RingCentral is for mid-sized to large enterprises requiring a unified communications solution that spans voice, SMS, and video, with strong automation and customization capabilities. Its strengths lie in its extensive customization options and the SMS “Automator”. IVR Studio supports complex, multi-level structures, and its call queues allow for flexible call distribution and management.
Meanwhile, 8×8 targets enterprises that prioritize CRM integration, particularly with Salesforce, and advanced communication features like AI-powered IVR. Its queue management and real-time monitoring capabilities also cater to businesses that need in-depth analysis and management of call flows.
However, since both target enterprises and try to do everything, their customer support for smaller businesses seems to be lacking based on online user reviews, and their feature bloat seems to be leading to lower reliability.
This is why we included Nuacom in this comparison.
Nuacom is made for small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) looking for a cost-effective, straightforward, and flexible communication solution with strong capabilities in call management and analysis. And, while call centers aren’t its main target audience, it also comes with a list of features for them.
In this article, we evaluate all three platforms’ benefits and drawbacks and lay out their key features in a side-by-side comparison to help you find the best business phone system for your needs. We’ll cover:
- Call Logs
- IVR Menus
- Caller Queues
- Wallboards
- SMS Features
- Voicemail
- Call Recordings
- and Pricing
So let’s see how RingCentral vs 8×8 vs Nuacom compare in a side-by-side summary.
RingCentral vs 8x8 vs Nuacom: Feature Summary
How do modern VoIPs work?
All three platforms in this comparison use VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) to enable communication.
In other words, they work over internet lines rather than telephone lines.
This way you don’t have to coordinate five different providers to set up a phone system for your business. All you need is an internet connection and a subscription to one of the platforms in this comparison. And if you want physical telephones, you can also use those — no wiring required.
But the benefits don’t stop there.
A VoIP phone system is faster and cheaper to set up. It’s also more customizable. For example, it’s easy to get custom phone numbers that are shareable between devices so you can call people locally — no matter where you are based.
VoIPs are the only practical option for call centers or office phone systems these days, especially when combined with other features that are only possible with digital systems — features we’ll discuss below.
Now, here’s a quick overview of each platform.
What is RingCentral?
RingCentral was founded in 1999 by Vlad Shmunis and Vlad Vendrow with the aim of innovating business communication back when “cloud communication” was still a fresh concept.
RingCentral offers a comprehensive communication solution with features like detailed call logs in its desktop app for easy management and initiation, a user-friendly IVR Studio for creating visual caller flows with up to 250 customizable menus, and efficient call queue management for up to 25 waiting calls. Its Supervisor dashboard in RingCX provides customizable analytics for agent and interaction metrics, while the SMS feature includes an Automator for no-code automation of responses. It also offers sales intelligence, video meetings, and event management solutions, making it a true all-in-one business communication platform.
What is 8x8?
8×8 enhances communication with its Virtual Office app, integrating call logs within Salesforce for detailed record-keeping and accuracy. The IVR Studio supports advanced voice interactions through ASR and NLP, with easy script modifications via pre-built templates. Supervisors can monitor and optimize call flow in real-time with the Supervisor Workspace, while the Contact Center Dashboards offer customizable analytics for operational insights. The Agent Workspace introduces seamless SMS capabilities for X7 and X8 plan customers.
What is Nuacom?
Today, Nuacom serves over 15,000 clients globally as more than just a service but as a strategic communication partner.
It offers a feature-rich User Portal for detailed call log analysis with extensive filtering options, while IVR Menus allow customized call flows, greetings, and responses. Call distribution is managed through advanced queue settings, including agent priority and ring strategies. It also supports SMS functionality, which is integrated into the Softphone app and web portal. Meanwhile, for Enterprise subscribers, the Wallboard displays real-time call metrics, supporting proactive management in call centers.
Now let’s move on to the core of this comparison, where we compare RingCentral’s, 8×8’s, and Nuacom’s features one by one.
RingCentral vs 8x8 vs Nuacom: Call Logs
🤔 What are Call Logs?
Users use Call Logs daily on every platform. They display raw information about the caller and call, which can be used for all kinds of purposes.
🔑 Key Use Cases:
- Office Phone System
- Support
- Call Center
- Sales
- Remote Work
- Team Chat
RingCentral: Call Logs
In RingCentral, you can view call logs on the Phone for Desktop in the “Call log” option.
The Call Log screen categorizes calls into “All,” “Missed,” and “Recordings” tabs, presenting information like caller name, location, and the date or time of the call. Calls are listed chronologically, with the most recent calls at the top, while a search function allows finding specific call records by phone number or caller name. Icons indicate the direction of the call, with right-pointing arrows for incoming calls and left-pointing arrows for outgoing calls.
Detailed call information, including direction, caller ID, location, time, and duration, is accessible via the Call Details screen, where you can also initiate calls or send texts.
8x8: Call Logs
8×8’s Virtual Office app for Salesforce logs calls automatically as Activities or Tasks upon completion, detailing transaction ID, answer time, and call duration.
For inbound and outbound calls, logs are matched to end-user records: a single match directly links the log to a record, while multiple matches link it to the first record listed. Without a match, a note is made of the absence. Agents can later edit incomplete logs via the Call Logs tab, adjusting details at their convenience. The Auto-selected possible match feature automatically aligns call logs with the active user record, which can be manually adjusted to ensure accuracy.
Nuacom: Call Logs
The Nuacom Portal’s Call Log section allows users to filter and review call records using various criteria, including phone number, date range, call type or direction (inbound or outbound), duration, extensions, numbers, queues, tags, and notes.
Calls can be searched by total time (including IVR and wait time) or connected time (duration of conversation).
Verdict: Each platform caters to different priorities: user simplicity, CRM integration, and analytical depth, respectively.
RingCentral provides a straightforward, user-friendly interface for tracking calls with detailed call information and easy searchability. 8×8 integrates with Salesforce, automating call logging and offering smart matching to streamline workflow, especially beneficial for sales and phone support teams relying on CRM. Meanwhile, Nuacom stands out with its advanced filtering options, allowing for in-depth call analysis and management, ideal for businesses requiring detailed call tracking and performance metrics.
RingCentral vs 8x8 vs Nuacom: IVR Menus
🤔 What are IVR Menus?
Interactive Voice Response menus allow callers to interact with prerecorded voice responses. For example, they can help the caller navigate to the correct queue or agent.
🔑 Key Use Cases:
- Office Phone System
- Support
- Call Center
RingCentral: IVR Menus
RingCentral’s IVR Studio is accessible via the Admin Portal.
It features a drag-and-drop interface to create a visual flow of caller actions through nodes — each representing different functions. This allows you to build both single-level and multi-level IVRs and offer up to 250 customizable menus for call management, including after-hours and holiday settings
Creating an IVR involves setting up an IVR group, naming and describing the IVR, and configuring settings such as debug options.
8x8: IVR Menus
The 8×8 IVR Studio allows you to create and modify IVR scripts with objects for variables, testing, and randomization. For example, it can route callers based on language selection, provide queue-based options, or customer agent scoring.
8×8 also allows you to leverage Automated Speech Recognition (ASR) and Natural Language Processing (NLP) so customers can interact with the IVR using only their voice — no buttons required. And it offers pre-built templates for various solutions to make implementation easy.
These options give you a lot of flexibility and customizability but they make 8×8’s IVR settings very complex compared to the other options.
Nuacom: IVR Menus
To set up a call flow with Nuacom’s IVR system, navigate to Settings > IVR Menu.
You can customize IVR Menus with greeting messages, which you can record or generate from text. It also allows you to easily set up call actions for keys pressed by callers, such as forwarding to different departments. Based on your business’ defined open hours, Nuacom allows you to create different IVR responses and route calls or play recorded messages. Additionally, you can set custom actions for public holidays.
Verdict: All three offer unique Interactive Voice Response (IVR) systems: RingCentral for visual IVR journey building, 8×8 for advanced interaction through AI, and Nuacom for a simple, efficient setup and management.
RingCentral’s IVR Studio is a visual, drag-and-drop interface for designing comprehensive IVR flows, and supporting complex, multi-level structures with extensive customization options. 8×8 offers more dynamic scripting capabilities for personalized caller journeys and “Intelligent IVR” — ASR and NLP features for voice-only interactions. Nuacom offers a straightforward setup for IVR menus, focusing on ease of use with customizable greetings, call actions, and scheduling for different times and dates.
RingCentral vs 8x8 vs Nuacom: Queues
🤔 What are Queues?
Caller queues help route callers to the relevant agent.
🔑 Key Use Cases:
- Office Phone System
- Support
- Call Center
- Sales
RingCentral: Queues
RingCentral’s Call Queues distribute incoming calls among a group of users or extensions.
They support up to 25 waiting calls and 15 managers, with options for queue overflow to manage additional calls. Key features include sequential and simultaneous distribution methods, customizable wait settings, and flexibility in managing call-handling settings to optimize the caller experience. Limitations include displaying missed calls as available, restrictions on on-hold music and member list changes, and agent capacity limitations in different ringing modes.
Queue managers can edit settings, change member availability, and manage queue operations to enhance the efficiency of call management.
8x8: Queues
In 8×8, queue management is done within the Supervisor Workspace.
Supervisors can monitor key metrics like waiting interactions, agent availability, and service levels and adjust agent assignments to optimize call flow and meet service demands. Key features include sorting queues by various metrics, marking favorites for priority monitoring, and exporting data for analysis.
The Queue setup involves configuring IVR messages, voicemail settings, and call forwarding rules.
Nuacom: Queues
In Nuacom, Queues organize incoming calls, directing them to groups of agents based on logical or geographical groupings.
They help by automatically distributing calls based on settings: triggering a backup scenario or routing them to agents. Routing is executed based on availability or ring strategies like Ring-all, Linear, or order.
Queues also come with settings like agent priority, display queue names for identification, caller announcements for audible queue identification, wrap-up times for post-call work, ring timeout, total ring time, and actions for unanswered calls. Additional configurations include music on hold, transfer options, caller position notifications, and backup scenarios for internet outages.
They also integrate with Queue Reports to provide insights into call volume, duration, wait times, and caller experiences.
Verdict: Each platform caters to specific needs: RingCentral for versatile call handling, 8×8 for in-depth monitoring and management, and Nuacom for advanced customization and control.
RingCentral excels in flexible call distribution with customizable settings, supporting efficient call handling. 8×8 focuses on real-time queue management and strategic adjustments via Supervisor Workspace. Meanwhile, Nuacom offers extensive customization in call distribution, including various ring strategies and backup options, tailored for detailed management.
RingCentral vs 8x8 vs Nuacom: Wallboard
🤔 What are Wallboards?
Live, on-screen reports for monitoring queues, agents, and performance.
🔑 Key Use Cases:
- Support
- Call Center
- Sales
RingCentral: Wallboard
The RingCX Supervisor dashboard is accessible via the Supervisor page. It comes with two focused views:
- Agents Tab: Lists all agents with details on their state, state duration, pending dispositions, active interactions, and more, providing insights into individual and overall team performance. Meanwhile, metrics like talk time, average time per interaction, and utilization rate give you deeper efficiency and productivity insights.
- Interactions Tab: Offers a real-time view of all active interactions, detailing the channel, duration, and involved agent, along with the origin and subject of the interaction.
Supervisors can also customize the dashboard to include or exclude specific stats, ensuring they have the most relevant information at hand to support and improve agent performance effectively.
8x8: Wallboard
8×8 Contact Center Dashboards offer intuitive visuals for monitoring contact center performance, equipped with custom widgets for real-time and historical data analysis.
Supervisors can track queue activity, agent performance, and status within queues to optimize customer experience. The Contact Center Overview dashboard provides a comprehensive performance snapshot with key widgets. Enhancements include adjustable font sizes for wallboards, a compact view for more data display, and a bold color palette for threshold notifications.
Administrators can run wallboards for live performance monitoring, with the ability to share dashboard data on large screens for broader visibility.
Nuacom: Wallboard
The Nuacom Wallboard is a dynamic tool for monitoring call activity within queues, providing real-time insights into inbound and outbound call metrics such as calls abandoned, completed, and average call times.
The Wallboard is accessible by Account Holders, Admins, and designated non-admins with permissions. It visually represents call statuses, showing when queues are idle and when calls are incoming, active, or completed, allowing for immediate responses to call traffic patterns. This feature, alongside live call monitoring, equips managers with the ability to oversee and intervene in live calls for training or support, enhancing the call center’s efficiency and service quality.
Live call monitoring, which requires a specific setup for users and extensions, offers functionalities like listening, whispering, and barging into calls, further supporting a hands-on management approach to call quality and agent performance.
Verdict: RingCX provides customizable analytics for detailed agent performance insight. 8×8 combines real-time and historical data with visual monitoring for dynamic supervision. Nuacom focuses on real-time call activity via its Wallboard, with features for direct call intervention.
RingCX and 8×8 prioritize deep analytics for enhancing efficiency, whereas Nuacom emphasizes operational insights and immediate response capabilities, offering tools for a proactive approach to call management and agent support.
RingCentral vs 8x8 vs Nuacom: SMS Features
🤔 What are SMS Features?
These include various text messaging features like automation, bulk sending, and call integrations.
🔑 Key Use Cases:
- Support
- Sales
- Remote Work
- Team Chat
- Messaging
- Office Phone System
- Call Center
RingCentral: SMS Features
RingCentral supports SMS communications within the platform, just like a phone messaging app.
But its stand-out feature is the Automator.
The Automator simplifies communication workflows through no-code automation, ideal for setting up SMS auto-replies for various scenarios like out-of-office or after-hours messages.
It’s accessible to account holders and admins and allows workflow customization or creation directly linked to your RingCentral account. Automations include:
- Missed call messages
- Help request responses
- After-hours SMS replies
- Out-of-office notifications
- SMS opt-in/opt-out replies
- And keyword-triggered responses
Users can also manage automations, suggest new ones, and view detailed SMS logs through the Admin Portal.
8x8: SMS Features
Agents can send SMS messages for purposes like confirming orders or sharing instructions with the 8×8 Agent Workspace.
The process is the same as sending personal messages:
- 1. Select an SMS number
- 2. Enter the customer's phone number
- 3. Compose a message
- 4. And then send it.
Agents can also send messages during calls by automatically populating the customer’s phone number.
The 8×8 Contact Center also supports receiving SMS messages from customers and routing them based on agent skills. But this feature is exclusive to customers on the X7 and X8 plans.
Nuacom: SMS Features
The other method is to send SMS or Bulk SMS via the Nuacom Portal.
To access it, log into the Nuacom app, go to the ‘Mobile Text’ tab, and navigate to ‘Send New Message(s)’. This tool allows you to send messages individually or in bulk — to individuals or groups. You can also schedule messages. If you’re sending to a list of numbers, you can use message templates with shortcodes for the recipient’s first and last name.
After filling out all fields, confirm your message details and click ‘Send’.
Verdict: RingCentral stands out with its “Automator” for no-code SMS workflow automation, enabling advanced auto-replies and custom automations, ideal for nuanced communication strategies. 8×8 focuses on integration within its Agent Workspace, allowing SMS during calls and offering SMS routing based on agent skills, though advanced features are limited to higher-tier plans. Nuacom provides flexibility with its Softphone app and portal for both individual and bulk SMS capabilities, including scheduling and the use of message templates.
Each platform caters to different aspects of SMS communication, with RingCentral leaning towards automation, 8×8 integrating SMS into call processes, and Nuacom emphasizing mass messaging flexibility.
RingCentral vs 8x8 vs Nuacom: Voicemail
🤔 What are Voicemail Features?
Voicemail features include voicemail recording and routing options and functionalities that enable agents to manage them.
🔑 Key Use Cases:
- Remote Work
- Team Chat
- Office Phone System
RingCentral: Voicemail
RingCentral’s voicemail system is made to work on its native platform and integrate with the Microsoft ecosystem.
It integrates directly with Outlook and includes a voicemail-to-text transcription feature so users can either listen to or read voicemails as they choose. Another unique RingCentral feature is that agents can modify the “Refused Call Timer” to enable longer wait times before routing to voicemail. This allows the agent to make decisions on the fly to prevent premature call diversions.
Voicemail recordings are currently available in the “Central” system until it phases out by the end of 2025 and transitions to the “User Hub” environment.
8x8: Voicemail
8×8 Work for Desktop offers a voicemail feature to manage voicemails through multiple platforms.
Users can view, manage, delete, and download voicemails online, as well as listen to them via email, phone, or the 8×8 Work apps for Desktop and Mobile. Additional functionalities include filtering voicemails, returning calls directly from messages, and sending messages to voicemail originators within the same system.
Users also have the option to mark voicemails as read or unread, block callers, and create personal contacts directly from voicemail entries.
Nuacom: Voicemail
Nuacom offers a straightforward Voicemail system.
You can access voicemails by pressing the Voicemail button on your handset, dialing *71 on the softphone, or in the voicemail inbox on the web platform. The system allows for multiple voicemail inboxes per account and each user can set up their own voicemail greeting and email notifications.
It’s a simple system for efficient management of voicemails and personalized greetings.
Verdict: Each platform comes with a different blend of complexity and usability.
RingCentral focuses on integration with the Microsoft ecosystem and advanced features like voicemail-to-text and customizable call routing. 8×8 offers multi-platform accessibility with management features like voicemail filtering and direct callbacks from messages. Meanwhile, Nuacom offers a straightforward voicemail solution with easy access and personalization, for users looking for simplicity and efficiency without complex features.
RingCentral vs 8x8 vs Nuacom: Call Recordings
🤔 What are Call Recordings?
Call Recordings allow agents to record their calls either manually or automatically.
🔑 Key Use Cases:
- Sales
- Remote Work
- Team Chat
- Call Center
RingCentral: Call Recordings
RingCentral provides comprehensive call recording features throughout all its apps. Users can initiate, pause, and resume recordings manually during calls or opt for automatic recording settings.
Automatic Call Recording (ACR) is available for Office Advanced and Ultra plan customers.
Admins can set it up in the RingCentral Admin Portal, where they can also manage recording options such as muting sections to protect sensitive information. It automatically records all incoming and outgoing calls without manual input, accessible online or via downloads. While automatic recording is active, agents can mute or unmute to shield confidential information.
Recorded calls are stored in Call Logs and can be played back or downloaded.
8x8: Call Recordings
8×8 Work records calls selectively or automatically and includes features for playback, download, or deletion of recordings.
Both administrators and users can manage call recordings and they can be set up to allow users to:
- Automatically record all calls,
- Turn off recording during calls,
- Choose which sessions to record,
- Oor disable recording for a specific user.
Users can access their recordings via the Home/Call Recordings screen in the 8×8 Application Panel and view recordings by date, apply filters, and manage recordings. They can play back recordings directly within the platform or download them for offline access. When call recordings are configured, users will receive notifications about the recording status.
Nuacom: Call Recordings
Nuacom’s Call Recording feature allows recording for inbound and outbound calls, however, it notifies callers that their call is being recorded.
It allows real-time call recording control — pause the recording by pressing #1 and resume by pressing #3 to maintain privacy or sensitive information. These features are accessible on both Nuacom softphone applications and IP handsets.
Verdict: RingCentral provides a robust feature set, including manual and automatic recording options, with capabilities like muting sensitive parts during a call, making it ideal for businesses that require detailed control over privacy during recordings. 8×8 offers similar functionalities with added flexibility for users to manage recordings directly, such as selective recording and user-specific disablement, catering to environments where varied access and control are necessary. Nuacom, however, focuses on simplicity and customer privacy. It allows recording inbound and outbound calls with basic pause and resume functions, suitable for users needing straightforward recording without the frills.
RingCentral vs 8x8 vs Nuacom: Pricing
🤔 What is the Pricing section?
What you can expect to pay for each platform.
RingCentral: Pricing
RingCentral’s pricing can seem overwhelming at first. It’s split into five modules, each with its own pricing system:
- Phone Systems (previously RingCentral MVP, now RingEX) — Offers three plans: Core ($30/user/month), Advanced ($35/user/month), and Ultra ($45/user/month).
- Contact Center — Offers two plans: RingCX (Starts at $65/agent/month) and RingCentral Contact Center (for enterprise).
- Video — Is modular and based on needs: Video Pro (Free), Video Pro+ ($10/user/month), Webinar ($40/organizer/month), and Rooms for conferences ($49/room/month).
- Events — Designated for event orchestration, the pricing starts at $750/license/year.
- Revenue Intelligence — AI solutions for your entire team; they currently offer only RingSense for Sales with custom pricing.
The Phone Systems and Video modules come with discounts on the annual billing plan.
When it comes to outbound calling, your options will be quite limited. The Phone Systems module offers unlimited voice calls only for domestic calling within the US and Canada. International calls are charged separately.
8x8: Pricing
8×8 offers five pricing plans for unified contact center communication, each unlocking more features and better customer support. The plan prices are hidden and you have to inquire about them through their sales team, but there is some public information available to get a general idea about their pricing. Here’s a summary:
- X2 plan (~$28/user/mo) — Unlimited calls to 14 countries (landline & mobile to 4 countries and landline-only to 10 countries), HD video and audio conferencing, SMS, MMS, team chat, and Microsoft Teams integration. Doesn’t include any core contact center features.
- X4 plan (~$57/user/mo) — Everything in the X2 plan, unlimited calls to 48 countries (landline & mobile to 36 countries and landline-only to 12 countries), 8x8 Frontdesk for receptionists and operators, supervisor analytics, monitor, whisper, and barge features. Doesn’t include any core contact center features.
- X6 plan — Skills-based routing, IVR, call recording CRM, reporting & analytics, CX journey mapping, choose from metered or unmetered call bundles.
- X7 plan — Everything in X6, omni-channel support for social media, live chat, email, SMS, and video, co-browsing.
- X8 plan — Everything in X7, quality management, and speech and text analytics.
If we compare RingCentral and 8×8, it’s apparent that 8×8 is more affordable for the features it includes on the low-end plans.
Its plans include features you’d have to get different modules for with RingCentral. For example, even though the phone system features start at about the same price, if you want useful video conferencing, 8×8 includes it on the most basic plan, while with RingCentral you’d have to upgrade to Video Pro+.
While it’s hard to judge if the same is true on the high-end plans, users have mentioned on online forums that RingCentral is one of the most expensive options.
Nuacom: Pricing
Nuacom’s pricing is simply split into two use cases:
- 1. Business Communication with three plans:
- Essentials — £9.99/user/month (4 user minimum) for businesses with simple needs.
- Unlimited — £24.99/user/month (2 user minimum) for more complex needs.
- Enterprise — £34.99/user/month (2 user minimum) for large and multi-site enterprises.
- 2. And Contact Center which accommodates call centers with complex needs and is tailored to your unique requirements.
Nuacom offers a 14-day free trial, so you can easily try and test all the features before fully committing.
Verdict: RingCentral’s modular pricing system, although complex, offers flexibility, allowing businesses to tailor the services to their exact needs, making it suitable for companies with varied requirements and budgets.
8×8’s tiered pricing model is made to grow with a company’s needs. However, the hidden price details and lack of a free plan might deter those looking for quick, straightforward solutions.
Nuacom offers a straightforward and accessible pricing model (and the lowest price per user) compared to RingCentral and 8×8, making it an attractive option for smaller businesses or those with simpler needs. And when it comes to international calling, Nuacom gives you the best options for the lowest cost.
RingCentral vs 8x8 vs Nuacom: Final Verdict
Frankly, RingCentral, 8×8, and Nuacom are all solid choices.
We laid out their main features to help you decide, but the final decision comes down to determining your business needs. Based on our tests and research, here’s what we recommend:
- RingCentral is the best fit for large enterprises looking for a full-featured, customizable communication platform that can integrate with various business tools and processes.
- 8x8 appeals to enterprises that require direct CRM integration and advanced communication technologies to enhance customer interaction and experience.
- Nuacom is one of the best VoIP providers for SMBs that prioritize ease-of-use and cost-effectiveness, and require detailed call management capabilities with minimal feature or cost bloat.
If you want to test them yourself: Nuacom offers a full free trial, RingCentral offers trials for some products (if you can get them to work) while its demos are surface level, and 8×8 only offers demos.
If you’re not sure which one will work best for you, your best bet is to call us! We regularly help businesses in their search for a reliable phone system and we’ll be glad to point you in the right direction.
But you don’t have to take our word for it, here’s what our trusted users are saying about us:
