How to price AI phone agent services for clients

Hi everyone,
this is a common question: how do you price an AI phone agent when offering it to clients? It’s not the same as traditional SaaS or a human call center, so it takes some thought.

After trying a few models, here are the ones that made the most sense:

1. Per minute pricing.
Straightforward: you calculate your platform cost (e.g., Callin.io charges per usage) and add your margin. Easy to explain, but can feel like a “taximeter,” which some clients dislike.

2. Performance-based pricing.
Example: a flat fee for every booked appointment or qualified lead. Clients love this, especially in sales. But you need solid reporting (history, transcripts) to prove each result.

3. Monthly package.
Offer X calls or X hours included, with overage charges if exceeded. Clients like the predictability of fixed billing.

4. Hybrid model.
A base monthly fee for availability plus variable usage. This is the one I ended up using most—it protects your costs and keeps clients comfortable.

What I like about Callin.io is that you get clear data in Call History and easy number management, so you can justify campaign costs. On other platforms, pulling that data was painful.

Bottom line: there’s no single formula. But with minutes, results, or packages, you can cover most client expectations.