Which AI agent for answering phone calls with AI?

Short answer: Retell AI or Vapi. Retell AI is our first pick: usage-based, easy to test.

Here are the AI tools and agents we’d look at first if you want to answer phone calls with an AI receptionist, with a simple setup recipe. This recipe is based on vendor documentation and common practice; hands-on testing is in progress.

Our picks

How to set it up

1. Write the questions callers ask most and the answers.
2. Decide when to transfer to a person or take a message.
3. Test with your own calls before going live.
4. Review call summaries daily at first.

Watch out for

Tell callers they are speaking with an AI where required.

Last reviewed Nov 2026. Pricing comes from each vendor's official page; confirm before you buy.

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