Retell vs ElevenLabs: AI voice agents compared
Pricing side by side
| Retell | ElevenLabs | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Usage-based from $0 | Subscription tiers with bundled minutes |
| Entry point | $10 in credits, then $0.07 to $0.31/min | Free 15 min/mo; Starter $6/mo (75 min) |
| Extra minutes | Pay per minute used | $0.08/min ($0.16 burst over concurrency) |
| Languages | English-first | 70+ with auto-detection |
| Knowledge base / RAG | Add-on, +$0.005/min | Built in, all tiers |
| Channels | Phone, web | Phone, WhatsApp, web chat |
| Concurrency | 20 calls included | 4 to 40 by tier |
Rates verified July 2026. Check each provider for current pricing.
Reach versus compliance
ElevenLabs leads where the call is not in English or where the voice itself sells the brand. Language detection across 70+ languages and native text-to-speech make it the stronger pick for international or voice-first deployments, and RAG in every tier means agents answer from your knowledge base without a bolt-on. It also reaches callers on WhatsApp and web chat, not just the phone.
Retell leads on the regulated, English-first US call. It publishes SOC 2 and HIPAA readiness on the pay-as-you-go plan and will sign a BAA, so a healthcare or finance team can go live without moving to an enterprise contract first. ElevenLabs does not detail agent compliance on its public pricing, so confirm that with its sales team for a regulated workload.
Which to choose
Choose Retell for an English-first US phone agent that needs compliance in place and a fast, builder-driven setup. Choose ElevenLabs when calls span languages, when voice quality is part of the product, or when you need WhatsApp and web alongside phone, and your volume fits one of its monthly minute bundles.
Neither shows a screen
Great voice does not fix a misheard email. On both platforms the caller speaks the value and the transcriber interprets it, so a single wrong character still slips through. Powsoo adds a synced on-screen card during the call: the caller taps the correct email, date, or number and a webhook returns it clean. It works on Retell and ElevenLabs alike. See the data-capture guide, or read Retell vs Vapi and Vapi vs ElevenLabs.
Frequently asked questions
Is Retell or ElevenLabs better for non-English calls?
ElevenLabs. Its agents support 70+ languages with automatic language detection, and voice quality is its core strength. Retell is English-first and US-focused, so multilingual deployments favour ElevenLabs.
Which pricing model is more predictable?
ElevenLabs bundles a set number of agent minutes into each monthly tier, so cost is predictable when your volume fits the plan, with overage at $0.08/min. Retell is pure usage-based from $0, which suits variable or low volume where a fixed subscription would waste minutes.
Can I add on-screen confirmation to either?
Yes. Both are audio-only, but a visual layer such as Powsoo renders tap-to-confirm cards during the call on either platform, so callers confirm emails and numbers by sight.