SolarDialer vs hiring an appointment setter
An appointment setter is a person you hire to call your leads and book or transfer the interested ones. Here is how that compares with an AI agent working through the same list.
SolarDialer suits
Teams sitting on old leads nobody has time to call, who want every one of them called within days and only the interested ones put through to a closer.
Hiring a setter suits
Teams with a steady flow of fresh leads, a manager to hire, train and coach, and calls that need a long, personal conversation.
| SolarDialer | Hiring a setter | |
|---|---|---|
| Setup time | Minutes: sign up, upload your leads, pick an industry. New accounts are reviewed before their first call. | Weeks: write the job post, interview, hire, then train on your offer and script. |
| Scripts ready for 51 industries | Ready for 51 industries: opening line, answers to objections, qualifying questions and rules, all editable. | Your setter learns the script you write and train them on. |
| Compliance gate built in | Yes: before every call, the lead's calling hours in each of its time zones, holidays, attempt limits and the do-not-call list are checked. | Up to your process and your dialer: calling hours, do-not-call checks and attempt limits are yours to enforce. |
| Live transfer to your closer | Yes: your closer's phone rings, they hear a short briefing, then the lead joins. | Yes, when your phone system supports it and the closer is free. |
| Pricing model | 22¢ a minute on our phone lines (14¢ agent + 8¢ line), or 14¢ with your own carrier. Calls nobody answers are free. | Wages, typically somewhere around $15 to $25 an hour in the US, often plus commission or bonuses, payroll costs, a dialer and phone lines. |
| Contracts | None. Add credit, pay for the minutes used, stop any time. | Employment: hiring, payroll, sick days and turnover. |
Compared October 2026; check each vendor's site for current details.
When the other option is the better choice
A person is the better choice when your leads need a long, consultative conversation, when the offer changes from day to day, or when you want someone who builds a relationship over several calls, texts and emails. Many teams use both: the agent works through the old list, and the setter or closer spends their time on the people who said yes.
Other comparisons
See it on your own leads
Pick your industry, upload a list and press start. No monthly fee and no contract. Every account gets $2 of free calls each month.