Best Deepgram Voice Agent API Alternatives in 2026
The top Deepgram Voice Agent API alternatives are Retell AI, Tone and LiveKit Agents: 15 AI voice agents our editors would look at instead of Deepgram Voice Agent API, in our ranking order.
Deepgram Voice Agent API: A configurable voice-agent stack with provider choice, telephony and self-hosting. Where it falls short: requires development work to configure and build voice-agent applications..
Switching from Deepgram Voice Agent API? For most ai voice agents buyers the best Deepgram Voice Agent API alternative is Retell AI, built for teams needing practical phone automation quickly. On a budget, Vapi starts at $29/mo. Tone has a free plan, which Deepgram Voice Agent API does not.
Why People Look for a Deepgram Voice Agent API Alternative
- Requires development work to configure and build voice-agent applications
- Per-minute pricing varies by tier and provider choices
- Custom - BYO LLM + TTS has no listed per-minute rate
- No free plan — 4 of the alternatives below have it
- Concurrent calls: 45 calls — up to 200 calls with Rapida AI
Quick Picks by What You Need
- Best overallRetell AI9.4
Teams needing practical phone automation quickly
Visit Retell AI - Lowest priceVapi8.9
Paid plans from $29/mo
Visit Vapi - Best free optionTone9.3
Has a free plan (Deepgram Voice Agent API has none)
Visit Tone - Most supported languagesRetell AI9.4
55 languages
Visit Retell AI
All 15 Deepgram Voice Agent API Alternatives, Ranked
Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.
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Best forTeams needing practical phone automation quickly
- Better than Deepgram Voice Agent API:
- Editor score 9.4 vs 9.0
Practical inbound and outbound phone automation with transfers, testing, and analytics.
- Outbound calls
- Custom phone numbers
- Inbound calls
9.4/10★★★★★Visit Retell AI -
Best forTeams wanting a complete open-source voice platform
- Better than Deepgram Voice Agent API:
- Free plan
- Editor score 9.3 vs 9.0
A full voice-agent toolkit with free self-hosting and cloud usage priced per minute.
- Outbound calls
- Custom phone numbers
- Inbound calls
9.3/10★★★★★Visit Tone -
Best forDevelopers building realtime voice agents
- Better than Deepgram Voice Agent API:
- Free plan
- Editor score 9.2 vs 9.0
An open framework for building realtime voice agents, with optional managed cloud plans.
- Outbound calls
- Custom phone numbers
- Inbound calls
9.2/10★★★★★Visit LiveKit -
Best forTeams building composable voice pipelines
- Better than Deepgram Voice Agent API:
- Editor score 9.1 vs 9.0
A composable Python framework for building and deploying voice and multimodal agents.
- Outbound calls
- Custom phone numbers
- Inbound calls
9.1/10★★★★★Visit Pipecat -
Best forTeams building and operating phone agents via API
An API-driven platform for building and operating phone and web voice agents.
- Outbound calls
- Custom phone numbers
- Inbound calls
8.9/10★★★★☆Visit Vapi -
Best forEnterprises coordinating voice and digital service
A flexible orchestration platform for enterprises, with sales-led pricing.
8.8/10★★★★☆Visit NiCE Cognigy -
Best forEnterprises automating support across connected systems
Replicant automates contact-center workflows across channels, with human handoff and failover.
8.7/10★★★★☆Visit Replicant -
Best forEnterprise customer-service voice deployments
A voice-first customer-service platform with multilingual agents, workflows and human handoff.
8.6/10★★★★☆Visit PolyAI -
Best forEnterprises automating regulated customer-service workflows
Workflow-focused voice and digital agents with enterprise controls and sales-led pricing.
8.5/10★★★★☆Visit boost.ai -
Best forExisting Genesys contact-center customers
Contact-center virtual agents with workflow execution and human escalation, sold through Genesys Cloud CX.
- Outbound calls
- Inbound calls
8.4/10★★★★☆Visit Genesys -
Best forMid-market and enterprise teams building omnichannel agents
- Better than Deepgram Voice Agent API:
- Free plan
Build AI agents visually and deploy them across voice, chat, email, and messaging.
8.3/10★★★★☆Visit Yellow.ai -
Best forEnterprises building secure multichannel assistants
A configurable enterprise platform for assistants spanning voice, messaging, and web.
8.2/10★★★★☆Visit Kore.ai -
Best forLarge enterprises automating complex service workflows
A broad platform for designing, simulating and managing customer-service agents across channels.
8.1/10★★★★☆Visit Parloa -
Best forTeams building multichannel workflow agents
A visual agent platform for teams connecting customer conversations to business systems.
8.0/10★★★★☆Visit Voiceflow -
Best forTeams needing deployment control at high call volumes
- Better than Deepgram Voice Agent API:
- Free plan
- Concurrent calls: 200 calls vs 45 calls
Deployment control and voice-agent operations, with paid plans starting at $500/month.
- Outbound calls
- Custom phone numbers
- Inbound calls
7.9/10★★★★☆Visit Rapida AI
Deepgram Voice Agent API Alternatives: Common Questions
What is the best alternative to Deepgram Voice Agent API?
Retell AI: #1 in our AI Voice Agents ranking, with an editor score of 9.4 out of 10. Practical inbound and outbound phone automation with transfers, testing, and analytics.
Is there a free alternative to Deepgram Voice Agent API?
Yes. Tone, LiveKit Agents, Pipecat, Yellow.ai and Rapida AI have a free plan or a free tier.
What is the cheapest paid alternative to Deepgram Voice Agent API?
Of the alternatives here that publish a price, Vapi starts lowest, at $29/mo.
Why do people look for Deepgram Voice Agent API alternatives?
Requires development work to configure and build voice-agent applications; Per-minute pricing varies by tier and provider choices; Custom - BYO LLM + TTS has no listed per-minute rate.
Which Deepgram Voice Agent API alternative has the most supported languages?
Retell AI, with 55 languages.
How do I switch from Deepgram Voice Agent API?
Export your data from Deepgram Voice Agent API (most tools have an export in their settings). Sign up for the alternative; start on its free plan or trial if it has one. Import your export and set up the integrations your team relies on. Run both side by side for a short while, then cancel Deepgram Voice Agent API.
How to Switch from Deepgram Voice Agent API
- Export your data from Deepgram Voice Agent API (most tools have an export in their settings).
- Sign up for the alternative; start on its free plan or trial if it has one.
- Import your export and set up the integrations your team relies on.
- Run both side by side for a short while, then cancel Deepgram Voice Agent API.
Deepgram Voice Agent API vs Each Alternative
| # | Tool | Free plan | Paid from | Inbound calls | Outbound calls | Human handoff | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | Deepgram Voice Agent API | No | $0.06 usage-based | Yes | Yes | Yes | 9.0 |
| 1 | Retell AI | No | $0.07 usage-based | Yes | Yes | Yes | 9.4 |
| 2 | Tone | Yes | $0.09 usage-based | Yes | Yes | Yes | 9.3 |
| 3 | LiveKit Agents | Yes | $50/mo | Yes | Yes | Yes | 9.2 |
| 4 | Pipecat | Free | Yes | Yes | Yes | 9.1 | |
| 5 | Vapi | No | $29/mo | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8.9 |
| 6 | Cognigy | Yes | 8.8 | ||||
| 7 | Replicant | No | Yes | 8.7 | |||
| 8 | PolyAI | No | Yes | 8.6 | |||
| 9 | boost.ai | No | Yes | 8.5 | |||
| 10 | Genesys Cloud AI Virtual Agent | No | $75/user/mo | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8.4 |
| 11 | Yellow.ai | Yes | Yes | 8.3 | |||
| 12 | Kore.ai | Yes | 8.2 | ||||
| 13 | Parloa | Yes | 8.1 | ||||
| 14 | Voiceflow | Yes | 8.0 | ||||
| 15 | Rapida AI | Yes | $500/mo | Yes | Yes | Yes | 7.9 |
Head-to-Head
- Deepgram Voice Agent API vs Retell AI
- Deepgram Voice Agent API vs Tone
- Deepgram Voice Agent API vs LiveKit Agents
- Deepgram Voice Agent API vs Pipecat
- Deepgram Voice Agent API vs Vapi
- Deepgram Voice Agent API vs Cognigy
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Last updated · How we research and update