Pros & Cons
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- Extremely intuitive interface
- Helpful AI features
- Clear admin settings
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- Somewhat restrictive pricing
- Video conferencing features are part of a separate app
- Lacks a few call management features
Dialpad Specs
| Automatic Call-Back | |
| Call Monitoring | |
| E911 Service | |
| Electronic Fax | |
| SIP Phone Support | |
| SMS Messaging | |
| Software Phone | |
| Toll-Free Option | |
| Video Conferencing | |
| Voicemail to Email | |
| Voicemail Transcription |
Dialpad Connect is a VoIP solution that fully supports calling, messaging, and video conferencing. It benefits from several improvements since the time of our last review, including a slicker interface and more helpful AI capabilities (such as call summaries and real-time transcription). All of its settings are simple to configure, too. However, we wish that it didn't split its video meeting functionality into a separate app or impose seat limits on its lower-tier plans. For those reasons, it falls short of our Editors' Choice winners for the category. Intermedia Unite and RingCentral RingEX offer a more cohesive user experience, while Zoom Phone is an unbeatable value.
Pricing: Affordable, With Restrictive Seat Limitations
Dialpad Connect's Standard plan ($15 per user per month, billed annually) provides SMS, MMS, and team messaging (with file attachment support and threading); unlimited calling (with 3-way calling, call forwarding and recording, a maximum of 3 ring groups, and visual voicemail); and unlimited video conferencing (each meeting can last up to 5 hours and include 150 participants) for one person. In terms of AI features, you get call and meeting summaries (complete with action items) and transcriptions. Integrations are available with Google Workspace, HubSpot, Slack, and Zapier, among many others.
The Pro version I tested ($25 per user per month, billed annually) supports up to 10 people (the minimum is three people). It unlocks call queues, international SMS texting, support for up to 25 ring groups, and quality of service reports. Finally, the Enterprise tier (you must contact the company for pricing) has a 100-seat minimum (with no maximum). It gets you support for an unlimited number of ring groups.
For comparison, RingEX's Core ($20 per user per month, billed annually) and Unite's Pro ($27.99 per user per month, billed annually) tiers are roughly comparable with Dialpad Connect's Pro tier. Zoom Phone's Regional Unlimited plan ($15 per user per month, billed annually) matches up well with Dialpad's Standard plan. Unlike Dialpad, none of these competing services imposes a minimum number of users for its lower-tier plans. Dialpad Connect does offer among the best AI features, however, including live transcription of calls and video meetings. It even provides key excerpts and coaching tips. RingEX can also transcribe video meetings in real time and generate video highlights.
Interface and Ease of Use: A Modern Look, But Some Oddities
Setting up and configuring Dialpad Connect is a breeze. The product doesn’t assume you have extensive technical knowledge, so it presents a handy, step-by-step guide for configuring features, including adding users and turning on call recording. The guides are optional, however, so you can also just jump right in and start changing admin settings if you want.
With any business VoIP, the biggest hurdle you face is adjusting to the interface. Dialpad Connect doesn't present too many challenges in this respect. Breaking with most competitors, it puts icons for calling, messaging, and video conferencing horizontally across the top of its home page, rather than vertically down the side. That's not a huge deal, but this layout might be different than what you are used to. The interface is otherwise appealing, using bright colors to highlight important features. Importing contacts is an intuitive process, so long as you format the contact file correctly. You can also add contacts directly from your Google account.
I tested Dialpad Connect on iOS, macOS, and Windows. It's also available on Android, as well as the web. Strangely, Dialpad separates its video conferencing functionality into an app called Dialpad Meetings on all platforms (except the web). On my iPhone, for example, I had to separately install and sign into that app.
Dialpad provides extensive online help to guide new users. Support options depend on your subscription. All tiers provide access to community forums and a knowledge base, along with 24/7 chat and web support. The Pro tier unlocks phone support, while the Enterprise level gets you a named customer success manager and priority routing. During one tech support call about importing a CSV contact file, a technician answered immediately and explained exactly how to format the file. Dialpad Connect also offers an elevated support option called Platinum Support, which gets you a dedicated technician, priority support, and many other features; pricing varies based on your company size.
Desk Phone Support and Integrations: Plentiful Options
Dialpad Connect officially works with 66 desk phones from brands such as Cisco, Poly, Mitel, and Yealink, along with various other SIP phones. It does a good job of providing guidance about the hardware it supports.
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The platform supports a little over 60 integrations, and it's possible to build custom integrations. For comparison, 8x8 Work offers roughly the same number of integrations. RingEX goes far beyond both by offering hundreds of integration options; it's especially good for CRM support. Still, Dialpad Connect should nonetheless work with the majority of mainstream apps you use.
Audio and Video Calling Experience: No Major Problems
I didn't experience any issues with distortion or lag during calls or video meetings with Dialpad Connect. I conducted test calls interchangeably between my computer and phone. One impressive feature that’s unique among VoIP services I've tested is that a phone call overlay can hover on top of any other apps you are using; it effectively works like a picture-in-picture (PiP) window. As such, you can easily put callers on hold, transfer calls, or see how long you’ve been chatting, even if you are working in another program. I also like that Dialpad shows a small performance quality indicator on calls and video meetings. As mentioned, one inconvenience is that you must access video calling functionality via the separate Dialpad Meetings app.
Unfortunately, Dialpad Connect doesn’t support call barging, monitoring, or whispering. Those features are common in competitors (including RingEX) even though they aren't strictly call center products. To use call barging with Dialpad, you must pay for the Dialpad Support product (starting at $80 per user per month, billed annually). These call center features appear in the interface, but you can't actually use them unless you upgrade.
Dialpad's AI features work well. Call summaries were spot-on for several test calls, as were related action items for participants. To get more advanced AI features, such as sentiment analysis and reports on who spoke most during a meeting, you need to upgrade to Dialpad Support.
The app's analytics dashboard is extensive. Call quality reports, which include data on latency and packet loss, go beyond those of other top VoIP services.
Administration Experience: Straightforward Options
Admin functions in Dialpad Connect are part of a separate online portal, but all of the options are easy to find and configure. In fact, the main admin interface highlights all of the preferences you most likely need to access, such as those related to AI features, automated call recording, call forwarding, and greetings.
The less common admin functions are equally intuitive to configure, though I did find the setup process for Interactive Voice Response (IVR) slightly complex. Essentially, you have to add a workflow here that determines how Dialpad routes calls. It's not difficult to do, though you might find this requirement a bit daunting if you are new to this type of software.
It's also extremely easy to add users. Simply click the Add User option, and Dialpad quickly assigns a phone number. When the person you add is ready to get started, all they need to do is click a button in a welcome email and set a password. Microsoft Teams (and Teams Phone, by extension) makes this process woefully complex, for comparison.