7 Best Talkroute Alternatives for Small Teams in 2026

Key Takeaways

• Allo is best for small sales teams and SMBs because it offers a modern, mobile-first AI phone system with transparent pricing and built-in AI features like an answering service and CRM syncing without extra add-ons.
• Quo is best for small teams focused on collaboration because of its shared inbox, lightweight built-in CRM, and clean, user-friendly interface.
• Nextiva is best for large teams and contact centers that need a robust Unified Communications (UCaaS) platform including video, team chat, and physical phone support.

Introduction

Finding the right phone system for your business shouldn't feel like a chore.

For years, Talkroute has served small business owners who need simple call forwarding and basic virtual numbers. However, as teams grow and the "AI era" of communication takes hold, many are finding that simple forwarding isn't enough.

Are you tired of manually logging calls or missing out on AI-powered insights that could save your sales team hours of admin work?

Whether you're looking for deeper CRM integrations, advanced AI receptionists, or a more reliable mobile experience, there are several modern solutions designed to help you scale. In this guide, we’ll break down the top Talkroute alternatives in 2026 to help you find the perfect fit for your team’s workflow and budget.

Allo, Best for Small Teams

What is Allo?

Allo is an AI-first phone system specifically designed for small teams and salespeople who live on their mobile devices. Founded in 2024, Allo was built from the ground up to solve the "admin burden" that plagues modern sales reps. Unlike legacy providers that bolted AI onto old tech, Allo is mobile-native and uses AI to handle the busy work—like drafting follow-up emails and summarizing calls—so you can focus on closing deals.

Why Allo is a Good Alternative to Talkroute

While Talkroute is primarily a call forwarding service with very basic features, Allo offers a comprehensive AI suite included in every plan. Talkroute lacks native CRM integrations, meaning you have to use Zapier just to connect your data. In contrast, Allo provides robust native integrations with HubSpot, Salesforce, and Attio, automatically syncing call recordings and transcripts. Additionally, while Talkroute only offers basic voicemail transcription, Allo features a full AI Answering Service that can interact with callers in three languages. If you want a system that actually helps you sell rather than just routing calls, Allo is the clear winner.

Allo Pricing

Allo keeps things simple with transparent pricing and zero hidden add-ons:

• Starter: $25/month (1 user max) - Includes unlimited calls, a local phone number, AI summaries, and IVR.
• Business: $45/month per user - Includes all integrations, unlimited AI answering service, SMS, and international calls.

Allo Demo

Google Voice, Best for Solopreneurs on a Budget

What is Google Voice?

Google Voice is perhaps the most well-known phone system on the market, largely due to its free consumer version. For businesses, it offers a clean, no-frills UI that integrates seamlessly with the Google Workspace ecosystem. It’s a popular choice for very small businesses that already use Gmail and Calendar and want a professional-looking number without a complex setup.

Why Google Voice is a Good Alternative to Talkroute

If you are a solo founder looking for the most affordable way to get a business line, Google Voice is hard to beat. Talkroute’s entry-level plan starts at $19/month, whereas Google Voice’s Starter plan is only $10/month. While both systems are relatively basic, Google Voice offers a more modern interface and better reliability within the US and Canada. However, keep in mind that Google Voice lacks any CRM integrations, which might be a dealbreaker if your team is growing.

Google Voice Pricing

Google Voice requires a Google Workspace subscription for business use:

• Starter: $10/user/month - Up to 10 users, includes unlimited domestic calling and voicemail transcription.
• Standard: $20/user/month - Unlimited users, on-demand call recording, and multilevel auto-attendant.
• Premier: $30/user/month - Adds automatic call recording and advanced reporting via BigQuery.

Google Voice Demo

See Google Voice in action:

Grasshopper, Best for Very Small Businesses

What is Grasshopper?

Grasshopper is one of the original pioneers of the virtual phone system market. Now owned by GoTo, it specifically targets solopreneurs and "mom-and-pop" shops that need a professional front (like a toll-free number and custom greetings) without the need for complex desk phones. It’s designed to look and feel like a traditional business line while running entirely on your existing personal devices.

Why Grasshopper is a Good Alternative to Talkroute

Grasshopper and Talkroute are very similar in their "legacy" approach, but Grasshopper offers a more established brand and a unique partnership with Ruby.com for live answering services. If you specifically need a system that feels "old school" and reliable for simple call routing, Grasshopper is a solid choice. However, like Talkroute, it lacks modern AI features (no call transcripts) and has no native CRM integrations, making it less ideal for teams that need to stay productive on the go.

Grasshopper Pricing

Grasshopper offers several tiers based on the number of extensions you need:

• True Solo: $18/month - 1 user and 1 phone number.
• Solo Plus: $32/month - 1 user and unlimited extensions.
• Small Business: $70/month - Includes 5 numbers and unlimited extensions.

Grasshopper Demo

Grasshopper doesn't have any demo video available online.

Dialpad, Best for AI Features

What is Dialpad?

Dialpad was founded by Craig Walker, the creator of Google Voice, and is built on a "work-from-anywhere" philosophy. It is a highly sophisticated platform that prides itself on its proprietary AI, which has been in development since 2018. Dialpad offers separate products for general communication, sales, and support, making it a versatile choice for mid-market companies that want AI insights at scale.

Why Dialpad is a Good Alternative to Talkroute

The difference between Talkroute and Dialpad is like night and day. While Talkroute only transcribes voicemails, Dialpad transcribes every call in real-time, provides live coaching for sales reps, and even scores calls based on sentiment. If your team is larger than 20 people and you need deep data on how your reps are performing, Dialpad’s advanced analytics and native CRM integrations (like Salesforce and HubSpot) make it a much more powerful tool than Talkroute’s basic forwarding.

Dialpad Pricing

Dialpad offers competitive pricing for the level of AI included:

• Standard: $27/user/month - Includes unlimited calling, AI summaries, and call recording.
• Pro: $35/user/month - Adds CRM integrations, SSO, and 24/7 phone support (3-license minimum).

Dialpad Demo

See Dialpad in action:

Nextiva, Best for Large Organizations

What is Nextiva?

Nextiva is a heavyweight in the Unified Communications (UCaaS) space. Based in the US, it provides a "one-stop-shop" for voice, video meetings, team chat, and even light CRM tools. It is optimized for larger teams and support centers that need a highly reliable provider with the ability to support physical desk phones and complex call routing workflows.

Why Nextiva is a Good Alternative to Talkroute

Nextiva is built for scale, whereas Talkroute is built for simplicity. If you find that Talkroute’s lack of team collaboration tools is holding your business back, Nextiva offers a much more professional, all-encompassing suite. Nextiva also provides advanced AI features—like an AI Receptionist and emotion scoring—though these are typically gated behind their higher-priced tiers.

Nextiva Pricing

Nextiva’s pricing is tiered based on the features you need for your size:

• Core: $23/user/month - Includes a phone number, SMS, and video meetings.
• Engage: $50/user/month - Adds advanced reporting and CRM integrations.
• Power Suite CX: $75/user/month - Includes full AI transcription and summarization features.

Nextiva Demo

Quo, Best for Collaborative Teams

What is Quo?

Quo (formerly known as OpenPhone) is a modern business phone system that focuses heavily on the "shared" experience. It treats your business phone like a collaborative inbox, where team members can tag each other on call recordings, share threads, and manage customer relationships together. It is widely praised for its clean, intuitive UI that feels more like a modern messaging app than a traditional phone system.

Why Quo is a Good Alternative to Talkroute

Talkroute is a "siloed" system—it routes a call to a person, and that’s where the interaction ends. Quo is built for transparency. With Quo, your whole team can see the history of a contact in one shared view. Quo also offers much better AI capabilities, including call summaries and transcripts in 34 languages, whereas Talkroute is limited to English voicemail transcription. For small, fast-moving teams, Quo provides the collaborative tools Talkroute lacks.

Quo Pricing

Quo offers simple, transparent tiers:

• Starter: $19/user/month - Unlimited US/Canada calling, voicemail transcripts, and 10 AI-handled calls.
• Business: $33/user/month - Includes AI call summaries, CRM integrations (HubSpot/Salesforce), and analytics.
• Scale: $47/user/month - Adds dedicated onboarding and priority support.

Quo Demo

See Quo in action:

Zoom Phone, Best for Zoom Ecosystem Users

What is Zoom Phone?

Zoom Phone is the VoIP extension of the world’s most popular video conferencing app. Launched in 2019, it allows businesses to consolidate their phone, video, and chat into a single application. It’s a clean, straightforward solution that is incredibly easy to adopt if your team is already comfortable using Zoom for meetings.

Why Zoom Phone is a Good Alternative to Talkroute

If you’re already paying for Zoom, adding Zoom Phone is a no-brainer. It provides a much more integrated experience than Talkroute, allowing you to flip a phone call into a full Zoom video meeting with one click. While Talkroute is a standalone forwarding service, Zoom Phone includes AI-powered "Companion" features like post-call summaries and task extraction, helping your team stay organized without extra effort.

Zoom Phone Pricing

Zoom Phone is affordable and often bundled with other Zoom services:

• US & CA Unlimited: $15/user/month - Unlimited domestic calling, SMS, and basic AI features.
• Pro Plus: $21.99/user/month - Bundles Zoom Phone with Zoom Workspace (Meetings, Docs, Mail).
• Business Plus: $26.99/user/month - Adds larger meeting capacity and SSO.

Zoom Phone Demo

See Zoom Phone in action:

Conclusion

Choosing an alternative to Talkroute depends entirely on where your business is headed.

If you are a solo entrepreneur just looking for the cheapest professional line, Google Voice or Grasshopper are reliable, "low-tech" choices. However, if you are a growing sales team, legacy systems will likely slow you down.

For modern teams that want to leverage AI to save time, Allo offers the best mobile-first experience with built-in CRM syncing and an AI receptionist that actually works for you. If collaboration is your top priority, Quo is the gold standard for shared inboxes.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Talkroute Competitors

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