Quo (formerly OpenPhone) is the best pick for small teams and solo operators who want one shared business number, unlimited US and Canada calling and texting, and an AI receptionist included on every plan — starting at $19 per user per month. Dialpad is the best pick for teams that want a conventional cloud phone system with video meetings and AI call recaps built in, and that may grow into contact-center tools later. Both replace a personal cell number and a voicemail box with a business line that logs, transcribes, and summarizes calls.
The two, in one line each
Quo is a business phone app (formerly OpenPhone) for small teams with shared numbers, AI call summaries, and an included AI receptionist.
Dialpad is a cloud business phone, messaging, and video platform with built-in AI call recaps, plus contact-center and AI-agent products.
Where each one actually wins
Quo wins on price and on the AI receptionist. OpenPhone rebranded to Quo in September 2025, and its Starter plan is $19 per user per month on monthly billing ($15 on annual), with Business at $33 ($23 annual) and Scale at $47 ($35 annual). Its AI voice agent, Sona, answers calls around the clock, qualifies leads, and texts during calls — it's included on every plan with 1,000 free automation credits a month, roughly ten calls. After that you buy credit packs from $25 to $199 a month. AI call summaries and transcripts come with Business and up. The gap between monthly and annual billing is small, which suits a team that doesn't want to commit for a year.
Dialpad wins on completeness. Its Standard plan lists at $27 per user per month on monthly billing, or $15 annual, with Pro at $35 monthly ($25 annual) and a three-seat minimum. Its AI Recaps, powered by DialpadGPT, produce call and meeting summaries, action items, and purpose and outcome labels, and it adds real-time transcription, sentiment analysis, and a separate AI Agent product billed on conversation credits. Video meetings are built in. The catch is that Standard has limits — three ring groups, one office, and no Slack, Zapier, HubSpot, or Salesforce integrations — so growing teams usually end up on Pro.
If you want the cheapest way to get a shared business number with an AI receptionist, Quo is the more direct fit. If you want phone, video, and AI recaps from one vendor with room to scale, Dialpad is the better match.
Quick comparison
| Tool | Starting price (monthly billing) | Core job | Best fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quo | $19/user/mo ($15 annual) | Shared business number + AI receptionist | Solo operators and small teams |
| Dialpad | $27/user/mo ($15 annual) | Cloud phone + video + AI recaps | Teams wanting one vendor as they grow |
*Prices as listed by each vendor in October 2026. Neither has a permanent free plan: Quo offers a 7-day trial and Dialpad a 14-day trial.*
Which one should you use?
Choose Quo if you're a small team or solo operator who wants a shared number, simple per-user pricing, and an AI receptionist from day one. Choose Dialpad if you want a full phone-and-video suite and expect to grow into more advanced call handling.
FAQ
Did OpenPhone really become Quo? Yes — the company announced the rebrand from OpenPhone to Quo on September 23, 2025, alongside a funding round, and still describes itself as "Quo (formerly OpenPhone)."
What does Quo's AI receptionist cost beyond the free allowance? Each plan includes 1,000 free automation credits a month, and one call uses 100 credits, so about ten calls. Beyond that, credit packs run from $25 to $199 a month, with overage priced per call.
Do I need to register to send business texts? In the US, yes. Quo's texting requires carrier (10DLC) registration, listed as a one-time $19.50 fee plus $1.50 to $3 a month.
Which is better if I make a lot of outbound calls? Dialpad is generally the safer fit for heavy outbound calling, since it's a full phone-system vendor. Some third-party roundups report that very heavy outbound use on lighter-weight apps can run into restrictions, so confirm your volume with any provider before switching.
Can I connect either one to my AI assistant? Quo lists an MCP integration for ChatGPT and Claude on all plans. Dialpad's AI work centers on its own recaps and AI Agent, so check its current integrations if connecting an external assistant matters to you.
Related guides
- Best AI Receptionist & Phone Answering Agent in 2026
- Best AI CRM Assistant in 2026
- Best AI Tool to Auto-Log Sales Calls into Your CRM in 2026
- Explore Business tools
*Ratings and pricing reviewed monthly. Last updated October 2026.*
Bogdex · Founder & editor, woska
Bogdex builds and curates woska, testing AI tools against real workflows to judge which ones actually save time rather than which have the longest feature list.