How much does a UK answering service cost?

Prices checked October 2026

Most small UK businesses pay somewhere between £15 and £250 a month. The headline figure matters less than how the provider counts what you use, so that is where to look first.

The four ways providers charge

Per call. You pay a set amount for every call answered. Published human-answering rates are often around £2 to £3 a call. Fine for a quiet line, but short calls, wrong numbers and sales calls can all count.
Per minute. You pay for call length. It is harder to predict, because one long call can cost more than several short ones.
Monthly bundle. A fixed fee covers a set number of calls, messages or minutes, with a per-extra rate once you go over. Published human-answering bundles run from about £75 a month for 30 calls to about £230 for 100 calls.
Per message. You only pay for genuine messages passed on to you. Some providers do not charge for wrong numbers or obvious sales calls.

Rough price ranges

Type of service	Typical published pricing
Human answering	About £2 to £3 a call, or bundles from about £75 a month (30 calls) to £230 (100 calls). Some entry packages start nearer £15 a month for very light use.
AI-only receptionist	Entry plans commonly £20 to £100 a month, then roughly 25p to 55p a minute or 40p to £1 a call once you go over.
Human plus AI (hybrid)	Usually between the two, depending on how many calls need a person.

These figures come from providers' own published pricing and change often. Treat them as a guide and check the current price before you sign up.

What pushes the price up

More calls, or longer calls.
Complicated instructions, such as several departments or different rules for different callers.
Transferring calls to your mobile, which is sometimes charged separately.
Booking appointments, which is often only on higher plans.
Cover outside office hours.

Costs people miss

VAT. Many providers quote prices without it, so add 20% to compare fairly.
Setup fees. Some charge a one-off fee, from tens of pounds to several hundred.
How calls are counted. Some count every call, however short. Others only count calls over a certain length.
Overage rates. Look at what you pay once the allowance runs out, not just the monthly price.
Contract length. Check the notice period before you commit.

Work out your own cost in three steps

Count how many calls you miss or want covered each month. Your phone provider's call log will show it.
Estimate how long a typical call lasts. Two to three minutes is a common starting point.
Multiply it out under each pricing model, then add VAT and any setup fee. The cheapest headline price is not always the cheapest for your call pattern.

Where AnswerBee fits

AnswerBee has a real person answering during office hours and AI covering evenings, weekends and overflow. Plans are month-to-month with no setup fees, and you can try 30 AI-answered calls free with no card needed. Our pricing page shows the plans and what each one includes.

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