The Best Call Center Software for a Small Business (+ Top Features)

Your choice of call center software as a small business will impact how you work and how you serve your customers for years to come.

When deciding on a call center phone system, there’s a lot to consider, such as receiving inbound calls, making outbound calls, applying specific call treatments, and configuring custom call queues.

In this post, we address the must-haves when it comes to call center software, introduce new features, and highlight the right solution for you.

Spoiler alert: The top ten call center software systems for small businesses are:

1. Nextiva
2. Ringover
3. Sprinklr
4. Five9
5. LiveAgent
6. CloudTalk
7. Freshcaller
8. 3CX
9. RingCentral
10. Grasshopper

Top 10 Call Center Providers for Small Businesses

1. Nextiva

Nextiva offers a comprehensive phone system, videoconferencing, and call center solution, providing a single platform for all your communication and business needs.

You can choose from inbound, outbound, or blended contact center software alongside your core internal communications app.

You can expect a wide range of features, even in the basic call center package:

• Call routing
• Interactive voice response (IVR)
• Automatic call distribution (ACD)
• Speech analytics
• Reporting and dashboards
• Mobile app for instant access
• Options to add email, chatbots, SMS, and social media

For outbound call centers, expect computer telephony integration, a power dialer or predictive dialer, and a ton of advanced reporting options to streamline sales. Out-of-the-box customer relationship management (CRM) system integrations include:

• Salesforce
• Microsoft Dynamics
• Microsoft Teams
• HubSpot
• Zendesk
• Zoho
• Oracle Sales Cloud
• Workbooks
• ServiceNow
• SugarCRM
• Act! CRM
• Lotus Notes
• ConnectWise
• GoldMine
• Bullhorn

Nextiva customers love the assisted implementation, ease of setup, and friendly and knowledgeable support team.

Pricing: Nextiva’s core call center plans start at $75 per user per month, but some call center features are also available in the lower-end plans. (Find all cost breakdowns here.)

2. Ringover

Ringover is cloud-based software that is mainly used by small and medium-sized businesses.

It offers unlimited international calls to various destinations and has robust basic voice call capabilities. The call center platform includes advanced routing features to enhance call efficiency.

With a focus on sales and recruitment, Ringover integrates with specialist CRMs like Bullhorn, TextUs, Sense Messaging, and Loxo. It also integrates with major platforms like Zoho and Microsoft Dynamics.

If setup time is important to you, Ringover boasts that you can get going in under 15 minutes. If you are willing to spend a little extra time (and money), Ringover supports email, SMS, and social media.

On the top plan, you get AI features like automated call summaries, call center analytics, and AI-powered chatbot building capabilities.

Pricing: Ringover offers a custom quote for advanced plans, but the conversation intelligence tool starts at $39 per user per month.

3. Sprinklr

Sprinklr offers a comprehensive omnichannel contact center, including calls, emails, social media, and messaging. This virtual call center software integrates with a wide range of CRM platforms, including:

• Freshdesk
• IBM Watson
• Microsoft Dynamics
• Salesforce
• SAP
• ServiceNow
• Zendesk

Support options include phone, chat, and email, with dedicated account managers for enterprise plans. Sprinklr’s marketing messaging focuses on improving customer support metrics, so hopefully, they practice what they preach.

Pricing: Sprinklr plans start from $249 per seat per month.

4. Five9

Just because you’re a small business doesn’t mean you’re not looking for the most advanced features. If you want an advanced AI-powered contact center solution, Five9 hits the nail on the head. You get what you’ve come to expect as stock call center features, like call queuing, IVR, and skills-based routing.

But where Five9 really excels is in its ability to use AI to generate reports and provide sentiment analysis on your customer transactions. If you have a data-driven organization with a lot of customers and a decently sized service team, Five9 can be a great way to get control of your contact center, with features that include:

• Agent assist
• Call recording and transcription
• Workflow automation
• Conversational IVR
• Digital engagement
• Quality assurance
• Workforce management

Pricing: Five9’s plans start at $119 per user per month for either a voice-only (Core) or digital-only (Digital) plan.

5. LiveAgent

LiveAgent is an affordable option that is best known as ticketing and help desk software. However, with a user-friendly interface, it is a great choice if call center costs are your primary concern and your core function is customer service. Think of LiveAgent as a shortcut to a call center software solution, with help desk features like:

• Unified multi-channel inbox
• Ticketing system
• Configurable business hours
• Canned responses
• Contact forms
• Time tracking

It also comes with basic call center features like:

• IVR
• Call back requests
• ACD
• Smart call routing
• Call transfers
• Call recording

You also get out-of-the-box integrations with popular CRMs like Zoho, HubSpot, and Freshsales.

Pricing: LiveAgent’s base plan with call center capabilities starts at $24 per agent per month, but it doesn’t have the most advanced calling features. The top plan could cost up to around $69 per agent per month.

6. CloudTalk

CloudTalk is designed for small to mid-sized businesses and offers comprehensive call center functionality with AI-enhanced features.

The platform provides crystal-clear call quality and is built for teams looking to scale efficiently.

Key features for small businesses:

• Local numbers from 160+ countries for a global presence
• AI-powered call transcription and summaries (add-on)
• Power dialer and campaign management for outbound sales
• Real-time analytics and customizable dashboards
• Easy setup in minutes with no technical expertise required

Pricing: CloudTalk’s most popular all-inclusive plan costs $49 per user per month and requires a minimum of 3 licenses.

7. Freshcaller

Freshcaller is a cloud-based contact center solution designed to help small businesses manage their communications without the hassle of creating digital channels.

With phone numbers available in 90+ countries, it’s perfect for small businesses looking to establish a global presence quickly. However, that may come at a cost due to the lack of global interconnects.

Key features for small businesses:

• Advanced IVR with voice-activated options
• Call recording with automatic transcriptions
• Integrations with popular CRMs and helpdesk tools
• Free plan available for startups with minimal calling needs

Pricing: Freshcaller’s Pro plan costs $39 per agent per month and includes the necessary advanced call center features.

8. 3CX

Often, the entry-level phone system for very small businesses (under 20 users), 3CX includes phone system and call center features free of charge.

However, as with everything free, this carries a different kind of cost. There is an annual hosting charge and extra fees if you need support.

Key features for small businesses:

• No per-agent pricing (one flat annual fee)
• Advanced call center features, including queues and reporting
• Mobile apps for iOS and Android
• Live chat, SMS, and WhatsApp integrations
• Free edition available for up to 10 users

Pricing: 3CX’s SMB plan (PRO) starts at $350 for 8 licenses.

9. RingCentral

RingCentral is a cloud-based, AI-powered contact center and unified communications platform designed to support small businesses with scalable and feature-rich communication tools.

It combines voice, video, messaging, and omnichannel customer engagement in a single app, enabling small businesses to manage sales and support efficiently.

Key features for small businesses:

• Omnichannel support, including voice calls, SMS, web chat, email, and social media
• AI tools like virtual agents, real-time call transcription, call summaries, and sentiment analysis
• Smart routing, with skills-based and data-driven routing
• Integration with popular business apps and CRM systems
• Cloud-based platform that is accessible anywhere on any device

Pricing: RingCentral’s contact center offering, RingCX, starts at $65 per user per month, with add-ons for advanced AI and customer experience analytics.

10. Grasshopper

Grasshopper is a virtual phone system built specifically for small business owners and entrepreneurs.

It’s designed to provide professional phone features without the complexity or cost of traditional business phone systems. While it includes call center features, the selling point of Grasshopper is its dramatically reduced functionality set, which is ideal for very small businesses with few requirements outside of handling inbound calls.

Key features for small businesses:

• Virtual phone system that works on existing devices
• Professional business number separate from personal phone
• Custom greetings and extensions
• Voicemail transcription and business texting
• Easy setup in minutes with no technical expertise required

Pricing: Grasshopper’s Small Business plan with call center functionalities starts at $80 per month, with the option to add features like call blasting for an additional $9 per month.

What Should Small Businesses Look for in Call Center Software?

If you do nothing else when comparing call center software, make sure to look out for these three things:

1. Rapid onboarding with a user-friendly interface

When you lack the in-house resources to dedicate to user onboarding and constant training, the time taken to get call center agents up to speed is vital.

Will your call center software take weeks to learn, with daily sessions needed to learn the interface? Or can you walk a new agent through the main functions and let them get on with it?

If your chosen vendor suggests a lengthy period for onboarding and adoption, consider this a red flag. The solution is most likely too complex for a small business and better suited for an enterprise with custom requirements.

When assessing call center software for a small business, look for an intuitive interface that’s easy to navigate, especially for non-technical users. These might be the people who offer the most value when it comes to customer service, so you don’t want your new software to become a stumbling block for them.

2. Built-in CRM integrations

Your call center software will rarely be the only tool your agents work with. Think about other key business apps they’ll be using daily and ensure your chosen call center software integrates with them. CRM integrations need to be available out of the box to avoid setup delays and free up internal resources that are already dedicated elsewhere.

Integration between your call center software and your most-used apps ensures that all customer data, like past interactions and purchase history, is readily available to agents. Failure to integrate can lead to lower customer satisfaction, siloed information, and duplicated effort.

3. Unlimited vendor support

As a small team, you need support when something goes wrong. Choose a vendor known for its exceptional customer service, with readily available support options (phone, chat, and email). If you operate 24/7, for example, make sure you can reach your vendor at any time through your preferred method of contact.

Look for plans that include unlimited support to ensure you get the help you need when you need it to customize the software or troubleshoot any issues.

4. Cost-effectiveness without barriers to adoption

As a smaller business, you don’t have the luxury of unlimited budgets and countless rounds of funding. Budgetary constraints rule out some larger call center providers that have minimum spend thresholds and high prices because they include functionality that you simply don’t need.

Look for a solution that offers great value, with a clear return on investment for your niche requirements. Getting started must be simple. It’s no good choosing a solid solution that represents great value if it’s going to take six months to implement and requires engineers on-site constantly.

This may work in large businesses with formal change programs, but it doesn’t suit the more reactive, urgent small business needs.

5. High call quality and optional digital channels

If your call center is your first line of support or the first sales instance in your business, the number one requirement is clear call quality.

Check for HD calling, MoS scoring, and call monitoring metrics to ensure your chosen provider is at the top of its VoIP game. Some vendors stem from a VoIP background, whereas others have created call center software with no previous voice experience.

If you’re interested in adding omnichannel routing outside of voice calls (e.g., SMS, email, web chat, or social media), make sure your chosen vendor is experienced in these, too. Be wary of providers that have only voice experience and are adding on extra channels without the necessary experience.

Essential Call Center Features Every Small Business Needs

The number of possible call center features available on the market today is overwhelming. Doing feature-by-feature comparisons is no longer a productive exercise, as there are so many features. Instead, make sure your shortlist of call center vendors supports all the following high-quality features:

Automatic call distribution

To optimize inbound calls, contact centers use ACD, which is a technology that routes incoming calls to available agents based on predetermined rules. You can distribute phone calls based on caller ID, business hours, support level, or IVR selections. As a result, inbound calls reach the right agent, department, or voicemail quickly without the caller having to dial more than one phone number.

Imagine a customer calling about a specific appliance at a big-box store. ACD can identify keywords and route the call to an agent familiar with that product line, ensuring expert assistance on the first try.

Interactive voice response

IVR offers self-service options for basic inquiries, reducing agent workload and wait times.

An IVR helps callers navigate to their desired destination through preset menu options.

By choosing the right option, callers get matched with the correct department, individual, or queue. Inside an IVR, you can configure special rules for who picks up each call based on skills, call volume, or period.

Call recording & call monitoring

Basic call recording ensures all your calls are recorded and retained for compliance reasons. If you need to revisit a customer interaction, you have it securely stored. Advanced call recording enables you to improve your training and quality assurance processes. Not only can you listen to any call, but you can also set up routine (and automated) workflows where you review customer calls for key criteria.

The majority of call center providers offer automated call summaries generated by AI. This means that supervisors no longer need to listen to an entire call when searching for pertinent information. With easy access to call recordings, you can build a formal quality assurance process with minimal effort.

Dashboards & reporting

Experts say that what gets measured gets managed, and this is also true of call center operations.

With access to the right call center metrics, you can track volumes, wait times, and resolution rates to identify areas for improvement. What’s even more helpful is having these displayed on dashboards for easy viewing. You may have a board to track agent performance, and you could even introduce contact center gamification.

You can also have a supervisor-specific dashboard for certain teams to get a holistic view of what’s happening at any given moment so that you can make business decisions backed by real customer data.

Need to Do More Than Take Calls?

If a call center solution for your small business sounds useful, but you need to do more than handle calls (like responding to support emails, website chats, and social media questions), a contact center platform might be a better fit.

Unlike call center software, contact center software streamlines multiple channels into a single interface. We refer to this extra functionality as omnichannel support, which combines all your customers’ communication methods and provides a holistic view to help agents work efficiently and provide a superior customer experience.

It’s not for everyone, but it can help your team work more efficiently and reduce the chaos caused by switching between apps.

How Much Attention Should AI Get?

For businesses of all sizes, the introduction of AI over the last few years has been impossible to ignore. The productivity gains are hard to ignore when AI is implemented correctly.

In a small business, there’s only a very slim chance of assembling an AI council, so you shouldn’t have to worry about AI governance and ethics. The best call center providers recognize this, enable behind-the-scenes AI, and bring it to everyday features.

For example, Nextiva’s inbound routing seems like a basic feature on the face of it. But it matches previous call records with transaction history to find the most suitable agent.

Likewise, Nextiva uses sentiment analysis to score calls in real time. If the score drops below a certain threshold or a customer uses trigger words (like curses or words that express negative sentiments), supervisors are immediately alerted and can listen in or take over the call.

These are basic features when used on the front end. Ensure your provider has an AI engine to make you more productive without asking you to change your call handling processes.

Nextiva: The Preferred Call Center Solution for Small Teams

When looking for call center software as a small business, it’s not necessarily about which has the most features. While more is generally better, think about what you’re going to use and how efficient and easy it is to use the features you need.

When those crucial features are considered alongside the level of support required, we have found that Nextiva consistently delivers. With customers like Veterans Home Care and Canyon Coolers that use Nextiva because of its ease of use and quality support, we’re happy to go toe-to-toe with anyone when it comes to providing cloud-based contact center software to small businesses.

With a simple portfolio of products and a history of delivering, Nextiva’s small business experience is second to none.