How Much Does Call Center Software Cost for a Small Business?

As small business owners evaluate their call center software options, one important question persists: How do you get the most value out of your solution without breaking the bank? Let’s take a look at some small business call center software pricing details.

As you explore call center solutions, you’ll find a wide variety of prices, depending on the number of users, the number or type of features included in the plan, and other factors. Generally, providers charge a flat fee of anywhere from $18.99 to $229 or more per month per user, with most options falling somewhere in the $75 to $150 range. You’ll also find a few per-hour or per-minute offerings.

The key is to find a solution that’s easy to implement and use, has the features you need, and that will deliver a superior experience for both your employees and your customers.

What Software Do Call Centers Use?

At a high level, there are two main types of call center software formats available in today’s market: on-premises solutions and hosted solutions. Both are accessed in different environments and have unique pricing. Let’s explore these options in greater detail.

On-Premises Call Center Software

An on-premises call center software solution lives on its own server and is configured to meet a business’ unique needs. Because this software is a physical solution used in-house, the business is responsible for managing and maintaining it. From a cost perspective, on-prem solutions require a more significant upfront investment to account for purchasing the hardware and installing it. After installation is complete, further support and maintenance are often needed. Because the initial cost can be high, on-premises software tends to be more difficult for smaller businesses to purchase.

Hosted Call Center Software

Instead of existing as a physical solution, cloud-based call center software functions on a remote server or cloud platform. Because these solutions do not require any hardware to be physically installed, the upfront investment is much more affordable for small and medium-sized businesses. Additionally, a cloud solution will provide more ready-made features than an on-premises option, which means you can begin operating even faster. Here are a few examples of common cloud-based call center software features:

• Inbound and outbound call handling 

• General support for your agents and other staff

• Call scripting and recording

• API-based integrations with other programs in your tech stack

Vonage: A Better Solution for Better Communication

At Vonage, we believe that call centers deserve technology that can grow and improve alongside your business. Discover how Vonage Business Communications can integrate your call center and business communications to take customer experience to the next level and control costs.

What Are Common Call Center Software Payment Structures? 

Before you select a solution for your business, it’s important to review the different forms of pricing plans. Most often, a call center software company will charge a flat monthly or annual fee based on how many call agents use the platform. There are also some options that charge on a per-minute or per-hour basis.

As we mentioned previously, extra costs related to add-ons and other features can also be charged, either monthly or annually. It’s worth noting that if you feel very confident about the usability and value of the platform, the annual fee is often less expensive than a monthly option.

Vonage offers a powerful Unified Communications (UC) solution that includes features like Click-to-Dial, Call Screening, Call Forwarding, and more that can create a kind of “contact center lite” that provides excellent agent and customer experiences. (If you need a more robust, full-featured contact center solution, check out Vonage Contact Center.)

Vonage has three UC packages:

Mobile Plan — starting at $19.99 per month per line, with volume discounts kicking in for different levels of additional seats. The plan includes mobile and desktop apps, unlimited calls and SMS, team messaging, and more.

Premium Plan — starting at $29.99 per month per line, with a similar volume discount structure. The plan includes everything in the Mobile Plan, plus unlimited meetings (maximum 100 people), Auto Attendants, CRM integration, and more.

Advanced Plan — starting at $39.99 per month per line, with a similar volume discount structure. This plan includes everything in the Premium Plan, plus Call Recording, Call Group, Visual Voicemail, and more.

What Factors Impact Call Center Software Costs?

Aside from the company’s payment structure, here are four other factors that impact the cost of a call center software solution:

1. Additional Features | Any add-ons or customizations are likely to impact the cost of your solution. Cloud-based call center software is much easier to customize and upgrade than on-premises options.

2. Number of Users | The more people you have using the call center software, the more costly it will be. However, for small businesses with few agents, this is unlikely to be a significant issue.

3. Security and Compliance | If you purchase an on-premises solution, security is entirely your company’s job to manage. This requires extensive work on your IT team and often means additional cybersecurity measures must be enacted. Conversely, call center software companies with cloud-based solutions handle security for their customers. Various security processes are automated, speeding up and simplifying matters, which can save you money in the long run.

4. Ongoing Support | As updates and maintenance occur, fees for support will rise. Cloud-based solutions are also easily scaled compared to their on-premises counterparts, which can shave down costs significantly.

Can You Get Call Center Software for Free?

You can, but you shouldn’t. Not all call center software companies are created equal — especially when it comes to free solutions. Here’s where free options can fall short:

• Limited functionalities and often no add-ons

• Lack of customization

• High risk for malfunctions 

• Poor security 

• Limited or non-existent integration capabilities

• Little to no support or training

Time to Make the Call

With 48 powerful calling and collaboration features included in our Unified Communications solution — and another 13 optional add-ons — Vonage provides the most comprehensive call center software for a small business.

Connect with one of our experts today to discover how we can help you streamline your communications and wow customers!