Best call recording software
Most phone tools record calls as a built-in feature. Gong adds AI analysis on top of the recording. What each actually offers, and what it costs.
CallRail wins for a team that mainly needs reliable call recording bundled with call tracking at a published, predictable price. Gong wins for a sales team that wants AI coaching and deal-risk analysis built from the recordings, at a price only a sales conversation reveals.
The short answer
- CallRail's Lead Tracking plan starts at $50/mo, including 5 numbers and 250 minutes, with call recording, routing, transcription and analysis included at every tier, not gated behind a higher plan.
- Gong does not publish pricing; its own pricing page states cost depends on team size and other factors specific to each deal, collected through a contact form rather than a price list.
- Recording is a feature, not always a separate purchase: most business phone and dialer tools bundle it in rather than charging for it on top.
- Two-party consent laws apply in some states and countries; a recording legal in a one-party-consent state can be illegal if the other party is in a two-party state. This is not legal advice; check the rule that applies to your calls.
How we compared these
We split this category by what a tool actually adds beyond the recording itself: a phone and tracking system that happens to record, versus a purpose-built conversation intelligence platform that analyzes the recording afterward. Prices checked on each vendor's own pricing page, September 2026.
Call recording comparison
| Tool | Starting price | Recording included? | What it adds | Best for | Not for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CallRail | $50/mo (Lead Tracking, 5 numbers, 250 minutes) | Yes, every tier | Call tracking, transcription and basic analysis alongside recording | A team that wants reliable recording and tracking without a sales call to learn the price | A team wanting AI coaching analysis on top of the recordings; that is not CallRail's focus |
| CloudTalk | €27/user/mo Lite (monthly); ~30% cheaper billed annually | Yes, every tier | Business phone system with recording, tags and transfers; unlimited retention from Essential (€39/user/mo) | A team that wants recording bundled into an affordable, published-price phone system | A team that needs deep conversation analytics rather than raw recordings |
| Kixie | Pricing on request; plan names published without dollar figures on the vendor's own page | Yes, on Professional and PowerDialer plans per the vendor's own site | Multi-line power dialing alongside call recording | A team already choosing Kixie for its power dialer that also wants recording included | A team that wants a published price before a sales conversation |
| Gong | Pricing on request | Yes, as the input to its analysis | AI conversation analysis, coaching insights, deal-risk signals | A sales team with the budget and call volume to justify AI conversation analysis | A small team just wanting calls recorded; the price and setup are built for a bigger organization |
Figures checked on each vendor's own pricing page, September 2026, including callrail.com, cloudtalk.io/pricing and gong.io/pricing. Gong publishes no starting price; do not infer one.
The field, ranked
1. CallRail
Published, predictable pricing with recording included at every tier, plus call tracking that tells you which marketing channel drove the call. Not for a team wanting AI coaching analysis on top of the recordings; that is not CallRail's focus.
2. CloudTalk
A full business phone system with recording bundled at every tier and unlimited retention from the mid tier up. Not for a team that needs deep conversation analytics rather than raw recordings.
3. Gong
The deepest analysis layer on top of recorded calls, used widely by larger sales organizations for coaching and deal visibility. Not for a small team just wanting calls recorded; you will not see a number without a sales conversation.
4. Kixie
Recording bundled with its power dialer plans, though the exact price requires contacting sales. Not for a team that wants a published price before talking to anyone.
When none of these is the answer
A small team making a handful of calls a week does not need dedicated recording software. Most phone carriers and even smartphones offer basic call recording, and the compliance question, not the tooling, is what actually matters at that volume. Add a dedicated tool once call volume or the need for coaching insight outgrows manual review.
Questions
- Is it legal to record a sales call?
- It depends on the states or countries both parties are in. Some US states require only one party's consent; others require all parties to consent, known as two-party consent. Calling across state or country lines can put you under the stricter rule. Check the law that applies to your specific calls; this is not legal advice.
- Do I need a dedicated tool like Gong, or does my phone system already record?
- Most modern business phone and dialer tools, including CallRail, Aircall and JustCall, include recording as a feature, not a separate purchase. A dedicated tool like Gong adds AI analysis on top of the recording, deal risk signals, talk-time ratios, coaching insights, which a basic phone system's recording feature does not.
- Why doesn't Gong publish a price?
- Gong's pricing depends on team size and other factors specific to each deal, so it does not list a starting figure on its own pricing page; it collects information through a form instead. Expect a sales conversation before you see a number.
- What should I check before recording calls at scale?
- Whether your state or country requires all-party consent, whether your phone tool plays a recording disclosure automatically, and where the recordings are stored and for how long. Get this right before turning recording on broadly, not after.