How much does a first AI calling campaign cost?
Every new FoxEra account gets £7 of free calling credit. Connected minutes cost from 12p each. Here is how that translates into a real first campaign, and how to preview the cost before a single call goes out.
The short answer: it can cost nothing
Every new FoxEra account receives £7 of free calling credit. There is no subscription, no setup fee and no minimum spend beyond that. If your first campaign uses less than £7 of connected minutes, it costs you nothing out of pocket.
Connected minutes are charged at from 12p per connected minute. Calls that go to voicemail, ring out or are not answered cost nothing. You pay only for the time someone actually picks up and talks.
What the £7 free credit covers
At from 12p per connected minute, £7 of credit gives you roughly 58 connected minutes. How many calls that translates into depends on your audience and your script.
According to Cognism's cold calling benchmarks (industry data, not a FoxEra result), the average B2B cold call that connects lasts around one to two minutes. At that length, £7 could cover somewhere between 29 and 58 conversations — enough to test your script, see how prospects respond, and decide whether to continue.
Your actual results will depend on your list quality, the time of day you call, and how your script lands. The point of the free credit is to let you find out without spending anything.
Preview the cost before you call
Before any calls go out, FoxEra shows you a campaign preview: how many people are on your list, the estimated calling time, and the projected cost. You review this preview and approve the campaign before anyone is phoned.
If you have connected an AI assistant — ChatGPT, Claude, Cursor or another tool — through the developer connector, your assistant can pull up this preview for you. It shows the same numbers: headcount, time and price. You approve in your assistant, and the campaign runs. Nothing happens without your yes.
Use the cost calculator to estimate costs for different list sizes before you even create an account.
What affects the cost of your first campaign
Three things determine what you spend:
- List size — more leads means more potential connected minutes. Start small — 30 to 50 leads is a sensible first campaign to test your script and list quality.
- Answer rate — not everyone picks up. Business lines during working hours typically have higher answer rates than personal mobiles. Unanswered calls cost nothing.
- Call length — a short introduction and qualifying question might take one minute. A longer conversation with several questions takes more. You control this through your calling script.
The campaign preview shows you the projected cost based on your actual list before you commit. If it looks too high, reduce the list and try again.
Comparing the cost to other options
Tools that charge a monthly seat fee start at tens of pounds per month before you have made a single call. Hiring a human caller costs significantly more per hour, plus training time and management overhead.
With FoxEra, you start at zero. The £7 free credit lets you run a real campaign — not a demo, not a simulation — and see exactly what you get. After that, you top up only when you want to call again. See the full pricing breakdown for details, or compare approaches on the AI vs manual calling page.
What to aim for in your first campaign
Your first campaign is a test, not a sales blitz. The goal is to learn: does your list contain the right people? Does your script land well? Are prospects interested in what you offer?
Review the call transcripts after the campaign finishes. Look for patterns: which types of prospect engaged, which objections came up, and which parts of your script worked best. Use that to refine your approach for the next run.
Read more on what your first calling campaign should aim for to set realistic expectations and make the most of your free credit.
Frequently asked questions
Is the first AI calling campaign really free?
Every new account gets £7 of free calling credit. If your first campaign uses less than that in connected minutes, you pay nothing. There is no subscription or setup fee.
How many calls can I make with £7 of credit?
At from 12p per connected minute, £7 covers roughly 58 connected minutes. The number of calls depends on how long each conversation lasts. Industry benchmarks suggest one to two minutes for a typical B2B cold call.
Do I pay for calls that are not answered?
No. You only pay for connected minutes — time where someone actually picks up and talks. Voicemails, ring-outs and unanswered calls are free.
Can I see the cost before calls go out?
Yes. FoxEra shows a campaign preview with headcount, estimated time and projected cost. You approve the campaign before anyone is phoned. Your AI assistant can also pull up this preview through the developer connector.
What happens after I use my free credit?
You top up your account when you want to run another campaign. There is no automatic charge and no recurring fee. You decide when and how much to add.