How much does an answering service cost in 2026?
If you’re losing business to missed calls, an answering service is the obvious fix — but the pricing models are all over the map. Here’s a plain breakdown of what each option really costs in 2026, with figures drawn from current published pricing, and how to work out which one is cheapest for the volume of calls you actually get.
Figures below reflect published 2026 pricing from several answering-service providers and salary data for Canada, gathered and last checked on July 30, 2026. Ranges are indicative — your exact cost depends on call volume, features, and provider. Sources are listed at the end.
The three ways businesses cover their phone
Broadly, there are three ways to make sure your calls get answered. They price very differently, and the “cheapest” one depends entirely on your call volume.
A call centre answers in your name. Usually billed per minute or in monthly minute bundles — great for overflow, but the meter is always running.
A person on your payroll. Total coverage during their hours, but the highest fixed cost and no nights or weekends without paying overtime.
Software answers, books, and captures leads 24/7, usually on a monthly plan that includes a set allowance of minutes, with a per-minute overage only if you exceed it.
Typical 2026 price ranges
Live answering services in 2026 are commonly billed at roughly $0.75–$2.00 per minute, with many mid-range providers around $0.90–$1.25 per minute. On monthly bundles, basic plans tend to run about $135–$250, mid-range plans about $330–$525, and higher-volume plans about $495–$925 — and busy months can add 20–40% in overage fees on top. The catch is that cost scales directly with how much your callers talk.
A full-time in-house receptionist in Canada typically costs around $40,000–$62,000 per year in wages (roughly $18–$20+ per hour), before you add benefits and overhead — and that still only covers business hours, not nights or weekends.
An AI receptionist is usually a monthly plan with a set allowance of included minutes. Unlike a live service, you’re not metered from the very first minute — you get a block of minutes for your base fee, and only pay a per-minute overage if you go beyond it. It covers nights, weekends, and holidays at no extra charge.
How to work out your real cost
Add up your monthly call volume and average call length. Multiply by the per-minute rate for a live service, then compare that to an AI plan’s base fee plus its included minutes (and any overage beyond them). For most appointment- and enquiry-driven small businesses, once you’re past a handful of calls a day, an AI plan with a generous included allowance works out cheaper and covers hours a live meter would keep charging for — and it never sends a caller to voicemail after hours.
Where Open Lines fits
Open Lines is an AI receptionist on a simple monthly plan: each plan includes a set number of minutes, with a per-minute overage rate only if you go over — and a call is never cut off mid-conversation. It answers every call in a natural voice, books appointments into your calendar, captures leads, and works 24/7. You can compare plans on the pricing page and start a 7-day free trial — cancel anytime before you’re charged.
Frequently asked
For most small businesses past a few calls a day, yes. Live services meter every minute from the start, so cost rises with call volume, while an AI plan gives you a block of included minutes for a monthly fee — with overage only beyond it — and covers nights and weekends.
Each Open Lines plan includes a set number of minutes for a flat monthly price. If you go over your included minutes, the extra time is billed at your plan’s per-minute overage rate — and calls are never cut off mid-conversation. See the pricing page for current plans and rates.
In Canada, receptionist wages typically run about $40,000–$62,000 per year (roughly $18–$20+ per hour) before benefits and overhead — and that only covers working hours, not after-hours or weekend calls.
Yes. Open Lines offers a 7-day free trial so you can see how it handles your calls before committing. You pick a plan and add a card up front, but nothing is charged until the trial ends, and you can cancel any time before then.