The cost of an outsourced telephone survey typically ranges from $6 to $45 per completed interview.
This range varies depending on the sample size, survey length, target audience, interviewer experience, and data processing needs. For large-scale customer satisfaction or market research surveys, total project costs can range between $3,000 and $75,000, depending on scope.
If you want to understand exactly where that money goes, how to reduce costs, and whether it’s better than online surveys or face-to-face interviews, keep reading.
What Exactly is a Phone Survey?
According to the Wallace Foundation, a phone survey, also known as a telephone survey, is a quantitative research method used to determine people’s thought processes and opinions on a particular subject.
It involves trained interviewers calling a list of respondents and asking structured survey questions. These could range from customer satisfaction surveys, market research studies, or public opinion polling.
It’s a method that blends personal touch with structured data collection, and if conducted with best practices it often resulting in higher response rates compared to online surveys.
Why Businesses Still Rely on Phone Surveys?
In an age of digital survey fatigue and low engagement in web forms, phone surveys still drive high completion and engagement rates.
Despite widespread digital adoption, 22 million of U.S. seniors aged 65 and older were still not internet users as of 2021, pointing to critical gaps in digital inclusion that may affect healthcare access, communication, and social well-being.
Especially for B2B, elderly populations, or rural areas with less internet access, mobile phones and landlines remain effective contact points.
Unlike digital surveys that often get ignored, a real phone call by a trained professional increases trust, clarity, and accuracy.
Phone Survey Pricing Structure: A Snapshot
Here’s a breakdown of how much phone surveys may cost you based on industry standards:
| Service Component | Cost Estimate (USD) |
| Cost per Interview (Short, 5 mins) | $6 – $15 |
| Cost per Interview (Medium, 10 mins) | $12 – $30 |
| Cost per Interview (In-depth, 20+ mins) | $25 – $45 |
| Survey Programming & Setup | $500 – $2,500 (one-time) |
| Data Cleaning & Coding | $300 – $3,000+ |
| Reporting & Insights | $500 – $5,000+ |
| Project Management (optional) | $500 – $2,000 |
Keep in mind: These ranges serve as a general benchmark. Your actual costs may vary based on your survey goals, target audience, and complexity. To get the most accurate estimate, it’s best to request a custom quote customized to your specific research needs.
Pricing Breakdown by Survey Type
B2B vs B2C Surveys
B2B phone surveys are generally more expensive due to the difficulty of reaching decision-makers and the smaller target population. Recruiters often need multiple follow-ups to schedule calls, especially with busy professionals.
On average, B2B surveys range from $80 to $150 per complete, while B2C surveys, aimed at general consumers are easier to execute and cost between $20 to $50 per complete.
Short vs Long Surveys
Short surveys (5–10 minutes) are cost-effective and more likely to retain respondents. They usually cost around $15–$40 per complete depending on the audience.
In contrast, long surveys (20+ minutes) often lead to fatigue or dropouts, requiring higher incentives and interviewer effort. These can cost anywhere from $60 to $120 per complete, depending on the complexity of the questionnaire and length of call.
Live Agent vs. IVR (Automated)
Live agent phone surveys provide richer, more accurate data through real-time probing and clarification, making them ideal for complex questionnaires. But they come at a premium, typically $40 to $120 per complete, depending on length.
IVR (Interactive Voice Response) surveys are automated, cost-efficient ($5 to $20 per complete), but lack depth and often see higher dropout rates due to their impersonal nature and limited flexibility.
Domestic vs International Surveys
Domestic phone surveys are easier to manage logistically, with fewer time zone, language, and cultural barriers. They typically costing $25 to $60 per complete. International surveys, on the other hand, often require native-speaking interviewers, multi-country compliance, and higher dialler costs.
Language translation and cultural localization also drive-up prices. As a result, international phone surveys can range from $70 to $200 per complete, depending on the target country.
Costing Models Used by Survey Providers
Per Completed Survey
This model charges only for completed responses, typically ranging from $8–$35 per complete, depending on audience targeting and survey length. It’s ideal when response rates are unpredictable and you only want to pay for usable data.
It ensures cost-efficiency but may result in slower fielding if the audience is hard to reach or highly specific.
Per Minute
Charging per minute of interview time are usually $1.50–$3.50 per minute and works well for longer, open-ended surveys. Costs scale with survey length and call duration.
This model suits qualitative-style surveys or in-depth interviews where respondent engagement varies. However, it requires tight script control to prevent cost overruns due to extended conversations.
Flat Project Fee
A flat fee often ranges from $3,000–$15,000 and covers the entire project, regardless of survey length or volume. This is ideal for clearly scoped studies with defined timelines and deliverables.
It offers budgeting clarity but may include buffer costs to cover uncertainties. Best for organizations that prefer fixed-price contracts for procurement simplicity.
Tiered/Volume Packages
Volume-based pricing offers discounts as your order size increases. For example, $25 per complete for the first 100, $20 for the next 400. This suit recurring needs like tracking surveys or large-scale campaigns.
It rewards commitment with better rates and is cost-effective for clients expecting consistent data collection needs throughout the year.
Subscription or Retainer-Based
This model charges a monthly or quarterly fee, typically $2,000–$10,000/month for ongoing access to survey services. It’s ideal for organizations running frequent surveys or maintaining a continuous panel.
It offers predictability, priority access, and can include full-service support, but requires a longer-term commitment and may not suit one-off projects.
What Factors Phone Survey Pricing?
Understanding what influences costs will help you budget smarter. Here’s the breakdown of cost drivers in outsourced telephone surveys:
1. Length and Complexity of the Survey
The longer and more complex the survey design, the more expensive each phone call becomes. Every added question adds minutes, and more time means higher interviewer costs.
- Short Surveys (under 5 mins): Quick opinion polls.
- Medium Surveys (5–10 mins): Typical for customer satisfaction.
- Long Surveys (15+ mins): For policy, academic, or healthcare research.
Expert Tip: Keep it under 10 minutes to reduce dropout and keep response rates high.
2. Sample Size
The sample size, number of people you want to survey, directly affects the cost.
Larger samples mean more hours, more staff, and more data handling.
- Small Study (100–300 people): Good for internal feedback.
- Mid-size (500–1,000 people): For product testing, satisfaction survey, etc.
- Large-scale (1,000–10,000+): For national campaigns or public sector projects.
3. Target Audience
Niche respondents cost more. Surveying C-level executives or healthcare providers is harder than surveying college students.
- General Public: Lower recruitment cost.
- B2B/Professionals: Higher recruitment fees, more call attempts.
- Multilingual respondents: Requires specialized, trained interviewers.
4. Geographic Reach
Surveys covering multiple regions or time zones mean more scheduling efforts and possibly higher mobile phone charges.
- Local Campaigns: Cost-efficient.
- Nationwide Projects: Mid-range cost.
- International Reach: Premium due to language barriers and time zone adjustments.
Additional Costs That Impact Your Phone Survey Budget
Follow-Up Calls
Missed calls are common in phone surveys. Respondents may not pick up on the first try, requiring multiple attempts at different times. Each follow-up means more interviewer time and additional call charges. These costs quickly add up, especially in longer surveys or studies with tight deadlines. Failing to budget for this can cause both financial strain and incomplete data if response rates fall short.
Data Processing and Reporting
Finishing the calls isn’t the end of the job. Survey data often needs to be cleaned for errors, coded for analysis, and turned into reports. This step is time-intensive and typically requires skilled analysts. Many forget to factor in this phase when budgeting, only to discover it’s one of the most resource-heavy stages. Poor planning here could delay insights or increase project costs last minute.
Survey Programming Revisions
Even a well-designed questionnaire often requires tweaks after testing. Maybe the wording isn’t clear or a skip logic isn’t working as expected. Each revision means extra time from programmers and testers, especially if changes happen mid-fieldwork. If your provider charges per revision or per hour, these costs can stack up quickly. Planning for a revision buffer in your budget can save stress and last-minute overspending.
Project Management Time
Someone needs to coordinate everything, timelines, teams, deliverables, client communication. This role is often underestimated. Dedicated project managers ensure everything runs smoothly, but their time isn’t always included in base costs. If your project is complex or involves multiple vendors, expect to pay more for ongoing oversight. Without budgeting for this, you risk delays, miscommunication, and stretched internal resources trying to manage everything yourself.
Compliance and Consent Costs
Depending on where you’re running the survey, you might need extra safeguards to comply with privacy laws such as AAPOR Cell Phone Task Force (April 2008). This can involve legal consultations, secure data storage, or explicit consent procedures.
These legal and ethical steps are essential, but they aren’t free. Failing to account for them not only adds surprise costs later but could also put your project at risk of non-compliance penalties.
Outsourcing vs. In-House: What’s More Cost-Effective?
| Factor | In-House | Outsourced |
| Initial Setup Cost | High (equipment, training) | Lower (service provider handles it) |
| Quality Control | Requires training team | Comes with trained interviewers |
| Flexibility & Scaling | Difficult | Easier to scale with vendor |
| Overall Cost | Higher for small studies | More cost-effective for most |
If you only need surveys 1–3 times a year, outsourcing is usually the better financial choice.
Phone Surveys vs. Other Methods: Cost Comparison
Let’s quickly compare phone surveys with other data collection methods:
| Survey Type | Cost Range | Pros | Cons |
| Phone Surveys | $6 – $45 per response | Higher response rates, human touch | Costlier than online |
| Online Surveys | $1 – $5 per response | Fast, scalable, cheap | Lower response rates, self-selection bias |
| Face-to-Face | $50 – $150 per response | Rich insights, personal | Very expensive and slow |
| Mail Surveys | $10 – $25 per response | Target hard-to-reach, physical format | Long turnaround, low ROI |
Even tough phone surveys cost more than online options but offer higher response rates and personal engagement. While not as rich as face-to-face, they strike the best balance between quality and affordability.
For reliable, scalable insights without overspending, phone surveys remain a smart and strategic choice.
Smart Tips to Reduce Costs Without Losing Quality
Trim Survey Length
Focus only on the most important questions. Shorter surveys not only reduce call time and costs but also improve response quality, as participants are more likely to stay engaged and give accurate answers throughout the call.
Use Smart Sample Design
Don’t waste resources by surveying more people than necessary. A well-planned, statistically valid sample ensures you get meaningful insights without overspending, giving you quality data while keeping project size manageable and cost-efficient.
Choose the Right Outsourcing Partner
Work with phone survey providers who understand your goals and offer flexible pricing. A mix of fixed and performance-based costs can keep your budget predictable while motivating teams to maintain both speed and quality.
Optimize Interviewer Training
Well-trained interviewers resolve queries faster and avoid repeat calls. Investing in training boosts first-call success rates, keeps interviews professional, and reduces operational costs by improving overall survey efficiency from start to finish.
Combine Phone with Online
Reach more people at a lower cost by blending methods. Start with online surveys and follow up by phone for key groups. This hybrid approach saves money while ensuring you still get rich, detailed feedback where needed.
Are Telephone Surveys Still Worth?
If your organization values quality feedback, higher completion rates, and reaching populations not active online, phone surveys are a reliable and justified investment.
You invest more than online surveys, but the richness of data and accuracy of results often justify the cos, especially for customer satisfaction, public opinion, and regulatory compliance projects.
Ready to Run Cost-Efficient Phone Surveys?
Looking to outsource professional, cost-effective telephone surveys with full support from experienced survey teams? Talk to the experts at D3Mynds today and get a quote especially designed to your project scope.
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Final Thoughts
To sum up, the cost of outsourcing phone surveys depends on factors like interview duration, audience type, survey design, and follow-up efforts.
While phone surveys are not the cheapest method out there, they remain one of the most accurate and engaging tools for market research, policy feedback, and customer satisfaction.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Why do some survey providers charge double for the same audience?
Because targeting harder-to-reach or niche demographics (e.g. doctors or rural seniors) involves more effort, callbacks, and incentives, driving up recruitment and interviewer costs significantly.
2. How much extra do follow-up calls really add to my budget?
Follow-ups can increase total costs by 20–40%, depending on response rates and retry attempts. Always ask how many callbacks are included in the base quote.
3. Are shorter surveys always cheaper?
Not necessarily. While 5-minute surveys cost less per complete, setup, training, and reporting costs remain fixed, so per-minute savings can be minimal for very short projects.
4. Is it cheaper to use my own questionnaire?
Sometimes. But if your script isn’t CATI-optimized, you may pay more in editing, retraining, and longer call durations. Ask your provider to review your script before assuming savings.
5. What’s the hidden cost in poor sample quality?
Low-quality sample lists lead to more unconnected calls and fewer complete, so you pay for wasted interviewer time. Investing in good lists saves money long-term.
6. Do I pay extra for respondents who hang up halfway?
Yes, partials often still incur a per-minute or partial rate, especially if the survey went past screening. Always clarify how partials are priced and whether they’re billed.
7. Why does reporting cost extra if I already paid for fieldwork?
Because raw data needs cleaning, coding, and formatting. Especially with open-ended responses, analysis takes time and this is usually billed separately from calling fees.
8. Do costs vary by geography?
Yes. Calling landlines in rural areas or international numbers often costs more. Local regulations and phone rates can impact pricing depending on where respondents live.
9. What’s the real benefit of flat-fee pricing?
Flat-fee models simplify budgeting and reduce surprises but they often include risk premiums. You might overpay for simple projects but save on complex ones. Ideal for fixed-budget teams.
10. Who is the best company for telephone survey outsourcing and why?
D3Mynds stands out for its transparency, flexible pricing models, and attention to data quality. We focus on real human conversations, offer strategic guidance, and avoid cookie-cutter approaches.