AI voice agent cost per minute
Entry rates for the platforms below run from $0.01 a minute (LiveKit) to $0.14 (Bland AI), but they don't pay for the same things. LiveKit, Smallest.ai Atoms, Millis AI and Vapi charge a platform fee, with speech recognition, the AI model and the voice billed on top; Bland AI includes the model and voice; Bolna, Retell AI and Deepgram Voice Agent API price them by the option you choose. Vendors' own worked examples, each with a different setup, come to $0.048 to $0.129 a minute.
A voice agent call uses four paid parts: speech recognition to hear the caller, an AI model to decide what to say, a voice to say it, and a phone line. The table shows which of them each platform's rate includes, as its pricing page states it.
Checked against vendor pricing pages between October 15 and October 22, 2026
- Rates broken down
- 10
- Platform fee only
- 4
- Vendors' own examples
- 4
Per-minute rates and what they include
| Platform | Rate | Speech recognition | AI model | Voice | Phone minutes | Vendor's worked example | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LiveKit | from $0.01 | Extra | Extra | Extra | Extra | $0.048 a minuteLiveKit’s calculator example for a phone call with model, speech recognition and voice | |
| Smallest.ai Atoms | from $0.01 | Extra | Extra | Extra | Extra | None published | |
| Millis AI | from $0.02 | Extra | Extra | Extra | Not stated | $0.066 a minuteMillis’s worked example of a 10-minute session on GPT-4o with an ElevenLabs voice ($0.6615 in all) | |
| Vapi | from $0.05 | Extra | Extra | Extra | Extra | $0.082 to $0.129 a minuteVapi’s own estimate for 1,000 minutes a month | |
| Bolna | from $0.06 | You choose | You choose | You choose | Extra | None published | |
| Retell AI | from $0.07 | Not stated | You choose | You choose | Extra | $0.11 a minuteRetell’s default calculator setup (no phone charge) | |
| Twilio ConversationRelay | from $0.07 | Not stated | Extra | Not stated | Extra | None published | |
| Deepgram Voice Agent API | from $0.075 | Included | You choose | Included | Extra | None published | |
| ElevenLabs Agents | from $0.08 | Included | Extra | Included | Extra | None published | |
| Bland AI | from $0.14 | Included | Included | Included | Extra | None published |
“Extra” means the vendor bills that part separately or you pay its provider directly. “You choose” means it's priced by the option you pick, and the entry rate assumes the lowest-priced one. “Not stated” means the pricing page doesn't say. Worked examples are the vendors' own, each with a different setup, so they aren't a like-for-like ranking. Each profile quotes the full pricing notes and links the pricing page.
What else adds to the bill
- Phone numbers and carrier minutes
- A monthly fee per number, plus per-minute carrier charges unless you bring your own line.
- Concurrent calls
- Plans cap how many calls run at once; more lines cost extra, and some bill overflow at a higher rate.
- Plan fees and minimums
- Some platforms add a monthly package fee or a minimum on top of usage.
- Add-ons
- Knowledge bases, noise filtering, PII removal, SMS and HIPAA can each carry their own charge.
- What gets billed
- Whether silence, hold time, failed calls and the time after a transfer count as minutes.
HIPAA on these platforms
- LiveKit signs a BAA on Scale and Enterprise plans.
- Smallest.ai Atoms signs a BAA on Enterprise plans with zero data retention enabled.
- Vapi signs a BAA as part of a $2,000-a-month HIPAA add-on.
- Retell AI signs a BAA through an online agreement, at no extra fee.
- Twilio ConversationRelay signs a BAA with a Twilio Security Edition or Enterprise Edition account.
- Deepgram Voice Agent API signs a BAA for Enterprise customers.
- ElevenLabs Agents signs a BAA on Enterprise subscriptions only.
- Bland AI signs a BAA on its Enterprise plan.
Other platforms
- echowin: charges by the minute, from $10 a month.
- Kore.ai: publishes no prices or pricing unit; it quotes through sales.
- Lindy: charges per user.
- NiCE Cognigy: publishes no prices or pricing unit; it quotes through sales.
- Phonely: charges by the minute, with a free plan.
- Synthflow: charges by enterprise contract, starting at $30,000 a year.
- Thoughtly: publishes no prices or pricing unit; it quotes through sales.
- Ultravox: charges by usage, from $0.05 a minute.
- VoiceAIWrapper: charges a flat monthly fee.
- Voiceflow: publishes no prices or pricing unit; it quotes through sales.
We haven't broken these down by part; each profile has the vendor's pricing notes.
Compare all 20 platforms or see a head-to-head: Vapi vs Retell AI, Vapi vs ElevenLabs Agents, Bland AI vs Vapi and Vapi vs LiveKit.
Questions
Which AI voice agent platform is cheapest per minute?
The lowest entry rate is LiveKit's $0.01, which is a platform fee only. Among the vendors' own worked examples, the lowest is LiveKit's $0.048 a minute. Each example assumes a different setup, so price your own on each vendor's calculator.
How much does LiveKit cost per minute?
LiveKit's entry rate is $0.01 a minute, a platform fee: speech recognition, the AI model, the voice and phone minutes are billed separately. LiveKit’s calculator example for a phone call with model, speech recognition and voice comes to $0.048 a minute.
How much does Smallest.ai Atoms cost per minute?
Smallest.ai Atoms's entry rate is $0.01 a minute, a platform fee: speech recognition, the AI model, the voice and phone minutes are billed separately.
How much does Millis AI cost per minute?
Millis AI's entry rate is $0.02 a minute; speech recognition, the AI model and the voice are billed separately. Its pricing page doesn't say whether phone minutes are included. Millis’s worked example of a 10-minute session on GPT-4o with an ElevenLabs voice ($0.6615 in all) comes to $0.066 a minute.
How much does Vapi cost per minute?
Vapi's entry rate is $0.05 a minute, a platform fee: speech recognition, the AI model, the voice and phone minutes are billed separately. Vapi’s own estimate for 1,000 minutes a month comes to $0.082 to $0.129 a minute.
How much does Bolna cost per minute?
Bolna's entry rate is $0.06 a minute with the lowest-priced speech recognition, AI model and voice; others cost more. Phone minutes are billed separately.
How much does Retell AI cost per minute?
Retell AI's entry rate is $0.07 a minute with the lowest-priced AI model and voice; others cost more. Phone minutes are billed separately. Its pricing page doesn't say whether speech recognition is included. Retell’s default calculator setup (no phone charge) comes to $0.11 a minute.
How much does Twilio ConversationRelay cost per minute?
Twilio ConversationRelay's entry rate is $0.07 a minute; the AI model and phone minutes are billed separately. Its pricing page doesn't say whether speech recognition and the voice are included.
How much does Deepgram Voice Agent API cost per minute?
Deepgram Voice Agent API's entry rate is $0.07 a minute with the lowest-priced AI model; others cost more. It includes speech recognition and the voice. Phone minutes are billed separately.
How much does ElevenLabs Agents cost per minute?
ElevenLabs Agents' entry rate is $0.08 a minute, including speech recognition and the voice; the AI model and phone minutes are billed separately.
How much does Bland AI cost per minute?
Bland AI's entry rate is $0.14 a minute, including speech recognition, the AI model and the voice; phone minutes are billed separately.