Free calculator
AI receptionist vs answering service: what does each one actually cost?
Plug in your daily call volume and average call duration. See the real monthly + annual cost difference between Heyfield's AI plans and a typical human answering service for your trade.
Monthly = 450, annual = 5475
Trade dispatch calls typically 2-4 minutes; bid-heavy trades can run 6-8.
Default $1.45/min — typical for contractor-aware human answering services. Override if your current vendor charges differently.
Beyond cost
Both options book jobs. Heyfield picks up in under 5 seconds (sub-30s for human services), books directly into Google Calendar (vs message-take), and runs flat 24/7 (no after-hours premium). For typical plumbers, that's an additional $62,900/yr in recovered missed-call revenue layered on top of the cost savings.
How this calculator works
Monthly minutes = calls per day × avg call duration × 30. This is the simplest model that captures both call frequency and call complexity. Trade-dispatch calls usually run 2-3 minutes; bid-heavy trades (general contracting, restoration sales) can run 6-8.
Heyfield plan selection picks the cheapest plan whose included minutes cover your projected volume. If you exceed Business (800 min/mo), the calculator adds the per-minute overage rate. Plans: Starter $49/mo (150 min), Pro $99/mo (400 min), Business $199/mo (800 min).
Human answering service rate defaults to $1.45/minute — typical for contractor-aware services like Nexa, AnswerForce, and Pink Callers at small-business volumes. Premium services with after-hours surcharges run higher; budget services run lower. Override the slider to match your current vendor's actual rate.
The “beyond cost” line uses your trade's missed-call benchmark to estimate recoverable revenue Heyfield captures that a slower human service might miss. Sub-5-second AI pickup beats human-service pickup speed at peak hours, and direct calendar booking converts more inbound to confirmed jobs than the message-take + callback model.
When AI is the right pick — and when it isn't
AI wins for transactional dispatch
- • Speed-shopping callers (lockouts, leaks, no-cool emergencies)
- • Routine booking + qualify intake
- • Shops doing 50-500 calls/month with predictable patterns
- • 24/7 coverage without after-hours premium
- • Trade-specific dispatch logic baked in
Human wins for relational + edge
- • Distress / emotional calls (water restoration, fire damage)
- • Multi-language native fluency (Spanish, others)
- • Complex multi-party / multi-property scenarios
- • High-touch sales conversations on premium-priced shops
- • Long-tenure relationship continuity
Many shops run both: Heyfield as primary line, a small human service as overflow / Spanish backup. The cost math still favors the hybrid because AI handles the bulk of routine inbound at fractional cost.
Compare specific products head-to-head
See the math for your trade
Each trade page shows real call patterns, ticket sizes, and dispatch rules — the inputs that determine whether AI or human is the right pick for your specific shop.
Stop overpaying for the same job
7-day free trial. No credit card. Plans from $49/month.