Best Cold Calling Software? I Reviewed 40+ Dialers to Pick Top 7

TLDR

1. I found 40+ cold calling software online
2. Ran them through a checklist based on: affordability, dialing features, connect rate, call quality, integrations, AI features, user reviews
3. Based on this, I shortlisted 7 tools that stood out

What am I going to talk about?

1. How to get phone numbers for cold calling?
2. How to choose the best cold calling software?
3. Best dialers for cold calling reviewed
4. Why not use Skype or Google Voice for cold calling?
5. Is cold calling legal?

After publishing those, I started getting requests to cover cold calling software.

One even emailed me saying he read a bunch of listicles but couldn’t find a single useful breakdown of tools.

So here I am with a no-fluff guide to 9 best cold calling software, after reviewing 40+ cold calling dialers.

But wait… what about the phone numbers?

Yes, you need dialers to make calls. But without phone numbers, who are you going to call?

That’s why every dialer needs to be paired with a phone number collection tool.

That’s where Lobstr.io helps.

Where Lobstr.io fits in your cold calling stack?

You can pull numbers from:

1. Google Maps
2. Facebook
3. Business directories
4. Real estate listing sites

It auto-exports data to Google Sheets, runs on schedules, and collects full profiles along with numbers.

Here's a full guide on how to collect phone numbers using Lobstr.io.

Pricing starts at $1 per 1k numbers and goes as low as $0.5 per 1k at scale, which is dirt cheap compared to what you pay for a dialer.

But Lobstr.io does not have phone number enrichment and validation yet. It is in the works and will be live soon.

If you specifically need enrichment today to build ICPs or validate existing data, I have already compared the best options for you here:

Alright, now that we have the data part sorted, let’s get into how I chose the best cold calling software.

How to choose the best cold calling software?

Before I even get into the list, let me share how I did this.

Who am I looking these tools for?

Not every tool is built for every business.

Enterprises have budgets and teams to test whatever they want. They can run pilots, compare tools, and switch whenever.

Small and mid-sized businesses don’t always have that luxury. They want clarity before they invest.

So I made this research focused on SMBs.

What was I looking for?

I started with the obvious, find every cold calling software I could.

I went through listicles on Google, scrolled through Reddit threads and X posts, and even asked AI tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, Grok, Claude, and Perplexity.

From this, I compiled a list of 41 cold calling software that people actually recommend.

The next step was figuring out what really matters.

Where do people usually struggle?

To answer this, I read reviews on Capterra, G2, TrustPilot, checked what sellers complain about on social media and sales communities, and pulled together a checklist.

1. Type of dialers
2. Connect rate and call quality
3. Affordability
4. CRM, data, and workflow integrations
5. AI features
6. Ease of use
7. Compliance with US and EU laws

When people talk about cold calling software, most of the time they mean dialers. But there isn’t just one type.

Types of dialers

Most people don’t know what type of dialer they actually need. A lot of them don’t even know how many types of dialers there are.

Mainly there are 5 types of dialers for cold calling.

1. Parallel dialer
2. Power dialer
3. Progressive dialer
4. Predictive dialer
5. Preview dialer

Parallel Dialer

A parallel dialer calls multiple leads at the same time and connects you to the first person who picks up. The rest are dropped. It’s built for speed.

Best for:

Huge outbound campaigns, early-stage outreach, or when you just want max conversations per hour.

Drawbacks:

High chance of silent or abandoned calls, which can annoy prospects and even get you into compliance trouble.

Zero room for personalization. And if your system isn’t efficient, call quality suffers.

Power Dialer

This one dials the next number as soon as you’re done with a call. It filters out voicemails and busy signals so you don’t waste time.

Best for:

SMB teams that want more call volume but don’t want to go full-blown call center mode. Great for cold and warm outreach where speed matters more than deep personalization.

Drawbacks:

You don’t get much prep time. Calls can feel rushed, and reps can burn out from nonstop dialing. If pacing isn’t handled well, you could run into compliance issues.

Progressive Dialer

A progressive dialer is similar to a power dialer but more controlled. It auto-dials the next lead only when you’re available, and it keeps it to one call per rep at a time.

Best for:

Mid-sized campaigns, follow-ups, or industries where compliance is a big deal. It’s a balance between speed and quality.

Drawbacks:

Not as fast as predictive or parallel dialers. Idle time can creep in if your list isn’t great. And you don’t get as much prep time compared to a preview dialer.

Predictive Dialer

This one uses algorithms to dial ahead of time. It looks at agent availability and average call times, then makes sure a live call is waiting when you’re free.

Best for:

High-volume teams or call centers where the only goal is to maximize connects.

Drawbacks:

Aggressive pacing can lead to abandoned calls, which hurts compliance. Agents get almost no prep time. It’s also harder to set up and maintain than other dialer types.

Preview Dialer

A preview dialer shows you prospect details before you call. You can review history, notes, or CRM data, then choose to dial or skip.

Best for:

Complex B2B sales where personalization is more important than speed. Also handy if you’re in a regulated industry and need careful messaging.

Drawbacks:

Fewer calls per hour. Agents may waste time overthinking or skipping too many leads. If the list is weak, idle time becomes a problem.

Other factors that matter

Connect rate and call quality

The whole point of a dialer is to get someone on the line. If the tool has bad connect rates or drops calls, it’s useless.

So I shortlisted tools that had positive reviews about maintaining stable call quality, handling busy signals smartly, and didn't add weird delays.

Affordability

SMBs can’t afford bloated enterprise pricing and long contracts.

So I shortlisted tools that hit the sweet spot that fits your budget without cutting out the features you actually need.

CRM, data, and workflow integrations

A dialer on its own is half-baked. It should sync with your CRM, data and workflow tools. Otherwise, you’ll spend more time copying and pasting than selling.

So my list also takes integrations into account.

AI features

In 2025, AI isn’t a bonus anymore, it’s expected. Transcriptions, post-call summaries, conversation analysis, and smart dialing are now standard.

A tool missing these is already behind.

Ease of use

Your reps shouldn’t need a week of training to make calls. A clean interface and simple workflows save time and help teams adopt the tool faster.

So I skipped tools with a steep learning curve.

Compliance with US and EU laws

Cold calling is heavily regulated. From TCPA in the US to GDPR in Europe, compliance is non-negotiable.

The right dialer should make it easy to stay within legal limits, not expose you to risks.

So I made sure each tool has a clear compliance policy mentioned on its website.

How did I review them?

I am not a full-time sales rep dialing numbers all day. And I obviously don’t have the resources or months to test every tool manually.

So I built my list based on what actual users say after using these tools day in and day out.

I studied user reviews on Capterra, G2, and TrustPilot, and read what experiences sales reps share on Reddit, X, and other social media sites.

I also looked at which tools consistently get recommended inside sales communities.

And after all that homework, here’s my final list.

4 Best cold calling software of 2025

Here’s a quick comparison to set the stage before the deep dive.

1. CloudTalk

Rating:

1. Capterra: 4.4 (67 reviews)
2. G2: 4.4 (1,483 reviews)

Top features

1. Business phone system
2. Parallel, power, and preview dialers
3. AI conversation intelligence
4. AI voice agents
5. Number management
6. A lot of integrations

Connect rate and call quality

This is one area where CloudTalk struggles. Users report poor connections, dropped calls, and even the UI failing during critical call flows.

Low connect rates are another recurring complaint.

Ease of use

Ease of use is CloudTalk’s strong point.

Users find the interface clean and intuitive, which makes daily communication smooth. It doesn’t take long to get the hang of it.

Integrations, especially with HubSpot, are highly rated. Customer support also stands out for being quick, responsive, and cooperative.

AI features

CloudTalk is heavy on AI.

You get AI-powered dialers, AI voice agents, and conversation intelligence that automatically handles transcriptions, notes, and sentiment analysis.

Compliance

Compliance is clearly documented.

CloudTalk claims to be GDPR, CCPA, and HIPAA compliant, along with other certifications available on their website.

Pricing

1. Phone system costs from $19 to $49 per month
2. Add-ons: Power dialer $15/month, Parallel dialer $39/month
3. Conversation intelligence and AI voice agents sold separately

How much do you actually pay?

On the surface, CloudTalk looks affordable. But once you start adding the features you really need, the price rises fast.

If you need a phone system with a power dialer and conversation intelligence, you’ll be paying $43/user/month.

Add an AI voice agent, and it’s another $0.25 per call/minute. Want CRM or workflow integrations? That’s an extra $10/user/month.

So your basic plan practically starts at $53/month + $0.25 per minute.

Best for

SMBs that want an easy-to-use AI-powered dialer with strong integrations. Just be ready for add-on pricing, because most of the features you’ll want cost extra.

2. PhoneBurner

Rating:

1. Capterra: 4.8 (178 reviews)
2. G2: 4.7 (262 reviews)

It positions itself as a connections-first dialer and also supports multi channel outreach with calling, email, and SMS in one workflow.

Top features

1. Power dialer with spam protection
2. Built-in CRM
3. One-click phone, email, and SMS
4. Workflow automation
5. Smart call filtering

Connect rate and call quality

This is the strong point of PhoneBurner. Users praise its call quality and connect rates, which the company itself promotes heavily.

A few users reported ongoing call quality issues, but these complaints are not common.

The bigger limitation is that PhoneBurner only supports the US and Canada, which restricts global outreach.

Integrations

PhoneBurner offers 15 native integrations including HubSpot, Salesforce, and Zoho. For everything else, it relies on Zapier or Integrately.

It also provides APIs and webhooks. Some users mentioned integration issues, especially when connecting with Salesforce.

AI features

PhoneBurner is not an AI-heavy tool. It has transcription, note taking, and noise cancellation powered by AI, but that is all.

Ease of use

Users find PhoneBurner intuitive and easy to set up.

Customer support is highly rated, especially for its personalized onboarding that helps new users get productive faster.

Some users do complain about missing features and wish it had multi-line dialing and more flexible number management.

Compliance

Pricing

1. Plans: $165 to $215 per month per user
2. Add-ons: number tracking, smart filters, etc.

How much do you actually pay?

Users often call PhoneBurner expensive.

The base plan costs $165 per month for cold calling and workflow automation.

For features like softphone dialing, live monitoring, and API access, you need to move up to the Pro plan at $195 per month.

For transcriptions, call backs, and SMS, add another $20 per month.

Best for

Sales teams in the US and Canada that want a reliable power dialer with strong call quality and workflow automation, but can afford the higher per-user cost.

3. Aircall

Rating:

1. G2: 4.4 (1,377 reviews)
2. Capterra: 4.2 (451 reviews)

Aircall is a US-based platform founded in 2014. It positions itself as an AI-powered communications system built primarily for call centers.

Top features

1. Power dialer
2. IVR
3. Call routing
4. CTI integration
5. Click to dial
6. WhatsApp messaging inside Aircall CRM

Connect rate and call quality

Many users appreciate Aircall for its reliability, strong call quality and the call recording feature.

On the other side, some reviews point to dropped calls, clarity issues on international calls, slow loading, and problems during conference calls.

Integrations

Aircall offers 130+ integrations plus API support for custom setups. It works with almost all popular CRMs, data tools, outreach tools, and workflow platforms.

AI features

Aircall includes AI-powered conversation intelligence with features like transcription, notes, and insights. It also offers AI voice agents.

Ease of use

Users like Aircall’s clean interface and simple dashboard.

The analytics are detailed, and customer support is responsive. However, users in the UK complain about number format issues.

Compliance

Pricing

1. Plans: $40 or $70 per month per user
2. AI features are add-ons

How much do you actually pay?

Aircall requires at least 3 users, so you cannot buy a single-user subscription.

Which means, to use the power dialer, you’ll be paying $210 per month + conversation intelligence starts at $9 per user per month.

AI voice agents are billed at $0.50 per minute.

So in reality, you’ll be paying about $237/month for cold calling with conversation intelligence, plus $0.50/minute for voice agents.

Best for

Call centers and teams that need a scalable phone system with strong integrations and AI add-ons, and have the budget to cover the higher entry cost.

4. Dialpad

Rating:

1. G2: 4.4 (3,919 reviews)
2. Capterra: 4.2 (559 reviews)

Top features

1. Power dialer (Salesforce-embedded)
2. Voicemail drop
3. Real-time AI transcription
4. AI live coaching and assist cards
5. Salesforce and HubSpot integrations with auto-logging

Connect rate and call quality

Users often praise Dialpad’s clear call quality and reliable transcription, but there are complaints too.

Frequent issues include dropped calls, connection delays, problems with transcripts, and recording failures.

International calls and heavy usage can impact performance.

Integrations

Dialpad supports 80+ integrations across popular CRMs, outreach tools, and data platforms. Salesforce and HubSpot are its most highlighted integrations.

AI features

AI is Dialpad’s big selling point. Features include live transcription, sentiment analysis, AI playbooks, and coaching tools.

Users specifically like transcription and summaries, which make reviewing calls easier.

Ease of use

Users consistently describe Dialpad as easy to use and quick to set up. The interface is modern and intuitive.

But some users complain about some connectivity bugs and contact recognition issues.

Compliance

Pricing

1. Dialpad Connect: $27–$35 per user per month
2. Dialpad Sell: $49–$170 per user per month
3. Multiple add-ons available

How much do you actually pay?

For cold calling, most teams would need both Dialpad Sell and Connect.

The typical combo is Sell Advanced and Connect Standard, which together cost about $137/user/month.

Users still call Dialpad expensive because of add-ons, taxes, and regulatory fees.

Best for

Teams that want an AI-heavy platform for sales calls, coaching, and analytics, and can handle higher costs for the combined suite.

That’s my top 4 list.

Now, besides these, I kept seeing 3 tools pop up again and again on social media and in community discussions.

At first glance, they looked like strong contenders. But when I dug deeper, I realized they’re not the best fit for this list.

Still, they’re solid platforms in their own right, and they do deserve a quick shoutout here.

3 Dialers for cold calling that didn’t make it to the final list

5. Orum

I kept seeing it pop up on Reddit and X whenever people discussed dialers, so I gave it a closer look.

Best features

1. AI dialer with parallel, power, and one-click modes
2. Pulse for real-time call visibility and insights
3. AI roleplay for practicing sales conversations
4. AI scorecards that grade calls automatically
5. Coaching suite with live streaming and review tools

How much does it cost?

Orum charges $250 per user per month, with a minimum of 3 users. That means you are forced to drop $750 every month just to get started.

And that is before the hidden add-ons show up. Users already call it overpriced, and they are right.

Why is it not on the list?

Firstly, it’s damn expensive. Like toooooooo expensive.

The 2nd main reason is… a lot of complaints about software bugs, dropped calls, poor audio quality, and clunky navigation.

The ratio between negative and positive reviews is too narrow, and I have better options in the list so I decided to keep it out.

It also misses simple things like a basic dialpad and wider integrations.

Best for

Enterprise teams that want heavy AI coaching features and don’t mind unreliable performance or vague pricing.

6. Nooks

Best features

1. AI-powered parallel and power dialing
2. Skip voicemails and answering machines automatically
3. Real-time coaching during calls
4. CRM integrations with Salesforce and HubSpot
5. Automatic call logging and enrichment

How much does it cost?

Nooks should come with a free defibrillator because this pricing will stop your heart if you're an SMB.

If your startup budget can handle Nooks, you’re not a startup anymore.

Why it’s not in the list

Price is the first deal breaker.

But even if you can afford it, users report dropped calls, connection delays, and poor tracking features.

Many complain about the connect rate being nowhere near what the marketing promises.

Best for

Well-funded sales teams that want a virtual sales floor experience and do not mind paying enterprise-level prices for mixed results.

7. Mojo

Best features

1. Power, progressive, and parallel dialers
2. Built-in CRM with lead tracking and follow-up scheduling
3. Unlimited calls with no per-minute fees
4. Caller ID whitelisting to boost connect rates

How much does it cost?

Mojo is one of the most affordable dialers around. Pricing starts at $149 per month, and you can even build a custom plan.

Why it’s not in the list

First, lack of reviews. Authentic user reviews on G2 or Capterra are almost nonexistent, and reviews are the backbone of this article.

Second, bad connection rates and slow dialer. Many users complain about frequent drops and poor call quality.

Third, it’s region-restricted to the US only.

And fourth, Mojo still runs on old-school copper-based systems instead of VoIP, which means fewer modern features and integrations.

Best for

US-based real estate agents who need a cheap, all-in-one dialer and don’t care about international reach or modern VoIP flexibility.

And that’s it. That was my full list of best cold calling software.

But can I simply use Skype or Google Voice for calling?

Why not use Skype or Google Voice for cold calling?

You can use them. But if you’re serious about cold calling, here’s why they’re a bad fit:

1. Feature limitations
2. Reliability and quality
3. Regulatory risk
4. Scaling problems

They don’t give you the sales stack you need.

No auto dialer, no CRM integrations, no call tracking, no proper team workflows. At best, you’re left with a basic click-to-call app.

Call quality is hit or miss.

Lag, dropped calls, and fuzzy audio are common, and every glitch costs you a potential customer.

There’s also the legal side.

These tools don’t help you with Do Not Call lists or telemarketing compliance, so you’re taking all the risk on yourself.

And when you try to scale, you’ll quickly see the wall.

No dashboards, no scripts, no analytics. Just a consumer tool pretending to do a sales job.

But is it even legal to do cold calling?

Is cold calling legal?

The short answer: yes. But in both the US and EU, it’s regulated. You can make calls, but you have to follow the rules or risk fines.

In the US

Cold calling is governed mainly by:

1. Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA, 1991)
2. Telemarketing Sales Rule (TSR)
3. National Do Not Call Registry
4. Telemarketing and Consumer Fraud and Abuse Prevention Act
5. State-level telemarketing laws

What you can and can’t do:

1. You need prior consent if you use an auto dialer or prerecorded voice
2. You must scrub every list against the DNC registry
3. Only call between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. local time
4. You must identify yourself and your company clearly
5. Violations cost between $500 and $1,500 per call

In the EU

Cold calling falls under:

1. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
2. ePrivacy Directive
3. Proposed ePrivacy Regulation (not in force yet)
4. National Do Not Call or “Do Not Contact” registers in EU member states

What you can and can’t do:

1. For consumers, you usually need explicit opt-in consent before calling
2. For businesses, you can sometimes rely on “legitimate interest,” but opt-outs must always be respected
3. You must be transparent about who you are and why you’re calling
4. Call data, call scripts, recorded calls, and follow-up emails all fall under GDPR rules
5. Some countries like Germany and France apply even stricter restrictions

FAQs

Why do salespeople prefer auto dialers over manual calling?

Auto-dialing skips voicemails, busy tones, and wrong numbers.

That means sales reps can streamline outreach, log calls automatically, and connect with more potential customers in less time.

How do dialers help with lead management?

Good cold calling software logs calls, tracks call notes, and syncs contact information directly into your CRM.

This way, salespeople spend less time on data entry and more time closing deals.

What’s the difference between inbound calls and outbound calls in cold calling tools?

Inbound calls are when customers call you (like a support line). Outbound calls are when your sales team reaches out to potential customers.

Dialers are built mainly for outbound sales.

How do contact centers use cold calling software differently than small teams?

Contact centers focus on high-volume outbound sales and need features like call routing, call tracking, and multiple touchpoints.

Small teams usually just need a power dialer, CRM sync, and mobile app access.

Do dialers really help SDRs close deals?

Not directly. Dialers optimize the sales process by giving SDRs more conversations per hour.

Deals close when those touchpoints are followed up with emails, call notes, and CRM data.

What’s the benefit of pre-recorded messages in auto dialers?

Pre-recorded message drops save reps time. Instead of leaving the same voicemail 50 times, SDRs hit one button and move to the next call.

What role does local number functionality play in cold calling campaigns?

Using a local number boosts connect rates. Potential customers are more likely to answer if the caller ID looks familiar.

Conclusion