Close to 90% of customer service professionals say today’s consumers have much higher expectations of customer support representatives than in the past.

One of the biggest challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic has been how companies can continue to provide superior customer service in an environment with fewer overall employees, largely remote teams, uncertain delivery dates, and longer support resolution times.

Contact center software is an excellent solution, but with COVID’s accompanying financial crisis, many businesses fear they can’t afford it.

Here, we’ll review the best affordable or free call center software to try out.

 

Top 7 Free Call Center Software

In determining which providers to include on this list, we evaluated several key factors. To make the cut, the best call center software needed to:

  • Offer one free plan or an extended free trial
  • Have paid upgrade options or advanced add-on features
  • Have native Customer Relationship Management features or be able to integrate with third-party CRM software
  • Have a minimum of two dialing modes (Predictive Dialer, Progressive Dialer, Preview Dialing, etc.)

Some of the call center applications on this list, such as Bitrix24 and GOautodial, have features that are more similar to omnichannel contact centers than strictly call centers, allowing companies to further streamline communication.

Still, because they offer free call center technologies, we’ve included them on this list. Plus, if you can use the same interface for advanced Customer Relationship Management tools, workforce management, and omnichannel communication for free, all the better.

We’ve also included a list of pros and cons for each provider to give you a better insight into the solution’s overall user and customer experience.

The best free call center platforms are:

Provider Best For Feature Highlights

Visit Bitrix24Bitrix24

Midsize to enterprise-level support teams needing multiple customer communication channels Kanban/Gannt Views, Advanced Team Collaboration Features
Qubicles Newer or smaller businesses with few full-time agents whose primary support channel is telephone communication Blockchain-based, Flow Call Script Designer
VICIDialVICIDial Enterprise-level businesses that need a completely customizable call center solution Predictive Voice Analytics, Supports Inbound Emails and Live Website Chat
GOautodial Companies with regulatory security requirements and small businesses that need advanced call and campaign management features HIPAA Compliance, Advanced Dialing Modes
AVOXIAVOXI Remote companies and high-volume call centers that already have a dedicated CRM system in place 2-Way CRM Synching, Toll-Free Vanity Phone Numbers
CallHippoCallHippo Telemarketing centers and mid-to-large-scale businesses that have consistently long lead lists Advanced Call Routing Options, Call Transcription
FreshCallerFreshcaller High volume call centers and eCommerce shops with a large number of incoming calls that want to provide a high level of customer self-service AI Voicebot and Advanced Recording Capabilities

 

Bitrix24

 

Bitrix24 dashboard

Bitrix24 is a cloud and on-premise communication and collaboration suite offering business telephony, CRM, instant message, and team collaboration features within one package.

Though a large amount of features is a bit overwhelming, Bitrix24’s free version easily offers the most robust capabilities out of any other tool on this list. It provides free unlimited inbound phone calls, 100 minutes of recording calls, basic call statistics, and more for up to 12 users.

Although outbound calling is not a part of the free plan, it’s available from just $0.01 per minute. Users can also opt to rent a virtual PBX system for up to $11.00/month, which provides unlimited phone lines, call routing, recording, call notifications, CRM call pops, and more.

Additional features of the free plan include:

  • Call queuing, transferring, forwarding, and holding
  • Unlimited contact storage
  • Voicemail and recorded greetings
  • Imported call lists from Excel or CSV
  • Chat messaging
  • Video conferencing
  • Basic Interactive Voice Response
  • Business hour settings
  • Client profiles
  • CTI screen pops for incoming calls
  • Website contact forms
  • Website call back request forms
  • Contact import from Gmail and Outlook
  • Social media communication channels
  • Sales funnels and reporting
  • Email connector/2-way synching
  • Automated replies
  • Kanban and Gantt board views
  • 5GB of cloud storage
  • iOS and Android smartphone apps
  • Task management/assignment
  • File synching and online file editing
  • Call statistics and reporting
  • Integration with Drive, Dropbox, Google Docs

 

In addition to the free version, Bitrix24 offers five paid plans ranging from $19.00/month for two users to $159.00/month for unlimited users. You can also pay to rent a telephone number, get a SIP connector, or purchase the on-premise version of Bitrix24. Users can try the on-premise version free for 30 days or can get a personal demo from a representative.

 

Bitrix24 Pros Bitrix24 Cons
High level of customization  Crowded interface filled with irrelevant information
Advanced call management features for a free tool, including basic IVR functionality  A large learning curve, especially given the lack of user training 
Teamwide task management updates Lack of user permissions control

 

Qubicles

 

Qubicles Call Center

Quibicles is a blockchain-based, decentralized call center software designed for companies of any size.

There is no licensing fee, and the payment structure follows a pay-as-you-go model. An unlimited amount of users can access all Qubicles features within the free plan, within the two paid plans offering a higher level of support and training.

The Flow feature allows for simple drag-and-drop call scripting for multiple interaction types, and makes it easy for call center agents to follow a set script path based on real-time customer responses. After every call, agents can rate the call disposition, take notes, and even update their interaction scripts.

Qubicles also offers ACD call management options that make it much easier to handle unlimited incoming calls. Routing options include first available, idle time, round robin, and more. Admins can set the maximum number of calls allowed in the queue, the maximum customer wait time, and choose which pre-recorded messages should be played, based on the call flow.

The Census feature lets users import an unlimited number of contacts and lead lists into the platform. Admins and agents can then choose from several dialing options, including predictive dialing, progressive and manual modes.

Users can create advanced Interactive Voice Response (IVR) paths, purchase US, Canadian, and international business telephone numbers, and even connect with customers through live chat support.

Additional features include:

 

  • Call notifications
  • Real-time call monitoring
  • Over 30 historical call report templates
  • Outbound SMS texts
  • Agent status
  • Call recording
  • Click-to-call
  • Call scheduling
  • Customer surveys
  • CRM features including marketing automation and pipeline management
  • On-demand staff (virtual receptionists, etc.)
  • Call abandonment statistics

 

Qubicle Pros Qubicle Cons
No long-term contracts or setup fees High-quality customer support only truly available with paid monthly plans
User-friendly interface with a fast setup process  Automatic voicemail detection feature needs work
Automated callback option available for free, not as an add-on to the monthly plans as with most providers Lack of unlimited call recording storage 

 

VICIdial

 

VICIdial Call Center Software

VICIdial is an enterprise-grade open-source contact center solution without any per-user license fees — and users can get it 100% free. As of this writing, it has over 14,000 registered installations across 100 countries.

It allows for blended, inbound, and outbound calls, and includes predictive and manual dialing modes. VICIDial’s interface also supports inbound emails and website live chat support.

Admins can create call lists, ring groups, host audio conferences, and take advantage of the time-saving text-to-speech tool. It’s easy to set agent shifts, access call scripts, and even customize hold music.

VICIDial’s application is available in 16 different languages, meaning it’s an ideal solution for international corporations.

In addition to offering a hosted option, as with Qubicles, VICIDial allows pay-as-you-go expedited or more detailed client support. Users can also pay to have VICIDial build them a unique contact center solution from the ground up.

Additional features include:

 

  • Mobile Apple iOS and Android apps
  • CRM integrations (Paid add-on)
  • Callback scheduling
  • Predictive voice analytics (Paid add-on)
  • Blind and warm transfers
  • Skills-based routing
  • Call queuing
  • Real-time agent updates
  • Call prioritization
  • Call barge, monitor, whisper
  • Click-to-call
  • Internal chat messaging

 

VICIDial Pros VICIDial Cons
The hosted platform option provides high-level data encryption Some basic features (CRM integration, AMD, and call recording) available only as paid add-ons
24/7 emergency basic customer support Requires some development experience to get the most out of the platform
Third-party CRM integrations  No native post-call survey or scheduled reporting 

 

GOautodial

 

Goautodial call center

Similar to Bitrix24, GOautodial bills itself as an open-source omnichannel contact center suite.

In addition to inbound, outbound, and blended calling, it also offers third-party app integration via REST APIs.

Unlike many of the other providers on this list, GOautodial offers a 99.99% uptime in addition to being HIPAA compliant. It also comes complete with SIP and web app firewall protection designed to prevent brute-force attacks. Bring your own VoIP provider, or take advantage of the free 30-day trial of the JustGOcloud on-demand contact system.

Because it’s a paid plan, users will enjoy more native features than they would with many other platforms on this list.

Top features include:

 

  • Unlimited user extensions
  • Personal and team-wide voicemail
  • Manual, predictive, and preview dialing modes
  • Scheduled callbacks
  • Automatic Call Distribution and IVR
  • Robo dialing
  • Campaign-specific caller ID
  • Lead filtration
  • Call notes, support ticket logs
  • Disposition analysis
  • Knowledge base and helpdesk
  • Campaign-specific call scripts
  • DNC blacklist
  • Call recording and storage
  • Live chat customer support
  • Real-time and historic call data
  • Listen, barge, and call whisper

 

GOautodial offers two paid plans: The Starter plan for $19.00/month for 5+ agents, of the GOcloud Premium plan for $24.00/month for 6+ agents.

 

GOautodial Pros GOautodial Cons
No contract or setup fees Lack of omnichannel communication
Month-long free trial Allows for a maximum of 10 agents per plan
Multi-channel live customer support ACD and IVR not available on Starter Plan

 

AVOXI

 

Avoxi call center tool

AVOXI is a cloud contact center solution with a particular focus in virtual telephone numbers.

In addition to standard call center features like call recording, a virtual auto attendant, and call forwarding, AVOXI offers two-way data synching with your preferred third-party Customer Relationship Management software solutions, including Salesforce, Zendesk, Zoho, and HubSpot.

Users can opt to bring their own carriers and take advantage of number porting, or purchase their own vanity 800 numbers, toll-free or local numbers, or UIFN numbers. They can also enable any AVOXI phone numbers to send/receive SMS text messages, offering another channel of communication.

All outbound calls to the US and Canada are unlimited.

Additional features include:

 

  • ACD and IVR
  • Call queuing and call transfer
  • Softphone
  • Click-to-call
  • Knowledge base and 24/7 customer support
  • Call blocking
  • CTI call screen pop
  • Live coaching through call barge, whisper, and monitoring
  • Callback scheduling
  • Time-based routing
  • Call scoring and custom dispositions
  • Voice messages to email
  • Voice message transcription
  • Ring groups
  • International calling
  • DID numbers
  • SIP trunking
  • WebRTC Softphone

 

As of this writing, AVOXI does not offer a free plan, but it does have a 30-day free trial. There is a three user minimum for their call center software, and plans start at $24.99/month for three users. Contact AVOXI for an individual quote.

 

AVOXI Pros AVOXI Cons
Integrates with over 50 third-party tools Less customization than with open-source platforms
Virtual phone numbers in over 170 countries No call scripts
Unlimited concurrent calls No mobile app currently available

 

CallHippo

 

Callhippo contact center

CallHippo is a virtual phone system used by over 5,000 companies including Amazon and Honeywell.

Promising to get your virtual phone up and running in three minutes, its top features include Power Dialing modes, CRM integration, and instant call logging. Users can choose phone numbers from over 50 countries, including toll-free and local numbers.

CallHippo automatically records both inbound and outbound call center interactions and can hold up to 100,000 recorded calls per account for 90 days. It allows for both warm and blind call transfers, while Smart call forwarding comes with additional features like custom greetings and hold music.

The PowerDialer tool is especially useful for getting through long lead lists, as multiple agents can be assigned to the same campaign. When one call ends, the dialer automatically places the next call, only connecting the agent when a lead is on the other line and ready to talk. Agents can pause the auto dialer at any time.

Another interesting feature is the Smart Switch tool, which lets representatives increase overall call connectivity by switching between telephony networks.

Additional features include:

 

  • Call barging
  • IVR call menu
  • Caller ID
  • Pause call recording
  • ACD
  • SMS messaging
  • A free telephone number
  • Round robin, fixed order, and simultaneous call routing
  • Call queues and advanced call paths
  • 3-way conference calling
  • Call analytics on the number of calls per agent/department, average call length, etc.
  • Voice messages sent to email
  • Over 100 third-party app integrations
  • Apple and Android mobile apps
  • Global Connect for international calling
  • Call transcriptions (add-on feature)

 

As of this writing, CallHippo does not have a free version, nor does it offer a free trial. However, especially given the advanced features, CallHippo’s pricing is surprisingly affordable. Choose from three paid plans: the Bronze plan for $14.00/user per month, the Silver plan for $24.00/user per month, or the Platinum plan for $34.00/user per month. Enterprise custom-built solutions are also available.

 

CallHippo Pros CallHippo Cons
Unlimited incoming calls No free plan or free trial available
Multi-device call forwarding Call queuing not available on the basic plan
Number porting Limited native communication channels

 

Freshcaller

 

Freshworks call center

Freshcaller by Freshworks is a pay-as-you-go phone system or omnichannel communication platform (users can choose which system they prefer.)

One of the most unique Freshcaller features is the Voicebot, powered by Freddy AI. It uses artificial intelligence and voice analytics to determine customer intent and disposition and then provides pre-recorded automatic responses to common questions. This means agents won’t lose time answering the same questions over and over again and offers a higher level of 24/7 customer self-service.

It also provides a plethora of ACD call routing options, including business hours routing, holiday routing, most idle routing, and more. Plus, callers automatically get frequent updates about their position in the queue if they’ve chosen to wait on hold instead of scheduling a callback.

Freshcaller offers advanced reporting capabilities, such as team and individual analytics, call volume reports, and data on call wait times, handling times, and call abandonment rate. It integrates with popular tools like Freshservice, Freshdesk, Salesforce, and HubSpot CRM.

Additional features include:

 

  • Number porting
  • Multi-level IVR
  • Android and iOS mobile apps
  • Pre-built and custom reporting templates
  • Advanced supervisor controls including live queue monitoring, service level metrics, and average call response time
  • Call conferencing
  • Scheduled callback
  • International, local, and toll-free vanity numbers
  • Call recording
  • Custom greetings
  • Caller ID
  • Call tagging
  • SIP connections
  • Up to 5,000 free incoming call minutes/month
  • Warm transfer
  • Call barging, monitoring, whispering

 

The free version of Freshcaller allows for unlimited agents, (with pay-per-minute phone calls) inbound call center caller ID, desktop notifications, call notes, call metrics and KPIs, and custom greetings. Users can also buy local and toll-free numbers.

There are four paid plans available, ranging in price from $15.00/agent per month to $69.00/agent per month. There is a free 21-day trial for all paid plans.

 

Freshcaller Pros Freshcaller Cons
Bring Your Own Carrier No unlimited inbound calling 
Smart Escalation Matrix IVR not available on free or basic paid plans
Omnichannel plans for messaging, phone, email, social, and live chat  Helpdesk software features need improvement

 

What Are The Top Paid Call Center Software Providers?

If you’ve tried out several of the free call center solutions on this list and still haven’t experienced an uptick in customer satisfaction, you may be willing to explore paid options.

Paid tools will have more communication channels, better third-party software integrations, and more advanced features that you won’t have to build yourself.

Plus, most platforms still offer at least a two-week free trial. Use our interactive guide to call center software to learn more about top providers like Five9, Twilio, Talkdesk, and Dialpad.