8x8 vs CallTower (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, 8x8 grades higher than CallTower: 2.0 against 1.8 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 17, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Oct 17, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
8x8 grades higher on features and platforms. CallTower grades higher on ease of use. They get the same grade on value for money and the free plan.
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 CallTower if
- Fits if your company already runs on Teams, Webex or Zoom
- Works for IT partners who resell business phone service
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want a posted price, as quotes go through sales
- Watch out: the Teams, Webex or Zoom licenses are a separate cost
- Not for you if you want a standalone phone system, as it adds calling to other platforms
- Tight if you want to buy direct, as the listing shows it sells largely through resellers
How we grade them
| 2.0GPA8x8Fair | 1.8GPACallTowerWeak | |
|---|---|---|
| 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 pricing published; it goes through sales or channel partners. |
| 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 free trial is offered on the pages we read. |
| 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. | CCalling for Teams, Webex and Zoom, voice add-ons, texting, faxing and contact center platforms. It needs those platforms' own licenses. |
| 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. | CNo store rating on record. It's sold through sales and partners. |
| Platforms and integrations | AWindows, Mac, iPhone, Android and the browser, with Salesforce, HubSpot, Zendesk, ServiceNow, NetSuite and Microsoft Teams, plus a public API. | BWeb, with Teams, Webex, Zoom, Five9 and Genesys Cloud. |
| Best for | busy front desks and Microsoft Teams offices | business calling for Teams, Webex and Zoom |
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 CallTower. How we grade
Where they differ
- 8x8 also covers team chat and video calls.
- CallTower also covers online fax.
In commonWebBusiness phone lineBusiness texting
At a glance
| 8x8 | CallTower | |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | CallTower, Inc. |
| Price read from | Not confirmed | Not confirmed |
| Checked | Oct 17, 2026 | Nov 13, 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.
CallTower
- No pricing is published, so pricing is unverified and goes through sales or channel partners.
- It supplies calling for other collaboration platforms, whose own licenses are bought separately.
- Partner, agency and MSP programs show it sells largely through resellers.
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.
CallTower
- Teams, Webex and Zoom calling
- Provides calling for Microsoft Teams through Operator Connect and Direct Routing, Webex Calling and Webex Dedicated Instance, and Zoom Phone.
- Voice add-ons
- Lists Dynamic E911, one-click failover, voice spam blocking, CRM integration, compliance recording and call analytics for Teams and Webex.
- Texting and faxing
- Offers texting for Microsoft Teams and for Webex Calling, a fax service, and CT SIP trunking.
- Contact center platforms
- Supplies Five9, Genesys Cloud, Webex Contact Center and Zoom Contact Center, along with its own CT Contact Center and consulting services.
- Support and portal
- Lists 24/7/365 support, a service level agreement and the CallTower Connect portal for controlling services.
Plans
8x8
Pricing could not be confirmed. See 8x8.com.
CallTower
Pricing could not be confirmed. See calltower.com.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, 8x8 or CallTower?
As of Nov 13, 2026, 8x8 has no price we could confirm, and CallTower has no price we could confirm.
Which has a free plan, 8x8 or CallTower?
As of Nov 13, 2026, neither 8x8 nor CallTower has a free plan.
Which platforms do 8x8 and CallTower run on?
As of Nov 13, 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.