Comparison · voice agent vs call center
AI voice agent or call center: how do you compare the cost for your company?
A voice agent takes simple and repeated calls at any hour, for a monthly subscription. A call center, in-house or outsourced, pays people by the hour or by the minute. Most often, the combination comes out cheaper than people alone; the exact calculation depends on your calls.
Updated: 10.10.2026
In short
The direct answer
With Kallina, the subscription costs $99 or $300 per month; for higher volumes, on request. Minutes and phone numbers are confirmed in the offer. The cost of a call center comes from agent hours or from the provider's per-minute rate.
The deciding figure is the share of calls the agent can take on its own. The calculator below shows you the result for your estimate and the formula. It does not include the calls you miss today outside working hours, which are often the biggest gain.
Comparison
What each does, point by point.
| Criterion | AI voice agent | Call center with human agents |
|---|---|---|
| Hours | Any time, without shifts | In shifts, with a higher cost at night |
| Simultaneous calls | Several at once, depending on configuration | One per agent |
| Cost | Monthly subscription, plus what is set in the offer | Working hours or a per-minute rate |
| Simple and repeated calls | Takes them the same way every time | Tiring for agents |
| Complex or tense calls | Transfers them to a person | Resolves them with judgment |
| After the call | Recording, transcription and summary | The agent's notes |
What stays with people
A voice agent is not a cheaper call center.
We do not recommend voice agents for cold calls. Kallina is for incoming calls and for people who have asked to be called.
- Calls with complaints or with upset customers.
- Sales that require negotiation.
- Decisions that affect the customer.
- Listening to a sample of calls, to check the agent.
Calculator
Calculate with your own figures.
Enter your calls, their duration and the cost of one operator or call center hour. The result is just arithmetic on your data.
The starting values are a sample calculation, not a market average. Replace them with your own figures.
Monthly cost with operators only: 8,333 MDL (83.3 operator hours)
Monthly cost with voice agent and operators: 5,949 MDL (41.7 operator hours)
Difference per month: 2,385 MDL
Formula
Operators only = calls × minutes per call ÷ 60 × cost of one hour.
With voice agent = subscription × rate + calls × share handled × minutes × cost per minute + calls × (100% − share handled) × minutes ÷ 60 × cost of one hour.
The calculation does not include the initial setup (a fixed-scope offer), calls missed today outside working hours, or the cost of phone numbers, if the offer lists them separately.
Plainly put
When a call center is the better choice.
- When calls are few and each one is different.
- When you need languages the agent does not cover well today; Kallina is strong in Romanian, Russian and English.
- When calls are mostly sales or complaints, which require a person.
- When you already have a good call center, at a cost you accept, and you do not miss calls.
Price
What it costs with us
Public subscription prices. Setup for your business is agreed in a fixed-scope offer.
| Plan | Price | Who it is for |
|---|---|---|
| Kallina, tier 1 | $99/month | For a voice agent with a low call volume |
| Kallina, tier 2 | $300/month | For a higher call volume; above this tier, price on request |
aichat: $49, $150 or $500 per month, depending on conversation volume and channels. Kallina: $99 or $300 per month; for higher volumes the price is set on request. We confirm exactly what each tier includes in the offer.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How much does a voice agent cost compared with a call center?
With Kallina, the subscription is $99 or $300 per month, plus what is set in the offer for minutes and numbers. A call center costs agent hours or minutes. Put your figures into the calculator on the page.
Can the voice agent take all calls?
No. It takes simple and repeated calls and transfers the others to a person, through the phone system.
Does the voice agent answer in Romanian and Russian?
Yes. Kallina is strong in Romanian and Russian, as well as English.
What happens to night calls?
The agent takes them. What needs a person is passed to the team for the next day or transferred to a colleague on duty, if there is one.
See also
Related pages
Want a voice agent for your calls?
Tell us what calls you receive and what the agent needs to do. We reply the same working day, with a fixed-scope proposal.