Comparison · updated 7 October 2026
Retell vs Vapi vs Bland: which voice AI platform to build on.
Retell is the easiest all-in choice: $0.07 to $0.31 a minute covering everything, a no-code builder, and a business associate agreement without an enterprise contract. Vapi has the lowest platform fee ($0.05 a minute) but you pay each provider on top, so it suits developers who want to choose every part. Bland is the simplest price ($0.14 a minute on its free plan, phone calls extra). ElevenLabs Agents wins on voice quality at small volumes, with minutes included in plans from $6 a month.
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Side by side
We build voice agents on these platforms for clients, so we use them rather than sell them. Figures come from each platform's own pricing page and documentation on 7 October 2026.
| Retell | Vapi | Bland | ElevenLabs Agents | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price per minute | $0.07–$0.31, all in | $0.05 platform fee, plus each provider at cost | $0.14 (Start) or $0.12 (Build, $299 a month) | Minutes in plans from $6; extra $0.08 |
| What the price covers | Platform, voice, AI model and US calls | Platform only; speech, model, voice and phone billed separately | AI model, speech and voice; phone calls billed separately | Platform and voice; AI model billed separately |
| Free to start | $10 credit | $5 credit | Free Start plan | 15 free minutes |
| Calls at once | 20 free, then $8 a month each | 4 free, 10 on Core ($29), 30 on Pro | 10 on Start, 50 on Build | 4 to 40 by plan |
| Healthcare (BAA) | On pay as you go | $2,000 a month add-on | Enterprise only | Enterprise only |
| Builder | No-code flows and API | Developer dashboard and API | Pathways builder and API | No-code workflows and API |
| Connects to | GoHighLevel, n8n, Make, Zapier, Twilio, HubSpot | GoHighLevel, Twilio; Make and n8n through its API | Make, Zapier, Twilio, HubSpot, Salesforce | Twilio, SIP |
From retellai.com/pricing, vapi.ai/pricing, bland.ai/pricing and elevenlabs.io/pricing/agents on 7 October 2026. Synthflow, often compared with these, now sells enterprise contracts only, from $30,000 a year.
What 1,000 minutes a month costs
- Retell: $70 to $310, depending on the voice and AI model you pick; everything is in that number.
- Vapi: its own calculator estimates $82 to $129 for 1,000 minutes, with your chosen speech, model and voice providers.
- Bland: $140 on the free Start plan, plus phone calls, which Bland bills separately.
- ElevenLabs Agents: the $99 Pro plan includes 1,238 minutes, plus the AI model, which is billed separately.
Which one to choose
- You want one bill and a no-code builder: Retell.
- You have a developer and want to choose every provider: Vapi.
- You want the simplest per-minute price and a free start: Bland.
- Voice quality matters most and volumes are small: ElevenLabs Agents.
- You are in US healthcare on a small budget: Retell, the only one here with a BAA without an enterprise contract or add-on.
- You run GoHighLevel or n8n: Retell and Vapi both document those connections.
Questions, answered.
Is Retell or Vapi better?
Retell is better if you want one all-in price, a no-code builder and a BAA without an enterprise contract. Vapi is better if you have a developer who wants to pick every provider and squeeze the platform fee ($0.05 a minute against Retell's $0.055 infrastructure fee).
Is Vapi cheaper than Retell?
Per platform fee, slightly. In total, it depends on the providers you choose: Vapi's calculator estimates $82 to $129 for 1,000 minutes, while Retell comes to $70 to $310 all in, depending on voice and model.
Vapi vs Bland: which is simpler?
Bland: one price per minute ($0.14 on the free Start plan) that covers the AI model, speech and voice, with phone calls billed separately. Vapi bills each provider separately on top of its platform fee.
Which voice AI platform is HIPAA compliant?
Retell offers a business associate agreement on pay as you go. Vapi sells HIPAA as a $2,000 a month add-on, and Bland and ElevenLabs offer BAAs on enterprise plans (7 October 2026).
Which voice AI platforms work with GoHighLevel?
Retell and Vapi both document GoHighLevel integrations. Bland lists Make, Zapier and HubSpot, which can connect to it indirectly.
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