Why High‑Performing Teams Choose Clerk Chat Over Vapi

Save 70 % on customer messaging with Clerk Chat’s flat rate and unlimited AI texting, while Vapi charges by the minute.

4.5

Clerk Chat:
Transparent pricing
Simple, instant setup
Unlimited messages

Vapi:
Hidden fees
Complex setup
Metered minutes

Compare

Feature showdown: Clerk Chat vs Vapi

See why teams save thousands per year by escaping unpredictable per‑minute billing and moving to flat‑rate unlimited messaging.

💡 Tip: AI should save you time, not add complexity.

Feature
Clerk Chat
Vapi

# Setup Time
5 minutes, no code
Complex, multi‑vendor

# Messaging Channels
Unlimited SMS & RCS
Voice only; SMS via Twilio

# AI Agents
Included
Separate costs

# Minutes/Messages
Unlimited
Bundled minutes; overage fees

# 10DLC Approval
≤ 48 h built‑in
You file via Twilio

# Number Availability
Global numbers
US/CA only

# Hidden Fees
None
Platform + telephony + AI + extras

# Contract Terms
Monthly, cancel anytime
Pay‑go + add‑ons

# Customer Support
Personal, responsive
Slow; Slack support costs extra

Make the switch to smarter messaging

Escape Vapi’s per-minute billing and confusing setup. With Clerk Chat, you get unlimited AI texting, voice, and RCS - all at a flat rate.

- Delivery
CMS achieves 92% automation in lead qualification with Clerk Chat AI
- 92%
  Lead Qualification
- < 5 sec
  Response Times
“Our goal has always been to build something we'd be proud to use ourselves. If our AI couldn't deliver for our team, we'd never expect it to deliver for yours. That's the bar.”
Read case study
- Software
How Clerk Chat’s own AI agent deflected 93% of support
- 93%
  Deflection Rate
- +50%
  Faster Resolution
“Our goal has always been to build something we'd be proud to use ourselves. If our AI couldn't deliver for our team, we'd never expect it to deliver for yours. That's the bar.”
Alexander Haque Co-Founder at Clerk Chat
Read case study
- Automotive
Concierge auto service transforms lead qualification with Clerk Chat
- +25%
  Qualified leads
- 1000+
  AI messages sent daily
- 100+
  CRM updates made by AI daily
“By introducing Clerk Chat AI into our business we've completely transformed our communication with leads, leading to more conversations with qualified leads, and increased sales in our first month with Clerk Chat”
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Jeff Gelwix
President @ Sonic Drive-in
Clerk Chat is a beautifully built solution that is flexible, customizable, intuitive, and perfect for collaboration. We love the Clerk Chat platform, but what we love even more is how amazing and caring the team behind it is.
Read more on Trustpilot
Cruz M.
Professional Independent Marketer
As a marketing professional, I had trouble communicating with my contractors because we used Slack and Teams, but they weren't always online. I spent months looking for a tool to help me send text messages or WhatsApp messages to them so they could log in to Zoom and Google Meets. Plus, Clerk Chat also allows me text my clients that I have on HubSpot CRM.
Read more on G2
Katrina Bogany
President of Fab Finishes, Inc.
Clerk Chat is truly the missing piece of the puzzle with Teams! It makes Teams a complete communications solution, by adding the vitally important SMS texting functionality to the platform. In addition, Clerk Chat’s support is excellent.
Read more on Trustpilot

FAQ

Have questions? We've got answers.

Find what you need quickly and clearly with our most frequently asked questions.

Vapi’s “$0.05/minute” headline only covers its platform fee. You still pay separate charges for every call minute to Twilio/Vonage, the AI voice engine, the language model (e.g., GPT‑4) and transcription. Plans bundle only 3 000–7 500 minutes, and overage rates are $0.16–$0.18 per minute. Added necessities like call recording ($200/month) and HIPAA/PCI compliance ($1 000/month) push real costs far higher. Clerk Chat charges a flat $19.99/user/month for unlimited messaging and AI - no extra fees, no surprises.
A typical business running 10 000 minutes of calls per month on Vapi’s Startup plan pays around $2 900–$3 000 per month after overages, hosting, AI models and voice fees - that’s more than $35K per year. The same team on Clerk Chat pays from $10 per user per month (around $1 000/year for ten users), saving over 90 % while gaining unlimited SMS/RCS, voice and AI. Even small teams can reduce expenses by thousands per year.
Yes. Every Clerk Chat plan includes unlimited SMS and RCS messaging, AI‑powered texting and voice, and unlimited workflows. In contrast, Vapi meters every call minute and requires separate payment for the speech‑to‑text, language model and voice engine. Its new SMS feature only works via Twilio and doesn’t support rich messaging.
No. Clerk Chat’s onboarding takes about five minutes - no coding, no separate telephony accounts. We handle 10DLC registration on your behalf, usually in under 48 hours, and support number porting from major carriers. Vapi, however, requires you to purchase a Twilio number, register for A2P 10DLC or a toll‑free number yourself, manage multiple vendor keys and configure SIP lines. Even simple workflows demand JSON and API knowledge.
Clerk Chat customers talk to real people - our team is known for personal, responsive service. Vapi’s standard support relies on Discord channels with no live chat or email; enterprise users can pay $2 000/month for Slack access. Trustpilot rates Vapi 2.6/5 with 83 % one‑star reviews, citing “nonexistent human support” and multi‑day wait times. Some customers couldn’t cancel their account or remove their credit card.
Absolutely. Clerk Chat supports number portability from major carriers and even from platforms like Microsoft Teams, Zoom or Twilio. Vapi, by contrast, only offers native numbers in the U.S. and Canada, forcing UK and international customers to import numbers and pay both Vapi and Twilio fees. If you’re stuck with Vapi or worried about pre‑purchased credits, email sales@clerk.chat - we’ll help you migrate without downtime or penalties.