Compare · Prices checked October 20, 2026
Retell AI vs Bland AI (2026)
Published starting prices: Retell AI, $0.07/min (Pay as you go, from). Bland AI, $0.14/min (Start plan). Side-by-side public pricing, what each does, real use cases and who each suits, all from our listings with sources. We haven't tested either hands-on.
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Voice platform
Retell AI
Pay-as-you-go platform for building voice agents. Cheapest per minute, but you (or an agency) build the receptionist yourself.
≈ $115/mo at 300 calls
Ranked in 1 industry$0.07/min
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Voice platform
Bland AI
Developer platform with all-in per-minute pricing (LLM, speech and voice included). Warm transfers and scheduling nodes are Enterprise-only.
≈ $126/mo at 300 calls
Pay per use$0.14/min
Quick answer
- Cheaper: Advertised entry prices: Retell AI $0.07/min, Bland AI $0.14/min. At about 300 calls a month, our estimate of the real bill is ≈ $115/mo + build time for Retell AI and ≈ $126/mo + build time for Bland AI, so Retell AI is cheaper at that volume. Your bill depends on your call volume and call length; the math is on each product page. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Free plans: Retell AI: no $0 plan on its pricing page (checked October 20, 2026); free trial or free start: Free sign-up; pay for usage. Bland AI: no $0 plan on its pricing page (checked October 20, 2026); free trial or free start: 2 free credits, no card.
Pricing side by side
| Item |  Retell AI |  Bland AI |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $0.07/min (Pay as you go, from) | $0.14/min (Start plan) |
| Pricing model | Pay per use | Pay per use |
| Free plan | No | No |
| Real bill at 300 calls/mo (our estimate) | ≈ $115/mo + build time | ≈ $126/mo + build time |
| Free trial | Free sign-up; pay for usage | 2 free credits, no card |
| Plans |
|
|
| Pricing note | Default calculator: voice infra $0.055 + LLM ~$0.04 + TTS $0.015 per min, plus telephony $0.015/min and $2/mo per number. | not published |
| Checked | October 20, 2026 | October 20, 2026 |
| Source | Vendor pricing page | Vendor pricing page |
Copied from each vendor's public pricing page on the date shown. "not published" means the vendor doesn't publish it; we don't guess. Prices change; confirm with the vendor.
Features and details from our listings
| Item | Retell AI | Bland AI |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Pay-as-you-go platform for building voice agents. Cheapest per minute, but you (or an agency) build the receptionist yourself. | Developer platform with all-in per-minute pricing (LLM, speech and voice included). Warm transfers and scheduling nodes are Enterprise-only. |
| Type | Developer voice AI platform (build your own) | Developer voice AI platform (build your own) |
| Listed under | AI receptionists, Voice & phone agents | AI receptionists, Voice & phone agents |
| 24/7 answering | yes | yes |
| Appointment booking | Yes, if you build it | Enterprise only (scheduling node) |
| Integrations | Webhooks, API, Twilio/Telnyx/SIP | API, Twilio/SIP |
| Bilingual | Yes (model dependent) | not published |
| Call transfer | Yes | Basic on Start; warm/live on Enterprise |
| HIPAA | HIPAA/BAA listed in plan comparison (confirm which plan) | BAA on Enterprise |
| Setup fee | None (but you build it) | None (but you build it) |
| Verified public use cases | 1 | 0 |
Use cases
Retell AI
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Use caseVoice
A freelance automation builder made a Retell AI voice agent for a residential estate agency that answers after-hours calls and shares property details from the agency's listings.
Oct 2025Contra
Where our industry rankings place it: Medical Practices #4.
Bland AI
We haven't found a verified public use case for Bland AI yet.
Use cases are summarised in our own words from the linked public post; vendor case studies are labelled. All use cases.
Who each is best for
- Pay per use
Retell AI is best for
- Ranked for: Medical Practices. In medical practices: For practices with an IT partner: lowest running cost and a HIPAA/BAA path, but you must build it.
- Type: Developer voice AI platform (build your own). Real bill at 300 calls: ≈ $115/mo + build time.
- Strengths: Lowest running cost; Huge positive review base; HIPAA path.
- Watch out: Not a finished product: needs building and upkeep; Costs vary with model choice.
- Pay per use
Bland AI is best for
- Type: Developer voice AI platform (build your own). Real bill at 300 calls: ≈ $126/mo + build time.
- Strengths: Simple all-in minute price; No platform fee on Start.
- Watch out: Key receptionist features are Enterprise-only; Needs a developer.
From our listing data (jobs, public pricing, industry rankings, pros and cons); not a hands-on test. Full details: Retell AI · Bland AI.
FAQ
Which is cheaper, Retell AI or Bland AI?
Advertised entry prices: Retell AI $0.07/min, Bland AI $0.14/min. At about 300 calls a month, our estimate of the real bill is ≈ $115/mo + build time for Retell AI and ≈ $126/mo + build time for Bland AI, so Retell AI is cheaper at that volume. Your bill depends on your call volume and call length; the math is on each product page. Checked October 20, 2026.
Is Retell AI free? Is Bland AI free?
Retell AI: no $0 plan on its pricing page (checked October 20, 2026); free trial or free start: Free sign-up; pay for usage. Bland AI: no $0 plan on its pricing page (checked October 20, 2026); free trial or free start: 2 free credits, no card.
How much does Retell AI cost?
Retell AI lists Pay as you go: $0.07-$0.31/min (Full platform, 20 concurrent calls, 10 knowledge bases); Enterprise: Contact sales (Custom BAA/MSA, SSO, dedicated support). Our estimate of the real bill at about 300 calls a month: ≈ $115/mo + build time. Checked October 20, 2026 on the vendor's pricing page.
How much does Bland AI cost?
Bland AI lists Start: $0.14/min, $0 platform fee (Inbound number, 10 concurrent, 100 calls/day); Build: $0.12/min + $299/mo (50 concurrent, 2,000 calls/day); Enterprise: Contact sales (BAA, SSO, warm/live transfers, scheduling). Our estimate of the real bill at about 300 calls a month: ≈ $126/mo + build time. Checked October 20, 2026 on the vendor's pricing page.
Did AITeamGuide test them?
Not hands-on. This comparison is built from each vendor's public pricing page (with the date we checked it), published product information and credited public use cases.
Can a vendor pay to win this comparison?
No. Nothing here is paid. Paid placements on AITeamGuide are always labelled "Sponsored" or "Featured" and never change a comparison or ranking.
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Work at Retell AI or Bland AI? Vendors can claim their listing for free or feature it with a label that says "Sponsored"; paid status never changes the order on this page. Building a different agent? List it here.
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