agentlist

VapiVapi · voice-agentvsRetell AIRetell AI · voice-agent

The two leading developer platforms for phone agents. Vapi maximizes stack flexibility (swap STT/LLM/TTS per call); Retell emphasizes production call quality — latency, interruptions, transfers — with both API and no-code paths.

agentlist.io · spec diff · verified 2026-09-25 — list prices only, not benchmarks

SEC.01

Spec diff

VapiRetell AI
vendorVapiRetell AI
categoryvoice-agentvoice-agent
interfacesapi · voiceapi · voice
hostingcloudcloud
pricingUsage-based: ~$0.05/min platform fee + model/telephony costsUsage-based (~$0.07+/min); enterprise plans
statusactively maintainedactively maintained
SEC.02

Pick which

pick Vapi if

You want maximum control over each layer of the voice stack and provider-by-provider cost tuning.

pick Retell AI if

You want conversational polish out of the box and a no-code path alongside the API.

watch out

Headline per-minute rates are only the platform fee — model the full stack (telephony, STT, LLM, TTS) at your real call volume.

SEC.03

Feature notes

  • Vapi
  • 01API-first voice orchestration
  • 02Bring-your-own models
  • 03Sub-second latency stack
  • 04Inbound + outbound calls
  • 05Tools/function calling mid-call
  • 06Telephony included or BYO
  • Retell AI
  • 01API + no-code builder
  • 02Barge-in/interruption handling
  • 03Warm transfer + telephony
  • 04Post-call analytics
  • 05Multilingual voices
  • 06Compliance options
FAQ

Frequently asked

Vapi or Retell AI — which should I pick?

The two leading developer platforms for phone agents. Vapi maximizes stack flexibility (swap STT/LLM/TTS per call); Retell emphasizes production call quality — latency, interruptions, transfers — with both API and no-code paths. Pick Vapi if: You want maximum control over each layer of the voice stack and provider-by-provider cost tuning. Pick Retell AI if: You want conversational polish out of the box and a no-code path alongside the API.

Is Vapi or Retell AI cheaper?

Vapi: Usage-based: ~$0.05/min platform fee + model/telephony costs. Retell AI: Usage-based (~$0.07+/min); enterprise plans. List prices as of 2026-09-25; usage pools and seat terms change the real cost.

Does Vapi or Retell AI run locally?

Vapi hosting: cloud. Retell AI hosting: cloud. Interfaces differ too: Vapi exposes api/voice, Retell AI exposes api/voice.

Are Vapi and Retell AI still maintained?

Vapi: actively maintained. Retell AI: actively maintained. Statuses are re-verified each catalog refresh (2026-09-25); see the changelog for the full history.

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