What is the cost per call for AI calling?
Cost per call is the per-minute rate multiplied by how long the connected call lasts. On Outpero a 2-minute call costs ₹10 on Standard and ₹13.60 on Premium, and calls that are not answered cost nothing. Short confirmation calls cost a few rupees, while a 4-minute qualification call on Standard costs ₹20. Prices exclude 18% GST.
Cost per call by type of call
Call length depends on the job. The durations below are planning assumptions; your own call logs will give real averages within the first week.
| Call type | Assumed length | Standard ₹5 | Premium ₹6.8 |
|---|---|---|---|
| COD order confirmation | 1 min | ₹5 | ₹6.8 |
| Appointment reminder | 1 min | ₹5 | ₹6.8 |
| New lead callback | 2 min | ₹10 | ₹13.60 |
| Lead qualification | 3 min | ₹15 | ₹20.40 |
| Detailed sales conversation | 5 min | ₹25 | ₹34 |
Cost per connected call vs cost per dial
Cost per connected call is what one answered conversation costs. Cost per dial spreads that over every number on the list, including those who never pick up. Because Outpero bills only connected talk time, cost per dial is cost per connected call multiplied by the connect rate.
Example: on a list with a 40% connect rate, a ₹10 connected call works out to ₹4 per number dialled. On a warm list of fresh enquiries with a 75% connect rate, it is ₹7.50 per number.
Adding the fixed cost
The dedicated number is ₹649 a month. Spread across 1,000 connected calls, it adds about 65 paise per call; across 200 calls, about ₹3.25. Small businesses should include it when working out true cost per call.
Bringing cost per call down
- —Keep scripts tight: every extra 30 seconds on a 2-minute call adds a quarter to the cost.
- —Use the Standard voice for short, scripted calls such as confirmations.
- —Call fresh leads fast; quick callbacks tend to be shorter and more decisive than calls to people who have forgotten enquiring.
- —Screen DND numbers and clean the list before a campaign.
Inbound calls and voice broadcast
The same arithmetic applies to inbound: an enquiry the AI employee picks up on your business number is billed on its connected minutes, so a 3-minute enquiry on Standard costs ₹15. Voice broadcast is priced differently. It plays one fixed message, recorded or synthesised, and is billed at a lower rate than AI conversation minutes, so for one-way announcements the cost per call is below every figure in the table above.
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Follow-up questions
Is cost per call the same as cost per lead?
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No. Cost per call is what one connected conversation costs. Cost per lead divides the total calling spend by the leads that come out of it, such as qualified prospects or booked visits. If 1 in 5 connected calls qualifies, a ₹10 call becomes ₹50 per qualified lead before counting any ad spend.