Frequently Asked Questions

CallCustodian plays a recording notice before the call connects, so callers are informed. We provide automated recording notice and tools to support compliance; you remain responsible for using the service lawfully.

Yes. Your recordings and transcripts are encrypted and stored securely in the cloud. Only you can access them through your account. You can view, download, and manage your recordings from your dashboard.

Many CallCustodian users are divorced or separated parents documenting co-parenting communications. Recordings can be helpful when you need to remember what was said or share context with your attorney. If you plan to use a recording in court, rules can vary—ask your attorney what applies in your case. Best practice: Let the other parent know you’re using a recorded line for child‑related calls.

Getting started takes less than 10 minutes: (1) Create your account at callcustodian.com with email and password and verify your email, (2) Purchase your phone number by browsing available US numbers by area code and completing checkout ($20/month), (3) Configure call forwarding by entering the phone number where you want calls to ring. You're live immediately—no equipment, apps, or technical setup required.

No, CallCustodian requires no special equipment, apps, or hardware. Everything works through your existing phone and web browser. You just need a phone (both mobile and landline work), an email address, and a web browser to access your dashboard. No downloads, no recording devices, no special setup.

You need to use a CallCustodian number for recording to work properly. Give your new CallCustodian number to ex-spouses, clients, or anyone you need to document communications with. Keep your existing personal number for friends, family, and non-recorded calls. This separation provides protection and boundaries—your ex-spouse or clients only have access to your recorded line, not your personal number.

CallCustodian costs $20 per month for your first phone number (includes 200 minutes of recording) and $5 per month for each additional number. Usage beyond 200 minutes is billed at $0.10 per minute. No setup fees, no contracts, no hidden charges. Cancel anytime. Everything is included: unlimited transcriptions, AI summaries, sentiment analysis, searchable archives, cloud storage, and mobile access.

Your $20/month subscription includes: 200 minutes of recording time (pooled across all numbers), unlimited AI transcriptions, call summaries (up to 5 bullet points per call), sentiment analysis, full-text search, unlimited cloud storage, mobile-responsive dashboard, secure access from any device, and email support. Additional numbers are $5/month each (share the 200-minute pool), and overage minutes are $0.10/min.

If you exceed 200 minutes in a month, overage usage is automatically billed at $0.10 per minute and charged at the end of your billing cycle. Recording continues automatically with no service interruption. Your dashboard shows real-time usage with a progress bar (green when under 50%, yellow at 50-90%, red above 90%). Example: 250 minutes = $20 base + $5 overage = $25 total for the month.

Yes, you can cancel anytime with no cancellation fees through your dashboard. IMPORTANT: Download all your recordings and transcripts before your subscription ends. After cancellation, your subscription remains active through the end of your paid period, then dashboard access is disabled and recordings are permanently deleted 30 days later. You cannot pause your account—cancellation means losing access to your recordings.

Yes, CallCustodian includes powerful full-text search across all transcripts. Find any call in seconds by searching for keywords, names, topics, phone numbers, or dates. Examples: Search "spring break" to find custody scheduling conversations, search "foundation" to find property discussions, search "agreed to" to find verbal commitments. Search results appear instantly with highlighted matches in transcripts.

AI summaries automatically generate up to 5 bullet points capturing key topics discussed on each call, while sentiment analysis detects whether the conversation tone was positive, negative, or neutral. Benefits: Review 20 calls in minutes instead of hours, provide attorneys with call summaries without requiring them to listen to hours of recordings, document patterns of hostile communication for court evidence, and quickly identify which calls require deeper review.

Yes, you can purchase unlimited additional numbers for $5/month each. All numbers share one pooled allowance of 200 minutes per month. Use cases: Separate numbers for different properties (property managers), different clients (consultants), or different purposes (one for ex-spouse, one for business). Each number can forward to a different phone, or all can forward to the same phone—your choice.

Yes, CallCustodian's dashboard is fully mobile-responsive and works on smartphones and tablets. Access all recordings, transcripts, search, and AI features from any mobile browser (Safari on iPhone, Chrome on Android). Perfect for on-the-go needs: proving facts at child pickup/dropoff, reviewing call details before meetings, or accessing documentation during attorney consultations.

When someone calls your CallCustodian number: (1) They hear a ringing tone (1-2 seconds), (2) The consent message plays (2 seconds): "This call will be recorded for quality and training purposes" (3) Call forwards to your configured number and your phone rings, (4) You answer normally and have a regular conversation, (5) Recording captures both sides automatically until either party hangs up, (6) within a few minutes after the call ends, recording, transcript, and AI insights appear in your dashboard.

CallCustodian transcriptions are typically 85-95% accurate using our Voice Intelligence powered by advanced speech recognition AI. Accuracy depends on call quality, speaker accents, and background noise. Each transcript includes confidence scores highlighting low-confidence segments for review. For legally significant conversations (contracts, custody agreements), always listen to the audio recording rather than relying solely on transcription. Transcripts are best for search, reference, and memory refreshing.

If a caller doesn’t want to be recorded, they can hang up and no recording is created. If they object mid‑conversation, you can: (1) End the call and call them back from your regular phone, (2) Explain it’s your recorded line and offer to call them back from another line if they prefer. In custody situations, you can also offer alternatives like email or text.