The best auto dialer depends on how many calls your team makes and how strict your rules are: a power dialer suits small sales teams, a predictive dialer suits high-volume call centres, and a campaign dialer suits nonprofits and political phone banks. Ten options follow in no particular order.
An auto dialer dials phone numbers from a list for you, so reps spend their time talking instead of tapping in numbers and listening to ringing. It's one of the quickest ways to lift the number of real conversations a sales team has each day. The difference between types is how many lines they dial at once and how they handle nobody answering.
The ten tools below are listed alphabetically and in no particular order. Every description comes from the vendor's own site, read this week. If your reps freeze once someone picks up, my cold call opening lines swipe file will help more than any dialer.
Auto dialers compared
In the free plan column, Yes means the tool's own site names a free plan, a free version, a free tool or an open source edition. Trial only means a time-limited trial. Not stated means the pages I read named neither, even where there's a button inviting you to try it.
| Tool | Type | Good for | Free plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| CallHub | Campaign calling and texting | Political and nonprofit campaigns | Not stated |
| CloudTalk | AI call centre software | Small sales teams adding AI voice agents | Trial only |
| Convoso | Outbound call centre dialer | High-volume outbound teams | Not stated |
| Five9 | Cloud contact centre platform | Large contact centres | Not stated |
| JustCall | AI calling and SMS for sales | Calling plus SMS follow-up | Not stated |
| Kixie | Power dialer and calling platform | CRM-connected outbound calling | Trial only |
| Orum | AI cold calling platform | Cold callers wanting more live conversations | Not stated |
| PhoneBurner | Sales power dialer | Getting more calls answered | Not stated |
| Readymode | Predictive dialer platform | Caller ID reputation and compliance | Not stated |
| VanillaSoft | Sales engagement with auto dialer | Lead routing plus dialing | Not stated |
Ten auto dialer tools to consider
CallHub
Best for: Campaigners and nonprofits that want automated dialers, voice broadcasts and texting for volunteer phone banks.
CloudTalk
Best for: Sales and support teams that want calling plus AI voice agents for booking and follow-ups, with a free trial.
Convoso
Best for: High-volume outbound teams in areas such as insurance, solar and lead generation that want dialers built for scale.
Five9
Best for: Large contact centres that want calling inside a full cloud platform joining people, AI, channels and data.
JustCall
Best for: Sales and support teams that want calling, SMS automation and AI coaching in one cloud phone system.
Kixie
Best for: Inside sales teams that want a power dialer and auto-dial tied into their CRM, with a free trial.
Orum
Best for: Outbound reps who make a lot of cold calls and want AI to help reach more live conversations each day.
PhoneBurner
Best for: Salespeople who want a power dialer focused on answer rates, call deliverability and voicemail drop.
Readymode
Best for: Outbound call centres that want a predictive dialer with caller ID reputation tools and lead management.
VanillaSoft
Best for: Revenue teams that want an auto dialer joined to lead management and sales automation in one platform.
Power, predictive or parallel dialing?
A power dialer calls one number at a time and moves to the next as soon as a call ends. A predictive dialer calls several numbers per rep and connects whoever answers, which suits big call centres but risks silent calls when too many people pick up at once. Parallel dialers, popular with sales teams, call a few numbers at once for each rep.
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Small sales teams are usually happiest with a power dialer joined to their CRM, because it's simple and they won't risk silent calls. Predictive dialing makes sense when you've got many agents, long lists and someone watching the compliance settings.
What the ICO says about marketing calls
The ICO says that in general you must not make marketing calls to any number listed on the Telephone Preference Service or Corporate TPS unless that person has specifically consented, so you need to screen call lists against both.
A faster dialer makes a messy list more dangerous, not less. Check how each tool screens numbers, handles do-not-call requests and records consent before you compare speed. If you sell in other countries, their rules differ, so check those too.
Questions to ask before you choose
- Does it connect to our CRM and log every call automatically?
- Can it screen lists against do-not-call registers?
- How does it handle numbers flagged as spam?
- Does it support local caller ID where that's allowed?
- Can managers listen in and coach live?
- What call recording and consent settings does it offer?
Signs your team needs a dialer
- Reps dial by hand all day. Most of their time goes on ringing.
- Call notes are missing. Nothing logs to the CRM.
- Follow-ups slip. Nobody knows who to call next.
- Answer rates are falling. Numbers may be getting flagged.
Do you make auto dialer software? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.
My plain advice on choosing an auto dialer
Match the dialer to the size of the team; that's the decision that matters most. Two or three reps making targeted calls don't need predictive dialing; they need a power dialer that logs everything to the CRM. Big outbound teams need more automation and much tighter compliance controls.
Clean the list before you speed up the dialing, and keep consent records where you can find them. My guide on GDPR for sales teams covers the data side of calling.
Frequently asked questions
What is an auto dialer?
It's software that dials numbers from a list automatically and connects reps when someone answers, so they spend less time dialing.
What's the difference between a power dialer and a predictive dialer?
A power dialer calls one number per rep at a time. A predictive dialer calls several per rep and connects whoever answers first.
Are auto dialers legal?
Dialing tools are legal, but marketing calls must follow the rules where you're calling, including do-not-call lists and consent rules.
Why do calls get flagged as spam?
Carriers flag numbers that make lots of short or unanswered calls. Many dialers now monitor caller ID reputation to help.
Do small businesses need an auto dialer?
Only if someone spends a large part of the day making outbound calls. For occasional calls, a normal business phone is enough.
Can an auto dialer connect to my CRM?
Most can. Check that calls, notes and outcomes log automatically, or reps won't keep records up to date.
What is voicemail drop?
It's a feature that leaves a pre-recorded voicemail when a call reaches an answering machine, so the rep can move straight on to the next number.
