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Daily offers a free plan and a realtime toolkit for voice AI agents and audio or video calls. The catch: the published pricing information doesn’t specify its free-minute allowance, so it’s hard to forecast costs from the headline alone. LiveKit is the closest listed fit for voice or video agents; Twilio and other communications APIs suit broader workflows. Compare each option’s entry price and confirm the usage limits that matter to your project before committing.
01Why people leave Daily
Free-minute limits need checking
Daily’s free minutes are part of the appeal, but the published information doesn’t state the allowance. Forecast usage before relying on the free plan.
Need broader communications APIs
If your project needs several messaging channels or customer conversations as well as realtime media, compare providers positioned around broader communications workflows.
Want different agent controls
Teams that want explicit model and behavior control can compare LiveKit, which is listed for voice or video agents and those controls.
02The alternatives, ranked by fit
- Voice and video agents
LiveKitLiveKitLiveKit is the closest match in this list for teams building voice or video agents. It is also positioned for developers who want control over models and agent behavior. The listing includes a free plan and starts at $50, but says projects need to fit included minute caps; the cap amounts aren’t provided here.
Trade-off: Confirm minute caps and model or telephony costs before moving production traffic.
7.6/10from
$50/mofree plan - Custom communications workflows
TwilioTwilioTwilio suits teams that need custom communications workflows or several messaging channels, rather than only a realtime toolkit. Its listing shows a free plan and pricing from $0.0001, with usage-based APIs. That low starting figure is not a forecast for your full workload; the listing also flags messaging registration friction.
Trade-off: Budget for usage and allow for messaging registration friction.
7.6/10from
$0.00/mofree plan - Voice, video, messaging
Vonage Communications APIsVonage Communications APIsVonage is listed for developers needing voice, video and messaging, making it worth comparing if your scope spans those channels. The listed starting price is $13.99. The available information does not verify user sentiment, so treat that as an open question rather than assuming a service-quality advantage over Daily.
Trade-off: API pricing and user sentiment are unverified in the published information.
5.5/10from
$13.99/mo - Telecom and AI infrastructure
TelnyxTelnyxTelnyx is aimed at teams combining telecom and AI services, builders needing carrier network access, and high-volume users comparing usage rates. Its listing shows a free plan but also a starting figure of $5,000. That is a major pricing signal to clarify before treating it as a practical Daily replacement.
Trade-off: Clarify what the listed $5,000 starting price covers.
7.8/10from
$5,000/mofree plan - Multichannel conversations
GupshupGupshupGupshup is positioned for multichannel customer conversations, WhatsApp campaigns and AI in voice support. That makes it a possible fit if your move away from Daily is part of a broader customer-communications build. The pricing page gives no starting price and warns that limits and layered fees are unclear.
Trade-off: Pricing, limits and additional fees need clarification.
6.8/10from
Custom - Messaging and payments
CM.com Communications PlatformCM.com Communications PlatformCM.com may suit teams coordinating customer conversations, combining messaging and payments, or exploring AI agents across channels. The listing starts at $58, so it has a clearer entry price than options marked n/a. But the important plan limits are unspecified; verify them against your expected usage.
Trade-off: The published information leaves important plan limits unspecified.
6.0/10from
$58/mo - Enterprise voice and messaging
Bandwidth Communications APIsBandwidth Communications APIsBandwidth is listed for enterprises building voice and messaging products, teams needing U.S. SMS and RCS APIs, and telecom teams evaluating SIP trunking. Consider it if those are the requirements behind your switch. Pricing is marked n/a, and the published information offers few public signals on service quality.
Trade-off: Starting price and service-quality signals are not supplied.
6.0/10from
Custom
03Side by side
| Tool | Score | From | Free plan | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Daily Daily (current) | 7.0 | Free | Yes | Teams building realtime voice AI agents |
| LiveKit LiveKit | 7.6 | $50/mo | Yes | Teams building voice or video agents |
| Twilio Twilio | 7.6 | $0.00/mo | Yes | Teams building custom communications workflows |
| Vonage Communications APIs Vonage Communications APIs | 5.5 | $13.99/mo | No | Teams building multi-channel customer interactions |
| Telnyx Telnyx | 7.8 | $5,000/mo | Yes | Teams combining telecom and AI services |
| Gupshup Gupshup | 6.8 | Custom | No | Teams building multichannel customer conversations |
| CM.com Communications Platform CM.com Communications Platform | 6.0 | $58/mo | No | Teams wanting messaging and payments together |
| Bandwidth Communications APIs Bandwidth Communications APIs | 6.0 | Custom | No | Enterprises building voice and messaging products |
Questions people ask
Which Daily alternative is closest for voice AI agents?
LiveKit is the closest fit among these options: its listing is specifically for teams building voice or video agents and developers seeking model and behavior control. It has a free plan and starts at $50, but the included minute-cap amounts are not supplied. Check those caps and any model or telephony costs before choosing.
Does Daily have a free plan?
Yes. The pricing page shows Daily from $0 with a free plan and says its free minutes are appealing. It does not state the allowance, though, so we can’t compare a specific free-minute quota with alternatives. Forecast your usage and verify the current plan terms before basing a budget on free access.
Which alternative has the clearest price?
The pricing page give starting prices for several options: LiveKit at $50, Vonage at $13.99, CM.com at $58, and Twilio from $0.0001, each with a free plan noted where listed. Those figures aren’t total-cost estimates. Usage, plan limits or fees may affect the bill, and the available details don’t resolve every pricing question.