Retell vs Calldesk AI: Who is #1?

Retell - a quick overview

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Founded in 2023 in Saratoga, California by Todd Li, Evie Wang, Bing Wu, Weijia Yu, and Zexia Zhang, Retell AI is transforming business communication with its advanced AI-powered phone agents. The platform empowers organizations to automate and enhance customer engagement through features like real-time conversational voice agents, multilingual support, call transfers, appointment management, seamless CRM integrations (including Salesforce and HubSpot), SMS follow-ups, and robust analytics. Retell AI’s flexible API and scalable infrastructure make it a top choice for developers and businesses seeking reliable voice automation at scale.

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Retell serves thousands of users globally—ranging from contact centers to tech-forward enterprises—who rely on its low-latency interactions and intuitive setup to streamline operations without the need for engineering resources. Recognized as an “Outperformer” among leading Voice AI platforms by CB Insights and included in multiple expert collections for artificial intelligence innovation, Retell continues to set new standards in the industry.

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The following section will break down Retell’s features, pros/cons, pricing details, and user reviews compared with Calldesk AI and Ringly.io.

Retell's features

• AI Voice Agent Customization
  Retell lets you create human-like AI phone agents with customizable voices, languages, and engagement levels. This is ideal for businesses needing tailored customer interactions across different markets. While this matches Calldesk AI’s multilingual support, Ringly.io offers even deeper personalization and easier setup for e-commerce use cases.
• Knowledge Base Integration
  You can integrate your website or documentation so the agent answers questions based on your real content. This helps reduce misinformation and repetitive queries. However, Retell may require more manual configuration than Ringly.io’s instant knowledge syncing and daily updates, which keep information fresher with less effort.
• Call Transfer & Routing
  Retell supports seamless call transfers to human reps when needed—useful for complex issues that need a personal touch. Compared to Calldesk AI’s routing options, Retell gives solid control but lacks the advanced smart triggers and context-rich summaries found in Ringly.io’s transfer system.
• Appointment Management & Scheduling
  The platform can handle appointment bookings directly via phone calls—streamlining scheduling without human intervention. This feature is comparable to Calldesk AI but isn’t as specialized as Ringly.io’s order management tools designed specifically for online stores.
• Multilingual Support & Global Reach
  Retell supports multiple languages out-of-the-box, making it suitable for international businesses aiming to serve diverse customers efficiently. While this matches Calldesk AI in breadth of language support, Ringly.io also covers 20+ languages but adds e-commerce-specific flows that global brands appreciate.
• Omni-Channel Capabilities (Including SMS)
  You get omni-channel workflows including SMS integration so agents can communicate beyond just voice calls—a must-have for modern customer service teams. However, setting up these channels often requires more technical work than on platforms like Ringly.io where sending texts mid-call is effortless and template-driven.
• Scalable Architecture & High Call Volume Handling
  Retell is built to manage large volumes of simultaneous calls reliably—great for enterprises or fast-growing companies expecting spikes in demand. While both competitors offer scalability, only Ringly.io combines this with automation features tuned specifically for high-volume e-commerce operations.
• Monitoring Tools & Analytics
  The platform provides analytics dashboards showing call effectiveness and user sentiment analysis so you can optimize scripts over time. These insights are valuable but tend not to be as actionable or granular as the real-time call analysis—including mood tracking—that comes standard with every conversation on Ringly.io.

In summary: Retell delivers a robust set of core voice automation features suitable for many industries—with strong customization options—but generally requires more manual setup than either Calldesk AI or especially the streamlined experience offered by Ringly.io if you’re focused on rapid deployment or deep e-commerce integration.

Pros

• Extremely easy to use – Users consistently praise Retell’s intuitive dashboard, quick setup process, and user-friendly templates that make building voice agents straightforward even for non-experts.
• Exceptional customer support – Many reviewers highlight responsive support teams who help with onboarding, troubleshooting, and ongoing integration needs.
• Seamless integration capabilities – The platform is noted for its strong API management and ability to connect with major voice tech providers (like ElevenLabs, Deepgram), making it flexible for custom solutions.
• Fast response times & low latency – Users report that conversations feel natural due to minimal lag between prompts and responses; this improves both agent performance and customer satisfaction.
• Affordable pricing model – Unlike some competitors that charge platform fees or require large upfront commitments, Retell offers pay-as-you-go pricing without hidden costs—making it accessible for startups as well as enterprise teams.

Cons

• Missing features & limited customization options – Some users mention a lack of advanced features (such as more diverse male voices or deeper customization), which can limit scalability or specific use cases if your requirements are complex.
• Occasional latency issues – While generally fast, there are reports of sporadic delays in response time during high-load periods or complex interactions; this can impact the overall experience in mission-critical deployments.
• Limited number of agents per deployment – Several reviewers note restrictions on how many concurrent agents can be deployed at once without moving up to higher-priced tiers—a potential bottleneck if you’re scaling rapidly.
• Engineering-focused complexity – The platform is designed primarily for technical teams: there’s no full visual builder or no-code workflow. This means business users may struggle without developer resources when setting up advanced flows or integrations (unlike Ringly.io’s more business-friendly approach).
• Unresponsive to feature requests & vendor reliability concerns – A few customers express frustration about slow responses to new feature suggestions or feeling “locked in” due to switching costs; some question long-term vendor reliability compared with more established alternatives (an area where Ringly.io emphasizes stability).

These insights reflect what actual users have experienced—Retell excels at rapid deployment of high-quality AI voice agents but may require additional engineering effort for highly customized solutions. For organizations seeking a balance between flexibility and ease-of-use—or those needing robust no-code tools—solutions like Ringly.io address several pain points mentioned above while maintaining similar benefits.

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Calldesk AI - a quick overview

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Founded in 2016 in Paris, France, by Vincent Gire and Aimé Dushimire, Calldesk AI is a pioneer in conversational AI voice agents designed to transform customer service. Their platform automates routine calls and resolves issues faster with intelligent AI support agents that integrate seamlessly into existing call center systems.

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Calldesk serves large enterprises across multiple industries with features like multi-language support (54 languages), smart call routing, order status checks, SMS sending mid-call, and advanced AI-driven call analysis. Trusted by clients such as La Poste and MGEN, Calldesk empowers businesses to reduce operational costs while boosting customer satisfaction through automation.

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In the following section, we will explore Calldesk’s features, pros and cons, pricing models, and user reviews compared to competitors Retell and Ringly.io to help you determine the best fit for your business needs.

Calldesk AI's features

• Conversational AI Voice Agents Calldesk AI offers advanced conversational voice agents that automate both inbound and outbound calls. These agents can handle customer queries, schedule appointments, and qualify leads with natural, human-like dialogue. The platform is designed for businesses seeking to reduce manual call handling costs while maintaining a high-quality customer experience. Compared to Retell, which also provides fast (<500ms) and scalable voice automation, Calldesk’s strength lies in its focus on seamless conversation flows but may lack the deep knowledge base integration found in Ringly.io.
• No-Code Agent Creation With Calldesk’s no-code interface, users can build and deploy custom phone agents without technical expertise. This empowers teams to quickly launch new workflows or campaigns without waiting on engineering resources—a benefit shared with Retell’s code-free setup. However, Ringly.io takes this further by allowing instant expertise via website or document uploads—no training required—which means faster onboarding for complex business needs.
• Multi-Channel Communication Calldesk supports not just phone calls but also SMS and web chat interactions from a single platform. This omni-channel approach ensures customers can reach your business through their preferred method at any time—similar to Retell’s multi-channel capabilities. While this covers most standard channels, Ringly.io enhances the experience by integrating real-time order status checks and transactional SMS during live calls for e-commerce scenarios.
• Real-Time Analytics & Call Insights The platform provides dashboards with detailed analytics such as call outcomes (resolved/transferred), sentiment analysis, intent recognition rates, and first-call resolution metrics. These insights help businesses optimize agent performance over time—a feature robustly supported by both Calldesk and Retell. However, Ringly.io adds actionable suggestions powered by AI trend spotting that directly improve sales recovery (like abandoned cart follow-up) rather than just reporting data.
• Seamless CRM & Tool Integrations Calldesk integrates with popular CRMs like Salesforce or HubSpot so all call data syncs automatically into existing workflows. This streamlines lead management and follow-ups across sales or support teams—a capability matched closely by Retell’s CRM integrations. Yet only Ringly.io enables dynamic custom actions during live calls (e.g., creating tickets or updating CRMs instantly), making it more adaptable for real-time problem-solving beyond post-call syncing.
• Automated Call Transfers & Escalations When an issue exceeds the scope of the AI agent—such as complex complaints—Calldesk routes callers to human agents based on pre-set rules or triggers. The system includes warm transfers where context is passed along for continuity; this matches what Retell offers in terms of intelligent escalation pathways. In contrast, Ringly.io gives you granular control over transfer logic plus detailed summaries so your team always knows exactly why a call was escalated before picking up.
• Voicemail Detection & Messaging If a customer doesn’t answer an outbound call attempt, Calldesk detects voicemail boxes automatically and leaves personalized messages using dynamic scripts—a feature present in both competitor platforms including Retell. Where Ringly.io stands out is its ability to include personal variables like names/order numbers within voicemails at scale across campaigns without extra setup effort each time.
• Scalability & Reliability Built for enterprise use-cases as well as SMBs experiencing fluctuating demand spikes (seasonality/marketing surges), Calldesk handles high volumes of concurrent calls reliably thanks to cloud infrastructure similar to what powers Retell’s 99.9% uptime promise. For businesses needing rapid scaling plus daily content updates from their own site/docs—as offered uniquely by Ringly.io—the latter remains unmatched in keeping information current without manual intervention.

In summary: while Calldesk delivers strong core automation features comparable with other leading platforms like Retell—including no-code deployment, analytics dashboards, multi-channel support, CRM integrations, voicemail handling and reliable scalability—it does not offer instant knowledge base syncing from your actual website content nor specialized e-commerce automations like abandoned cart recovery out-of-the-box; these are areas where solutions such as Ringly.io provide clear added value tailored specifically toward conversion-driven businesses looking for deeper operational impact during every customer interaction.

Calldesk AI Pros and Cons

• Effective CRM Integration – Users appreciate how Calldesk AI integrates smoothly with their CRM systems, keeping all communications organized in one place.
• Comprehensive Feature Set – The platform offers a wide variety of features for call automation, which many users find helpful for streamlining workflows.
• Reliable Call Automation – Automated calling capabilities help teams connect with customers more efficiently and reduce manual workload.
• User Support is Responsive – While there’s a learning curve, reviewers note that support resources are available to help users get up to speed quickly.
• Keeps Communication Organized & Accessible – By centralizing communication history within the system, teams can easily track past interactions without switching tools. Ringly.io also emphasizes seamless organization but avoids some setup complexity.

Cons

• Difficult Initial Setup Process – Several users mention that while setup is thorough (ensuring proper configuration), it can be time-consuming or complex for new teams to implement fully. Ringly.io aims to simplify onboarding so you’re productive faster.
• Learner Curve for Advanced Features – To unlock the full potential of all features, some training or experience is required; this may slow down adoption among less technical staff. Ringly.io focuses on intuitive design to minimize ramp-up time.
• Noisy Interface When Overloaded With Features – Some reviewers feel that having too many options can make the interface overwhelming if not tailored properly to specific needs (especially in larger deployments).
• Lack of Customization in Certain Areas – A few users wish there were more granular controls or customization options within certain modules compared to other solutions they’ve tried.
• Pace of Updates/Feature Requests – Some feedback suggests feature requests take longer than expected before being implemented into production releases. Ringly.io prioritizes rapid iteration based on customer input.

This summary reflects recurring themes from actual user experiences. If you’re comparing solutions like Ringly.io with Calldesk AI, note how our approach addresses several pain points above—especially around ease-of-use and onboarding—while still delivering robust automation capabilities.

Pricing - Retell vs Calldesk AI

Note: The pricing information below is accurate at the time of writing and may be subject to change. For the most up-to-date pricing, please visit each company's pricing page.

Retell pricing

Calldesk AI pricing

Ringly.io pricing

Ringly.io has simple, usage-based pricing with no hidden fees or long-term commitments. Test drive it risk-free for 14 days, then scale up or down on month-to-month terms—or book a demo for fully tailored enterprise support.

Online customer reviews: Retell vs Calldesk AI

Retell

Retell is known for its flexible conversation design, strong compliance coverage (including HIPAA, GDPR, SOC 2 Type 1 & 2), and robust telephony options. It is often praised for its ease of use and responsive support team.

Total number of reviews: Not explicitly listed in the search results; however, G2 contains multiple detailed user reviews.
Average rating: Not specified in the search results.

What users are saying about Retell:

"Easy to build and manage"
Anonymous (G2 Reviewer)
The tool offers a unique combination... We've implemented multiple bots for many clients with Retell AI and they all love it! It's easy to build, integrate and manage... they've been providing us with support regularly as we use the tool literally on a daily basis...

"Not a reliable vendor"
Anonymous (G2 Reviewer)
...the product is the same as others on the market -- we would switch instantly if there were no switching cost. These guys are not a reliable vendor...

Other positive notes include praise for low-latency performance, high-quality voice interactions, frequent feature updates every two weeks, an intuitive dashboard, solid customer service integration with top providers like Eleven Labs/Deepgram/Twilio/OpenAI—and transparent setup that makes testing new models easy.

Critical feedback highlights occasional latency issues or unresponsiveness to feature requests. Some reviewers say that while Retell stands out in some areas now, it could lose customers if competitors improve or switching costs decrease.

Calldesk AI

Calldesk AI focuses on enterprise-grade conversational automation but faces criticism regarding complexity and pricing transparency.

Total number of reviews: No verified review counts found on G2 or Capterra; most information comes from independent analysis rather than direct user ratings.
Average rating: Not available due to lack of published aggregate scores.

What users are saying about Calldesk AI:

"Robust automation features"
MissNoCalls.com Review Team
CallDesk.ai offers robust AI-driven voice automation... products like Calldesk Studio make designing call flows powerful once you learn them...

"Complex interface & expensive pricing"
MissNoCalls.com Review Team
...its interface can be complex and less intuitive compared to competitors... enterprise-focused pricing model is relatively expensive... lacks transparent scalable options making it less accessible for smaller businesses...

Users appreciate Calldesk’s advanced features—such as multi-engine speech-to-text accuracy—but frequently mention drawbacks: steep learning curve due to complex UI; challenging integrations; latency/accuracy problems in noisy environments requiring human handoff; regulatory compliance hurdles adding further complexity; lack of clear self-serve pricing deterring smaller organizations seeking simplicity or cost-effectiveness.

If you’re considering either platform:
- Retell has more visible hands-on feedback from real-world deployments but also faces competitive pressure.
- Calldesk appears respected among analysts yet lacks broad public review data—so proceed carefully if transparency matters most.

What users are saying about Ringly.io:

Ringly.io is known for its simplicity, and a focus on e-commerce, with features like abandoned cart recovery and order status lookups. It has a 4.8 star rating from 12 reviews on Product Hunt and other platforms.

"it stands out significantly ahead" - Bertrand, Director. We are at the initial stage of testing and have made only a few calls so far. Consequently, I have rated the product with four stars for now. However, I must express that the product has shown significant promise. When compared to competitors, it stands out significantly ahead.

"This is such a great product" - Jim Miranda, Founder. This is such a great product. I have been with you for less than a week and already closed 3 deals with it."

"It really sounds like a human" - Laix, Founder. Tried Ringly.io today and the quality of the phone calls surprises me! It really sounds like a human, and it reacts really fast. Will need to deploy it in action to see the full capabilities.

"How to automate customer service? -> Ringly.io" - Sidra Husnain, Founder.

Retell vs Calldesk AI: Which is best for you?

Who Retell is best for…

• Tech-forward teams who want customization. Retell is great if you have some technical resources and want to design your own AI call flows, connect to APIs, and personalize voice agents for different languages or markets.
• Businesses needing reliable call automation at scale. If you’re a call center or a growing company expecting lots of calls (and want low-latency agents), Retell can handle high volumes without much lag.
• Companies looking for flexible, affordable pricing. Retell’s pay-as-you-go model is friendly for startups and larger teams—no big upfront costs or hidden fees.
• Organizations that value strong customer support. Many users praise Retell’s responsive onboarding and troubleshooting help, making it easier to get started or solve problems fast.

Who Calldesk AI is best for…

• Large enterprises with complex customer service needs. Calldesk shines for bigger companies that have lots of customer calls and need detailed call flows, advanced analytics, or custom routing.
• Teams needing no-code setup, but with IT backups. While there’s a learning curve, Calldesk offers a no-code builder and strong integration to CRMs—but it helps if you have tech staff to manage setup and advanced features.
• Organizations already using Salesforce, HubSpot, or similar tools. If you want all call data seamlessly in your existing systems, Calldesk syncs easily and keeps communication organized.
• Businesses that serve multiple countries or languages. With support for 54+ languages and reliable global infrastructure, Calldesk is made for companies handling diverse customers worldwide.

Who Ringly.io is best for…

• Businesses of any size looking for ease and speed. Ringly.io is simple to set up—even without a tech team. Its instant knowledge syncing and straightforward onboarding mean you can get started fast, whether you’re a brand new shop or a larger company.
• E-commerce brands that want specialized automations. If you run an online store, Ringly.io is built just for you, with ready-made flows for things like abandoned cart recovery, order lookups, and product recommendations. No coding required!
• Companies who value clear and flexible pricing. With monthly plans, a 14-day free trial, and usage-based pricing, Ringly.io makes it easy to try and scale without surprise costs or long contracts.
• Any team that wants high-quality, human-sounding calls with ongoing improvements. Ringly.io’s AI learns about your customers and business daily, so your support is always up to date and human-like. Plus, users love how fast and natural the calls sound.

Why choose Ringly.io overall? Unlike the others, Ringly.io combines powerful AI features with super-simple setup, flexible pricing, and immediate integrations for both small and large businesses. It’s made to grow with you, so whether you’re starting out or scaling up, you get best-in-class automation—without needing expert developers. Ringly.io is especially strong for e-commerce and anyone wanting easy, efficient customer calls that actually move your business forward.

Why Ringly.io is a Better Choice

Highly Rated: 4.8/5

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Founded in 2024 in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, by Maurizio Isendoorn and Ruben Boonzaaijer, Ringly.io is revolutionizing e-commerce customer service with AI phone agents. Designed for online businesses, Ringly handles customer calls on autopilot—solving support issues, recovering abandoned carts, and even boosting sales—at just 20% of the cost of human agents.‍

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With 1,300+ customers, Ringly.io is the go-to solution for e-commerce stores looking to scale without scaling their support team. With award-winning technology (BubbleCon 2024's "Most Innovative App"), Ringly.io transforms your phone system into a revenue-driving powerhouse—without the headaches of traditional call centers.‍

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Features that make Ringly.io the #1 alternative to Retell and Calldesk AI:

No-code setup, instant results – Ringly.io is ready to go in minutes. Just add your website, docs, or text—no engineering required—and your AI phone agent instantly understands your business. It even updates automatically as your website changes.‍‍‍

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AI-powered sales & support – Ringly.io does both inbound and outbound calls. Recover 35%+ of abandoned carts with automated follow-up calls, provide real-time order tracking from Shopify, and convert more customers with personalized AI-driven conversations—not just reactive support.‍‍

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Advanced analytics for smarter decisions – Ringly.io gives you real-time call data, customer intent tracking, and performance reports—helping you optimize support and sales strategies.‍‍‍

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Scalable pricing without enterprise contracts – Ringly.io offers transparent, scalable pricing—pay for what you use, no locked-in contracts.‍

Final Thoughts: Which Platform Should You Choose?

Selecting the right AI phone agent platform can make the difference between simply automating calls and truly transforming your customer support—and even your bottom line. After comparing Retell, Calldesk AI, and Ringly.io side-by-side, here’s what stands out:

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• Retell is best for technical teams wanting deep customization and reliable call automation at scale. It’s flexible and affordable—but may require more engineering effort and offers less intuitive no-code options for non-technical users.
• Calldesk AI is built for established enterprises who have complex support needs and existing tech stacks. It shines in CRM integrations and global language support, but can feel heavy or overwhelming for smaller teams and has a much steeper learning curve.
• Ringly.io is ideal if you seek the fastest setup, the simplest operation, and the most out-of-the-box value—especially for e-commerce teams. With instant knowledge syncing, e-commerce automations, and transparent pricing, it covers all core needs without tech headaches.

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All three platforms offer strong automation to save time and reduce manual support. But if you want a solution that combines powerful features, easy onboarding, and specialized automations—backed by glowing customer reviews—Ringly.io quietly edges ahead of the competition.

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• Pick Retell if you have a dedicated tech team and need heavy customization or compliance in healthcare, finance, or large-scale contact centers.
• Choose Calldesk AI if you’re a major enterprise with complex international operations and robust internal IT to handle advanced setup and integration.
• Go with Ringly.io if you want rapid, no-code phone AI that just works—for online stores, support teams, or any business looking to delight customers and drive more revenue in less time.

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In short, Ringly.io offers the simplicity, proven automation features, and flexible pricing to help your business scale—without the usual friction. Whether you’re just getting started or ready to level up your phone support, Ringly.io is here to help you move faster and win more customers.

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Ready to try it yourself? Get started with a free 14-day trial and see how easy e-commerce phone automation can be.

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Want to compare other players in the market? Check out our other comparisons:

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• Calldesk vs Synthflow