POSTMAN
Pricing Guides Updated 2026-01-20 12 min read

Voice Agent Pricing: Real Costs from $0.05-$2/min Exposed [2026]

Transparent pricing from 50+ real projects. One-time build costs, monthly running costs, and hidden fees most agencies won't tell you about.

100% Transparent Pricing
Based on 50+ Real Projects
No Hidden Fees

Why This Guide Exists

Most agencies quote $5K-100K for AI voice agents with zero transparency. You don't know what you're paying for. Hidden costs emerge later. This guide shows EXACTLY what AI voice agents cost and why.

Pricing Tiers

Real pricing from 50+ projects. Choose based on complexity, not arbitrary packages.

Simple Voice Agent

$5K-15K
Timeline: 1-2 weeks

Basic inbound call handling, single workflow, simple integrations

Includes:

  • Voice AI setup (ElevenLabs or similar)
  • Single call flow (e.g., appointment booking)
  • 1-2 integrations (calendar, CRM)
  • Basic SMS notifications
  • Testing and deployment
Best For:
Appointment scheduling, simple FAQs, lead capture
Monthly Running Cost
$100-300
Real Example:
Dental clinic (2 locations)
Appointment booking via phone
$12K build + $200/month
Handles 200 calls/month, books 80% automatically

Medium Complexity

$15K-35K
Timeline: 3-4 weeks

Multi-workflow, advanced integrations, conditional logic

Includes:

  • Everything in Simple tier
  • Multiple call flows (booking, status, reschedule)
  • 3-5 integrations (calendar, payment, EHR, etc)
  • Advanced SMS/email sequences
  • Call routing and escalation logic
  • Admin dashboard
  • 30 days support
Best For:
Healthcare, home services, multi-location businesses
Monthly Running Cost
$300-600
Real Example:
HVAC company (5 techs)
Service scheduling + dispatch optimization
$28K build + $450/month
Handles 400+ calls/month, reduced dispatch time 70%

Complex/Enterprise

$35K-75K
Timeline: 5-8 weeks

Multi-channel, compliance requirements, custom workflows

Includes:

  • Everything in Medium tier
  • Voice + chat + SMS multi-channel
  • 5-10 complex integrations
  • HIPAA/PCI compliance
  • Custom AI training on your data
  • Advanced analytics and reporting
  • White-glove onboarding
  • 90 days support + monthly check-ins
Best For:
Healthcare systems, insurance, financial services
Monthly Running Cost
$600-1,500
Real Example:
Multi-location medical practice
Patient intake + scheduling + refills (HIPAA)
$62K build + $1,200/month
Handles 1,500+ interactions/month, saved 40 hours/week staff time

Detailed Cost Breakdown

One-Time Build Costs

Discovery & Requirements

$2K-5K

Scope project, map workflows, define success criteria. Usually 3-5 strategy sessions.

Voice AI Setup & Training

$3K-10K

Configure voice platform, train on your scripts, test pronunciation. More complex = more training.

Integrations

$2K-8K per integration

Calendar, CRM, payment, EHR, etc. Simple APIs cheaper, custom systems more expensive.

Call Flow Development

$3K-12K

Build conversation logic, handle edge cases, escalation paths. Complexity drives cost.

Testing & QA

$2K-6K

Test all scenarios, load testing, user acceptance testing. Critical for quality.

Compliance (if needed)

$5K-15K

HIPAA, PCI, SOC 2 compliance setup. Includes security audits, BAAs, encryption.

Monthly Running Costs

Voice AI API

$50-500

Per-minute pricing. 500 calls x 3 min avg = $150-300 depending on provider.

Phone Number & Twilio

$50-200

Phone numbers, inbound minutes, SMS messages. Scales with volume.

Hosting & Infrastructure

$50-200

Server hosting, database, monitoring tools. More complex = higher cost.

Maintenance & Support

$200-1,000

Bug fixes, minor updates, monitoring. Some agencies include 3-6 months free.

AI Model Costs

$100-400

GPT-4, Claude, or custom models for NLP. Token-based pricing.

Hidden Costs to Watch For

Most agencies won't tell you about these. We do.

Integration Discovery

+$2K-5K

Many integrations require custom API work not apparent until you start. Legacy systems especially problematic.

Data Migration

+$1K-4K

Moving customer data into new system. Often underestimated by 50%.

Training & Iteration

+$2K-6K

AI needs refinement after launch. First 30 days usually require 10-20 hours of tuning.

Compliance Extras

+$3K-10K

HIPAA penetration testing, legal reviews, BAA negotiations take longer than expected.

Scale-Up Costs

Variable

Initial pricing assumes X volume. 3x volume = higher API costs. Plan for growth.

Traditional vs AI Automation

Real cost comparison over 12 months

Traditional Approach (Human Agents)

Setup Cost
$5K-10K
  • • Hiring
  • • Training
  • • Equipment
Monthly Cost
$5K-8K per agent
  • • Salary: $3.5K
  • • Benefits: $1K
  • • Infrastructure: $500
  • • Management: $500
Annual Total (Year 1)
$60K-96K per agent
For 3 agents handling calls: $180K-288K/year
RECOMMENDED

AI Voice Agent

Setup Cost
$15K-35K
  • • Development
  • • Integration
  • • Testing
Monthly Cost
$300-600
  • • Voice API: $200
  • • Hosting: $100
  • • Maintenance: $200
Annual Total (Year 1)
$18.6K-42.2K total (year 1)
Handles same volume as 2-3 human agents
Potential Savings (Year 1)
$140K-250K in year 1
Typical payback period: 2-4 months

Common Questions

Why is there such a big price range ($5K-75K)?

Complexity drives cost. Simple appointment booking with calendar integration is $5K-15K. Healthcare system with HIPAA compliance, EHR integration, multi-workflow is $50K-75K. Most projects fall in $15K-35K range.

What determines if I need the $15K vs $35K vs $75K solution?

Three factors: (1) Number of integrations - each adds $2K-5K, (2) Compliance requirements - HIPAA/PCI adds $10K-15K, (3) Complexity - simple booking vs multi-step workflows. We can estimate in 30-min consultation.

Are monthly costs really that low ($300-600)?

Yes, for typical volume (500-1,000 calls/month). Voice AI pricing is per-minute. If your volume 10x increases, monthly costs increase proportionally. We design for your expected volume + 30% buffer.

What's NOT included in these prices?

Prices include build, deploy, initial training. NOT included: major feature additions after launch, 24/7 support (we offer during business hours), ongoing optimization (we include first 30 days). Extended support packages available.

How do you compare to other agencies/platforms?

We're mid-range. DIY platforms ($500-2K/year but you build it) are cheaper upfront but require technical skills. Big agencies ($100K+ projects) have overhead. We focus on $15K-50K sweet spot: custom but efficient.

Can I get exact pricing for MY project?

Yes. Schedule 30-min consultation. We'll ask about your workflow, integrations needed, compliance requirements, and volume. Then provide detailed estimate with line-item breakdown. No obligation.

Ready to Get Accurate Pricing?

Schedule 30-minute consultation. We'll discuss your project and provide detailed, transparent estimate.

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No obligation. No sales pitch. Just honest pricing guidance.