Many families spend $50 to $100 a month just to talk to an incarcerated loved one. Why does a phone call cost so much — and what can you actually do about it? Here's the honest breakdown.
The root cause: exclusive contracts
Most jails and prisons sign an exclusive contract with a single telecom provider — usually one of the big players like Securus or ViaPath (formerly GTL), though lower-cost competitors like NCIC and Pay Tel serve many county jails. With no competition, those providers have historically charged high per-minute rates plus a stack of fees — connection fees, deposit fees, and account funding fees. In many facilities, a portion of the revenue (a "site commission") even went back to the facility, which created an incentive to keep prices high. (You can see who serves which facility in our inmate service provider directory.)
Where the money actually goes
The sticker price of a call is only part of what families pay. The total bill is usually built from several layers:
- Per-minute rates — the headline charge, and the biggest lever for savings.
- Connection or "first-minute" fees — a charge just to start the call.
- Deposit and funding fees — added every time you put money on an account, sometimes a flat fee plus a percentage.
- Account and "convenience" fees — for using a website, an app, or an automated phone line to manage the account.
Stack these together and a family making a few calls a week can easily clear $50 to $100 a month — which is exactly why understanding the structure helps you cut it down.
The history: site commissions
For years, providers won facility contracts partly by offering "site commissions" — a cut of the call revenue paid back to the jail or prison. That arrangement gave facilities a financial reason to prefer the highest bidder rather than the cheapest service, which kept prices high. States like New York, Ohio, and Rhode Island have since banned site commissions, and the shift has measurably lowered costs where it's taken hold.
What about video calls?
Many facilities now offer video visitation through platforms like Securus Video Connect, HomeWAV, or ICSolutions' "The Visitor", which can be a wonderful way to see a loved one's face — but it's billed separately and often carries its own per-minute rate. In some institutions, video has unfortunately replaced free in-person visits, so weigh the cost and the trade-offs. A discounted voice-calling plan remains the most affordable way to stay in regular contact.
How to add money to a phone account
Most providers let you fund an account online, through an app, by phone, or at a kiosk — for example through ConnectNetwork (ViaPath's AdvancePay) or a Securus AdvanceConnect account. To avoid stacking fees, add a larger amount less frequently rather than small top-ups, and check whether funding directly through the provider (versus a third party) lowers the surcharge. Keep your receipts and watch for inactivity fees that can quietly drain an unused balance.
What's changing: FCC rate caps
There's good news. The Federal Communications Commission has stepped in to cap the rates providers can charge for calls from prisons and jails. Several states have gone further: New York, Ohio, and Rhode Island banned site commissions, and California, Colorado, Connecticut, and Minnesota have made prison calls free. These reforms are rolling out unevenly, so what you pay still depends heavily on where your loved one is held.
How to pay less right now
Until free calling reaches every facility, the most reliable way to cut costs is a flat-rate calling plan instead of per-minute billing. We've built direct relationships with the phone providers that serve facilities nationwide, so through our discounted phone calls service we can offer you their calling plan at a flat $10 a month for 500 minutes — instead of paying per minute at the provider's standard rate.
How the discounted plan works
There's no local number to set up and no forwarding trick — just a flat monthly rate on the provider your loved one's facility already uses:
- Tell us the facility. We confirm which provider serves it and set up your account under our discounted rate.
- We activate your plan. Your existing phone number is confirmed on the inmate's approved call list at the discounted rate.
- They call your regular number. Nothing changes on their end — the call is simply billed against your $10/500-minute plan instead of the standard per-minute rate.
Our discounted phone calls service handles the setup for you, so there's nothing technical to configure. For more on other legal ways to bring your bill down, see our guide on lowering the cost of jail and prison phone calls.
Which states have made prison calls free?
A handful of states have gone beyond rate caps and eliminated the cost of calls from state facilities entirely — including California, Colorado, Connecticut, and Minnesota, with more considering similar laws. These policies generally apply to state prisons; county jails and federal facilities may still charge. Because coverage is uneven and changing, always confirm the current rules for the specific facility holding your loved one before assuming calls are free.
A few more money-saving tips
- Keep calls on a regular schedule so you're not paying connection fees for many short calls.
- Fund accounts directly when possible to avoid third-party processing fees.
- Check whether your facility's provider offers a flat-rate or low-cost calling plan.
No one should have to choose between paying rent and hearing their child's voice. A flat-rate discounted calling plan is a simple, legal way to make staying connected affordable.
Other ways to stay in touch
Calls are one of several channels for staying connected with an incarcerated loved one. Our send letters service lets you write letters and send photos from your phone — we handle printing, formatting to facility rules, and postage. You can also send a care package of facility-approved snacks, hygiene items, and essentials to show you're there between calls. And if your loved one is still awaiting trial, posting bail through a licensed agent may end the separation entirely.