CallHippo Review: Features & Alternatives for 2023
This article is part of a larger series on VoIP.
CallHippo is a voice-over-internet-protocol (VoIP) service designed for startups and small businesses with low call volume requirements. Monthly plans start at $35 per user, which includes unlimited local calling, one phone number, an easy-to-use web app, and an interactive voice response (IVR) system. In our CallHippo review, it scored high in features, usability, and customer service—but lower in pricing.
CallHippo Review: At a Glance
What We Liked
- No free trial
- Local numbers support 70+ countries
- IVR on the base plan
- Supports 100+ integrations
What's Missing
- Per-user fee is pricier than RingCentral and Nextiva
- Call forwarding has extra fees
- Lacks video meetings
- No unlimited SMS
- Free business number: CallHippo is one of our best free business phone number apps as it assigns a standard phone number for every paid plan subscriber.
- Creating a market identity in foreign markets: CallHippo earns a spot among the best virtual phone number providers because it supports over 70 countries and has a large pool of virtual numbers to choose from.
- Tracking marketing campaigns: With its call tracking software, CallHippo helps you monitor which marketing channels are driving calls to your business.
- Low call volumes: CallHippo’s office phone system isn’t for bulk calling, which makes it a great fit for solopreneurs or startups experiencing low to average call volumes. Plus, its basic call functionalities won’t overwhelm a small team.
- Unified communications platform: RingCentral is our top business phone system that supports a variety of communications channels, such as voice, video, fax, text, and chat. It also has 200-plus integrations with popular business tools.
- Customer engagement solution: Nextiva is a small business VoIP service that enables users to deliver better customer engagement by combining automation, artificial intelligence (AI), and business applications.
- Unlimited international calling: 8×8 is one of our best international VoIP services because it offers unmetered calls to 48 countries and global phone number support.
CallHippo Deciding Factors
While CallHippo shines as a call center solution, it has an office phone system designed for startups and small teams with low call volumes. It offers additional services for call tracking, speech analytics, and voice broadcasting, which benefits marketers wanting to expand their audience reach.
Best For | Small businesses that focus more on unlimited calling but less on call features |
Standout Features |
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Pricing Plans |
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Annual or Volume Discounts Available |
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Integrations |
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Customer Service | 24/7 support via phone, live chat, and email help desk |
CallHippo Alternatives
CallHippo may not be the best choice for your specific business needs. You may be looking for a VoIP provider with unified communication capabilities, customer engagement tools, or cheaper international calling rates. To help you decide, here are the best alternatives to consider:
Best For | Teams looking for a VoIP provider with robust video meeting tools and team chat. | Companies looking for automation features to enhance customer engagement | Businesses needing global phone service with international phone numbers and unlimited calling |
Monthly Starting Price (per user) | $30 per user | $30.95 | $15 |
Learn More |
CallHippo scored lower in our pricing category because of its costly entry-level pricing and the lack of free trial and volume discounts. With a monthly starting fee of $35 per user, CallHippo focuses on unlimited calls rather than feature inclusions. However, other VoIP providers offer cheaper pricing with access to unlimited calls and robust call management features.
CallHippo Plans | Starter | Professional | Ultimate |
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Best For | Solopreneurs or startups that need IVR and integrations | Teams needing call analytics to measure call performance | Small to mid-sized businesses that need custom greetings and call blocking |
Monthly Pricing (per User) | $35 | $45 | $55 |
Annual Pricing (per User) | $30 | $38 | $42 |
Number of Users | Up to 10 users | Up to 50 users | Up to 50 users |
Unlimited calls to the U.S. & Canada* | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Call History | 6 months | Unlimited | Unlimited |
IVR | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Call Recording | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ |
Reports/Analytics | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ |
Professionally Recorded Greeting | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ |
*CallHippo will automatically cancel your plan if it is observed that bulk calling is happening.
CallHippo’s office phone system focuses on basic call management. All plans include one local phone number, hold music, ring groups, business hours, and integrations. Upgrading to high-tier plans unlocks key features like custom greetings, analytics, and call recordings. It lost points because it doesn’t support video conferencing and instant chat.
CallHippo nearly earned a perfect score because its entry-level plan includes an IVR system and third-party integrations (something most VoIP providers don’t do). It lets you purchase local or toll-free phone numbers in over 70 countries, allowing you to create a local presence and inspire confidence in your customers. Standard rates apply when calling countries outside the U.S.
Click on each item below to discover other CallHippo features:
CallHippo’s call analytics software lets you collect data from phone calls and track call duration, call volume, caller details, and call abandonment rate. It also monitors interactions in other support channels like email and social media. After collecting data, CallHippo uses AI to generate a detailed report containing a summary of your company’s call performance.
CallHippo’s call analytics software allows users to measure call metrics and identify significant trends. (Source: CallHippo)
When calling overseas, it is crucial to consider the time zone of the person you’re calling. CallHippo offers a tool to quickly determine the date and time of a particular country you want to place a call. Once you enter the prefix, it will automatically display the time zone and the country of origin of that number. This tool also works on CRM platforms or across any website.
Find the appropriate time to call a client using CallHippo’s Global Connect. (Source: CallHippo)
We gave CallHippo a perfect rating because of its round-the-clock support coverage via phone, live chat, and email help desk. Although 24/7 phone support is only available for Ultimate accounts, you can visit the CallHippo website to chat with agents. Plus, you can continue the conversation on Twitter, Messenger, or phone.
After testing the CallHippo platform and checking user reviews, we gave it a score of 4.13 for its excellent usability. While most VoIP systems take several days to set up, CallHippo only takes three minutes. Additionally, most customer reviews pointed out that CallHippo’s mobile and web apps are easy to understand and incorporate into their existing workflows.
CallHippo has a user-friendly interface that allows you to monitor call activities accurately. (Source: CallHippo)
Based on our expert review, CallHippo is ideal for businesses needing IVR, integrations, and global phone support without upgrading to high-tier plans. However, getting unlimited calls and a rich feature set doesn’t go hand-in-hand at CallHippo. If you want the best value for your money, there are cheaper solutions that combine unmetered local calls with robust call management tools for less money.
Here are the most recent ratings from other CallHippo reviews on the following sites:
- Trustpilot: 3.8 out of 5 based on 576 reviews
- Software Advice: 4.2 out of 5 based on 410 reviews
- G2: 4.3 out of 5 based on 244 reviews
How We Evaluated CallHippo
We tested CallHippo and checked user feedback on popular review websites. As the basis for our evaluation, we compared it with other popular VoIP systems in the market. From there, we created a scoring system divided into a set of criteria: pricing, general features, niche features, customer service, ease of use, and expert score.
Learn how we evaluated CallHippo by clicking on the tabs below:
20% of Overall Score
We checked for the availability of a free plan, free trial, and discounts for annual billing and volume purchases. We provide additional points if the provider’s base plan costs $30 or less.
25% of Overall Score
We looked at capabilities essential to a VoIP system, such as unlimited calls, audio/video conferencing, and a mobile app. We also considered the type of uptime service level agreement (SLA). CallHippo gets an additional point for the availability of any of these features.
20% of Overall Score
We checked the niche features of CallHippo to see the additional value users get by subscribing. In evaluating phone systems, we check if they offer overseas calling, international numbers, and an IVR system. We also give additional points if it has robust integrations.
10% of Overall Score
We assess the quality of customer service by checking the number of hours and days the support team is reachable. Higher points are given if it operates 24/7. We also looked at the availability of customer support channels, including email, phone, and live chat.
10% of Overall Score
We evaluated CallHippo’s user interface based on its usability and the technical skill required to set up and operate its entire platform. We explored its web portal and mobile app and considered the firsthand experience of its users.
15% of Overall Score
We came up with our expert score by comparing CallHippo against other cloud phone systems. We also consulted recent CallHippo reviews to see what others say about its features, ease of use, cost-effectiveness, and popularity.
Bottom Line
CallHippo is a straightforward VoIP solution for startups and small businesses that prioritize unlimited calls over robust functionalities. Its easy-to-use interface allows users to set up their phone system in less than three minutes. Plus, you can purchase phone numbers in over 70 countries, allowing you to set up a business line in places where you don’t have a physical office. Book a demo with CallHippo’s sales team to learn more about its capabilities.