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The price, the extras and the main difference. Start here.
≈ $0.121 / call minute
Observed across 3 inbound calls: connection + recording + AI agent
$0.0195 connection + $0.0090 recording + $0.1340 voice agent. With separately recorded post-call AI: $0.1952.
See the calls and cost breakdown≈ $0.12 to $0.13 / call minute
US inbound estimate: GPT-4.1 + ElevenLabs + Deepgram + Twilio, with recording
$50 platform + approximately $69 to $73 for AI providers, connection and recording. See the configuration and breakdown below.
Official Vapi pricingVapi estimate checked September 6, 2026. AXL is observed usage; Vapi is a modeled US inbound setup. Number rental, recording storage, post-call analysis and taxes are separate.
Three inbound appointment calls handled by an AXL AI receptionist. Each example includes the 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 |
Across these three calls: approximately $0.121/min, or $0.130/min including recorded post-call AI. Weighted by actual duration; the 7.51-second and zero-duration calls are excluded.
| Conversation | Connection | Recording | AI agent | Post-call AI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Appointment booking | $0.0195 | $0.0090 | $0.1340 | $0.0327 |
| Specialist and time selection | $0.0402 | $0.0210 | $0.3036 | $0.0000 |
| Alternative time booking | $0.0204 | $0.0120 | $0.1574 | $0.0234 |
Call cost adds connection, recording and voice-agent credits. The final total also includes separately recorded post-call AI credits. Included plan credits can reduce additional charges. Subscription, number rental and taxes are separate. These selected examples are not a universal tariff, a quality benchmark or proof of a US calling route.
| Compare | AXL | Vapi |
|---|---|---|
| Platform fee | Starter from $49/month | Usage-based Build plan |
| Main focus | Voice, CRM, booking, chat and automation together | Modular voice infrastructure with API and model control. |
| Setup | Describe the job to your AXL AI Assistant | Configure the voice agent and connect your business tools |
| After the call | Recordings, transcripts and scenario result actions | Check the CRM and workflow integrations your team needs |
| Component | Approximate cost | Assumption |
|---|---|---|
| Vapi hosting | $0.0500 | Build plan platform fee |
| Speech recognition | $0.0100 | Deepgram estimate in Vapi's calculator |
| Voice synthesis | $0.0360 | ElevenLabs estimate in Vapi's calculator |
| Language model | $0.0120 | GPT-4.1: assumed 4,000 input and 500 output tokens/min |
| US local inbound connection | $0.0085 to $0.0125 | Twilio inbound rate; upper estimate adds a $0.004 SIP interface leg when applicable |
| Call recording | $0.0025 | Twilio recording enabled |
| Estimated call usage | $0.1190 to $0.1230 | Approximately $119 to $123 for 1,000 billable minutes |
The model allowance is our explicit example: 4,000 × $2 per million input tokens + 500 × $8 per million output tokens = $0.012/min, without caching. Longer prompts, different models, speech volume and provider plans change the result. This narrow range covers the connection options above, not every possible Vapi configuration.
One Twilio US local number adds $1.15/month. Keeping 1,000 recorded minutes adds $0.50/month at the listed storage rate: approximately $120.65 to $124.65 for this usage, one number and one month of storage, before tax. Billing rounding, transfers, optional post-call analysis and additional services can increase the bill. Bring-your-own keys change who bills you, not whether provider usage costs money.
Sources: Vapi pricing and speech estimates, GPT-4.1 token prices, Twilio US connection, recording and number prices.