An answering service priced for a small business.

No contracts, no per-call fees, no hiring. FrontDesk Talk answers every call for a flat $99, $199, or $399 a month and sets up in about 10 minutes.

Built for owners who answer their own phone

If you run a small business, you’re probably the one answering the phone. That works until you’re on a job, with a customer, or asleep. Every call you miss is a customer who might call someone else.

Hiring a receptionist is a big step, and many answering services are priced for bigger companies. FrontDesk Talk is built for the space in between: a flat monthly price, no contract, and a receptionist that knows your business after a 10-minute setup.

Start with the Small Talk plan if you mostly need calls answered and messages taken. Move to Real Talk when you want callers booking themselves onto your calendar. Change plans as your business grows.

There’s no hardware and nothing to install. You keep your phone, your number, and your carrier. FrontDesk Talk answers the calls you send it, and you decide which ones those are.

What a small business gets

A flat monthly price

No per-call bill. Each plan includes a set number of minutes of Talk Time.

No contract

Monthly plans are month to month. Cancel anytime.

10-minute setup

Tell it about your business, hear it call your phone, then go live.

Your number stays

Forward or port the number your customers already know.

Talk Notes, not voicemails

A short summary by text and email after every call.

Room to grow

Add booking, texting, and more locations when you need them.

Which plan fits your business

Every plan answers 24/7 in English and Spanish. The difference is what happens next.

Small Talk, $99 a month

Answers every call, 24/7. A fit when you mostly need questions handled and messages taken. 200 minutes of Talk Time a month.

Real Talk, $199 a month

Answers, books appointments, and texts back. A fit when your business runs on appointments. 450 minutes of Talk Time a month.

Big Talk, $399 a month

Adds outbound calls and up to 3 lines. A fit when you want to call customers, use a custom voice, or cover more than one location. 1,000 minutes of Talk Time a month.

Simple pricing

Pay monthly, or pay yearly and get 2 months free. Extra Talk Time is $0.45 a minute, and we text you before you get close.

Small Talk

Answers every call, 24/7.

$99/month

Billed monthly

200 minutes of Talk TimeAbout $3.30 a day

For owners who can’t always get to the phone.

  • Answers every call, 24/7
  • Talk Notes by text and email after every call
  • Answers your FAQs, hours, and prices
  • Transfers urgent calls to your cell
  • Keep your current number
Start with Small Talk

Big Talk

Adds outbound calls and up to 3 lines.

$399/month

Billed monthly

1,000 minutes of Talk TimeAbout $13.30 a day

For teams ready to call customers back.

  • Everything in Real Talk
  • Outbound call campaigns
  • Up to 3 numbers or locations
  • Custom AI voice
  • Priority support
Start with Big Talk

Extra Talk Time is $0.45 a minute. We text you before you reach your limit, so there are no surprises on your bill.

Running a healthcare practice? FrontDesk Care adds HIPAA compliance, a signed BAA, and EHR connections. Visit FrontDesk Care

Less than hiring. More hours covered.

The median receptionist earned $18.27 an hour in May 2025, about $38,010 a year, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. FrontDesk Talk, Real Talk plan is $2,388 a year, or $1,990 paid yearly.

Topic
Hired receptionist
FrontDesk Talk
Hours covered
Usually about 40 a week
All 168 hours a week
Nights, weekends, holidays
Overtime or voicemail
Answered the same as Monday morning
Three calls at once
One answered, two on hold
All three answered
Sick days and vacations
Someone has to cover
Never out
See the full comparison

Small businesses that use an answering service

Questions

What’s the cheapest plan?

Small Talk, at $99 a month, or $990 a year if you pay yearly. It includes 200 minutes of Talk Time, 24/7 answering, Talk Notes after every call, and urgent call transfer.

Is there a contract?

No. Monthly plans are month to month. Yearly plans are paid once a year and get 2 months free.

How much Talk Time do I need?

Think about how many calls you get and how long they last. Short calls use short minutes. Your dashboard shows what you’ve used, and we text you before you get close.

Is it only for certain businesses?

It works for any non-healthcare small business where customers call to ask, book, or buy.

Can I hear it before I pay?

Yes. Create a free account and set up your receptionist, and it calls your phone so you can hear it. You pay when you’re ready to go live.

Can I switch plans later?

Yes. Start small and move up when you need booking, texting, or more Talk Time.

Does it work for a one-person business?

Yes. That’s who it helps most. It answers while you’re working, and urgent calls still reach your cell.

Keep reading

Stop paying for voicemail.

Setup takes about 10 minutes. Cancel anytime.