Aircall Pricing Explained (2025): Features, Costs, and Hidden Fees

When it comes to cloud-based communication solutions, Aircall is one name you’ve likely already encountered. This VoIP platform is known for its modern UI, focus on simplicity, and is aimed at startups and small teams. However, when it comes to Aircall pricing, it’s not always as straightforward as it may seem.

In this guide, we’ll break down Aircall’s pricing plans, uncover what you get at different tiers, and compare this with a flexible alternative, Nextiva Engage. Whether you’re managing a contact center team or scaling your startup, this article will help you decide which platform best fits your needs.

Aircall Pricing Plans Explained

When you visit its pricing page, Aircall offers three plans: Essentials, Professional, and Custom.

All of them operate on a per-license pricing model, which means you pay based on available licenses instead of actual active users. This setup might not always align with the needs of smaller teams and startups, particularly since it could result in having to pay for unused licenses, so it’s worth exploring Aircall alternatives.

Here’s a quick breakdown of Aircall’s pricing tiers:

Plan	Monthly (Per License)	Annual (Per License)	Key Features	Add-Ons and Limits
Essentials	$40	$30	Interactive voice response (IVR), call queuing, call recording, basic integrations	Limited analytics, no voicemail drop, only one year of call storage
Professional	$70	$50	Power dialer, Salesforce integration, voicemail drop, six months of analytics	No unlimited analytics, still missing advanced AI
Custom	Quote-based	Requires 25 licenses	Application programming interface (API) support, unlimited international calling, full analytics	Bundled pricing hides true costs, unclear SMS/AI limits

The Essentials and Professional plans require a minimum of three licenses. The Custom plan, which allows for more flexibility in terms of usage and use cases, requires a 25-license minimum, which could be a drawback for smaller teams or startups. For example, if you’re a team of five, you’re automatically buying more than you need.

The Real Costs of Aircall

Aircall’s advertised pricing is only one part of the picture. Some core communication functions are offered as add-ons, and those extras can add up quickly, especially for teams that need more than just basic functionality. Here are the hidden costs:

• Extra phone numbers come at a cost — Every Aircall plan includes just one number, either local or toll-free. If your team or workflows require multiple numbers (e.g., sales, support, or international teams), you’ll be paying an extra $6 per number, per month.
• Storage is capped unless you upgrade — The Essentials plan only gives you one year of call recording storage. So, if your business needs to store calls longer for training, compliance, or quality control, you’ll need to upgrade to the Professional tier at $50 per license per month.
• Analytics aren’t fully included — To unlock unlimited historical data, detailed filters, and advanced analytics, there’s a monthly fee of $15 per license. Alternatively, you can opt for the Custom plan, but that means committing to a minimum of 25 licenses, which isn’t ideal for smaller teams.
• International calling is restricted — While unlimited international calls are technically included in the Custom plan, Aircall notes that additional calling bundles may still apply.
• Text messaging has hard limits — Aircall users can send up to 4,000 outbound SMS messages per month. However, there are additional charges per extra message, which can be a surprise cost for teams who use texting heavily for customer outreach.
• Advanced AI features can be accessed but are add-ons — Access to AI-powered capabilities, like call summaries and sentiment tracking, is priced at an additional $9 per license, per month.

For example, if you’re a five-person team needing more than one number, full analytics, voicemail transcription, and AI routing, then the $70 Professional plan license fee could exceed $100 per seat when common add-ons are included, plus potential SMS fees and the 25-license minimum for advanced features.

According to reviews from Capterra, teams express frustration over unclear billing. There’s also the issue of platform reliability. Customers have reported call quality issues, such as jitters or calls dropping entirely. For businesses that rely heavily on voice calls, this is a barrier to smooth operations. Customers look for service providers offering robust reliability and clear billing structures.

Mobile app users have also flagged glitches and lagging, which can be frustrating when field agents or remote teams depend on seamless functionality. Support is another concern. While Aircall offers 24/5 chat for lower-tier plans, reviews mention long wait times and limited hands-on help. In certain cases, users looking for quick answers on urgent issues were directed to support articles instead of receiving direct assistance.

Comparing Aircall to Nextiva Pricing

At a glance, Aircall’s pricing seems simple for a communications platform as a service (CPaaS), but once you factor in add-ons, usage limits, and user minimums, the price can be steep for smaller teams and businesses just starting out.

The Professional plan is priced at $70. It’s important to note that this price is per license, which doesn’t always match how many people are actively using the platform. For teams trying to control spending, this can lead to overbuying or wasted resources.

In contrast, Nextiva charges a flat $40 per user, per month for the Engage plan. This means if you have five users, you pay for five users. This level of transparency is especially useful for budget-conscious startups or small businesses managing lean teams.

Here’s a table comparing Nextiva and Aircall and their communication features:

Feature	Aircall (Professional Plan)	Nextiva Engage
Price per seat	$70/month	$40/month
Pricing model	Per license (not always 1:1 with users)	True per-user pricing
Inbound/outbound voice	✅	✅
Business SMS	✅	✅
Video meetings	❌	✅
Voicemail transcription	Paid add-on	✅
AI-powered call routing	Add-on	✅
Microsoft Teams integration	✅	✅
Advanced reporting	Paid add-on	✅
Live chat and chatbots	❌	✅ (Add-on)
Toll-free numbers	one included	Included with minutes
CRM integrations (Salesforce, HubSpot, Zendesk)	✅	✅
24/7 support	❌ (24/5 chat only)	✅ (Phone, chat, and email)

Feature-wise, both platforms support inbound and outbound voice calls, business SMS, and CRM integrations, but this is where the similarities end. Aircall charges extra for AI assistance, AI-powered call routing, and advanced analytics. If your team relies on data-driven decision-making or automation to scale service, the add-ons drive up the total price.

Video calls and video conferencing are another area where Nextiva stands out. While Aircall doesn’t offer this functionality natively, Nextiva includes it in its platform, giving teams a unified, real-time communication solution for both voice and video. Live chat and chatbots, which are not available in Aircall, can also be added to Nextiva’s platform, making it a strong option for teams looking for collaboration tools.

In short, Aircall’s per-license pricing and reliance on paid upgrades can make it harder to predict your monthly cost. The main difference between Aircall and Nextiva lies in the latter’s approach. By offering a fully unified communications as a service (UCaaS) suite with fewer limitations, Nextiva is designed to streamline both budgeting and day-to-day operations.

What’s Inside Nextiva’s Engage Suite?

Nextiva Engage is designed to meet growing teams where they are, with a built-in suite of UCaaS capabilities. Here’s what’s included:

Inbound and outbound voice

Get unlimited voice calls across the U.S. and Canada, with tools to manage call queues, monitor performance, and access full telephony features like call recording.

Smart call routing and ACD callback

Use AI-powered automation to route calls based on caller intent, team availability, or wait time. Offer queue callback options so your customers never feel forgotten.

Unified team interface

All your communication needs and desired features are in one place, giving you omnichannel access. Manage communication channels like SMS, email, instant messaging, and even social media messages through a central dashboard that supports various business applications and improves team responsiveness.

AI and automation

Voicemail transcription, sentiment tracking, and IVR optimization are built in. There are no surprise fees, just modern functionality that supports your team’s flow.

Supervisor tools

Coaching insights, live dashboards, performance wallboards, and advanced analytics are included. Whether you’re scaling or fine-tuning, you’ll have the back-end visibility you need.

Mobile and desktop apps

Work from anywhere with complete feature parity across devices. Whether you’re remote, hybrid, or on the move, Nextiva apps work the same.

CRM and app integrations

Nextiva offers native connections to platforms like Salesforce, HubSpot, Zendesk, Microsoft 365, and Google Contacts. You can tie customer records to every voice call, chat, or message without needing to toggle between tabs. These features don’t require stitching together third-party APIs, meeting a 25-user minimum, or contacting sales for access.

Aircall vs. Nextiva Engage: Which Is Best for You?

If your team is small but growing and requires a reliable and flexible communication system, Nextiva Engage can feel refreshingly straightforward. You don’t have to guess what your monthly bill will be or which communication tools or platform-as-a-service features you can access because they’re all in a single platform.

Criteria	Aircall	Nextiva Engage
Best for	Mid-size companies with dedicated IT/admin teams	SMBs and growing in-house teams needing all-in-one support
Cost	Lower up front, but add-ons pile up fast	Transparent, all-in pricing with enterprise-grade features
User and customer experience	Clean UI, but missing key voice features unless you upgrade	Unified CX dashboard with deep customization for managing customer communications
Support	Mixed reviews on customer support	24/7 U.S.-based support with professional onboarding
Flexibility	Locked into licensing tiers and user minimums	Add or remove users as needed, no overbuying required for internal communications

Why Nextiva Makes More Sense for SMBs

Nextiva Engage offers a smart alternative for SMBs looking to improve their communications stack. With flat, per-user pricing and no hidden fees, you get a fully loaded UCaaS platform with essential communication solutions right out of the box. Features like smart routing, AI transcription, and advanced analytics are already included, and no costly add-ons are required for increased communication capabilities.

If you’re looking for scalability (both up and down), Nextiva lets you add or remove users without penalty. And with 24/7 U.S.-based support, help is always available. For small teams who need reliable, all-in-one communication tools without the pricing puzzle, Nextiva makes more sense in the long run for your communications infrastructure.

With Nextiva Engage Suite, you get:

• Transparent, per-user pricing at just $40/month
• A complete call center platform that grows with your team
• Advanced features like AI transcription and reporting are built in
• 24/7 support, no matter your plan
• No forced bundles and no inflated quotes

Explore Nextiva today to see how it can support your business communications.