The best call recording software for most small businesses is the recording built into a phone system they'd use anyway. Larger or regulated teams may want a dedicated recording and compliance platform. Whichever you choose, check how consent announcements work, and what happens to your recordings if you leave. The eight below are in no particular order.
Most small businesses shouldn't shop for call recording on its own. It's usually a feature of the phone system, and the decision you're really making is which phone system to live with.
This list isn't about call tracking, which tells a marketer which advert made the phone ring. If that's what you need, go to my call tracking software list. What each tool does here comes from its vendor's own site as of Nov 2026, so treat it as that vendor's statement until you've tried it.
Do you need a separate recording tool at all?
Start by asking why you want the recordings, because the reason decides the tool.
- Settling arguments and checking what was agreed. Recording in your phone system will do this, as long as finding a call is easy.
- Coaching a sales or support team. You'll want recordings attached to the customer's record, and transcripts or summaries so nobody has to listen to everything.
- Meeting a regulator's demands. Now retention, access controls and audit trails matter more than convenience, and a specialist layer may earn its place.
- Capturing calls across several systems. If your calls run over different networks and meeting platforms, one recording layer on top can be tidier than several separate ones.
If you don't have a business phone system yet, my guide to cloud-based phone systems is the place to start. Choose that first, and recording may turn out to be already there.
Eight call recorders on one page
| Tool | Kind of service | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| CloudTalk | Call centre software | Automatic recording attached to the CRM contact |
| Dialpad | Business communications platform | Contact centres and regulated teams needing admin controls |
| Dubber | Recording and voice intelligence | Capturing calls from networks, Teams, Webex and Zoom |
| Kixie | Sales calling and texting | Sales teams playing recordings back in the CRM |
| Quo (formerly OpenPhone) | Small business phone system | Shared calls, texts and contacts in one place |
| Talkdesk | Contact centre recording | Voice and screen recording with synchronised playback |
| Telzio | Cloud business phone service | Recording inbound and outbound calls, with retention tools |
| Vonage | Business phone recording | Company-wide recording through an admin portal |
Consent, announcements and switching it off
Before you turn recording on, read the rule that decides whether you can. The US federal wiretap statute at 18 U.S.C. 2511, on Cornell Law's site, says it isn't unlawful for a person not acting under color of law to intercept a call where they're a party to it, or where one of the parties has given prior consent, unless it's done for a criminal or tortious purpose.
That's the federal position and it isn't the only one. Other rules can apply where you or your callers are, and other countries differ, so this isn't legal advice. Check with your regulator or a lawyer before you record anyone.
For a buyer, it turns into a very practical test. Can the tool play an announcement before the conversation starts? Can you switch recording off for one number or one user, say your HR line or your finance team? Can someone pause a recording when a caller reads out card details? If the answer's no, you've got an all-or-nothing tool, and your calls probably aren't all-or-nothing.
Then ask about leaving. Because recording usually comes bundled with the phone system, your recordings and your numbers can end up tied to it. Find out how you'd export the recordings, in what format, and whether you can take your numbers with you.
Call recorders, alphabetically
CloudTalk
Best for: Call centre teams wanting automatic recording attached to the CRM contact; its recording page says agents can pause when a call turns sensitive.
Dialpad
Best for: Contact centres and regulated teams; its recording page says admins get configurable controls, and that HIPAA workflows need a signed BAA.
Dubber
Best for: Firms capturing calls from telecom networks and platforms such as Teams, Webex and Zoom, with an API-first design by its own description.
Kixie
Best for: Sales teams calling and texting; its recording page says recordings get lifetime cloud storage and play back inside your CRM.
Quo (formerly OpenPhone)
Best for: Small businesses sharing calls, texts and contacts in one place; its page says recorded calls come back transcribed and summarised.
Talkdesk
Best for: Contact centres on this vendor's platform wanting voice and screen recording; its page lists pause and resume, retention settings and synchronised playback.
Telzio
Best for: Businesses wanting automatic recording of inbound and outbound calls; its recording page says storage is unlimited and retention tools can delete recordings after a set period.
Vonage
Best for: Existing customers of its Business Communications service; its page covers automated recording through an admin portal and says callers are told calls are recorded.
Want AI doing the heavy lifting in your marketing?
I build the systems that handle the boring 80 percent, so you get your week back. Done properly, with the human kept in.
Phone systems first, compliance platforms second
Small business phone and calling tools. Quo and Telzio are phone services where recording is one part of the package. Kixie and CloudTalk lean towards sales and call centre teams, and both tie recordings to the CRM. If you've got a small team and you're starting from scratch, this is the group to look at first.
Enterprise platforms and compliance layers. Dialpad and Talkdesk describe recording for contact centres with admin controls, retention settings or regulated workflows in mind. Vonage covers recording for customers of its own business phone service. Dubber is the different one here: it captures calls from networks and platforms you already use, so it sits on top and doesn't replace them.
Don't over-buy. Screen recording and regulated workflows are useful if you run a contact centre, and they're just extra admin if you're a five-person firm that wants a record of what the customer said.
Advice for a small team that takes calls
Pick the phone system you'd want anyway, then check its recording against the questions above. Run a real week through it. Make calls, take calls, then see how long it takes to find what a customer said last Tuesday. If that takes more than a minute, you won't use it.
Decide who can listen, and write it down. Recordings hold personal details, and a shared login that lets everyone hear everything will come back to bite you. Set a retention period you can defend and don't keep calls for ever because storage feels endless.
And use what you collect. A recording nobody listens to is a liability with no upside. My piece on reviewing sales call recordings shows how to turn them into something your team learns from.
Do you make call recording or phone software? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.
Want your tool on this list? Featured spots and reviews here are paid partnerships. Here's how to partner with me.
Frequently asked questions
Is it legal to record business calls?
It depends where you and your callers are. The US federal rule turns on a party's consent, and other rules may apply on top. Other countries differ. Check with your regulator or a lawyer, as this isn't legal advice.
Do I need to tell callers I'm recording?
An announcement is the simplest way to make sure callers know, and it's why you should check that a tool can play one. Your local rules decide what's required.
What's the difference between call recording and call tracking?
Recording captures the conversation. Tracking shows which advert or page produced the call, for marketing purposes. Some tools do both, but they're different jobs.
Can I keep my recordings if I change phone system?
Only if you can export them, so ask before you sign. Ask about format, bulk download and how long you've got after leaving.
Can I record calls on only some lines?
Some tools let admins choose by number or user, but don't assume it. Ask to see the setting in a demo, particularly if you've got HR or finance lines.
Should recordings be transcribed?
It helps if you need to search or coach from them, because nobody listens back to hours of audio. Check who can see transcripts, as they hold the same personal details as the recording.
