# Vapi: what it does, who it is for and alternatives > Vapi: A developer platform for AI voice agents that make and take phone calls. Source: https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/ai-tools/tool/vapi · Updated 2026-10-20 · Free from Stepthrough (https://learn.ynteractive.com) Updated October 20, 2026 · By [Robert Breen](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/about) A developer platform for AI voice agents that make and take phone calls. [Voice & audio](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/ai-tools/voice-audio) · Free trial · Free lesson Official site: [vapi.ai](https://vapi.ai) ## What Vapi does Vapi lets technical teams set up a voice agent's voice, conversation flow, phone line and connected apps, while Vapi runs the call infrastructure. It plugs into common AI models, phone systems such as Twilio, and CRMs such as Salesforce and HubSpot. Every call can be monitored to spot conversations that are not working well. ## Who Vapi is for - Developers - Support teams - Sales operations managers - IT managers ## Key features - Configure voice, conversation flow, telephony and integrations - Real-time monitoring and tracking across all calls - Works with OpenAI, Anthropic, Gemini and other model providers - Telephony through Twilio, Five9, Genesys, Telnyx and others - CRM links including Salesforce, HubSpot and GoHighLevel - SSO and role-based access controls for enterprise teams ## Privacy and data Its trust center lists SOC 2 Type II, SOC 3, HIPAA, PCI DSS, GDPR and CCPA, plus a 2025 third-party penetration test. Source: [Vapi’s own page](https://security.vapi.ai/). Before you put client data in, check your company’s AI rules and the plan’s data settings. ## Learn Vapi free on Stepthrough - Free lesson: [ElevenLabs vs Vapi: Cost per Call and a Launch Checklist](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/elevenlabs-vs-vapi-cost-per-call-launch-checklist) (8 min) - Comparison: [ElevenLabs vs Vapi vs Retell AI for phone voice agents](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/compare/elevenlabs-vs-vapi-vs-retell-for-voice-agents) ## Alternatives to Vapi Other AI voice and audio tools in the directory. - [**ElevenLabs**](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/ai-tools/tool/elevenlabs) Free plan Realistic AI voices, voice cloning and voice agents that answer calls. Narrate videos or build an AI receptionist. - [**Auphonic**](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/ai-tools/tool/auphonic) Free plan Automatic audio leveling, noise reduction and loudness for podcasts and recordings. - [**Wispr Flow**](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/ai-tools/tool/wispr-flow) Free plan Voice dictation that types clean, formatted text in any app as you speak. - [**Retell AI**](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/ai-tools/voice-audio#tool-retell-ai) Free trial Build AI phone agents for scheduling, support and sales calls, with low-latency voices. - [**Bland AI**](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/ai-tools/voice-audio#tool-bland-ai) Free trial Enterprise AI phone agents that handle inbound and outbound calls at scale. - [**Synthflow**](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/ai-tools/voice-audio#tool-synthflow) Free trial No-code AI voice agents for appointment booking, lead qualification and support. [All 27 AI voice and audio tools](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/ai-tools/voice-audio) ## Frequently asked questions **What is Vapi?** A developer platform for AI voice agents that make and take phone calls. Vapi lets technical teams set up a voice agent's voice, conversation flow, phone line and connected apps, while Vapi runs the call infrastructure. It plugs into common AI models, phone systems such as Twilio, and CRMs such as Salesforce and HubSpot. Every call can be monitored to spot conversations that are not working well. **Who is Vapi for?** Vapi fits developers, support teams, sales operations managers and IT managers, and other office teams with the same job to do. **Is Vapi free?** Vapi has a free trial, then it is a paid tool. Plans change often, so check the official pricing page before you commit. **What are some alternatives to Vapi?** Other AI voice and audio tools include ElevenLabs, Auphonic, Wispr Flow, Retell AI and Bland AI. **Is Vapi safe for work data?** Its trust center lists SOC 2 Type II, SOC 3, HIPAA, PCI DSS, GDPR and CCPA, plus a 2025 third-party penetration test. Check your own company’s rules, and use a business plan with training turned off for client data. ## “Listed on Stepthrough” badge Add this badge to the Vapi website, press page or docs. It links to this page, so your visitors can see the listing. Copy the HTML ```text Listed on Stepthrough ``` Checked against Vapi’s official site on October 20, 2026: [source 1](https://vapi.ai), [source 2](https://security.vapi.ai/). Spotted something out of date? Email [rbreen@ynteractive.com](mailto:rbreen@ynteractive.com). Listings are free; [submit your AI tool](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/ai-tools/submit). [The full AI tools directory](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/ai-tools) · [Voice & audio](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/ai-tools/voice-audio) · [Tool comparisons](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/compare)