8x8 vs Quo (formerly OpenPhone)
Side-by-side comparison — pricing, features, ratings, use cases. Find which VoIP fits you best.
💰 Pricing
🔧 Features
📋 Assessment
💪 Strengths
- Unlimited calling to 47 countries on Express is a standout value. At $24/user/mo, this goes far beyond typical US/Canada unlimited plans, directly benefiting teams with global customers — no per-minute surprises on major destinations like the UK, Germany, and Australia.
- The all-in-one integration is seamless. Voice, video, chat, and contact center tools live in the same app, so switching from a call to a video meeting or sharing screens in chat is frictionless. Users report less context-switching compared to juggling separate tools.
- The X2 plan's CRM integrations are deep and practical. With native integrations for Salesforce and HubSpot, reps see call logs, screen pop-ups, and click-to-dial right from the CRM. Call recording (with consent) is also included, which is a compliance plus and aids in training — something competitors often gate behind higher tiers.
- Advanced analytics throughout the platform, from call quality metrics to team performance dashboards. Managers can track call volumes, response times, and even sentiment in contact center plans, which helps in making data-driven decisions — a rarity at this price point.
- A solid global presence with local numbers in over 100 countries and toll-free numbers in many more. This makes it easy to establish a local presence in foreign markets, a key consideration for SMBs expanding internationally.
⚠ Watch out for
- No free trial forces a leap of faith. Unlike competitors like RingCentral (which offers a 14-day trial) and Dialpad (free plan), 8x8 requires a credit card and up-front payment — the cheapest is $24/user/mo. That's a barrier for teams that want to verify call quality and features before committing.
- Per-user pricing on higher tiers is steep. Scaling to X4 at $64/user/mo (annual billing) can blow up budgets for larger teams. For a 100-person company, that's $6,400/mo — and contact center features are only on the most expensive tiers, which may overwhelm SMBs.
- International coverage is limited to 47 countries on the base plan. Businesses with heavy traffic to major economies like India, Brazil, or China will incur per-minute charges (e.g., $0.11/min to India). If you have a global footprint beyond these countries, costs can escalate quickly when compared to competitors with broader flat-rate bundles.
- The mobile app feels behind its rivals. Icons are less intuitive, and setting up call forwarding or accessing voicemail transcriptions felt clunkier than in RingCentral or Teams Phone. In our tests, push notifications sometimes lagged by a few seconds, which could matter in time-sensitive sales situations.
- Knowledge base could be deeper. While 24/7 live support is available, the self-help articles often lack detailed troubleshooting steps for less-common issues like configuring SIP trunks in niche PBX environments, which can lead to longer support interactions.
🎯 Best for
Small to mid-sized businesses that need a unified cloud communication system with strong international calling and a scalable path to contact center capabilities.
🚫 Who should skip
Solo entrepreneurs or very small teams with basic phone needs and a limited budget, because 8x8's per-user pricing and lack of a free plan may be overkill compared to cheaper alternatives.
📚 Learning curve
Moderate — setting up users, configuring call flows, and navigating the admin console takes a learning curve, but day-to-day usage for end users is straightforward.
🧑⚖️ Verdict
8x8 is a compelling choice for small-to-mid-sized businesses that need a single platform for calls, video, and contact center with excellent international calling value. If you're a remote-first team on a budget, the Express plan is hard to beat. However, if you require a free trial, heavy mobile us
💰 Pricing
🔧 Features
📋 Assessment
💪 Strengths
- Intuitive multi-platform apps: Quo Quo provides apps for iOS, Android, Mac, Windows, and web that are polished and responsive. Unlike legacy VoIP systems that feel like they were designed in 2010, Quo Quo's interface is clean and straightforward. You can make calls, send texts, and manage voicemail from any device, and conversations sync in real time. This makes it easy for teams to adopt and reduces training time.
- AI call transcripts and summaries: On Business plans, every call is automatically transcribed and summarized. The summary extracts key takeaways and action items, which you can share to your team or CRM with one click. This is a massive time-saver for sales calls, client meetings, and support conversations. It eliminates the need to take notes during a call, allowing you to focus on the conversation.
- Shared numbers and collaborative inbox: Instead of a single user phone line, Quo Quo lets you create shared numbers (e.g., sales@, support@) that multiple team members can access. Each conversation becomes a collaborative thread — you can leave internal notes, mention teammates, and assign follow-ups. This is ideal for small teams where coverage and continuity matter. You get the transparency of a team inbox without losing the personal touch of one-on-one texting.
- Seamless call and text management: The platform handles both calls and SMS/MMS in the same interface. You can send files, photos, and videos via text, and calls have features like call recording, forwarding, and do-not-disturb scheduling. The ability to text from a shared number is particularly useful for customer-facing teams that want to communicate over SMS without using personal numbers.
- Customizable automation tailored to your workflow: Quo Quo allows you to set up call routing rules, after-hours messages, and auto-replies for texts. You can also use the API and integrations with tools like Slack, HubSpot, and Zapier to automate workflows. For a small business, these automations help you maintain responsiveness without hiring more staff.
⚠ Watch out for
- Pricing scales steeply: Quo Quo charges per user, per month. For a small team of five, that's $75/month minimum on the Starter plan, and $25/user for Business. Unlike per-minute or bundled plans from competitors, costs grow linearly with headcount. For larger teams or call-heavy operations, this can become expensive, and there's no unlimited-call option — you get a set number of minutes per user (1000 on Business, 500 on Starter).
- Limited advanced call routing and IVR: The built-in call routing is basic — you can set primary and secondary routes, but you can't build complex IVR menus with multiple levels, time-based routing, or whisper messages. If you need a full-featured auto-attendant or advanced call queues, look elsewhere. Quo Quo is designed for simplicity, not enterprise-grade telephony.
- No native video conferencing: Quo Quo is purely a phone and messaging system. It doesn't include video calls or screen sharing. If you need video as part of your communication package, you'll have to integrate with a third-party tool like Zoom or Google Meet, which adds friction. Most competitors now include at least basic video.
- Ad-hoc recording not available on all plans: Call recording is only available on the Business plan (previously Standard). If you're on the Starter or a cheaper legacy plan, you can't record calls. For industries that require recording for compliance, that's a deal-breaker on lower tiers.
- Integration limitations: While Quo Quo has a few key integrations (Slack, HubSpot, Zapier), the ecosystem is thin compared to competitors like RingCentral which offers hundreds of app connectors. Advanced CRM integrations (e.g., Salesforce) require a third-party bridge or API work. If you rely on deep integrations, you may need to build custom solutions.
🎯 Best for
Small to mid-sized businesses and startups that want a modern, easy-to-use cloud phone system with built-in AI call summaries and deep CRM integrations.
🚫 Who should skip
Enterprises or high-volume contact centers that need advanced IVR, omnichannel routing, or complex call-center analytics.
📚 Learning curve
Minimal — the interface is as intuitive as a consumer phone app, and most staff can be up and running in less than an hour.
🧑⚖️ Verdict
Quo Quo is an excellent choice for small to medium-sized teams that value a modern, collaborative phone system with AI-assisted workflows. It's especially strong for sales and support teams that need shared numbers and automated summaries. However, if you require advanced enterprise telephony featur
📊 Use Case Suitability
Higher score = better fit. Scores from editorial review.
🧭 Which One Should You Pick?
Choose 8x8 if...
- You are: Small to mid-sized businesses that need a unified cloud communication system with strong international calling and a sca
- 👍 Unlimited calling to 47 countries on the entry-level Express plan, which is rare at that price point
- 👍 All-in-one communications platform: voice, video, chat, and contact center tools are tightly integra
- 👍 X2 plan offers robust CRM integrations and call recording at $44/user/mo, which is competitive with
- 💰 From $24/mo
- ⚠ Trade-off: No free tier, so you must commit to a paid plan to test the service.
Choose Quo (formerly OpenPhone) if...
- You are: Small to mid-sized businesses and startups that want a modern, easy-to-use cloud phone system with built-in AI call summ
- 👍 Intuitive, modern apps for iOS, Android, Mac, Windows, and web that are easier to use than most lega
- 👍 AI-powered call transcripts and summaries on Business plans save time on note-taking and follow-up.
- 👍 Shared numbers allow team-wide visibility and collaboration on customer conversations, which is idea
- 💰 From $15/mo
- ⚠ Trade-off: Pricing is per user per month, so costs can escalate quickly for larger teams co
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What are the main differences between the Express, X2, and X4 plans?
Express ($24/user/mo) covers unlimited calls to 47 countries, video meetings, team chat, and a mobile app. X2 ($44/user/mo) adds CRM integrations, call recording, analytics, and supervisor tools. X4 ($85/user/mo) includes contact center features like workforce management, speech analytics, and quality management.
Can I keep my existing business phone numbers when switching to 8x8?
Yes, 8x8 offers number porting from most carriers. The process typically takes 2-3 weeks, and 8x8 provides a porting guide and support team to help. You'll need to keep your old service active until the port completes.
Does 8x8 offer a free trial?
8x8 occasionally offers a free trial, but it's not a guaranteed standard option. The pricing plans are stated as per-user monthly rates with annual commitments, so you'll likely need to request a quote or trial directly from sales.
Are there any setup fees, hardware costs, or hidden charges?
8x8 does not require you to buy IP phones, but you can rent or purchase them separately. You may also encounter one-time setup fees for paid migrations, costs for toll-free numbers, and local taxes/fees that apply to regular phone service.
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