Pay as you go call answering: when it is cheaper, and when a flat price wins
Pay as you go and pay per call answering services charge for each call or minute, so you only pay when the phone rings. That suits very quiet lines. Once you get more than a handful of calls, a flat monthly price usually works out cheaper and easier to budget.
How pay as you go answering is priced
Per call
A fixed charge for each call answered, sometimes with a minimum monthly fee on top.
Per minute
Charged by the length of each call, so long calls cost more.
Bundles
A set number of calls or minutes each month, with a charge for every one over.
Working out the break even
Divide the flat monthly price by the price per call. That is the number of calls a month where the two cost the same; above it, the flat price is cheaper.
Say a pay per call service charges £1.50 a call. Against OptiFlow Lite at £49 a month, the break even is about 33 calls a month, roughly eight a week. Put in the price you have been quoted.
What else to compare
Set up and minimum fees
Some plans charge to start, or a minimum each month however few calls you get.
Extras
Texts, call transfers and out of hours calls are often charged separately.
What happens on the call
A message taken, or the job booked into your diary.
Hours covered
Office hours only, or evenings, weekends and bank holidays too.
Contract
Monthly rolling or a fixed term, and the notice to leave.
Busy weeks
On per call pricing, your busiest weeks are your most expensive.
When pay as you go makes sense
If you get only a few calls a month and just need a message taken, a pay per call plan can be the cheapest option. If your phone rings every day, or your busy weeks are hard to predict, a flat price removes the surprise bills.
The flat price option
OptiFlow Lite answers every call in your business name, books into your diary and captures every caller’s details, 24 hours a day, for £49 a month with unlimited calls. Our guide to AI receptionist costs compares every pricing model.
Questions people ask
What is pay as you go call answering?
A service that charges only for the calls it answers, per call or per minute, rather than a fixed monthly fee.
Is pay per call cheaper than a monthly plan?
At very low volumes, often yes. Divide the monthly price by the per call price to find the number of calls where they cost the same.
Are there hidden costs?
Look for set up fees, minimum monthly charges, out of hours rates, and charges for texts or call transfers.
Can an AI receptionist be pay as you go?
Some providers charge by the minute or the call. OptiFlow Lite is a flat £49 a month with unlimited calls, so the price does not change with volume.
Know what you will pay every month
Book a demo and we will compare it with the quote you have.
Related reading: Call answering for small businesses, How much does an AI receptionist cost, Call answering service, After hours call answering.