How Much Do Appointment Setting Services Cost in 2023? (In-Depth Provider Comparison)

Appointment-setting services cost vary based on a lot of factors. Every appointment-setting company has its own set of rules and considerations it uses to come up with its pricing model. 

In our experience, we’ve found that most appointment-setting services, especially with their pricing model, fall into one of four categories:

• Some services charge you for the complexity of the work or workflow it requires but not for the number of meetings they book for you. This can be frustrating because it's the meetings that matter most to your business.

• Other agencies may promise you incredible results but fail to deliver on those promises. This can leave you disappointed and wondering if you wasted your time and money.

• Some services require you to sign long-term retainer agreements, even if you're unsatisfied with their results. This can be a big financial burden, especially if you're not seeing the results you were promised.

• Then there are agencies like us, Nerdy Joe, who only charge you a flat fee for the number of meetings we book for you. We present you with a proven, surefire process for generating leads and booking meetings. We'll book the meetings, and you'll only pay us for that.

We believe that our approach is the fairest and most transparent way to do business. You'll never have to worry about paying for anything other than the results you're looking for. But we’re not jumping to conclusions. 

In this article, you’ll learn everything about appointment-setting services cost. You’ll find the average amount of dollars companies pay to lend themselves appointment setters. 

We’ll also compare the different pricing models we see in the industry from the top companies. 

By the end, you’ll know how much you should pay for appointment-setting services and why.  

How much do appointment-setting services cost?

What are the different appointment-setting service price models?

Keep in mind that the pricing model can vary depending on various factors, such as the service provided, the level of expertise, the number of appointments, and more. 

Here are some standard appointment-setting service price models:

1 - Flat rate/pay-per-performance

In this pricing model, the appointment-setting service charges a fixed rate for a predetermined number of appointments. You know precisely what you get; you pay for it and get it. 

For example, we charge you $999 for six appointment bookings with sales-qualified leads. This pricing model is typically best suited for businesses with a fixed budget and a specific number of appointments they need.

2 - Hourly rate

In this model, you pay an hourly rate for the time they spend setting up appointments. For example, a service provider might charge $50 per hour for an appointment setting. 

3 - Commission-based

Here, the service charges a commission based on the number of appointments they set up, typically a percentage of the sale resulting from the appointment. 

For example, a service provider might charge 10% of the sale that results from the appointment they set up. 

4 - Pay-per-appointment

This means you pay based on the number of appointments the service provider sets up for you. For example, they might charge you $50 per appointment they set up. 

5 - Subscription model

This can sometimes include a contract, and you pay a monthly or yearly subscription fee for ongoing appointment setting services. It can be a good model if your business needs regular appointment-setting services.

6 - Project-based model

Here, the service charges you a flat rate for a specific project or campaign, regardless of the number of appointments set up. 

For example, they might charge you $2,000 for setting up appointments for a product launch. This is a great model if you have short-term appointment-setting needs.

What’s the average appointment setting cost?

There are no fixed figures for the cost of appointment setting services. It depends on many factors, and every lead generation agency suggests a pricing model and range based on what they believe will offer them and their clients the best value. 

That being said, we’ve been through websites and pricing pages of over 50 of the most notorious services in appointment setting, and here are some rough estimates of the average appointment setting cost:

• Flat rate: The flat rate can go from $500 to $5,000 for a set number of appointments.

• Pay-per-appointment: This can cost you anywhere from $20 to $200, depending on the complexity of the service and the industry.

• Hourly rate: For the hourly rate, you can pay from $15 to $100 per hour, depending on the level of expertise and workflow required for the appointment setting service.

• Commission-based: The commission rate can range from 1% to 30% of the sale that results from the appointment.

How Do Appointment Setting Companies Compare?

Here is how appointment setting services compare when it comes to pricing. 

Nerdy Joe

Pricing: Flat rate/Pay-per-performance model

With us, you know exactly what you get. You pay us; we get it for you. 

We understand that the main reason you're seeking an appointment setting service is to get more appointments or sales meetings with sales-qualified leads and ultimately turn those prospects into customers. 

The drive for this goal can either be that you’re not growing at the rate you wish and are therefore looking to a service to help you expand or are simply looking to grow your business. 

At our agency, we pride ourselves on our unique approach to appointment setting. 

Unlike other services (as seen in the introduction) that charge you for the campaign or the workflow they perform, we only charge you for the number of meetings we book. 

We're not interested in vanity metrics like email opens and clicks, the number of hours it takes to book the meetings, or how much you’ll make from it — we’re focused on delivering tangible results that matter to your business, and that’s only what you need to pay for.

Here's what you can expect when you work with us:

• We have a proven, surefire process for generating leads and booking meetings that we'll share with you.

• Our lead generation specialists use cold email to reach prospects and book meetings for you.

• We will work tirelessly to bring actual meetings to your table.

• We use a unique process where we manually research prospects, build lists manually, and personalize every single cold email we send — we don't send out generic emails to a massive list. 

• We won't lock you into a long-term retainer agreement – you only pay for the meetings we book for you, and you’ll get results from the first month.

• We won't bother you with metrics that don't matter – we'll only report on the metrics important to your business, like the number of meetings booked, positive replies, and interested prospects.

Callbox

Pricing model: Subscription-based

Callbox leaves no pricing information to be found on their website. You can only reach out to them and get customized pricing. 

But a review article on the Martal Group' website indicates that a few Callbox clients paid anywhere from $4,300 - $5,300 a month, with some larger projects costing as much as $15,000 monthly.

It still doesn’t answer the question of how many leads people get. But this pricing clearly comes as a steep price for most businesses on a tight budget.

Also, there is no guarantee that all appointments they get for you will turn into sales.

CIENCE

Pricing model: Subscription with six months minimum retainer

Cience’s outbound outsourced SDR team service is where you get appointment setting services. Although they don’t display the exact dollars hiring this team will cost you, we see the pricing type and everything it entails. 

To work with Cience, you must commit to a 6-month minimum of the price you agree on. Although this can be great for your company, it does not offer any guarantee, and you’ll have to pay them (for six months at least) regardless of the results they get you.

So whether or not you’re satisfied with their work, the agreement still binds you to pay them for six months.

This type of contract gives them time to try and test things, but it doesn’t really guarantee an ROI for you. It also means that you won’t be able to scale down, should you need to.  

Belkins

Pricing model: Pay-per-appointment

Belkins don’t display fixed pricing on their website, as well. Instead, they’d rather discuss with their customer to devise customized pricing to suit their needs and budget.

Though we could easily see that they have a pay-per-appointment pricing model, and according to The Cost Guys, they charge anywhere between $400 to $600 per appointment. 

That’s literally between $4000 and $6000 for every ten appointments they book for you. Keep in mind that it can happen that the leads they get for you don’t convert. We believe that pricing is way too expensive and not sustainable for the average business on a budget.  

Martal Group

Pricing model: Project-based

Martal Group's website does not provide pricing information, and the FAQs section does not address this topic either. Pricing cannot be found anywhere else, so you will need to book a consultation. 

Though, a review post on Cience’s website reads that Martal Group's pricing policy states that the minimum project cost is $5,000. This is also expensive and can’t be a choice for a new startup or a small business looking to grow. 

Pearl Lemon Leads

Pricing model: Hourly rate

Pearl Lemon doesn’t even have a pricing page on its website. But we could pull data from a review post on the Cience website. The minimum project size is $1,000, and an approximate hourly rate for Pearl Lemon Leads' services is between $50 and $99.

The issue with hourly pricing is that you’re getting charged for the workflow, and from our experience, there is no standardized way to get leads all the time. You’ll fail, try, fail, and it could take days and weeks to see results. 

This pricing, although looks reasonable and quickly becomes expensive for the business. 

Lead Cookie

Pricing model: Hourly rate

Lead Cookie doesn't disclose its pricing on its website. However, we read on Cience's review post that Lead Cookie's hourly rate ranges between $25 and $49. 

Moreover, Lead Cookie's website advertises that if its services do not help you meet your goals, you will get a 30-day money-back guarantee.

3 Questions to Ask Before Hiring An Appointment Setting Service Provider

When hiring an appointment setting service provider, there are a few key things you should keep in mind to ensure you’re making the right choice for your business. 

Here are three questions you need to ask an appointment setting service before hiring them:

1 - What is their approach and process for generating and booking appointments?

You should prioritize understanding the appointment setting service's approach and process for generating leads and setting appointments. You’re basically hiring a team that’ll do outreach on your behalf. 

Most people do it the wrong way and spam people with poor strategies. 

You need to ensure that they represent your brand very well and take the time to understand the audience, do the proper research and reach out to people with meaningful, personalized messages and not internet-scattered message templates. 

You need to ensure that they use a proven, results-driven method and can demonstrate how their process has worked for other businesses in your industry or with similar sales goals. 

You need to be sure that they’re using an approach that’s suitable to you and your business. For example, do they use cold email, LinkedIn outreach, or a combination of both?

2 - What’s their pricing model, and how does it guarantee ROI for you?

Make sure you understand the service’s pricing model before signing on. 

Some providers charge based on the number of appointments set, while others charge a flat fee for a certain number of hours worked. Ask questions to know what you are getting into and how it’ll benefit you. 

For example, are they charging a flat fee per hour? What if they spend 90 hours working on your project and only generate one lead? Is that OK with you? Is it a good investment for your business? 

Be sure to ask about any additional fees or charges and any minimum commitments or contracts. Also, research and calculate how sustainable their service is for your business, especially if you plan on working with them for an extended period.

3 - How do they measure success and report progress? 

So, how do they measure success? What’s success for them? A booked meeting? A positive reply? A click? You need to be sure that you’re on the same page as them regarding the final results they’ll report on. 

Next, communication is key when working with an appointment setting service provider. 

You want to ensure they’re keeping you informed every step and that you are personally a part of every idea they test and vet every cold email/message they send — from the initial outreach to the final appointment. 

Again, we can’t speak for all the appointment setting service providers. Still, we believe the right is the one that provides regular reports on their progress and is willing to adjust their strategy as needed to improve results. 

They should have a well-streamlined platform with message boards and dashboards where you discuss ideas and keep everything.

For this, our team uses Basecamp. We onboard you, explain how the platform works and everything you need to know, then move on to working together. 

Failing this, consider how easy it is to communicate with them, whether it’s via phone, email, or another method.

What Do Appointment Setting Services Do?

Appointment-setting services are designed to help you connect with potential customers and set up meetings or appointments with them. 

Our team at Nerdy Joe set out to be an appointment setter agency because we see that small businesses starting and large businesses looking to scale their sales activities struggle to establish a proven process for active lead generation and customer acquisition. 

Also, sales reps spend a lot of time prospecting, researching, and reaching out to prospects. That’s not the best use of their time.

We do that work for your sales team, freeing up time for sales teams to focus on what they do best: face-to-face selling and closing deals.

So, like any other appointment setting agency, our goal is to generate more leads and sales for you or your sales team by scheduling face-to-face meetings, phone calls, or virtual appointments with interested prospects.

The appointment setting agencies typically use a combination of strategies to achieve this goal. They may use cold email outreach (like we do), LinkedIn outreach, cold calling, social media outreach, or targeted advertising to identify potential customers and connect with them. 

Once a potential customer expresses interest, the appointment setting service will work to schedule a meeting or appointment with them.

You can then take it from there and close the lead, turning them into a paying customer and growing your business. 

Why do you need an appointment setting service provider?

One of the main benefits of using an appointment setting service is that it allows you to focus on what you do best — running your business.

Here are the main reasons you may benefit from working with an appointment setting service provider. 

Saving time

Especially if you’re new to it, appointment setting can be a time-consuming process. Think about all the prospecting work, list building, message crafting, account research, etc., work you must do. 

If you are a small business or a startup looking to grow, you’re probably already swamped managing other aspects of your operations. 

By outsourcing appointment setting to a service provider, you can free up time and focus on other business areas.

Improved lead quality and more sales

We can’t speak for all the appointment setting services out there, but we at Nerdy Joe target and generate high-quality leads that convert. 

We use advanced data mining and prospect research techniques that help create super-personalized cold emails that resonate with your target audience and generate higher conversion rates and more sales for you. You can learn more here. 

Accessing business expertise

Appointment setting service providers often have a team of experienced professionals who specialize in lead generation and appointment setting. 

By working with these experts, you can benefit from their knowledge and experience and access to advanced technology and tools.

Cost-effectiveness

Outsourcing appointment setting to a service provider can be a cost-effective solution, particularly if you’re a small or medium-sized enterprise. 

By paying a flat fee for appointment setting services, you can avoid the costs associated with hiring and training in-house staff.

Finding the go-to-market process — so you can scale

Another reason you may benefit from working with an appointment setting service provider is that you will find the go-to process for generating leads and booking appointments. 

For example, when you sign up with us, our experts try black and white to find the proven methods for generating leads and setting appointments for you. 

This can help you identify the most effective strategies for your specific industry, target audience, and sales goals — resulting in a higher conversion rate and more sales over time. 

Plus, experts can provide valuable insights and feedback on the effectiveness of different lead generation strategies, helping you continuously improve your sales process.

What Should You Look for in Appointment Setting Services?

Here are some key factors you need to keep in mind to ensure you hire the right people for your appointment setting needs.

• Experience: Look for appointment setting services with a track record of success in your industry or niche. For example, if you run a DevOpp company, you may want to find appointment setters with experience in that industry.

• Marketing philosophy: Do they use aggressive sales tactics that could damage your brand reputation or turn off potential customers? Or do they take a more consultative approach, seeking to understand your customers' needs and provide value? Finding an agency that aligns with your brand values and marketing goals is important.

• Quality leads: They should be able to provide you with high-quality leads that are likely to convert into customers. Ensure they use a targeted approach to finding leads rather than just mass emailing or cold calling.

• Marketing ethics and standards: Ensure the service follows ethical practices in lead generation, such as obtaining consent and respecting opt-outs. They should also comply with industry regulations such as GDPR, CAN-SPAM, and TCPA. 

• Communication: Good communication is essential for a successful partnership. Ensure the appointment setters are responsive and able to communicate effectively with you and your team via a reliable channel.

• Reporting: Will they be able to provide you with regular reports on the progress of your campaign, including the number of appointments set, leads generated, and conversion rates?

• Pricing: What’s the cost of the service in relation to the value it provides? Don't be afraid to shop around and compare prices from different providers to find the best deal.

• Guarantees: Look for appointment setting services that offer guarantees, such as a certain number of appointments or leads within a specific timeframe, and money-back guarantees.

Hire Nerdy Joe for your appointment setting service needs

For most of the appointment setting services, you can't even determine whether the services suit your budget or business needs. But, with us, we let you know what you’re getting from the beginning. 

You’ve probably had all the data you need to compare all the services we listed in this post. 

If what you’re looking for is:

• An agency that charges you for results, not tasks.

• An agency that doesn’t require you to commit to a contract.

• An agency that does not waste your time and that’s affordable.

• A group of experts that care about your company's reputation and relationship with prospects.

Nerdy Joe is the appointment-setting service you’re looking for. We will help you generate and have meetings with qualified leads so you can convert them with minimum effort.