Dialpad is a unified communications (UC) platform offering a range of call management tools. However, users commonly note drawbacks such as metered international calling, minimum user requirements, limited video meeting capacity, and occasional issues with customer support. These are important factors for businesses seeking a comprehensive or scalable solution. The best Dialpad alternatives provide collaboration features, unlimited global calling, greater flexibility, and competitive pricing.
Based on our research of numerous providers, here are the 11 top competitors to consider:
- Vonage: Best overall alternative
- GoTo Connect: Best for global calling
- Zoom Phone: Best for video conferencing
- Nextiva: Best for sales and suppor teams
- RingCentral: Best for unified communications
- TalkDesk: Best for call centers
- Google Voice: Best for simplicity
- 8×8: Best for security
- Ooma: Best for local calling
- Open Phone: Best for small teams
- Grasshopper: Best for multiple virtual phone numbers
Best Dialpad Alternatives
Score (Out of 5)
Best for
Key Features
Vonage
4.81
Overall
- Team messaging
- Multi-level auto attendant
- Artificial intelligence (AI) virtual assistant
GoTo Connect
4.74
Global calling
- Unlimited international calling to 50-plus countries
- 1,000 toll-free minutes shared across the account
- Intercom calling
Zoom Phone
4.73
Video conferencing
- US & Canada number
- Unlimited auto-attendants & interactive voice response
- Call handoff between devices
Nextiva
4.49
Customer communications
- Smart IVR
- Customer video and screen share
- Live chat
RingCentral
4.44
Unified communications
- Up to 10,000 toll-free minutes
- Receptionist console
- Call monitoring
TalkDesk
4.29
Call centers
- Real-time agent monitoring and coaching
- Comprehensive analytics and reporting
- Automatic call distribution
Google Voice
4.27
Simplicity
- Desk phone and ATA support
- Web application
- Session initiated protocol (SIP) link
8×8
4.19
Security
- Media hot and cold storage
- Intelligent customer assistant
- 8×8 secure pay
Ooma
4.06
Local calling
- Call recording
- Team chat
- Call queuing
OpenPhone
4.01
Small teams
- AI message responses and call summaries
- Number porting
- Manual and automatic call recording
Grasshopper
3.69
Virtual phone numbers
- Multiplatform support
- User-friendly mobile and desktop apps
- Detailed call reports
Vonage: Best overall Dialpad alternative
Overall Score
4.81/5
Pricing
3.88/5
General features
4.88/5
Core VoIP features
5/5
Advanced features
5/5
Integration and compatibility
4.81/5
User experience and usability
5/5
Security and compliance
5/5
Customer support and service
4.75/5
Expert score
3.47/5
Pros
- Offers 50+ default VoIP features
- Provides an easy-to-use desktop and mobile applications
- Offers orange-glove setup
- Comes with minute bundles for international calling
Cons
- Standard call management features like call queues and virtual extensions are add-on features
- On-demand call recording is limited to 15 hours and available only with the most expensive subscription plan
Why we chose Vonage over Dialpad
Vonage topped our list of best Dialpad alternatives because it allows businesses to customize their accounts and feature sets based on their specific requirements. This makes the solution ideal for teams with seasonal call volume spikes. Its application programming interfaces (APIs) streamline customer interactions by routing calls through the Vonage system for pre-programmed tasks before returning them to the user.
Another area where Vonage stood out compared to Dialpad is video meetings—Vonage accommodates up to 200 virtual meeting participants for up to 15 hours, compared to Dialpad’s maximum of 10 participants, five hours at a time. Vonage also offers more comprehensive collaboration features like the “Be Right Back” feature, which notifies other participants you have temporarily left.
GoTo Connect: Best for global calling
Overall Score
4.74/5
Pricing
3.81/5
General features
4.25/5
Core VoIP features
5/5
Advanced features
5/5
Integration and compatibility
5/5
User experience and usability
5/5
Security and compliance
5/5
Customer support and service
4.25/5
Expert score
3.75/5
Pros
- Offers custom messages with unlimited greetings
- Has unlimited ring groups
- Provides End-to-end video encryption
- Gives auto-attendant capabilities with all plans
Cons
- Lacks international phone numbers
- Unlocks AI features with higher-tier plans
Why we chose GoTo Connect over Dialpad
Unlike Dialpad and other alternatives, GoTo Connect provides users unlimited international calling to over 50 countries, making it the best VoIP for international calls. It’s an excellent option for businesses with global locations and clients since countries included in the free calling plan include China, France, Germany, India, Mexico, Spain, and the United Kingdom. For countries outside of the list, GoTo Connect offers lower per-minute rates.
Zoom Phone: Best for video conferencing
Overall Score
4.73/5
Pricing
4.5/5
General features
4.81/5
Core VoIP features
4.63/5
Advanced features
4.25/5
Integration and compatibility
4.5/5
User experience and usability
5/5
Security and compliance
4.46/5
Customer support and service
5/5
Expert score
3.84/5
Pros
- Unlimited domestic calling
- Voicemail with transcription
- Call recording
- Chat (presence, 1:1, and team messaging)
Cons
- Entry level plan doesn’t have phone extension numbers
- Offers limited customer relationship management (CRM) integrations
Why we chose Zoom Phone over Dialpad
Thanks to its integration with Zoom, Zoom Phone stands out from other alternatives to Dialpad, particularly for video conferencing capabilities. Unlike Dialpad, which limits video meetings to 10 participants, Zoom Phone seamlessly integrates with Zoom Meetings, offering at least 100 participants, depending on your plan.
Zoom Phone’s video conferencing is widely recognized and user-friendly, ensuring seamless adoption within teams and businesses. Its key virtual meeting features include local and cloud recording storage, Up to 1,000 participants for 30 hours, whiteboards, automated meeting captions, and in-meeting chat.
Nextiva: Best for sales & support teams
Overall Score
4.49/5
Pricing
3.63/5
General features
4.31/5
Core VoIP features
5/5
Advanced features
4.25/5
Integration and compatibility
4/5
User experience and usability
4.06/5
Security and compliance
5/5
Customer support and service
5/5
Expert score
3.81/5
Pros
- Provides unlimited voice and video calling
- Includes NextivaONE and Cospace applications for team collaboration
- Offers 99.999% uptime for all plans
- Includes free number porting
Cons
- Lacks international phone numbers
- Charges add-on fees for CRM integrations
Why we chose Nextiva over Dialpad
Nextiva was our choice for sales and customer service interactions because of its customer support automatic call logging, auto-dialer, and customer interaction history. These tools help agents manage client interactions and document the customer journey. Best of all, with 99.999% uptime, it’s reliable, ensuring business continuity.
Unlike Dialpad, Nextiva offers toll-free numbers and minutes, making businesses more accessible to customers. In terms of Dialpad vs Nextiva analytics, both offer standard metrics like call time and abandonment rates. However, Nextiva’s analytics cover call center performance, management, and scheduling, while Dialpad is more standard, focusing on call center data and logistics.
RingCentral: Best for unified communication
Overall Score
4.44/5
Pricing
3.63/5
General features
4.38/5
Core VoIP features
4.63/5
Advanced features
4.5/5
Integration and compatibility
4.25/5
User experience and usability
4.69/5
Security and compliance
4.69/5
Customer support and service
4.5/5
Expert score
3.42/5
Pros
- Offers up to 10,000 toll-free minutes
- Has advanced call queue rules and routing
- Allows up to 200 video-conferencing participants
- 99.999% uptime and seven layers of enterprise-grade security
Cons
- Entry-level plan doesn’t have unlimited internet fax
- Lacks unlimited texting and only offers up to 200 SMS credits monthly
Why we chose RingCentral over Dialpad
RingCentral is the top alternative to Dialpad for unified communications, offering video meetings for up to 200 participants with 24-hour durations. Unlike Dialpad, which provides only local and international numbers, RingCentral offers vanity and toll-free numbers. Additionally, it includes advanced call management features like shared lines, custom roles, and live reports for real-time queue monitoring, making it ideal for managing teams and optimizing workflows.
Additionally, Dialpad natively integrates with less than 20 third-party solutions, while RingCentral connects with over 300 apps. RingCentral integrates with popular tools for collaboration and CRM, such as Google Workspace, HubSpot, and Slack. On top of this, RingCentral offers access to its developer platform so you can add voice, SMS, and video APIs, strengthening your system.
For more information on how these two providers stack against each other across crucial phone systems, look at our Dialpad vs RingCentral comparison.
Talkdesk: Best for call centers
Overall Score
4.29/5
Pricing
2.38/5
General features
4.5/5
Core VoIP features
4.38/5
Advanced features
4.25/5
Integration and compatibility
5/5
User experience and usability
4.38/5
Security and compliance
5/5
Customer support and service
3.5/5
Expert score
4.5/5
Pros
- Offers 100% uptime SLA
- Provides industry-specific cloud services
- Includes real-time dashboards
- 100+ AppConnect marketplace
Cons
- Complex setup and onboarding with a steep learning curve for some features
- Mobile app feature limitations compared to the desktop version
Why we chose Talkdesk over Dialpad
For call centers, Talkdesk is the top alternative to Dialpad, thanks to its specialized call center features, especially its ACD, which allows call routing based on agent skills, availability, and priority levels. Moreover, Talkdesk offers advanced workforce management tools, which help supervisors optimize staffing and scheduling for fluctuating call volumes. Other call center tools available include AI-powered speech analytics, agent coaching, and custom dashboards for metrics tracking.
While Dialpad offers several call management tools, such as multi-level auto attendants, hold queues, and ring groups, it lacks the industry-specific cloud solutions that Talkdesk offers. For example, the Healthcare Experience Cloud for Providers includes an industry workspace, 100% SLA, and relevant add-ons like Talkdesk Autopilot for Healthcare, which are tailored for healthcare services.
Google Voice: Best for simplicity
Overall Score
4.29/5
Pricing
4.56/5
General features
4.13/5
Core VoIP features
4.25/5
Advanced features
3.75/5
Integration and compatibility
3.56/5
User experience and usability
4.06/5
Security and compliance
5/5
Customer support and service
2.25/5
Expert score
3.67/5
Pros
- Offers a free personal plan
- Has unlimited text messaging in the US
- Provides multi-level auto attendant
- Supports seamless integration with Google Workspace products
Cons
- Lacks advanced business phone features
- Limited offline functionality
Why we chose Google Voice over Dialpad
Google Voice stands out as the best alternative to Dialpad when it comes to streamlined services. Unlike Dialpad, which offers a more complex product with AI capabilities, Google Voice provides a lean, streamlined service without unnecessary frills, reducing complexity and costs. Google Voice is a solid choice for those prioritizing simplicity and core VoIP features over advanced call management tools.
For solopreneurs or anyone exploring Google Voice, the Personal plan offers an accessible and free Dialpad alternative. Its mobile app, available on both iOS and Android, provides one of the most user-friendly Dial Pad alternatives for iPhone.
8×8: Best for security
Overall Score
4.19/5
Pricing
0.94/5
General features
4.88/5
Core VoIP features
5/5
Advanced features
5/5
Integration and compatibility
5/5
User experience and usability
4.06/5
Security and compliance
5/5
Customer support and service
4.5/5
Expert score
3.39/5
Pros
- Allows mix-and-match plans
- Offers unlimited calling to up to 28 countries
- Provides team messaging and document sharing
- Includes high-definition audio and video conferencing for 500 active participants
Cons
- Pricing is not readily available on the website
- Primarily geared for large enterprises with pricing and set-up features
Why we chose 8×8 over Dialpad
While Dialpad offers comprehensive security features like end-to-end encryption and security compliance certifications for the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and GDPR, 8×8 offers more by meeting Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA), PCI, and the EU Privacy Shield Framework.
It’s HIPAA compliant, providing business associate agreements for covered entities and associates. It protects customer calls using the same encryption technology the U.S. government uses, including TLS and SRTP/AES encryption. 8×8 services are secured by a geographically diverse, fully redundant data center.
Ooma: Best for domestic calling
Overall Score
4.06/5
Pricing
3.63/5
General features
3.56/5
Core VoIP features
4.19/5
Advanced features
3.75/5
Integration and compatibility
3.81/5
User experience and usability
4.06/5
Security and compliance
4.06/5
Customer support and service
4.75/5
Expert score
3.81/5
Pros
- 50-plus standard VoIP features included in all plans
- Simple phone management
- Real-time customer support
- Toll-free number and 500 toll-free minutes
Cons
- Offers a limited set of third-party integrations
- Lacks international numbers
Why we chose Ooma over Dialpad
Ooma stands out as one of the Dialpad competitors for domestic calling, thanks to its expansive coverage beyond just the U.S. and Canada. Ooma extends its unlimited calls to mobile and landlines in Mexico and Puerto Rico. The Ooma Premier plan lets you access VoIP services for just $9.99 per month. If you don’t require unlimited calling beyond the US and Canada, opt for the Ooma Basic, which is enough for your needs.
OpenPhone: Best for small teams
Overall Score
4.01/5
Pricing
3.56/5
General features
4.38/5
Core VoIP features
4.38/5
Advanced features
2.75/5
Integration and compatibility
3.13/5
User experience and usability
4.38/5
Security and compliance
5/5
Customer support and service
3.5/5
Expert score
3.67/5
Pros
- All plans come with a local or toll-free number
- Unlimited calling and messaging within the US and Canada
- User roles and management are a universal feature
- Up to unlimited shared phone numbers
Cons
- Base plan only has manual, not automatic, call recording
- Charges a messaging set up fee and monthly messaging fee
Why we chose OpenPhone over Dialpad
OpenPhone is an excellent choice for small teams thanks to its cost-effective shared phone numbers feature. As one of the top Dialpad competitors in the market, unlike Dialpad, which can become expensive as team sizes increase, OpenPhone’s pricing model enables multiple team members to utilize the same business number.
Additionally, features such as customizable voicemail, AI-powered responses and transcripts, auto-replies, scheduled messages, and ring order streamline communication and automate tasks, allowing smaller teams to enhance productivity significantly.
Grasshopper: Best for multiple virtual phone numbers
Overall Score
3.69/5
Pricing
3.56/5
General features
3.88/5
Core VoIP features
4.44/5
Advanced features
3.75/5
Integration and compatibility
3.25/5
User experience and usability
4.38/5
Security and compliance
0.63/5
Customer support and service
4/5
Expert score
3.61/5
Pros
- Provides automated instant response
- Offers professional custom greetings
- Comes with unlimited business texting on all plans
- Includes simultaneous call handling
- Read your voicemail is a universal feature
Cons
- Lacks call recording
- Additional phone numbers are pricier than most at $9 per month
Why we chose Grasshopper over Dialpad
Grasshopper is an excellent Dialpad alternative, thanks to its flat-rate pricing structure and the ability to combine shared phone numbers with extensions. Unlike Dialpad, Grasshopper also provides vanity numbers, allowing you to secure a more memorable phone number that customers can easily recall. Their website features a number lookup tool to help you find available vanity numbers for your business.
In this Dialpad vs Grasshopper comparison, Grasshopper is ideal for teams that share phone numbers. With its fixed monthly fee, regardless of the number of users, teams can access up to four numbers and unlimited extensions on its highest plan.
What is Dialpad?
Dialpad is a cloud-based communications provider offering both Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) and Contact Center as a Service (CCaaS) solutions. The platform provides advanced AI-powered features such as bot-assisted live chat, AI-powered customer sentiment, and intelligent call routing. The solution provides scalability for growing businesses with advanced contact center tools like ACD and real-time analytics.
It offers three plans, including Dialpad costs, and pricing starts at $27 per user monthly. The base plan has essential communication tools like unlimited domestic calling, multi-level auto attendant, custom call routing, SMS/MMS, and team messaging.
Dialpad limitations
While Dialpad is an excellent VoIP phone system for businesses of all sizes, it comes with various drawbacks, which can be a deal breaker for those needing niche communication tools. Here are some of the platform’s limitations:
- Limited video meeting participants: Dialpad offers powerful video conferencing with unlimited meetings, screen sharing, and recordings, but it only accommodates up to 10 participants for up to 45 minutes. Users must pay extra and upgrade to boost these limits to 150 participants for up to five hours.
- Mid-range pricing: While Dialpad offers comparable pricing for its services, businesses looking for more affordable solutions will find its $27 monthly user rates relatively high. Check out Grasshopper, Google Voice, and OpenPhone if you want shared numbers and lower-priced subscriptions.
- International calling: While Dialpad offers international phone numbers and low per-minute rates, businesses making frequent global calls may find Zoom Phone, Ooma, and 8×8’s unlimited calling more practical.
- Few integrations: Dialpad unlocks most of its popular integrations with its Pro and Enterprise plans, with the base plan only integrating with Google Workspace. Bigger teams with CRM business tools may find Dialpad’s integration with Salesforce, Hubspot, and ServiceNow very limited.
Choosing the right Dialpad alternative
Dialpad is a great VoIP provider offering UCaaS capabilities, thanks to features such as voice calling, messaging, meetings, and video conferencing and support for local, toll-free, and international numbers. However, given the limitations above, you may want to consider the top alternative VoIP solutions for small businesses:
- If you’re looking for customizable packages and an array of ala carte feature options, choose Vonage, especially if you have fluctuating call volumes.
- For global calling, check out GoTo Connect, which offers unlimited international calling to over 50 countries.
- Businesses needing higher virtual conferencing participants and time limits are better off with Zoom Phone. It allows up to 1,000 participants for 30 hours.
- Nextiva is great for businesses looking for a VoIP phone system that specializes in customer-facing interaction.
- RingCentral is your best bet for a phone system with extensive call management and UC tools.
- For businesses wanting advanced workforce management tools and specialized industry packages, Talkdesk was designed for high-volume call center operations.
- If you want a simple, no-frills phone system, Google Voice offers a lean platform that integrates with Google Workspace for added functionality.
- Teams, especially those in healthcare, looking for top-of-the-line security compliance, 8×8 complies with several security standards, more so than what Dialpad offers.
- Ooma and Dialpad offer unmetered calling within the US and Canada if you prioritize unlimited domestic calling. However, Ooma extends this offering to cover Mexico and Puerto Rico.
- OpenPhone is the best solution for small teams looking to enable multiple team members to utilize the same business number.
- Grasshopper is best if you’re looking for shared numbers, including vanity phone numbers, for better brand recognition.
If these providers still don’t fit the bill, check out our best cloudphone systems for 2024 to explore other solutions.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Methodology
At TechnologyAdvice, we apply a thorough, multi-step method to assess VoIP phone system solutions. Our in-depth review entails research on high-value features, a review of customer feedback, and hands-on product analysis. We aim to identify the best Dialpad alternatives that deliver useful features and user-friendly solutions. Below are the key categories we use to assess platforms and software: