By Matt Smith · Last verified: July 2026
Small teams who want a simple shared number and clean texting tend to prefer Quo. It starts at $15/user/month with no seat minimum (Jul 2026). Teams that want AI transcription and meetings built in lean toward Dialpad. It also starts at $15/user/month, but gates some features behind higher tiers (Jul 2026). Both start at the same headline price. The gap is in what's included.
Credit where due
Quo keeps its product narrow on purpose. That means shared business numbers, SMS that reads like a normal thread, and an included AI answering agent (Sona) on every plan, including Starter. That focus is why G2 reviewers rate it 4.7 across 3,000+ reviews. It's also why there's no seat minimum to trip over.
Dialpad's pitch is breadth. It was built AI-native from the start (backed by Google's AI research ties). It bundles voice, video meetings, and messaging with real-time transcription across the whole product, not just on calls. For a team that wants one AI-forward tool instead of stitching several together, that's a genuine advantage.
Capability matrix
| Capability |  Quo (OpenPhone) |  Dialpad |
|---|---|---|
| Entry price | $15/user/mo, annual, Starter (Jul 2026) | $15/user/mo, annual, Standard (Jul 2026) |
| Seat minimum | None | None on Standard; 3 seats on Pro |
| Monthly (no annual commit) | $19/user/mo | $27/user/mo, Standard |
| Mid tier price | $23/user/mo, Business, annual | $25/user/mo, Pro, annual |
| CRM integrations | HubSpot, Salesforce (Business+), Zoho, Pipedrive, Attio | Salesforce, HubSpot via Pro tier and Zapier; deeper native sync limited |
| AI features | Sona AI answering agent on every plan, 1,000 free credits | Dialpad Ai transcription, coaching and summaries across voice, meetings and messaging |
| Video meetings | Not a core feature | Native video meetings included, AI-summarised |
| SMS / business texting | Core feature, unlimited US/Canada on every plan | Included but positioned alongside voice and meetings, not the headline |
| Countries / international | US and Canada included; other countries per-minute add-on | Enterprise tier (custom, 100-seat minimum) needed for full international coverage |
| Support | Email (Starter), live chat (Business+), phone (Scale) | Standard support on Standard/Pro; premium support on Enterprise |
| Contract terms | Cancel anytime, numbers held 60 days post-cancellation | Monthly or annual; Enterprise requires custom quote and 100-seat minimum |
Two different definitions of 'AI-native'
Quo's AI lives mostly in one place: Sona. It's an answering agent that takes calls when no one's available. It's included free on every plan, with a credits system kicking in after the first 1,000. It's a specific, bounded feature.
Dialpad's AI is spread across the whole product. That includes live transcription on calls and meetings, coaching prompts, and summaries, reflecting its AI-native build. That breadth is real. But per Dialpad's pricing page (Jul 2026), the full set of AI coaching tools typically requires the Pro tier or above, not the $15 entry price.
Meetings: included vs absent
Dialpad bundles native video meetings with AI summaries into the same product as its phone system. A team can run calls and meetings from one login. For a team that currently juggles a separate meetings tool, that consolidation has real value.
Quo doesn't attempt this. It stays a phone and SMS tool. That keeps the interface simpler, but it means meetings still need a separate app like Zoom or Google Meet alongside it.
What the entry price actually buys
Both list $15/user/month as their annual entry price, but the comparable feature sets differ. Quo's $15 Starter tier includes SMS, shared numbers, and the Sona AI agent from day one.
Dialpad's $15 Standard tier is a solid VoIP phone system. But per its pricing page (Jul 2026), several AI coaching and integration features are reserved for the $25 Pro tier. So the effective AI-native price is closer to $25/user/month for most business use cases.
Choose Quo (OpenPhone) if…
- →You want a simple shared number and SMS thread without learning a bigger product
- →You need AI call answering included at the $15 entry price, not gated to a higher tier
- →You don't want a seat minimum forcing you to pay for headcount you don't have
- →HubSpot or Salesforce sync matters more to you than video meetings
Choose Dialpad if…
- →You want video meetings and phone calls in one tool instead of two subscriptions
- →AI transcription and coaching across every channel matters more than a low entry price
- →You're comfortable paying for the Pro tier to get the AI features that drew you to Dialpad
- →You're backed by, or already standardised on, Google Workspace and want tighter alignment
A disclosed aside
If you're a team of 1 to 5 trying to decide between a phone tool and an AI suite, wlur is built specifically for that smaller team size. It's live now at $15/user/month with no seat minimums. Try it with a 7-day free trial, no card required. It's our product, so grade this entry accordingly.
Frequently asked questions
Is Quo cheaper than Dialpad?
Both advertise the same $15/user/month entry price on annual billing (Jul 2026). Quo's Starter tier includes AI answering and SMS at that price. Dialpad's comparable AI coaching features typically require its $25/user/month Pro tier.
Does Dialpad have a seat minimum?
The Standard plan has no published seat minimum. The Pro plan carries a 3-user minimum. Enterprise requires a custom quote with a 100-seat minimum, per Dialpad's pricing page (Jul 2026).
Which has better video meetings?
Dialpad, by a wide margin. It includes native video meetings with AI summaries as part of the same product. Quo doesn't offer video meetings and expects you to pair it with a separate tool.
Which one integrates better with HubSpot or Salesforce?
Quo's Business tier ($23/user/month annual) includes native HubSpot and Salesforce integrations. Dialpad supports both mainly through its Pro tier and Zapier. It has less native depth, per user reviews on G2.
Is Dialpad's AI actually better than Quo's Sona agent?
They do different jobs. Sona answers calls autonomously when no one's available. Dialpad's AI assists a human already on a call or in a meeting with live transcription and coaching. Neither replaces the other's function.
Can a solo founder use either one?
Yes. Both work for a single user with no seat minimum on their entry tiers. Quo's mobile-first design and included AI answering tend to suit solo founders slightly better, per G2 reviews (Jul 2026).
Last verified: July 2026. Prices from providers' public pricing pages; complaints attributed to their sources. Spotted something stale? Tell us.