Voice agents and phone
Retell AI: review, pricing, data and alternatives
Retell AI lets teams create agents that answer phone calls and launch calling campaigns. It supports appointment booking during calls, transfers to a person, and analysis of calls and transcripts. A free tier exists; the first paid plan costs $0 pay as you go. Access and transparency score: 70/100, #1 of 11 in its category.
| Access | 25/30 | |
|---|---|---|
| Openness | 20/30 | |
| Trust | 25/40 |
What is Retell AI?
Retell AI lets teams create agents that answer phone calls and launch calling campaigns. It supports appointment booking during calls, transfers to a person, and analysis of calls and transcripts.
According to its documentation, Retell AI lets you:
- create agents that answer phone calls
- launch calling campaigns
- book appointments during a call
- transfer a conversation to a person
- analyze calls and their transcripts
We file it under Voice agents and phone, the category of tools to answer the phone with an AI, and it also overlaps with aI agent builders and customer service and website chatbots. The category lists 11 verified tools on this site.
The publisher is Retell AI, Inc., based in United States. The service launched in 2024.
Who is it for?
It is mostly useful to these profiles: customer support, sales teams, developers, and small business owners. The need it covers is simple to state: answer the phone with an AI.
Retell AI is a good candidate if:
- you want to try before paying
- you plan to connect it to your tools or automations through its API
Before deciding, run a trial on a real task and measure the time saved: it is the only criterion that really counts.
How much does Retell AI cost?
Pricing model: paid. A free plan is offered, usually limited in volume or features.
The first paid plan costs $0 pay as you go (Chat agents from USD 0.002 per message; voice agents from USD 0.07 per minute depending on configuration, with possible additional fees. USD 10 trial credit), according to the pricing page, checked on October 24, 2026.
To estimate what the same work would cost done directly with an AI model, use our API price calculator. Prices change often: always check the official site before subscribing.
Data and privacy
According to its privacy policy, data is processed in the United States.
For professional use, check that a data processing agreement (DPA) is offered, and do not send customers' personal data or confidential documents without one.
Exporting your content: yes (details on the official site). Being able to get your data back makes switching tools easier later.
Three habits apply to every AI tool:
- turn off the use of your content for training if the option exists
- use a work account separate from your personal account
- review everything the tool produces before publishing or sending it
Platforms, languages and API
Retell AI runs on: web browser and API.
Interface languages are not specified.
A public API lets you call it from your own programs or an automation tool, and plug it into an AI agent.
How we scored it
Our 70/100 score does not judge output quality: it measures what can be publicly verified about access to the tool, its openness and how far the publisher can be trusted.
| Criterion | Points | What counts |
|---|---|---|
| Access | 25/30 | free tier, published price, French interface |
| Openness | 20/30 | API, data export, open code |
| Trust | 25/40 | identified publisher, declared hosting, age, presence in reference lists |
The full calculation is explained on our method page.
Comparison with alternatives
Retell AI against other tools in the voice agents and phone category:
| Tool | Free | Entry price | API | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retell AI | Yes | $0 pay as you go | Yes | 70 |
| Vapi | Yes | $0.05 pay as you go | Yes | 65 |
| Voyp | Yes | $1.49 pay as you go | – | 63 |
| DialLink AiVA | No | $25 per month | Yes | 58 |
| Voice.ai | Yes | $5 per month | Yes | 58 |
| Twig | No | $49 per month | Yes | 53 |
| Harmony.ai | Yes | $250 per month | Yes | 48 |
| Bland AI | No | $0.14 pay as you go | Yes | 40 |
Verdict
Retell AI is among the most accessible and transparent tools in its category.
Strengths
- Free tier to try it
- Public API
Avoid if…
- You handle sensitive personal data without a processing agreement
Alternatives
- Vapifree tier
- Voypfree tier
- DialLink AiVA$25 per month
- Voice.aifree tier
- Twig$49 per month
- Harmony.aifree tier
Categories and jobs
Learn more
Frequently asked questions
Is Retell AI free?
Yes, a free plan exists, with usage limits. The first paid plan costs $0 pay as you go.
Where is Retell AI data stored?
According to the publisher, in the United States.
Does Retell AI have an API?
Yes, a public API is documented.
What are the alternatives to Retell AI?
In the same category: Vapi, Voyp, DialLink AiVA, and Voice.ai.
Retell AI or Vapi: which one to choose?
Retell AI starts at $0 pay as you go, Vapi at $0.05 pay as you go and our score is 70/100 for Retell AI and 65/100 for Vapi. Try both on the same task before paying.
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Neutrality. No affiliate links. No vendor pays to be reviewed, rated or ranked. Reviews are directed by François Chollet, neutral and factual, and every data point is dated and sourced. How we score