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Pricing & Plans FAQs

Common questions about Exotel pricing models, plan tiers, usage-based billing, and how to choose the right plan for your business.

What pricing models does Exotel offer?​

Exotel offers two primary pricing models:

ModelBest ForBilling
Pay-as-you-goStartups and small businesses with variable usageCharged per call minute and per SMS sent
Bundled PlansMid-size to large businesses with predictable volumeFixed monthly fee with included minutes and SMS credits

Enterprise customers with high-volume requirements can negotiate custom pricing with dedicated SLAs. Contact hello@exotel.com for enterprise quotes.

How is call pricing calculated?​

Call pricing depends on several factors:

  • Call direction -- Inbound calls vs. outbound calls
  • Call type -- Local, STD (long-distance), or international
  • Number type -- Landline, mobile, or toll-free
  • Duration -- Billed per second after a minimum billing duration (typically 1 second or per-pulse as per plan)
info

Outbound calls are billed from the moment the destination phone starts ringing (for connect-to-number calls) or from the moment the call is answered (depending on the API used). Check your specific plan terms for exact billing triggers.

What is included in the free trial?​

The free trial provides limited credits to test Exotel's platform. Trial accounts include:

  • A small number of outbound call minutes
  • Limited SMS credits
  • Access to a shared trial phone number
  • Full API access with reduced rate limits
  • Access to the Exotel Dashboard and reporting

Trial credits are non-refundable and expire after 15 days of account creation. No credit card is required to start the trial.

How does SMS pricing work?​

SMS pricing varies based on:

FactorImpact on Pricing
Message typeTransactional SMS vs. promotional SMS
DLT routeDLT-registered templates may have different rates
VolumeHigher volumes typically qualify for lower per-SMS rates
Character countMessages exceeding 160 characters (GSM) or 70 characters (Unicode) are billed as multiple segments
tip

Use GSM-7 encoding where possible to maximize the characters per SMS segment. Unicode messages (required for non-Latin scripts) have a lower character limit per segment.

Are there any setup fees?​

Standard plans do not have setup fees. However, the following may incur one-time charges:

  • Dedicated virtual numbers -- One-time activation fee plus monthly rental
  • Toll-free numbers -- Higher activation fees and per-minute inbound charges
  • Custom IVR development -- If Exotel's professional services team builds your call flow
  • Enterprise onboarding -- Custom integrations and dedicated support setup

How do I estimate my monthly costs?​

To estimate your monthly Exotel costs, consider:

  1. Call volume -- Total outbound and inbound call minutes per month
  2. SMS volume -- Total transactional and promotional SMS per month
  3. Virtual numbers -- Number of active virtual numbers (monthly rental per number)
  4. WhatsApp messages -- Volume and type (session vs. template messages)
  5. Contact center agents -- Number of concurrent agent licenses

Contact Exotel sales or use the pricing calculator on exotel.com for a detailed estimate tailored to your usage patterns.

Can I change my plan mid-cycle?​

Yes. You can upgrade your plan at any time from Settings > Billing in the Exotel Dashboard. Plan changes work as follows:

  • Upgrades -- Take effect immediately. You are charged the prorated difference for the remainder of the billing cycle.
  • Downgrades -- Take effect at the start of the next billing cycle. You retain your current plan benefits until the cycle ends.
caution

Downgrading may result in loss of features or capacity limits. Review the target plan's feature set before downgrading to avoid service disruptions.

What happens when I run out of credits?​

When your account balance reaches zero:

  • Pay-as-you-go accounts -- All outbound calls and SMS are suspended until you recharge. Inbound calls to your virtual numbers continue to work for a grace period.
  • Bundled plans -- Once your included minutes or SMS are exhausted, additional usage is billed at overage rates defined in your plan.

You can configure low-balance alerts in the Exotel Dashboard under Settings > Notifications to receive email notifications when your balance drops below a specified threshold.

Does Exotel offer volume discounts?​

Yes. Volume-based discounts are available for:

  • High call minute usage (typically above 50,000 minutes/month)
  • Bulk SMS (above 100,000 SMS/month)
  • WhatsApp message volume
  • Multi-year commitments

Contact your account manager or hello@exotel.com to discuss volume pricing for your expected usage.

Are taxes included in the listed prices?​

No. All prices listed on the Exotel website and dashboard are exclusive of applicable taxes. For Indian customers, 18% GST is added to all invoices. The tax breakdown is itemized on every invoice.