Summary
CloudTalk is a cloud-based contact centre software that helps businesses manage their phone calls. It has features that enhance business phone systems. However, it also has a number of limitations to consider.
Discover the top 5 alternatives to CloudTalk.
Comparison table of the 5 best alternatives to CloudTalk
A table featuring the most popular CloudTalk competitors in the business phone line market.
| Software | Advantages | Disadvantages | Pricing |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Ringover | Numbers available from 65 countries | May be too powerful a solution for entrepreneurs | Three plans available, starting at £19 per user/month |
| 2. RingCentral | Large integrations library | Call recording not available in all plans | Options from £18 |
| 3. 3CX | Good and reliable call quality | Difficult to use, unclear pricing | Prices start at £235 per year |
| 4. Mitel | Expertise in migrating from hardware to softphone | Basic don't include necessary features | No information given |
| 5. Vonage | Many integrations available | Expensive for small businesses | Plans begin at about £10 per user/month |
What is CloudTalk?
CloudTalk is a cloud solution for call centre phone management. It is designed for businesses looking to optimise their telephony. As a VoIP operator, CloudTalk offers the purchase of phone numbers in over 140 countries. The company has offices in Slovakia, the Czech Republic, and Spain and is relatively young, having been founded in 2018.
Why choose an alternative to CloudTalk?
Here are the most common reasons why companies decide to switch gears in terms of telephony vis-à-vis CloudTalk.
You need an easy-to-configure solution
CloudTalk is one of the most well-known call centre software providers in the European market. The company behind the solution is based in Slovakia. This provider offers a number of interesting features for businesses looking for an easy-to-use VoIP telephony solution.
However, to make the most of a VoIP PBX, it needs to be easy to set up and configure, which is not the case with CloudTalk, which has some shortcomings in this area, particularly in terms of integration with some essential CRM systems.
Other solutions like Ringover stand out for how easily these integrations are configured. It's worth noting that Ringover's setup can be done in just three minutes.
You need a much more comprehensive solution
This is probably the main reason. CloudTalk defines itself as a softphone, which implies that it focuses solely on this channel.
There are business VoIP providers in the market like Ringover whose communication platform offering includes not only phone but also video, chat, text message campaigns, and commercial prospecting platforms that automate email campaigns.
Don't settle for just the phone and explore all possibilities to grow your business. Among the advantages of combining all your company's communications into a single solution are cost savings, time savings, and increased productivity for your sales and customer service teams. All for a more advantageous price.
You need a less expensive solution
If in terms of ease of use, CloudTalk is often praised, it's a different story for its pricing, which is a bit prohibitive. The Starter offer, aimed at SMEs, is priced at £30 per month per user.
Moreover, this offer, which is aimed at SMEs, does not include essential features such as personalised call greetings or blacklisting unwanted calls.
In other words, a company that switches to CloudTalk Starter potentially exposes itself to unwanted calls without the possibility of blocking them.
The most comprehensive CloudTalk formula, called CloudTalk Expert, is offered at £50, and even at this price, you won't find a tool for video conferencing, which is a barrier to internal collaboration.
For comparison, video conferencing is available in all Ringover plans, including the Smart plan offered at £19 per user/month.
Top 5 Best Alternatives to CloudTalk
- Ringover
- RingCentral
- 3CX
- Mitel
- Vonage
Best Alternative #1: Ringover
Ringover stands out from other alternatives to Vonage for its simple deployment and ease of use. Indeed, there is no need for any particular technical knowledge to set up Ringover.
The solution includes in its basic offering all the essential features for business telecommunications, whether it's video conferencing, unlimited calls to 110 destinations, or personalised call greeting.
The higher plan will allow you to enjoy integration with your CRM software and a fixed number in 65 countries to make it easier for your customers and contacts trying to reach you from around the world.
It is also possible to customise your quote to get an offer that is 100% adapted to your company's needs.
Unlike many competitors, the pricing structure is clear: the VoIP provider does not limit any plan to a number of users and, therefore, does not force you to switch to a higher plan simply because you have recruited two new collaborators to strengthen your ranks and reach your goals.
Ringover shines through its flexibility as much as its performance.
Ringover Advantages ➕
- Unlimited calls to over 110 destinations
- Customizable packages
- Very easy solution to deploy
- Free trial
Ringover Disadvantages ➖
- Not 100% suitable for small structures. This solution is rather designed for SMEs and large organisations.
Alternative #2: RingCentral
RingCentral is an American company that has been present for over 20 years in the market for communication products and services for businesses.
RingCentral is on all fronts with products for audio and video call management, collaboration, omnichannel communication, and even fax! Companies can obtain phone numbers in over a hundred countries and ensure a presence, even virtually, in these countries.
RingCentral's flagship product for enterprise cloud communications is RingCentral MVP offered in 4 different plans beginning at £18.
RingCentral Advantages➕
- Many relevant features
- Rich integration catalogue
Ringover Disadvantages ➖
- Call recording is not available in the Essentials offer
- Complicated setup
- Not very intuitive interface
Alternative #3: 3CX
3CX is a Cyprus-based cloud telephony provider that allows users to make calls to 190 countries, thus facilitating the international development of businesses.
Among its notable features are live chat and call queue management. Prices are quite low compared to other alternatives on the market, however, this is reflected in the limited features.
In addition, 3CX distributes the paid versions of its solution exclusively through its network of partners. You cannot therefore deal directly with 3CX and there is some lack of clarity regarding the pricing applied.
3CX Advantages ➕
- Decent SIP telephony
- Free version available with limited features
3CX Disadvantages➖
- Little transparency on final prices
- Not very intuitive interface
- Lack of flexibility and scalability
Alternative #4: Mitel
This Canadian company was founded in the 1970s and was one of the pioneers in enterprise IP telephony.
Mitel offers professional communication solutions such as unified communications, call centre tools, but also VoIP phones.
Mitel Advantages➕
- Expertise in migration
Mitel Disadvantages➖
- Choosing the ideal plan can be complicated due to a lack of clarity
- The basic offer may not include essential features
Alternative #5: Vonage
Vonage is an alternative to Cloudtalk specialising in cloud communication for businesses. It is an American subsidiary of Ericsson present in the telecom services market for over 20 years.
Vonage is present in the CCaaS and unified communications market. However, the company stands out primarily for its dedicated APIs.
Vonage Advantages➕
- Possibility to fully customise your offer
- Provided third-party integration catalogue
Vonage Disadvantages➖
- Additional fees may increase the bill as some features are not necessarily included
- Expensive for small teams
What is the best alternative to CloudTalk?
There are many cloud telephony operators on the market and it is true that CloudTalk is one of the most well-known.
However, despite the many advantages it offers, it is worth studying its main competitors to find the perfect solution for your business, especially if you are considering rapid development.
CloudTalk offers a Starter plan at £25 per user/month, an expensive option which lacks essential functions such as personalised call greetings or IVR menus.
With a starting price of £19 per user/month, easy configuration, "all-inclusive" packages, and unlimited calls to over 110 destinations, the telephone system provided by Ringover is the best alternative for growing businesses looking for a flexible and reliable solution.
Start your free trial now to discover how Ringover and its other solutions can help you increase productivity and more!
CloudTalk Alternatives FAQ
What are Cloudtalk's pricing plans?
CloudTalk offers three fixed pricing plans ranging from £25 per user/month to £50 per user/month. However, it is possible to opt for a fourth custom offer. Comparing Cloudtalk to its alternatives, we can conclude that this solution can be expensive, especially for SMEs.
How does Cloudtalk work?
Cloudtalk is an IP telephony solution that works through internet connection and the installed application on one of your compatible devices, such as a laptop or your smartphone.
Calls made with VoIP telephony transform audio into data packets that are transmitted over the internet to their destination.
Once they find the server that receives them, this data is transformed back into audio data for the telephone correspondent.
The cloud telephony solution comes with a virtual switchboard, with which you can create an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) menu with which you can optimise the routing of your incoming calls. This helps to relieve the queue in case of peak activity.
Bibliography
- https://www.ringover.com/
- https://www.cloudtalk.io/
- https://www.vonage.com/
- https://www.3cx.com
- https://www.ringcentral.com/
- https://www.mitel.com/
