only |
| Voice AI developer platforms | $6–$99 plus usage | Per minute, AI and phone billed separately | No — you build it |
| Calleo | $99 / $199 / $299 | Flat monthly with 250–2,500 minutes included | Yes, on every plan |
Starter
250 answered minutes included, then $0.19/min.
Pro
1,000 answered minutes included, then $0.15/min.
Crew
2,500 answered minutes included, then $0.12/min.
Competitor figures are typical published ranges for US small-business plans and move around — always check the provider's current pricing page before deciding.
Pricing questions
How much does an answering service cost per month?
Human answering services typically run $250–$600 a month for a small business, built on per-minute or per-call rates that rise with volume. AI answering services run roughly $30–$300 a month. Calleo is $99, $199, or $299 depending on how many answered minutes you need.
Are answering services charged per minute or per call?
Most human services bill per minute, often rounded up per call, with a monthly minimum. That makes busy months expensive and unpredictable. Calleo bundles minutes into the plan and charges a flat per-minute rate only after you pass them.
What's included in Calleo's price?
Your own phone number, 24/7 answering, appointment booking, text confirmations, call transcripts and email summaries, calendar sync, and setup. Starter includes 250 answered minutes for $99.
Is there a cheaper option than an answering service?
Voicemail is free but most first-time callers hang up rather than leave a message, so it costs you the job. If budget is the constraint, a per-minute AI plan like Calleo Starter is the lowest-cost way to actually have calls answered.