If you’re looking for the ideal communication management tool for customer support teams, Twilio is a great option to consider. The app offers numerous useful features and is a must-have for any marketing and sales operation.
Even though Twilio is highly rated and has overall positive reviews, it may not be your first choice due to the unique requirements of your organization. Luckily, the business phone software market is highly competitive with plenty of solid alternatives to choose from.
After considerable research and testing, we have narrowed the field down to our selection of the best Twilio alternatives, highlighting their strengths and weaknesses.For instance, Freshdesk is the only software to offer a completely free plan, while Ooma has exceptional call management features.
Let’s dive in for a closer look.
The Best Twilio Alternatives
Whether you’re looking for something extra that Twilio doesn’t have or just want to explore the market for other available options, here are the best available alternatives for business communications platforms.
Topping the list is Nextiva, which we believe is the best phone system for most businesses. Not only does the app deliver a robust VoIP phone solution, but every plan comes with video calling, team chat, and faxing. The app offers an easy deployment model and is available on every platform from iOS and Android to Windows. And Nextiva stands apart from other options on the list for its stellar customer support service. If this is what you have been searching for, request your demo of the Nextiva today.
When it comes to building synergy with other apps, RingCentral is our pick for no-sweat integrations. The app promises superior flexibility and reliability. RingCentral gives you the option to integrate all your favorite apps without any hassle. All you need to do is open the App Gallery and choose from over 100 available integrations. If integrating your existing tech stack is integral to your business, then go and check out RingCentral’s plans, with the option to try any plan for free for 15 days.
Another great option is Ooma, the best low-risk solution for small businesses. The app is cost-friendly and perfectly designed for smaller teams that do not need super advanced features. Ooma provides crisp call quality and you don’t have to pay for an annual subscription, which gives you the freedom to switch easily if you’re not quite satisfied with the platform. You also get the option to keep your own number or acquire a new one from Ooma for free, plus utilize the platform’s virtual receptionist. If this sounds like the kind of solution you’ve been looking for, check out Ooma now and its limited-time free phone offers.
We recommend Freshdesk as the most reliable call center phone system. Enjoy seamless number management, custom reports, inbound call routing, conversation monitoring, and more. Freshdesk’s cloud-based infrastructure promises reliable call quality with no extra hardware that needs to be bought. This translates into direct cost savings for your business. If you’ve been on the lookout for such features for your call center, give Freshdesk a try now.
Finally, we recommend Dialpad for the best automated call coaching features. AI automation is all the rage in business tools these days and that is exactly what you get with Dialpad. Its voice intelligence system highlights any specific action items that were mentioned during calls with team members. The software then coaches you on how to improve calls in the future, so with every call, you end up with a better user experience. Dialpad is trusted by over 70,000 businesses—if you also believe Dialpad is a good fit for your business too, start your free 14-day trial today.
More Top Communication Management Alternatives
To give you deeper insights into the best available business phone systems, we have prepared a more detailed guide for you so you can make the correct decision for your business. We spent many hours testing dozens of tools so we could prepare a comprehensive ranking based on pricing, ease of use, and features. To find a tool that best suits your needs, see all of our top picks.
Our Take on Twilio
Twilio is a solid solution for businesses of all kinds and sizes. Trusted by thousands of satisfied clients and a thriving global developer community, Twilio helps users maintain solid relationships with their customers.
The app offers a myriad of services all built on the Twilio Super Network, such as text messaging, alerts and notifications, IVRs, and contact centers. Twilio’s customer engagement platform provides you with a variety of options to have data-focused communications across digital channels. It also gives you the option to build and deploy customer engagement platforms.
When it comes to strategic partnerships and building synergy, Twilio beautifully integrates with third-party applications so that you can put a seamless system in place. You can set up your call to be triggered by code instead of manually dialing, saving you time and people power. You can automate calls that work on text-to-speech engines or play pre-recorded audio clips. Furthermore, you can push the collected data directly into your system, helping your field customer service calls without wasting any time.
One common drawback we experienced and also found in many user reviews is the absence of a programmable alert system. Consequently, companies often have to rely on other services to manage call alerts at certain times.
Twilio vs. Nextiva
When it comes to choosing between Twilio and Nextiva, the correct decision can only be arrived upon once you have evaluated the needs of your business and compared them against the features offered by both. One of the most critical distinctions between the two platforms is that Twilio is only a web-based platform, whereas Nextiva is supported for both iOS and Android, as well.
Twilio is also a great option for freelancers. When we look at integration options and capabilities, Twilio breezes past Nextiva, offering over 420 integrations to Nextiva’s mere 28. While Nextiva offers phone and email support, Twilio offers 24/7 help with a live rep and a chat system, too. Twilio also offers training on its platform in multiple formats, from videos to in-person onboarding.
Nextiva’s plans start at $18.95/user, but Twilio offers more flexible pricing plans. Their most basic programmable voice plan starts at $0.0085/call. Overall, if you have a business where customer support is essential to customer satisfaction, Twilio is your best bet. But if yours is a small to medium-sized business that requires a quality overarching business phone system, pick Nextiva.
Twilio vs. RingCentral
Much like Nextiva, cross-platform support is a major factor that sets RingCentral apart from Twilio, as it too can work on Android and iOS. Both Twilio and RingCentral have no maximum number of users since each service charges on a per-user basis.
If the call recording feature is important to your business, you’re going to find it in both apps. However, RingCentral provides it as an on-demand feature in its Core plan and includes it as default in its Advanced and Ultra plans. Both can generate toll-free numbers and have open APIs, but when it comes to customizability, Twillio comes out on top.
Both apps provide free trials. You can try out RingCentral’s Core plan free for 14 days. After that, the plan is charged at $20 per month if it’s charged annually and $30 per month if it’s charged monthly.
So, which one of these is best for you? If you want easy integrations, RingCentral is the way to go, but if you’re looking for multi-channel customer service support features, pick Twilio.
Twilio vs. Ooma
When comparing Twilio with Ooma, the latter stands out as a great low-risk solution for small businesses. However, Ooma lacks some of the key features that make Twilio a popular option, including two-way messaging, A/B testing, and automated responses.
On the other hand, Ooma has a few features that aren’t available with Twilio. Cloud PBX, call management, auto call forwarding, and the option to play music for customers while they are on hold are all features you’ll get with Ooma. While Ooma fares slightly better than Twilio on the ease-of-use scale, as well as the customer support it offers, Twilio is miles ahead when it comes to call quality.
Ooma has small business and enterprise plans that offer features such as a virtual receptionist, virtual fax, and more. But, Twilio’s great SMS-to-CRM integration (a really useful add-on) is something you’ll find that the platform holds which Ooma doesn’t.
If you’re a single-location small business looking for just the basic business phone features an organization needs with none of the contractual commitment, Ooma is the right choice for you.
Twilio vs. Freshdesk
When it comes to letting clients try before they buy, Freshdesk is way ahead of Twilio. Even though both apps offer free trials, Freshdesk offers the option to let users create free-forever accounts. The free plan supports up to 10 agents and has the option for email as well as social ticketing and a ticket trend report.
Freshdesk has key features to support call centers, such as customizable voicemail, smart escalations, and custom call center analytics to name a few. On the other hand, Twilio offers some options that are not available on Freshdesk, like call tagging, event-triggered actions, and scheduled recording.
When it comes to pricing, Freshdesk’s cheapest plan starts from $15 per month charged annually and $18 per month charged monthly, while Twilio allows you to build a plan to your liking by combining different options charged separately.
If your business is reliant on call centers, Freshdesk is a great option to consider with plenty of call center management features and a strong free plan.
Twilio vs. Dialpad
Dialpad is perfect for businesses looking to drive up their efficiency and reps’ call times. The software has often been placed on the list of top-performing contact center software. On the other hand, Twilio boasts of certain capabilities that are missing in Dialpad, including a blended call center, real-time chat, and campaign management.
Users have rated Dialpad on ease-of-use and value for the cost, but Twilio ranks higher when it comes to features. Twilio also has a dedicated support system in place while Dialpad’s support is only available during business hours, potentially causing inconvenience for its users.
When it comes to implementation, Dialpad is known to be more expensive to implement than Twilio. But, when it comes to subscription costs, both apps are positioned at similar price points.
Keeping these factors in mind, Dialpad may be the best option for your business if you’re looking to coach your team on calls. However, if your focus is on easy implementation and customer support, Twilio is the right choice for you.
Summary
Twilio delivers numerous powerful features at a relatively low price point. The tool also allows you to select the features you want for your business. However, there are other business phone software options that may be more suitable for your organization based on its unique requirements.
If you want your business to succeed, you need to choose software that will help you meet your goals while maintaining cost-effectiveness. We hope this article proves helpful in your search for the right business phone and communications platform to match your needs.
