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Answering service cost calculator

The short answer

Answering services usually charge a monthly fee with minutes or calls included, plus a rate for each extra one. Among ten services we compared, published entry plans are $49 to $99 a month for software voice assistants and $99 to $350 a month for live receptionist services. Your bill is calls × average length, priced against the plan; enter your numbers below to see it.

Answering services price by the month, with minutes included and a rate for each extra minute. Enter your calls and any plan’s numbers to see the monthly bill, next to a receptionist on payroll.

Your calls

A plan you’re looking at

Type in the numbers from any answering service’s price page or quote.

A receptionist on payroll

On top of wages. Many small employers use 20% to 30%; ask your accountant.

Monthly cost

360 minutes of calls a month (160 over the plan’s included minutes).

The plan you entered
$540
Extra minutes in that plan
$240
That plan, per call
$4.50
CoveDesk Front Desk
$288
CoveDesk Front Desk, per call
$2.40
Receptionist, 40 hours a week
$3,900

CoveDesk Front Desk: $249 a month with 250 minutes included and $0.35 for each extra minute, from our current price list. Setup fees and taxes aren’t included above.

A receptionist covers the hours they work; an answering service covers nights and weekends too.

How it works

  1. From your phone log, count calls in a typical month and work out the average length (many phones and phone company accounts show each call’s duration).
  2. Type in a plan’s monthly fee, included minutes and extra-minute rate from its pricing page or your quote.
  3. The calculator multiplies calls by length, charges extra minutes over what’s included, and adds the monthly fee.

For a receptionist, it multiplies the wage by hours a week and 52 weeks, divides by 12, and adds payroll taxes, insurance and time off. A receptionist only covers the hours they work; an answering service also covers nights and weekends.

See published prices from ten services in our answering service pricing guide.

Common questions

How much does an answering service cost?
Published plans range from under $50 a month for small software plans to several hundred dollars a month for live receptionists, plus extra minutes or calls. Your bill depends on how many calls you get and how long they last.
How do I estimate my monthly minutes?
Calls a month × average call length. 120 calls at 3 minutes is 360 minutes. Count only calls the service would answer: if it only covers after hours or calls you miss, use those.
Is an answering service cheaper than hiring a receptionist?
For most small trade businesses, yes, often by a lot. A receptionist costs wages plus payroll costs and covers fewer hours. Put your own numbers in to compare.
Are setup fees included?
No. Add any setup fee to the first month yourself. Ask each service about setup, per-call extras and holiday charges.

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