How much does an answering service cost for a trade business?
Short answer: live receptionist services usually run $250 to $1,000+ a month, AI receptionists run about $50 to $300, and voicemail is free but costs you the jobs that hang up. Here's what you actually get at each price.
What you pay and what you get
| Ringbrook (AI) | Live receptionist services | Voicemail | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Typical monthly price | $99, $179 or $299 | About $250 to $1,000+ (Ruby from $250; Smith.ai live from $292.50) | Free |
| How it's counted | Minutes, about 2 per trade call | Minutes or calls; short calls often round up | — |
| Answers at 2 AM | Yes | Usually, at a higher rate | No |
| You get | A text with the job seconds later, plus a recording | A message in their app | A voicemail, if they leave one |
| The catch | It's an AI. Some callers want a person | Price climbs fast with call volume | Many callers hang up and call the next shop |
Prices from each company's published pricing, checked October 2026. They can change, so check their site before you decide.
What one missed call is worth
One job pays for the month
A single service call or repair is often worth more than $99. If an answering service catches even one job a month you'd have missed, it has paid for itself.
Count your missed calls
Look at your phone's recent calls for last week. Every missed call from a number you don't know is a customer who may have called someone else.
Minutes, not calls
Most trade calls take about 2 minutes. 250 minutes covers roughly 100–125 calls a month, enough for most one- and two-truck shops.
What owners ask us
How much does an answering service cost per month?
Live receptionist services usually cost $250 to $1,000 or more a month. AI receptionists cost about $50 to $300. Ringbrook is $99, $179 or $299 a month, based on minutes.
Is an AI answering service worth it for a plumber or HVAC company?
If it catches even one job a month you'd have lost to voicemail, it usually pays for itself, because a single service call is often worth more than the monthly price.
What's the cheapest way to stop missing calls?
Voicemail is free, but many callers hang up and call the next company. An AI receptionist is the lowest-cost way to have every call answered, day and night.
Does Ringbrook have a free trial?
Yes. The first 7 days are free with no card, and there's a 30-day money-back guarantee after that.
Hear Brook answer your business, out loud
Type your business name and trade, and Brook makes a short recording of herself answering a call for you. Or call 580-312-2692 and pretend you're one of your customers.
580-312-2692