RRetell AI

Retell AI agents cost between $0.07 and $0.31 a minute, depending on the model and voice a business picks. The platform lets companies build phone agents that answer calls, book appointments, qualify leads and run outbound campaigns, then transfer to a person when needed.

Founded in 2023 and backed by Y Combinator, Retell said in April 2026 that it had reached $50 million in annual recurring revenue and was handling more than 50 million calls a month.

How It Works

Teams design an agent in Retell’s builder or through its API, choosing a language model, a voice and the knowledge the agent can draw on. The agent then answers or places calls over Retell’s numbers, a Twilio or Vonage account, or the customer’s own SIP trunk. During a call it can look up information, book slots, send texts and hand off to staff.

Since early 2026 the same agents can work over chat, SMS and email, which lets a business replace an older phone tree with one system. Retell also sells automated quality review that scores calls, plus add-ons for noise reduction, PII removal and safety guardrails.

Pricing

Pricing is pay as you go. Voice infrastructure costs $0.055 a minute, telephony $0.015, and Retell’s standard voices $0.015, with model fees on top ranging from fractions of a cent to $0.32 a minute. Phone numbers cost $2 a month, and new accounts get $10 in credit. Twenty concurrent calls are included, with extra capacity at $8 per call per month. Enterprise plans add custom pricing, SSO, a BAA and a named account manager.

What to Watch Out For

The headline per-minute rate is a floor. Premium models, ElevenLabs voices, knowledge bases and QA all add cost, so model a realistic call mix before committing. Healthcare buyers need the Enterprise plan for a BAA. Retell is a toolkit, so a small office wanting a ready-made receptionist may find setup and testing heavier than expected. Outbound calling with AI voices is regulated in many places, so check consent rules before running campaigns. Third-party reports of revenue and call volume vary, so treat growth figures as approximate.