Dialpad vs Zoom Phone: which should you choose?
Quick answer: Dialpad is built for ai-features, while Zoom Phone suits zoom-users. For most users Dialpad is the stronger default, but Zoom Phone can be the better fit depending on your budget and use case. Zoom Phone has the lower entry price.
Dialpad and Zoom Phone look similar on the surface; the differences show up in practice. Below we compare them on pricing, strengths and the use cases each one fits, then give a clear verdict.
Side-by-side
| Dialpad | Zoom Phone | |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Ucaas | Ucaas |
| What it's known for | AI-native business phone and contact center with real-time transcription, live call summaries and sentiment analysis built into the core product. | Cloud phone tightly integrated into the Zoom Workplace suite, letting teams move between calls, meetings and chat in one app. |
| Pricing | ~$15/user/mo Standard, ~$25/user/mo Pro (annual); enterprise custom | ~$10/user/mo US/Canada Metered, ~$15/user/mo US/Canada Unlimited, ~$20/user/mo Global Select |
| Best audience | Sales and support teams that want AI call intelligence built into the core phone. | Organizations already standardized on Zoom for meetings and chat. |
| Best for | ai-features, sales-teams | zoom-users, video-first-teams |
| Entry price | ~$15/user/mo (annual) | ~$10/user/mo |
| Biggest strength | Native AI (transcription, summaries) included rather than charged as an add-on. | Seamless for teams already standardized on Zoom. |
| Main caveat | Standard plan only integrates with Google Workspace and Microsoft 365. | Metered plan has no unlimited domestic calling (~$0.0242/min outbound). |
Features compared
The feature sets only partly overlap. Here is what each one actually gives you:
Dialpad key features
- AI-native business phone with real-time transcription on every plan
- Live call summaries, sentiment analysis and AI call coaching (Dialpad AI)
- Real-time assist and custom moments (keyword triggers) on Pro
- Call recording, advanced analytics and unlimited calling
Zoom Phone key features
- Cloud phone tightly integrated into Zoom Workplace (calls, meetings, chat in one app)
- Metered, Regional Unlimited and Global Select standalone plans
- Voicemail transcription, call recording, auto-attendant and IVR
- AI Companion call summaries and voicemail task extraction
Pricing tiers side by side
Dialpad plans
| Plan | Price | What's included |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | ~$15/user/mo (annual) | Transcription, basic summaries, Google/Microsoft integrations |
| Pro | ~$25/user/mo (annual) | Real-time assist, sentiment analysis, CRM integrations, call recording |
| Enterprise | Custom | Quote-based |
Zoom Phone plans
| Plan | Price | What's included |
|---|---|---|
| Metered | ~$10/user/mo | Pay-per-minute outbound, no unlimited domestic calling |
| US/Canada Unlimited | ~$15/user/mo | Unlimited domestic calling, unlimited SMS/MMS |
| Global Select | ~$20/user/mo | Unlimited domestic calling in one of 48 countries |
Tiers compiled from the vendors' published plans and independent reviews; prices are approximate and change often, so confirm current figures (and your region's taxes) on each vendor's site.
Strengths compared
Where Dialpad wins
Built-in AI transcription, summaries and sentiment analysis on every tier.
- Native AI (transcription, summaries) included rather than charged as an add-on.
- Low Standard entry price for an AI-first product.
That makes it the stronger pick for sales and support teams that want AI call intelligence built into the core phone.
Where Zoom Phone wins
A phone system that lives natively inside the Zoom Workplace app teams already use.
- Seamless for teams already standardized on Zoom.
- Low metered entry price (~$10/user) for light call volume.
That makes it the stronger pick for organizations already standardized on Zoom for meetings and chat.
Verdict: choose by fit
Both are good at the job, so let your priorities decide.
- Choose Dialpad if you fit its core audience — sales and support teams that want AI call intelligence built into the core phone.
- Choose Zoom Phone if you fit its core audience — organizations already standardized on Zoom for meetings and chat.
FAQ
Is Dialpad better than Zoom Phone?
Dialpad is the stronger default for most users, but Zoom Phone can be the better fit depending on your budget and use case.
What is the main difference between Dialpad and Zoom Phone?
Dialpad is built-in AI transcription, summaries and sentiment analysis on every tier. Zoom Phone is a phone system that lives natively inside the Zoom Workplace app teams already use.
Which is cheaper, Dialpad or Zoom Phone?
Entry pricing differs: Dialpad starts at ~$15/user/mo (annual), while Zoom Phone starts at ~$10/user/mo. Compare the tiers above against your usage.
Sources
Facts above are drawn from these independent reviews and the vendors' own pages for Dialpad and Zoom Phone: