Guide · Pricing
Answering service cost comparison (2026)
Published rates lie. Here's what you actually pay per month once setup fees, per-minute overage, and holiday surcharges hit.
By Richmond Agyekum
Per-minute is a trap under 200 calls
PATLive, AnswerConnect, Ruby: $1.10–$2.00/minute. A 3-minute call is $3–$6. 100 calls/mo = $300–$600 before any base fee. Every 'quick question' costs you.
Per-call is honest, if the cap is real
Smith.ai charges per call ($3–$8). No minute clock, but capped plans throttle overage at 2× the rate. Fine for predictable volume, brutal on a busy week.
Flat monthly is where solo trades win
Risacare, some AI-first competitors: $79–$249/mo unlimited. Predictable, no surprise bill after a storm week. Compare the total at your normal and busiest monthly call volumes before deciding which model is cheaper.
Hidden fees that wreck the quote
Setup ($100–$500), holiday surcharge (1.5×–2×), 'complex script' fee, patch-through minutes, voicemail minutes, and the classic 6-second minimum billing on 4-second calls. Always ask for a sample invoice, not a rate card.
Stop losing calls
Risacare answers every call, books the job, and asks for the review.
Card required · Cancel anytime · $199 setup waived for new signups