After-hours answering service: what it costs and what you get

The customer who calls at half past eight in the evening is the customer who has a plumber tomorrow. At two out of three businesses he gets voicemail. This is what it costs to be the third.

Human answering services in the US typically charge $1 to $3 per answered call on top of a monthly plan, and after-hours coverage usually carries a surcharge. With us there is no difference between Tuesday morning and Sunday night: $25.95 a month, a thousand minutes of calls included, at any hour.

You switch forwarding on with one code on your phone — for instance only when you do not pick up, so during the day you still answer yourself. The report is on your phone a minute after every call.

What you get

What people ask about this

What does an after-hours answering service cost?

A human answering service charges its normal $1 to $3 per call plus a surcharge for evenings, weekends and holidays. With us it is $25.95 a month for a thousand minutes, whatever the time of day.

Can I switch it on only after hours?

Yes. You forward on no-answer, so during the day you still pick up yourself and she only steps in when you do not. Or you forward everything in the evening and switch it back in the morning — one code each time.

What happens in an emergency?

On the Professional plan she can transfer an urgent call live to your own number. If you do not pick up, she is simply back on the line and takes the message.

Can the caller tell it is an AI?

She sounds like a calm receptionist and answers with your business name. If somebody asks whether she is an AI, she honestly says yes — she never pretends to be human.

Can I try it first?

Yes, free and without an account: enter your website and your number, and within a minute she rings you.