A detailed comparison of two voice AI platforms. See why developers choose Burki for 57% lower costs and superior features.
At 10,000 minutes/month, you save $400/month with Burki.
| Feature | Burki | Retell |
|---|---|---|
| Platform Fee | $0.03/min57% savings | $0.07/min |
| Free Trial | $2 credit | ~60 minutes |
| Free Phone Number | 30 days | Limited |
| BYO API Keys | Full support | Limited |
| HIPAA Compliance | Included free | Included |
| Feature | Burki | Retell |
|---|---|---|
| Response Latency | 0.8 seconds | ~1.2 seconds |
| Time to First Token | ~300ms | ~500ms |
| Concurrent Calls | Unlimited | 20 on free tier |
| Uptime SLA | 99.9% | 99.9% |
| Feature | Burki | Retell |
|---|---|---|
| LLM Providers | 50+ | ~8 |
| TTS Providers | 15+ | ~6 |
| Voice Cloning | Yes, any provider | Limited |
| Voice Analyzer | Included free | Not available |
| IVR Explorer | Auto-discovery | Not available |
| Memory System | 3-tier advanced | Basic |
| Spam Detection | AI-powered | Not available |
| Feature | Burki | Retell |
|---|---|---|
| Dashboard UI | Modern, intuitive | Functional |
| Documentation | Comprehensive | Good |
| API Design | RESTful + WebSocket | RESTful |
| Live Transcripts | WebSocket streaming | Basic |
| Lambda Discovery | Auto AWS integration | Manual setup |
Real feedback from developers who made the switch.
At $0.07/min, Retell costs add up quickly for high-volume applications.
Burki's $0.03/min is 57% cheaper - save $400/month at 10K minutes.
Stuck with Retell's limited selection of LLM and TTS providers.
Burki supports 50+ providers. Use any LLM, TTS, or STT you want.
No built-in way to analyze calls, extract insights, or improve over time.
Burki's Voice Analyzer provides sentiment, transcripts, and AI insights free.
No IVR explorer, basic memory system, no spam detection.
Burki offers IVR Explorer, 3-tier memory, AI spam detection - all included.
Common questions about switching from Retell to Burki.
Yes, Burki is significantly cheaper than Retell. Burki charges $0.03 per minute while Retell charges $0.07 per minute - a 57% cost reduction. For a typical 10,000 minute monthly usage, you'd save $400 with Burki ($300 vs $700). Both platforms include HIPAA compliance at no extra charge, and Burki offers $2 free credit compared to Retell's ~60 minutes.
Yes, switching from Retell to Burki is straightforward. Burki supports similar voice agent configurations and many of the same LLM, TTS, and STT providers. Most development teams complete migration within 2 hours. You can sign up for free ($2 credit, no credit card required), test your configuration, and gradually transition your traffic.
Burki achieves lower latency than Retell. Burki's average response time is 0.8 seconds compared to Retell's approximately 1.2 seconds. While both platforms offer reasonable performance, Burki's 33% faster response times contribute to more natural-feeling conversations, especially noticeable during rapid back-and-forth exchanges.
Yes, Burki offers significantly more provider integrations. Burki supports 50+ LLM, TTS, and STT providers, while Retell offers approximately 15. Additionally, Burki's BYO (Bring Your Own) mode allows you to use your own API keys and pay providers directly, giving you complete control over costs and vendor relationships.
Yes, every Burki signup gets $2 in free wallet credit — no credit card required. This lets you test voice calls, SMS, and integrations immediately. Retell's free trial is more limited and may require a card.
Burki offers several features not available in Retell: IVR Explorer automatically maps existing phone trees into AI assistants; Voice Analyzer provides free post-call analytics with sentiment and insights; AWS Lambda auto-discovery automatically configures serverless functions as tools; a three-tier memory system enables sophisticated context retention; and AI spam detection protects your agents from unwanted calls.
Switch to Burki in minutes. Our API is designed to be familiar.
$2 free credit. No credit card required.
This comparison is based on publicly available information from official documentation and pricing pages. Prices and features may change. Always verify current information on official websites.