Most pricing pages show one headline number, and it's rarely what you pay. A voice agent is several services stacked together, and each one bills by the minute.
Below is what each part costs, what a month looks like, and what we actually spent on real calls. All platform prices were checked on 4 November 2026 and they change often, so confirm them before you quote a client.
What you are paying for
Every AI phone call uses the same parts:
- Voice platform: runs the call and listens to the caller.
- AI model (LLM): decides what to say next. This is usually the biggest variable.
- Voice (text-to-speech): turns the reply into speech.
- Telephony: connects to the phone network.
Per-minute cost on Retell and Vapi
These are two of the most common platforms for agencies, and they're the two we've built on.
| Cost item | Retell AI | Vapi |
|---|---|---|
| Platform | $0.055/min | $0.05/min |
| AI model | From $0.0016/min, typically $0.025 to $0.08 | About $0.008 to $0.045/min |
| Voice | $0.015/min, ElevenLabs $0.04 to $0.10 | About $0.015 to $0.024/min |
| Phone | $0.015/min | About $0.006 to $0.014/min |
| Free credits | $10 | $5 |
Sources: Retell pricing and Vapi pricing.
A sensible Retell setup comes to about $0.11 per minute: $0.055 for the platform, $0.015 for the voice, $0.015 for the phone line and $0.025 for a mid-range model such as Claude 4.5 Haiku. Upgrade to a stronger model or a premium voice and you can pass $0.20. Retell's own stated range runs from $0.07 to $0.31.
Vapi's calculator estimates $82 to $129 for 1,000 minutes, which works out to about $0.08 to $0.13 per minute.
What it costs per month
Using $0.11 to $0.17 per minute as a realistic range:
| Monthly call minutes | Roughly how busy | Running cost |
|---|---|---|
| 300 | Small practice, after-hours calls only | $33 to $51 |
| 1,000 | Busy clinic or small sales team | $110 to $170 |
| 3,000 | Multi-location business | $330 to $510 |
| 10,000 | Call-heavy operation | $1,100 to $1,700 |
The calculation is simple: minutes multiplied by cost per minute. These figures cover running costs only. Building and maintaining the system is separate.
What we actually spent: 58 real calls
Pricing tables are one thing, so here's our own data from a 30-day window in our client portal. Most of these calls came from a real estate lead-reactivation agent making outbound calls.
| Metric | Result |
|---|---|
| Total calls | 58 |
| Answered | 39 (67%) |
| Total talk time | 59 minutes |
| Average answered call | 1 min 30 sec |
| Total spend | $10.16 |
| Cost per dial | $0.18 |
| Cost per answered call | $0.26 |
That works out to around $0.17 per talk-minute, right where the table above predicts. It's a small sample and yours will differ, but it shows the scale: one answered call costs about a quarter.
Costs people forget
- Extra simultaneous calls. Retell includes 20 and charges $8 per extra line a month. Vapi includes 4 on its starter tier and charges $10 per extra line.
- Add-ons. Retell lists charges for a knowledge base, noise removal, guardrails and PII removal, each adding $0.005 to $0.01 per minute.
- Phone numbers. Usually a small monthly fee, more in some countries.
- Compliance needs. Vapi lists HIPAA support at $2,000 a month. If you serve US healthcare clients, check this early.
- Your own time. Testing, fixing prompts and reviewing calls is the real cost, especially in the first month.
How it compares with a human receptionist
In the US, the median receptionist earns $38,010 a year, or $18.27 an hour, before benefits, and takes one call at a time. An AI agent at $0.15 per minute costs $9 for an hour of actual talking and charges nothing while the phone is quiet.
That doesn't mean AI replaces every front desk. People still handle judgment calls and upset customers better. The strongest setup uses AI for overflow, after-hours calls and routine questions, with a clear handover to a person.
What agencies charge clients
Running cost and client price are different numbers. Clients pay for a working result, setup, monitoring and fixes. The example we teach is around $2,000 setup plus $700 a month. At 1,000 minutes and $0.17 per minute, usage costs about $170, leaving room to pay for your time. You can test your own numbers with the revenue calculator on our course page.
These are illustrations, not promised results. If you're new to this, start with our guide on how to start an AI automation agency.
Frequently asked questions
How much does an AI voice agent cost per minute?
Usually about $0.08 to $0.20 per minute in running costs. Basic setups can go lower, and premium models and voices can go above $0.30.
How much does an AI voice agent cost per month?
It depends on usage. At 1,000 call minutes a month, expect roughly $110 to $170 in running costs, plus whatever an agency or your own team charges for setup and support.
Are unanswered calls free?
Platforms mostly bill by connected minutes, so unanswered calls cost little, but telephony and per-dial fees can still apply. In our data, the average cost per dial was $0.18, which includes the cost of the answered calls.
Is an AI voice agent cheaper than a receptionist?
On running costs, usually yes, by a wide margin. A fair comparison should also include setup, maintenance and the calls that still need a person.
Which part of the cost can I reduce most easily?
The AI model. It's the biggest variable, and a mid-range model is often good enough for booking and qualifying calls. Test call quality before and after any change.