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claude mcp add axl --transport http https://app.axl.tech/mcp
The cost of a conversation, including the AI and the phone connection.
An 80-second inbound call: a real AXL bill alongside Retell estimates for a US local number.
$0.1625 / 1 min 20 sec call
About $0.122/min, based on this recorded example
$0.173 to $0.360 / 1 min 20 sec call
$0.13 to $0.27/min across the three configurations below
Each includes $0.055/min infrastructure and $0.015/min managed Twilio calling. Paid add-ons increase the price.
Official component pricingUSD. Retell rates checked September 6, 2026. These are three selected configurations, not its entire price range. AXL is one observed call, not a universal rate. Monthly plans, number rental and taxes are separate; no transfers or optional analysis are included in the Retell estimates.
AXL brings voice agents together with CRM, booking, messaging and automation. A call can be one step in a longer process: a lead arrives, an agent asks qualifying questions, and a scenario sends the result to the next action.
This matters when you want the team to manage the customer relationship in AXL as well as the conversation. The agent, booking pages and follow-up tools can share the same account. You still need to configure the instructions, permissions and actions for your particular job.
Explore AXL Voice AIRetell offers voice-agent building, testing and call operations, with integrations for the systems a business already uses. Its native Workflows can retrieve context before a call and write results to connected services afterward.
For a team keeping its current CRM or helpdesk, this can be a useful fit. Check the exact integration and actions you need: a native connection, a community connector and a custom API function require different setup work.
Read about Retell WorkflowsThree receptionist calls, including connection, recording and voice agent.
| The conversation | Duration | Call cost | Including post-call AI |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointment bookingA caller booked a manicure with the AI receptionist. | 1 min 20.4 sec | $0.1625 | $0.1952 |
| Specialist and time selectionThe caller explored specialists and available times before choosing an appointment. | 3 min 2.14 sec | $0.3648 | $0.3648No extra post-call AI usage recorded |
| Alternative time bookingThe requested time was unavailable; the caller accepted an earlier opening. | 1 min 34.45 sec | $0.1898 | $0.2132 |
Duration-weighted: $0.121/min, or $0.130 with post-call AI. Short and zero-duration calls excluded.
Credits valued at $0.01; plan allowances can reduce extra charges. Subscription, number rental and taxes are separate. Geography is unconfirmed.
From the first call to the follow-up: how each platform handles the job.
| Your task | AXL | Retell |
|---|---|---|
| AI receptionist | Inbound callsAnswer questions and book from attached calendars. | Inbound callsAnswer questions, route calls and use booking tools. |
| Outbound calls | Scenario automationQualification, reminders and customer-feedback calls. | Outbound campaignsBatch calls, API triggers and connected workflows. |
| Set up through chat | AXL AI AssistantConfigure agents and route a number you already own. | Retell ConductorBuild, refine and simulate voice agents through chat. |
| Book an appointment | AXL bookingCheck availability and book on attached booking pages. | Calendar integrationsConnect tools such as Cal.com or Calendly. |
| Recordings & transcripts | Call history + contactKeep the recording and transcript with the customer. | Call history + exportsReview recordings and transcripts; send data to other tools. |
| Analyze call results | Optional AI analysisExtract answers and choose the matching scenario branch. | Post-call analysisExtract fields and use results in workflows or webhooks. |
| Act after the call | AXL scenariosCreate a task, send a message or run a webhook step. | Retell WorkflowsUpdate connected CRMs, tickets and other business tools. |
| Customer workspace | CRM, booking & messagingManage the wider customer journey in the same AXL account. | Voice operations & integrationsConnect call workflows to your existing business tools. |
Retell sources: Conductor, integrations, Workflows, call events.
Usage figures above exclude monthly subscriptions and number rental. AXL Starter starts at $49/month; its included credits can offset AI usage. Retell pay-as-you-go has no platform subscription; a regular US number is $2/month. AXL number rental depends on the selected number.
AXL: $0.0195 connection + $0.0090 recording + approximately $0.1340 AI = $0.1625. Based on a supplied billing example and a reported inbound duration of 1:20. Dividing by 80/60 gives approximately $0.122/min. AI credits use their displayed dollar equivalent; credits and carrier billing can use different precision.
Retell for 80 seconds: GPT-4.1 ($0.045) + standard voice ($0.015) + infrastructure ($0.055) + managed Twilio calling ($0.015) = $0.13/min, approximately $0.173/call. With GPT-5.4 ($0.080) and ElevenLabs ($0.040), the total is $0.19/min, approximately $0.253/call. GPT-5.5 ($0.160) with ElevenLabs totals $0.27/min, or $0.360/call.
Retell examples use standard model tiers and a regular US number. Fast tiers, knowledge bases, advanced denoising, quality assurance and other paid options may add charges. This compares billing examples, not equivalent model quality or a measured Retell call.
Start with what the agent should accomplish: answer an enquiry, qualify a lead, book a time or collect feedback. Give the AXL AI Assistant your business instructions, attach the relevant booking pages and configure an existing number's route. Buying the number remains your action.
Then test a real conversation. Check the answers, what happens when no slot is available, and which scenario branch handles the result. A good setup includes the next step, not just a pleasant voice.
Retell also offers conversational setup through Conductor. It can help build, refine and simulate agents, with changes reviewed before going live. An AI setup assistant is therefore a capability to evaluate on both platforms.
Use the same brief for your trial: the same business information, booking rules and difficult questions. Compare how much configuration remains and whether the resulting agent follows your instructions.
Retell's Conductor release notesThese are example workflows to configure, not claims that every step is enabled by default.
In AXL: attach booking pages, let the voice agent check availability and reserve an open slot, then review the conversation in call history. In Retell: configure booking tools through a supported calendar connection such as Cal.com or Calendly. Test a full calendar and a caller who changes their mind.
In AXL: configure an outbound AI-call scenario, extract the answers you need and route the result to a task, message or webhook. In Retell: configure the call and its post-call workflow to update the connected business tool. Check that the right person receives enough context to continue.
Ask both agents the same feedback questions and include an unhappy customer in the test. In AXL: optional analysis can extract answers and select a follow-up branch. In Retell: evaluate its post-call analysis and result actions. Distinguish collecting customer feedback from a separate paid call-scoring feature.
You want voice, customer records, booking and follow-up in the same workspace. It is especially relevant to a business building its wider process in AXL: reception, sales qualification, appointment reminders or webinar follow-up.
Try the complete path from enquiry to action. The useful result is a booked meeting, a clear next task or a customer answer your team can use.
Explore receptionist workflowsYou want to add voice agents to an established collection of business tools and are evaluating dedicated voice operations. Review its agent builder, testing options and the specific native integrations that match your workflow.
During a trial, check integration coverage and actual call bills with the model and voice you intend to keep. A low entry rate alone does not describe your production configuration.
Explore Retell AIUse the same call direction, country, duration and job. Compare answer accuracy, interruptions, successful bookings and whether follow-up actions actually run. Include the full call charge, paid analysis and the monthly tools you still need. The AXL example above is an actual bill; the Retell figures are calculated configurations. They do not establish a latency or quality winner.