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The Retell AI Insider’s Guide

Everything we know about Retell AI in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.

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ToolGPANovember 2026

Retell AI

The Insider’s Guide

Pay-per-minute platform for AI phone and chat agents

Retell AI, as pictured on retellai.com

Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among AI agents, read from Retell AI’s own pages.

Made by Retell AI · checked Nov 12, 2026 · toolgpa.com

2.4GPA

Contents

  1. 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
  2. 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
  3. 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
  4. 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
  5. 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
  6. 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
  7. 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it

ToolGPA put this guide together from Retell AI’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Retell AI’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 12, 2026.

Part 01 · Overview

Welcome

What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first

2.4

GPA, above 61 of the 101 other AI agents we grade

Retell AI is a platform for building, testing, deploying and monitoring AI voice agents that take and place phone calls, plus chat agents. Pricing is per minute of use with no platform fee, and the page lets you choose the language model, voice and telephony.

To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Retell AI, taken from its own pages and our grades.

No store rating on record, and you set up prompts, a number, models and voices, often with the API.
From our grade for ease of use
  1. 1

    Best for developers building phone agents that bill by the minute

    There is no subscription, but the rate is a sum of parts with add-ons on top, and HIPAA, SSO and roles are Enterprise only.

  2. 2

    What it costs

    Paid plans start at $0 to start, then $0.07 to $0.31 per minute for voice agents.

  3. 3

    You can try it first

    $10 in free credits with full platform access.

  4. 4

    It runs on Web

    Web.

  5. 5

    Inbound and outbound phone agents

    Agents answer or place calls, transfer to a human, book appointments, use a knowledge base and navigate keypad menus.

  6. 6

    Batch calls and caller ID

    The deploy menu lists batch calling for high-volume campaigns, branded caller ID and verified phone numbers.

  7. 7

    Testing and monitoring

    Simulation testing, call transcripts and analytics, post-call analysis and AI quality assurance are listed for monitoring agents.

  8. 8

    A 2.4 GPA, above 61 of 101

    That is against the other AI agents we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.

  9. 9

    Keep it

    To replace Retell AI you would be making an AI agent, with the models and the safeguards behind it. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.

Retell AI at a glance

Pricing
Free trial, from $0 to start, then $0.07 to $0.31 per minute for voice agents
Free plan
No
Free trial
$10 in free credits with full platform access.
Runs on
Web
Made by
Retell AI
Category
AI Agents
Our grade
2.4 GPA, fair

The report card

Best for developers building phone agents that bill by the minute

Retell is a pay-as-you-go platform for AI phone and chat agents, at $0.07 to $0.31 a minute depending on the model, voice and telephony you pick. There is no subscription, but the rate is a sum of parts with add-ons on top, and HIPAA, SSO and roles are Enterprise only.

ToolGPA report cardRetell AIGraded Nov 12, 2026
SubjectGradeComment
Value for moneyCStarts at $0 and bills $0.07 to $0.31 a minute, so the price can't be set against the category's monthly plans. Voice infrastructure alone is $0.055 a minute.
Free plan and trialC$10 in free credits with full platform access. There is no free plan, and the page does not say whether a card is needed.
FeaturesBInbound and outbound calls, batch calls, testing and monitoring, model and voice choice, and chat agents. The core job of a phone agent is covered.
Ease of useCNo store rating on record, and you set up prompts, a number, models and voices, often with the API.
Platforms and integrationsBWeb, with Make, Twilio, Vonage, HubSpot, n8n and Go High Level listed, plus API access.
Grade point averageFair, out of 4.02.4

An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.

Who Retell AI is for

  • Fits if you want to pay per minute with no monthly commitment
  • Works for developers wiring phone agents into Twilio or HubSpot

Who it is not for

  • Pricey if you add it up, as model, voice and telephony sit on top of the $0.055 base
  • Watch out: HIPAA and BAA, SSO, role-based access and custom retention are Enterprise only
  • Watch out: AI quality assurance and PII removal are charged per minute on top
  • Not for you if you want a fixed bill, because cost moves with minutes

Good to know

Good for

  • Developers and agencies building phone agents for receptionist, support or lead-qualification work
  • Teams that want per-minute billing with no annual contract

Worth knowing

  • The rate is a sum of parts: voice infrastructure is $0.055 per minute, with model, voice and telephony on top, hence $0.07 to $0.31.
  • The comparison table lists HIPAA and BAA, SSO, role-based access and custom data retention for Enterprise only.
  • Dedicated implementation support and a dedicated stable server are Enterprise add-ons.
  • Add-ons such as AI quality assurance and PII removal are charged per minute on top of the base rate.

Part 02 · Pricing

What it costs

Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved

$0

To start

Retell AI is a paid product with a free trial, starting at $0 to start, then $0.07 to $0.31 per minute for voice agents.

There is no free plan, and the page does not say whether a card is needed.
From our grade for free plan and trial

  • Pay as you go

    $0

    to start, then $0.07-$0.31 per minute

    Voice agents at $0.07-$0.31 per minute, chat agents from $0.002 per message, 20 free concurrent calls, API access and email support.

  • Enterprise

    Custom

    Custom voice and chat pricing, role-based access, custom SSO, MSA, DPA and BAA terms, and 24/7 support with a dedicated portal.

Trying it first

$10 in free credits with full platform access.

Read from retellai.com on Nov 12, 2026.

Part 03 · Features

What it does

Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it

1

Place it runs: Web

Pay-per-minute platform for AI phone and chat agents. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: public API, AI features, AI agents, chatbots.

Inbound and outbound calls, batch calls, testing and monitoring, model and voice choice, and chat agents.
From our grade for features
Inbound and outbound phone agents
Agents answer or place calls, transfer to a human, book appointments, use a knowledge base and navigate keypad menus.
Batch calls and caller ID
The deploy menu lists batch calling for high-volume campaigns, branded caller ID and verified phone numbers.
Testing and monitoring
Simulation testing, call transcripts and analytics, post-call analysis and AI quality assurance are listed for monitoring agents.
Model and voice choice
The cost estimator offers language models from OpenAI, Anthropic and Google and voices from Retell, ElevenLabs, Cartesia, Minimax, Fish and OpenAI.
Chat agents
The same platform runs chat agents, priced from $0.002 per message.

Where it runs

  • Web

What it works with

  • Make
  • Twilio
  • Vonage
  • Go High Level
  • n8n
  • HubSpot

Retell AI is made by Retell AI.

Part 04 · Standing

Where it stands

Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own

61/101

Other AI agents it is graded above

Retell AI's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 61 of the 101 other AI agents we grade, and level with 8.

It stands best on features (B, above 69 of 101) and worst on ease of use (C, above 14).

Each grade against the category

Every bar is all 102 AI agents we grade, cut by the letter each got. Retell AI’s own letter is outlined.

  • CValue for moneyAbove 17 of 101
  • CFree plan and trialAbove 28 of 101
  • BFeaturesAbove 69 of 101
  • CEase of useAbove 14 of 101
  • BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 20 of 101

Keep it, or make your own?

Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.

Keep it

To replace Retell AI you would be making an AI agent, with the models and the safeguards behind it. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.

What you could not

  • An AI agent, with the models and the safeguards behind it.
  • A chatbot builder hooked into the messaging apps.
  • It plugs into other products, Make, Twilio and Vonage among them, and has an API.
  • The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.

What this rests on. Retell AI’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.

Part 05 · Alternatives

The alternatives

The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side

Vapi, Bland AI, Synthflow, Thoughtly and Goodcall

The 5 tools Retell AI is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.

Part 06 · Questions

Quick answers

The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two

12

Questions, each answered in a line or two

The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.

Is Retell AI free?

No, Retell AI is a paid product, but you can try it first. $10 in free credits with full platform access.

How much does Retell AI cost?

Retell AI lists 2 plans. Pay as you go: $0 to start, then $0.07-$0.31 per minute.

What platforms does Retell AI work on?

Retell AI is available on Web.

Does Retell AI have an Android app?

No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. Retell AI is listed for Web.

Does Retell AI have an iPhone app?

No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. Retell AI is listed for Web.

Is Retell AI open source?

Retell AI is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Nov 12, 2026.

Does Retell AI have an API?

Yes. Retell AI offers a public API, according to its own site.

What does Retell AI integrate with?

Retell AI's listing names Make, Twilio, Vonage, Go High Level, n8n and HubSpot.

Who makes Retell AI?

Retell AI is made by a company of the same name.

What are the alternatives to Retell AI?

The closest alternatives to Retell AI in our directory are Vapi, Bland AI, Synthflow, Thoughtly and Goodcall.

How does Retell AI compare with other AI agents?

Retell AI's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 61 of the 101 other AI agents we grade, and level with 8.

Could I make my own version of Retell AI?

To replace Retell AI you would be making an AI agent, with the models and the safeguards behind it.

Where this guide comes from

The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Retell AI’s own pages on Nov 12, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 12, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Retell AI's own pages on 12 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.

Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Retell AI. Prices change, so check retellai.com before you buy.

Part 07 · About

About ToolGPA

Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it

5,038

Tools graded, in 95 categories

ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.

Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.

  • 5,038

    tools graded

  • 95

    categories

  • 739

    price changes on record

  • 579

    apps priced in 12 countries

What else is on toolgpa.com

Scan for the live page

Prices and grades as they are today

Quoting this guide?

Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:

ToolGPA, "Retell AI: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 12, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/retell-ai

Know someone choosing between AI agents?

Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/retell-ai/guide

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See our other guides

The best-graded AI agents after Retell AI, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.

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Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Retell AI’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Retell AI is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Retell AI. Prices and plans change: check retellai.com before you buy.