Answers 24/7 from $99/mo

Answering Service For Small Business

Small businesses lose more revenue to unanswered calls than to almost anything else, because the owner is usually the receptionist and the owner is usually busy doing the work. An answering service for small business fixes the leak without adding payroll. Nicole answers everything, books what she can, and hands you only the calls that genuinely need you.

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In short

An answering service for small business handles inbound calls when the owner or staff cannot, capturing leads and booking work instead of sending callers to voicemail.

What Missed Calls Cost A Small Business

If your average job is worth $400 and you miss five calls a week, that is roughly $8,000 a month walking to a competitor — assuming only 40% of those callers would have booked. Work out your own number on the missed call revenue calculator, then compare it to $99 a month.

Built For Owner-Operators

  • No minimum contract and no setup that takes a week of your time.
  • Flat monthly pricing so it fits a small business budget.
  • Works from your existing number — nothing to reprint.
  • Text summaries you can read between jobs in ten seconds.
  • Emergency rules so the only calls that interrupt you are the ones worth interrupting you for.

Common Small Business Use Cases

  • A two-truck plumbing company that cannot answer while under a sink.
  • A salon where the stylist is with a client and the phone rings all afternoon.
  • A solo attorney who cannot take intake calls while in court.
  • A cleaning company whose crews are on site all day.
  • A contractor whose after-hours calls currently go to voicemail and never come back.

Cheaper Than Every Alternative

A part-time receptionist runs $2,000+ a month for partial coverage. A per-call answering service can run $300–$900 a month once you factor in after-hours premiums. Nicole starts at $99 a month for round-the-clock coverage, with no per-call fees.

Simple pricing, no contracts

Every plan includes Nicole answering 24/7 and no contracts — cancel anytime. Starter comes with a 7-day free trial. Pick the call volume that fits your business.

Starter

$99/month

$99 one-time setup fee

Includes 250 minutes of AI call time each month.

7-day free trial · Cancel anytime

  • AI receptionist coverage
  • Lead capture and message taking
  • Basic FAQ handling
  • 2 custom call-handling instructions
  • Automatic spam protection
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Most popular

Growth

$199/month

$199 one-time setup fee

Includes 500 minutes of AI call time each month.

Cancel anytime

  • Everything in Starter
  • More customized call handling
  • Appointment booking when configured
  • Warm transfer when configured
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Extreme Pro

$299/month

$299 one-time setup fee

Includes 1,000 minutes of AI call time each month.

Cancel anytime

  • Everything in Growth
  • Expanded custom call handling
  • Advanced call routing when configured
  • Additional business training and information when configured
  • Priority support as offered
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7-day free trial on Starter · Cancel anytime · No contracts

Compare all plans →Or call (415) 413-5576

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the cheapest answering service for a small business?

AI answering services are now the lowest-cost option. Nicole starts at $99/month for 24/7 coverage, versus $300+ typical for a staffed per-call service and $2,000+ for a part-time employee.

I only get a few calls a day — is it still worth it?

Usually yes. If a single missed call is worth more than $99, the service pays for itself the first time it catches one. Low call volume also means the included 250 minutes is more than enough.

Can it take payment or deposits?

Nicole books appointments and captures caller details; she does not process card payments on the call. She can send the caller your booking or payment link by text.

How much does it cost?

Plans start at $99/month (Starter), $199/month (Growth) and $299/month (Pro). Every plan includes up to 250 minutes of AI call time each month, 24/7 answering, call transcripts and text summaries. There are no per-call operator fees and no contracts.

Keep Reading

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Missed call revenue calculator →By industry →How it works →

Serving Businesses Nationwide

Nicole answers for businesses anywhere in the US. The Bay Area is home — here are the cities we cover most.

San FranciscoSan JoseOaklandFremontBerkeleyHaywardSan MateoSanta ClaraSunnyvaleWalnut Creek

Hear it before you buy it

Call Nicole and put her through the same questions your customers ask.

Try Nicole Now — (415) 413-5576