Pay Per Transfer vs Pay Per Call vs Pay Per Lead
Pay per lead, pay per call, and pay per transfer sound alike, but you pay for different things. The big differences are who dials, whether the prospect is shared, and who pays for the calls that go nowhere. Here is how they compare for a P&C agency.
What are the three models?
What is pay per lead?
You pay for a lead record, usually from an online quote form: a name, a phone number, and a few details. Many leads are shared, meaning the same person is sold to several agencies. Exclusive leads cost more. Shared internet leads typically cost $3 to $10 each, and some vendors advertise pay-per-lead offers as low as $15 per lead. Your team does all the calling and follow-up.
What is pay per call?
The prospect dials a phone number, usually after seeing an ad or a search result, and the call is sent to your agency. You pay when the call lasts past a set number of seconds. The vendor pays for the ads. Nobody at your agency or the vendor dials out.
What is pay per transfer?
A calling team dials prospects, checks for interest and basic fit, and transfers the interested ones live to your producers. You pay for each transfer that meets the counting rule. Some vendors advertise live transfers at $90 to $300 per connected call. Some vendors also call this pay per call, so always ask who starts the call. For what drives that price, see how much live transfer leads cost.
Pay per transfer vs pay per call vs pay per lead, side by side
| Question | Pay per lead | Pay per call | Pay per transfer |
|---|---|---|---|
| What you pay for | A name, phone number, and form details | An inbound call that lasts past a set length | A live transfer that meets the counting rule |
| Who dials | Your team | Nobody. The prospect calls in | The vendor's callers |
| Shared or exclusive | Often shared. Exclusive leads cost more | Usually one agency per call. Ask | Depends on the vendor. At InsureScales, one agency per transfer |
| Who carries the risk | You. You pay whether they answer or not | Split. The vendor pays for ads; you pay for calls past the time limit | Mostly the vendor. It pays for dialing and no-answers; you pay for transfers that count |
| Your team's job | Dial, follow up, and track every lead | Answer fast and quote | Answer fast and quote |
- Pay per lead
- A name, phone number, and form details
- Pay per call
- An inbound call that lasts past a set length
- Pay per transfer
- A live transfer that meets the counting rule
- Pay per lead
- Your team
- Pay per call
- Nobody. The prospect calls in
- Pay per transfer
- The vendor's callers
- Pay per lead
- Often shared. Exclusive leads cost more
- Pay per call
- Usually one agency per call. Ask
- Pay per transfer
- Depends on the vendor. At InsureScales, one agency per transfer
- Pay per lead
- You. You pay whether they answer or not
- Pay per call
- Split. The vendor pays for ads; you pay for calls past the time limit
- Pay per transfer
- Mostly the vendor. It pays for dialing and no-answers; you pay for transfers that count
- Pay per lead
- Dial, follow up, and track every lead
- Pay per call
- Answer fast and quote
- Pay per transfer
- Answer fast and quote
Who carries the risk in each model?
With pay per lead, almost all the risk is yours. Wrong numbers, no-answers, people who already bought, and other agencies calling the same person all come out of your budget and your producers' time.
With pay per call, the vendor carries the ad spend. You pay for any call that passes the time limit, even if the caller turns out to be a poor fit, unless the vendor takes returns.
With pay per transfer, the vendor pays for the dialing, the no-answers, and the screening. You carry the risk that a counted transfer does not buy. Missed calls matter too. At InsureScales, if nobody at your agency answers and the prospect waits 20 seconds or more from the first ring, the transfer counts while delivery is active and not paused. You get their details so you can call back.
When does each model fit?
Pay per lead fits when
- Your producers have open time to dial
- You can call new leads within minutes
- You track contact rates and follow up several times
Pay per call fits when
- You want people calling in on their own
- You can staff the phones during ad hours
- The vendor tells you where the calls come from
Pay per transfer fits when
- Your producers are busy quoting and servicing
- You want conversations without running a calling floor
- Someone can answer during your calling hours
What should you ask before you pick?
- What exactly counts, and when does the clock start?
- Is the prospect shared with other agencies?
- What can I send back, and how long do I have?
- Can I hear a recording of every call?
- What happens if I pause, and does my unused balance carry forward?
For transfers, go through our billable live transfer checklist before you sign anything.
How InsureScales does pay per transfer
Our callers find people who want an auto, home, or renters quote and transfer them live to your producers. Each transfer goes to one agency. You set your states, calling hours, daily cap, and how many calls you take at once. Our callers never quote, bind, or give advice.
See how it works for auto insurance live transfers, home insurance live transfers, renters insurance live transfers, and home and auto live transfer leads. The full rules are on our pricing and billing rules page.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between pay per transfer and pay per call?
With pay per transfer, a caller dials prospects, screens them, and transfers the interested ones live to your agency. With pay per call, the prospect usually calls in after seeing an ad. Both usually charge for calls that last past a set length. Some vendors use the two terms for the same thing, so ask who starts the call.
Is pay per lead cheaper than pay per transfer?
Per unit, yes. Shared internet leads typically cost $3 to $10 each. But a lead is a name and number, not a conversation, and your team still has to reach them. Compare what each option costs per conversation and per policy, not per unit.
Who carries the risk with pay per transfer?
The vendor pays for the dialing, the no-answers, and the screening. You pay for transfers that meet the counting rule. You still carry the risk that a counted transfer does not become a policy. At some vendors, including InsureScales, a transfer can also count if nobody at your agency answers.
Are pay-per-transfer leads exclusive?
It depends on the vendor, so ask before you buy. At InsureScales, each live transfer goes to one agency.
Which model fits a small P&C agency?
Pay per lead can work if your producers have open time and call new leads fast. Pay per call can work if you want inbound callers and can answer during ad hours. Pay per transfer fits when your producers are busy and you want live conversations without running your own dialing.