Purchasing Phone Numbers
BuildVoiceAI lets you purchase phone numbers directly from the dashboard. Numbers are provisioned through your connected voice provider (Retell, Vapi, or Bland) and are available for use within seconds.
Before You Start
To purchase a phone number, you need:
- An active voice provider connected to your account (configured in Settings)
- A valid API key for the provider you want to use
- The provider account must be in good standing with available number capacity
Phone number pricing and availability are determined by your voice provider, not by BuildVoiceAI. Costs vary by provider, country, and number type.
Purchasing a Number
- Navigate to Phone Numbers in the sidebar
- Click Buy Number
- Select the voice provider you want to provision the number through
- Choose your preferences:
- Country — Select the country for the phone number
- Area code — Optionally specify a preferred area code for local presence
- Browse the available numbers that match your criteria
- Click Purchase on the number you want
The number is provisioned immediately and appears in your phone numbers list, ready to be assigned to an agent.
Area Code Selection
Choosing a local area code can increase answer rates for outbound calls, since recipients are more likely to pick up calls from a local number. Consider:
- Match your client’s location — Use an area code local to the client’s customers
- Match your target market — If calling into a specific region, use that region’s area code
- Toll-free numbers — Some providers offer toll-free numbers (800, 888, etc.) for a professional appearance
If the exact area code you want is unavailable, try a neighboring area code in the same region. Availability changes frequently as numbers are released and claimed.
Provider-Specific Notes
Retell
Retell provisions US and international numbers. Numbers are billed monthly through your Retell account. Retell supports both local and toll-free numbers.
Vapi
Vapi provides phone numbers through its telephony partners. Numbers are available in multiple countries. Check your Vapi dashboard for current pricing and availability.
Bland
Bland provisions US numbers with support for specific area codes. Numbers are billed through your Bland account. Bland can also place outbound calls to your number for test calls rather than using browser-based WebRTC.
Number Limits
There is no platform-imposed limit on how many phone numbers you can purchase. However, your voice provider may have limits based on your account type or verification status. If you encounter issues purchasing numbers, check your provider’s account settings.
Costs
Phone number costs typically include:
| Cost Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Monthly rental | Recurring fee per number, charged by the provider |
| Per-minute usage | Call duration charges (provider rate + BuildVoiceAI platform rate) |
| Setup fee | Some providers charge a one-time fee for number provisioning |
Phone number rental fees are charged by your voice provider regardless of whether the number is actively in use. Release numbers you no longer need to avoid unnecessary charges.
After Purchasing
Once you have a number, the next step is to assign it to an agent so it can start handling calls. Unassigned numbers will not route inbound calls to any agent.