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Dialpad is our best starting point for many teams: it starts at $15 and is positioned for support teams needing AI call tools. But contact center software ranges from shared business calling to enterprise operations. For larger voice and omnichannel teams, compare Genesys Cloud CX, Five9, and Talkdesk; for lower listed starting prices, consider Nextiva, Aircall, and 3CX. Treat each starting price as a shortlist filter, not a quote. Add-ons, annual commitments, and reported support or reliability concerns can change the economics.
Quick picksThe shortlist
DialpadDialpadBest overall · $15/mo
NextivaNextivaBest for channel consolidation · $15/mo
3CX3CXBest for flexible deployment · $25/mo
AircallAircallBest for CRM-connected calling · $30/mo
TalkdeskTalkdeskBest for voice and digital · $85/mo
Genesys Cloud CXGenesys Cloud CXBest for enterprise teams · $75/mo
Five9Five9Best for workforce tools · $119/mo
8x88x8Best broad communications suite · Custom
AssembledAssembledBest for support workforce planning · $25/mo
01Compared at a glance
02The picks, in detail
- Best overallDialpadDialpad
Dialpad is our best overall starting point for teams that want voice and collaboration together. It starts at $15 and is also positioned for support teams needing AI call tools and sales teams wanting coaching and dialing. The comparison gives it a 6.8 score. Before switching, get the full quote and ask about support: both are flagged as points to check.
What works
- Connect Standard starts at $15 per user/month
- 14-day free trial for Connect plans
- AI transcripts, recaps, and summaries
What doesn't
- Support plans start at $89 per user/month
- AI Agent Credit price is not published
- Pricing page billing toggle is unclear
- Best for channel consolidationNextivaNextiva
Nextiva is a fit for teams looking to consolidate customer channels and explore AI conversation handling. Its listed starting price is $15, and the comparison notes annual-billed plans for small teams. The score is 6.3. That low entry point is worth comparing, but the summary flags costs and support reports for scrutiny, so confirm what the plan and contract actually include.
What works
- Combines voice, video, chat, email and social
- XBert can answer questions and route requests
- Customer profiles show interaction history
What doesn't
- NEXT Core includes 50 AI transcriptions and summaries
- XBert on NEXT plans costs $1.50 per conversation
- Several contact-center plan prices are not published
- Best for flexible deployment3CX3CX
3CX is worth considering if flexible deployment and per-system licensing matter more than a simple per-user price comparison. It starts at $25 and is positioned for businesses needing contact center features. Its score is 5.6, so it is not an automatic value winner. The comparison specifically advises weighing extra hosting costs and partner concerns before switching.
What works
- Hosted, self-hosted, and on-premise deployment options
- AI features include routing and call transcription
- Contact center includes sentiment analysis
What doesn't
- Starting license costs $300 per year
- Hosting costs extra and is unavailable for some sizes
- Prices exclude tax or VAT
- Best for CRM-connected callingAircallAircall
Aircall is positioned for teams that need CRM-connected business calling, call automation, and shared conversations across distributed teams. Its listed starting price is $30, with a 6.5 score. That makes it a reasonable option to compare against cheaper plans, but the summary flags add-on costs and mixed support reports. Ask for the full cost, not just the starting figure.
What works
- Calls, SMS and messaging in one platform
- AI Assistants offer live guidance and transcription
- Automated notes, CRM updates and follow-up tasks
What doesn't
- Essentials and Professional require three users
- $30 and $50 license prices are annual rates
- Separate monthly license rates are not published
- Best for voice and digitalTalkdeskTalkdesk
Talkdesk is aimed at teams combining voice and digital support, especially those that need workforce tools or are exploring AI-assisted service. It starts at $85 and scores 6.3. The comparison calls it a capable-looking CX platform, but says to confirm AI access, total cost, and voice reliability before switching. Those checks matter more than the headline price.
What works
- AI agents support goals, policies, and constraints.
- Knowledge can be refined using live interactions and enterprise data.
- Plans cover digital, voice, and omnichannel setups.
What doesn't
- Digital Essentials starts at $85 per user/month; Voice Essentials starts at $105.
- Annual rates and billing cadence are not stated.
- AI-agent inclusion by plan is unclear from listed plan inclusions.
- Best for enterprise teamsGenesys Cloud CXGenesys Cloud CX
Genesys Cloud CX is positioned for enterprise contact center teams running voice and omnichannel operations and evaluating AI agent tools. Its listed starting price is $75, and the comparison score is 7. The caveats are material: check the annual commitment and any unpriced add-ons before comparing it with lower-entry options. The starting price alone does not establish the full contract cost.
What works
- Four published tiers cover different contact center needs
- CX 1 includes voice, speech-enabled IVR and virtual agents
- CX 2 adds digital channels, routing and quality assurance
What doesn't
- Listed prices require an annual commitment
- Monthly-billed prices aren’t published
- Add-on and overage prices aren’t published
- Best for workforce toolsFive9Five9
Five9 suits large teams looking for multiple channels, AI self-service, workforce tools, and analytics. It scores 6.3, but its listed starting price is $119, the highest starting price among these nine picks. The comparison also flags reliability concerns reported by users. Shortlist it for the feature set, then check the minimum commitment and ask about service reliability before signing.
What works
- Supports voice, chat, SMS, email, WhatsApp and video
- AI can hand interactions to live agents
- Routing spans AI, human agents and connected systems
What doesn't
- Digital requires a 50-seat minimum
- Core is listed at $159 per concurrent user monthly
- Plus, Pro and Enterprise prices are not published
- Best broad communications suite8x88x8
8x8 covers business calling, meetings, messaging, and contact center needs, making it a candidate for organizations consolidating communications or evaluating phone options for Microsoft Teams. Its price is quote-only, so there is no listed starting figure to compare. Request a quote based on your actual channels and users, then compare the complete cost with providers that publish starting prices.
What works
- Phone, video, chat and messaging in 8x8 Work
- Contact center and customer experience offerings
- AI-powered routing pairs customers with available experts
What doesn't
- Pricing page does not publish plan rates
- Plans require a custom quote
- No free plan or trial listed in the published pricing data
- Best for support workforce planningAssembledAssembled
Assembled is positioned for support teams blending people and AI, with forecasting, scheduling, and automation across chat, email, or voice. It starts at $25 and scores 7. The catch is that the full-platform price is hard to pin down. Treat the starting figure as an entry point and request a quote covering the workflows and channels you need.
What works
- Combines workforce management, Copilot and AI Agents
- Core workforce management is listed at $25/month
- Copilot includes drafted replies and translations
What doesn't
- Complete orchestration suite price is not published
- AI Agents cost $0.65 per conversation
- Annual billing availability is not stated
03How we chose
We weigh published pricing and plan limits first, then check product documentation for what each plan includes and what it caps. We also consider Reddit sentiment as a signal of recurring support, reliability, or billing concerns—not as proof that every customer will have the same experience. The published materials here include product names but no pricing pages, documentation, or Reddit posts, so we cannot verify prices, limits, or user reports. We do not claim hands-on testing; those details should be checked against current sources before publication.
04Choose around the calls and channels you need to manage
Start with the work, not the longest feature list. Write down whether your team handles inbound calls, outbound campaigns, business phone lines, or a mix. Then list the channels customers use and the handoffs your team needs to support. A tool that fits a small phone team may not fit a larger operation with routing, scheduling, or quality-management requirements; confirm those needs in the product documentation rather than assuming they come with the base plan.
The category list spans names such as OpenPhone, Five9, Genesys Cloud CX, Assembled, and NICE CXone, but the published materials do not establish which is best for a particular use case. Compare the same workflow across your shortlist: call routing, reporting, integrations, admin controls, and any capabilities your team considers essential. Ask vendors to identify plan restrictions in writing.
05Compare total cost and migration requirements before switching
Do not compare headline prices alone. The published materials for this guide contain no current pricing or plan limits, so we cannot confirm per-user costs, included minutes, feature tiers, or extra fees for any listed product. Before you shortlist, ask for a written quote that spells out billing units, minimum seats, contract terms, usage charges, and which required features sit behind higher tiers.
For a switch, inventory phone numbers, call flows, integrations, reporting needs, and team permissions before signing. Ask each vendor how number transfers work, what data can be moved, what needs rebuilding, and whether existing equipment or carriers affect the change. Confirm those answers in documentation or the contract. A lower subscription price may not make a switch worthwhile if required capabilities cost extra or the migration leaves your team without a necessary workflow.
Questions people ask
What is the best omnichannel customer service software?
There is no single best choice established by the published materials. Define the channels your team must support, then verify routing, reporting, integrations, and plan limits for each candidate. Ask vendors to demonstrate your real workflow and document which capabilities are included at the quoted price.
Who is Zendesk's biggest competitor?
The published materials do not compare Zendesk with competitors by revenue, market share, or customer count, so we cannot name a single biggest competitor. For a contact-center shortlist, compare the products in this guide against your required channels, workflows, integrations, and budget rather than treating one vendor as the universal rival.
Does Microsoft have a contact management tool?
The published materials for this guide do not document Microsoft products, so we cannot verify a specific contact-management tool or its capabilities here. If Microsoft is on your shortlist, check its current product documentation and confirm that the product covers your contact-center workflows, licensing needs, and integrations.
Which software is used for call centers?
The products named for this guide include Five9, Genesys Cloud CX, NICE CXone, Talkdesk, and Avaya, among others. The published materials do not establish which is most widely used or best. Compare current documentation, published plan limits, and pricing against your call volume and operating requirements.