Every FrontDesk plan includes a monthly pool of:
- Inbound voice minutes (the AI answering, talking with callers, and transferring)
- Outbound SMS segments (confirmations, reminders, missed-call follow-ups)
- AI conversations (browser-based assistant chats — Setup Assistant, etc.)
Anything you use beyond the pool is billed at the overage rate.
Where to see usage
Settings → Billing → Usage shows:
- Current period — minutes used vs. included, with a progress bar
- Daily breakdown — last 30 days of usage
- Accrued overage — what you'd owe right now if billing closed today
- Forecast — projected end-of-period usage based on current pace
Plan limits & overage rates
| Plan | Included minutes | Included SMS | Overage minute | Overage SMS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starter | 500 | 500 | $0.10 | $0.02 |
| Professional | 2,000 | 2,000 | $0.07 | $0.015 |
| Enterprise | Custom | Custom | Negotiated | Negotiated |
Phone number rental ($2/local, $3/toll-free) is separate from the usage pool.
Setting up alerts
To avoid surprise invoices:
- Settings → Billing → Usage caps.
- Toggle Email alerts at: 50%, 80%, 100%.
- (Optional) toggle Stop service at: 110%, 125%, 150% of plan.
We recommend leaving "Stop service" off in production. Dropped calls cost far more than a small overage. Instead, set alerts so you can upgrade proactively.
When to upgrade vs. eat the overage
| Situation | Action |
|---|---|
| You're 5–10% over once or twice a quarter | Eat the overage — it's cheaper than upgrading |
| You're over by 20%+ every month | Upgrade — the higher tier has a lower per-unit rate that pays for itself |
| You're under your plan two months in a row | Consider downgrading — see Upgrade or downgrade your plan |
Reading your invoice
Your monthly invoice includes:
- Subscription — flat fee for your plan
- Phone number rental — $X × N numbers
- Voice overage — minutes over plan × overage rate
- SMS overage — segments over plan × overage rate
- A2P 10DLC fees (if applicable) — pass-through carrier fees
- Applicable taxes
PDF invoices are emailed and also available under Settings → Billing → Invoices.