By the VIXI team · Reviewed
The short answer
Expect $0.13–$0.31 per minute all-in. The advertised $0.05–$0.09 is usually only the platform’s orchestration fee. Speech-to-text, the language model, text-to-speech and the phone line are billed on top, and text-to-speech is often the largest line. At the high end, a 4-minute qualifying call costs about $1.24.
Where the per-minute cost comes from
| Component | Typical cost per minute | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Speech-to-text | $0.005–$0.02 | Streaming vs batch pricing |
| Language model | $0.02–$0.10 | Model size and prompt length |
| Text-to-speech | $0.05–$0.18 | Premium or cloned voices cost more |
| Telephony (US) | $0.005–$0.03 | Toll-free and international premiums |
| Platform fee | $0.05–$0.14 | The number on the pricing page |
Measure cost per booked appointment
Per-minute price matters less than cost per outcome. Model your real call volume, average call length and booking rate before choosing a platform. If one booking comes from every twelve 4-minute calls at $0.31 per minute, the cost per booked call is under $15.
Frequently asked questions
Is building from raw components cheaper?
The raw component floor is around $0.05 per minute, but it excludes orchestration, error handling, monitoring and the engineering time to maintain it. For most businesses a managed platform is cheaper overall.
Are phone and AI usage included in your implementation price?
No. Provider subscriptions, numbers, telephony and model usage are billed separately. We identify them while scoping.
Keep reading
Voice AI Agents & SMS
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