Are there hidden charges in AI calling?
There can be, depending on the vendor: setup fees, monthly platform minimums, separately billed telephony or numbers, per-transcript charges and expiring minutes are the usual extras. Outpero's price list is short: no setup fee, no monthly base fee, ₹5 or ₹6.8 per connected minute from credits that never expire, and ₹649/month for a dedicated number including compliance and carrier fees. Prices exclude 18% GST.
Common extras to ask about
| Possible charge | What to ask the vendor |
|---|---|
| Setup or onboarding fee | Is there a one-time fee, and what work does it cover? |
| Monthly platform fee | Is there a minimum spend even in a month with no calls? |
| Telephony | Is the carrier cost inside the per-minute rate or billed on top? |
| Phone number rental | What does a dedicated number cost per month? |
| Unanswered calls | Are dial attempts or ring time billed, or only answered calls? |
| Transcripts and recordings | Are they included or charged per call? |
| Expiry | Do unused minutes or credits lapse at month end? |
| Contract | Is there a lock-in or notice period? |
None of these is a hidden charge if it is written down. The problem is comparing a headline per-minute rate from one vendor with an all-in rate from another.
Outpero's complete list
- —Talk time: ₹5 (Standard) or ₹6.8 (Premium) per connected minute, plus 18% GST.
- —Dedicated phone number: ₹649/month, with compliance and carrier fees included.
- —Setup fee, monthly base fee, contract: none.
- —Credits: 1 credit = ₹1, they never expire, and 50 are free at signup.
Recordings, transcripts, summaries, sentiment and the custom fields you ask the agent to capture appear in the dashboard and go to your webhook; they are not separate items on the price list.
Costs that sit outside any vendor
Some costs are real but not the vendor's. If you connect lead sources through Zapier or Make, those tools have their own plans. Someone on your team will spend time writing the script, reviewing early calls and following up on interested leads. Count these when you budget, whichever platform you choose.
A quick all-in check
Take a month with 1,500 connected minutes on Standard: ₹7,500 in talk time plus ₹649 for the number gives ₹8,149, or about ₹5.43 per minute all-in. Run the same sum on every quote you receive, using the same minutes, before deciding.
For a tighter comparison, ask each vendor for a sample invoice at a volume similar to yours. The line items on a real invoice reveal more than any pricing page does.
Want to hear an AI voice agent handle this on a real call?
Follow-up questions
Is the ₹649 number a monthly platform fee?
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No. Outpero has no monthly base fee for using the platform. The ₹649/month is rent for a dedicated phone number, and it includes the compliance and carrier fees that come with that number. Talk time is billed separately from prepaid credits at ₹5 or ₹6.8 per connected minute.