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Ultravox logoVapi logo

Ultravox vs Vapi

Ultravox (Realtime speech model + platform) and Vapi (Dev-first API platform, full pipeline control) are Voice AI platforms, priced from $0.05/min and $0.05/min respectively. Below: the bottom line, verified head-to-head facts, and real production costs.

Voice AI platforms · 32 facts compared · all sourcedPricing verified Jul 15, 2026
Bottom line

Vapi wins for teams needing flexibility and scale: BYO LLM, no-code builder, 10-call base concurrency vs Ultravox 5, testing suite, white-label, and broader integrations. Ultravox wins for cost-predictable or developer-first teams: flat real cost at $0.055/min vs Vapi up to $0.17/min, no annual contract required (b1143ac0 vs 2a430d9b), and tighter pricing ceiling. Each tool fits a fundamentally different buyer profile.

It is close, and the right pick depends on your use case. Start a free trial, or read the 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

Head-to-head facts

FactUltravox logoUltravoxVapi logoVapi
Base price / min~$0.05Jul 15~$0.05Jul 15
Real production cost / min$0.06-0.06Jul 15~$0.05-0.17Jul 15
HIPAA BAA on base plann/a◑ Paid add-onJul 15
Native SIP trunking✓ YesJul 15✓ YesJul 15
Concurrency limit (base)~5 callsJul 15~10 callsJul 15
Median e2e latencyn/a~600 msJul 15
Bring-your-own LLM✗ NoJul 15✓ YesJul 15
Free tier credit30 minutes free, then $0.05/minJul 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.

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
UltravoxLOWEST$55
Vapi$110
Includes estimated telephony. Free credits can offset the first month.
10K min/moAgency
UltravoxLOWEST$550
Vapi$1,100
Volume pricing typically starts to apply at this tier.
100K min/moCall center
UltravoxLOWEST$5,500
Vapi$11,000
Both platforms offer custom contracts at this tier. Negotiate.

Verdicts by use case

No-code agency deploys → Vapi

For a no-code agency needing white-label resale, Vapi offers a no-code agent builder while Ultravox explicitly lacks one. Vapi also provides partial white-label and sub-account support, whereas Ultravox has none. Additionally, Vapi provides a broader native integration set including GHL, Zapier, and Make, which are common agency tools, compared to Ultravox's telephony-only partner integrations. All three dimensions favor Vapi decisively for this use case.

Custom pipeline control → Vapi

For engineering teams needing custom pipeline control, Vapi wins on several developer-facing dimensions. Vapi supports bring-your-own LLM while Ultravox does not (9576ca60-2b27-4467-b17e-ec0d4fee0e2a), which is critical for custom pipelines. Vapi also includes a simulation and testing suite versus Ultravox which does not, enabling pipeline validation. Both are API-first, but Vapi offers broader native integrations including Twilio, Zapier, and Make and a higher base concurrency of 10 calls versus Ultravox's 5 (3eb460c0 vs f004cce1). BYO LLM alone is decisive for custom pipeline engineering use cases.

Ecommerce support and orders → Vapi

For ecommerce support flows, Vapi offers a no-code agent builder, making it faster to build and iterate on order support workflows without engineering overhead. Vapi also supports bring-your-own LLM, enabling teams to plug in specialized or fine-tuned models for product and order data. Its native integrations include Zapier, Make, Slack, and Google Calendar, which are common ecommerce workflow connectors. Ultravox lacks a no-code builder and bring-your-own LLM support, limiting flexibility for ecommerce teams. Vapi also includes a testing suite to validate order flows before deployment.

Healthcare compliance → Vapi

For HIPAA-bound healthcare workflows, Vapi offers HIPAA BAA availability as a paid addon, GDPR tooling and EU residency support, consent and recording compliance tooling, and a testing suite useful for validating compliant agent behavior. Ultravox shows no equivalent compliance signals in the facts. The Vapi HIPAA BAA being a paid addon rather than included limits the margin somewhat, but Ultravox has no comparable compliance coverage at all in the verified fact set.

Outbound sales campaigns → Vapi

Both tools support native outbound campaigns, SIP trunking, and warm transfer. Vapi edges ahead for outbound sales because it offers a no-code agent builder while Ultravox does not, making campaign setup faster for non-developer teams. Vapi also supports bring-your-own LLM for model flexibility, and has a broader native integration list including GHL, Zapier, Make, and Twilio, which are commonly used in outbound sales stacks. Ultravox lacks barge-in handling, a notable gap for live sales calls. Vapi's higher base concurrency of 10 versus 5 calls (facts 3eb460c0, f004cce1) also favors call-center volume.

SMB receptionist and booking → Vapi

For an SMB receptionist use case, ease of setup and integrations matter most. Vapi offers a no-code agent builder while Ultravox does not, lowering the barrier for non-technical SMB owners. Vapi also integrates natively with GHL, Google Calendar, Zapier, and Make, which are common SMB booking tools, versus Ultravox's telephony-only partner integrations. Vapi's higher base concurrency of 10 calls versus Ultravox's 5 also suits after-hours coverage spikes better.

Common questions

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

Both Vapi and Ultravox advertise a base price of $0.05 per minute. However, Vapi's real production cost can range from $0.05 to $0.17 per minute depending on LLM and TTS usage, while Ultravox's estimated real cost stays closer to $0.055 per minute.

Which platform offers a better free tier, Vapi or Ultravox?+

Vapi includes 60 or more free minutes on its free tier. Ultravox provides 30 free minutes, then charges $0.05 per minute after that. Neither platform charges a monthly platform fee, so both are free to start.

Does Vapi or Ultravox support bring-your-own LLM?+

Vapi supports bring-your-own LLM, while Ultravox does not. If using a custom or self-hosted language model is a requirement, Vapi is the only viable option of the two.

Does either platform require an annual contract to get the best pricing?+

Ultravox does not require an annual contract to access its best pricing, whereas Vapi does require an annual contract for its best pricing tier.

Which platform is better for non-technical users who need a no-code agent builder?+

Vapi offers a no-code agent builder, while Ultravox does not. Ultravox is described as API-first, making it better suited for developer teams than for non-technical users.

Does Vapi support HIPAA and SOC 2 compliance?+

Vapi offers a HIPAA BAA as a paid add-on rather than including it in the base plan. Vapi does not hold SOC 2 Type II certification according to available data. Compliance details for Ultravox regarding these certifications are not included in the provided facts.

Which platform has more native integrations, Vapi or Ultravox?+

Vapi lists native integrations including GHL, Twilio, Telnyx, Slack, Google Calendar, Zapier, and Make. Ultravox lists telephony integrations via partners but does not specify the same breadth of named integrations.

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