Vapi vs Retell AI
Prices and features checked 2026-10-17 on both vendors' own pages. “not verified” means we could not confirm it.
Vapi or Retell AI for voice agents? Vapi charges $0.05/min for hosting and passes speech, model, voice and telephony costs through at cost, so the total depends on the providers you pick; its own example estimates $82–129 for 1,000 minutes. Retell lists $0.07–$0.31/min, including its $0.055/min voice infrastructure plus model and voice. Retell gives $10 of free credit and Vapi $5. Retell lists SOC 2 and HIPAA; Vapi sells HIPAA as a $2,000/month add-on.
| Vapi | Retell AI | |
|---|---|---|
| Made by | Vapi | Retell AI |
| Free tier | $5 free credits, 1 Vapi phone number, 4 concurrent calls [source, checked 2026-10-17] | $10 free credits; 20 concurrent calls included [source, checked 2026-10-17] |
| Entry paid price | Pay as you go from $0.05/min plus providers; Core package $29/month: 5 numbers, 10 concurrent calls [source, checked 2026-10-17] | Pay as you go: $0.07–$0.31 per minute for voice agents; chat agents from $0.002 per message [source, checked 2026-10-17] |
| Meter | $0.05/min Vapi hosting plus transcriber, model, voice and telephony costs [source] | Per minute: Retell voice infra $0.055/min plus model and voice costs [source] |
| API and SDKs | API, web and phone calls, bring-your-own telephony (Twilio, Vonage, Telnyx) [source] | API and SDKs [source] |
| MCP server | Vapi MCP server [source] | not verified |
| Open source | not verified | not verified |
| Compliance | HIPAA add-on with BAA: $2,000/month [source] | SOC 2 certified; HIPAA with BAA listed [source] |
| Data retention | Raw data: 14 days (no package), 30 days (Core), 180 days (Pro) [source] | not verified |
Verdict: when to use which
Use Vapi if you want to choose each provider yourself, bring your own telephony (Twilio, Vonage, Telnyx), or use Vapi's MCP server with AI assistants.
Use Retell AI if you want one per-minute price, 20 concurrent calls included, and SOC 2 and HIPAA without a separate monthly add-on.
FAQ
Which is cheaper per minute?
It depends on the model and voice. Retell's published range is $0.07–$0.31/min. Vapi's $0.05/min is hosting only; with providers, its own estimate for 1,000 minutes is $82–129.
Which has HIPAA?
Retell lists HIPAA with a BAA. Vapi offers HIPAA-eligible handling and a BAA as a $2,000/month add-on.
How long is call data kept?
Vapi: 14 days of raw data with no package, 30 days on Core, 180 on Pro. Retell lists custom data retention; we did not verify default periods.
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