Estimating Costs
A basic version of infrastructure like VOICE can run for about the cost of a domain name, and a fuller one for roughly $15 to $40 a month, as of October 2026.
The costs below are approximate and were checked in October 2026, so they should be checked again before you rely on them. Many items can be borrowed, donated, or shared with the place that hosts the sessions.
Services
| Item | Purpose | Approximate Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Domain name | Email addresses and the main site | $10 to $25 a year | |
| Google Workspace for Nonprofits | The shared inbox, the public contact address, and private accounts | Free for eligible nonprofits | Requires nonprofit status or a fiscal sponsor. |
| Personal Google Voice | The message line and voicemail transcription | Free in the United States | Claiming a number requires verifying an existing U.S. phone number, and Google may reclaim a number that has had no activity for a long time. |
| Web hosting | The VOICE software, which runs the main site, the Switchboard, Alerts, and Beacon | Commonly $3 to $15 a month | Ordinary shared hosting is enough. |
| Online fax number | Receiving faxes as PDF files | About $7 to $9 a month | Free plans from many services can send faxes but not receive them. |
A shared spreadsheet can track messages at no cost before the VOICE software is installed, and the software itself is free and open source.
Equipment for Sessions
| Item | Purpose | Approximate Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Laptop or tablet with a camera | Helping people with accounts and identity checks | Often donated | Even lighting makes identity checks easier. |
| Basic smartphone | An ordinary cellular number for verification codes sent by text message | Often under $100 | Any unlocked phone that works on the chosen network. |
| Prepaid plan with talk and text | Service for that smartphone | Often under $15 a month | Choose a major network with good coverage where sessions are held. |
| Printer | Backup codes, faxes, and documents | Often available where sessions are held | |
| Lockable box | Storing sealed envelopes of backup codes | $20 to $40 |
Optional Items
| Item | Purpose | Approximate Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Television, monitor, or old tablet | A Beacon screen | Often donated | Any device with a current web browser can show one. |
| Corkboard or wall space | Posting Beacon sheets where sessions are held | $20 to $60 | |
| Bluetooth adapter and corded phone | Answering calls on a familiar handset, for groups that answer calls live | $30 to $60 | Sold under names such as CELL2JACK. Check that it works with the smartphone first. |
| Password manager | Shared passwords and authenticator codes for the group's own accounts | Free to low cost | Several, including Bitwarden, have offered free or discounted plans for nonprofits. |
| Alerts by Phone | A number that reads current Emergency and Important alerts aloud to callers | About $1.15 a month, plus less than a cent a minute | Runs on Twilio. |
Total Cost
- Basic version. The domain name is the only cost, because the email system, the message line, and a shared spreadsheet are free.
- Fuller version. The domain name, web hosting, a fax number, and a prepaid plan for the verification phone together come to roughly $15 to $40 a month. The smartphone itself is a one-time cost, often under $100.