Retell AI Pricing: Is It Worth It?
A detailed comparison of Retell AI pricing against CollectDebt.ai's pricing to find which AI collections platform offers better value for automated debt collection in 2025.
Businesses today are rapidly replacing manual collection calls with AI debt collection software. These systems promise faster recoveries, lower costs, and 24/7 performance. Two popular platforms leading this change are Retell AI and CollectDebt.ai.
While both platforms automate conversations using natural voice agents, their pricing and focus areas are very different. In this guide, we'll break down Retell AI cost and how it compares with CollectDebt.ai, a purpose-built AI collections platform for lenders, agencies, and enterprises.
What is Retell AI?
Retell AI is a Y Combinator-backed voice AI platform designed to create lifelike conversational agents. It can automate phone, chat, or SMS conversations across industries from customer service to debt recovery.
The system uses real-time speech recognition and GPT-based reasoning. It also has multilingual text-to-speech for human-like interactions. Unlike traditional IVR systems, this debt collection AI can hold contextual conversations. It can transfer calls and even detect emotions in a caller's voice.
Its API-first architecture allows developers to integrate AI voice agents into existing systems easily. But for non-technical teams, setup and billing can be complex due to its modular structure.
Key Features
AI Voice Automation
This debt collection AI handles thousands of debt recovery or support calls simultaneously.
Low-Latency Conversations
Average 600–800ms response time for natural dialogue.
Multilingual Support
Works in 31+ languages with accent adaptation.
Developer Control
Complete access to APIs, webhooks, and LLM model selection.
CRM Integration
Connects with Salesforce, HubSpot, and telephony systems like Twilio.
Analytics Dashboard
Monitors call outcomes, sentiment, and recovery rates in real time.
Compliance
Supports SOC2, HIPAA, and GDPR data standards.
Custom Voice Cloning
Enables branded, lifelike voices for enterprise use.
Batch Calling
Launch thousands of outbound calls at once.
Real-Time Transcription
Converts every call into searchable text instantly.
These features make this debt collection AI powerful for technical teams that want total customization.
Retell AI Pricing and Plans
Retell AI follows a usage-based pricing model. You pay per minute for calls, depending on the voice model, LLM, and telephony provider.
| Pricing Component | Cost (Approx.) | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Voice Engine | $0.07–$0.08/min | Powered by ElevenLabs or OpenAI voices |
| LLM (GPT, Claude, Gemini) | $0.003–$0.50/min | Price varies by model |
| Telephony | $0.015/min | US-based calls via Twilio |
| Knowledge Base Add-on | +$0.005/min | Syncs with FAQs and CRMs |
| Caller ID | +$0.10/outbound call | Branded numbers for trust |
| Concurrency | +$8/month per extra line | First 20 lines free |
Typical Monthly Cost Examples:
~$145/month
~$960–$1,200/month
$5,000+/month
CollectDebt.ai: AI Debt Collector
CollectDebt.ai focuses entirely on automated debt collection. It's designed for agencies, lenders, and enterprises that want to reduce costs, improve compliance, and recover more debt with AI voice automation. This debt collection AI uses flat-rate pricing, no per-minute costs, no hidden fees, and no engineering setup.
CollectDebt.ai Pricing Plans
- 1,000 calls
- FDCPA compliance
- CRM integrations
- 5,000 calls
- Analytics
- Workflow builder
- Team tools
- 15,000 calls
- White-label option
- Private Slack support
- Volume-based discounts
- HIPAA + SOC2 compliance
All plans include AI debt collection automation, voice AI, real-time analytics, and compliance monitoring. With CollectDebt.ai, agencies can go live instantly, no coding or per-minute billing required.
How Much Cheaper is CollectDebt.ai Compared to Retell AI?
When comparing Retell AI pricing to CollectDebt.ai, the difference is significant, especially at scale.
| Scenario | Retell AI Cost | CollectDebt.ai Cost | Savings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small Agency (1,000 minutes/month) | ~$145/month | $99/month | ~32% cheaper |
| Mid-Size Agency (10,000 minutes/month) | ~$960–$1,200/month | $299/month | ~70% cheaper |
| Large Enterprise (50,000 minutes/month) | ~$5,000+/month | ~$799/month (custom) | ~84% cheaper |
Real-World Example: How the Numbers Play Out
Let's say a mid-sized debt collection agency runs 10,000 minutes of outbound calls per month using AI debt collection software.
- Voice engine ($0.07/min):$700
- LLM processing ($0.06/min):$600
- Telephony ($0.015/min):$150
- Add-ons (caller ID, knowledge base, concurrency):$200+
- Total:~$1,500/month
- Fixed Pro Plan:$299/month
- Includes all features, no per-minute charges.
- Total:$299/month
Result:
The agency saves over $1,200 every month (nearly $14,400/year) using CollectDebt.ai instead of Retell AI. That's money directly added back into the bottom line, without compromising compliance or performance.
Hidden Costs That Make Retell AI Expensive
Retell AI costs $0.07/minute; the rate seems affordable, but hidden costs accumulate quickly. The per-minute billing model means:
Unpredictable budgets
Monthly costs fluctuate 30-50% based on call volume for AI debt recovery
Feature add-ons
Each feature (knowledge base, caller ID, and concurrency) adds separate charges for the AI collections platform
LLM variance
Retell AI pricing can 10x overnight if you switch from GPT-4o mini ($0.006/min) to Claude 3.7 ($0.06/min)
Engineering time
Setup requires 2-5 days of developer time ($3,000-$8,000 in labor)
Why CollectDebt.ai is More Cost-Effective
1. Fixed Monthly Pricing
This debt collection AI offers predictable flat-rate billing. No surprise charges for LLM usage, telephony, or concurrency.
2. Built-in Compliance
CollectDebt.ai includes FDCPA, TCPA, and HIPAA compliance in every plan.
3. Zero Engineering Setup
This AI debt collector is a fully no-code platform, and teams can deploy AI collection in minutes. The other platform needs developers to configure APIs and handle webhooks.
4. All-in-One Platform
This AI debt collection software combines voice AI, SMS, email, payment workflows, and analytics in one system.
5. Predictable ROI
A typical agency switching from an AI voice agent to CollectDebt.ai reduces monthly expenses by 70–80% while doubling recovery efficiency through automation.
Which AI Debt Collector Platform Should You Choose?
- You need a multi-purpose voice AI platform for sales, support, and collections.
- You have a technical team to handle setup, testing, and integrations.
- You prioritize full control over AI models (GPT, Claude, Gemini).
- Your business is enterprise-level with flexible budgets.
Example:
A fintech startup using Retell AI may customize voice agents across multiple workflows, not just AI debt recovery, such as loan support or onboarding.
- You run a debt collection agency or financial recovery operation.
- You want ready-to-use AI debt collection software with built-in compliance.
- You need predictable pricing and faster deployment.
- You don't want to manage per-minute costs or hidden fees.
Example:
A medical billing agency making 10,000+ monthly calls switched from Retell AI to CollectDebt.ai. Their monthly cost dropped from $1,200 to $299, and setup time reduced from days to minutes. Within 60 days, their AI debt collector recovery rate improved by 42% thanks to automation and 24/7 follow-up calls.
Final Verdict: Retell AI vs CollectDebt.ai
If you're comparing the best AI debt collection software, the conclusion is clear. Retell AI is excellent for developers building custom workflows, but for agencies focused purely on collections, its per-minute billing model becomes expensive fast.
CollectDebt.ai delivers everything debt recovery teams need: voice automation, analytics, and compliance at a fixed monthly rate. It is up to 80% cheaper, faster to launch, and purpose-built for AI debt recovery. That's why hundreds of agencies now choose it as their primary AI collections platform for automated debt collection.
Frequently Asked Questions
Debt collection AI uses artificial intelligence to automate debt recovery conversations. Unlike general voice AI platforms, purpose-built AI debt collection includes FDCPA compliance monitoring, payment negotiation algorithms, and debtor behavior prediction. CollectDebt.ai's AI debt collection software handles thousands of simultaneous conversations while maintaining 99.9% regulatory compliance
It starts around $0.09–$0.15 per minute, depending on usage.
Plans start at $99/month with fixed call limits.
It works, but it's not built specifically for collection workflows.
CollectDebt.ai AI debt collection software offers specialized automation and predictable pricing.