PCPolyAI · Cartesia · Compare · Checked Oct 27, 2026
PolyAI Dialog-RSN-1 API vs Cartesia Managed Agents pricing: which is cheaper?
At 1,000 minutes a month, PolyAI Dialog-RSN-1 API costs $24.55 and Cartesia Managed Agents costs $44.00 on our stack, a difference of $19.45 in favor of PolyAI Dialog-RSN-1 API, before PolyAI's text tokens (valid only until Nov 19, 2026) and Cartesia's LLM usage. Checked Oct 29, 2026 (PolyAI) and Oct 30, 2026 (Cartesia).
Monthly cost at four volumes
| Volume | PolyAI | Cartesia |
|---|---|---|
| 500 min/mo | $12.85 | $22.00 |
| 1,000 min/mo | $24.55 | $44.00 |
| 5,000 min/mo | $118.15 | $220.00 |
| 10,000 min/mo | $235.15 | $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 | PolyAI | Cartesia |
|---|---|---|
| How it bills | Pick your providers | Bundled rate |
| Headline rate | $0.02/min connected minute | $0.03/min call time |
| All-in per minute at 1,000 | $0.0246/min | $0.044/min |
| Concurrency | 2 until a card, then 10 | 8 to 60 calls by plan |
| Free to start | $100 before Nov 19, 2026 | Free plan with $1 of agent minutes |
| Telephony | Not included | Cartesia number, or bring Twilio or SIP |
| LLM | Text tokens billed separately | Billed separately |
Where the money goes at 1,000 minutes
Platform & linesBundled AI rateLLMTranscriberVoicePhone
PPolyAI Dialog-RSN-1 API
$24.55 /mo at 1,000 min
- Dialog-RSN-1 connected minutes$20.00
- Voice output (free until Nov 19, 2026)$0.00
- Telephony: Twilio Elastic SIP, US local inbound$3.40
- Twilio local number$1.15
- Concurrency for 10 calls (10 included after a card is added)$0.00
Text tokens are excluded, so the real cost is higher. Voice output is free until Nov 19, 2026; the price after that is not published. This total is valid only until Nov 19, 2026.
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 PolyAI cheaper than Cartesia?
At 1,000 minutes a month, PolyAI Dialog-RSN-1 API costs $24.55 and Cartesia Managed Agents costs $44.00 on our stack, a difference of $19.45 in favor of PolyAI Dialog-RSN-1 API, before PolyAI's text tokens (valid only until Nov 19, 2026) and Cartesia's LLM usage. Checked Oct 29, 2026 (PolyAI) and Oct 30, 2026 (Cartesia).
How much does PolyAI cost per minute?
PolyAI Dialog-RSN-1 API lists $0.02/min (connected minute). All-in on our stack it works out to $0.0246 a minute at 1,000 minutes a month, or $24.55.
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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Sources
- poly.ai ·
- cartesia.ai ·