Best Mitel Alternatives and Competitors [Compared]

VoIP provider Mitel has a well-established reputation within the cloud communications and UCaaS space.

With over 35 million customers, a recent partnership with RingCentral, and Gartner Magic Quadrant Leader recognition for 5 years, the VoIP provider clearly has a loyal user base.

That said, current and former customers consistently mention several issues with the provider that have made them look for Mitel alternatives.

Declining customer support quality, (their poorly-executed website chatbot is an example) network unreliability (one Mitel review states, “simple, reliable, and dependable are not this system,” and poor value (another review calls Mitel “overpriced and oversold”) are common complaints.

The provider also lags behind competitors when it comes to available third-party integrations. MiCloud does have integrations for Salesforce, Outlook, and NetSuite but, in a world where the Zoom App Marketplace has over 1,000 integrations, that’s simply not enough.

We researched popular Mitel competitors and narrowed it down to the 10 best Mitel alternatives. Learn more about what we found out about pricing and plans, features, user experience, and more for the solutions below.

The Top 10 Mitel Alternatives

• Nextiva
• GoTo Connect
• RingCentral
• 8×8
• Dialpad
• Grasshopper
• Avaya
• Ooma Office
• Zoom
• Vonage

The below table provides a quick overview of the top Mitel alternatives we cover in more detail in this post.

Nextiva – For Value-Focused SMBs

Nextiva is a cloud-based unified communications platform that lets blended or fully remote teams connect and collaborate on a variety of channels within one interface, called the Nextiva App.

1-100+ users can communicate on desktop and mobile devices via voice calling, instant chat messaging, video calling, SMS texting, and online faxing.

Their robust platform and affordable pricing have attracted the likes of Delta, Burger King, UC San Diego, and Netflix to their customer list.

Features

Thanks to the features below, there’s more to like about Nextiva than just its affordable price.

• Omnichannel Communication: The Nextiva platform provides numerous communications channels, uniting VoIP calling, telephony, online faxing, number porting, and a native team chat in one app. Employees can access everything through a single dashboard, instead of constantly hopping between tabs.
• Toll-Free Minutes: Users can enjoy 12,500 toll-free monthly minutes with Nextiva. Having a toll-free number boosts business credibility so getting 1,500 minutes with the $18.95/month Essential plan is a significant benefit for entry-level Nextiva users.
• Integrations: Nextiva supports a wide array of popular third-party integrations, including:
  • Google Workspace
  • Salesforce
  • Microsoft Teams
  • Zoho
  • HubSpot
  • Zendesk
  • NetSuite

User Experience

Nextiva finds a good balance between granular customization and hassle-free usability, giving it a positive user experience. You can reach their support team through live chat Monday-Friday from 5 AM to 6 PM Arizona time.

However, many integrations are surface-level compared to the deeper integrations of competitors. Running the mobile apps and navigating around them can also be a rough experience at times.

Pricing & Plans

The pricing below is for teams of 20-99 people billing annually. A 30-day free trial is available.

GoTo Connect – For Communication and Collaboration on One Platform

GoTo Connect is a popular cloud phone system and meetings platform from LogMeIn.

Since being acquired for $357 million, the platform (formerly known as Jive) has amassed over a million users with SOC 2 Type II security standards, 24/7 support, and a 99.996% uptime guarantee.

Features

GoTo Connect’s unique features make it an appealing choice for business VoIP subscribers.

• Extensive Desk Phone Compatibility: Over 180 desk phones integrate with GoTo Connect, providing greater choice and a higher chance of compatibility with existing equipment.
• Free Video Conferencing: GoTo Connect offers HD video conferencing capabilities on all plans, eliminating the need for a separate GoTo Meeting subscription. This saves you money in the long run.
• Robust Integration Gallery: GoTo Connect’s integration gallery has plenty of apps to choose from, including:
  • Google Workspace
  • Microsoft Teams
  • Slack
  • Salesforce
  • HubSpot
  • Zendesk
  • Calendly

User Experience

GoTo Connect offers a positive user experience with its easy-to-use interface that’s intuitive enough for older users and compatibility with other apps in the GoTo family.

That said, the experience is decidedly inferior on the mobile app.

However,  GoTo Connect desktop app for PC has a slow startup time – especially bad when you consider that the  support team isn’t on the same level as other providers.

Pricing & Plans

The pricing below is for teams of 2-10 users billing monthly. A 14-day free trial is available.

RingCentral – Best Full-Suite Solution

RingCentral is a well-rounded UCaaS platform with tons of native features and integrations to get excited about.

The fast resolution times of their 24-hour support team have helped the company retain customers like SoFi, Carvana, the Detroit Pistons, the Detroit Lions, Orlando Magic, and more.

Features

It’s true that RingCentral outperforms many competitors when it comes to bells and whistles – but its core video conferencing solution is the standout.

• In-Meeting Collaboration: Teams easily collaborate during meetings with features like whiteboarding, breakout rooms, and whiteboarding. You’ll also get a truly HD audio and video experience thanks to the platform’s Opus codec.
• One-Click Scheduling: RingCentral has one-click scheduling for multiple calendar integrations. Users of Google Calendar, Microsoft Outlook, and even Zoho Calendar can get their calendar linked in just a few clicks.
• Task Management: Agents and admins can use RingCentral’s native task management during projects or install its Asana, Slack, and Microsoft Teams integrations.

User Experience

RingCentral provides a positive user experience and establishes itself as a one-stop-shop for online collaboration.

With its diverse set of native features, the extensive array of integrations to choose from, and industry-leading conferencing quality, it’s hard to argue with the value on offer.

However, there are some issues when it comes to faxing. Simple oversights like adding a network firewall or attaching a large file routinely lead to unsent or partially sent faxes.

Pricing & Plans

The pricing below is for annual billing. A 30-day trial is available.

8×8 – Best For International Companies

8×8 is the leading VoIP platform for global communications due to its international reach on all X Series plans.

Its emphasis on providing a worldwide solution is clearly reflected in its customers base, compromised of companies like Acer, Paisley, UFC Gym, McDonald’s, McLaren, and Shutterstock.

Features

8×8 is the top solution for international audiences, thanks to its unparalleled range.

Users of the X4 plan or higher get unlimited calling to 48 countries, making it easy to target underserved markets and save money in the process.

• Real-Time Analytics: 8×8 has a strong analytics dashboard that gives admins a company-wide view of historical and real-time data. The provider’s speech analytics, call recordings, and various coaching features will optimize agent performance.
• Artificial Intelligence: 8×8’s AI-powered insights utilize machine learning, creating workflows that optimize day-to-day operations.
• Large Meeting Capacity: All X Series plans support meetings with up to 500 participants, putting 8×8 at the top of the pack in terms of scalability. Video features like screen sharing, live streaming, and presentation mode are also available.

User Experience

8×8 provides a mixed user experience that excels far ahead of the competition in some areas while falling behind in others.

Unlimited calling to 48 countries is a unique benefit that any global company would be happy to have – but is it worth sacrificing support, UI, and reliability for?

Support, in particular, is a recurring problem for 8×8.

Technicians jump to blame the customer’s work environment instead of properly troubleshooting the issue or checking with their engineering team. There are also reports of consistent instances where agents struggle with the language barrier.

Pricing & Plans

The pricing below is for teams who bill annually. A 30-day free trial is available.

Dialpad – Best For Small Teams

Dialpad combines cross-platform compatibility with affordable pricing, making it a solid choice for small teams or startups.

Its 100% uptime SLA surpasses the five-nines standard of its competitors, landing Dialpad a G2 Summer Leader and RemoteTech Breakthrough Award in 2021.

Features

While affordability is definitely a selling point of Dialpad, there are other reasons to choose it over alternatives. For one, it has one of the most accurate voicemail transcription features that we’ve seen.

• Free Meetings: Dialpad users get Dialpad Meetings for free, so users can host video conferences with up to 10 participants. It’s not the most scalable solution by any measure, but it’s hard to argue with free. Plus, paid  Dialpad Meetings plans increase the capacity to 100 participants.
• Conference Recording and Integrations: Paid Dialpad plans lets users record video conferences, so those not present at a meeting can catch up. On the integration front, Dialpad has support for Office 365, Google Workspace, HubSpot, Salesforce, Slack, Miro, Okta, and more.
• Gamified Analytics: Dialpad gamifies its analytics by implementing a leaderboard that displays KPIs for each user. That’s already impressive, but Dialpad has one more trick up its sleeve with the Chrome extension, which allows users to send texts or make calls directly from the browser.

User Experience

Dialpad provides a positive user experience, primarily aimed towards small teams who need an affordable solution with free conferencing, gamified analytics, and a Chrome extension for easy access.

The platform falls a bit short on the admin side, as there are not many account management options. It’s a bit archaic for admins to have to ask for the login info of team members instead of being able to make changes through their own portal.

Pricing & Plans

The pricing below is for teams who bill monthly. A 14-day free trial is available.

Grasshopper – Best VoIP Calling Platform

Grasshopper is a scalable solution that forgoes extra features in favor of staying affordable.

Having fewer features and integrations also makes it easier for new users to figure the platform out from the get-go — a win in simplicity highlighted when it was featured on TechCrunch, Forbes, and Inc. Magazine.

Features

Grasshopper may not stack up against competitors when it comes to native features or third-party integrations, but that makes it the perfect solution for businesses who want a cheap and sample solution.

• Custom Phone Numbers: Grasshopper’s call-centric business model lets users create local, toll-free, and vanity numbers. It also offers the Ruby virtual receptionist add-on, an award-winning receptionist service that takes calls while you’re away and emails the details over to you.
• Mobile Apps: Agents can communicate with customers no matter where they are, thanks to Grasshopper’s mobile apps for Android and iOS. This makes switching from the desktop app to your smartphone a whole lot easier.
• Segmented Storage: All Grasshopper SMS and call recordings from your Grasshopper number are stored separately from the rest of the logs on your device. This helps you separate them from your personal history. Lastly, you can also use the app to read voicemail transcriptions and send or receive faxes.

User Experience

Grasshopper provides a mixed user experience, emphasizing function over form and foregoing extra features or integrations in the name of affordable utilitarianism.

The Small Business plan is ideal for rapidly growing companies since it lets you create unlimited extensions.

It’s true that you might have to spend extra on video conferencing and cloud storage solutions, as Grasshopper lacks these capabilities, but at least its learning curve is forgiving.

If you want a simple, reliable calling solution, then Grasshopper is the ideal choice.

Pricing & Plans

The pricing below is for teams who bill annually. A 7-day free trial is available.

Avaya – Most Scalable Option

Avaya is a popular choice for large companies looking to get hardware and software from the same provider.

This attractive blend of hardware and software has brought in customers like Florida State University, Standard Chartered, Iron Mountain, Telekom Serbia, and more.

Features

Over the past 20 years, Avaya has been known as a telecommunications equipment provider. That all changed when it partnered with RingCentral so it could offer software packages to all its hardware customers.

• Smart Devices: In addition to the benefits of RingCentral software, users also have access to features like Avaya’s smart device support. This lets users leverage interactive virtual assistants, like Alexa, to create always-on conference rooms.
• Always-on Conferencing: Convert physical workspaces into a video conferencing room with Avaya Cloud Office Rooms. Users can choose between on-premise, cloud, or hybrid deployment depending on their specific use case.
• Scalability: Avaya can scale up to as many as 250,000 users per plan. Normally, we would be skeptical about performance –  but Avaya’s robust servers already facilitate 15 million calls per minute.

User Experience

Avaya provides a mixed user experience with its track record of being a hardware company still impacting present-day service — for better or worse.

Smart assistants and large-scale plans are nice, but the lengthy setup process could be a dealbreaker for users in a rush.

There are also no self-service support options like a chatbot or knowledge base, making it hard to solve urgent issues. Finally, the interface uses a black text with a gray background that users often complain makes it hard to read.

Pricing & Plans

The pricing below is for teams of 2-20 people billing annually. A 30-day free trial is available.

Ooma Office – Best For Small and Blended Teams

Ooma may have paved its road to success with the residential VoIP-in-a-box product, but they’ve since expanded into business communications.

Although Ooma’s entry-level plan is rather limited, those who upgrade to the Pro version will definitely get their money’s worth. After all, Ooma’s unlimited calling capabilities span the entire North American continent.

Features

Ooma may be best known for its residential VoIP service, but Ooma Office is a strong package.

It has a super easy setup process thanks to its auto-configuration feature, which tunes settings according to system specifications.

• Mobile Apps: Ooma Office mobile apps are available in the iOS App Store and Google Play Store. The apps let users check their voicemail inbox, update account information, and make/receive phone calls from anywhere.
• Unlimited Calling: Ooma plans include free calling within the United States as well as Puerto Rico, Mexico, and Canada. This can save a significant amount of money, since users won’t have to pay extra on their standard phone plan.
• Virtual Receptionist: Ooma comes with a virtual receptionist feature that lets users transfer calls to a specific expectation, add caller menus, or set custom greetings (like an announcement board for existing customers.)

User Experience

Ooma provides a somewhat poor user experience, especially given that their iOS app is significantly better than the Android version. Users also say there are occasional service outages.

Also, unlike most top providers, Ooma doesn’t offer an uptime guarantee – likely due to the above-mentioned frequency of service interruptions. Furthermore, users have to purchase the more expensive Ooma Office Pro plan to unlock the video conferencing and recording capabilities.

Pricing & Plans

The pricing below is for teams who bill monthly. There is no free trial available.

Zoom – Best Freemium Experience

Zoom exploded in popularity during the early days of the pandemic. No,w it’s a household name in the video conferencing world.

While remote working and distance learning may have given it a boost, the platform continuously innovates with new features to stay on top — leading to a $1.8 billion gross profit in 2021.

Features

When the US rejected founder Eric Yuan’s visa eight times, they probably didn’t think he’d go on to build an online platform with 300 million daily participants. Despite already establishing itself as the apex predator of video conferencing, Zoom continuously innovates with new features.

• In-Meeting Features: Whether it’s custom backgrounds, live transcription, mid-meeting polling, or cloud recording, there are lots of advanced meeting features to tinker with. The only downside is the 40-minute time limit for freemium users, which incentivizes paid upgrades.
• Recording And Transcription: Switching to a paid plan removes the time limit and also yields a few other premium perks like social media message transcripts, recording transcripts, and 1 GB of cloud storage (unlimited for enterprise users.)
• Large Meeting Capacity: Zoom’s Large Meetings add-on for $600/year increases capacity to 500-1,000 people. Plus, the famed Zoom App Gallery includes Salesforce, HubSpot, Slack, Dropbox, MailChimp, and over a thousand other integrations.

User Experience

Zoom offers a positive user experience that centers around simplicity, scalability, and flexibility.

As a widely adopted product, it should come as no surprise that Zoom developers prioritize ease of use and versatility.

Though Zoom has had its fair share of security and privacy concerns, it seems like the development team is actively working to patch any vulnerabilities.

Lastly, being able to use as many integrations as you want on the free plan is unheard of in this industry.

Pricing & Plans

Zoom Phone pricing below is for teams who bill annually. The Basic plan is free forever.

Vonage – Best Cross-Platform Experience

Vonage provides a seamless mobile experience and unlimited international calling (subject to Vonage Reasonable Use Policy.)

The platform’s communications SMS APIs let users customize the customer experience with programmable messaging and the ability to send/receive texts in virtually any country.

Features

There’s a lot to like about Vonage, but let’s start with the UI and navigation. Everything from system status to users and extensions is visible on the admin dashboard, so users don’t have to go through multiple pages just to view key data.

• Unified Dashboard and Mobile Apps: Admins can manage recordings, queues, call groups, and other features through the same portal. The mobile experience is perhaps the most noteworthy benefit, offering a modern interface, snappy performance, and unlimited calling.
• Visual Voicemail: Vonage’s voicemail transcripts are surprisingly accurate with only occasional, minor errors that don’t impact readability.
• Extensive App Gallery: Vonage has a large app gallery, but users must upgrade to the Premium plan for advanced integrations. Users must also upgrade to Premium to use VoIP desk phones – so the Basic plan isn’t functional for many teams.

User Experience

Vonage provides a positive user experience with seamless cross-platform compatibility.

That said, add-on costs can rapidly increase subscription cost, especially since desk phones are not supported in the entry-level plan.

Onboarding support and system setup add-ons can also get pretty expensive, with some bundles costing up to $6,000. Reaching a customer support agent can also be a chore, and users report support representatives often close out the chat before their issue is resolved.

Pricing & Plans

The pricing below is for teams of 20-90 people billing annually. A 14-day free trial is available.

Which Is the Best Mitel Alternative?

Whether you want the cross-platform experience from Vonage, full-suite experience from RingCentral, global reach of 8×8, or end up using Zoom because all your colleagues have it installed it’s hard to go wrong with the Mitel alternatives listed here.

Ultimately, these 10 unified communications providers have their own unique benefits, so it just comes down to figuring out which one is the best fit for your budget and your specific business needs.

However, given Mitel recently formed a strategic partnership with RingCentral, it’s possible the  UCaaS package they offer will improve as a result. There’s nothing wrong with switching platforms if you want to spend your money wisely.