Retell AI vs Five9: Which is Better in 2026?
Choosing between Retell AI and Five9 comes down to understanding what each tool does best. This comparison breaks down the key differences so you can make an informed decision based on your specific needs, not marketing claims.
Bottom line: Five9 wins this matchup. UiPath is our overall AI Agents pick. Lucid Train is our free AI Agents pick. Pick Retell AI if you need AI voice.
Short on time? Here's the quick answer
Based on published vendor pricing and features and on public review data, here's who should pick what:
Retell AI
Automate customer interactions with human-sounding AI voice agents
Best for you if:
- • You want a free tier before you commit
Five9
Intelligent cloud contact center
Best for you if:
- • You want leverages AI (Five9 Genius AI) for agentic CX, enabling seamless, personalized, and effortless customer experiences
| At a Glance | Retell AI | Five9 |
|---|---|---|
Starts at | Free Free plan | $119/mo Digital |
Category | AI Voice AI Agents | Customer Support AI Agents |
Rating | 4.8/5 G2 4.8 1,472 reviews | 4.1/5 G2 4.1 · Capterra 4.2 1,109 reviews |
Free plan | Yes | No |
Choose Retell AI or Five9?
Choose Retell AI if
- You want a free tier before you commit
- You want delivers highly natural and human-like AI conversations with low latency
- You want offers extensive configurability and control over AI agent behavior
- You work in AI voice, not customer support
Choose Five9 if
- You want leverages AI (Five9 Genius AI) for agentic CX, enabling seamless, personalized, and effortless customer experiences
- You want intelligent cloud contact center
- You work in customer support, not AI voice
In-Depth Analysis
Retell AI
Automate customer interactions with human-sounding AI voice agents
Strengths
- Pro: Delivers highly natural and human-like AI conversations with low latency.
- Pro: Offers extensive configurability and control over AI agent behavior.
- Pro: Supports complex, multi-turn conversations and handles edge cases effectively.
- Pro: Provides robust testing, QA, and analytics tools for continuous optimization.
- Pro: Integrates with existing telephony and offers multi-channel communication capabilities.
Weaknesses
- Con: Pricing model is usage-based and can become complex with multiple add-ons and LLM choices.
- Con: Requires some technical understanding for full customization and API integration.
- Con: Reliance on external LLMs means performance can be influenced by third-party models.
Key features
Five9
Intelligent cloud contact center
Five9's pricing, starting at $119/month for Digital and $159/month for Core, is on the higher end for cloud contact center solutions, especially considering the Digital tier lacks voice.
Strengths
- Pro: Leverages AI (Five9 Genius AI) for agentic CX, enabling seamless, personalized, and effortless customer experiences.
- Pro: Offers a highly flexible and scalable platform with five distinct solution packages (Digital, Core, Plus, Pro, Enterprise) to cater to diverse business needs and growth.
- Pro: Provides comprehensive omnichannel support including voice, chat, email, SMS/MMS, and social messaging.
- Pro: Integrates with popular CRM (Salesforce, ServiceNow, Dynamics, Zendesk, Oracle) and UC (Microsoft Teams, Zoom, RingCentral, ATT Office@hand) platforms.
- Pro: Includes robust Workforce Engagement Management (WEM) solutions with options for Five9's own WEM or integration with partners like Verint (VCS) or Calabrio.
Weaknesses
- Con: Pricing for 'Plus', 'Pro', and 'Enterprise' packages requires direct sales contact, lacking transparent upfront costs for advanced features.
- Con: Some features, such as WhatsApp integration and additional usage-based pricing for certain functionalities, are noted as coming soon or may incur extra costs.
- Con: A minimum of 50 seats is required for concurrent user pricing, which might be a barrier for very small businesses.
Key features
Pricing: Retell AI vs Five9
| Plan | Retell AI | Five9 |
|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 | N/A | $119 Digital |
| Tier 2 | N/A | $159 Core |
| Tier 3 | N/A | Custom Plus |
| Tier 4 | N/A | Custom Enterprise |
Pricing verified from each vendor's public pricing page. Compare in detail on Retell AI pricing and Five9 pricing.
Key Takeaways
Five9
- Our pick for this comparison
Retell AI
- Has a free tier
- Higher user rating: 4.8/5 vs 4.1/5
- Larger review base (1,472 reviews)
- Better fit for AI voice
The Bottom Line
Five9 wins this matchup. UiPath is our overall AI Agents pick. Lucid Train is our free AI Agents pick. Retell AI has a free tier if you want to test without paying.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Retell AI or Five9 better in 2026?
Five9 wins this matchup. UiPath is our overall AI Agents pick. Lucid Train is our free AI Agents pick. Pick Retell AI for AI voice workflows (main strength: delivers highly natural and human-like AI conversations with low latency). Pick Five9 for customer support workflows (main strength: leverages AI (Five9 Genius AI) for agentic CX, enabling seamless, personalized, and effortless customer experiences).
What are Retell AI and Five9 used for?
Retell AI: Automate customer interactions with human-sounding AI voice agents. Five9: Intelligent cloud contact center.
What does Retell AI cost vs Five9?
Retell AI pricing is on their site. Five9's paid plans start at $119/mo (Digital).
What's the main difference between Retell AI and Five9?
Retell AI's main strength: delivers highly natural and human-like AI conversations with low latency. Five9's main strength: leverages AI (Five9 Genius AI) for agentic CX, enabling seamless, personalized, and effortless customer experiences.