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, and how to work out which one is cheapest for the volume of calls you actually get.
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, typically for a flat monthly fee that doesn’t spike with call volume.
Typical 2026 price ranges
Live answering services are commonly billed around $1–$2 per minute, or in monthly bundles that often land anywhere from roughly $200 to $600+ per month once you’re past a light plan. The catch is that costs scale directly with how much your callers talk — a few long calls can blow the budget.
A full-time in-house receptionist typically runs $35,000–$50,000+ per year once you include wages, benefits, and overhead — and that still only covers business hours.
An AI receptionist is usually a flat monthly subscription. Because it isn’t billed per minute, the cost stays predictable whether you get 20 calls a month or 200, and 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, and compare that to a flat AI subscription. For most appointment- and enquiry-driven small businesses, once you’re past a handful of calls a day, a flat rate wins on both price and coverage — and it never sends a caller to voicemail after hours.
Where Open Lines fits
Open Lines is a flat-rate AI receptionist: it answers every call in a natural voice, books appointments into your calendar, captures leads, and works 24/7 — with no per-minute meter. You can compare plans on the pricing page and start a 7-day free trial with no credit card.
Frequently asked
For most small businesses past a few calls a day, yes. Live services bill per minute, so cost rises with call volume, while an AI receptionist is a flat monthly fee that also covers nights and weekends.
Open Lines is a flat monthly subscription rather than a per-minute meter, so your cost stays predictable regardless of how busy the phone gets. See the pricing page for current plans.
Typically $35,000–$50,000+ per year once wages, benefits, and overhead are included — and that only covers their working hours, not after-hours or weekend calls.
Yes. Open Lines offers a 7-day free trial with no credit card, so you can see how it handles your calls before committing.