Comparison
Hi Agent vs Retell AI
Retell AI is built for mid-market dev teams + a small set of vertical agencies building on top of retell for their end customers. Hi Agent is built for US home-improvement contractors — HVAC, plumbing, roofing, electrical, landscaping and remodeling. If you run a trades business, that distinction is the entire comparison.
Pick Hi Agent if
- You run a home-services business (HVAC, plumbing, roofing, electrical, landscaping, remodeling)
- You don't want to engineer your own dispatcher
- You need ServiceTitan / Housecall Pro / Jobber integration on day one
- You want predictable monthly pricing, not per-minute
Pick Retell AI if
- You want a general-purpose voice AI dashboard
- You're comfortable modeling your own call flows
- Per-minute pricing matches your volume
- You're not strictly a home-services business
Side by side
| Feature | Hi Agent | Retell AI |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Home-services contractors | General |
| Pricing model | Flat monthly, no per-minute surprises | Per-minute, with volume discounts |
| Starts at | From ~$799 / month (most contractors) | From $0.07 / minute |
| Pickup speed | <1s | ~1s |
| After-hours dispatch (built-in) | Yes | No |
| CRM integrations | ServiceTitan, Housecall Pro, Jobber, Service Fusion | Twilio, HubSpot, Webhook |
| Custom voice | Yes | Yes |
| SIP forward (keep your number) | Yes | Yes |
| Contract required | Yes | Yes |
Where Retell AI falls short for contractors
Retell is generalist — strong dashboard, weak vertical templates. Trades-specific call shapes (after-hours dispatch, insurance-claim intake, install vs repair triage) still need to be modeled by you.
Where Hi Agent wins
Retell gives you a blank canvas. Hi Agent gives you a working trades receptionist on day one — no prompt engineering, no integration sprint.