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ElevenLabs Agents logoVapi logo

ElevenLabs Agents vs Vapi

This is the verified ElevenLabs Agents vs Vapi breakdown: ElevenLabs Agents (Voice-quality leader, agents platform) and Vapi (Dev-first API platform, full pipeline control) are Voice AI platforms, priced from $0.05/min and $0.05/min respectively. The bottom line, head-to-head facts, and true cost tiers follow.

Voice AI platforms · 32 facts compared · all sourcedRe-verification in progress · pricing last checked Jul 15, 2026
Bottom line

Vapi wins every use case across the board. For healthcare compliance, Vapi offers HIPAA as a paid add-on, giving teams a practical path to compliance without an enterprise negotiation. For outbound sales campaigns, Vapi provides native outbound campaigns, warm transfer to human, and DTMF/IVR navigation out of the box. For agency deployments, native SIP trunking, number provisioning, and integrations with GHL, Twilio, Zapier, and Make give agencies a full-featured stack. Real production costs run $0.05 to $0.17 per minute, with LLM and TTS passed through at cost, keeping pricing transparent. ElevenLabs Agents posts a 75 ms latency advantage, but Vapi's breadth of telephony and compliance tooling outweighs that edge across all six evaluated scenarios.

Reviewed by vsref Editorialfacts verified Jul 15, 2026Methodology →

Vapi is our pick for most teams. Start there, or weigh the use-case verdicts below.

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No-code agency deploys
Vapi
WINNER
Custom pipeline control
Vapi
WINNER
Ecommerce support and orders
Vapi
WINNER
Healthcare compliance
Vapi
WINNER
Outbound sales campaigns
Vapi
WINNER
SMB receptionist and booking
Vapi
WINNER

ElevenLabs Agents vs Vapi: head-to-head facts

FactElevenLabs Agents logoElevenLabs AgentsVapi logoVapi
Base price / min~$0.05Jul 15~$0.05Jul 15
Real production cost / minn/a~$0.05-0.17Jul 15
HIPAA BAA on base plan◑ Enterprise onlyJul 15◑ Paid add-onJul 15
Native SIP trunkingn/a✓ YesJul 15
Concurrency limit (base)n/a~10 callsJul 15
Median e2e latency~75 msJul 15~600 msJul 15
Bring-your-own LLMn/a✓ YesJul 15
Free tier creditFree plan $0, 10k credits/monthJul 1560+ minutes includedJul 15
✓buyer-good  ·  ✗not available  ·  ◑gated or partial  ·  production cost ranges are our estimates, see our methodology.
Swipe → to compare both tools. Each value links its source and verified date.

ElevenLabs Agents vs Vapi pricing: true cost at 3 usage tiers

All-in monthly: platform fee + per-minute + telephony. Assumes GPT-4o class model, ElevenLabs voice.
1K min/moSolo builder
ElevenLabs AgentsLOWEST$50
Vapi$110
Includes estimated telephony. Free credits can offset the first month.
10K min/moAgency
ElevenLabs AgentsLOWEST$500
Vapi$1,100
Volume pricing typically starts to apply at this tier.
100K min/moCall center
ElevenLabs AgentsLOWEST$5,000
Vapi$11,000
Both platforms offer custom contracts at this tier. Negotiate.

ElevenLabs Agents vs Vapi: verdicts by use case

No-code agency deploys → Vapi

Both platforms offer no-code agent builders, so that capability is a wash. White-label and sub-account support is critical for agency resale, and Vapi at least offers partial white-label functionality while no equivalent capability is documented for ElevenLabs Agents. On production costs, Vapi's real range runs $0.05 to $0.17 per minute versus ElevenLabs Agents' base of $0.05 per minute with no published upper range, making direct comparison difficult, though Vapi's transparency is a plus. Both platforms carry a $0 per month platform fee. Vapi also includes native outbound campaigns, giving agencies a meaningful deployment edge. The combination of partial white-label support and outbound campaigns tips the decision in favor of Vapi for agency workflows.

Custom pipeline control → Vapi

For engineering teams building custom pipelines, bring-your-own LLM support and full API-first control are the deciding factors. Vapi explicitly supports both, and also allows bring-your-own TTS voices, native SIP trunking, and includes a simulation and testing suite. ElevenLabs Agents confirms API-first support but not bring-your-own LLM, bring-your-own voice, SIP trunking, or a testing suite. The one area ElevenLabs Agents leads clearly is latency, at 75 ms versus Vapi's 600 ms, but Vapi's broader pipeline customization capabilities outweigh that single advantage for this use case.

Ecommerce support and orders → Vapi

For ecommerce support flows, integrations are the deciding factor. Vapi lists native connections to GHL, Twilio, Telnyx, Slack, Google Calendar, Zapier, and Make, giving teams direct hooks into the platforms that run order management and CRM pipelines. ElevenLabs Agents has no comparable integrations. Vapi also has a built-in knowledge base, enabling product and order FAQs without extra tooling, while no such feature is documented for ElevenLabs Agents. Both tools share a $0/mo platform fee and self-serve signup, so those attributes are neutral. Vapi's native DTMF/IVR navigation further supports menu-driven order flows.

Healthcare compliance → Vapi

For HIPAA-bound healthcare workflows, compliance certifications are the deciding factor. ElevenLabs Agents restricts its HIPAA BAA to enterprise contracts only, meaning most buyers cannot access it without a custom deal. Vapi offers the HIPAA BAA as a paid add-on, making it accessible to non-enterprise customers. Vapi also provides consent and recording compliance tooling and GDPR tooling, whereas ElevenLabs Agents does not. Vapi does lack SOC 2 Type II, which is a real gap, but its broader accessible compliance stack, including BAA availability and recording consent tools, gives it the edge for healthcare use cases.

Outbound sales campaigns → Vapi

Vapi offers native outbound campaigns, native SIP trunking, warm transfer to human, DTMF/IVR navigation, and in-platform number provisioning, all directly relevant to outbound sales call-center workflows. ElevenLabs Agents holds a meaningful latency advantage at 75 ms versus 600 ms for Vapi and supports 70 languages. Even so, Vapi's dedicated outbound campaigns feature and integrated telephony stack make it more purpose-built for this use case. The latency gap is notable but does not overcome Vapi's functional completeness for outbound sales.

SMB receptionist and booking → Vapi

Both platforms charge $0 per month in platform fees, so neither has an edge there. For an SMB receptionist setup, a built-in knowledge base, warm transfer to human, and in-platform number provisioning are critical, and Vapi delivers all three natively. A no-code agent builder is available on both. ElevenLabs Agents lacks confirmed support for a knowledge base, warm transfer, or number provisioning, leaving real gaps for a booking and after-hours receptionist workflow. Vapi's real production cost runs $0.05 to $0.17 per minute, but its feature completeness for this specific use case is decisive.

ElevenLabs Agents vs Vapi: common questions

What is the base price per minute for ElevenLabs Agents vs Vapi?+

Both platforms share the same base price of $0.05/min. However, Vapi's real production cost can range from $0.05 to $0.17/min once LLM and TTS usage is factored in. Vapi passes those costs through at cost, so your actual bill depends on the models you choose.

Which tool has lower latency for voice AI calls?+

ElevenLabs Agents reports a median end-to-end latency of 75 ms, compared to 600 ms for Vapi. For applications where low latency is a priority for natural-sounding conversations, ElevenLabs Agents holds a significant stated advantage on this metric.

Do either of these platforms offer a free tier?+

Both platforms offer free entry points. ElevenLabs Agents provides a free plan with 10,000 credits per month and no monthly platform fee. Vapi includes 60 or more free minutes and also charges no monthly platform fee to get started.

Is HIPAA compliance available and what does it cost?+

ElevenLabs Agents provides a HIPAA BAA on enterprise plans only. Vapi offers a HIPAA BAA as a paid add-on, making it potentially more accessible for teams that are not yet on enterprise tiers. Neither platform includes a HIPAA BAA on standard base plans.

Can I bring my own LLM or TTS voice to either platform?+

Vapi supports both bring-your-own LLM and bring-your-own TTS voice. The available facts do not confirm these options for ElevenLabs Agents. If model flexibility matters, Vapi has documented support for both capabilities.

Do I need an annual contract to get the best pricing?+

ElevenLabs Agents does not require an annual contract to access its best pricing. Vapi does require an annual contract for its best pricing tier. This is a meaningful difference for teams that prefer month-to-month flexibility.

How many concurrent calls does Vapi support on the base plan?+

Vapi includes 10 concurrent calls on its base plan, with additional concurrent lines available at $10 per month each. The concurrency limits for ElevenLabs Agents on its base plan are not specified in the available facts.

How many languages does ElevenLabs Agents support?+

ElevenLabs Agents supports 70 languages. Because language support figures for Vapi are not included in the available facts, a direct comparison cannot be made.

Is ElevenLabs Agents cheaper than Vapi?+

On the base per-minute rate, both ElevenLabs Agents and Vapi charge $0.05/min, so neither is cheaper at that level. However, Vapi passes through LLM and TTS costs separately, pushing its real production cost to roughly $0.05-$0.17/min depending on model choices. ElevenLabs Agents bundles more into that $0.05/min rate. Neither platform charges a monthly platform fee. ElevenLabs Agents does not require an annual contract, while Vapi does.

ElevenLabs Agents vs Vapi: which is better for no-code agency deploys?+

Both ElevenLabs Agents and Vapi offer no-code agent builders and self-serve signup, so either works for basic no-code deployments. Vapi has an edge for agencies specifically: it supports partial white-labeling and sub-accounts, native outbound campaigns, warm transfers, a built-in knowledge base, and integrations with GoHighLevel, Zapier, and Make. ElevenLabs Agents does not require an annual contract for best pricing, while Vapi does, which affects agency economics.

Is ElevenLabs Agents or Vapi better for low-latency voice AI calls?+

ElevenLabs Agents reports a median end-to-end latency of 75 ms, while Vapi reports 600 ms. For use cases where response speed is critical, such as live customer service or real-time conversation, ElevenLabs Agents holds a significant latency advantage based on vendor-reported figures.

Does ElevenLabs Agents or Vapi support HIPAA compliance without an enterprise contract?+

Neither platform offers a HIPAA BAA on standard self-serve plans. ElevenLabs Agents restricts HIPAA BAAs to enterprise agreements only. Vapi offers a HIPAA BAA as a paid add-on, meaning you can access it without a full enterprise contract, though at extra cost.

What does Vapi actually cost per minute in real-world use?+

Vapi lists a base rate of $0.05/min, but real production costs range from $0.05 to $0.17/min once LLM and TTS usage is factored in. Vapi passes those costs through at cost, so your bill depends on which models you select. Budget for the higher end of that range in production.

Does ElevenLabs Agents or Vapi require an annual contract to get the best pricing?+

ElevenLabs Agents does not require an annual contract to access its best pricing, while Vapi does require an annual commitment to unlock its best rates. For buyers who need month-to-month billing flexibility, ElevenLabs Agents has the advantage.

How many concurrent calls does Vapi support and what does scaling cost?+

Vapi includes 10 concurrent calls at the base tier. Additional concurrent lines are available at $10 per month each. If your use case involves high-volume outbound campaigns or busy inbound queues, plan for these add-on costs as call volume grows.

Does ElevenLabs Agents support multiple languages for global deployments?+

ElevenLabs Agents supports 70 languages, making it a strong option for businesses that need multilingual voice agents across different regions without building separate pipelines for each language.

Is Vapi a good alternative to ElevenLabs Agents for telephony-heavy use cases like outbound campaigns and SIP trunking?+

Vapi offers native SIP trunking, native outbound campaign support, in-platform number provisioning, warm transfer to human agents, and DTMF/IVR navigation. If your build requires deep telephony integration, Vapi covers these natively. ElevenLabs Agents does not confirm equivalent telephony features.

What free tiers do ElevenLabs Agents and Vapi offer before I have to pay?+

ElevenLabs Agents offers a free plan at $0/mo with 10,000 credits per month. Vapi includes 60 or more free minutes on its free tier. Both platforms also have no monthly platform fee on paid entry plans, so you only pay for usage beyond the free allowance.

Best ElevenLabs Agents alternatives →Best Vapi alternatives →

When neither is right: weigh the rest of the Voice AI field →

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