Pay-per-call terms every media buyer should get in writing

Most payment disputes come from terms nobody wrote down. Settle these before the first call.

The terms that decide payment

• Billable duration: how many seconds a call must last to pay (often 60 to 180 seconds, depending on vertical), and whether the clock starts at connect or after an IVR.
• Duplicate window: how long a repeat caller from the same number is not paid again (for example 7, 30 or 60 days).
• Hours and time zone: calls outside buyer hours usually don’t pay. Know the exact window.
• Geography: states or ZIPs accepted, and what happens to calls from outside them.
• Caps: daily and hourly limits, and whether overflow is paid.
• Disputes: how long a buyer has to flag a call, what counts as invalid, and who listens to the recording.
• Creative approval: who approves ads and landing pages, and how long it takes.

Static numbers vs. real-time bidding

With a static number, every call to that number routes to one offer at a fixed payout. With RTB, each call is offered to several buyers in real time and the best bid wins, so payouts vary by caller location and time.

Get the reporting you need

You should see every call with its time, duration, status, payout and a reason for any non-billable result. See how our reporting works.

Published October 14, 2026 by HomeProRadar. Figures are from the linked sources; examples are illustrative.