Ora vs Vapi, Retell and Bland
Build your own voice agent from parts, or use one that’s ready for New Zealand calls.
Side by side
| Ora | Vapi, Retell, Bland | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A ready AI caller and receptionist | Developer platforms to build your own |
| Setup | Approve facts drafted from your website, approve a call list | Build prompts, tools, telephony and integrations yourself |
| Pricing | From NZ$149 a month plus GST with 100 minutes | Per minute; published guides put all-in costs around US$0.07 to US$0.31 a minute depending on setupVRB |
| NZ calling rules | Built in: NZ business numbers, approvals, hours, limits, do-not-call | You build them |
| Leads and tasks | Built in, with webhooks and API | You build them |
| Control | Settings and approved facts | Full control of every part |
Build or buy
Developer platforms give you every dial: the speech model, the AI model, the voice, the telephony and the logic. That’s powerful if you have engineers and a specific use. Most small businesses want calls answered and made well, today.
What Ora builds in
- Facts drafted from your website and approved by you.
- Honest AI disclosure on every call.
- New Zealand calling rules: business numbers only, named approvals, calling hours, daily limits and a do-not-call list.
- A New Zealand voice and 22 languages.
- Leads, stages, follow-up tasks, a dashboard and webhooks.
When a platform fits better
If you’re a developer or agency building custom voice agents, or you need a very specific integration, a platform gives you more control. Check each provider’s own pricing page: published per-minute figures vary by model, voice and telephony.
Sources
Facts checked on 29 October 2026. Products and prices change, so check each provider’s own page before you decide.
- V: Vapi pricing guide, 2026
- R: Retell AI pricing guide, 2026
- B: Bland AI pricing guide, 2026
- Ora: product page and pricing
Vapi, Retell AI and Bland AI are trademarks of their owners. Ora is not affiliated with them.
Questions
Is Ora built on a platform like Vapi?
Ora is our own product. It uses specialist providers for speech, voice and phone calls, and adds the New Zealand rules, approved facts and leads on top.
Is a developer platform cheaper?
Per minute it can be, but you pay in build time, and telephony and models are often extra. Ora includes minutes in a monthly plan.
Can I use Ora with my own systems?
Yes, through our API and signed webhooks, or Zapier and Make.
Try Ora on your own business.
Set it up free and practise calls in your browser. Or ring Veronica, our own Ora, on 09 873 4723.