{
  "id": "openai-realtime-api",
  "name": "OpenAI Realtime API",
  "category": "apis",
  "summary": "OpenAI's speech-to-speech API for low-latency voice agents over WebRTC, WebSocket or SIP, with tool calling, MCP servers, interruptions and handoffs.",
  "description": "The model works directly on audio, keeps conversation state and calls tools. Typical browser flow: your server mints an ephemeral client secret (`POST /v1/realtime/client_secrets`), the frontend opens a `RealtimeSession` from the OpenAI Agents SDK (`@openai/agents/realtime`) and connects over WebRTC (`/v1/realtime/calls`); servers can connect over WebSocket. Supports voice activity detection, functions, remote MCP servers and connectors, guardrails and handoffs, plus realtime transcription. The GA interface replaced the beta (drop the `OpenAI-Beta: realtime=v1` header). Usage-based pricing per audio/text token; see OpenAI's pricing page.",
  "url": "https://developers.openai.com/api/docs/guides/realtime",
  "docs": "https://developers.openai.com/api/docs/guides/realtime",
  "tags": [
    "voice",
    "realtime",
    "speech-to-speech",
    "webrtc",
    "api",
    "mcp"
  ],
  "license": "proprietary",
  "pricing": "paid",
  "status": "active",
  "agent_access": {
    "llms_txt": "https://developers.openai.com/api/docs/llms.txt",
    "auth": "api-key",
    "notes": "Server-side OpenAI API key; browsers and mobile apps should use short-lived ephemeral client secrets."
  },
  "related": [
    "openai-agents-sdk",
    "livekit-agents",
    "pipecat",
    "elevenagents",
    "vapi"
  ],
  "sources": [
    "https://developers.openai.com/api/docs/guides/realtime"
  ],
  "added": "2026-10-23",
  "updated": "2026-10-23",
  "last_verified": "2026-10-23",
  "submitted_by": "agentica-curator",
  "maintainer": "OpenAI",
  "longform": [
    {
      "type": "comparison",
      "id": "voice-agent-platforms",
      "title": "LiveKit Agents vs Pipecat vs OpenAI Realtime vs ElevenAgents vs Vapi: building voice agents",
      "url": "https://indexagentica.com/compare/voice-agent-platforms/",
      "json": "https://indexagentica.com/api/longform/compare/voice-agent-platforms.json"
    }
  ],
  "links": {
    "html": "https://indexagentica.com/entries/openai-realtime-api/",
    "markdown": "https://indexagentica.com/entries/openai-realtime-api.md",
    "json": "https://indexagentica.com/api/entries/openai-realtime-api.json",
    "source": "https://github.com/Drudley/indexagentica/blob/main/content/apis/openai-realtime-api.json"
  }
}