LiveKit Agents vs Retell AI

For no-code agency deploys and white-label resale, Retell AI offers a no-code agent builder (versus none in LiveKit), partial white-label support (versus none in LiveKit), native outbound campaigns, and a broader native integrations list including Go High Level, HubSpot, Make, and Zapier-compatible tools. LiveKit explicitly lacks a no-code builder and white-label capability, making it unsuitable for non-technical agency workflows. Retell also offers 20 concurrent calls on its base plan versus LiveKit's 5, giving agencies considerably more headroom.

For engineering teams needing custom pipeline control, LiveKit Agents is API-first and passes through LLM and TTS costs at cost, giving engineers direct control over every component without markup or abstraction layers. Retell AI marks up LLM and TTS costs rather than passing them through, limiting transparency and control. LiveKit Agents has no no-code builder, reinforcing its code-first, engineer-oriented design. The real production cost floor is lower for LiveKit at 0.0435 USD/min versus 0.085 USD/min for Retell, meaning custom pipelines stay cheaper at scale.

For ecommerce support, Retell AI offers a no-code agent builder and native outbound campaigns, both of which LiveKit Agents lacks. Retell also includes native integrations with HubSpot, Go High Level, Make, and n8n, enabling order system connections without custom development. LiveKit requires code for agent building and has no native outbound capability, making Retell better suited for typical ecommerce workflows like order follow-ups and CRM sync.

Both tools restrict HIPAA BAA access, but LiveKit Agents offers it as a paid addon available at lower tiers, while Retell AI limits it to enterprise only. For cost-sensitive healthcare teams that need HIPAA compliance without committing to a full enterprise contract, LiveKit Agents is more accessible. LiveKit also passes LLM and TTS costs through at cost, lowering the real production cost floor to 0.0435 USD/min versus Retell's 0.085 USD/min minimum, which matters for high-volume clinical call workflows.

For outbound sales campaigns, Retell AI has native outbound campaign support while LiveKit Agents does not (facts 90744e3a vs 6ad921b6). Retell also includes a no-code agent builder, making campaign setup faster, along with warm transfer to human, DTMF/IVR navigation, a simulation and testing suite, and consent and recording compliance tooling, all critical for sales call centers. Retell starts with 20 concurrent calls versus LiveKit's 5. LiveKit's lower cost is noted, but the missing native campaign feature is a decisive gap.

For an SMB receptionist and booking use case, Retell AI offers a no-code agent builder and native outbound campaigns, neither of which LiveKit Agents supports. Retell also includes native DTMF/IVR navigation, warm transfer to human, and a simulation and testing suite. While LiveKit Agents has lower base pricing at $0.01/min versus $0.07/min, SMBs without developer resources need the no-code builder and out-of-the-box telephony features Retell provides. Retell also starts with 20 concurrent calls versus only 5 for LiveKit, better handling after-hours volume spikes.