VAPI vs Bland AI: Which AI Calling Platform Should YOU Choose?

Summary

This video offers a comprehensive comparison between Vapi and Blend for AI call center development. The presenter, an experienced AI engineer, discusses key differences in customization, advanced features, ease of use, latency, and pricing. Vapi excels in customization and advanced features like transient assistance and squads, while Blend is beginner-friendly with drag-and-drop pathways. Latency varies with Vapi's configurations but is consistent with Blend. Pricing is more predictable with Blend, averaging 9 cents per call, compared to Vapi's variable cost. The choice depends on priorities like customization, ease of use, and cost.

Takeaways

• 😀 The video compares Vapy and Blend for building AI call centers, highlighting the speaker's experience with both platforms since 2023.
• 🛠️ Vapy is known for its customization and control, allowing users to select specific AI models for different call center functions.
• 🔍 Vapy offers advanced features like transient assistance and Vapy Squads for specialized AI call center roles.
• 📉 Vapy provides robust post-call processing capabilities, making it easier to generate summaries and evaluate calls.
• 👌 Blend AI is beginner-friendly, with a drag-and-drop interface and features like Conversational Pathways for easy AI flow design.
• ⏱️ Both platforms have comparable latency, but Vapy's customization allows for potential latency optimization depending on the selected models.
• 💸 Pricing for Blend AI is consistent at about 9 cents per call, while Vapy's pricing varies based on the selected AI models and text-to-speech providers.
• 🔗 Both platforms support integrations, custom actions, knowledge bases, call reporting, and data extraction.
• 🌐 They both support multiple languages and accents, and can scale to handle thousands of calls per day.
• 🤔 The choice between Vapy and Blend depends on factors like customization needs, development experience, conversation quality, and budget considerations.

Q & A

What are the primary platforms discussed in the video for building AI calling systems?

The video discusses two platforms: Vapy and Bland, which are both used for building AI calling systems.

What is the main difference between Vapy and Bland in terms of customization?

Vapy offers more customization options, allowing users to pick the LLM, transcriber, and text-to-speech provider, whereas Bland has more limited choices and typically uses its own models.

What are Vapy's unique features that set it apart from other platforms?

Vapy provides advanced features like transient assistants, which allow AI callers to use CRM data for informed calls, and Vapy squads, enabling multiple specialized AI assistants for different tasks on the same call.

What makes Bland AI a better choice for beginners?

Bland AI is more beginner-friendly, offering a drag-and-drop interface called Conversational Pathways, which requires little to no coding to design AI caller flows. It also has a feature for generating pathways through simple prompts.

How does the pricing structure differ between Vapy and Bland?

Bland AI has a more consistent pricing structure at around 9 cents per call, while Vapy's pricing varies based on the LLM and text-to-speech providers, ranging from 7 to 18 cents per call depending on customization.

Which platform has more predictable latency, and why?

Bland AI has more predictable latency, consistently around 700 milliseconds. Vapy's latency can vary significantly depending on the selected LLM and text-to-speech provider, but it has the potential for lower latency if optimized correctly.

How do both platforms handle post-call processing?

Vapy has built-in native post-call processing features that make it easy to generate call summaries and evaluate calls, while on other platforms, this may require more development effort or workarounds.

What are the similarities between Vapy and Bland AI?

Both platforms support important features like integrations with CRMs, custom actions, knowledge bases, call reporting, structured data extraction, and scaling for thousands of calls per day. They also support multiple languages and regions.

In what scenarios would Vapy be the preferred platform?

Vapy is preferred if customization, conversation quality, and minimizing latency are the top priorities. It is ideal for users with more development experience and those who want control over LLM and text-to-speech providers.

Why might someone choose Bland AI over Vapy?

Bland AI would be the choice for users looking for a more beginner-friendly platform with predictable pricing and easier setup through drag-and-drop features, without needing much development experience.