CloudTalk Pricing: Hidden Costs, Features & Best Alternative

Introduction to CloudTalk Pricing

Are you a business owner exploring CloudTalk and wondering if its pricing plans meet your needs and budget? We got you!

We carefully looked at the pricing plans of CloudTalk and found that the software offers four pricing plans to its users: Lite, Essential, Expert, and Custom. The price may vary depending on which country you are from, but if you are in the U.S., then here’s what you can expect.

Lite

CloudTalk’s starter plan costs $27 per user per month in the U.S. (billed $19 per user per month if paid annually.) The plan covers very basic features such as call recording, softphone for desktop, iOS, and Android, call queuing, automated all distribution, and international numbers subjected to additional charges. Unfortunately, that is all that comes with this plan, making it not even ideal for small businesses.

Essential

This plan costs $39 per user per month in the U.S. (billed $29 per user per month if paid annually.) This plan comes with all the features in the Lite plan plus integration, real-time call analytics, IVR, skilled-based routing, AI smart queuing, 24×7 human support, SMS and MMS messages, workflow automation, and concurrent calls. This plan is still better than the Lite plan, but note that it does not include unlimited text messaging- you will be required to pay per SMS/MMS. 

Expert

This plan costs $69 per user per month in the U.S. (billed $49 per user per month if paid annually, making it an expensive option for small businesses especially. The only extra features that you get with this plan are live call monitoring and wall boards, single sign-on, WhatsApp, and a few advanced support and sales features. Additionally, to unlock this plan, you need a minimum of three users, so expect to pay $150 per month for this plan, a classic example of pricing manipulation. 

Custom

CloudTalk’s custom pricing requires a minimum of 5 users and comes with enterprise-level features such as SLAs and custom reports. If its lower plans are costing so much, then you can imagine how much you may need to cash out for a custom plan. 

Here’s a quick summary table of CloudTalk pricing plans:

Name of the plan	Pricing if paid annually	Pricing if paid monthly
Lite	$19 per user per month	$27 per user per month
Essential	$29 per user per month	$39 per user per month
Expert	$49 per user per month	$69 per user per month
Custom	Contact Sales	Contact Sales

Key features: 

• Business SMS
• Softphone 
• Call recording 
• Live agent support 
• ACD 
• Call queuing 
• CRM integrations 
• IVR 

Note: if you require enterprise level security, developer support, custom reporting, and SLA; then you need to opt for the Custom Plan and contact sales to request a quote. 

CloudTalk Pricing vs Emitrr Pricing: A Comparison

CloudTalk Pricing

On the face of it, CloudTalk appears to be a valuable VoIP phone, but we looked at the features it offers for different tiers and found something truly surprising. Take a look at the pros and cons of CloudTalk below: 

Pros of CloudTalk Pricing

• Low monthly starting price: CloudTalk’s basic monthly plan starts at just $19 per user per month, which makes it quite an affordable option for those looking for very basic VoIP features at a low price.
• Good option for sales teams: CloudTalk comes with many call monitoring features such as call barging, call whispering, smart dialer and power dialer, etc. This makes this VoIP software a good option for sales or customer service related businesses. 
• Highly customizable: CloudTalk is worth considering for those looking for an all-inclusive call center solution or just highly customized calling solution. . Whether you need enterprise-level security measures, customized reporting tools, unlimited outgoing calls at fixed rates or developer assistance, all of it is possible with CloudTalk.
• Offers international numbers: Cloud talk offers international phone numbers from 160+ countries, which can be really useful for businesses that have branches across the globe. 

Cons of CloudTalk Pricing

• Lack of features: On the face of it, although CloudTalk appears to be a cheaper option when scrutinized carefully, the truth comes out to be something else entirely. By paying $19 a month, you only get access to three call-handling features (call transfer, click-to-call, and voicemail, additionally, call recordings are stored only up to a month, and that’s it when it comes to the VoIP features of CloudTalk for their cheapest plan. By paying $1 extra, compared to VoIP providers like Emitrr– which offers all of this, plus number porting, call queue groups, call forwarding, contact sync, call extensions, and many other features- CloudTalk is expensive, offering no value for money.
• Pay extra for AI automation: If you want to take advantage of ClouTalk’s AI for call summaries, call transcriptions, smart notes, topic extraction, etc, then be ready to pay $9 per agent per month. This can definitely be expensive for any business that wants to automate and simplify communication with the help of AI. 
• Conditional unlimited calling: CloudTalk’s Essential ($29 per user per month) and expert plan ($49 per user per month) come with unlimited calling within the USA and Canada. However, this excludes calls made to certain destinations or to certain numbers (toll-free numbers, special premium numbers.) So, if your need is beyond local communication, then be ready to incur additional costs. 
• No integration with basic plan: CloudTalk offers no integration with its basic plan. If you want this VoIP solution to integrate with your existing software, then you’d have to choose their essential plan that costs $39 per user per month. Instead of going for CloudTalk, you can choose Emitrr and simply pay $20-25 per user per month to enjoy seamless integration with a variety of tools. 
• Limited customization with low-tiered plans: CloudTalk’s base plan restricts access to very basic features that businesses usually need, such as IVR, phone menu, setting up business hours, call back, smart routing, etc., manipulating customers to eventually go for higher plans. Many VoIP phones for businesses include these features in their base plan for no extra cost. 
• Many hidden costs: Want to port your number? Be ready to cash out $32, plus $2 to $4, depending on whether you’re a toll-free, local, or mobile number. Miss your subscription payment? Pay 0.07% of the due amount per day and an additional $43 as an administrative recovery fee. Want unlimited storage for call recording? Pay $30 per user per month. Want to access texting functionality, toll-free calling, and international calling? Again, be ready to pay extra money. 
• Too much dependency on customer support: CloudTalk makes you reach out to their customer support team for every little thing, be it troubleshooting, adding extra features to your plan, and so on. And the worst part is that their team is slow to respond and asks too many questions. Unless you don’t upgrade to their higher-tiered plans sporadic support emails and chats is all you are going to get.
• Features that are useless on their own: CloudTalk offers features such as call recording but offers unlimited storage only with their essential plan. Similarly, it offers a call transcript feature, but to use it, you need its AI feature, which costs an additional $9 per agent. CloudTalk’s manipulative pricing structure makes no sense unless you purchase their higher plans. 

Emitrr Pricing

Emitrr’s pricing is much more affordable compared to CloudTalk, with standard plan starting at just $20 per user per month and going as far as just $30 per user per month. And you’d think lower price means fewer features or poor quality or customer service, but that’s not the case with Emitrr at all. By paying just $1 extra, you get way more features than CloudTalk, such as number porting, HD voice, mobile, and app, among others. 

For those wondering, Emitrr offers different pricing plans for different capabilities. For VoIP, there are 2 pricing plans – Standard and Professional. 

Name of the plan	Pricing if paid annually	Pricing if paid monthly
Standard	$20 per user per month	$25 per user per month
Professional	$25 per user per month	$30 per user per month

Key features of Standard Plan: 

• Calling (1000 mins/user)
• HD Voice
• Call Hold Music
• Call Recording (manual)
• Call Queue Groups
• Call Extensions
• Call Routing (During and After Hours)
• Call Transfer
• Call Forwarding
• Number Porting
• Contact Sync
• Set personal working hours
• Mobile App

Key features of Professional Plan: 

Everything in Standard plus

• Call Transcription
• IVR (Interactive Voice Response)  / Call Tree
• Call Recording (automated)
• Missed Call Auto Text
• Call Conference
• Voicemail Transcription
• HIPAA Compliance
• Access Management 

How Emitrr Offers Better Value for Money as Compared to CloudTalk?

Is CloudTalk worth it? The answer is that it varies based on your needs. While its pricing starts at $19 per month, the features included are minimal, and the other plans do not offer much value either. CloudTalk might be suitable for larger global companies requiring a customizable customer service VoIP solution.

So why settle for less when you could choose a better alternative at a more affordable price? Here’s why we believe Emitrr might be a superior VoIP phone system for your business:

Affordable & straightforward pricing

Emitrr offers two pricing options, straight and simple. No gimmicks, no pricing manipulation unlike CloudTalk.

Here’s what you can expect from Emitrr’s plans:

Standard Plan

Starts at $20 per user per month if billed annually and $25 per month if billed annually. The plan includes 1000 mins/user, mobile app, features like call routing, call forwarding, call queue, call recording, call hold music, call routing during and after hours, working hours set up, and more. 

Professional Plan

Starts at $25 per user per month if billed annually and $30 per month if billed annually. The plan includes everything in the standard plan, plus IVR, call transcription, missed call auto text, conference calls, access management, HIPAA compliance, and more. By just paying $5 more, you can get almost all the features that are essential for a business to improve customer communication via call. 

Pay for what you choose

If you’re hesitant to pay for features you don’t use, we’ve got you covered. Simply reach out to Emitrr’s team to create a customized package that includes only the essential features for your business, ensuring you only pay for what you truly need.

No hidden charges

Emitrr is committed to transparency and does not impose any hidden fees, including training or setup costs. All expenses are clearly outlined during the onboarding call, so customers know exactly what their monthly costs will be. This clarity helps ensure that your business budget remains unaffected by unexpected charges.

Add unlimited users & up to 5 numbers

CloudTalk charges $6 for every additional number or lines that you may want to add, however, Emitrr offers up to 5 free numbers/lines with no added cost. Anything more than that is $5 per number. Furthermore, Emitrr allows for unlimited users, enabling you to add as many team members as needed—perfect for growing businesses looking to scale efficiently.

Unparalleled customer support

Emitrr boasts a perfect 5/5 rating on Capterra, highlighting our commitment to exceptional customer support. With Emitrr, you’ll never feel stranded; our support team is available 24/7, ensuring you receive prompt and effective solutions to any challenges you may encounter.

Easy Integration with CRM Software

While CloudTalk’s basic plan lacks integration options, users have noted that the integration process can be time-consuming and complex. In comparison, Emitrr seamlessly connects with over 500 tools and software, ensuring that your customer data syncs effortlessly and your business operations run smoothly without interruption. 

FAQs

Conclusion

To conclude, CloudTalk’s pricing may appear cheaper, but it is not really, given the negligible features it comes with with its low-tier plans. If you are willing to cash out more money, only then it could be of great use to you, but then again, you can find everything it offers for a cheaper price. 

CloudTalk may be a good option to consider for customer service or sales-related businesses because of the high customization and features the software offers. But if you want something more affordable no matter from which business industry you belong, Emitrr is a way better choice in terms of pricing, value for money, features, and customer support, among other things. Book a free demo call with Emitrr today to make the switch without breaking the bank.