The modern AI-first upstart against the service-first incumbent. Both target the same SMB and mid-market buyer with very different philosophies.
Dialpad is the pick for tech-forward, remote-leaning teams that will actually use live transcription and AI summaries. Nextiva is the pick for traditional offices that want desk phones, bundled SMS and fax, and a support team that picks up the phone.
Published annual list prices. Negotiated rates through us generally run 30%+ below list on both platforms.
| Tier | Dialpad | Nextiva |
|---|---|---|
| Entry | $15/user/mo (Standard) | $18/user/mo (Essential) |
| Mid tier | $25/user/mo (Pro) | $22/user/mo (Professional) |
| Top tier | Custom (Enterprise) | $32/user/mo (Enterprise) |
| Contact center | Dialpad Ai Contact Center | Add-on, custom quoted |
Dialpad includes its AI features (live transcription, call summaries) at every tier rather than gating them. That changes the value math if your team will use them.
| Area | Dialpad | Nextiva |
|---|---|---|
| AI features | Native: live transcription, summaries, coaching | Improving, but added on top |
| App design | Modern, fast, single app | Solid but more traditional |
| Support | Good; chat-first | US-based, consistently praised |
| Desk phone support | Supported, but softphone-first DNA | Broad hardware support, rental options |
| Business SMS | Included | Included |
| Onboarding | Self-serve friendly | White-glove setup and porting help |
| Analytics | Strong, AI-enriched | Strong call analytics built in |
| Video meetings | Built in, capable | Capable but basic |
| Uptime SLA | 100% SLA on Enterprise | 99.999% |
These two rarely lose to each other on features. They lose on fit. Put a distributed software company on Nextiva and the bundle feels heavy. Put a desk-phone law office on Dialpad and the softphone-first design fights them. Match the platform to how your team actually works.
Your team is app-first, remote-friendly, and will get real value from built-in AI transcription and analytics.
Your office wants desk phones, bundled SMS and fax, and a service relationship with real humans.
Still not sure? Tell us about your setup, we'll tell you which one (or a third option you haven't considered) actually fits.
Get a personalized recommendationWe'll quote both Dialpad and Nextiva (plus any other relevant options) at wholesale rates and tell you which fits your team's actual setup.
Dialpad is better for remote and tech-forward teams that want modern software and built-in AI transcription. Nextiva is better for traditional offices that want desk phones, bundled SMS and fax, and US-based support with guided onboarding.
At entry level, slightly: Dialpad starts at $15/user/month versus Nextiva at $18/user/month at list. Mid tiers flip, with Nextiva Professional at $22 versus Dialpad Pro at $25. Negotiated rates through an advisor typically run 30% or more below list on both.
Yes. Live transcription and call summaries are included at every tier rather than reserved for top plans, which is unusual in the industry and changes the value comparison if your team will use them.