Short answer: you can sell consultation calls without any app. Put a hosted payment page in front of a phone number, take the money in your own Razorpay account, and connect only callers who paid. Edesy Paid Calls gives you the page, the number and the gate. You keep the whole fee: Edesy takes no cut on payments, and you pay Rs 1.00 per minute of talk time.
Consultation marketplaces solve a real problem: discovery. They bring strangers to you. But once you have a following or a base of repeat clients, the marketplace is mostly a toll gate on clients you already earned. Running your own line moves those clients onto a payment page you control.
Marketplace vs your own line
| Consultation marketplace | Your own paid call line | |
|---|---|---|
| Who brings clients | The marketplace | You (bio links, WhatsApp, referrals) |
| Who receives the payment | The marketplace, then pays you out | Your own Razorpay account, directly |
| Share of each payment | The marketplace keeps its share | Edesy takes Rs 0 on payments |
| Your costs | The marketplace's share | Talk time Rs 1.00/min, number rental, Razorpay's fee |
| Pricing | Usually within the platform's rules | Any packages you choose |
| Client relationship | Platform account | Your page, your number, your list |
| App needed | Usually, for you and the client | None: a browser page and a phone call |
The trade is simple: a marketplace finds you clients; your own line keeps more of each payment. Most people do both for a while.
What "without an app" means here
Your client does three things, all without installing anything:
- Opens your link, for example forwarding.edesy.in/p/your-name, in their browser.
- Picks a package and pays with UPI or card in Razorpay Checkout, entering the mobile they will call from.
- Calls your number, or gets a call back automatically.
You answer on your normal phone. The Edesy number forwards paid callers to it, just like regular call forwarding, and refuses everyone else before your phone rings.
Setting up your own line
- Razorpay account. Create one in your name, then copy the Key ID and Key Secret from Account & Settings, API Keys. See connect Razorpay.
- An Edesy number. Rs 499/month for a mobile number or Rs 449/month for a landline (prices exclude 18% GST). It forwards to your phone. See virtual phone numbers.
- Packages. Amount for minutes, such as Rs 99 for 10 minutes or Rs 399 for 45. The default is Rs 20 for 3 minutes. Each payment is valid for 1 to 720 hours (24 by default). See packages and validity.
- The payment page. Photo, name, about, languages, hours and refund policy, in English or Hindi. See create a payment page.
- Switch it on and share the link.
New accounts get Rs 20 of welcome credit, with no card, so you can try a test payment end to end with a rzp_test_ key first.
What you take over from the marketplace
Running your own line means a few jobs move to you:
- Refunds. You write the policy and issue refunds from your Razorpay dashboard. Edesy never holds the money, so it can't refund it for you. See refunds and disputes.
- Availability. Set weekly hours; clients see "Available now" or "Back at ...", and you can accept payments only during your hours.
- Discovery. Your page is hidden from search engines by default and found through the links you share. You can opt in to indexing.
- Trust. Your photo, a clear refund line and the "ID verified" badge (shown once your KYC is approved) do the work a marketplace's ratings would.
What stays protected
- Your number. Clients see the Edesy number, not your personal mobile.
- Your time. Calls end when the paid minutes run out (up to 4 hours per call).
- Your phone. Unpaid callers hear a short message and are refused without the call being answered.
- Missed calls. A payment is used up only when you answer, so you don't owe anyone for a call you missed; they can ring again within validity, or the automatic callback retries.
What it costs, worked out
Say you sell a 20-minute call for Rs 299 and take 4 a day, 25 days a month: 100 calls, Rs 29,900 collected into your Razorpay. Talk time is at most 100 x 20 x Rs 1.00 = Rs 2,000, plus Rs 499 for the number. Razorpay deducts its own fee from each payment. Plug in your own figures and Razorpay fee in the paid call earnings calculator.
Who should switch first
People with repeat clients: astrologers, coaches, tutors and consultants. Creators with an audience can start straight away; see selling 1:1 calls from Instagram and YouTube. The full setup is in the pillar guide, how to charge for phone calls in India.
FAQ
Do my clients need to install an app to pay for a call?
No. They open your payment page in any browser, pay with UPI or card in Razorpay Checkout, and call a normal phone number. Nothing to install on their side or yours.
How is this different from a consultation marketplace?
A marketplace owns the client relationship and takes its share of each consultation. On your own line the payment goes straight to your Razorpay, Edesy takes no fee on it, and the clients find you through your own links. You pay talk time and the number instead.
Can I keep using a marketplace and run my own line too?
Yes. Many people keep a marketplace for discovery and send repeat clients to their own payment page. Check your marketplace's terms about moving clients off the platform first.
What does running my own paid call line cost?
Rs 1.00 per minute of talk time from your Edesy wallet, an Edesy number at Rs 499/month (mobile) or Rs 449/month (landline), and Razorpay's own fee on each payment. Edesy charges nothing on the payments. Prices exclude 18% GST.
Who finds clients for me if I leave a marketplace?
You do. Your own line has no built-in audience, so it works best when you already have followers, repeat clients or a referral flow. Share the link in your bio, WhatsApp status and video descriptions.