CDeepgram · Cartesia · Compare · Checked Oct 27, 2026
Deepgram Voice Agent API vs Cartesia Managed Agents pricing: which is cheaper?
At 1,000 minutes a month, Deepgram Voice Agent API costs $79.55 and Cartesia Managed Agents costs $44.00 on our stack, a difference of $35.55 in favor of Cartesia Managed Agents, before Cartesia's LLM usage. Checked Oct 27, 2026 (Deepgram) and Oct 30, 2026 (Cartesia).
Deepgram$79.55$0.0796/min at 1,000 minPricing deepgram.comMonthly cost at four volumes
| Volume | Deepgram | Cartesia |
|---|---|---|
| 500 min/mo | $40.35 | $22.00 |
| 1,000 min/mo | $79.55 | $44.00 |
| 5,000 min/mo | $393.15 | $220.00 |
| 10,000 min/mo | $785.15 | $440.00 |
Our calculation from list prices: 3-minute inbound calls, 10 at once, one US number. A green dot marks the cheaper side. Change the scenario.
What each one bills for
| Item | Deepgram | Cartesia |
|---|---|---|
| How it bills | Bundled rate | Bundled rate |
| Headline rate | $0.075/min Standard tier | $0.03/min call time |
| All-in per minute at 1,000 | $0.0796/min | $0.044/min |
| Concurrency | 45 connections (Standard) | 8 to 60 calls by plan |
| Free to start | $200 credit | Free plan with $1 of agent minutes |
| Telephony | Bring your own carrier | Cartesia number, or bring Twilio or SIP |
| LLM | Not itemised on the pricing page | Billed separately |
Where the money goes at 1,000 minutes
Platform & linesBundled AI rateLLMTranscriberVoicePhone
Deepgram Voice Agent API
$79.55 /mo at 1,000 min
- Voice Agent API, Standard tier$75.00
- Telephony: Twilio Elastic SIP, US local inbound$3.40
- Twilio number$1.15
CCartesia Managed Agents
$44.00 /mo at 1,000 min
- Managed Agents call time (voices and transcription included)$30.00
- Telephony: Cartesia-provided phone number$14.00
- Concurrency for 10 calls (Pro includes 12)$0.00
LLM usage during calls is billed separately and is not in this total, so the real cost is higher. Voices and transcription are included in the agents rate. Assumption: one Cartesia-provided phone number at Cartesia's per-minute rate. Plan fees and prepaid agent dollars are not subtracted.
FAQ
Is Deepgram cheaper than Cartesia?
At 1,000 minutes a month, Deepgram Voice Agent API costs $79.55 and Cartesia Managed Agents costs $44.00 on our stack, a difference of $35.55 in favor of Cartesia Managed Agents, before Cartesia's LLM usage. Checked Oct 27, 2026 (Deepgram) and Oct 30, 2026 (Cartesia).
How much does Deepgram cost per minute?
Deepgram Voice Agent API lists $0.075/min (Standard tier). All-in on our stack it works out to $0.0796 a minute at 1,000 minutes a month, or $79.55.
How much does Cartesia cost per minute?
Cartesia Managed Agents lists $0.03/min (call time). All-in on our stack it works out to $0.044 a minute at 1,000 minutes a month, or $44.00.
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