Calling cards cost more to administer than standard long distance service, and thus cost more. However, many cards are radically overpriced.

Cards with an access charge typically bill 20¢ to 35¢ per minute, plus an access surcharge of 35¢ to 65¢. Cards without an access charge typically bill 30¢ to 40¢ per minute.

Calls also vary in cost depending on the time of day and the call rounding used with the card. Most cards bill a minimum 30 seconds per call and round calls to the nearest full minute. Cards that round calls to the nearest six-second increment can reduce bills by 10%-20%, on average.