ElevenLabs Agents vs Vocode
ElevenLabs Agents (Voice-quality leader, agents platform) and Vocode (Open-source framework) are Voice AI platforms, priced from $0.05/min and $0 license (self-host) respectively. Below: the bottom line, verified head-to-head facts, and real production costs.
Head-to-head facts
Every row independently verified| Fact | ElevenLabs Agents | Vocode |
|---|---|---|
| Base price / min | ~$0.05Jul 15 | $0.00Jul 15 |
| HIPAA BAA on base plan | ◑ Enterprise onlyJul 15 | ◑ Paid add-onJul 15 |
| Native SIP trunking | n/a | ✓ YesJul 15 |
| Median e2e latency | ~75 msJul 15 | n/a |
| Bring-your-own LLM | n/a | ✓ YesJul 15 |
| Free tier credit | Free plan $0, 10k credits/monthJul 15 | n/a |
Pricing: true cost at 3 usage tiers
All-in monthly: platform fee + per-minute + telephony. Assumes GPT-4o class model, ElevenLabs voice.Verdicts by use case
For a no-code agency deploying and white-labeling, ElevenLabs Agents offers a no-code agent builder while Vocode explicitly does not. Neither tool offers white-label sub-accounts, so that dimension is a tie. The presence of a no-code builder is a decisive differentiator for agencies that need to deploy quickly without engineering resources, giving ElevenLabs Agents a narrow but clear edge on the no-code side of the use case.
For ecommerce support and order flows, the key capabilities are outbound campaigns, warm transfer to human, DTMF/IVR navigation, a built-in knowledge base, and bring-your-own LLM support. Vocode confirms all of these, and also offers native SIP trunking and a $0.00/min base rate that keeps costs low at order volume. ElevenLabs Agents offers a strong no-code builder and 75 ms latency, but outbound campaigns and warm transfer are not confirmed in the available facts. Vocode's combination of full telephony features and lower base cost gives it the edge for ecommerce workflows.
For HIPAA-bound healthcare workflows, compliance access is the decisive factor. Vocode offers a HIPAA BAA as a paid addon, meaning non-enterprise customers can obtain it by paying an incremental fee. ElevenLabs Agents restricts its HIPAA BAA to enterprise plans only, blocking smaller or mid-market healthcare teams from qualifying without a full enterprise commitment. Vocode also supports native SIP trunking and warm transfer to human, both operationally important in clinical call workflows. The margin is narrow because Vocode's HIPAA coverage still requires extra spend, but it remains accessible without an enterprise gate.
Vocode has vendor-confirmed native outbound campaigns support, plus native SIP trunking and warm transfer to human, all critical for outbound sales call-center workflows. ElevenLabs Agents has no outbound campaigns feature in the fact set. Vocode also offers bring-your-own LLM and TTS flexibility, which is useful for campaign customization. The tradeoff is that Vocode lacks a no-code builder, but for outbound sales campaigns the functional telephony features matter more than ease of setup.
For an SMB receptionist and booking use case, ease of setup and low cost are critical. ElevenLabs Agents offers a no-code agent builder and a free tier with 10k credits per month at $0 platform fee, lowering the barrier for small businesses. Vocode lacks a no-code builder and is API-first, requiring developer resources most SMBs do not have. ElevenLabs also covers 70 languages and has 75ms latency, making it capable for receptionist calls. Vocode has outbound campaigns and warm transfer, but the setup complexity disadvantages it for SMBs.
Common questions
Which is cheaper per minute, ElevenLabs Agents or Vocode?+−
ElevenLabs Agents charges $0.05 per minute. Vocode is estimated at $0.00 per minute, though this figure is an estimate rather than a vendor-confirmed rate. Always verify current pricing directly with each vendor before making a commitment.
Does ElevenLabs Agents have a free tier?+−
ElevenLabs Agents offers a free plan at $0 per month, which includes 10,000 credits per month. No annual contract is required to access it.
Which platform supports a no-code agent builder?+−
ElevenLabs Agents includes a no-code agent builder. Vocode does not offer a no-code builder, making it better suited to developer teams who are comfortable working directly with APIs.
Can I bring my own LLM or TTS voice to either platform?+−
Vocode supports both bring-your-own LLM and bring-your-own TTS voice. The provided facts do not confirm either capability for ElevenLabs Agents, so check with the vendor directly if those integrations are required.
Which tool is better for HIPAA-compliant voice applications?+−
Neither platform includes a HIPAA BAA on standard plans. ElevenLabs Agents provides a BAA at the enterprise tier only. Vocode offers a HIPAA BAA as a paid add-on, giving smaller teams a path to compliance without requiring an enterprise contract.
How fast is ElevenLabs Agents and does Vocode publish latency numbers?+−
ElevenLabs Agents reports a median end-to-end latency of 75 ms. No latency figure for Vocode is available in the provided facts, so contact Vocode directly for benchmarks relevant to your use case.
Does Vocode support native SIP trunking and outbound call campaigns?+−
Yes. Vocode supports native SIP trunking and native outbound campaigns. It also supports warm transfer to a human agent and DTMF/IVR navigation, making it a strong fit for telephony-heavy contact center deployments.
How many languages does ElevenLabs Agents support?+−
According to vendor-claimed data, ElevenLabs Agents supports 70 languages. No equivalent language count is available in the provided facts for Vocode.
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