The Dialpad Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Dialpad in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Dialpad
The Insider’s Guide
AI business phone with live call transcripts and call summaries
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among business phone systems, read from Dialpad’s own pages.
Made by Dialpad, Inc. · checked Oct 17, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Dialpad’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Dialpad’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 17, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.8
GPA, above 16 of the 19 other business phone systems we grade
Dialpad Connect is a cloud phone system that combines business calling, texting, team messaging and video meetings in one app. Every call can be transcribed as it happens and summarized afterwards with action items. Dialpad also sells a contact center (Dialpad Support), a sales dialer (Dialpad Sell) and AI agents as separate products.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Dialpad, taken from its own pages and our grades.
Good, and a notch below the very best-rated phone apps here.
- 1
Best for calls that transcribe and summarize themselves
Dialpad's trick is that every call gets a live transcript and an AI summary, even on the cheapest plan.
- 2
Paid plans start at $15 a month for each person
As its pricing page puts it: $15 per user / month, billed annually ($27 billed monthly).
- 3
You can try it first
14-day free trial of Dialpad Connect
- 4
It runs on 5 platforms
Web, macOS, Windows, iOS and Android, with a browser extension too.
- 5
Business calling
Every user gets a direct line with unlimited calling in the US and Canada, voicemail transcribed to email, call forwarding and changeable caller ID.
- 6
Live transcripts and AI Recaps
Calls are transcribed in real time, and AI Recaps summarize each call and meeting with decisions and action items once it ends.
- 7
Texting and team messaging
Business SMS and topic-based team messaging with threads and file sharing sit in the same app as calls.
- 8
A 2.8 GPA, above 16 of 19
That is against the other business phone systems we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
To replace Dialpad you would be making phone numbers and calls carried over the phone network. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
Dialpad at a glance
- Pricing
- Free trial, from $15 per user / month, billed annually ($27 billed monthly)
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- 14-day free trial of Dialpad Connect
- Runs on
- Web, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android, Browser extension
- Made by
- Dialpad, Inc.
- Category
- Business Phone Systems
- Our grade
- 2.8 GPA, good
- Store rating
- 4.6 on the App Store, 4,563 ratings
The report card
Best for calls that transcribe and summarize themselves
Dialpad's trick is that every call gets a live transcript and an AI summary, even on the cheapest plan. That's $15 a person a month for a team of five on yearly billing, which is fair for what you get. Pay monthly, though, and it's $27, and your CRM only links up on Pro.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | $15 a head for five on Standard, billed yearly. That's just over this category's cheaper quarter ($14), and it includes the live transcripts and AI summaries. Monthly billing jumps to $27, and CRM links need Pro at $25. |
| Free plan and trial | C | A 14-day free trial of Dialpad Connect, and no free plan. The listing doesn't say whether the trial needs a card. |
| Features | B | Unlimited US and Canada calls, texting, team messaging, video meetings, phone menus with several ways to route calls, and transcripts and summaries on every call. It covers the whole job. Fax and extra numbers are add-ons. |
| Ease of use | B | 4.6 from about 4,600 App Store ratings. Good, and a notch below the very best-rated phone apps here. |
| Platforms and integrations | A | Windows and Mac apps, iPhone and Android, a web app, a Chrome extension and desk phones, plus Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, Teams, Salesforce, HubSpot, Zendesk and Slack. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Dialpad is for
- Great if you want every call written down and summarized without lifting a finger
- Handy when your team lives in Google Workspace or Microsoft 365
- Good for small companies that might add a contact center or sales dialer later
Who it is not for
- Pricey if you pay monthly, at $27 a person against $15 on yearly billing
- Tight if you need Salesforce or HubSpot links, since those need Pro at $25
- Not for you if a contact center is what you need, as Dialpad Support is a separate product from $89 a person
Good to know
Good for
- Teams that want every call transcribed and summarized automatically
- Small businesses starting on a low per-user price
- Companies that may later add a contact center or sales dialer
Worth knowing
- CRM integrations need the Pro plan or above, as do 24/7 support and managing more than one office.
- Extra local or toll-free numbers and internet fax are optional add-ons on every plan.
- The contact center (Dialpad Support, from $89 per user a month) and sales dialer (Dialpad Sell, from $39) are separate products.
- Monthly billing costs more: $27 instead of $15 for Standard and $35 instead of $25 for Pro.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$15
A month to start, for each person
Dialpad is a paid product with a free trial, starting at $15 per user / month, billed annually ($27 billed monthly).
The listing doesn't say whether the trial needs a card.
Standard
$15
per user / month, billed annually ($27 billed monthly)
Unlimited US and Canada calling, texting, team messaging, video meetings, real-time transcripts and AI call summaries.
Pro
$25
per user / month, billed annually ($35 billed monthly)
Adds CRM and helpdesk integrations, 24/7 support, management of several offices and automatic recording on shared lines.
Enterprise
Custom
Adds single sign-on, user access controls, unlimited office locations and a 99.9% uptime commitment. Sold through sales.
Trying it first
14-day free trial of Dialpad Connect
Read from dialpad.com on Oct 17, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Annual discount
Lower price with annual billing
Dialpad's pricing page lists Standard at $15 per user a month billed annually against $27 billed monthly, and Pro at $25 against $35.
Stated on dialpad.comNonprofit
30% off for nonprofits
Through the Nonprofit Support Program, selected nonprofits in the US or Canada may get 30% off Dialpad billed annually, on up to 50 seats.
Stated on dialpad.comStartups
Dialpad for Startups
Dialpad for Good offers free seats and discounts to startups through partner accelerators, incubators and investors.
Stated on dialpad.com
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
6
Places it runs: Web, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android and Browser extension
AI business phone with live call transcripts and call summaries. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: AI features, transcription, team chat, video calls, business phone line, business texting.
- Business calling
- Every user gets a direct line with unlimited calling in the US and Canada, voicemail transcribed to email, call forwarding and changeable caller ID.
- Live transcripts and AI Recaps
- Calls are transcribed in real time, and AI Recaps summarize each call and meeting with decisions and action items once it ends.
- Texting and team messaging
- Business SMS and topic-based team messaging with threads and file sharing sit in the same app as calls.
- Call routing
- Departments with phone menus, simultaneous ringing, round-robin and longest-idle routing, and open, closed and holiday hours.
- Dialpad Meetings
- Video meetings inside the same workspace. Dial-in numbers, larger meetings and toll-free meeting lines are add-ons.
- Apps on every device
- Desktop apps for Windows and Mac, iOS and Android apps, a progressive web app, a Chrome extension and certified desk phones.
Where it runs
- Web
- macOS
- Windows
- iOS
- Android
- Browser extension
What it works with
- Google Workspace
- Microsoft 365
- Microsoft Teams
- Salesforce
- HubSpot
- Zendesk
- ServiceNow
- Slack
Dialpad is made by Dialpad, Inc.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
16/19
Other business phone systems it is graded above
Dialpad's GPA of 2.8 is higher than 16 of the 19 other business phone systems we grade, and level with 1.
It stands best on platforms and integrations (A, above 9 of 19) and worst on value for money (C, above 3).
Its paid plans start at $15 a month for each person, against a middle price of $19 for the category: 5 of the 16 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 3.3 out of 4, and no tool on the category's chart scores higher without costing more.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 20 business phone systems we grade, cut by the letter each got. Dialpad’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 3 of 19
- CFree plan and trialAbove 8 of 19
- BFeaturesAbove 10 of 19
- BEase of useAbove 13 of 19
- APlatforms and integrationsAbove 9 of 19
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 17 business phone systems. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Dialpad is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
To replace Dialpad you would be making phone numbers and calls carried over the phone network. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 2.8 is higher than 16 of the 19 other business phone systems we grade. It costs $180 a year.
What you could not
- Phone numbers and calls carried over the phone network.
- Video calls.
- Chat that a whole team counts on staying up.
- Texts from a business number, registered with the carriers.
- Speech turned into text you can trust.
- Apps for macOS, Windows, iOS and Android that stay in step with each other.
- It is priced for each person, which means accounts and billing for a team.
- It plugs into other products, Google Workspace, Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Teams among them.
- AI features, unless you pay a model provider for each request yourself.
- The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. Dialpad’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
RingCentral, Aircall, Quo, Nextiva and 8x8
The 5 tools Dialpad is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 3.0GPA
RingCentral
Free trial · from $20/mo
Cloud phone system with texting, fax, video meetings and team chat.
- Only Dialpad lists a browser extension.
- 2.6GPA
Aircall
Free trial · from $30/mo
Cloud phone system for sales and support teams, with AI voice agents.
- Dialpad also covers team chat and video calls.
- Aircall also covers shared inbox and AI support agent.
- 2.8GPA
Quo
Free trial · from $15/mo
Business phone app for calls and texts on shared team numbers.
- Only Dialpad lists a browser extension.
- Dialpad also covers team chat and video calls.
- Quo also covers shared inbox and AI support agent.
- 2.2GPA
Nextiva
From $15/mo
Business phone, texting and video with an optional AI receptionist.
- Only Dialpad lists a browser extension.
- Only Nextiva lists a Linux app.
- 2.0GPA
8x8
Paid
Cloud phone system with team chat, meetings and a receptionist console.
- Only Dialpad lists a browser extension.
- Dialpad also covers transcription.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
13
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Dialpad free?
No, Dialpad is a paid product, but you can try it first. 14-day free trial of Dialpad Connect.
How much does Dialpad cost?
Dialpad lists 3 plans. Standard: $15 per user / month, billed annually ($27 billed monthly).
What platforms does Dialpad work on?
Dialpad is available on Web, macOS, Windows, iOS and Android. It also has a browser extension.
Does Dialpad offer any discounts?
Dialpad publicly lists the following: Lower price with annual billing; 30% off for nonprofits; Dialpad for Startups.
How is Dialpad rated?
Dialpad's iPhone and iPad app averages 4.6 out of 5 from 4,563 ratings on the App Store in the United States, as read on Oct 17, 2026.
Does Dialpad have a Linux app?
No Linux app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 17, 2026. Dialpad is listed for Web, macOS, Windows, iOS and Android.
Is Dialpad open source?
Dialpad is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 17, 2026.
What does Dialpad integrate with?
Dialpad's listing names Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, Microsoft Teams, Salesforce, HubSpot, Zendesk, ServiceNow and Slack.
Who makes Dialpad?
Dialpad is made by Dialpad, Inc.
What are the alternatives to Dialpad?
The closest alternatives to Dialpad in our directory are RingCentral, Aircall, Quo, Nextiva and 8x8.
How does Dialpad compare with other business phone systems?
Dialpad's GPA of 2.8 is higher than 16 of the 19 other business phone systems we grade, and level with 1.
Is Dialpad good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Dialpad C for value for money. Its paid plans start at $15 a month for each person, against a middle price of $19 for the category: 5 of the 16 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Dialpad?
To replace Dialpad you would be making phone numbers and calls carried over the phone network.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Dialpad’s own pages on Oct 17, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 17, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Dialpad's own pages on 17 October 2026, and its App Store rating. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Dialpad, Inc. Prices change, so check dialpad.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
1,880
Tools graded, in 47 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
ToolGPA is free to read. It may earn a commission from affiliate links and it works with sponsors, but anything paid for is labelled and no one can pay for a grade. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
1,880
tools graded
47
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Dialpad, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/dialpad
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Dialpad: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 17, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/dialpad
Know someone choosing between business phone systems?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/dialpad/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded business phone systems after Dialpad, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Business Phone Systems Insider's GuideEvery one of the 20 business phone systems we grade, compared
- Grasshopper Insider's GuideVirtual business number on your own phone, priced per account3.0 GPA
- RingCentral Insider's GuideCloud phone system with texting, fax, video meetings and team chat3.0 GPA
- Quo Insider's GuideBusiness phone app for calls and texts on shared team numbers2.8 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Dialpad’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. ToolGPA uses affiliate links and may earn a commission from them, and it works with sponsors; anything paid for is labelled, and no one can pay for a grade. Dialpad is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Dialpad, Inc. Prices and plans change: check dialpad.com before you buy.