Dialpad vs Grasshopper: The Comparison Neither Vendor Will Write
Dialpad and Grasshopper get lumped together constantly, but they're barely in the same category. One is an AI-powered communications platform built for growing teams. The other is a virtual business number you route to your existing phones. That's it. Picking between them comes down to what you actually need - and what you're willing to pay for.
30-Second Verdict
- Pick Dialpad if you're a team of 3+ that needs AI transcription, CRM integrations, and video meetings in one platform.
- Pick Grasshopper if you're a solo operator who just needs a professional business number ringing on your personal phone.
Pricing Side by Side
VoIP sticker prices lie. Here are the real numbers.
| Dialpad Standard | Dialpad Pro | Grasshopper True Solo | Grasshopper Solo Plus | Grasshopper Small Business | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual price | $15/user/mo | $25/user/mo | $14/mo | $25/mo | $55/mo |
| Monthly price | $27/user/mo | $35/user/mo | - | - | - |
| Seat minimum | 1 | 3 ($75/mo floor) | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Key add-on costs | Toll-free: $15/mo + $0.02/min | Same | SMS compliance: $19 one-time + $1.50/mo | Same | Same |
Dialpad's monthly billing is a steep penalty for flexibility: Standard is 80% higher month-to-month ($27 vs $15), and Pro is 40% higher ($35 vs $25). Dialpad Pro's 3-seat minimum means your floor is $75/month even if only two people need it.
Grasshopper looks cheaper until you factor in SMS compliance costs. Enabling texting on a local number requires a one-time $19 registration fee plus $1.50/month in ongoing charges. One user's "$29/month" plan ballooned to $63 after additional line charges and fees - a $600/year difference that triggered a switch.
If you're still shopping around, it can help to scan a broader list of Dialpad alternatives before you commit.
G2 Ratings Head to Head
| Category | Dialpad (responses) | Grasshopper (responses) |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 4.4/5 (4,067) | 3.9/5 (155) |
| Meets Requirements | 8.9 (3,206) | 8.3 (125) |
| Ease of Use | 9.1 (3,325) | 8.0 (127) |
| Ease of Setup | 9.0 (1,212) | 7.7 (67) |
| Quality of Support | 8.5 (2,494) | 7.6 (108) |
| Product Direction | 8.2 (3,060) | 6.0 (124) |
In the G2 head-to-head comparison, Dialpad wins every single sub-category - and has 26x more reviews, which makes the gap harder to dismiss as sample bias. Grasshopper's 6.0 Product Direction score is the most telling number. Users don't believe the product is going anywhere. For a tool you're building workflows around, that's a red flag.
If you're building a repeatable outbound motion, pairing your phone stack with a cold calling system matters more than most teams admit.
Dialpad's AI and Grasshopper's simplicity both fall flat when you're dialing dead numbers. Prospeo's mobile finder gives you 125M+ verified mobile numbers with a 30% pickup rate - that's 3x the connect rate of unverified lists. At $0.01 per email and 10 credits per mobile, your VoIP investment finally pays off.
Stop paying for call minutes wasted on wrong numbers.
Features That Actually Differ
| Feature | Dialpad | Grasshopper |
|---|---|---|
| Video calling | Yes | No |
| Team chat | Yes | No |
| 3rd-party integrations | Yes (Salesforce, HubSpot, etc.) | No |
| AI features | Transcription, sentiment, coaching | No |
| SMS | Yes | Yes (US only + compliance fees) |
| Call recording | Yes | No |
| SOC 2 / HIPAA | Yes | No |
| Uptime guarantee | 99.9% | None listed |
Both platforms include unlimited calling in the US. Dialpad also covers Canada.
Here's the thing: this isn't close. Grasshopper has no native video, no team chat, and no pre-built integrations. It's a lightweight call-routing service with a professional veneer. That's fine if call forwarding is all you need - but if you're weighing these two against each other, you're probably looking for more.
Let's talk about Dialpad's AI specifically, because vendor comparison pages tend to undersell it. Beyond basic transcription, you get real-time sentiment analysis on live calls, keyword tracking for coaching, and automated post-call summaries pushed to your CRM. We've found the transcription accuracy strong enough to replace manual note-taking for most sales calls - which saves 15-20 minutes per conversation when you're running back-to-back demos.
If you're trying to make those CRM workflows actually work end-to-end, it helps to connect outreach tool to CRM so call notes and follow-ups don’t get lost.
For regulated environments, the gap gets serious: Dialpad supports SOC 2 and HIPAA/BAA, while Grasshopper isn't listed as HIPAA compliant in any third-party comparison we've seen.
If compliance is a must, you’ll also want a clean contact management software setup so access and ownership are clear.
What Real Users Say
Grasshopper Complaints
The Reddit consensus on Grasshopper is rough. Users on r/smallbusiness describe the service as "absolutely horrendous," citing outages where support goes radio silent. SMS registration is a recurring pain point - one user reported trying to get their business line registered since May and was considering cancellation because they couldn't use a service they were paying for. The cancellation process is another sore spot: you can't cancel through the app or website. You have to call support. In 2026. Really.
Dialpad Complaints
Dialpad's issues are subtler but still real. G2 reviewers consistently flag that useful features are locked behind higher tiers, which means that 3-seat minimum kicks in right when you need more advanced workflows. Connection and call quality issues also surface in G2's complaint clusters, and some prospects on r/VOIP have flagged aggressive sales tactics - reps leading with AI summaries as the hook, then pushing for quick commitments tied to disappearing discounts.
If you're getting pushback on price or terms, having a clear walk away point in negotiation helps you avoid bad annual commitments.
Our take: Dialpad is the better product by a wide margin. But if your average deal size is under $5k and you're a solo consultant, paying $15-25/month for AI transcription you'll rarely review is overkill. Grasshopper's simplicity is a feature for people who genuinely just need a second number.
Who Should Pick Which
Pick Dialpad if you're a team of 3+ running structured sales or support workflows. AI transcription, native Salesforce/HubSpot integration, and video meetings justify the cost. Commit to annual billing - the monthly markup is brutal. Budget $15-25/user/month.
Pick Grasshopper if you're a solo operator who needs a business number forwarded to your cell, and that's it. Budget under $25/month, no integrations needed, no compliance requirements. Just don't expect it to grow with you.
If you're a newer rep building the habit, this cold calling for beginners guide can help you avoid the common traps that make any VoIP feel “bad.”
Before You Decide - Check Your Data
The phone system is the delivery mechanism. Your contact data is the fuel. Whether you land on Dialpad or Grasshopper, calling unverified numbers means burning time on wrong numbers and voicemail boxes that go nowhere.
We've seen teams agonize over which VoIP to pick, then dial into the same dead numbers regardless of platform. If that sounds familiar, the bottleneck isn't your phone system - it's your list. Prospeo's mobile finder covers 125M+ verified mobile numbers with a 30% pickup rate, and the free tier gives you 75 emails and 100 Chrome extension credits per month to test whether your contact data is the real problem.
If you’re cleaning up lists before you dial, start with data enrichment services so you’re not guessing who to call.
You're comparing $15/user/month platforms but ignoring the $0 you spend verifying who you're actually calling. Teams using Prospeo's 300M+ verified profiles book 35% more meetings than Apollo users - because every dial reaches a real person. Free tier included, no contracts.
Fix your contact list before you fix your phone system.
FAQ
Is Grasshopper cheaper than Dialpad?
At face value, yes - $14/month vs $15/user/month. But Grasshopper's SMS compliance fees and toll-free usage charges close the gap fast. For a 3-person team, Dialpad Standard at $45/month delivers far more functionality than Grasshopper Solo Plus at $25/month.
Does Dialpad require 3 users on Pro?
Yes. Dialpad Pro requires a minimum of 3 seats at $25/user/month on annual billing, so your floor is $75/month. Standard has no seat minimum, but many teams still upgrade once they need deeper routing and tighter CRM workflows.
What if neither Dialpad nor Grasshopper fits?
For 2-person teams, look at OpenPhone or Google Voice - both handle small-team VoIP without seat minimums or feature cliffs. OpenPhone starts around $15/user/month; Google Voice starts at $10/user/month. If your outbound results are suffering despite a decent phone system, the issue is usually contact data quality - Prospeo lets you verify numbers and emails for free before committing to a paid plan.