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Pricing is quote-based.
SignalWire lists no free plan, and its pricing information does not publish a free trial. Costs are usage-based across AI Agent Runtime, Voice API and Messaging API, with some monthly or quarterly fees for numbers and throughput. An AI voice agent's runtime is separate from the voice transport carrying its call, so estimate both. Messaging adds per-segment or per-message charges, while features such as premium TTS, recording and transcription can add further usage costs.
01Every plan, line by line
| Plan | Billed annually | Billed monthly | Built for |
|---|---|---|---|
| AI Agent Runtime | — | Quote | Teams building AI voice agents |
| Voice API | — | Quote | Developers building voice applications |
| Messaging API | — | Quote | Teams sending SMS and MMS |
Add-ons and overages
- AI voice transport: SIP/WebRTC $0.0030/min; PSTN local inbound $0.0066/min and outbound $0.0080/min; toll-free inbound $0.0147/min and outbound $0.0069/min.
- Premium TTS costs extra; published TTS rates range from $0.000008 to $0.0002 per character. Standard TTS is included in the AI Agent Runtime.
- US voice features: call recording $0.002/min; recording transcription $0.020/15 seconds; conferencing $0.0018/min/participant; E911 $0.75/month; number lookup $0.005; CNAM lookup $0.008; SIP Refer $0.10.
- High-throughput calling: 1 call/second is $0/month; 2–20 costs $15/month each, 21–50 $20/month each, 51–100 $25/month each, 101–200 $30/month each, and 201–250 $40/month each. Three-month commitment; PSTN and SIP billed independently.
- Speech-to-text: $0.015/15 seconds per use; live transcription $0.065/minute per direction; live translation $0.085/minute; live summarization $0.000125/token.
- US SMS: short code $0.00650 and toll-free $0.00680 per segment, inbound or outbound. Carrier fees may apply.
- US MMS: toll-free and short code $0.02000/message, inbound or outbound. Carrier fees may apply.
- Short codes: vanity $3,000/quarter or random $1,500/quarter, plus a one-time $750 setup fee; $500 minimum monthly spend to maintain.
- WhatsApp Business Voice: $0.005/minute inbound or outbound; Meta fees are billed separately.
- Number port-out: $5 per number. Number pooling for campaigns requiring 50 or more: $100 one-time processing fee and $2,000 one-time configuration fee.
- Campaign registry: brand registration $4.50 one time; campaign fees range from $0 to $30/month by use case; DCA vetting is $7.50 per new campaign and resubmission; T-Mobile inactivity fee is $250 per campaign after 60 consecutive inactive days.
- Subscribers: $3/month each. Opus transcoding: $0.006/minute at 8 or 16 kHz and $0.012/minute at 24 or 48 kHz.
- High-volume brands over 200K daily segments require pre-approval; DCA fee is $500 one time and the special business review fee is TBD.
02What the plan grid doesn't tell you
Separate voice transport
AI Agent Runtime is $0.16/min, while PSTN, SIP or WebRTC transport is billed separately. Include both in each agent-call estimate.
Premium speech and recording
Premium TTS costs extra; recording is $0.002/min and recording transcription is $0.020 per 15 seconds.
Number and throughput fees
Local numbers are $0.50/month and toll-free numbers $0.80/month. High-throughput tiers require a three-month commitment.
Messaging add-ons
WhatsApp Business Messaging is $0.005/message plus Meta fees. Short codes, campaign registration and carrier fees can add costs.
03Which plan should you buy?
| If you are… | Get | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Teams building AI voice agents | AI Agent Runtime | $0.16/min includes real-time STT, LLM, standard TTS, orchestration, memory and tool calls; budget transport separately. |
| Developers building voice applications | Voice API | Usage-based US calling, SIP and WebRTC rates suit applications placing or receiving calls; number fees are additional. |
| Teams sending SMS and MMS | Messaging API | Local SMS and MMS use per-segment rates, while WhatsApp Business Messaging adds Meta fees. |
04Is SignalWire worth the money?
SignalWire's usage pricing can fit projects that need programmable call control, AI voice agents or messaging without committing to a flat monthly platform plan. The bill is not just the headline agent rate: transport, numbers, premium TTS and communication features can all add charges. The pricing information lists no free plan, so it is not a no-cost option for prototypes. Ask SignalWire for a traffic-based estimate and confirm trial availability, throughput requirements and any applicable carrier fees before launch.
SignalWire pricing FAQ
Does SignalWire have a free plan?
The pricing information lists no free plan, and a free trial is not published. SignalWire's listed services use per-minute, per-segment or per-message rates, with some monthly and quarterly fees. Check with the vendor for any current trial or account-specific offer.
How much does SignalWire AI Agent Runtime cost?
AI Agent Runtime costs $0.16 per minute. The listed rate includes real-time STT, LLM, standard TTS, orchestration, memory and tool calls. Voice transport is billed separately, so add the applicable SIP, WebRTC or PSTN rate to estimate total call cost.
What does SignalWire charge for SMS?
Local SMS costs $0.00415 per segment, inbound or outbound. US short-code SMS is $0.00650 per segment and toll-free SMS is $0.00680 per segment, with carrier fees potentially applying. WhatsApp Business Messaging costs $0.005 per message plus Meta fees.
Are SignalWire rates monthly or annual plans?
The pricing information lists usage rates and some monthly or quarterly fees, but does not publish monthly-versus-annual plan billing. For high-throughput calling, the listed tiers require a three-month commitment. Confirm billing terms with SignalWire before budgeting.