Choosing the right communication platform for your business can make a significant difference in productivity, collaboration, and costs. GoTo Connect and 8×8 are two major players in the unified communications and VoIP space, offering businesses a range of tools for voice, video, messaging, and collaboration. This article will break down the key features and pricing for GoTo Connect vs 8×8 to help you make an informed decision for your business needs.
GoTo Connect vs 8×8
Feature/Category | GoTo Connect | 8×8 |
---|---|---|
Voice Calls | HD-quality voice calls with unlimited domestic calling | HD-quality voice calls with global reach in 120+ countries |
Video Conferencing | Up to 150 participants (Standard Plan) | Up to 500 participants (X4 Plan) |
Call Management | Auto-attendant, call queues, call routing, call forwarding | Auto-attendant, call queues, call routing, call forwarding |
Mobile App | Full-featured for iOS and Android | Full-featured for iOS and Android |
Team Messaging | Integrated team messaging with channels | Integrated team messaging with omnichannel support |
Screen Sharing | Available | Available |
Meeting Recording | Available | Available |
Analytics | Basic call analytics and reporting (Standard Plan) | Advanced analytics and reporting with AI-driven insights |
International Calling | Unlimited calls to 50+ countries (Standard Plan) | Unlimited global calling to 47 countries (X4 Plan) |
Contact Centre | Basic contact centre with omnichannel support (Premium Plan) | AI-powered contact centre with advanced tools (X8 Plan) |
Global Reach | Focuses on domestic and limited international calling | Operates in 120+ countries, ideal for multinational businesses |
Integrations | Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, CRM integrations | Microsoft Teams, Salesforce, Zendesk, other CRM integrations |
AI and Workforce Management | Not available | Available in X8 Plan (AI-powered contact centre, workforce management tools) |
Customer Support | 24/7 support available in Premium Plan | 24/7 support across all plans |
Scalability | Best suited for small to medium-sized businesses | Highly scalable for enterprises and international organisations |
Ease of Use | Simple, user-friendly interface, easy to set up | More complex with a steeper learning curve |
Pricing (Per User/Month) | – Basic: £15 – Standard: £22 – Premium: £34 | – Express: £10 – X2: £25 – X4: £45 – X8: £95 |
Free Trial | Yes, 14 days | Yes, 30 days |
Best For | SMBs looking for affordable, all-in-one communication | Large businesses or enterprises with global and advanced needs |
Key takeaways:
- GoTo Connect is ideal for small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) seeking a cost-effective and user-friendly solution.
- 8×8 caters to larger enterprises or businesses with international operations that require advanced features such as AI-powered analytics and extensive contact centre tools.
Core features comparison
Both GoTo Connect vs 8×8 offer a comprehensive set of features aimed at improving communication and collaboration within businesses. However, they have some distinctions that may make one more suitable than the other depending on your needs.
GoTo Connect features
GoTo Connect is a cloud-based phone system that integrates VoIP with video conferencing, team messaging, and contact centre solutions. Some of its standout features include:
- Voice and video calls: HD-quality voice calls, video conferencing, and screen sharing.
- Call routing and management: Customisable call flows, auto-attendant, call forwarding, and call queues.
- Mobile app: Full-featured mobile app for both iOS and Android, allowing seamless transition between desktop and mobile.
- Team messaging: Integrated team messaging with channels for easy communication.
- Collaboration tools: Screen sharing, meeting recording, and in-meeting chat, alongside integrations with Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace.
- Contact centre features: Omnichannel capabilities for customer engagement through voice, chat, and email.
GoTo Connect focuses on ease of use, with a straightforward interface and flexible deployment options, making it a good fit for small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) that need an all-in-one communication platform.
8×8 features
8×8 also offers a cloud-based unified communications solution but comes with an extensive set of features that appeal to larger enterprises as well. Its feature set includes:
- Voice and video: HD voice calls, video conferencing, and virtual meetings for up to 500 participants.
- Advanced analytics: 8×8’s analytics tools are highly robust, providing insights into call quality, employee performance, and customer experience.
- Omnichannel communication: Provides voice, video, chat, and social messaging from a single platform.
- Global reach: 8×8 operates in over 120 countries with localised phone numbers and support for multinational businesses.
- Mobile and desktop apps: Full-featured mobile and desktop applications for voice, video, and messaging.
- Advanced contact centre: An AI-powered contact centre with workforce management tools, real-time analytics, and predictive dialling.
8×8’s scalability and advanced features make it ideal for businesses that require more in-depth analytics and international communication capabilities.
GoTo Connect vs 8×8 cost comparison
Pricing is a crucial factor in deciding which solution best fits your business. Both GoTo Connect and 8×8 offer tiered pricing structures, allowing businesses to scale as they grow. However, their pricing strategies cater to different types of organisations.
GoTo Connect pricing
GoTo Connect offers three main pricing tiers:
Basic Plan (£15 per user per month):
- Up to 40 users
- Unlimited domestic calling
- Voicemail-to-email
- Basic call routing features
Standard Plan (£22 per user per month):
- Unlimited domestic and international calling to 50+ countries
- Advanced call routing and call analytics
- Video conferencing with up to 150 participants
- Integrations with CRM and collaboration tools
Premium Plan (£34 per user per month):
- Everything in the Standard Plan
- Full contact centre capabilities
- Advanced analytics and call reporting
- 24/7 customer support and implementation services
GoTo Connect’s pricing is relatively straightforward and caters well to SMBs looking for value-packed, budget-friendly options.
8×8 pricing
8×8’s pricing structure is slightly more complex, with several plans targeted at different business needs:
8×8 Express (£10 per user per month):
- Ideal for small teams
- Unlimited calls to the UK
- Basic call management features
X2 Plan (£25 per user per month):
- Unlimited calling to 14 countries
- Video and audio conferencing
- Team messaging and collaboration tools
- Basic analytics and call monitoring
X4 Plan (£45 per user per month):
- Unlimited global calling to 47 countries
- Advanced call analytics
- Supervisor features for call monitoring
- Video meetings with up to 500 participants
X8 Plan (£95 per user per month):
- AI-powered contact centre solutions
- Workforce management tools
- Real-time analytics and reporting
- Full omnichannel support (voice, video, chat, social)
8×8’s pricing reflects its scalability and focus on enterprise-level features, especially for businesses with more complex communication needs or international operations.
Which solution is best for your business?
When deciding between GoTo Connect vs 8×8, consider the following key factors:
Ease of use and setup
GoTo Connect is known for its ease of setup and user-friendly interface, which makes it an ideal choice for small businesses that may not have dedicated IT staff to manage complex systems. The platform’s all-in-one nature is perfect for those who want a simple, affordable solution that integrates voice, video, and messaging.
On the other hand, 8×8 is designed with scalability in mind. Its platform is better suited to businesses that need advanced features, such as global support, AI-driven analytics, and extensive contact centre tools. However, the trade-off is a steeper learning curve and a higher price point for businesses that want to access its more advanced features.
Scalability
GoTo Connect is highly effective for small to medium-sized businesses. While it offers some enterprise-level features, such as contact centre capabilities, its main strength lies in providing affordable communication solutions for businesses with simpler needs.
8×8 excels in scalability, especially for organisations that need to grow their communication platform across multiple locations or even internationally. Its wide range of plans and omnichannel communication features make it an excellent choice for businesses looking to expand and customise their communication setup.
Feature depth and customisation
8×8 outshines GoTo Connect in terms of advanced features and customisation options, particularly with its contact centre, analytics, and workforce management tools. If your business requires detailed insights into communication performance or needs AI-powered assistance in handling high call volumes, 8×8 is the stronger option.
GoTo Connect, while feature-rich, focuses more on simplicity and ease of use. It’s a solid choice for businesses that want a well-rounded communication platform without getting bogged down by overly technical features or a complex setup process.
Conclusion – GoTo Connect vs 8×8
For UK businesses, both GoTo Connect and 8×8 provide robust communication solutions, but the right choice depends on the scale and complexity of your needs.
If you’re a small to medium-sized business looking for an affordable, easy-to-use platform, GoTo Connect’s plans and features are likely to suit your needs.
However, if your business operates on a larger scale, requires advanced analytics, or has international communication requirements, 8×8’s feature-rich and scalable platform would be the better fit.
In the end, understanding your business’s specific communication requirements, alongside your budget, will help you decide which platform offers the best value.
FAQ
GoTo Connect is simpler and best for SMBs, offering affordable VoIP and collaboration tools. 8×8 is more feature-rich, targeting larger businesses needing advanced analytics, global reach, and AI-powered contact centres. The platforms differ mainly in scalability and depth of customisation.
GoTo Connect is typically better for small businesses due to its ease of use, simpler feature set, and lower price points. It’s designed for quick setup and immediate use without the need for IT management, whereas 8×8 offers more advanced tools that might overwhelm smaller organisations.
8×8 has superior international calling features, offering coverage in 120+ countries with unlimited global calling in its X4 and higher plans. GoTo Connect offers unlimited calling to over 50 countries, which is sufficient for many UK-based SMBs but less comprehensive than 8×8’s global reach.
8×8 offers more extensive video conferencing features, allowing up to 500 participants in its higher-tier plans. GoTo Connect supports up to 150 participants, which is often sufficient for smaller businesses. If you require larger video meetings, 8×8 would be the better choice.
No, 8×8 offers more advanced call analytics with real-time data and AI-driven insights. It provides detailed reports on call performance and customer interactions. GoTo Connect includes basic call analytics, which are suitable for monitoring everyday business operations but lack the depth of 8×8’s tools.
Both GoTo Connect and 8×8 offer full-featured mobile apps for iOS and Android, allowing users to access voice, video, and messaging functions on the go. However, 8×8’s app may be more appealing for businesses needing extensive international calling and advanced analytics from their mobile devices.
GoTo Connect is generally easier to set up, with a focus on user-friendly interfaces and quick onboarding. It’s designed for businesses without extensive IT resources. 8×8, while powerful, can take more time to configure due to its advanced features, especially for contact centres and global use.
GoTo Connect offers more affordable pricing for smaller teams, starting at £15 per user per month. 8×8’s plans begin at £10, but the higher-tier plans that include global features and advanced tools can reach £95 per user. The pricing reflects the different levels of functionality offered.
Yes, both platforms support contact centres. GoTo Connect offers basic contact centre capabilities in its Premium plan, while 8×8 provides a more advanced, AI-driven contact centre solution with features like predictive dialling and workforce management. 8×8’s contact centre is better suited for larger businesses.
8×8 provides more extensive integrations with tools like Microsoft Teams, Salesforce, and Zendesk, making it a strong choice for businesses with complex workflows. GoTo Connect integrates with popular tools like Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace, but the options are more limited compared to 8×8.