How does a prepaid AI phone plan work?
If you have ever used a prepaid SIM card, you already understand it, and an AI phone line on prepaid.ai works the same way. You pay for a block of time, you get what the block includes, and when it ends you decide whether to buy another.
On prepaid.ai, a prepaid plan runs for 30 days. During that window your local number is active, the AI answers every call, and a number of minutes is included. See the current prices and minutes on the pricing page: Lite is US$29 with 100 minutes, Standard is US$79 with 350, and Pro is US$149 with 900.
Three details matter in practice:
- Recharge before the plan ends and you keep your number. There is no contract, so you can stop whenever you like.
- Extra minutes come from top-up credit. If a busy month uses up your included minutes, calls are covered from credit you have added. That credit rolls over while a plan is active, so you are not punished for topping up early.
- A lapsed plan has a grace period. If you forget to recharge, the plan does not vanish at midnight. There is a grace period, and after it the number is released, the same way a prepaid SIM eventually is.
Every call is metered per second against your included minutes first, then your credit, and you can see each charge in the dashboard.
What is a postpaid AI phone plan?
A postpaid plan is how most business phone bills work. You use the service through the month, usage is added up at the end, and you receive an invoice to pay.
postpaid.ai is the invoiced tier of the same platform: the same AI phone line, billed afterwards. It is built for businesses where a card on a single account does not fit:
- Companies with several locations that each need their own line.
- Fleets, where many numbers sit under one account.
- Agencies that run AI phone answering for many clients and want one invoice rather than a dozen card payments.
It is invitation-only for now. You use "Request access" on the postpaid.ai site, we talk to you about what you need, and we open the account by hand. We do not publish postpaid prices here, because they depend on the shape of the account.
Prepaid vs postpaid side by side
| Prepaid (prepaid.ai) | Postpaid (postpaid.ai) | |
|---|---|---|
| When you pay | Before you use it | After, by monthly invoice |
| Who can sign up | Anyone, from the website | By invitation: request access |
| Free trial | 7 days, no card | Talk to us first |
| What you buy | A plan of 30 days with minutes included | Usage billed monthly |
| Cost ceiling | What you have bought plus any top-up you add | Set with us for the account |
| Contract | None | Agreed when the account is opened |
| Best for | One business, a few lines, owners who want a fixed cost | Many lines, locations, fleets, agencies |
| Same AI, same calendar, same API | Yes | Yes |
Which one should I choose?
Choose prepaid if any of these sound like you:
- You run one business, or a small number of lines, and want to know exactly what you will spend.
- You want to try it first. The free trial needs no card, and you can talk to your AI in the browser before paying anything.
- You pay by card and would rather not wait for an invoice cycle.
Choose postpaid if:
- Your accounts team pays suppliers by invoice and will not set up a card for a phone service.
- You manage many numbers across locations or clients and want a single monthly document.
- Your volume is high enough that a plan with a fixed number of minutes is the wrong shape.
If you are unsure, start prepaid. It costs nothing to try and you can move later. You can use the missed-call calculator to see roughly what unanswered calls are costing you before you decide how big a setup you need.
Can I move from prepaid to postpaid later?
Yes, and it is a request rather than a button. One account is on one product at a time, so moving is something we do with you:
- Sign in to your prepaid.ai account and ask to be moved to postpaid.
- We get in touch to understand how many lines you have and how you want to be invoiced.
- When we agree terms, we switch the account across.
If invoicing stops suiting you, ask us about moving back to prepaid.
Is the AI phone line any different on postpaid?
No. Both tiers have the same AI receptionist behind the phone: they answer every call, tell the caller it is an AI at the start, book appointments into Google Calendar after checking the real free times, transfer calls to a person, take messages and mark urgent calls. Both record and transcribe calls with a summary. Both include the API, webhooks and an MCP server for developers; see integrations for how those fit together. Local numbers are available in New Zealand, Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada, listed on the numbers page.
For what the AI says about itself and how calls are handled, read our trust page.
FAQ
Is prepaid cheaper than postpaid?
For a single small business, prepaid is usually the simpler and more predictable option because you only pay for the plan you choose. Postpaid is priced for larger accounts, so comparing the two for a one-line business is not very meaningful.
What happens if I run out of minutes on a prepaid plan?
Extra minutes are covered from your top-up credit. If you have neither minutes nor credit left, the dashboard shows it and you add credit or recharge your plan.
Do I need a contract for prepaid?
No. A plan runs for 30 days and you decide whether to recharge.
Can anyone sign up for postpaid.ai?
Not yet. Postpaid is invitation-only. Use "Request access" and we will contact you.
Will I lose my phone number if I move between prepaid and postpaid?
Moves are handled by us, so ask what happens to your number and setup when you request one. We will confirm it for your account before anything changes.
Which is better for an agency?
Postpaid, because one invoice covering many client lines is easier to manage than many separate prepaid plans.