Best Contact Center Software

If none of our best picks are the right fit for your business, consider the following contact center alternatives. Each provides an effective, reliable platform or service that facilitates customer communication.

Aircall: If your customers primarily call for phone-based support, Aircall is a good option for your business. Both inbound and outbound calls can be managed with ease through Aircall’s platform, which includes useful features like interactive voice response (IVR) trees, call monitoring tools and telemarketing campaign support. We also liked Aircall’s predictive dialer, which supports targeted campaigns to boost the likelihood of conversions. Aircall supports other channels as well, including text messaging. This solution also integrates with more than 100 other third-party business software, so you can easily expand its functionality as needed with some of the leading apps on the market.

AnswerConnect: Like Go Answer, AnswerConnect specializes in managing the customer service aspects of your business for you. So, if you’re not interested in building an in-house team, consider outsourcing with AnswerConnect. You can devise scripts and provide detailed information on your business so AnswerConnect’s agents deliver on-brand customer care for your customers. AnswerConnect also integrates with some of the best CRM software platforms, so you can access updated customer data and review interactions directly in the CRM system of your choice.

Convoso: Better known for dialer services than contact center software, Convoso offers a suite of omnichannel tools to support outbound communication across phone, email and SMS. This makes it far better suited for sales than customer service. Convoso’s features include customized agent scripts, skill-based call routing, automated dialing and extensively customizable dashboards. These can track KPIs by extracting data from reports and previous campaigns. An open API supports third-party applications like Salesforce, Shopify, Zapier and Zendesk. Its focus on calls is reflected in services like local caller ID, follow-the-sun dialing and answering machine detection.

8×8: A simple user interface is a key benefit of 8×8’s platform, with identical single panes visible to agents and supervisors. Supervisors can rely on a wealth of functionalities, such as template reports, which can be modified and scheduled to run at any point. Multiple plans are available to 8×8 clients, but only the X7 and X8 packages extend beyond voice calls into chat, email, SMS and social. Prices are competitive, though the relative simplicity of the unified web browser interface means 8×8 lacks some of the advanced tools we found in our review of other contact center software. However, the 8×8 platform does offer voicemail transcription, video conferencing for up to 500 participants and external dashboard displays for presentations. There’s also 24/7 tech support in 10 languages, available via email, phone and chat. Read our full 8×8 review for more information.

Call center services can cost anywhere from $25 per month to more than $500. Vendors typically rely on one of several pricing models for contact center software:

• Per-user, per-month subscriptions: This is the most common model, ranging from $25 to $500+ per agent monthly, depending on plan features. Salesforce, with its five increasingly expensive packages, is a great example of this pricing structure.
• Pay-as-you-go pricing: This option is less common but available from providers like Twilio, which charges $1 per hour per active user.
• Tiered pricing with usage limits: Plans may include a set amount of call minutes, data storage or feature access before additional charges apply.
• Enterprise custom quotes: Large organizations often negotiate custom pricing based on specific requirements. GoTo Connect is notable in requiring price quotes for its contact center services regardless of your business’s size.

Entry-level plans typically include essential call routing, basic reporting, limited integration and standard customer support. Mid-tier subscriptions usually add advanced analytics, CRM integrations, workforce management tools and enhanced security features. Top-tier packages often provide AI-powered tools, unlimited customization, dedicated support and compliance certifications.

Call Center Software Hidden Fees & Add-On Costs

Beyond the advertised subscription price, businesses may encounter several unexpected charges that can significantly impact the total cost of contact center ownership:

Setup and Implementation Costs: Professional implementation services can range from hundreds of dollars to $5,000 or more, depending on your needs and the number of third-party applications you use. Many providers charge additional fees for data migration, custom integrations and initial configuration.

Training and Onboarding Expenses: While basic training may be included in your package, comprehensive onboarding for complex systems can cost thousands of dollars per user. Some vendors charge extra for specialized training sessions, certification programs and ongoing educational resources.

Integration and API Costs: Developing tailored integrations may require significant financial investment, influenced by complexity, implementation duration and resource needs. Low-code solutions or having an in-house engineering team can mitigate these costs.

Data and Storage Overages: Data storage costs can range from $30 to $100 per month for cloud storage, depending on the amount of data you need to store. Many providers impose limits on call recording storage, customer data and backup retention, with additional charges for exceeding thresholds.

Communication Channel Fees: Voice calls can be included in your subscription price, charged at a per-minute rate or a combination of both. For example, Go Answer offers 200 minutes per month for $300.

Support Costs: Premium support, dedicated account management, and 24/7 assistance often require additional fees or higher-tier plans.

Long-Term Maintenance and Upgrade Expenses: Beyond initial implementation, contact center software requires ongoing investment in system updates, security patches and feature enhancements. As your business grows or technology advances, you may want to switch to a more expensive system. Be mindful of the expenses associated with employee training, workflow modifications and the organizational restructuring required for a new implementation.

Contact center software features vary by vendor and subscription plan, but to get the most out of your system, you should look for omnichannel routing, a single-pane dashboard, monitoring and review tools, and CRM integrations.

Omnichannel Routing

Customers should have a consistent experience contacting your company, regardless of whether they call, communicate through a chatbot support tool or send an SMS support request. The best contact center software platforms combine all these channels (and others) in one system, serving as an omnichannel communications system. Agents and supervisors should be able to monitor inquiries across all methods easily and in one central location.

Most of these unified communication systems facilitate outbound calls as well. You may also want to look for a solution that supports email and social media integrations, depending on your client base. Whether you’re using the program for sales, too, or solely customer service will impact the communications and marketing tools you need.

Single-Pane Interface

Agents shouldn’t be flicking back and forth between different software platforms as they communicate with customers. In a high-quality contact center platform, every aspect of customer interactions and their history with your business should be displayed (usually chronologically) in a single-pane window, giving your representatives full oversight and granular control. These dashboards should be customizable, from colors and design to widgets and data feeds. A single-pane interface supports rapid response times from agents, which can boost customer satisfaction and improve resolution rates.

In addition to agent dashboards, supervisor dashboards are essential for managers to see what their direct reports are up to. Some services also enable team dashboards, where every rep in a particular group can get a holistic view of activities and metrics and see the status of the queue.

This example of an agent dashboard comes from GoTo Contact Center. It shows an agent’s assigned queues, pending tasks and a summary of recent activity at a glance. Source: GoTo Connect

Monitor and Review Tools

Our top platforms all take slightly different approaches to analyzing agent performance and customer interactions. Twilio offers bespoke reporting in response to certain interactions or thresholds being breached, while RingCentral archives data for 25 months to support retrospective analysis. Whatever way a contact center software platform supports analytics, we recommend looking for a mechanism that effectively enables supervisors to monitor and review agent performance and offer coaching to help agents improve over time.

Of course, not all monitoring is data-driven. Your chosen solution should also allow real-time call monitoring where supervisors listen in on an agent’s call. The best programs go a step further, letting managers “whisper,” which allows them to speak privately to the rep during calls without the customer hearing, and “barge,” which enables supervisors to join the conversation and talk directly to both the agent and customer simultaneously.

This example of historical agent performance comes from RingCX and shows a range of charts breaking down data around agent call times, interactions and more. Source: RingCentral

CRM Integration

Effective contact center operations require agents to have immediate access to complete customer information during interactions. The best contact center software platforms integrate directly with popular CRM systems like Salesforce, HubSpot and Microsoft Dynamics 365, automatically syncing customer data, purchase history, previous support tickets and interaction records.

This integration eliminates the need for agents to manually search for customer information across multiple systems, reducing call handling time and improving first-call resolution rates. When a customer calls, agents can instantly view their complete profile, including recent purchases, ongoing issues and communication preferences, enabling more personalized and efficient service delivery.

Contact center software handles vast amounts of sensitive customer data, making robust security features essential for protecting both businesses and their customers from data breaches and regulatory violations. When evaluating call center options, look for these security features:

Data Encryption and Protection: Modern contact center platforms implement end-to-end encryption for all customer communications, including voice calls, chat messages and stored data. The best solutions use advanced encryption for data transmission, implement secure storage protocols for sensitive payment data and conduct routine security assessments to maintain current protection standards.

Access Controls and Authentication: Comprehensive user management systems within contact center software enable administrators to control who can access specific features, customer data and platform configurations. Multifactor authentication (MFA) and role-based access controls ensure that only authorized personnel can access sensitive information, with detailed audit trails tracking all user activities.

Compliance Certifications: Leading contact center software providers maintain multiple industry certifications to ensure regulatory compliance. When comparing solutions, you should look for security certifications like SOC 2 and 3, ISO 27001, PCI DSS Level 1, HIPAA and GDPR compliance. However, the specific security standards you need depend on your industry and services.

• HIPAA Compliance: For healthcare organizations, HIPAA compliance mandates obtaining customer consent prior to call recording, maintaining encrypted storage for all recorded interactions, designating specialized personnel to oversee regulatory adherence and providing customers with access to their personal information.
• PCI DSS Requirements: Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards apply to any business that gathers, stores and processes cardholder data. The PCI standard prohibits companies from recording credit card information like CVV2 numbers, PINs and other sensitive customer details.
• GDPR Compliance: The General Data Protection Regulation applies to any company that stores and processes identifiable personal data of EU citizens. It requires consent before recording calls, encrypted storage of recordings and the ability to delete customer data upon request.

Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery: Enterprise-grade contact center software includes comprehensive business continuity planning. Top vendors offer service level agreements with 99.9 percent uptime guarantees, automatic failover capabilities, and geographically distributed data centers to ensure uninterrupted service during outages or disasters.

Network and Infrastructure Security: Contact center implementation should include multiple layers of network security, including firewalls, intrusion detection systems and regular vulnerability assessments. Vendors continuously monitor for potential threats and conduct regular audits to maintain the highest security standards.

The key factors to consider when choosing contact center software include compatibility with your current business software, user reviews, cost and client support.

1. Compatibility with existing systems

Be sure any contact center software you consider is compatible with your existing hardware and software, as well as your team’s workflow and processes. If you’re happy with your existing hardware, you might wish to avoid companies attempting to upsell you Jabra or Poly headsets. If you use certain database or spreadsheet packages, you might want your new platform to integrate with them. Assess your current tech stack and determine which products will need to connect to your new contact center.

2. Customer reviews

While we’ve conducted thorough testing on the platforms listed above, nobody can review contact center software better than daily users. Investigate existing customer reviews on reputable third-party sites like TrustRadius, and study what people say on forums like Reddit and the Better Business Bureau website. Customer reviews can give you an idea of whether or not a contact center software will mesh well with your business’s needs — and if a vendor lives up to its promises.

3. Cost

Consider value, not just overall cost, when studying plan options. A low starting price might be for a telephony-only system with no online communication, basic evaluation tools and limited archiving. Establish what services you need or desire, and then compare pricing between platforms, rather than basing your budget on cut-rate starter packages.

4. Client support

It’s notable that some contact center software providers are reluctant to furnish even registered clients with a telephone number for support. Others offer 24/7 support only on pricier packages or limit it to certain times of the day based on their local time zone. Weigh what kind of customer service your business may need and whether your preferred vendor can deliver it.

Successful contact center software implementation requires careful planning, phased deployment, and comprehensive training to ensure optimal performance and user adoption.

Pre-Implementation Planning: Begin by conducting a thorough assessment of your current systems, identifying integration requirements and establishing clear project timelines. Create a detailed implementation roadmap that includes data migration strategies, user training schedules and testing protocols. Assign dedicated project teams with representatives from your IT, customer service and management departments to oversee the transition.

System Configuration and Integration: Work closely with your chosen vendor’s implementation team to configure the software according to your specific business requirements. This includes setting up call routing rules, IVR systems, user roles and permissions, and integrating with existing CRM and business applications. Integrating call center software with current applications typically requires additional time and budget allocation to achieve smooth connectivity and avoid disconnected data storage.

Data Migration and Testing: Carefully plan and execute the migration of customer data, call history and configuration settings from legacy systems. Conduct thorough testing of all features, integrations and workflows in a controlled environment before going live. This includes testing call routing, recording functions, reporting capabilities and emergency procedures.

Agent Training and Onboarding: Develop comprehensive training programs for your agents and supervisors that cover both technical software usage and updated customer service processes. Utilize training videos and hands-on modules to teach staff how to use your call center platform, incorporating scenarios that introduce them to essential tools like knowledge bases, CRM tools and reporting features.

Phased Rollout Strategy: Implement the new software in phases rather than attempting a complete system replacement overnight. Start with a pilot group of experienced agents and supervisors, gather feedback, address issues and gradually expand to the entire team. This approach minimizes operational disruption and allows for real-time improvements.

Ongoing Support and Optimization: Establish clear protocols for ongoing technical support, regular system updates and performance monitoring. Plan for regular reviews of system performance, user feedback and optimization opportunities.

Successful implementation requires effective change management to ensure user adoption and minimize resistance. Communicate the benefits of the new system clearly, involve key stakeholders in decision-making and provide ongoing support during the transition period. Establish feedback mechanisms to address concerns and make necessary adjustments quickly.

The key advantages of contact center software include improved customer experiences, increased agent productivity, insightful analytics, scalability and cost-effectiveness.

1. Enhanced Customer Experience

Contact center software provides omnichannel support, allowing customers to reach businesses through their preferred communication method — phone, email, chat or social media — while maintaining conversation continuity across all channels. Features like intelligent routing ensure customers connect with the most qualified agents, reducing wait times and improving first-call resolution rates.

2. Improved Agent Productivity

Unified dashboards consolidate customer information, interaction history and relevant tools in a single interface, eliminating the need for agents to switch between multiple systems. Automated workflows, call scripting and integrated knowledge bases enable reps to handle inquiries more efficiently and provide consistent, accurate responses.

3. Real-Time Monitoring and Analytics

Supervisors gain comprehensive visibility into contact center operations through live dashboards showing queue status, agent performance and customer satisfaction metrics. Historical reporting and analytics help identify trends, optimize staffing levels and make data-driven decisions to improve overall performance.

4. Scalability and Cost Efficiency

Cloud-based contact center solutions allow businesses to easily scale operations up or down based on demand without significant infrastructure investments. Per-user pricing models and reduced hardware requirements make advanced contact center capabilities accessible to organizations of all sizes, while automation reduces operational costs and improves resource allocation.

The contact center software market continues to experience significant growth, driven by technological advancements and evolving customer expectations. The global contact center software market size was valued at $52.17 billion in 2024 and is projected to grow to $213.54 billion by 2032, according to Fortune Business Insights.

This year and beyond, we anticipate AI to become even further integrated into call center software. In addition to analyzing customer sentiment, AI will also be increasingly used to offer conversational, self-service options for customers. However, even amidst greater adoption of generative AI to provide instant, efficient service and seamless omnichannel communications, the human touch will remain crucial.

Cloud-first architectures will become the dominant deployment model as organizations prioritize flexibility, remote work capabilities and rapid scalability. We expect to see enhanced integration capabilities that connect contact center platforms more seamlessly with enterprise systems, while advanced workforce management tools will leverage predictive analytics to optimize agent scheduling and reduce operational costs. Additionally, privacy-focused features and compliance automation will become standard as regulatory requirements continue to evolve across different industries and regions.

At Business News Daily, our team of small business customer service experts has been researching and testing contact center software for years, comparing some of the leading solutions across more than 25 key metrics. We considered 52 contact center software platforms and closely reviewed and tested 10 of them before selecting our six best picks above.

Below are the factors we considered when determining our best picks. Each is weighted according to how much the criteria typically influences business owners’ buying decisions.

Pricing (30%): We considered not just the base cost of the software but also the number of pricing plans available, additional fees and add-on costs to determine which provides the best overall value. We also considered whether a free trial was available to test the platform before buying.

Features (25%): We evaluated each contact center platform’s dashboard and key features such as call monitoring tools, inbound call routing tools, social media messaging abilities, agent activity reporting, and artificial intelligence tools like AI-powered coaching and training assistants. We also considered available integrations with other popular business software.

Usability (25%): We paid close attention to the ease with which each platform could be set up, how intuitive we found the navigation and use of key features, and the training and informational resources available to new users. We also considered whether the software offered a responsive mobile app or mobile browser.

Customer Support (20%): We examined the ease with which users could contact a vendor’s customer support team when needing help. We also reviewed customer feedback to determine how well the customer service team meets the needs of existing users.

In addition to scoring each contact center software we reviewed based on these criteria, we also determined the best use case scenarios for each solution. No two businesses are exactly alike, so we put ourselves in the shoes of different types of small business owners to identify the best contact center software for a variety of needs.

To learn more about how we review and test customer service products for small businesses, read about our editorial process.