AI voice agents are becoming a core part of how businesses manage inbound calls, customer enquiries, and lead qualification. From real estate agencies and healthcare clinics to trades and professional services, businesses are increasingly turning to AI to ensure no call goes unanswered.
With the increasing demand for AI-powered voice systems, the number of platforms also increased. But in this highly competitive market, Retell AI has become one of the more talked-about platforms in the voice AI space. It positions itself as a flexible and powerful solution for building conversational phone agents. Retell AI offers strong technical capabilities, but sometimes it is not the most practical option for every business, especially for those without engineering resources.
This article takes a detailed look at Retell AI’s features, usability, security, support, pricing, and overall strengths and weaknesses. It then explores why many businesses are choosing Callease.AI as an alternative.
Key Features of Retell AI
Retell AI have a very broad feature set and includes many tools that developers and technical teams find useful:
Conversational Voice Experience
Retell AI tries to make it possible for users to engage in natural voice conversations in real-time in a way that is natural, expressive, and human-like instead of being constrained by IVR systems that allow users to only engage in linear conversations.
Flexible Models and Telephony Integration
Created with the intention of being adaptable to different needs, Retell AI offers companies access to “best-of-breed” voice models and allows them to connect with ease with telephony operators such as Twilio or custom integrations. The ease of this process ensures that companies are not locked into any one provider.
Unified Voice, Chat, And SMS Conversations
Retell AI delivers the same conversational intelligence in voice calls, chat, and SMS channels. The shared context and personality in every interaction ensure a consistent experience for users, regardless of their communication preferences.
Dynamic Knowledge-Based Responses
Agents that are backed by Retell AI have the ability to fetch answers from connected knowledge bases in real-time. This eliminates outdated scripts. It ensures that responses are always fresh, relevant, and upto-date.
Real-time Action and Workflow Execution
Retell AI goes beyond the conversation by making agents act in real-time. Whether it be scheduling appointments, updating CRM records, or triggering an external workflow, natural dialogue smoothly transitions into meaningful outcomes without breaking the conversational flow.
Retell AI Usability and Interface
Retell AI is built with a developer-first mindset, and this strongly influences how easy the platform is to use. While there is a dashboard available, most advanced configuration, logic updates, and integrations are handled through APIs and technical settings. This provides flexibility but limits accessibility for non-technical users.
For many Australian SMEs, this can create friction. Making updates to call flows, testing new scenarios, or adjusting agent behaviour often requires developer involvement. This slows iteration and reduces the ability for operations or customer service teams to manage the system independently.
For organisations with in-house engineering teams, Retell AI’s interface offers granular control. However, that control comes at the cost of simplicity and ease of use.
Usability overview:
- Developer-oriented interface
- No full visual drag-and-drop call flow builder
- Limited no-code tools for business users
- Changes often require technical involvement
- Best suited for technically resourced teams
Retell AI Security and Compliance
Retell AI supports several widely recognised security standards, including SOC 2 compliance, along with GDPR and HIPAA alignment. These measures indicate that the platform follows strong global security practices for handling voice data and customer information.
For businesses, however, there are important considerations. Retell AI does not clearly state alignment with Privacy Principles, nor does it prominently advertise Australian data residency options. Businesses in regulated industries may need to conduct additional due diligence before deploying the platform.
Overall, Retell AI provides solid baseline security, but local regulatory requirements may require further clarification.
Security and compliance highlights:
- Limited visibility on Australia-specific complianceMany companies combine ElevenLabs with other Vapi AI Alternatives to improve call realism.
- SOC 2 compliant
- Supports GDPR and HIPAA standards
- Secure handling of customer conversations
- No clear Australian data residency offering
Retell AI Customer Support
Retell AI’s support model is primarily self-service. Users have access to documentation, guides, and community channels, along with email support for technical issues. This approach works well for developers who are comfortable troubleshooting independently.
For businesses operating across different time zones, this model may feel limited. There is little emphasis on local support coverage or dedicated account management for smaller teams, which can be a concern for businesses relying on AI phone agents for revenue or customer service.
More hands-on support is generally reserved for higher-tier or enterprise customers.
Customer support summary:
- Documentation and technical guides
- Community-based support channels
- Email support available
- Limited local or time zone-aligned assistance
- No dedicated support on entry-level usage
Retell AI Pricing
Retell AI uses a usage-based pricing model where businesses pay based on how much they use the platform. This provides flexibility but can make costs harder to predict, especially for businesses handling high call volumes.
Retell AI Pricing Table
| Cost Component | Price |
| AI voice with ElevenLabs | From approx. $0.07 per minute |
| AI voice with OpenAI | From approx. $0.08 per minute |
| Telephony | Around $0.015 per minute |
| Australia-specific call rates | Around $0.10 per minute |
| Phone number rental | About $2 per number per month |
| AI chat agents | From approx. $0.002 per message |
| Extra knowledge bases | $8 per month after free allowance |
| Concurrency add-ons | $8 per active line per month |
Retell AI also offers around $10 in free credits for testing. Final costs vary based on voice choice, call duration, and usage patterns.
Retell AI: Pros and Cons
| Category | Pros | Cons |
| Usability | Highly flexible for custom builds | Steep learning curve for non-technical users |
| Strong developer control | No visual call flow builder | |
| Scales well technically | Ongoing changes often require engineers | |
| Security | SOC 2 compliant | No clear Australian data residency |
| GDPR and HIPAA aligned | Limited Australia-specific compliance clarity | |
| Pricing | No fixed subscription fees | Monthly costs can be unpredictable |
| Pay-as-you-use flexibility | Usage costs add up at scale | |
| Support | Detailed documentation | Limited hands-on support |
| Community channels available | No dedicated support on basic plans |
Why Callease.AI is a Better Retell AI Alternative for Australian Businesses
While Retell AI focuses on technical flexibility, Callease.AI is designed around business outcomes. It prioritises ease of use, fast deployment, and features that align with real operational needs rather than infrastructure management.
Callease.AI allows businesses to deploy AI voice agents that answer calls, qualify leads, book appointments, and route enquiries without requiring engineering teams. Business users can manage call flows and updates themselves, reducing reliance on developers.
The platform is designed with Australian businesses in mind, offering clearer pricing structures, guided onboarding, and support aligned with local operating hours.
Feature Comparison: Retell AI vs Callease.AI
| Feature | Retell AI | Callease.AI |
| Target users | Developers | Business teams |
| Setup complexity | Technical | Guided and simple |
| Visual call flow builder | Limited | Available |
| No-code configuration | Limited | Strong |
| Pricing predictability | Variable | More predictable |
| Local business focus | Global | Global yet Australian-focused |
| Support model | Documentation and community | Dedicated onboarding and support |
Final Thoughts
On the whole, Retell AI is a robust and capable solution for AI calling, especially for businesses that demand a high degree of customisation and possess the technical know-how to handle complex setups. With its highly scalable and flexible architecture, high-quality voice solutions, and real-time functionality, Retell AI is rated an overall 7.5 out of 10 as a solution for complex voice automation requirements.
However, it is also important to note that not all businesses may necessarily benefit from or require such a high degree of complexity. For businesses that value rapid deployment, predictable costs, and ease of use, Callease.AI may provide a more viable and feasible alternative. It is particularly suited for businesses that are focused on growth, customer satisfaction, and efficiency, and not necessarily on complex technical requirements.
It is also important to note that the AI calling industry is a rapidly evolving one, and there exist a number of Retell AI alternatives that businesses may choose to explore depending on their specific requirements.
Note: All reviews, comparisons, and details mentioned above are based on information available from publicly accessible sources on the internet. This content is intended for informational purposes only and does not aim to misrepresent or defame any specific platform.
