Key Takeaways
Aircall wins on fast setup, published pricing, and native HubSpot/Salesforce depth: the better fit for lean revenue teams that want to be live fast.
8x8 pulls ahead on international reach, compliance depth, and a combined voice, video, and chat platform. Neither is a clean sweep.
- 01Aircall wins on setup speed, published pricing, and CRM depth — native Salesforce/HubSpot sync from its entry plan
- 028x8 wins on international reach, compliance depth, and platform breadth — local presence in 55+ countries and product support in 100+, plus voice, video, and chat in one login
- 03Aircall carries a 4.4/5 G2 rating across 1573+ reviews and a 99.95% uptime SLA
- 048x8 claims a 99.999% uptime SLA, on paper the stronger number, though both are vendor claims
- 05This guide compares both across 15 dealbreaker categories, plus pricing, integrations, security, usability, and real reviews
Introduction
According to Salesforce's 2026 State of Sales report, sellers use an average of 8 tools to close one deal, and 42% feel overwhelmed by that sprawl. Overwhelmed reps are 45% less likely to hit quota. That tension, breadth against specialization, sits at the center of any Aircall vs 8x8 decision.
This 8x8 and Aircall comparison breaks both platforms down the way a buying committee would: features, pricing, integrations, security, usability, and reviews. Aircall is the leaner pick for a phone system that acts like a natural extension of HubSpot or Salesforce and gets your team live within days. 8x8 is the broader bet: voice, video, chat, and a full contact center from one vendor, trading setup speed and pricing clarity for international reach and compliance depth.
The honest answer to "is 8x8 better than Aircall" depends on which trade-off costs your team more: setup speed, or country coverage. Whether you're weighing 8x8 vs Aircall 2026 roadmaps or a same-week rollout, the table below shows where each platform pulls ahead. For a closer look against Aircall specifically, see our full CloudTalk vs Aircall comparison.
Still deciding between 8x8 and Aircall?
At a Glance: 8x8 vs. Aircall, 15 Key Dealbreakers
Aircall wins on speed and clarity: setup, admin, pricing, CRM depth. 8x8 wins on breadth: international reach, video/chat, and compliance, plus contact-center depth through its dedicated 8x8 Contact Center product. That's really an ACD vs IVR story: Aircall ships both from entry while 8x8 gates the deeper version. Neither is a rout.
8x8 vs. Aircall: 15 Key Dealbreaker Dimensions
| Dimension | Aircall | 8x8 | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| CRM integrations | Native Salesforce/HubSpot depth | CRM & helpdesk integrations; catalog size unconfirmed | Aircall |
| Uptime SLA | 99.95% (vendor claim) | 99.999% (vendor claim) | 8x8 (on paper) |
| International calling coverage | Numbers in 100+ countries; per-minute billing | Local presence in 55+ countries, product support in 100+; billed per-minute (from ~$0.02/min) | 8x8 |
| Ease of setup & admin | Faster onboarding, simpler admin | Denser console, longer ramp-up | Aircall |
| Pricing transparency | Published on aircall.io | Quote-only since late 2023 | Aircall |
| SMS capabilities | Available on core plans | Available on core plans | Tie |
| AI call summaries | Available on select plans | Sentiment analytics available on 8x8 Contact Center/Engage, quote-based | Tie (quote-gated) |
| Contact center depth (ACD/IVR) | Standard routing/IVR from entry plan | Full ACD, IVR, skills-based routing within the 8x8 Contact Center product | Aircall (entry), 8x8 (depth) |
| Call recording & analytics | Standard recording | 130-day hot storage, monitoring available on higher-tier plans | 8x8 |
| Mobile app | iOS and Android | iOS and Android | Tie |
| Agent coaching & QA | Standard tools | Barge, monitor, whisper available on 8x8 Contact Center | 8x8 |
| Video conferencing | Not native | Included (UCaaS stack) | 8x8 |
| Team messaging | Not native | Included (UCaaS stack) | 8x8 |
| Compliance & security | SOC 2, GDPR, PCI (via AWS infrastructure) | SOC 2/HIPAA/HITRUST, PCI DSS, NIST/FISMA, GDPR | 8x8 (breadth) |
| Seat minimum | 3 users (Essentials/Pro); 25 (Custom) | None published as of this writing | 8x8 (small teams) |
8x8 Features vs. Aircall Features
Aircall Features
Aircall was built for revenue teams that live inside a CRM all day: a specialized calling tool, not a communications suite, with setup measured in minutes. Our full Aircall review goes deeper on real-world usage.
What Aircall Does Well
- Native CRM depthSalesforce and HubSpot sync calls, dispositions, and recordings automatically; HubSpot named Aircall a "2026 Essential App for Sales" for the fourth year running.
- Fast time to first callReviewers consistently cite ease of setup and admin as Aircall's strongest traits.
- Wide integration catalog250+ native integrations, per Aircall's site, no developer required.
- Volume-friendly outboundProfessional and Custom plans add a Power Dialer for high call volumes.
8x8 Features
8x8 is a combined UCaaS and CCaaS platform: voice, video, chat, and a contact center on native VoIP infrastructure 8x8 owns end to end. That breadth is real value for a buyer who'd otherwise stitch together three or four vendors. Our full 8x8 review breaks down the trade-off.
Where 8x8 Falls Short
- Complex admin consoleReviewers describe the back end as dense enough to need a dedicated technical admin.
- Contact-center features sit in a separate productACD, IVR, and skills-based routing live in the dedicated 8x8 Contact Center product, not the base 8x8 Work (UC) plan.
- No public pricing at all8x8 publishes no list prices for any product line — Work, Contact Center, Engage, or Communications APIs — so comparing true cost against Aircall requires a sales call first.
- Slower support on lower tiersSome reviewers report longer response times outside the higher-priced plans.
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
| Feature | Aircall | 8x8 |
|---|---|---|
| Country coverage / international calling | Numbers in 100+ countries; per-minute billing | Local presence in 55+ countries, product support in 100+; billed per-minute |
| IVR / ACD availability | Ships from entry Essentials plan | Available within the 8x8 Contact Center product |
| Call routing | Standard on all plans | Standard; skills-based routing within 8x8 Contact Center |
| Power dialer | Included on Professional/Custom | Not named as a standalone feature |
| AI call summaries | Available; exact tier unconfirmed | Sentiment analytics available on 8x8 Contact Center/Engage |
| CRM sync | Native at base tier (Salesforce, HubSpot) | Native sync exists; tier gating unconfirmed |
| Call recording retention | Standard; retention window not published | 130-day hot storage on higher-tier plans |
| Analytics / QM | Standard reporting | Supervisor monitoring (barge/monitor/whisper) on 8x8 Contact Center |
The split comes down to scope:
Aircall goes deep on voice and CRM sync; 8x8 adds video conferencing and team chat under one login (real breadth if you'd otherwise pay for a separate meetings tool). For 8x8 features vs Aircall features, that's the whole story.
Aircall Pricing vs 8x8 Pricing
Aircall Pricing
Per Aircall's pricing page, Aircall charges per license with a 3-user minimum on Essentials and Professional:
- 01Essentials: $30/user/month annual ($40 monthly)
- 02Professional: $50/user/month annual ($70 monthly)
- 03Custom: quote-based, 25-license minimum
8x8 Pricing
8x8 publishes no list prices at all. Its own pricing page offers no per-user or per-month figures anywhere — every product routes to "Chat with Sales" or "Request a Quote." 8x8's current product lineup is organized by use case rather than numbered tiers:
- 018x8 Work: Unified Communications — calling, meetings, messaging, quote-based
- 028x8 Contact Center: ACD, IVR, skills-based routing, supervisor tools, quote-based
- 038x8 Engage: CX tooling beyond the contact center, quote-based
- 048x8 Communications APIs: no-code CPaaS for messaging, voice, and video, quote-based
Pricing Compared Line by Line
Pricing Compared Line by Line
| Pricing dimension | Aircall | 8x8 |
|---|---|---|
| Lowest entry price | $30/user/month (Essentials, annual) | Not published; quote required |
| Seat minimum | 3 users (Essentials/Pro); 25 (Custom) | None published |
| Pricing transparency | Published on aircall.io/pricing | Quote-only since late 2023 |
| Monthly billing option | Yes, $40/user/month (Essentials) | Not publicly listed; likely via quote |
| AI features in the base plan | Not standard on the entry plan | Not standard; available on Contact Center/Engage, quote-based |
| International calling model | Per-minute billing | Per-minute billing, from ~$0.02/min |
| Contract terms | Annual or monthly, standard cancellation | Custom-quoted, negotiated per contract |
Why the numbers don't always match:
Conflicting Aircall vs 8x8 pricing numbers online mostly trace back to Aircall's annual-vs-monthly split. On 8x8's side, there is no public list price to reconcile at all — every product (Work, Contact Center, Engage, Communications APIs) is quote-only, confirmed directly on 8x8's own pricing page. Treat any 8x8 figure you see elsewhere online as outdated or third-party speculation, not an official price.
Aircall Integrations vs. 8x8 Integrations
8x8 Integrations
8x8's marketplace lists integrations across CRM, helpdesk, and productivity categories, with over 80 native integrations. Deeper native CRM sync tends to sit on 8x8's higher, Contact Center-focused tiers.
Aircall Integrations
Aircall claims 250+ native integrations, with Salesforce (Sales Cloud and Service Cloud) and HubSpot as the most developed. HubSpot named Aircall a "2026 Essential App for Sales" for the fourth consecutive year, and Aircall reports 10,000+ joint HubSpot customers logging roughly 875,000 calls a month through that integration.
Integration Capability Compared
Integration Capability Compared
| Integration capability | Aircall | 8x8 |
|---|---|---|
| Total native integrations | 250+, per aircall.io | Not independently confirmed as of this writing |
| HubSpot / Salesforce sync | Native at the base tier for both | Native sync exists; exact tier gating unconfirmed |
| Tier required for CRM integrations | Included from the Essentials plan | Requires verification against current plan pages |
| Developer requirement | No-code setup; API for custom builds | No-code setup; API for custom builds |
| Workflow automation | Available via native integrations and API | Available; specific depth unconfirmed |
| Contact sync speed | Real-time, per Aircall's documentation | Not independently confirmed |
Security & Compliance: Aircall vs. 8x8
8x8 Security & Compliance
Per 8x8's compliance materials, 8x8 holds:
- 01SOC 2 Type II, with HIPAA and HITRUST control mapping
- 02HIPAA compliance when properly configured (worth understanding before you sign if HIPAA-compliant VoIP is a hard requirement)
- 03PCI DSS, with its XCaaS platform reviewed by a qualified security assessor
- 04NIST 800-53 R4 and FISMA mapping, plus GDPR
Aircall Security & Compliance
Per Aircall's security page, Aircall holds:
- 01SOC 2 Type II certification with annual audits
- 02GDPR adherence, with UK ICO registration
- 03TLS 1.2 and AES-256 encryption for data in transit and at rest, plus SRTP for call traffic
- 04Two-factor authentication and SAML-based single sign-on
Security & Compliance Compared
Security & Compliance Compared
| Security & compliance | Aircall | 8x8 |
|---|---|---|
| GDPR | GDPR-adherent, UK ICO registered | GDPR compliant |
| SOC 2 | Type II, annual audits | Type II, with HIPAA/HITRUST control mapping |
| HIPAA | Not listed on Aircall's public security page | HIPAA compliant when properly configured (vendor claim) |
| PCI | AWS infrastructure certification, not Aircall's own | PCI DSS, XCaaS reviewed by a QSA |
| FedRAMP | AWS infrastructure certification, not Aircall's own | Referenced in some materials as FedRAMP Moderate; unconfirmed |
| Encryption | TLS 1.2 + AES-256, plus SRTP for calls | Not detailed in this pass |
| SSO / SAML | SAML-based SSO confirmed | Not confirmed in this pass |
| Data residency | AWS-hosted | Not detailed in this pass |
On HIPAA and FedRAMP specifically:
For an 8x8 vs Aircall HIPAA and GDPR comparison, 8x8 makes the more explicit HIPAA claim; Aircall's page doesn't address HIPAA directly. On FedRAMP, neither vendor's own authorization holds up to a close read; confirm both before a compliance audit rides on the answer.
Usability & Scalability: Aircall vs. 8x8
8x8 Usability & Scalability
- 018x8's breadth means more moving parts to configure; reviewers call the admin console denser than a single-purpose dialer.
- 02Standing up the full 8x8 Contact Center product takes longer than activating the base 8x8 Work UC plan.
- 03Reviewers praise 8x8 for stable call quality on remote teams and for global reach when a business serves customers well outside the US and Canada.
Aircall Usability & Scalability
- 01Aircall is built to get a small team calling fast; reviewers consistently favor its ease of setup and admin.
- 02Onboarding reads as close to instant: one recurring theme is a rep saying they "didn't even remember setting it up."
- 03The trade-off is the 3-seat minimum on Essentials and Professional, a real constraint for a two-person team.
Usability & Scalability Compared
Usability & Scalability Compared
| Dimension | Aircall | 8x8 |
|---|---|---|
| First-day setup speed | Minutes to a working line | Longer, especially for the Contact Center product |
| Agent UI learning curve | Low, frequently cited in reviews | Steeper, per admin-complexity reviews |
| Admin / call flow builder | Straightforward, non-technical | More configuration surface, needs a dedicated admin |
| High-volume outbound | Power Dialer on Professional and up | Contact-center dialing tools within 8x8 Contact Center |
| Contract flexibility | Monthly or annual | Custom-quoted |
| Support responsiveness by tier | Varies by plan; verify current SLAs | Varies by plan; verify current SLAs |
8x8 Reviews vs. Aircall Reviews on G2
G2 is the most widely used peer review platform for B2B software, usually the first stop once a shortlist narrows to two products. According to Gartner's 2025 Software Buying Trends survey, 41% of B2B buyers actively seek out reviews to narrow their shortlist, and 90% say social proof heavily influences that decision, which is why 8x8 vs Aircall reviews on G2 carry real weight.
G2 Ratings Compared
G2 Ratings Compared
| G2 review dimension | Aircall | 8x8 Contact Center |
|---|---|---|
| Overall rating | 4.4/5 (1573+ reviews) | 4.2/5 (932+ reviews) |
| Meets requirements | 8.8/10 (1,288 ratings) | 8.4/10 (210 ratings) |
| Ease of use | 9.2/10 (1,303 ratings) | 8.3/10 (215 ratings) |
| Ease of setup | 8.9/10 (777 ratings) | 7.8/10 (132 ratings) |
| Ease of admin | 8.7/10 (456 ratings) | 8.2/10 (128 ratings) |
| Quality of support | 8.6/10 (1,192 ratings) | 8.1/10 (204 ratings) |
What Real Users Say About 8x8 (G2)
Quotes below are pulled directly from named, verified reviews on G2, with a permalink to each specific review.
"I really like that once you get to a person at 8x8 Contact Center, I've always had a good experience. The support team is knowledgeable, very patient, and understanding."
Sam C., Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) · G2 review, Jun 3, 2026
"The product is pretty reliable and has done a good job of building out a strong global telephony network. This strong telephony infrastructure is key for a contact center that can be distributed all over the globe, supporting operation in more than 150 countries."
Steven O., Mid-Market (51-1,000 emp.) · G2 review, Mar 25, 2026
"I like that 8x8 Contact Center works as an OMNI-channel platform, allowing communication with a wide age demographic through various methods, which is a huge plus."
Chris W., Mid-Market (51-1,000 emp.) · G2 review, Mar 24, 2026
What Real Users Say About Aircall (G2)
The recurring theme on Aircall's side is speed, simplicity, and a Salesforce-connected dialer that gets reps from lead to call fast, though support is a sore point for some. Quotes below are pulled directly from named, verified reviews on G2, with a permalink to each specific review.
"Aircall has a user-friendly interface. It also has a global presence in over 100 countries, which supports international calling capabilities, and it offers extensive integrations with CRM systems like Salesforce and HubSpot, as well as productivity tools like Slack and Zendesk."
Saurabh B., Software Engineer, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) · G2 review, May 12, 2026
"I like Aircall's interface because it's easier to handle and use. It's seamless, and it integrates with our support tools and CRM tools like Shopify."
Arthur R., Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) · G2 review, Jul 8, 2026
"In addition, customer support was fairly disappointing, as responses could be slow and resolving issues wasn't always straightforward."
Matt C., Account Executive, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) · G2 review, May 5, 2026
8x8 Reviews vs. Aircall Reviews on Reddit & Quora
Reddit and Quora don't have much dedicated "8x8 vs Aircall" discussion: most threads treat these as separate purchase decisions, not a head-to-head.
Reddit thread about Aircall:
Quora discussion about best call center software:
Reddit thread about 8x8:
The closest independently verifiable signal on real-world sentiment is CloudTalk's breakdown of common VoIP problems and how to fix them, which echoes the same complaints (dropped calls, support delays, hidden fees) seen across both platforms' review pages above.
8x8 Pros & Cons vs. Aircall Pros & Cons
8x8 Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Broad global reach: local presence in 55+ countries, product support in 100+ | No public pricing anywhere — every product (Work, Contact Center, Engage, Communications APIs) is quote-only |
| Combined UCaaS/CCaaS: voice, video, chat, contact center from one vendor | Admin console complexity; some reviewers need dedicated technical help |
| Compliance depth: SOC 2, HIPAA (properly configured), PCI DSS, NIST/FISMA | ACD, IVR, and skills-based routing live in the separate 8x8 Contact Center product, not the base UC plan |
| Financially-backed 99.999% uptime SLA (vendor claim) | No self-serve cost estimate available for any product; FedRAMP status not independently confirmed |
Aircall Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Published, predictable pricing on aircall.io | 3-user minimum on Essentials and Professional |
| Fast setup; teams report being live within days | No native video conferencing or team messaging |
| Native Salesforce/HubSpot depth (HubSpot's "2026 Essential App for Sales," 4th year running) | International calling billed per minute, not bundled |
| Low learning curve, per reviewer consensus | Trustpilot skews harsher (3.0★/1,013 reviews) than its G2 score implies |
| 250+ native integrations across CRM, helpdesk, and productivity tools | |
| Monthly or annual billing flexibility |
Not sold on either of these platforms?
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Which Team Fits Which Platform?
Fit changes based on team size, outbound volume, how much international calling you do, and whether you need a full UCaaS/CCaaS stack or a specialized tool bolted onto a CRM.
8x8 vs Aircall: Which Fits Your Team
| Aircall is the right call for… | 8x8 still works if… |
|---|---|
| Sales/support teams that live inside HubSpot or Salesforce daily | Teams making heavy international calls outside the US and Canada |
| Teams that want published pricing before talking to sales | Orgs that need HIPAA or PCI-level compliance out of the box |
| Small teams above the 3-seat minimum, live within days | Teams wanting voice, video, chat, and a contact center from one vendor |
| Agencies managing multiple client accounts through a shared CRM | Multi-country teams where stable global connections matter more than setup speed |
| Teams that don't need video conferencing or chat bundled in | Orgs trading published pricing for a custom quote and deeper contact-center tooling |
For an 8x8 vs Aircall contact center comparison, the gap in true CCaaS depth only shows once you're pricing out 8x8's dedicated Contact Center product. Below that, the two are closer than their reputations suggest.
8x8 vs. Aircall: The Verdict
Both platforms make sense somewhere; the comparison above should already point you toward one, based on how much you value setup speed and pricing clarity versus international reach and breadth.
Choose 8x8 if you…
- Need broad global reach as your team scales internationally — local presence in 55+ countries, product support in 100+
- Want one vendor covering voice, video, chat, and a full contact center instead of stitching tools together
- Must satisfy HIPAA, PCI, or similar compliance requirements without bolting on extra software
- Are already weighing 8x8 alternatives because of the admin complexity or quote-only pricing
Choose Aircall if you…
- Want to see prices before you ever book a sales call
- Need to be live and calling within days, not weeks
- Run your day inside HubSpot or Salesforce and want native, no-code sync
- Are a small or mid-sized revenue team comfortable with the 3-seat minimum
- Primarily call within the US and Canada, or don't need unlimited international minutes
- Are already looking at the best Aircall alternative because of that seat minimum or the missing video and chat tools
The bottom line:
Aircall gets you calling faster, at a price you can see upfront. 8x8 costs more time and paperwork, but covers more ground once you're live in dozens of countries with a contact center to match. Pick based on which gap costs your team more.
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Frequently Asked Questions
About 8x8 vs. Aircall
Find answers to the most common questions teams have when comparing 8x8 and Aircall.
Not universally. Aircall wins on setup speed and published pricing; 8x8 wins on international calling and compliance breadth. The better fit depends on your team's trade-off priorities.
Aircall's Essentials plan starts at $30/user/month annually ($40 monthly); Professional starts at $50/user/month annually ($70 monthly), both with a 3-user minimum, per Aircall's pricing page.
Aircall offers a free-access signup flow but doesn't publish an exact trial length; 8x8 has no self-serve trial and requires a sales quote. CloudTalk offers a 14-day free trial, no credit card required.
Yes, Aircall's Salesforce and HubSpot integrations are native from its entry Essentials plan, syncing calls, dispositions, and recordings automatically. Both support click-to-call from a CRM, though the setup differs from platform to platform.
8x8 has deeper contact center tooling (ACD, IVR, skills-based routing), but it lives in a separate, quote-only 8x8 Contact Center product rather than the base Unified Communications plan. Aircall includes basic routing and IVR from its entry plan, so the real gap depends on which 8x8 product you're pricing against Aircall.
Yes, number porting between Aircall and 8x8 is possible, though timelines vary by country and carrier; see how long number porting takes to plan your go-live date.
CloudTalk is generally the stronger fit for small teams put off by Aircall's 3-seat minimum, since it gates fewer features behind higher tiers; see our best Aircall alternatives breakdown.
