ai voice agents · comparison

Best AI voice agents (2026)

AI voice agents handle phone calls — inbound support, outbound sales, scheduling. They are almost all billed per minute, and the real cost stacks: platform per-minute + the underlying LLM + telephony + transcription. Below, each platform's per-minute economics are decoded and dated.

developer platformVapiflexible, pay per minute
fastest to shipRetell AIlow-latency, simple pricing
most hands-offLindyno-code voice agents bundled

Dirr is reader-supported. If you sign up through a link here we may earn a commission. It never changes the data or the order. Numbers come from each vendor's live pricing page; volatile ones are marked verify live.

layout
Lindymost hands-off
11xoutbound AI SDR +…
Fin by IntercomAI customer support…
Decagonenterprise customer…
Sierraenterprise customer…
Vapivoice agents
Retell AIvoice agents
Bland AIvoice agents
ChatbaseNo-code AI support…
SynthflowNo-code voice phone…
WonderfulMultilingual enterprise…
Avoca AIAI front office for…
LorikeetComplex…
entry price
$49.99/moverify live
$3,750/moverify live
$0.99 per resolutionverify live
Customverify live
Customverify live
$0.05/minverify live
$0.07/minverify live
Free, then $299/moverify live
$32/monthverify live
$0.00/mo basecheapestverify live
Customverify live
Customverify live
$1,500/moverify live
pricing model
per-credit
per-worker annual contract
outcome-based per…
usage-based
Outcome-based
per-minute usage…
per-minute usage (voice)…
plan-based per-minute…
Tiered subscription with…
per-minute usage
Consumption-based…
Sales-led custom quote
outcome-based per…
free tier
400 credits/momost
None. No free plan or…
14-day trial, unlimited…
None. No free plan or…
None, no self-serve…
No ongoing free tier,…
Yes. Free account with…
Start plan, $0/mo, no…
Yes. Free plan: $0/mo,…
Free to build/test, pay…
None
None. No free trial and…
None, demo-led
self-host
No
No
No
No
No
No
Yes
Yes
No
No
No
No
No
mcp
Both
None
Both
Both
Server
Both
Both
Both
None
Server
None
None
Client

// scraped weekly · every cell carries source + date · volatile cells flagged verify live · scroll sideways on small screens

toolbest forpricing modelentry pricefree tierself-hostmcp
Lindy most hands-off per-credit from $49.99/moverify live 400 credits/mo No Both Visit →
11x outbound AI SDR + inbound voice per-worker annual contract, volume-based from $3,750/mo (Alice, billed annually)verify live None. No free plan or public trial No None Visit →
Fin by Intercom AI customer support deflection outcome-based per resolution $0.99 per resolution (50/mo minimum)verify live 14-day trial, unlimited Fin, no card No Both Visit →
Decagon enterprise customer support usage-based, custom · per-conversation or per-resolution + platform fee Custom (from ~$50,000/yr platform fee + usage)verify live None. No free plan or self-serve trial; access requires a sales call. No Both Visit →
Sierra enterprise customer service Outcome-based, you pay per successfully resolved conversation, plus a base platform fee Custom (enterprise only); third-party estimates ~$150k+/yr plus $50k-$200k setupverify live None, no self-serve trial, enterprise sales only No Server Visit →
Vapi voice agents per-minute usage (platform fee + model & telephony pass-through) from $0.05/min (platform fee; +model & telephony pass-through)verify live No ongoing free tier, ~60 free minutes at signup No Both Visit →
Retell AI voice agents per-minute usage (voice) + per-message (chat) from $0.07/min (usage-based; realistic all-in $0.13–$0.31/min)verify live Yes. Free account with $10 in credits, 20 free concurrent calls, full platform access, pre-built agent templates and simulation testing, plus community and email support. Yes Both Visit →
Bland AI voice agents plan-based per-minute usage + platform fee Free, then from $299/mo + $0.12/minverify live Start plan, $0/mo, no card, 2 free credits Yes Both Visit →
Chatbase No-code AI support chatbots Tiered subscription with monthly message-credit allotments (free tier plus four paid tiers), plus usage-based overage credits $32/month (Hobby, monthly billing)verify live Yes. Free plan: $0/mo, 50 message credits/mo, 1 agent (agents get deleted on inactivity) No None Visit →
Synthflow No-code voice phone agents per-minute usage, no flat fee $0.00/mo base (Pay As You Go); pay per minverify live Free to build/test, pay on launch No Server Visit →
Wonderful Multilingual enterprise CX automation Consumption-based (usage/impact-aligned), no setup fees, custom quote only Custom (quote-only)verify live None (no free tier, no self-serve sign-up; access is via sales) No None Visit →
Avoca AI AI front office for home services Sales-led custom quote, scales with call volume and CSRs Customverify live None. No free trial and no self-serve sandbox or demo environment; access is sales-led only. No None Visit →
Lorikeet Complex fintech/healthtech support automation outcome-based per resolution + monthly platform fee $1,500/mo (Start, billed annually)verify live None, demo-led No Client Visit →

// scraped weekly · every cell carries source + date · volatile cells flagged verify live

01

Lindy

most hands-off
modelper-credit free400 credits/mo self-hostNo mcpBoth
$49.99/mo verify live Visit →
02

11x

outbound AI SDR + inbound voice
modelper-worker annual contract, volume-based freeNone. No free plan or public trial self-hostNo mcpNone
$3,750/mo (Alice, billed annually) verify live Visit →
03

Fin by Intercom

AI customer support deflection
modeloutcome-based per resolution free14-day trial, unlimited Fin, no card self-hostNo mcpBoth
$0.99 per resolution (50/mo minimum) verify live Visit →
04

Decagon

enterprise customer support
modelusage-based, custom · per-conversation or per-resolution + platform fee freeNone. No free plan or self-serve trial; access requires a sales call. self-hostNo mcpBoth
Custom (~$50,000/yr platform fee + usage) verify live Visit →
05

Sierra

enterprise customer service
modelOutcome-based, you pay per successfully resolved conversation, plus a base platform fee freeNone, no self-serve trial, enterprise sales only self-hostNo mcpServer
Custom (enterprise only); third-party estimates ~$150k+/yr plus $50k-$200k setup verify live Visit →
06

Vapi

voice agents
modelper-minute usage (platform fee + model & telephony pass-through) freeNo ongoing free tier, ~60 free minutes at signup self-hostNo mcpBoth
$0.05/min (platform fee; +model & telephony pass-through) verify live Visit →
07

Retell AI

voice agents
modelper-minute usage (voice) + per-message (chat) freeYes. Free account with $10 in credits, 20 free concurrent calls, full platform access, pre-built agent templates and simulation testing, plus community and email support. self-hostYes mcpBoth
$0.07/min (usage-based; realistic all-in $0.13–$0.31/min) verify live Visit →
08

Bland AI

voice agents
modelplan-based per-minute usage + platform fee freeStart plan, $0/mo, no card, 2 free credits self-hostYes mcpBoth
Free, then $299/mo + $0.12/min verify live Visit →
09

Chatbase

No-code AI support chatbots
modelTiered subscription with monthly message-credit allotments (free tier plus four paid tiers), plus usage-based overage credits freeYes. Free plan: $0/mo, 50 message credits/mo, 1 agent (agents get deleted on inactivity) self-hostNo mcpNone
$32/month (Hobby, monthly billing) verify live Visit →
10

Synthflow

No-code voice phone agents
modelper-minute usage, no flat fee freeFree to build/test, pay on launch self-hostNo mcpServer
$0.00/mo base (Pay As You Go); pay per min verify live Visit →
11

Wonderful

Multilingual enterprise CX automation
modelConsumption-based (usage/impact-aligned), no setup fees, custom quote only freeNone (no free tier, no self-serve sign-up; access is via sales) self-hostNo mcpNone
Custom (quote-only) verify live Visit →
12

Avoca AI

AI front office for home services
modelSales-led custom quote, scales with call volume and CSRs freeNone. No free trial and no self-serve sandbox or demo environment; access is sales-led only. self-hostNo mcpNone
Custom verify live Visit →
13

Lorikeet

Complex fintech/healthtech support automation
modeloutcome-based per resolution + monthly platform fee freeNone, demo-led self-hostNo mcpClient
$1,500/mo (Start, billed annually) verify live Visit →

Real cost, decoded

The catch each tool's pricing hides.

Lindy$49.99/mo

Credit burn is wildly uneven: one voice call (~265 credits/min) can eat a chunk of the month. Credits do not roll over, and agents pause at zero. Full Lindy pricing →

11x$3,750/mo (Alice, billed annually)

Pricing is annual-commitment only with no free tier or trial, and the public "$3,750/mo" Growth number is what's quoted on the site, but third-party procurement data (Vendr, G2) shows real contract values clustering around $40,000 to $65,000/yr and effective monthly cost of $5,000+, with reportedly inflexible contracts and limited opt-out even when flexibility was promised in the sales process. You are locked in for the year regardless of results, so budget for the real all-in figure plus onboarding, not the headline rate, and confirm cancellation and auto-renewal terms in writing before signing. Full 11x pricing →

Fin by Intercom$0.99 per resolution (50/mo minimum)

"Outcome" is broader than a clean resolution. Fin charges $0.99 not only when it resolves an issue end-to-end but also when it successfully runs a Procedure you configured to end in a handoff to a human or a workflow, so you can be billed for a "resolution" the customer still escalated. There is also a 50-outcome/month minimum floor, and if you bundle with Intercom you pay per-seat plan fees ($29 to $132/seat/mo) on top of every outcome. Full Fin by Intercom pricing →

DecagonCustom (~$50,000/yr platform fee + usage)

There is no published price and no entry tier under six figures. On top of usage you pay a recurring ~$50k+ annual platform fee plus onboarding/professional services, and a hard practical floor means contracts below ~$50k are not even a fit for their sales process. On per-resolution billing, watch how "resolution" is defined in the contract, since a loose definition can inflate the bill and make savings hard to predict. Full Decagon pricing →

SierraCustom (enterprise only); third-party estimates ~$150k+/yr plus $50k-$200k setup

"You only pay for resolutions" sounds risk-free, but the definition of a resolution is negotiated per contract and you must agree up front what counts as resolved, which is where the real cost lives. Buyers also miss the recurring platform fee and the substantial upfront implementation and professional-services spend, which can exceed licensing. It is a managed, cloud-only platform with no self-hosting, so you depend on Sierra's forward-deployed team and deep custom workflows live on their roadmap. Full Sierra pricing →

Vapi$0.05/min (platform fee; +model & telephony pass-through)

The advertised "$0.05/min" is just Vapi's orchestration fee, not your bill. STT, LLM, and TTS provider costs plus telephony are passed through on top, so real per-minute cost is typically 3x-6x higher (often $0.15-$0.33/min). HIPAA ($2,000/mo) and zero-data-retention ($1,000/mo) are expensive paid add-ons, and SOC 2/SSO/RBAC require the annual Scale contract. Full Vapi pricing →

Retell AI$0.07/min (usage-based; realistic all-in $0.13–$0.31/min)

The advertised $0.07/min is not your real cost. It is only the voice-infrastructure layer; you still pay separately for the LLM, the TTS voice engine and telephony, so realistic all-in pricing is $0.13 to $0.31/min, roughly 2 to 4x the headline number. Premium voices (ElevenLabs) and frontier LLMs (Claude) sit at the top of that range, and features like knowledge base (+$0.005/min), PII removal (+$0.01/min) and AI QA (+$0.10/min) stack on top of every minute. Full Retell AI pricing →

Bland AIFree, then $299/mo + $0.12/min

The headline '$0.09/min' you still see quoted around the web is outdated. 2026 self-serve plans run $0.11 to $0.14/min, and the paid tiers add a $299 to $499/mo platform fee on top of usage, with the cheap $0.09 rate now reserved for custom Enterprise volume contracts. The real per-minute cost also climbs with add-ons: human transfers ($0.03 to $0.05/min on Bland numbers), a $0.015 minimum charge on every call attempt including failed calls, SMS at $0.02/message, and web-widget messages at $0.01 each. Full Bland AI pricing →

Chatbase$32/month (Hobby, monthly billing)

Billing is message-credit metered, not flat: a single conversation can consume multiple credits (premium models burn up to 5 each), and once you exhaust the monthly allotment you auto-recharge at $40 per 1,000 credits, so cost scales with traffic rather than seats. Voice, telephony, API access and outbound campaigns are gated behind the $120/mo Standard tier, and removing Chatbase branding is a separate $1,188/year add-on. Free-tier agents are deleted after a period of inactivity, so the $0 plan is for testing, not running anything live. Full Chatbase pricing →

Synthflow$0.00/mo base (Pay As You Go); pay per min

The advertised per-minute rate ($0.09 voice engine) is NOT your real cost, because LLM and telephony minutes stack on top, so budget $0.15 to $0.24/min all-in. Optional add-ons like Performance Routing and Global Low Latency Edge each add $0.04/min, quietly pushing the rate higher. White-label is a $2,000/month standalone add-on (only included inside Enterprise), and in-house native telephony is Enterprise-only. Full Synthflow pricing →

WonderfulCustom (quote-only)

No public pricing, no self-serve, and no free trial. It is a sales-led, deployment-heavy enterprise engagement where Wonderful embeds its own engineers, so it is overkill for SMBs and anyone wanting to spin up an agent without a vendor implementation team. The localization-first pitch is strongest in EMEA, LATAM, and APAC and in non-English markets, and it is a very young company (founded 2025) still scaling its delivery footprint. Full Wonderful pricing →

Avoca AICustom

Zero pricing transparency plus a hard audience gate. There is no public price, no free trial, and no self-serve sandbox, so you must go through enterprise sales just to see numbers and can't model TCO before committing. It's also gated to roughly $3M+ revenue operators with 2+ CSRs on ServiceTitan or Housecall Pro, so solo operators, sub-$1M shops, and teams on Workiz or FieldEdge are effectively out of scope. Full Avoca AI pricing →

Lorikeet$1,500/mo (Start, billed annually)

Published Start/Scale prices require annual commitment, and the headline monthly number is only the platform fee. Actual spend is dominated by per-resolution credits that stack per channel (voice costs ~50 to 60% more per ticket than chat), plus separate per-ticket charges for routing/tagging and automated QA. There is no free trial; you must book a demo, and onboarding is implementation-heavy since the agent has to be wired into your workflows and systems before it resolves anything. Full Lorikeet pricing →

FAQ

What is the best AI voice agent platform?

For developers, Vapi and Retell AI lead on flexibility and latency, billed per minute. For a no-code path, Lindy bundles voice agents into its credit pricing. Bland AI is strong for high-volume outbound calling.

How much do AI voice agents cost per minute?

Platform fees typically run ~$0.05–$0.15/minute, but the real bill adds the LLM, telephony and transcription on top — often $0.10–$0.30/min all-in. Always model expected call minutes; verify live as rates change often.

Can AI voice agents make outbound calls?

Yes — Vapi, Retell and Bland all support outbound calling with telephony integration (e.g. Twilio). Lindy also makes and receives calls via its bundled voice agents.

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