Pricing guide for HVAC owners
What does an HVAC answering service cost?
It depends on how the provider bills and how many calls you send. Here's what moves the price, what MendRev charges, and how to price it for your own shop. I won't hand you an industry average. Your numbers matter more.
Common ways providers bill
Per minute
You pay for the time on your calls, as you go or as a monthly bundle of minutes. Longer calls cost more, so ask how minutes are counted and rounded. Example: PATLive's pricing page lists its plans by minutes and says you pay only for the time receptionists are live on your calls.
Per call
You pay for each call, whatever its length. Ask what counts as a call: spam, wrong numbers, hang-ups. Example: Smith.ai's pricing page lists its receptionist plans by number of calls a month.
Custom quote
Some providers price on your call volume and ask you to request a quote. Example: Ambs Call Center's HVAC page says its pricing is based on call volume.
Monthly plan with minutes included
A set monthly price with minutes included, then a set rate per extra minute. That's how MendRev bills.
Provider examples are as listed on their sites, October 2026; check current terms with them. Company names are their owners' trademarks, used here only to describe published billing. MendRev isn't affiliated with any of them.
What drives your bill
How many calls you send
Forwarding only after-hours calls means fewer calls to pay for than forwarding every call.
How long they run
On per-minute billing, a long no-AC call costs more than a quick wrong number.
Your busiest month
July and the first cold snap can look nothing like April. Price the plan on your peak, not your average.
Setup fees
Some providers charge to set you up. Ask what the fee covers.
Overage
What each extra minute or call costs once you pass your allowance.
Contract and extras
Minimum terms, plus anything billed on top: booking, transfers, text alerts, extra numbers. Ask for the full list.
What MendRev costs
30-day pilot: $297
$297 for the first 30 days of MendRev Pro, with up to 500 connected minutes, setup included. Minutes above 500 during the pilot are $0.65 each, invoiced at the end of the pilot.
Unless you cancel before day 30, it continues as Pro at $497/month with 700 minutes/month included ($0.65/min after); the $497 setup fee is waived.
Monthly plans
- Starter: $297/month, 300 minutes/month included. First payment $794: $497 setup + first month.
- Pro: $497/month, 700 minutes/month included. First payment $994: $497 setup + first month.
- Elite: $997/month, 1,500 minutes/month included, up to 3 numbers/locations. First payment $1,494: $497 setup + first month.
All prices in USD, before any applicable tax. The $497 setup fee is charged once, at sign-up, on monthly plans, and is waived when a pilot continues as Pro. Minutes above your allowance are $0.65 per connected minute, invoiced separately each month. Month-to-month plans have no minimum term. You'll be live within 10 business days.
Full details and checkout: MendRev pricing.
Price it for your shop
- Pick your busiest month. Pull its call log from your phone carrier or phone system.
- Count the calls you'd forward. The ones that came in after hours or went to voicemail.
- Estimate how long they'd run. Use your own answered calls as a guide.
- Multiply calls by minutes per call. That's roughly the minutes you'd need in that month.
- Match it to a plan. Starter includes 300 minutes, Pro 700 and Elite 1,500. On Starter, once you use more than about 610 minutes in a month, Pro costs less. Example of the plan math only, not a prediction: 610 minutes on Starter is $297 + (310 × $0.65) = $498.50, just over Pro's $497.
- Weigh it against one job. What's one repair worth to you? Do the math with your own numbers.
Use your own numbers. We don't supply them.
Still deciding between a person and an AI? Read AI receptionist or answering service: which fits your HVAC shop? Or see how MendRev works as an HVAC answering service for Dallas–Fort Worth.
Questions owners ask
Is there a setup fee?
Yes. Monthly plans have a $497 one-time setup fee, charged at sign-up. Setup is done for you: HVAC call script and knowledge base, call routing, phone number, test calls and go-live within 10 business days. The fee is waived when a pilot continues as Pro.
What if I go over my minutes?
Minutes above your allowance are $0.65 per connected minute, invoiced separately each month. During the pilot, minutes above 500 are $0.65 each, invoiced at the end of the pilot. On Starter, once you use more than about 610 minutes in a month, Pro costs less.
Do I pay more for nights and weekends?
MendRev's published plans don't list a separate night or weekend rate. Minutes above your allowance are $0.65 per connected minute, invoiced separately each month.
What happens after the 30-day pilot?
Unless you cancel before day 30, it continues as Pro at $497/month with 700 minutes/month included ($0.65/min after); the $497 setup fee is waived. Minutes above 500 during the pilot are $0.65 each, invoiced at the end of the pilot. To stop the pilot from continuing as Pro, cancel before day 30 by emailing nitesh@mendrev.com.
Is there a contract?
Monthly plans have no minimum term. Cancel anytime and it ends at the close of your billing period. Details are in the terms and refund policy.
Get a straight answer for your shop
Tell me when your calls get missed most. I'll tell you which plan fits, or whether MendRev fits at all.
AI receptionist built on xAI's Grok Voice Agent.