Two major contenders in the unified communications and collaboration space are Dialpad and Microsoft Teams. Each platform offers a robust set of features, yet they cater to slightly different needs and business models. This detailed comparison will help businesses make an informed decision by examining key features, pricing structures, and the pros and cons of Dialpad vs Microsoft Teams.
Dialpad vs Microsoft Teams
| Category | Dialpad | Microsoft Teams |
|---|---|---|
| Core Function | VoIP and AI-powered business communications | Collaboration and communication hub |
| VoIP and Telephony | Strong focus on VoIP with advanced call routing, analytics, and AI-driven transcriptions | Available, but less robust than Dialpad |
| AI-powered Features | Real-time call transcriptions, analytics, and smart call insights | Limited AI-driven features |
| Video Conferencing | Integrated video meetings, but not the core focus | Robust video conferencing with event hosting |
| Messaging | Unified messaging alongside voice and video | Comprehensive team chat with channels |
| Collaboration Tools | Basic file sharing and messaging | Advanced file sharing, real-time document collaboration, team management, and app integrations |
| Integration with Third-party Apps | Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, Salesforce, Slack, HubSpot, Zendesk | Seamless with Microsoft 365 apps, plus third-party apps like Planner, OneDrive, and SharePoint |
| Mobile App | Fully functional mobile app for voice, video, and messaging | Fully functional mobile app for chat, calls, and meetings |
| Call Analytics | Advanced analytics for call tracking and performance | Basic call reporting capabilities |
| Security | End-to-end encryption, security focused on communications | Enterprise-grade security with Microsoft 365 integration |
| Customer Support | 24/7 support available at higher tiers | Customer support depending on Microsoft 365 plan |
| Free Option | No free plan, 14-day free trial available | Free version of Microsoft Teams available |
| Entry-level Pricing | £12 per user/month (Standard Plan) | £4.50 per user/month (Microsoft 365 Business Basic) |
| Mid-tier Pricing | £20 per user/month (Pro Plan) | £9.40 per user/month (Microsoft 365 Business Standard) |
| Top-tier Pricing | Custom pricing (Enterprise Plan) | £16.60 per user/month (Microsoft 365 Business Premium) |
| VoIP Focused Plan | Yes – strong VoIP and call centre capabilities | Limited VoIP functionality |
| All-in-one Collaboration Suite | Partial – focused more on communications | Yes – robust collaboration and productivity tools included |
| Pros | Advanced VoIP features, AI-driven call insights, great for voice-focused businesses | Comprehensive collaboration tools, strong integration with Microsoft 365 apps, affordable for SMBs |
| Cons | Lacks advanced collaboration tools, more expensive for businesses already using Microsoft 365 | VoIP features are less developed than Dialpad |
Key features comparison
Both Dialpad and Microsoft Teams are feature-rich platforms that offer a variety of tools for communication, collaboration, and productivity. However, their core strengths lie in different areas.
Dialpad
Dialpad is a cloud-based business communications platform with a strong focus on voice and artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities. Here are some of its standout features:
- VoIP calling: Dialpad’s core feature is its VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) calling, offering clear voice calls over the internet. Its reliability makes it an excellent choice for businesses that prioritise voice communication.
- AI-powered call insights: Dialpad is well-known for its built-in AI, which provides real-time call transcriptions, analytics, and recommendations. This is particularly useful for customer service teams and sales departments looking to enhance performance.
- Unified communications: The platform integrates messaging, calling, and video meetings in one app, providing a seamless communication experience.
- Call routing and analytics: Dialpad includes advanced call routing options and comprehensive analytics, making it easier for managers to track performance and optimise operations.
- Integrations: Dialpad supports integrations with popular business tools such as Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, Salesforce, and Slack.
- Mobile app: The platform offers a fully functional mobile app, ensuring that employees can stay connected on the go.
Microsoft Teams
Microsoft Teams, part of the Microsoft 365 suite, is a collaboration tool designed for businesses that heavily rely on Microsoft products. Its key features include:
- Team collaboration: Teams is designed as a hub for teamwork, offering chat, file sharing, and collaboration on documents within channels and groups.
- VoIP and video calling: While originally known for its collaboration features, Teams has evolved to include robust VoIP and video conferencing capabilities, making it a unified communications tool.
- Integration with Microsoft 365: Teams integrates seamlessly with the entire Microsoft 365 suite, including Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, which is ideal for businesses that are already embedded in the Microsoft ecosystem.
- Meeting and event hosting: Teams supports webinars and large-scale virtual events, making it suitable for hosting internal and external meetings, webinars, and live events.
- Security: Being part of Microsoft’s ecosystem, Teams benefits from enterprise-grade security, with end-to-end encryption and compliance with various industry standards.
- Collaboration apps: The platform supports thousands of third-party app integrations, along with Microsoft’s own apps like Planner, OneDrive, and SharePoint.
Dialpad vs Microsoft Teams pricing comparison
When it comes to pricing, Dialpad and Microsoft Teams take different approaches. Dialpad offers a tiered subscription model specifically designed for VoIP services, while Microsoft Teams is bundled with the Microsoft 365 suite, which offers a more comprehensive suite of tools.
Dialpad pricing
Dialpad’s pricing is divided into three main tiers:
- Standard Plan (£12 per user per month)
This plan includes VoIP calling, unlimited SMS, video conferencing, call recording, and integrations with Google Workspace and Microsoft 365. - Pro Plan (£20 per user per month)
The Pro Plan adds advanced analytics, 24/7 customer support, and integrations with Salesforce, HubSpot, and Zendesk. - Enterprise Plan (custom pricing)
This plan is designed for larger organisations and offers unlimited offices, custom integrations, and a dedicated account manager.
Microsoft Teams pricing
Microsoft Teams can be accessed in various ways, depending on the Microsoft 365 plan chosen. Below are the primary options for UK businesses:
- Microsoft Teams Free (£0)
The free version of Teams provides unlimited chats, 60-minute group meetings, 2GB of storage per user, and file sharing. - Microsoft 365 Business Basic (£4.50 per user per month)
This plan includes Teams, along with Microsoft 365 services like Outlook, Word, Excel, OneDrive, and SharePoint. - Microsoft 365 Business Standard (£9.40 per user per month)
In addition to everything in the Business Basic plan, this package includes desktop versions of Office apps and 1TB of cloud storage. - Microsoft 365 Business Premium (£16.60 per user per month)
This plan offers advanced security and device management features, which are important for businesses requiring higher levels of protection.
Pros and cons of Dialpad
Pros:
- Strong VoIP and AI-driven call management tools.
- Reliable and scalable for businesses that rely heavily on voice communications.
- Excellent mobile functionality for remote teams.
- Comprehensive integrations with popular third-party business apps.
Cons:
- Lacks the depth of collaboration tools found in Microsoft Teams.
- Heavily focused on communication rather than full-suite productivity features.
- Might be more expensive than Microsoft Teams for businesses that already use Microsoft 365.
Pros and cons of Microsoft Teams
Pros:
- Excellent collaboration tools, especially for businesses within the Microsoft ecosystem.
- Seamless integration with Microsoft 365 apps, enhancing productivity and document management.
- Robust video conferencing and team management features.
- Affordable pricing for small businesses, particularly with the inclusion of Microsoft 365.
Cons:
- VoIP and telephony features are not as specialised or robust as Dialpad’s.
- Can be overwhelming for small businesses that don’t need a full suite of collaboration tools.
- Limited AI-powered call features compared to Dialpad.
Which platform is best for your business?
Choose Dialpad if:
- Your business primarily relies on voice communication and needs advanced call management features.
- AI-driven insights and analytics are important for improving your customer service or sales operations.
- You need a communications tool that easily integrates with various third-party apps outside of the Microsoft ecosystem.
Choose Microsoft Teams if:
- Your business already uses Microsoft 365 or is deeply embedded in the Microsoft ecosystem.
- Collaboration on documents and project management are top priorities for your team.
- You are looking for an all-in-one solution that offers team messaging, video conferencing, file sharing, and project management.
- You need an affordable communication and collaboration tool, especially for small to mid-sized teams.
Conclusion – Dialpad vs Microsoft Teams
Ultimately, the choice between Dialpad vs Microsoft Teams comes down to your business’s specific needs.
Dialpad is a strong contender for companies that require advanced VoIP features and AI-driven insights, making it ideal for customer service or sales teams.
On the other hand, Microsoft Teams shines as a comprehensive collaboration platform, especially for businesses that are already integrated into the Microsoft 365 ecosystem.
FAQ
Dialpad is more specialised in VoIP, offering advanced call management, AI-driven insights, and superior telephony features. Microsoft Teams includes VoIP, but it’s not as robust, focusing more on collaboration and video conferencing rather than advanced voice communication tools.
Dialpad does not directly integrate with Microsoft Teams. However, both platforms integrate with common business apps like Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, and Salesforce. Businesses may use both tools separately, leveraging Dialpad for voice communications and Teams for collaboration.
Microsoft Teams does not offer the same level of AI-powered call features as Dialpad. Dialpad excels with real-time transcriptions and smart call recommendations. Microsoft Teams focuses more on collaboration and document sharing rather than AI-driven communication features.
Yes, Microsoft Teams is generally cheaper, especially with its free version and Business Basic plan (£4.50 per user/month). Dialpad starts at £12 per user/month, making Teams a more affordable option for businesses already using Microsoft 365.
Both platforms offer robust mobile apps. Dialpad’s mobile app is excellent for voice, video, and messaging, providing full functionality on the go. Microsoft Teams’ mobile app focuses more on chat, collaboration, and video meetings, integrating seamlessly with other Microsoft 365 apps.
Microsoft Teams excels in video meetings, offering features like webinars, large-scale events, and meeting recordings. Dialpad includes video meetings, but it’s not the platform’s primary focus. For businesses prioritising video conferencing, Microsoft Teams is the better choice.
Yes, both platforms support third-party integrations. Dialpad integrates with apps like Google Workspace, Salesforce, and HubSpot, while Microsoft Teams integrates seamlessly with Microsoft 365 and offers access to thousands of third-party apps like Planner, SharePoint, and Trello.
Microsoft Teams is better for collaboration, offering channels, file sharing, and real-time document editing with tight integration into the Microsoft 365 suite. Dialpad is more communication-focused, with limited collaboration tools compared to Teams.
Microsoft Teams allows you to host webinars and large-scale virtual events, making it a great choice for businesses needing external meeting capabilities. Dialpad focuses more on internal voice and video communications and lacks the event-hosting features that Teams offers.
Both Dialpad and Microsoft Teams are relatively easy to set up, but the complexity may vary depending on your needs. Dialpad is straightforward for businesses looking primarily for voice communication, while Microsoft Teams may require more configuration due to its wide range of collaboration tools.