How much does a landscaping answering service cost? About $99 to $1,725 a month, or Sharrk from $99
By Sharrk Team · October 15, 2026
A live answering service for a landscaping company costs about $99 to $1,725 a month on published plans checked October 15, 2026, and busy-season overage can push it higher. Sharrk answers every call with an AI receptionist from $99 a month on Sharrk Core, with no contract and no setup fee.
Below are the real published prices, what drives the bill up in spring and snow season, and a simple way to price it with your own call numbers.
How much do landscaping answering services cost per month?
Here are published monthly plans, Sharrk first. Prices come from each company's own pricing page, checked October 15, 2026.
| Service | Type | Monthly price | What's included |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharrk Core | AI voice and text agents | $99/mo ($990/yr) | 47,500 credits a month (about 316 AI call minutes if used only on calls), 1 phone number, every feature live |
| Sharrk Complete | AI voice and text agents | $449/mo | 185,000 credits a month, a done-for-you build by the Sharrk team every month, priority support |
| Rosie | AI answering | $49 to $299/mo | 250 to 2,000 minutes a month |
| PATLive | Live agents | $99 to $1,499/mo | 50 to 1,000 minutes; $1.69 to $2.29 per extra minute |
| Ruby | Live receptionists | $250 to $1,725/mo | 50 to 500 minutes a month |
PATLive also lists a $49 pay-as-you-go plan at $2.99 a minute. Ruby's page doesn't list overage rates and points you to sales for those.
So the realistic range for a landscaping company using live agents is about $99 to $1,725 a month, while AI answering starts far lower. Sharrk Core is $99 a month, with bigger plans for high-volume shops.
Why do landscapers' answering bills jump in spring?
Landscaping calls don't arrive evenly. They pile up in a few predictable waves:
- Spring rush. New mowing contracts, cleanups, mulch, sod and irrigation start-ups all come in at once, usually while you're out on a mower.
- Estimate calls. Design, hardscape and patio jobs mean longer calls: the caller describes the yard, the budget and the timeline.
- Fall cleanups and aeration. A second wave of short scheduling calls.
- Snow-removal season. If you plow, calls come at 5 a.m. during a storm, and every one is urgent.
Live answering plans charge by the minute, so a busy April or a big snowstorm can push you past your plan's minutes into overage. With Sharrk, the AI answers many calls at once on the first ring, 24/7, so a storm morning doesn't mean a queue or a voicemail box.
How do you price it with your own numbers?
Use this three-step method. The example below uses made-up numbers for a landscaping company; plug in your own.
- Count calls per month in your busiest month and your slowest month (check your phone bill or call log).
- Multiply by average call length to get minutes.
- Compare minutes to each plan, adding overage where it applies.
Worked example (made-up numbers):
- Busy month (April): 400 calls x 2.5 minutes = 1,000 minutes.
- Slow month (January, no plowing): 60 calls x 2.5 minutes = 150 minutes.
| Option | Busy month (1,000 min) | Slow month (150 min) |
|---|---|---|
| Sharrk | $449 on Complete (185,000 credits = about 1,233 call minutes at 150 credits a minute) | $99 on Core (about 316 call minutes) |
| PATLive | $1,499 on the 1,000-minute plan | $349 on the 200-minute plan |
| Ruby | Over the largest listed plan (500 min for $1,725); extra minutes priced by sales | $720 on the 200-minute plan |
Your real numbers will differ, but the method holds: count calls, multiply by length, and see what each plan charges you in your busiest month, not your average one. If you're weighing an in-house hire instead, see our breakdown of what a receptionist really costs.
What should a landscaping answering service actually do?
Price only matters if the calls turn into booked work. A landscaping answering service should:
- Answer every call, including evenings, weekends and storm mornings.
- Collect the job details: address, service needed (mowing, cleanup, hardscape, snow), property size, and when they want it done.
- Book estimates straight onto your calendar instead of taking a message.
- Transfer urgent calls to you, like a commercial plow client during a storm.
- Follow up fast with new leads from your website, Angi or Thumbtack, so a new lead hears from you while they are still deciding. Our speed-to-lead guide covers how that works.
Sharrk does all of this out of the box, and you can see the full setup for crews on the AI receptionist for landscaping page.
Are there extra costs to watch for?
Yes. With live services, the big extra is per-minute overage once you pass your plan's minutes, which is exactly when landscapers are busiest. Some plans also price add-ons like web chat or outbound calls separately.
With Sharrk there are no contracts and no setup fees. If your agent sends texts, carriers require a one-time $5 brand registration and $20 campaign vetting, plus a small monthly campaign fee; see our 10DLC registration cost guide. Extra credit packs last 12 months, so a big spring or a heavy snow month doesn't waste anything.
How does Mako set up your landscaping receptionist?
Mako is the AI assistant inside Sharrk that builds anything for you from plain English. Tell Mako "answer calls for my landscaping company, ask about mowing, cleanups, hardscape and snow removal, book estimates on my calendar, and transfer commercial plow clients to me during storms," and Mako builds the voice agent, the follow-up Strikes and the automations. It shows every change before anything goes live and waits for your OK. When spring hits, ask Mako to add a seasonal greeting or a new service, and it updates the agent the same way.
How Sharrk handles landscaping calls
Sharrk answers every call 24/7 on the first ring with a natural voice, handles many calls at once, and replies to new leads by text and call in under 30 seconds. It books estimates on Sharrk's built-in calendar, Calendly or Cal.com (bookings can show on your Google Calendar), and Jobber clients import as leads. Leads from Angi, Thumbtack, Networx and your web forms arrive automatically, and every call lands in the CRM with a summary and transcript.
Strikes follow up with calls, texts, emails and voicemail drops, and stop the moment a lead replies or books. Hunts reach past customers you have consent to contact before spring cleanups and snow season, with opt-out handling, quiet hours and DNC checks. Plans run from $99 a month on Sharrk Core, with yearly billing giving 2 months free and a 30-day money-back guarantee on the first payment (minus credits used). See all plans on the Sharrk pricing page.
Start free with Sharrk, no credit card needed, or book a demo to see it answer a landscaping call.
Painting crews face the same seasonal rush; here's what an answering service for painting contractors costs.
Sources
- Ruby plans and pricing (checked October 15, 2026)
- PATLive pricing (checked October 15, 2026)
- Rosie pricing (checked October 15, 2026)
Related on Sharrk: AI receptionist for landscaping · AI answering service · Speed to lead · Contractor automation
Frequently asked questions
How much does an answering service for a landscaping company cost?
Live answering services cost about $99 to $1,725 a month on published plans checked October 15, 2026 (PATLive and Ruby), plus overage in busy months. Sharrk's AI receptionist starts at $99 a month on Sharrk Core, with no contract or setup fee.
What's the cheapest way for a landscaper to answer every call?
An AI receptionist is the lowest-cost way to answer every call. Sharrk Core is $99 a month with about 316 AI call minutes of credits, and Sharrk Free lets you build and test your agent with 2,500 credits and no credit card.
Do live answering services charge extra in spring?
Yes, if you go past your plan's minutes. PATLive lists overage of $1.69 to $2.29 per extra minute on its live plans, and Ruby directs overage questions to sales (both checked October 15, 2026).
Can an AI receptionist handle snow-removal calls?
Yes. Sharrk answers 24/7 on the first ring, handles many calls at once during a storm, and can live-transfer urgent calls, like commercial plow clients, to you based on rules you set.
Can it book landscaping estimates?
Yes. Sharrk books estimates on its built-in calendar, Calendly or Cal.com, and bookings can show on your Google Calendar.