Facts checked Oct 18, 2026Price checked Oct 18, 2026 on vapi.ai.
Explain it simply
Vapi is a toolkit for building an AI that answers or makes phone calls. You write what the agent should say, connect a phone number and choose the voice and AI model. It gives you the most control of the phone-agent tools, but expects a technical helper or an agency.
Vapi builds AI phone agents from dashboard templates or the API. You choose and pay for each component, and can run Outbound Campaigns from a CSV, book into Google Calendar and detect voicemail. Paid success packages add numbers, concurrency and support.
UK building surveyor firm (Ekron Surveyors), agency-built setup
Ekron Surveyors had an agency build a Vapi voice agent that answers enquiries, qualifies jobs and logs leads in the CRM. The agency reports yearly answering costs falling from £24K to £4K.
Agencies and technical owners building a custom phone agent
Day-before reminder calls from an appointment list
Watch-outs
Know before you start
Costs stack up: Vapi hosting plus model, voice, transcriber and phone fees per minute
Free Vapi numbers cannot launch outbound campaigns
HIPAA is a $2,000-a-month add-on and needs a signed BAA
Automated calls need consent; the FCC treats AI voices as "artificial" under the TCPA
Pricing and access
Starts with $5 of free credits and one free number. Calls cost $0.05 a minute in Vapi hosting plus the model, voice, transcriber and phone fees. The Core package is $29 a month (5 numbers, 10 concurrent calls); Pro has a $999 monthly minimum.
Price checked Oct 18, 2026 on vapi.ai. Prices and plans change; check the official site before you buy.
Facts and sources
Vapi's campaigns quickstart builds an appointment-reminder campaign "In about 10 minutes" from a CSV of contacts.Vapi, Oct 18, 2026
Vapi's pricing page lists Vapi hosting at $0.05 a minute, with transcriber, model, voice and telephony billed on top.Vapi, Oct 18, 2026