Retell AI vs Vapi:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, Retell AI had more branded searches than Vapi among AI voice agents worldwide. Retell AI had about 60,500 branded searches, while Vapi had 18,100. Retell AI made up 51.9% of all AI voice agent searches we track, and Vapi accounted for 15.5%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about AI voice agents, Retell AI appeared in all five answers and Vapi in four. Retell AI was mentioned before Vapi in three out of five answers.
Who do people search for more?
Retell AI, about 3 searches for every 1 for Vapi
Who does AI mention more?
Retell AI, mentioned in every answer we collected
Who does AI recommend more?
Retell AI, named ahead of Vapi in 3 of 5 answers
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Top AI voice agents in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, Retell AI appeared in all five answers. Vapi was mentioned in four out of five: in all three ChatGPT answers and in one of the two Google AI Overviews. Retell AI was listed before Vapi in three out of five answers.
Most recommended by AI
Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.
Mentioned by AI
Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.
- Retell AI5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
Bland AI5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
Vapi4 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
Synthflow4 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
Voiceflow2 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
See every answer about AI voice agents
5 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Which AI voice agent platform should I use?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best AI voice agent platforms?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best AI voice agent platform for customer calls?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“ai voice agent platforms”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“ai phone agent”
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in the United States on October 20, 2026.
Is Retell AI or Vapi more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for Retell AI and Vapi by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all five AI voice agents we track, month by month, from English-language searches worldwide.
Share of searches by month for Retell AI, Vapi. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | Retell AI | Vapi | Voiceflow | Bland AI | Synthflow |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 39.5% | 17.7% | 26.4% | 8.5% | 7.9% |
| Nov 2025 | 40.1% | 18% | 26.9% | 8.5% | 6.6% |
| Dec 2025 | 45% | 16.5% | 24.6% | 7.8% | 6% |
| Jan 2026 | 46.3% | 16.9% | 20.7% | 9.9% | 6.2% |
| Feb 2026 | 45.9% | 16.8% | 20.5% | 11.7% | 5% |
| Mar 2026 | 43.8% | 19.6% | 19.6% | 11.2% | 5.9% |
| Apr 2026 | 45.2% | 20.2% | 20.2% | 9.5% | 4.9% |
| May 2026 | 44.8% | 24.5% | 16.4% | 9.3% | 4.9% |
| Jun 2026 | 44.3% | 19.8% | 19.8% | 11.3% | 4.8% |
| Jul 2026 | 45.9% | 20.6% | 16.8% | 11.7% | 5% |
| Aug 2026 | 54.3% | 16.3% | 16.3% | 9.2% | 4% |
| Sep 2026 | 51.9% | 15.5% | 15.5% | 13.3% | 3.8% |
How has the Retell AI and Vapi comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Retell AI was ahead of Vapi in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Retell AI’s share of searches among AI voice agents worldwide moved from 39.5% to 51.9%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 60.5K.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Vapi’s share of searches among AI voice agents worldwide moved from 17.7% to 15.5%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 27.1K to 18.1K.
How did search popularity change for AI voice agents worldwide in September 2026?
2 changes
In September 2026, Retell AI lost share of searches among AI voice agents worldwide, from 54.3% to 51.9%.
In September 2026, Vapi lost share of searches among AI voice agents worldwide, from 16.3% to 15.5%.
How are branded searches counted?
2 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Retell AI’s and Vapi’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.
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