What Is 8x8?
In 1987, 8×8 was founded as Integrated Information Technology before changing its name in 1996. As of 2022, 8×8 provides a variety of cloud-based services to millions of users around the world. Available features include:
- Domestic and international calling
- SMS and MMS
- Audio and video conferencing
- Business chat
- Breakout rooms
- Internet fax
It provides public and private live-streaming of meetings through YouTube. Customers also gain access to dozens of popular integrations for Salesforce, Microsoft Teams, HubSpot, Slack and more. Because of 8×8’s high quality and affordable pricing, it made our list of Best VoIP Services of 2024, earning the title of “Best for Businesses on a Budget.”
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Zoom Phone
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How 8x8 Works
The 8×8 service combines voice, video and chat tools with a cloud-based PBX system to create a comprehensive, all-in-one space for managing customer communication and cross-company collaboration. Through its admin tools and apps, 8×8 can allow businesses to develop rather complex systems for internal and external communication.
After logging in, you can access all applications from a single dashboard, including the 8×8 Work and Meetings apps. Be aware you will need to set up an extension before you can begin using the 8×8 work app; this is not necessary for starting meetings, however.
Is 8x8 Right for Me?
While 8×8 has many practical and engaging features, we recognize that its apps and services are only for some. Learn more about the advantages and disadvantages of signing up for this software in the section below.
8×8 Is Best For:
- Unlimited domestic and international calling: The 8×8 service provides unlimited domestic calls and allows calling to at least 14 countries; with an upgrade from X2 to X4, you can make unlimited calls to 48 countries.
- Making calls quickly: Its “Highlight to Dial” feature lets you quickly call virtually the phone number you come across online by highlighting it and pressing a few shortcut keys. This tool is a fast alternative to manually typing in digits or memorizing a phone number.
- Video conferencing for up to 500 participants: If your company needs to engage hundreds of people simultaneously, you can do so without upgrading to a new plan.
- Chat rooms and messaging capabilities: Engage whole departments or a single employee through custom in-app chat tools without moving to a different platform.
- Public and private streaming on YouTube: Extend access to meetings to unlimited people, through YouTube. This feature allows for greater in-house communication as well as transparency with customers.
8×8 Is Not Recommended For:
- Any company new to PBX and VoIP: Although we received a link to detailed and helpful information, there needed to be more text and visuals to understand better how to follow directions. Moreover, if someone needs to learn VoIP/PBX terminology, finding what they are looking for may be challenging. The learning curve may be steep.
- Very small teams: After considering 8×8’s features and pricing, we think 8×8 better serves midsize and enterprise-level companies. Small business teams would probably not get much value for the money with 8×8.
What Sets 8x8 Apart
Unlike other services, 8×8 was the first one that we had to actively set up extensions ourselves before being able to begin immediately using the 8×8 Work app to make calls. And if someone doesn’t necessarily know how to do this or where to look in the console to make these changes, it could be a frustrating delay.
Given our experience with the website and app, 8×8 is designed for established brands with a robust and preexisting understanding of cloud PBX. Its pricing and features make 8×8 a brand more geared to more enterprise-level companies, though a quickly scaling midsize company could potentially get good value for the money with 8×8.
8x8 Features
For the review, we examined certain features to determine if 8×8 is a wise investment for small businesses. These details get explained in the following sections.
Ease of Use
Before using apps, 8×8 requires establishing extensions. If you do this or need help identifying the steps necessary to make this happen, there could be a delay in getting started with making or receiving calls. Because of the potential for a slight learning curve, we do not know if 8×8 is as easy to use as other VoIP options.
That aside, 8×8 Work desktop and mobile apps were easy to use. The calling, SMS, chat and video meeting buttons were all on the left and could be quickly identified and accessed. It also offers a “Highlight to Dial” feature that lets you highlight numbers you come across online and promptly initiate a call.
Hardware
The 8×8 platform provides VoIP-capable hardware, including desk, cordless and conference phones. It also provides VoIP adapters and headsets. Customers can purchase equipment with a one-time payment or join 8×8’s financing program; the hardware is covered by a one-year warranty, with contracts between 24 and 60 months. You need to contact 8×8’s sales team to get a quote.
Software
The software is accessible after logging in to the website, after which you get directed to the application panel. Here you can go to any app included in your plan, including 8×8’s Work app. The Work app functions as the all-in-one communication hub, letting you place or receive calls, send messages or start video meetings. The software may be from the application panel on the 8×8 website, or you can download the mobile and desktop versions of 8×8 Work.
The 8×8 Work app for desktop works with Windows 7 and macOS Yosemite and newer. The mobile version is available in the Google Play and App Stores.
Call Quality
We found that 8×8 has excellent call quality. We could make and receive calls quickly, and the audio was clear. There was no fuzziness, though if the devices are near each other, you may experience echoes. Video meeting tools also had good audio quality and high-definition images.
Uptime
The 8×8 platform is committed to a service level agreement, or SLA, of 99.999% uptime. The company made processes redundant with no “single point of failure.” In fact, should you suffer an internet outage or power failure, employees can plug their laptops into home networks and continue customer engagement as needed.
Security
The 8×8 services are secured through a top-tier, mirrored, highly secure and fully redundant state-of-the-art data center. Its data center is geographically diverse and has been Statement on Standards for Attestation Engagements (SSAE) 16 audited. According to 8×8, customer calls are protected using the same data encryption technology the U.S. government employs. Methods include TLS and SRTP/AES encryption.
Additionally, 8×8 adheres to stringent compliance measures, including the Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA), Consumer Proprietary Network Information (CPNI) and SOC 2 Type 2 audits. It is also HIPAA compliant, offering business associate agreements for covered entities and business associates.
Third-Party Integrations
Presently, there are integrations for up to 47 applications with 8×8.. Its framework is streamlined to pair with popular programs including:
- Salesforce
- Microsoft Teams
- Google Workspace
- Slack
- HubSpot
- Bullhorn
- Zoho
It is possible to access a wide range of applications beginning with the X2 tier and without needing to upgrade. You can also sort apps by type with 8×8, making locating particular integrations easy.
8x8 Pricing and Plans
X2
The X2 plan by 8×8 is a comprehensive offering for businesses focused on calling, SMS, video and chat solutions. The 8×8 Work app is included, as are several phone system management tools such as hot desking, multi-level auto attendant, call handling, call queues and voice mail transcription. You also immediately gain access to dozens of popular integrations, including Salesforce, Zendesk and NetSuite.
X4
The X4 plan has all the features of X2 but steps up the focus on call handling and analytics. For instance, this plan includes 8×8 Frontdesk for receptionists and operators, allowing supervisors to listen in on calls and whisper or barge when necessary. Though X2 introduces call activity analytics, X4 also includes supervisor analytics.
We think the X2 tier will be good enough for most businesses. However, brands where supervisors want to take a more active role in monitoring and better communicating with clients will likely appreciate what X4 offers.
Customer Service and Support
We found 8×8’s customer service and support to be stellar. When we encountered issues, we were able to get live support very fast, both in chat and on the phone. We reached the correct department with minimal holding time, and the support personnel patiently walked us through the issue and what we needed to do to fix the problem. This experience was the quickest and most efficient experience we have had with customer support so far.
VoIP Speed Test
We frequently test internet speeds during reviews, and 8×8 provides a web-based VoIP speed test page. We appreciated that it was entirely online and did not require any downloads.
The 8×8 test determined our download speed was 552.7 Mbps and upload speed was 21.2 Mbps. This test was slightly better than the Google speed test, which showed a download speed of 550.4 Mbps and an upload speed of 20.9 Mbps.
8x8 Alternatives and How They Compare
8×8 vs. RingCentral
Regarding starting cost and available features, 8×8’s X2 plan resembles RingCentral’s Advanced plan. RingCentral’s interface is intuitive, and its software also makes it an ideal all-in-one communication and collaboration hub. That said, 8×8’s unlimited calling is not just domestic but available in 14 countries worldwide; RingCentral’s international call rates vary and are not included in its service plans.
The standard plan from 8×8 provides many features you would need to upgrade to access with RingCentral’s service, including integrations, internet fax and business analytic tools. The service you prefer may ultimately come down to the size of your business. RingCentral could be an ideal starting point for understanding cloud-based communication for a smaller company, while 8×8 is the next step for a midsize to enterprise-level business. For more information, read our full 8×8 vs RingCentral comparison.
8×8 vs. Vonage
Vonage’s starting price of $19.99 per month for one user or $14.99 per month for businesses with 20 or more users is technically less than 8×8’s $24 monthly charge, but the cost accumulates quickly with every added user. Once you have over 99 users, Vonage requires contacting the sales team for a direct quote. By comparison, 8×8 allows you to add unlimited users. It also provides unlimited calling to far more countries than Vonage.
When comparing available features and value for the money, 8×8 is the better deal. Even if 8×8 is better suited for larger companies, a smaller professional team might find it more affordable than Vonage, thanks to not paying to add additional users.
8×8 vs. Grasshopper
Some small businesses may consider 8×8 because of all the features it provides. However, this could be an extreme move if it is a single-person company or startup with a few people involved. Instead, Grasshopper is a better, more affordable option for small businesses just starting that need a separate professional phone number.
Grasshopper’s desktop and mobile apps are more rudimentary than 8×8’s, and Grasshopper lacks integrations and video meeting tools. Its starting price is also slightly higher than 8×8. However, for very small teams, Grasshopper is an ideal platform for getting used to operating a professional phone system.
Featured Partners
1
RingCentral
$20 per user, per month (paid annually)
Yes
Yes
2
Zoom Phone
Starts at $10 per user, per month
Yes
Yes
3
Nextiva
$18.95 per user, per month
Yes
Yes
Our Expert Opinion
We needed help from support with setting up the license and extensions to make the 8×8 Work apps usable. Once we set up the desktop and mobile apps, we found them easy to use for voice, chat and messaging. Video meetings were easy to set up, and any calls made went out immediately. We also appreciated the CTRL+Shift+8 shortcut, which lets you instantly start a phone call without going into the app after highlighting a number.
Overall, 8×8 is an excellent cloud communication and PBX service provider, especially for brands well-versed in VoIP software operating at the enterprise level. On the other hand, an individual or small business team could find it overwhelming, especially if it is a company very new to cloud communication. At its current level, 8×8 is not the best fit for small businesses.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Is 8x8 a VoIP system?
Yes, 8×8 is a VoIP service provider that offers additional communication features such as audio and video conferencing and web chat.
Does 8x8 provide phones?
Yes, 8×8 does provide VoIP phones; it also offers headsets and other accessories.
How much does an 8x8 phone center cost?
The 8×8 plans start at $24 per month with an annual agreement.
Is 8x8 phone service good?
Yes, the 8×8 phone service is good. The video and audio components are of high quality, and its software allows you to place calls easily, reaching people in 14 to 48 countries.
Can 8x8 be trusted?
8×8 adheres to several compliance measures, including the Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA), Consumer Proprietary Network Information (CPNI) and SOC 2 Type 2 audits. It is also HIPAA compliant. According to the company, calls are protected using the same data encryption technology the U.S. government employs, including TLS and SRTP/AES encryption.
