Free Call Tracking Software: What's Actually Free (And What's Not)

Let's cut to the chase: truly free call tracking software with no strings attached is rare. Most "free" options are either limited free trials, freemium CRM tools with basic call logging, or solutions that require serious technical setup.

But if you're running marketing campaigns and need to know which ads, keywords, or channels are driving phone calls, you have options. Here's what's actually available, what it costs, and whether it's worth your time.

The Reality of "Free" Call Tracking

Before we dive in, let's be clear about what call tracking actually does. Call tracking software assigns unique phone numbers to different marketing campaigns, channels, or landing pages. When someone calls that number, you know exactly which campaign drove that lead.

This is different from basic call logging, which just records that a call happened. True call tracking tells you where the caller came from - was it your Google Ads campaign? Your Facebook ad? That billboard on I-95?

Most tools that claim to be "free" fall into one of these categories:

Best Free Trial Options (Paid Tools Worth Testing)

If you're serious about call tracking, these paid tools offer free trials that let you test before committing. They're not free forever, but they're worth evaluating.

CallRail

CallRail is the industry leader, serving over 200,000 businesses worldwide. It's not cheap, but it's comprehensive.

Pricing: Plans start at $45/month for basic call tracking, going up to $135/month for the complete package with conversation intelligence and form tracking. They offer a 14-day free trial with no credit card required.

What you get: Call attribution, call recording, basic analytics, and integrations with Google Ads and Analytics. The higher tiers add AI-powered call transcription, keyword analysis, and form tracking.

The catch: Usage costs add up quickly. You're charged per phone number and per minute on top of your base plan. Toll-free numbers run $5/month plus $0.08/minute. Once you exceed included minutes, expect to pay $0.05 per extra minute.

Best for: Marketing agencies and businesses that need detailed attribution data and can justify the monthly spend.

WhatConverts

WhatConverts is a strong CallRail alternative that's particularly popular with PPC agencies. Try WhatConverts if you're managing multiple client accounts.

Pricing: Starts at $30/month for basic call tracking, with Plus ($60/month), Pro ($100/month), and Elite ($160/month) tiers available. All plans include a 14-day free trial.

What you get: Call tracking, form tracking, chat tracking, and lead management in one dashboard. The interface is clean and agencies love the white-label reporting options.

The catch: Like CallRail, additional usage (extra numbers, minutes, transcriptions) is billed separately. Some users report tracking numbers can attract spam calls.

Best for: Marketing agencies managing multiple client accounts who want call, form, and chat tracking in one place.

CloudTalk

CloudTalk is more of a full call center solution than pure call tracking, but it includes tracking features and starts cheaper than CallRail. Check out CloudTalk if you need a complete phone system.

Pricing: Plans start at $19/user/month (billed annually) for the Lite plan, going up to $49/user/month for Expert. They offer a 14-day free trial.

What you get: Call recording, call queuing, automated call distribution, and international numbers in 160+ countries. Higher tiers add IVR, skill-based routing, and real-time analytics.

The catch: CloudTalk doesn't offer a free plan - only a free trial. The base plan lacks integrations and advanced features. Outbound calls to certain destinations cost extra.

Best for: Sales and support teams that need a full phone system with call tracking capabilities built in.

Truly Free Options (With Limitations)

These options won't cost you money, but they come with significant trade-offs.

HubSpot CRM (Free Tier)

HubSpot's free CRM includes basic call tracking and logging functionality. If you're already in the HubSpot ecosystem, this is a no-brainer starting point. Check out our free CRM software guide for more options.

What's included free: Basic call logging, click-to-call from the CRM, call notes, and activity tracking. Calls are automatically logged to contact records.

What's NOT included free: Marketing attribution (which campaign drove the call), call recording, transcription, and AI analysis. Those features require Sales Hub Starter ($15/month) or higher.

The reality: HubSpot's free call tracking is really call logging, not attribution. It helps sales teams track their conversations, but it won't tell your marketing team which ads are generating calls.

Best for: Small sales teams that need basic call logging integrated with their CRM, not marketing attribution.

Google Workspace Call Tracking Add-on

There's a free Google Workspace add-on called "Free Call Tracking" that works with Google Sheets and Analytics. It's janky but technically free.

How it works: You use your single phone number (no dynamic number insertion), and manually match calls to website visitors in a Google Sheet while they're on the phone. Then you track the data in Google Analytics.

The catch: It's manual and requires you to ask callers to browse to another page during the call to "double-check" the match. Not scalable for any serious volume.

Best for: Very small businesses getting minimal calls who want basic tracking without paying anything.

Qubicles (Free Plan)

Qubicles offers a genuinely free plan that includes 100% of the software's features. It's built on blockchain technology for security.

What's included free: All software features including call tracking, scripting, built-in webphone, inbound call queues, and call reporting.

What's NOT included free: Onboarding and live support - those are reserved for paid plans only.

Best for: Teams comfortable with self-service setup who want full features without paying.

Ringba (Basic Plan)

Ringba offers a free basic plan for marketers and brands focused on call campaigns.

What's included free: Call tracking, real-time campaign monitoring, call attribution for traffic sources and keywords, and routing plans.

What's NOT included free: Advanced features require the Premium plan at $99/month or custom Enterprise pricing.

Best for: Performance marketers testing call campaigns before scaling.

What About CRM Tools With Call Logging?

Many CRM platforms include call logging in their free tiers. This isn't true call tracking (marketing attribution), but if you just need to log calls against contacts, these work:

For a deeper dive into CRM options, check out our guide to CRM for small business.

Should You Pay for Call Tracking?

Here's the honest truth: if phone calls matter to your business, free call tracking probably won't cut it.

Free options work if:

Paid options make sense if:

The math is usually straightforward. If you're spending $1,000+/month on advertising and phone calls are part of your conversion path, $50-100/month for proper attribution data is a no-brainer. You'll waste more money on bad ads without it.

Getting Started

If you're just exploring, start with a free trial of a proper tool like WhatConverts or CloudTalk. You'll learn what features actually matter to your business.

If you're on a tight budget, use HubSpot's free CRM for basic call logging and manually track which campaigns drive calls using UTM parameters and asking callers "how did you hear about us?"

If you need full marketing attribution but can't afford CallRail pricing, WhatConverts starting at $30/month is the most affordable option with real attribution features.

The worst thing you can do is spend money on advertising without knowing which campaigns are actually generating calls. Even basic tracking is better than flying blind.