8x8 vs Avaya (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, 8x8 grades higher than Avaya: 2.0 against 1.4 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 17, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 · graded Oct 17, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
8x8 grades higher on features and platforms. They get the same grade on value for money, the free plan and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Which one is for you
Pick 8x8 if
- Fits if a receptionist handles lots of calls and needs to see who's free
- Works for offices that keep Microsoft Teams and just need phone lines inside it
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want to see a price before talking to sales, as none is published
- Not for you if you want to try it first, as no free plan or trial is on record
- Watch out: the phone app rates 3.78 from about 8,700 App Store ratings
- Tight if you text a lot, since texts are charged by message segment and business SMS needs a campaign registration
- Watch out: the Frontdesk console needs an X4 license or higher, and the contact center is a separate product
Pick Avaya if
- Fits if you are a large organisation with an IT team and a phone partner
- Works for buyers who already run Avaya Aura or IP Office and want to stay on it
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you want a price before you talk to anyone, as none is published
- Skip it if you want to try it first, since there is no self-serve sign-up or trial
- Too light for a small team without IT support, since Aura and IP Office are on-premises systems
- Watch out: the company aims at enterprise customers, so a small office is not who the site is written for
How we grade them
| 2.0GPA8x8Fair | 1.4GPAAvayaWeak | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CNo published price on record: 8x8's site turned our reader away and its help center lists none, so you'll be getting a quote. With no figure it sits at the ordinary grade, and there's no per-head cost for five to give. | CNo price is published; cost is quoted by Avaya or a partner, so it sits in the middle until a quote says otherwise. |
| Free plan and trial | FNo free plan or free trial on record. With no prices either, there's no way to see it before talking to 8x8. | FNo free plan and no trial on the site, and no self-serve sign-up either. |
| Features | BCalls, voicemail, texts, team chat, fax and video meetings in one app, with auto attendants, ring groups, queues, a receptionist console and CRM links. That's the whole job. Frontdesk needs an X4 license or higher. | CAura, Aura Private Cloud, IP Office, Infinity and a Government Cloud cover voice and customer contact. The listing shows little beyond product names. |
| Ease of use | D3.78 from about 8,700 App Store ratings for 8x8 Work, just under the 3.8 line. A score that low from that many people is worth noticing. | DNo store rating on record. Aura and IP Office are described as on-premises systems, which need hardware or hosting planning. |
| Platforms and integrations | AWindows, Mac, iPhone, Android and the browser, with Salesforce, HubSpot, Zendesk, ServiceNow, NetSuite and Microsoft Teams, plus a public API. | CListed as web only, with no integrations on record. |
| Best for | busy front desks and Microsoft Teams offices | large firms buying phone systems via a partner |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: 8x8 and Avaya. How we grade
Where they differ
- 8x8 also covers business texting.
- Avaya also covers AI support agent.
In commonWebTeam chatVideo callsBusiness phone line
At a glance
| 8x8 | Avaya | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Paid | Paid |
| Starts at | Not published | Not published |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | 8x8 | Avaya |
| Price read from | Not confirmed | Not confirmed |
| Checked | Oct 17, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
8x8
- 8x8's website turned our reader away with a bot check and its help center lists no prices, so what it costs could not be confirmed.
- Features depend on the X Series license: the Frontdesk receptionist console needs X4 or higher.
- Texts are charged by message segment, and business SMS needs a campaign registration set up in the Admin Console.
- The contact center is a separate 8x8 product with its own agent and supervisor apps.
Avaya
- No prices are published on the site, so cost has to be quoted by Avaya or a partner.
- Aura and IP Office are described as on-premises systems, so they need hardware or hosting planning.
- The company positions itself for enterprise customers; the site shows no self-serve sign-up or free trial.
Key features
8x8
- 8x8 Work app
- Calls, voicemail, SMS and MMS, team messaging with group chat rooms, and fax in one app for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android and the browser.
- Auto attendants and ring groups
- Admins build call menus, ring groups and call queues with schedules in the 8x8 Admin Console, and route calls to voicemail or outside numbers.
- 8x8 Meetings
- Video meetings from the same app, with a Google Calendar plug-in, custom branding, live streaming to YouTube and an analytics dashboard for admins.
- 8x8 Frontdesk
- A receptionist console in the desktop app that handles up to six calls at once, shows who is available and transfers callers. It needs an X4 license or higher.
- Voice for Microsoft Teams
- Connects 8x8 phone service to Microsoft Teams, so a business can keep Teams as its only app while 8x8 supplies the phone lines.
- CRM and helpdesk integrations
- Integrations for Salesforce, HubSpot, Zendesk, ServiceNow and NetSuite log calls and pop up caller records.
Avaya
- Avaya Aura
- A private on-premises system that combines voice, video and messaging for employee and customer communications.
- Aura Private Cloud
- Aura unified communications run in a dedicated Microsoft Azure environment for each customer.
- IP Office
- An on-premises communications system aimed at small and mid-sized businesses, covering voice, video, messaging and call management.
- Avaya Infinity
- A customer experience platform that connects voice and digital channels with AI, self-service and live agents.
- Government Cloud
- A public-sector cloud for unified communications and contact center work, listed with FedRAMP Moderate and IL4 High support.
Plans
8x8
Pricing could not be confirmed. See 8x8.com.
Avaya
Pricing could not be confirmed. See avaya.com.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, 8x8 or Avaya?
As of Nov 12, 2026, 8x8 has no price we could confirm, and Avaya has no price we could confirm.
Which has a free plan, 8x8 or Avaya?
As of Nov 12, 2026, neither 8x8 nor Avaya has a free plan.
Which platforms do 8x8 and Avaya run on?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only 8x8 lists macOS, Windows, iOS and Android apps. Both list a web app. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.