8 Best Dialpad Alternatives: AI, CRM & Pricing

Dialpad is an AI-first business phone app, but teams often outgrow it when CRM integrations need the $25 Pro plan and AI agents need a separate, custom-priced purchase.

The best Dialpad alternative depends on what you need next. Zoom Phone and Microsoft Teams Phone suit companies already on those platforms. RingCentral and 8x8 suit buyers who want one large vendor, whereas Talkdesk suits large contact centers.

Aircall is the pick for sales and support teams that want AI Voice Agents with public per-minute pricing, 250+ native integrations, and calls, SMS, and WhatsApp on one number.

Try Aircall for free

Best Dialpad alternatives at a glance

AI call answering, integrations, and pricing model separate these tools more than basic calling does. Prices are in USD unless noted, as published in October 2026.

The 8 best Dialpad alternatives, reviewed

Each tool is ranked on AI call answering, CRM integrations, team features, channels, and price. The criteria are explained further down the page.

1. Aircall: best for teams that want AI agents and native CRM integrations

Pick Aircall if you want AI answering calls next to your reps, with every conversation logged to your CRM, and pricing you can see before you sign.

• Best for: Sales and support teams of 3 or more

• AI features: AI Voice Agents, AI Messaging Agents, AI Assist for summaries and coaching

• Channels: Calls, SMS, and WhatsApp on one number

• Integrations: 250+, including HubSpot, Salesforce, Zendesk, and Microsoft Teams

• Starting price: $30/license/month (annual), 3-user minimum

• Free trial: Yes

Aircall combines a business phone system with AI that works alongside your team. AI Voice Agents answer calls 24/7 in 38 languages, take actions in your CRM during the call, and pass the caller to the right rep with full context. AI Messaging Agents handle SMS and WhatsApp the same way. Every plan includes 50 AI Voice Agent minutes a month, then $0.29 per minute, so you can test AI on real calls without a custom quote.

Pros

• Public per-minute pricing for AI Voice Agents, with 50 free minutes every month.

• Native HubSpot, Salesforce, and Zendesk integrations log calls, notes, and outcomes automatically.

• Calls, SMS, and WhatsApp share one number and one workspace.

Cons

• Phone system plans need at least 3 users.

• Call summaries and coaching sit in the AI Assist add-on.

• No built-in video meetings, so teams pair it with Zoom, Teams, or Google Meet.

Choose it if your team lives in a CRM and wants AI handling calls without a separate contract. See the full Aircall vs Dialpad comparison.

See AI Voice Agents

2. RingCentral: best for one vendor for calls, video, and messaging

Pick RingCentral if you want a large, established provider and are happy to add AI and extra texting as paid extras.

• Best for: Growing companies that want calls and video from one vendor

• AI features: AI Receptionist add-on from $39/month

• Channels: Calls, SMS, and video

• Integrations: CRM integrations from the Advanced plan

• Starting price: $20/user/month (annual), $30 monthly

• Free trial: Yes

RingCentral's RingEX plans cover calling, messaging, and video. Core includes unlimited US and Canada calling and 25 texts per user per month. Advanced ($25) adds CRM integrations. AI Receptionist and conversation intelligence are paid add-ons.

Pros

• Broad feature set across calls, video, and messaging.

• Large integration library on higher plans.

• Long track record with larger companies.

Cons

• Core includes only 25 texts per user per month.

• CRM integrations start on the Advanced plan, the same gap teams hit with Dialpad.

• Admin settings take time to learn.

Choose it if you want calls and video meetings from one large provider. See Aircall vs RingCentral.

3. Zoom Phone: best for teams already on Zoom

Pick Zoom Phone if your company already runs meetings on Zoom and wants calling in the same app at a low price.

• Best for: Companies using Zoom Workplace

• AI features: AI Companion in Workplace bundles; Zoom Virtual Agent sold separately

• Channels: Calls, SMS on unlimited plans, and video through Zoom

• Integrations: Native Salesforce integration, plus the Zoom app marketplace

• Starting price: $10/user/month (metered), $15 unlimited US and Canada

• Free trial: Through sales

Zoom Phone adds business calling to the Zoom app your team already knows. Global Select ($20) adds unlimited calling in 40+ countries. Bundles with Zoom Workplace add AI Companion and video meetings.

Pros

• Low entry price.

• Calls and meetings in one familiar app.

• International calling on Global Select.

Cons

• AI call answering is a separate product.

• Advanced call center tools need higher tiers or add-ons.

• Fewer native CRM integrations than phone-first tools.

Choose it if Zoom is already your meetings tool and calling needs are simple.

4. Nextiva: best for small teams that want phone and chat together

Pick Nextiva if you want phone, web chat, and an AI agent you pay for only when it handles a conversation.

• Best for: Small teams adding chat alongside calls

• AI features: XBert AI at $1.50 per conversation

• Channels: Calls, SMS, video, and live chat on higher plans

• Integrations: CRM integrations on higher plans

• Starting price: $15/user/month (annual), $23 monthly

• Free trial: Demo first

Nextiva's NEXT plans include unlimited voice and video with business texting. Engage ($25 annual) adds live chat, shared inboxes, and single sign-on. Its AI agent, XBert, costs $1.50 per conversation on top of the seat price.

Pros

• Low annual entry price.

• Chat and shared inboxes on Engage.

• AI billed only when it handles a conversation.

Cons

• $1.50 per AI conversation adds up quickly at volume.

• Monthly billing costs up to 50% more than annual.

• Key team features start on the higher plan.

Choose it if you want phone and web chat from one provider. See Aircall vs Nextiva.

5. Microsoft Teams Phone: best for companies standardized on Microsoft 365

Pick Teams Phone if your company runs on Microsoft 365 and wants calling inside Teams with Microsoft billing.

• Best for: IT-led companies on Microsoft 365

• AI features: Limited without add-ons

• Channels: Calls, plus Teams chat and meetings

• Integrations: Microsoft 365 apps

• Starting price: Add-on to a Microsoft 365 license, plus a calling plan

• Free trial: Through Microsoft 365

Teams Phone turns Microsoft Teams into a phone system. It's a natural fit for internal calling and companies that buy everything through Microsoft. Customer-facing teams often find it light on sales and support features like call queues, CRM logging, and texting.

Pros

• Calling inside the app your company already uses.

• One vendor and one bill for IT.

• Strong for internal calls.

Cons

• Built for internal communication more than customer calls.

• Few native CRM integrations for sales and support.

• Licensing across Microsoft 365, Teams Phone, and calling plans gets complex.

Choose it if internal calling matters most. Many teams pair Teams with Aircall through the Microsoft Teams integration. See Aircall vs Microsoft Teams.

6. 8x8: best for global teams that want phone and contact center together

Pick 8x8 if you need business calling and a contact center from one vendor, across several countries.

• Best for: Mid-size and larger global companies

• AI features: AI virtual agent and conversation intelligence, quote-based

• Channels: Calls, SMS, video, and contact center channels

• Integrations: CRM and helpdesk integrations

• Starting price: Quote-based

• Free trial: Demo first

8x8 combines unified communications and contact center on one platform, with international calling built into its plans. Pricing isn't published, so every buyer goes through sales.

Pros

• Phone and contact center from one vendor.

• Strong international calling coverage.

• Suits larger, multi-site companies.

Cons

• No public pricing.

• Longer sales and setup process.

• More platform than a small team needs.

Choose it if you're consolidating phone and contact center globally. See Aircall vs 8x8.

7. CloudTalk: best for outbound sales teams

Pick CloudTalk if your team spends the day calling prospects and wants outbound tools built in.

• Best for: Outbound sales teams

• AI features: AI Receptionist from $99/month (200 minutes), AI Specialist from $349/month

• Channels: Calls and SMS

• Integrations: CRM and helpdesk integrations

• Starting price: €25/user/month (annual), €34 monthly

• Free trial: Yes

CloudTalk is a cloud call center built for sales. It offers click-to-call from your CRM, preview and power calling, and a parallel calling add-on that rings up to 10 numbers at once. AI voice agents are sold as separate monthly packages.

Pros

• Strong outbound calling tools.

• Click-to-call from your CRM.

• No minimum number of licenses.

Cons

• AI voice agents start at $99/month on top of seats.

• Key calling features are add-ons.

• Built for outbound sales more than support.

Choose it if outbound volume is your main job. See Aircall vs CloudTalk.

8. Talkdesk: best for large contact centers

Pick Talkdesk if you run a large contact center that needs advanced routing, workforce management, and AI across many channels.

• Best for: Enterprise contact centers

• AI features: AI agents and automation as add-ons

• Channels: Voice, email, chat, SMS, and social

• Integrations: CRM, helpdesk, and workforce tools

• Starting price: $105/user/month (Voice Essentials)

• Free trial: Demo first

Talkdesk is a full contact center platform. Voice Essentials covers routing, dashboards, and reporting, and Elevate ($165) adds workforce management and custom reporting. AI and automation sit on top as add-ons.

Pros

• Deep contact center features.

• Workforce management on higher plans.

• Many channels in one platform.

Cons

• High per-seat price compared with Dialpad.

• Longer implementation.

• More than a small sales or support team needs.

Choose it if you run a large, complex contact center. See Aircall vs Talkdesk.

Why do teams look for Dialpad alternatives?

Dialpad does a lot well, especially AI transcription across calls and meetings. Teams usually start looking when they hit one of these:

• CRM integrations cost more. Key CRM integrations start on the Pro plan at $25 per user per month.

• AI agents are a separate purchase. Dialpad's AI agents for calls and digital channels use custom pricing.

• Contact center is a separate product. Moving from business phone to contact center means another plan.

• Support depends on plan. 24/7 phone support starts on the Pro plan.

What should you look for in a Dialpad alternative?

Check each tool against the gaps that made you look in the first place:

1. AI call answering: can an AI agent answer, resolve, or route calls, and is the price public? Aircall's AI Voice Agents start with 50 free minutes a month.

2. CRM integrations: are they native, and on which plan? Aircall offers 250+ integrations.

3. Team features: call routing, queues, warm transfer, and reporting.

4. Channels: calls, SMS, and WhatsApp, ideally on one number.

5. Pricing model: per seat, per minute, or per conversation, and what AI costs on top.

6. Number porting: whether you can bring your existing numbers.

How do you switch from Dialpad without losing your numbers?

Most providers, Aircall included, let you port existing numbers, so customers keep calling the same ones.

1. List your numbers and call flows. Note every number, routing rule, and integration you use in Dialpad.

2. Check eligibility. Ask your new provider to confirm each number can be ported.

3. Keep Dialpad active. Don't cancel until the port completes, or you could lose numbers.

4. Rebuild routing and connect your CRM on the new system while the port runs.

5. Test, then cancel. Make test calls and check CRM logging before closing your Dialpad account.

Move to a phone system where AI and your team work together

Aircall gives sales and support teams a business phone system with AI Voice Agents built in, 250+ native integrations, and calls, SMS, and WhatsApp on one number. Start with 50 free AI minutes a month, and compare more options in our guide to the best AI voice agents.

See AI Voice Agents

View pricing

Frequently asked questions

What is the best Dialpad alternative?

The best Dialpad alternative depends on your team. Zoom Phone and Teams Phone suit companies already on those platforms, and Talkdesk suits large contact centers. For sales and support teams that want AI Voice Agents with public pricing and native CRM integrations, Aircall is the strongest option.

What is the best Dialpad alternative for sales teams?

Aircall suits sales teams that want calls logged to HubSpot or Salesforce automatically and AI to handle follow-ups. CloudTalk suits teams focused on high-volume outbound calling. See how Aircall supports sales coaching in the AHS Pipeline Innovation story.

Which Dialpad alternative has AI call answering?

Aircall, RingCentral, Zoom, Nextiva, 8x8, CloudTalk, and Talkdesk all offer AI call answering in some form, mostly as add-ons. Aircall includes 50 free AI Voice Agent minutes a month on every plan, then charges $0.29 per minute.

Can I keep my phone numbers when switching from Dialpad?

Usually, yes. Most providers, including Aircall, support number porting. Keep your Dialpad account active until the port completes.

How much does Dialpad cost?

Dialpad's Standard plan costs $15 per user per month and Pro costs $25, with Enterprise priced on request. AI agents are priced separately. See Aircall's current pricing to compare.

Is Aircall better than Dialpad?

For teams that work in a CRM and want AI agents with public pricing, Aircall is the better fit. Dialpad suits teams that want calls and video meetings in one app. The full breakdown is in Aircall vs Dialpad.