PATLive Pricing 2026: Plans, Features and When It Is Worth It

PATLive starts at $49/month (pay per use at $2.99/min), and 100 three-minute calls a month cost $479 on its cheapest plan for that volume (prices checked October 12, 2026). It bills in six-second steps after a one-minute minimum per call, and its prices exclude taxes and fees.

PATLive pricing plans

Prices checked against PATLive's own pricing page on October 12, 2026.

Source: patlive.com/pricing, read Oct 12, 2026. The table covers PATLive's published receptionist plans. Under the plans, PATLive says "Prices don't include taxes and fees." (patlive.com/pricing, read October 5, 2026)

Features. PATLive says "All our plans include every capability we offer" (patlive.com/how-it-works, read October 7, 2026): transfers, messages, booking, intake and dispatch. Plans differ in minutes, not features. Each includes a phone system with "1 phone number, unlimited users" and "100 text messages" (patlive.com/faqs, read October 7, 2026).

What PATLive costs at 50, 100 and 200 calls a month

Our arithmetic: PATLive's cheapest published plan for that volume plus its published overage, at 3-minute calls. Taxes, pass-through fees, setup fees and add-ons are not included. How we price.

100 three-minute calls are 300 minutes. PATLive charges $479/month for 300 minutes, so 100 calls cost $479, or $4.79 a call.

At 50 calls (150 minutes), the 100-minute plan plus 50 minutes at $2.09 a minute comes to $293.50, against $349/month for 200 minutes on the next plan up. Unused minutes are lost: "Package minutes do not roll over from month to month." (patlive.com/faqs, read October 7, 2026)

PATLive's help articles on when to change plans are quoted in per-minute vs flat-rate pricing.

Calls a month

Average billed minutes per call

Billed minutes divided by calls, from your last three invoices. Rounding, time billed after the call, spam, taxes, fees and setup are not included.

Live answering services at 100 calls of 5 minutes

Service	Cheapest plan for this volume	Monthly or upfront	Per call	Yearly total
AnswerAmericaprepaid message taking, credits roll over	Prepaid credit packages	$150	$1.50	$1,430
ReceptionHQ MessageExpressmessages only, no transfers	MessageExpress 100	$170	$1.70	$2,040
ReceptionHQ ReceptionistPlus	ReceptionistPlus 100	$260	$2.60	$3,120
Go Answer	Virtual Receptionist 500	$550	$5.50	$6,600
Answering Service Care	Enterprise (500 minutes)	$639	$6.39	$7,668
MAP Communications	Premium (500 minutes)	$649	$6.49	$7,788
Specialty Answering Service	500 Minute	$649	$6.49	$7,788
AnswerForce	Growth (500 minutes)	$669	$6.69	$8,028
PATLive	500 minutes	$759	$7.59	$9,108
AnswerConnect	Standard (400 minutes)	$760	$7.60	$9,120
LEX Reception	Growth (500 minutes)	$775	$7.75	$9,300
AnswerFirst	Pay as you go	$830 to $1,005	$8.30 to $10.05	$9,960 to $12,060
Smith.ai Virtual Receptionists	90 calls	$915	$9.15	$10,980
Posh	Lavish (500 minutes)	$975	$9.75	$11,700
Moneypenny	500 minutes	$985	$9.85	$11,820
Alert Communicationslaw firms only	Alert Go (pay as you go)	$1,250	$12.50	$15,000
Abby Connectlive and AI	Growth (500 Abby Minutes)	$1,380	$13.80	$16,560
Ruby	500 minutes	$1,725	$17.25	$20,700

AnswerAmerica shows the upfront credit purchase needed for these calls. Unused credits roll over; its yearly figure prices the full year's calls from a new account. Quote only (live): Answering Legal, Nexa.

AI answering services at the same volume

Service	Cheapest plan for this volume	Monthly or upfront	Per call	Yearly total
Simple Phones	Entry	$97	$0.97	$1,164
Phonely	Starter	$125 to $155	$1.25 to $1.55	$1,500 to $1,860
My AI Front Desk	Business-in-a-Box	$174	$1.74	$2,088
Moneypenny AI	100 calls	$199	$1.99	$2,388
NextPhone	Pro	$199	$1.99	$2,388
Smith.ai AI Receptionist	Pro (75 calls)	$212.50	$2.13	$2,550
RingCentral AI Receptionist	Standalone	$249	$2.49	$2,988
Go Answer AI Receptionist	AI Receptionist 500	$425	$4.25	$5,100
Sameday AIhome services only	Launch	$449	$4.49	$5,388

How PATLive counts a minute

• Billing unit: Per minute
• Rounding: 6 seconds, with a 1-minute minimum per call
• Billed beyond talk time: Hold during lookups and transfer attempts; queue time and time after the receptionist disconnects are not billed
• Spam and short calls: No exemption for spam calls (spam chats are free)

PATLive's terms say: "All receptionist minutes are billed in six-second increments, with a one-minute minimum." (patlive.com/terms-of-use, read October 7, 2026) A 10-second wrong number bills 60 seconds, and a 70-second call bills 72 (our arithmetic).

Hold inside a call counts: "If a receptionist places a caller on hold to look something up, attempt a transfer ... this time will be included in the billable minute." Time on either side does not: "You are not billed for anytime a call sits in queue waiting for a receptionist, or for any time after a receptionist is disconnected." (same terms)

10 of 12 live answering services that publish what their billed time includes name after-call work as billable: AnswerConnect, AnswerFirst, AnswerForce, Answering Service Care, Go Answer, MAP Communications, Moneypenny (US), Posh, Ruby and Specialty Answering Service (vendor terms, read October 7 to 9, 2026). PATLive's terms stop the meter when the receptionist leaves the call.

Google's AI answer for "patlive pricing" said on October 8, 2026 that "hold and transfer times are generally not counted". PATLive's terms, which are the contract, bill both.

Fees, contract and trial

• Setup fee: None ("doesn't charge setup fees"; the terms allow one)
• Contract: Month-to-month
• Trial: 14 days, card required, converts automatically

Setup. PATLive's blog says "PATLive doesn't charge setup fees" (patlive.com/blog, read October 7, 2026). The terms list "set-up fees" among possible one-time charges, with no amount.

Other fees. Extra numbers cost "$5/mo per additional number", and usage past the phone system's allowance "$0.02 per additional automated minute or text message". Texting needs "a one-time fee of $50 to have your business reviewed and approved" (patlive.com/faqs, read October 7, 2026), and the terms say "This fee is non-refundable, even if the Account is ultimately not approved for messaging".

Cancelling and the trial. You may cancel "at any time by calling customer service at 1-850-608-8012 or by logging in to Your Account", with no notice period. The 14-day trial needs a card: "Your Account will automatically convert to a paid account at the conclusion of the Free Trial Period if You have not cancelled" (terms, read October 7, 2026).

The catch

1. Short calls and spam bill a full minute. The one-minute minimum applies to every call a receptionist answers. Spam chats are exempt ("You will not be billed for spam or junk chats, as determined by PATLive"); the terms give calls no such line (patlive.com/terms-of-use, read October 7, 2026). 4 of 13 live answering services that publish a spam rule bill spam calls: AnswerAmerica, AnswerFirst, PATLive and Specialty Answering Service (vendor terms, read October 5 to 9, 2026). PATLive may block repeat spam numbers "to reduce Your costs". Every service's rule is in answering services that charge for spam calls.
2. The number is yours only while the account is open. The pricing page says "you own it and can port it out at any time" (patlive.com/pricing, read October 5, 2026). The terms add a condition: "If You intend to take Your phone number(s) with You after terminating Services from PATLive, You must complete the port out before Your Account is closed." (patlive.com/terms-of-use, read October 7, 2026) After a cancellation, numbers "may be permanently deleted" after 30 days (help.patlive.com, read October 7, 2026). Port first, cancel second.
3. Taxes and fees on top, with no published rate. The help center lists universal service charges, E911 fees and a "Subscriber Licensing and Compliance Fee" whose "fee amount is established quarterly" (help.patlive.com, read October 7, 2026). The terms say PATLive "will not provide advance notice of changes to taxes, fees, surcharges and other charges". More in answering service hidden fees.
4. Spanish has hours. Spanish costs nothing extra, but "Spanish Support: Available from 8 am to 10 pm ET." English runs 24/7, and "All the messages we take will be written in English, even when we field a call in Spanish" (help.patlive.com, read October 7, 2026). Compare in bilingual answering service pricing.
5. Plan changes: the terms and the FAQ disagree. The terms charge an upgrade at once: "Your Account will be charged a one-time fee equal to the difference in the plan prices". The FAQ says "Upgrades and downgrades take place at the beginning of your next billing cycle." (read October 7, 2026) The terms are the contract.

Is PATLive worth it?

Where PATLive is a good buy

Around 25 calls a month. At 25 three-minute calls PATLive costs $156.25, less than Go Answer ($175), Specialty Answering Service ($159), Answering Service Care, AnswerForce, Ruby and Smith.ai Virtual Receptionists. PATLive costs less than Go Answer until about 28 calls a month. At 25 calls, MAP Communications still costs less, at $151.75.

Against the brands buyers name most. PATLive costs less than Ruby, Smith.ai Virtual Receptionists, Moneypenny and Posh at 25, 50, 100 and 200 three-minute calls. At 100 calls Ruby costs $681 a month more, and Smith.ai $436 more. The three-way comparison is in Ruby vs Smith.ai vs PATLive.

Work after the call, nights and holidays. Neither is billed extra. The FAQ: "Is there an extra charge for handling overnight, weekend, or holiday calls? Absolutely not." (patlive.com/faqs, read October 7, 2026)

Flexibility. Month-to-month, no notice period, free porting, every feature on every plan. Its reviews page says "We're proud to have a 4.7 star rating on TrustPilot" (patlive.com/reviews, read October 7, 2026). We report that claim; we have not tested the service.

Where PATLive is not

From 50 calls a month. At 50 three-minute calls PATLive costs $293.50, more than Go Answer, MAP Communications, Specialty Answering Service and Answering Service Care; it still costs less than AnswerForce. At 100 and 200 calls all five of those cost less. At 100 calls Go Answer costs $345, $134 a month less than PATLive, or $1,608 a year.

Many short calls. Wrong numbers, hang-ups and robocalls each bill a full minute. Go Answer and Specialty Answering Service bill by the second with no per-call minimum.

PATLive against alternatives at 25 and 100 calls

Specialty Answering Service and Go Answer bill by the second but count work after the call. AnswerForce shares an owner with AnswerConnect (AnywhereWorks, Inc.); both set a 90-day minimum in their terms, unlike PATLive. AnswerConnect shows plan prices at its direct plans page, while the main site's price route asks for contact details first. PATLive costs less at 25 and 50 three-minute calls; AnswerConnect costs less at 100 and 200. See PATLive vs AnswerConnect for the full comparison. ReceptionHQ bills per call: at 100 calls its message-only plans cost $170 and its plans with transfers $260, capturing "Up to 5 details" a call.

Every alternative, with what each does better and worse, is on the PATLive alternatives page. Every service at the same volumes is in answering service pricing.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does PATLive cost per month?

PATLive starts at $49/month (pay per use at $2.99/min). At 100 three-minute calls a month it costs $479 on its 300-minute plan, and at 200 calls $938, on prices checked October 12, 2026. Taxes and fees are extra.

Does PATLive charge setup fees?

No setup fee is published: PATLive's blog says "PATLive doesn't charge setup fees." Texting carries a one-time, non-refundable $50 approval fee.

Is PATLive month to month?

Yes. Its terms say the agreement continues "on a month-to-month basis until terminated", and you can cancel at any time by phone or online with no notice period.

Does PATLive charge for spam calls?

Yes. Its terms exempt spam chats but not spam calls, and each answered call bills at least one minute. Its receptionists may block numbers that send repeated spam.

Can I keep my phone number if I cancel PATLive?

Yes, if you port it out before the account closes. PATLive's terms say you must "complete the port out before Your Account is closed"; porting is free.

Does PATLive provide equipment?

PATLive assigns a local or toll-free number and includes a cloud phone system with web and mobile apps at no extra charge. We found no hardware offered on its pricing or FAQ pages; you forward your line to the PATLive number or port it in.

Is PATLive legit?

PATLive, Inc. publishes every plan price and its full customer agreement on its own site. Its FAQ says it is "based out of Florida", and its terms send disputes to arbitration in Leon County, Florida.