Bland AI vs Vapi vs Retell
Side-by-side comparison to help you choose the right tool for your business
Our Verdict: Bland for speed-to-market, Vapi for flexibility, Retell for latency
All three platforms build AI phone agents, but they solve different problems. Bland AI is the most turnkey — you can have a working phone agent in 30 minutes without writing code. Vapi gives developers the most control over conversation logic, telephony, and integrations. Retell delivers the lowest latency (sub-800ms) and the most natural-sounding conversations. For businesses that want to deploy fast, Bland wins. For dev teams building custom experiences, Vapi is the right choice. For applications where conversation quality is everything, Retell's latency advantage is genuinely noticeable.
At a Glance
Bland AI
Non-technical teams wanting phone agents deployed fast
$0.09/min (connected) / Enterprise custom pricing
beginner
1-3 days
Vapi
Developer teams building custom voice agent experiences
$0.05/min + voice/LLM costs / Enterprise custom
intermediate
1-3 weeks
Retell AI
Applications where conversation quality and latency matter most
Free (dev) / $0.07-0.14/min (prod) / Enterprise custom
intermediate
1-3 weeks
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Bland AI | Vapi | Retell AI |
|---|---|---|---|
| Setup complexity | No-code (30 min) | Developer-focused (days) | Developer-focused (days) |
| Voice-to-voice latency | ~1-2 sec | ~1-1.5 sec | < 800ms |
| Per-minute cost | $0.09 (all-in) | $0.05 + voice + LLM | $0.07-0.14 + LLM |
| LLM flexibility | Limited options | Any LLM with API | Any LLM with API |
| Voice providers | Built-in only | 10+ (ElevenLabs, PlayHT, etc.) | Multiple options |
| Call transfer | Yes | Yes (warm + cold) | Yes (warm + cold + conference) |
| Real-time analytics | Basic dashboard | Server-side events | Built-in analytics + sentiment |
| No-code builder | Yes | No | No |
| Interruption handling | Basic | Configurable | Best-in-class |
| CRM integrations | Native (HubSpot, Salesforce) | Via webhooks/API | Via webhooks/API |
Which to Choose by Use Case
Dental office needing an AI receptionist
No-code setup means the office manager can deploy it in an afternoon. Pre-built appointment scheduling templates cover the use case.
SaaS company building voice into their product
Full developer control over conversation logic and deep API integration into existing product architecture.
Insurance company handling claim intake calls
Sub-800ms latency means callers don't notice they're talking to AI. Natural interruption handling matters for emotional conversations.
Real estate team qualifying leads via phone
CRM integration feeds qualified leads directly to HubSpot. Non-technical team can adjust the agent's questions without developer help.
Building a multi-agent phone system with complex routing
Server-side events and function calling allow dynamic routing, escalation logic, and multi-step workflows mid-conversation.
Need Help Deciding?
We implement both options. Tell us your use case and we'll recommend the right fit — then set it up for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which platform has the best voice quality?
Retell AI produces the most natural-sounding conversations, primarily due to its superior latency and turn-taking. Vapi's voice quality depends on which voice provider you choose (ElevenLabs sounds great, cheaper options less so). Bland's built-in voices are good but not best-in-class.
What's the true cost per minute including LLM?
Bland: ~$0.09/min all-in. Vapi: ~$0.05 platform + $0.03-0.08 voice + $0.01-0.03 LLM = $0.09-0.16/min. Retell: ~$0.07-0.14 platform + $0.01-0.03 LLM = $0.08-0.17/min. Bland's all-inclusive pricing is simplest to predict. Vapi and Retell vary based on your choices.
Can I switch between platforms later?
Partially. Conversation logic (prompts, flows, business rules) transfers between platforms since it's mostly in your LLM configuration. Telephony setup, integrations, and platform-specific features need to be rebuilt. Plan for 1-2 weeks of migration work.
Do I need a developer for any of these?
Bland AI can be set up without a developer for basic use cases. Vapi and Retell both require developer skills — Vapi more so because of its API-first approach. For complex agents on any platform, developer involvement is recommended.
Which handles the most concurrent calls?
All three scale to handle concurrent calls, but Bland AI markets unlimited concurrency as a key feature and handles it most transparently. Vapi and Retell scale well but may require enterprise plans for very high concurrency (100+ simultaneous calls).
