Retell AI vs Bland AI
This comparison uses only what each vendor publishes. It does not rank one above the other. The right choice depends on your call volume, whether you want to pick your own models, and how much setup you can take on.
| Retell AI | Bland AI | |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Developer voice platform | Developer voice platform |
| Pricing | Pay-as-you-go $0.07–$0.31/min for voice agents depending on LLM and voice; Retell voice infra $0.055/min; enterprise custom. | Start: $0.14/min talk time, $0 platform fee. Build: $0.12/min with $299/mo platform fee. Enterprise custom. Transfer time $0.05/$0.04/min. |
| Per minute | $0.07–$0.31/min (all-in range shown by vendor) | $0.14/min (Start), $0.12/min (Build) |
| Free tier | $10 in free credits | Start plan includes 2 credits and an inbound number; no card required |
| Key features | Voice agent builder; 20 concurrent calls on PAYG; choice of LLMs and voices (Retell, ElevenLabs, Minimax, Fish); PII removal; QA tools | Phone-first agent platform; call transfers; knowledge bases; higher rate limits on paid tiers |
| Best for | Teams wanting an all-in per-minute price with a visual builder | High-volume outbound/inbound phone automation |
| Checked | 2026-10-16 | 2026-10-16 |
How to decide
- Estimate your real per-minute cost, including the LLM, voice, transcription and phone line, in the calculator.
- Check whether published rates include model costs or are platform fees only.
- Run the same test script on both free tiers or trials before you commit.