KrispCall vs CallHippo: two budget VoIP providers compared
By Jean Luc Poitier, SEO and growth marketing strategist · KrispCall Reviews · Updated November 5, 2026 · KrispCall plans rechecked November 1, 2026, CallHippo plans November 5, 2026; confirm current pricing on both vendors' sites
This is the closest matchup in KrispCall's competitive set: both sell cheap virtual numbers to small teams, both monetize through add-ons and usage, and both take criticism for billing friction. KrispCall's paid entry is cheaper ($12 annual vs CallHippo Starter at $18) and its review profile is steadier. CallHippo counters with a Basic plan that is free for six months and a 10-day trial, which KrispCall does not offer.
Read the fine print on both. CallHippo keeps call recording and transcription for Professional and up and sells deeper AI analytics as an add-on, and its 1-star Trustpilot reviews center on billing and cancellation. KrispCall's traps are post-payment document verification and usage charges. For most small teams the deciding factors are KrispCall's lower entry price versus CallHippo's try-before-you-buy path.
KrispCall vs CallHippo at a glance
| Compared on | KrispCall | CallHippo |
|---|---|---|
| Entry price (annual) | $12 (Starter, annual) | $18 (Starter) |
| Entry price (monthly) | $15 | $25 |
| Free plan | None | Basic $0 for the first 6 months, then Starter |
| Free trial | No trial; 14-day refund on subscriptions | 10 days, no card |
| Minimum seats | None, solo users fine | None |
| G2 rating | 4.5 (350+ reviews) | 4.5 (375+ reviews) |
| Capterra | 3.8 (8 reviews) | 4.4 (680+ reviews) |
| Top plans | Advance $32, Max $48 annual, Enterprise custom | Professional $30, Ultimate $42, Enterprise custom (50-user min) |
Figures checked against each company's published pages and review-platform listings as of 2026-11-05. “Not published” means the company does not publish that figure.
Prices are per user per month.
Pricing: sticker vs loaded cost
At entry level KrispCall is cheaper: $12 annual against CallHippo Starter at $18, which caps US/CA calling at 1,000 minutes and 100 SMS and leaves out call recording and transcription. One tier up, CallHippo gives more for the money. Professional at $30 annual adds recording, call transcription, and unlimited US/CA calling, while KrispCall's Advance at $32 annual includes recording, its power dialer, and 1,000 outbound minutes per user, with transcription as a paid add-on. CallHippo's deeper AI analytics (sentiment, talk ratio, agent scoring) are a separate AI Copilot add-on. Both bill usage beyond their allowances, so model your call volume either way.
The free tier question
CallHippo has a Basic plan with a number allowance and core calling. It is free for the first 6 months from signup; after that you have to upgrade to Starter to keep the service. Paid tiers also have a 10-day trial with no card required. KrispCall has neither; you pay first and rely on the 14-day subscription refund. If you want to test-drive before spending anything, CallHippo is the only one of the two that allows it.
What reviewers say
On G2 the two tie at 4.5, and on Capterra CallHippo's 4.4 across 680+ reviews beats KrispCall's 3.8 across only 8. On Trustpilot, CallHippo's reviews split between 5 stars and 1 star, with the 1-star ones dominated by undisclosed-fee and cancellation complaints, while KrispCall holds 4.3 across 570+ reviews that Trustpilot labels unprompted. Both vendors respond actively to negative reviews. With both providers, reviewers who understood the metered billing upfront are mostly happy, while reviewers surprised by it are not.
Where CallHippo wins
- A free Basic plan and a 10-day no-card trial, against KrispCall's pay-first model
- Call transcription and unlimited US/CA calling included from Professional ($30 annual), where KrispCall charges extra for transcripts
- A far larger Capterra base (4.4 across 680+ reviews vs KrispCall's 3.8 across 8)
- More granular plan ladder (four paid tiers) for teams that want to step up gradually
- Longer track record: founded 2016, six years more market history than KrispCall
KrispCall vs CallHippo FAQ
Is KrispCall or CallHippo cheaper?+
KrispCall's paid entry is cheaper: $12 per user per month annual versus CallHippo Starter at $18. CallHippo's $0 Basic plan is cheaper than both if its limits fit you, but it is free only for the first 6 months; after that you have to upgrade to Starter. One tier up the order flips: CallHippo Professional at $30 annual includes call recording, call transcription, and unlimited US/CA calling, while KrispCall Advance at $32 annual includes recording and a power dialer but charges extra for transcripts and summaries. CallHippo sells deeper AI analytics as an AI Copilot add-on, so price the add-ons you need on both.
Which has better reviews?+
They tie at 4.5 on G2. CallHippo is far stronger on Capterra (4.4 across 680+ vs 3.8 across 8). On Trustpilot, KrispCall holds 4.3 across 570+ reviews, which Trustpilot says are unprompted (Sep 2026), while CallHippo's profile splits between 5-star and 1-star reviews, with billing complaints behind the 1-star ones. We haven't split CallHippo's reviews into invited and unprompted yet. Check the platform you trust most.
Do both charge usage on top of the subscription?+
Yes. Both meter calls and SMS beyond plan allowances, and both sell extra numbers. The billing-surprise complaints in both vendors' critical reviews almost always trace to that metering.
See what real users say in our KrispCall review breakdown, the pricing guide, and how we review.