The AI Cold Calling
AI cold calling uses a voice agent to phone prospects, introduce your business, answer simple questions and book meetings. Telemarketing rules still apply: the FCC treats AI voices as artificial voices under the TCPA, the FTC says callers must respect the National Do Not Call Registry, and most B2B calls are exempt from the FTC rule. Start with a small, targeted list.
Last checked: . Not affiliated with the companies listed. Based on public information — not tested by us. This guide is not legal advice. How we check.
How it works
A caller platform dials a number from your list. A speech model turns what the person says into text, a language model decides the reply, and a voice model speaks it. Many platforms then log the call or book a meeting in your CRM or calendar, and some hand the call to a human.
Is it legal?
Rules depend on who you call, how, and where. From the FTC's Telemarketing Sales Rule guide (source, read 2026-11-01):
- Sellers and telemarketers must not call numbers on the National Do Not Call Registry or on their own do-not-call list, with exemptions such as an established business relationship or written permission.
- Telemarketers generally need a written agreement from the consumer before delivering prerecorded telemarketing messages, and those messages must include an automated opt-out.
- Most business-to-business calls are exempt, but not calls selling nondurable office or cleaning supplies, or calls soliciting individual employees to buy for their own use.
- Telemarketers must transmit Caller ID information.
The FCC adds one rule that matters most for AI: on February 8, 2024 it ruled that calls made with AI-generated voices are "artificial" voice calls under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, so they are held to the same standards as robocalls, including prior express written consent before telemarketing calls (FCC announcement, read 2026-11-01).
State laws may add to this. We do not describe them here. Talk to a lawyer about your own calls.
AI cold calling tools compared
| Tool | Outbound support (vendor-stated) | Pricing summary (vendor) | Our label |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retell AI | Inbound and outbound call agents with campaign scheduling and retries | Pay as you go: $0.07-$0.31/min for voice agents, $0.002+/message for chat agents; $10 in free credits to start; Enterprise custom | Based on public information — not tested |
| Vapi | Voice agents that make and answer calls; developer setup | Pay as you go from $0 with $5 free credits ($0.05/min Vapi hosting plus provider costs, 1 free inbound US number); Core $29/mo prepaid; Pro 10% of hosting fee, $999/mo minimum; Premier custom | Based on public information — not tested |
| Synthflow | Inbound and outbound business calls; voicemail detection and human handoff | Enterprise only: sold as an annual enterprise agreement scoped to your call volume, phone system, integrations and launch support; no free plan or trial; contact sales for a price | Based on public information — not tested |
| Bland AI | Inbound and outbound agents for phone, SMS and web | Start: $0.14/min, $0 platform fee; Build: $0.12/min plus $299/month platform fee; Enterprise: custom (talk to our team); call transfer time billed extra ($0.05/min Start, $0.04/min Build) | Based on public information — not tested |
| Autocalls | Outbound AI calls for intake follow-up and re-engagement (built around a law-firm receptionist) | Starter $34/mo (120 min, 3 parallel calls), Pro $129/mo (700 min), Agency $249/mo (1,700 min), Agency White Label $419/mo (3,500 min); extra minutes $0.09–$0.20; yearly billing '2 months free' (shown as $27 / $103 / $199 / $355 per month). No setup fees. No free trial stated. | Based on public information — not tested |
| 11x | Outbound agent researches accounts and runs multichannel sequences (voice, email, SMS and more) | Pricing not published; book a demo | Based on public information — not tested |
| Artisan | Outbound email and social outreach with do-not-contact lists (no voice calling stated in our data) | Pricing not published; Team, Scale and Enterprise plans 'scoped on your plan' via Talk to sales | Based on public information — not tested |
Order is the order we picked the tools, not quality or payment. Prices change; confirm on each vendor's pricing page.
When AI helps and when it does not
Our data shows what vendors say, not results. Vendors list scheduling and retries (Retell AI), voicemail detection and human handoff (Synthflow) and testing before going live (Bland AI). Those features suit high-volume follow-up with a clear script. Expect a limit where a call needs judgment, a relationship or a sensitive conversation: that is a job for a person.
Cost and setup differ a lot. No free plan or self-serve tier; contracts start at $30,000 per year. Needs developer setup; total per-minute cost adds model, voice, transcription and telephony fees on top of Vapi hosting. Pricing not published; requires a sales demo to get a quote.
Start-small checklist
- Pick one narrow list and one clear reason to call.
- Check the list against the Do Not Call Registry and your own opt-out list.
- Say up front that the caller is an AI, and give a simple way to opt out.
- Test the agent with simulated calls before any real one.
- Have a human take over when asked.
Want it wired up for you? See Hire an expert.
Frequently asked questions
Is it illegal to cold call using AI?
Not by default, but telemarketing rules still apply. The FTC says sellers and telemarketers must not call numbers on the National Do Not Call Registry or their own do-not-call list, and generally need a written agreement from the consumer before delivering prerecorded telemarketing messages. The FCC ruled on February 8, 2024 that AI-generated voices count as "artificial" voices under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, so the same consent rules as robocalls apply (telemarketing robocalls need prior express written consent). This is not legal advice, so ask a lawyer before you dial.
Is B2B cold calling illegal?
The FTC guide to the Telemarketing Sales Rule says most business-to-business calls are exempt, with exceptions such as calls selling nondurable office or cleaning supplies, or calls that solicit individual employees to buy for their own use. Other rules, including state rules and the FCC, may still apply.
Is there an AI to practice cold calling?
We do not list a dedicated practice tool in this guide. Some voice-agent platforms offer a test mode: for example, Synthflow lists a Test Center for simulated calls, and Bland lists testing changes against a non-live version before deploying.
What is the best AI cold calling software?
It depends on your list, budget and technical skill. Retell AI, Vapi, Synthflow and Bland AI all list outbound calling. Prices range from pay-per-minute to enterprise contracts, so compare the table above. We have not tested these tools and do not rank one as best.
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