Answering service cost calculator: what you would really pay
Answering services price by the call, by the minute or by the bundle, so comparing them on their pricing pages is nearly impossible. Put in your real call volume and see all six side by side, plus what the calls you miss today are costing.
Calculate your monthly cost
| Option | Est. monthly cost | Notes |
|---|
List prices checked Oct 2026: Smith.ai human $300/30 calls then $11.50/call; Smith.ai AI $150/75 calls then ~$2.40/call; Ruby $250/50 min then ~$4.30/min; AnswerConnect ~$350/200 min then ~$1.75/min; Moneypenny $99/30 min then ~$3.30/min; GoHighLevel AI receptionist $97 unlimited + ~1.2¢/min. Estimates only; vendors change plans.
Which answering option is cheapest for a contractor?
For most contractors taking more than about 40 calls a month, an AI receptionist on unlimited minutes is the cheapest by a wide margin: about $97 plus roughly 1.2 cents a minute, against $300 to $1,800 for live services at the same volume. Under 30 calls a month, Moneypenny’s $99 or Smith.ai’s AI plan can be cheaper. Live answering still wins when every caller must reach a human, but at 150 calls a month it typically costs five to fifteen times more.
How the calculator prices each option
| Service | Base plan | Included | Overage used | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smith.ai live agents | $300/mo | 30 calls | $11.50 per call | Nextiva, Oct 2026 |
| Smith.ai AI | $150/mo | 75 calls | About $2.40 per call | NextPhone / Dupple 2026 |
| Ruby | $250/mo | 50 minutes | About $4.30 per minute | Nextiva 2026 |
| AnswerConnect | About $350/mo | 200 minutes | About $1.75 per minute (+$49.99 setup) | Nextiva 2026 |
| Moneypenny | $99/mo | 30 minutes | About $3.30 per minute | Nextiva 2026 |
| AI receptionist (GoHighLevel) | $97/mo AI bundle | Unlimited AI minutes | About 1.2¢ per call minute + $2 A2P | Apexure, Sep 2026 |
Worked example: 150 calls, 3 minutes each
A three-truck HVAC company with 150 calls a month at 3 minutes (450 minutes) pays roughly: Smith.ai live $1,680, Smith.ai AI $330, Ruby $1,970, AnswerConnect $790, Moneypenny $1,460, AI receptionist about $104. If it misses 27% of calls today at a 40% booking rate and $500 average job, those missed calls cost about $8,100 a month in jobs, which is the real number to compare the subscription against.
What the calculator does not show
- Quality of the call. Live agents handle odd calls better; AI books faster and never puts anyone on hold. Booking rates on the same calls range from 31% to 77% depending on who answers.
- Setup and agency fees. A managed AI receptionist usually adds $200 to $500 a month for scripting, tuning and reporting.
- Follow-up. None of the live services chase estimates or ask for reviews; the AI stack usually does.
- Plan changes. Vendors change bundles often. Check their current page before signing.
Texas notes
Texas call volume for HVAC and plumbing roughly doubles from June to September, so run the calculator at your July numbers, not your average. Per-call and per-minute plans get expensive fast in a Texas summer; unlimited plans do not. Whichever service you use, texts it sends to callers follow SB 140 hours (9am to 9pm, noon to 9pm Sunday) for follow-ups, and Texas is one-party consent for call recording.
Questions owners ask
How much does an answering service cost for a contractor?
From about $99 a month for very low volume (Moneypenny) to $1,500 or more at 150 calls a month on live per-call plans. An AI receptionist runs about $97 plus a few cents a minute.
Is an AI receptionist cheaper than an answering service?
At more than about 40 calls a month, almost always. At 150 calls it is typically five to fifteen times cheaper than live answering.
Which is cheapest for under 30 calls a month?
Moneypenny’s $99 plan or Smith.ai’s $150 AI plan can beat a managed AI receptionist once agency fees are included.
Why does the calculator ask about missed calls?
Because the subscription is small next to the jobs you lose. At 27% missed and $500 a job, a 150-call shop loses about $8,000 a month.
Are these prices current?
Checked 20 October 2026 against published plans and independent reviews. Vendors change bundles; confirm before you sign.
Does the calculator include setup fees?
Only AnswerConnect’s $49.99 is noted. Managed AI setups usually add an agency fee of $200 to $500 a month.
What about call quality?
Not in the calculator. Live agents handle unusual calls better; AI answers instantly and books into your calendar. Many contractors use AI with a human transfer for emergencies.
Should I use my summer or average call volume?
Summer, for HVAC and plumbing in Texas. Per-minute plans that look cheap in March are expensive in July.
Do I have to give my email to use it?
No. The calculator runs in your browser and sends nothing.
How do I find my real call numbers?
Export last month’s call log from your phone system or carrier, or use our free missed-call audit spreadsheet.
Next pages
Sources
- Nextiva, answering service cost comparison (2026): Smith.ai $300/30 calls and $11.50/call; Ruby $250/50 min; AnswerConnect ~$350/200 min, $49.99 setup; Moneypenny $99/30 min.
- NextPhone and Dupple, AI receptionist pricing (2026): Smith.ai AI $150/75 calls (Dupple lists $95/50).
- Apexure, GoHighLevel Pricing (4 Sep 2026): AI Employee $97 unlimited, LC Phone $0.01165/min.
- Hatch, Speed to Lead Statistics 2026: 27% unanswered.
- Texas SB 140 (1 Sep 2025); Texas AG settlement Nov 2025.
Want us to run the numbers on your actual call log?
Send last month’s call export and we will show your miss rate, the revenue at stake and the cheapest way to answer every call. Free.