What 8x8 can do for you‍

8x8 positions itself as an Experience Communications as a Service (XCaaS) provider, combining traditional Contact Center as a Service (CCaaS) and Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) functionalities into a single platform. The vendor is a 2023 Gartner Magic Quadrant Leader for UCaaS and was also featured in the 2023 Gartner CCaaS Magic Quadrant, so the claim to hit both objectives is well warranted. 8x8 pricing is similarly versatile, offering subscriptions for SMBs and large organizations. The UCaaS and CCaaS capabilities are equally broad — advanced contact center features suit customer-facing businesses, while 360º communications and remote collaboration tools can enhance workflows and general productivity within various industries. The 8x8 price unlocks six core products:

• Business Phone – An advanced cloud-based Private Branch Exchange System (PBX), delivering more efficient business communications via key features like multi-level auto attendant and visual voicemail.  
• Contact Center – Optimize customer service experiences with a reliable and unified contact center solution, including various contact center tools such as omnichannel routing, AI-powered self-service, adaptive analytics, and intelligent coaching.
• Video Conferencing – Straightforward and streamlined video conferencing tools with end-to-end encryption, cloud recordings, integrations with Microsoft and Google calendars, and AI-generated post-meeting insights.
• 8x8 Engage – The newest 8x8 product integrates unified communications and contact center capabilities under one purpose-built interface. Organizations can access the vendor’s complete XCaaS functionality under one roof, enabling frictionless customer service, team management, and more.
• Team Chat – A real-time team messaging application for mobile and desktop users, complete with seamless file sharing, audio and video call integration, private chat rooms, and automatic onboarding from company directories.
• APIs – 8x8 pricing also allows organizations to build custom APIs for SMS, voice, video, and chat apps. Low-code or no-code development makes this feature accessible to teams without advanced programming knowhow.

8x8 pricing structures and tiers‍

As with many SaaS providers, 8x8 pricing isn’t commercially available on the vendor’s website. Businesses must talk to sales during the procurement cycle, with exact prices obscured so organizations are more likely to overpay for subscriptions. That said, this does mean there’s room for negotiation with the vendor, so you can establish the perfect plan to suit your business needs.The 8x8 cost features five core subscription plans. SMBs only requiring UCaaS will likely find everything they need in the first two tiers. However, expanded contact center functionality requires more expensive subscriptions.  

8x8 pricing – X2

X2 delivers an all-in-one voice, video, and chat service. 8x8 pricing at this level features unlimited calling to 14 countries, HD video conferencing for up to 500 participants, Microsoft Teams integration, and other core products. X2 is a cost-effective option for startups and small teams, providing more than enough features to get started with UCaaS. However, larger businesses or those requiring more advanced tools and contact center options will need a higher plan.

8x8 pricing – X4

Organizations with a larger global footprint seeking comprehensive UCaaS solutions will likely favor the X4 8x8 pricing plan. This boosts unlimited voice calling to 48 countries and also includes the 8x8 Frontdesk product for receptionists. Users can additionally access a Barge-Monitor-Whisper tool, allowing supervisors to monitor phone calls for training, quality testing, and emergency interruption purposes. Enhanced supervisor analytics capabilities make X4 a better choice for organizations delving deeper into UCaaS options.  

8x8 pricing – X6

X6 includes almost everything in X2 and X4, although Microsoft Teams integrations are no longer built-in and must be bought as an add-on. It’s a small price to pay, though, as this 8x8 pricing tier starts to unleash the vendor’s full UCaaS and CCaaS capabilities. Organizations with dedicated contact centers and in-depth customer service requirements must consider X6 or above. Key features include skills-based routing, Interactive Voice Response (IVR) systems, real-time reporting, and CX journey mapping.

8x8 pricing – X7

X7 is advertised as the most popular 8x8 pricing tier — unsurprising considering the full-spectrum CCaaS and UCaaS capabilities included. This is the first subscription plan with true omnichannel support for social media, chat, email, SMS, and video. As such, organizations can connect with customers via a complete channel portfolio, covering any potential blindspots. X7 also introduces co-browsing capabilities, enabling agents to collaborate with customers and troubleshoot issues efficiently in real time. The out-of-the-box SaaS integrations with various CRMs and other tools mean organizations with more complex stacks can slot 8x8 into existing workflows.

8x8 pricing – X8

8x8 pricing at the highest X8 level unlocks a top-spec advanced contact center designed for large enterprises with complex demands. The main advantage over X7 is the enhanced quality management and analytics geared towards optimizing agent performance and refining customer service strategies. Speech and text analytics features can also provide deeper insights into customer interactions by analyzing conversations and identifying trends. These tools can make a substantial difference. Just ensure you’ll make maximal usage to get the most value, as this 8x8 pricing plan can be one of the most expensive options on the market.

‍Additional 8x8 costs to consider‍

There are a few potential add-ons to consider depending on your x8 pricing plan:

• Media Cold Storage;
• 8x8 Secure Pay;
• Intelligent Customer Assistant;
• Auto-Dialer (built-in for X8);
• Intelligent Interactive Voice Response;
• 8x8 Voice for Microsoft Teams Integration (built-in for X2 and X4);
• Qualify Management and Speech Analytics (built-in for X8);

Organizations wanting to leverage 8x8’s API tools also have the following charges:

• SMS – from $0.0104 per message;
• Messaging Apps – from $0.004 per message;
• Voice – $0.0024 per message.

Other vendors offering Experience Communications as a Service‍

Although 8x8 is fairly unique in offering a combination of CCaaS and UCaaS capabilities, organizations can shop around to find vendors offering potentially cheaper alternatives for more precise needs. A successful SaaS procurement strategy rests on weighing up several possibilities before making a final choice. Here are three 8x8 alternatives that could potentially work better:  

8x8 pricing vs Genesys

Genesys pricing is more commercially transparent than 8x8, with four core products:

• Cloud 2 Digital – $95/month per user
• Cloud 2 Digital + Voice – $115/month per user
• Cloud 3 Digital + WEM – $135/month per user
• Cloud 3 Digital + WEM + Voice – $155/month per user

The vendor is generally considered a more advanced CCaaS solution than 8x8, with notable features including an AI Experience add-on. Genesys could, therefore, be a better choice for organizations prioritizing powerful contact center functionality. That said, it can be more expensive than 8x8 and doesn’t include any UCaaS tools.

8x8 pricing vs Nextiva

Nextiva pricing has three straightforward tiers. The prices below are estimates for between 20–99 users:

• Essential – $18.95/month per user
• Professional – $22.95/month per user
• Enterprise – $32.95/month per user

The vendor offers a similarly broad XCaaS suite, with customer stories suggesting it may be slightly easier to use. However, this comes at the expense of some more advanced features.

8x8 pricing vs Talkdesk

Talkdesk pricing contains four core subscriptions:

• CX Cloud Digital Essentials – $85/month per user
• CX Cloud Essentials – $85/month per user
• CX Cloud Elevate – $115/month per user
• CX Cloud Elite – $145/month per user

Talkdesk is a CCaaS leader renowned for its user-friendly interface, scalability, and advanced AI functionality. It could be a better fit for contact center-specific requirements, but you won’t get the all-encompassing XCaaS functionality 8x8 delivers.

‍8x8 pricing – the Vertice verdict‍

8x8 is a multi-functional platform that can pay serious dividends for organizations searching for a holistic approach to contact center and unified communications.While some dedicated CCaaS vendors can offer more advanced AI-driven features, 8x8 still holds its own. The Gartner-approved platform has flexible pricing catering to various business sizes. On the subject of pricing, Vertice can assist procurement and lower the potential 8x8 cost with our unique insights into what other businesses are paying for similar subscriptions. This is particularly helpful when acquiring 8x8, as the company doesn’t provide concrete pricing information on its website. Our service also extends to cloud cost management, helping you optimize your cloud environment and SaaS stack to maintain an optimal balance between cost and usage.