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Guide / Pricing
What an after-hours answering service costs, and what ours costs in plain numbers.
How providers charge, what makes bills jump, and the one price we charge.
$297 setup (non-refundable), then $297 a month. Month to month, cancel anytime. Live within about a week.
Hear her yourself: call (816) 683-2229 now. Calling Nora is the demo.
The short answer
After-hours answering services charge in a few ways: per minute, per call, a monthly bundle of minutes with overage, or a flat monthly price. What you pay depends on how many calls you get after hours, how long they run, and whether the service books jobs. Blur charges $297 to set up, then $297 a month.
How answering services charge
Per minute
You pay for talk time. Bills move with call length and volume. Ask how minutes are rounded.
Per call
You pay for each call handled. Ask what counts as a call: wrong numbers, hang-ups, and spam can all show up on the bill.
Monthly bundle with overage
A set amount of minutes or calls each month, then a higher rate past it. Ask the overage rate.
Per booking
Some services charge for each appointment booked. Ask what counts as booked.
Flat monthly
One price each month within a usage limit. Ask what the limit is and what happens past it. Blur uses this model; see our after-hours answering pricing.
What drives the bill
A few things move the number on any provider's invoice: how many calls come in after hours, how long they run, whether nights and weekends carry a surcharge, whether a live person or an AI agent answers, whether the service books jobs or only takes messages, and add-ons like transfer or bilingual answering.
Which pricing structure fits your calls
- Do you want jobs booked, or just messages?If booked: ask whether booking is included or billed per booking. Blur includes it.
- Messages are fine? Do you know roughly how many calls you get after hours?If it varies: flat monthly is easiest to budget. Ask what the usage limit is.
- You know your count. Are most calls short?Yes: per call or per minute can fit. Ask about rounding and what counts as a call. No, longer calls: a monthly bundle can fit. Ask the overage rate.
- Blur: flat $297 a month after a $297 setup, booking and summary texts included, within fair-use call minutes.
There is no single right model. Pick the one whose bill you can predict.
Live answering vs an AI agent: how the pricing differs
Live services generally bill for a person's time. An AI agent can answer every call at the same rate at any hour. There are tradeoffs either way: a person may handle an unusual call better, while an AI agent answers right away and the same way every time. Nora, our agent, is AI, and says so if a caller sincerely asks.
The bill-surprise checklist
| Question to ask any provider | Why it matters | Blur's answer |
|---|---|---|
| Is the setup fee refundable? | Some fees are kept even if you cancel early | $297, non-refundable |
| What is the monthly price, and is there a contract? | Contracts can lock you in after a bad month | $297 a month, month to month, cancel anytime |
| How is usage counted (minutes, calls, bookings)? | Each structure bills a different thing | Flat monthly, within fair-use call minutes |
| What happens if I go over? | Overage is where bills jump | If your volume runs well above fair use, we contact you before any change in price |
| Do nights and weekends cost more? | Some plans charge more after hours | No. After-hours answering is the plan |
| Does it book jobs, or only take messages? | A message still needs a callback | Books into open slots on your calendar |
| How do I hear about each call? | You need the details fast | A summary text after every after-hours call |
| How do I cancel? | Cancelling should not take a phone fight | Call (816) 683-2229 or use the contact form. It takes effect at the end of the billing period |
| What costs extra? | Add-ons change the real price | Emergency transfer, missed-call text-back, Spanish, daytime overflow, and callback are available on request, ask us |
| Can I hear it before paying? | You should know what callers hear | Yes. Call Nora at (816) 683-2229 |
Hold us to the same sheet.
What Blur costs
$297 setup, then $297 a month. No contract. Cancel anytime. The $297 setup fee is non-refundable. The plan includes after-hours answering, calendar booking, and a summary text after every after-hours call, within fair-use call minutes. Emergency transfer, missed-call text-back, Spanish, daytime overflow, and callback are available on request, ask us. Details are in our terms.
| What you pay | Blur |
|---|---|
| Setup, one time | $297, non-refundable |
| First charge at sign-up | $594 ($297 setup plus the first $297 month) |
| Each month after that | $297, month to month |
| Contract | None. Cancel anytime |
| Nights and weekends | Included. After-hours answering is the plan |
| Extras | Available on request, ask us |
Is it worth it for a trade shop?
That is your call, and it depends on your shop. Think about what one missed after-hours job means to you, how often your phone rings when you are closed, and whether you would rather call people back in the morning or find the job already on your calendar. Then hear it for yourself: call Nora. Trade pages: plumbers, HVAC, electricians, roofers.
FAQ
How much does an after-hours answering service cost?
It depends on how the service charges: per minute, per call, a monthly bundle with overage, or a flat monthly price. Your after-hours call volume and call length drive the bill. Blur charges $297 to set up, then $297 a month.
What is the cheapest way to pay for after-hours answering?
The one whose bill you can predict for your call pattern. Short, steady calls can suit per-call pricing. Calls that vary month to month are easier to budget on a flat monthly price.
Do answering services charge more for nights and weekends?
Some do. Ask before you sign. Blur's plan is after-hours answering, so nights and weekends are what you pay for, not a surcharge.
What does Blur's $297 a month include?
After-hours answering, calendar booking, and a summary text after every after-hours call, within fair-use call minutes.
Is there a contract?
No. Blur is month to month and you can cancel anytime. The $297 setup fee is non-refundable.
How fast can I go live?
Live within about a week. We set Nora up around your hours, your calendar, and how you want summaries sent.
Will callers know Nora is AI?
Nora is an AI voice agent. She speaks naturally, asks one question at a time, and if a caller sincerely asks whether she is AI, she says so.
What are fair-use minutes?
The plan includes fair-use call minutes for a typical small trade business. If your volume runs well above that, we contact you before any change in price.
What costs extra?
Emergency transfer, missed-call text-back, Spanish, daytime overflow, and callback are available on request, ask us. They are not part of the standard plan.
Can I hear the agent before I pay?
Yes. Call Nora, Blur's own AI receptionist, at (816) 683-2229.
Hear it before you buy
Call Nora and hear exactly what your callers would hear.
$297 setup (non-refundable), then $297 a month. Month to month, cancel anytime. Live within about a week.