Written by Aimee Bradshaw Updated on April 10, 2019 On this page Introducing 8×8 The features and benefits of 8×8’s three main packages 8x8 Express 8x8 X Series 8x8 Contact Center How much does an 8×8 phone system cost? Is 8×8 the right supplier for my business? What do 8×8’s customer reviews say? Expert verdict Expand 8×8 phone systems empower the communications of over one million business users around the world – will it empower your business? ✔ Pros:Tailored business solutionsWide range of productsSoftware and handset packages availableInnovator of unified communicationsX Cons:Cloud-based phone systems onlyCall quality reliant on internet connection At a glance: 8×8 is a leading supplier within the communications industry, offering a range of products and services that are tailored to various sectors and business sizes. Its products start as low as $12/month, and with a 30 day free trial period, there's no commitment until you know you've made the right choice for your business. Introducing 8×88×8 offers three main products: 8×8 Express, 8×8 X Series, and 8×8 Contact Centre. The products are designed with all business sizes in mind, which means you’ll always be provided with a phone system that’s suited precisely to your needs.The software included in all of 8×8’s packages is compatible with a huge variety of integrations. This gives you the ability to completely unify your communications – view phone calls, texts, emails and instant messages all on one platform.In addition to supplying sophisticated phone system software, 8×8 offers a range of hardware, including handsets, headsets, analogue phone adapters, and other accessories.All of this makes 8×8 your one-stop-phone-system-shop, and means that the process of investing in its phone system should be smooth and hassle-free.Read on to find out more about 8×8’s products. Alternatively, you can use our comparison service to rate 8×8 against other phone system suppliers. Click here to provide us with a little bit of information about your business, and up to four suppliers that best match your needs will be in touch with tailored quotes and more information. Quick Facts:8×8 empowers over one million business users around the worldWith over 150 patents to its name, 8×8 is a leader in driving global communications 8×8 Features and BenefitsWe’ve broken this section down to include the features and benefits of three of 8×8’s key products.The three main 8×8 products are:8×8 Express8×8 X Series8×8 Contact CentreFirst off, Have a look at our table to find out which products would best suit your business:Small businessesGrowing businessesMedium-sized businessesEnterprise businesses8×8 Express✔✔✘✘8×8 X Series – X2, X4, X6, X8✘✔✔✔8×8 Contact Centre✘✔✔✔Now let’s look at each product in more detail. 8×8 ExpressBest for small businesses Main Features:Unlimited calling in the US and CanadaHD voice qualityBasic call handlingHD audio and video conferencingMobile and desktop app integrations 8×8 Express may be 8×8’s most basic product – but it’s actually far from basic. It’s a phone system that has been especially designed to launch small businesses off the ground, with all the features you need to take your business to the next level.It doesn’t have all the fanfare of 8×8’s larger phone system packages, so you won’t be paying for features that you won’t use. And, if you do outgrow your phone system, you can easily upgrade to 8×8’s X Series, which we cover in the section below.The downsideBear in mind that this basic package doesn’t offer call recording. This is fine if all you need is calling, conference calls, and customer journey management. However, if you’re looking to use past calls to train up your sales team, it could be worth looking at a lower tier X Series phone system. 8×8 X SeriesBest for fast-growing, medium, and enterprise businesses Main Features:4 price plans to choose from – X2, X4, X6, and X8Advanced auto attendant and call handling across all plansUnlimited calling across multiple countries (number dependent on price plan)Voicemail transcriptionCRM integrationAnalytics and call quality reporting Whether you’re a fast-growing business or an enterprise business at the top of its game, the 8×8 X Series should have a package to meet your requirements. With four tiers to choose from, the 8×8 X Series can also grow alongside your business, which means you’ll always have the communication tools you need.The X Series is especially great for larger businesses looking to manage overseas call spending. This is because each package includes unlimited calling to a number of foreign countries (the X4, X6, and X8 plans offer the most, with unlimited calls to 47 countries!)The downsideThe X2 package doesn’t include call analytics and call quality reporting, so you’ll have to purchase either the X4 or X6 package if you want to ensure that your business is taking as much valuable data as possible from its phone calls. 8×8 Contact Center Main Features:Call analytics, including historical and real-time reportsIntegrates with CRM software, including Salesforce, and ZendeskOmnichannel routing – see all communications on one platformSupervisor tools, including performance plans, and coaching tools Whether you’re looking for software for your in-house team, or you’re a call center agency that takes calls on behalf of a number of clients, 8×8 Contact Center will provide you with heaps of tools to help you run your call center like clockwork.The downsideIt’s great that 8×8’s call center software has lots of features for you to use, but it does mean that it’s not the easiest system to get to grips with. You may want to think about training an in-house team to assist new starters, so they can become familiar with the system as quickly as possible. How Much Does an 8×8 Phone System Cost?Thankfully, 8×8 is transparent with most of its software prices, so when it says its prices start at $12/month, you know it's true. You can also look at its range of handsets and accessories to gauge how much an entire phone system could cost your business.Below, we’ve provided you with a brief breakdown of software costs.Express SeriesX2X4X6X8Contact Center1-99 users$12 per user/per month$25 per user/per month$45 per user/per month$110 per user/per month$172 per user/per monthPricing bespoke100-999 users$12 per user/per month$23 per user/per month$43 per user/per month$107 per user/per month$172 per user/per monthPricing bespoke1,000+ usersN/A$21 per user/per month$41 per user/per month$102 per user/per month$162 per user/per monthPricing bespokeAnd here’s a taste of its hardware costs:Basic phone$75 per handsetStandard phone$160 per handsetAdvanced phone$350 per handsetSo how much could an 8×8 phone system cost you? Below, we’ve provided some suggested costs per business size, based on a standard phone system:Initial hardware costOngoing monthly costSmall business (20 users)$3,200$240Medium business (100 users)$16,000$2,300Enterprise business (300 users)$48,000$32,100These costs only give you a ballpark figure – the prices will change depending on how many users you require, and the handsets you need. And don't forget, 8×8 also offers a 30 day free trial period, so you can ensure you're investing in the right package for you before you commit to a contract.For a true idea of how much a phone system will cost your business, you may be better off receiving accurate phone system costs. Click here to provide us with a few details about your business, then Expert Market-approved suppliers will be in touch with customized quotes and more information. It only takes a minute – and we do all the hard work for you! Is 8×8 the Right Supplier for my Business?Is 8×8 the right choice for my small business?In a nutshell – yes. Its products have been designed with businesses of all sizes in mind, which means you’re never paying for features you don’t need, nor do you ever need to compensate for a lack of features.8×8’s Express product is ideal for small businesses, with its no-frills feature list ensuring small businesses benefit from a great phone system, without having to pay for things that they don’t need.Does 8×8 cater for medium to enterprise businesses?Thanks to its three tier system, the X Series offers something for medium to large businesses, too. Plus, it easily allows you to upgrade your phone system as your demands grow.And with a huge range of hardware available, you’ll be able to choose the best handset for each user or each department. This means you’ll be able to create the perfect phone system for your company.What else should I consider?8×8 is a hosted VoIP supplier. This means it specialises in supplying phone systems that are hosted on an offsite server. A hosted phone system is the most cost-effective VoIP solution, as it requires less hardware, and no in-house team to maintain it.Read more: Telephone system featuresWhile this is great news for businesses that require hosted VoIP, those that prefer the idea of self-hosting their VoIP system will have to look at other providers. Self-hosted VoIP is often preferred by businesses that require a bespoke phone system, such as hospitals and large corporations.The following suppliers offer self-hosted phone systems:MitelDigium Eligible for Phone System Quotes? Click your state below to find out AK AL AR AZ CA CO CT DE FL GA HI IA ID IL IN KS KY LA MA MD ME MI MN MO MS MT NC ND NE NH NJ NM NV NY OH OK OR PA RI SC SD TN TX UT VA VT WA WI WV WY What do 8×8’s Customers Say?You should always look at customer reviews before you buy. So to help you out, we’ve trawled popular review sites across the web to provide you with an overview of 8×8’s customer consensus.The product8×8’s customers are generally very happy with the product they receive. Customers mention that it’s intuitive to use, reliable, and meets their needs. It’s not a complete clean sweep, though. As seen with a lot of tech-heavy products, there are cases where customers complain of glitches, which can often take some time to resolve.Here’s a comment from one of 8×8’s customers: “I like the convenience of knowing at a glance who is on a call (via the Virtual Office desktop). My favorite feature is probably receiving my voicemails through my email software. I get my email to my mobile phone, so I like being able to listen to the messages and respond to my clients as the calls come in.”Jessica, Office AdministratorCustomer service8×8 is a large business, therefore its customer service isn’t always perfect. While many customers give rave reviews about its customer service team, others haven’t had the same experience. That being said, 8×8 does have a presence on online forums, which enables them to pick up on any negative customer reviews, and resolve them.Rachel, President of her own small business, says: “We love having a dedicated account rep and a great team who is always helpful to walk you through any account setup or changes on the phone.” Expert VerdictThere’s no doubt that 8×8’s telephone products have been designed to meet the needs of a huge range of businesses. Its expertise spreads across recruitment, retail, manufacturing, and legal industries – to name just a few – and across small, medium, and enterprise businesses.It’s not without its limitations, though. Because it offers purely cloud-based (hosted) phone systems, its products won’t provide you with the same scope for customization as a self-hosted system would. And due to the size of the company, it doesn’t have a perfect customer service reputation.That being said, 8×8 still remains a hugely popular choice. It’s an innovative company paving the way for future advances in telecommunication technology.But 8×8 isn’t the only telephone system supplier that does all of this. In fact, there are lots of suppliers that can offer you the same level of expertise and credibility. So why not compare prices from all of them?Our comparison service makes it super easy for you to receive and compare quotes from top telephone system suppliers. Just click here to provide us with a few details about your business, and the suppliers that best match your requirements will be in touch!Alternative Telephone System SuppliersIf you don’t think 8×8 can provide you with the telephone system you’re looking for, why not take a look at some other supplier reviews from Expert Market?RingCentralMitelNextivaDigium Aimee Bradshaw Writer and researcher Aimee is Expert Market’s resident telephone systems and point of sale go-to. If she’s not writing about business products, you’ll find her daydreaming about dog walking on Dorset beaches.