Best CloudTalk Alternatives: Which VoIP Software Should You Actually Use?

CloudTalk is a solid VoIP and call center platform, but it's not for everyone. Maybe you've hit the limitations of their lower-tier plans, gotten frustrated with add-on pricing, or just want to see what else is out there before committing.

Good news: there are plenty of alternatives. Bad news: most comparison articles are useless fluff that don't tell you what you actually need to know.

This guide breaks down the real contenders - with actual pricing, honest pros and cons, and guidance on which one fits your specific situation.

Quick Recap: What CloudTalk Costs

Before diving into alternatives, let's establish what you're comparing against. CloudTalk offers three main plans:

• Lite Plan: $19/user/month (billed annually) - Basic features, outbound calls charged per minute
• Essential Plan: $30/user/month - Adds advanced analytics and integrations
• Expert Plan: $50/user/month - Includes power dialer, WhatsApp messaging, call monitoring (minimum 3 users)

CloudTalk includes international numbers in 160+ countries, unlimited inbound calls, and integrations with popular CRMs like HubSpot, Salesforce, and Pipedrive.

The catch? Many features people consider essential - like power dialers ($15/user/month), parallel dialers ($39/user/month), and AI conversation intelligence ($9/user/month) - are paid add-ons. SSO is only available on Expert and above. So your "$25 plan" can quickly become $50+ when you add what you actually need.

Why Look for CloudTalk Alternatives?

Common complaints that push people to switch:

• Add-on fatigue: Core features like call transcription require the AI add-on. Unlimited storage only comes with higher plans.
• Limited analytics on lower tiers: Custom reports require Custom plans. Real-time reporting and call monitoring are gated behind Expert.
• Security features: SSO only available on Expert plan and above - fewer security features compared to some competitors.
• Scaling costs: Pricing doesn't always scale well as teams grow.

That said, CloudTalk does have loyal users who love the call quality, ease of setup, and customer support. It's not a bad product - it just might not be the right fit for you.

The 7 Best CloudTalk Alternatives

1. Aircall - Best for Teams Needing Lots of Integrations

Aircall is CloudTalk's most direct competitor and the go-to choice for sales and support teams that live in their CRM.

Pricing:

• Essentials: $30/user/month (annual) or $40/month (monthly) - minimum 3 users
• Professional: $50/user/month (annual) or $70/month (monthly) - minimum 3 users
• Custom: Quote-based, minimum 25 users

What's good:

• 200+ integrations including HubSpot, Salesforce, Microsoft Teams, and Slack
• Unlimited calls to US and Canada included
• Clean, intuitive interface that teams adopt quickly
• AI-powered features like call summaries and sentiment analysis

What sucks:

• 3-user minimum means you're paying at least $90/month to get started
• AI features cost an extra $9/license/month as an add-on
• International calling requires bundles or Custom plan upgrade
• SMS features limited - Advanced Messaging add-on costs $20/user/month plus per-message fees

Best for: Mid-sized sales and support teams (10-50 people) who need deep CRM integration and don't mind the minimum user requirements.

2. JustCall - Best Budget Option for Small Teams

JustCall positions itself as the affordable alternative with AI capabilities baked in earlier than competitors.

Pricing:

• Essentials: $19/user/month (annual) - Basic VoIP functionality
• Team: $29/user/month - Adds AI features with transcription
• Pro: $49/user/month - Sales tools and advanced features
• Business: Custom pricing (10-user minimum)

What's good:

• Lower entry point than most competitors
• 80+ native CRM integrations
• Local numbers in 70+ countries
• 14-day free trial to test before committing

What sucks:

• "Unlimited" plans have Fair Usage caps - overages cost $0.02/minute
• AI features get expensive fast - AI Voice Agents start at $99/month for just 100 minutes
• Transcription caps even on paid plans (60 minutes on Team plan)
• Annual billing required for advertised rates

Best for: Small teams (2-10 people) who need basic VoIP with some AI features and want the lowest possible entry price. Just watch the usage limits.

3. Dialpad - Best for AI-First Teams

If AI-powered features are your priority, Dialpad has been building voice AI longer than most competitors.

Pricing:

• Standard: $15/user/month
• Pro: $25/user/month
• Enterprise: Custom pricing

What's good:

• Real-time transcription and AI coaching during calls
• Strong mobile apps for remote teams
• Contact center chatbots and sales coaching built-in
• Minimal setup required - very intuitive interface

What sucks:

• Advanced features like meeting scheduling require third-party tools (Google Workspace or Microsoft 365)
• Less robust integrations compared to Aircall
• Can get expensive when you need full contact center features

Best for: Teams that want cutting-edge AI features and are already in the Google or Microsoft ecosystem.

4. Nextiva - Best for Growing Companies

Nextiva is a bigger player in the VoIP space with a reputation for reliability and all-in-one features.

Pricing:

• Core: $15/user/month - Basic VoIP, team chat, video
• Engage: $25/user/month - Adds toll-free numbers, call recording, basic IVR
• Power Suite CX: $75/user/month - Full omnichannel contact center

What's good:

• 99.999% uptime - extremely reliable
• HIPAA-compliant virtual faxing for healthcare
• 24/7 support with dedicated account managers
• No Fair Usage limits on calling like some competitors

What sucks:

• Missing some integrations (no Slack integration, for example)
• Power Suite CX is expensive at $75/user/month
• Interface feels more dated than newer competitors

Best for: Companies that prioritize reliability and support over flashy features. Good for healthcare and regulated industries.

5. RingCentral - Best Enterprise Option

The 800-pound gorilla of VoIP. RingCentral has been around 20+ years and serves enterprises with complex needs.

Pricing: Contact for quote (typically $20-45/user/month depending on features and volume)

What's good:

• HD voice and video quality
• Omnichannel experience across voice, video, messaging
• Enterprise-grade security and compliance
• Massive feature set for large teams

What sucks:

• Overkill for small teams
• Native sentiment analytics, speech-to-text, and smart dialers only in Contact Centre Solution (not standard VoIP)
• Call recording and toll-free numbers are add-ons
• Can be complex to set up and manage

Best for: Enterprise companies (100+ employees) that need a full UCaaS platform with video conferencing, team messaging, and contact center capabilities in one.

6. 3CX - Best Self-Hosted Option

3CX takes a different approach - it's software you can host yourself or run in the cloud.

Pricing: Per-license model based on simultaneous calls, not per-user. Starts free for small deployments.

What's good:

• Self-hosting option for full data control
• Integrates with Slack, Microsoft Teams, and popular SIP trunks
• Very cost-effective for high-volume operations
• Good for remote teams - works anywhere with internet

What sucks:

• No built-in agent interface - requires third-party softphone apps
• No real-time reporting
• No card-free trial
• More technical setup required than cloud-only options

Best for: Tech-savvy SMBs that want maximum control over their phone system and don't mind managing infrastructure.

7. CallHippo - Best for International Teams

CallHippo focuses on global accessibility with virtual numbers in many countries.

Pricing: Starts around $16/user/month for basic plans

What's good:

• Easy to use with responsive interface
• Affordable entry point
• Good for basic international calling needs

What sucks:

• Fewer integrations than CloudTalk
• Call reliability can fluctuate during peak hours
• Basic analytics and reporting - not great for teams needing deep insights
• Call routing customization is limited

Best for: Small international teams that need simple VoIP without complex features.

Quick Comparison Table

How to Choose the Right Alternative

If you're a small team (under 10 people): JustCall or Dialpad offer the best value. JustCall if budget is tight, Dialpad if you want better AI.

If you're a mid-sized sales/support team: Aircall or stick with CloudTalk. Both have strong CRM integrations and the features growing teams need.

If reliability is everything: Nextiva's 99.999% uptime is hard to beat. Worth the premium if dropped calls cost you money.

If you need enterprise features: RingCentral or Genesys Cloud CX for complex deployments with compliance requirements.

If you want maximum control: 3CX lets you self-host and avoid per-user fees entirely.

The Bottom Line

CloudTalk isn't bad - it's actually quite good for the price. But "good" doesn't mean "right for everyone."

The biggest reasons to switch:

• You're paying for add-ons that competitors include in base plans
• You've outgrown CloudTalk's analytics capabilities
• You need deeper integrations than CloudTalk offers
• You want AI features without paying extra

The biggest reasons to stay:

• CloudTalk's 160+ international numbers work well for your business
• You're happy with the call quality and support
• Switching costs (migration, training) outweigh the benefits

Whatever you choose, most platforms offer free trials. Take advantage of them. A VoIP system you hate using is worse than a slightly more expensive one your team actually adopts.

Ready to try CloudTalk first and compare for yourself? Start your free 14-day CloudTalk trial here.

Looking for other business software comparisons? Check out our guides on best CRM software and CRMs for small business.