Industry insights
I compared 7 AI outbound dialer platforms on dialing speed, AI depth, multi-channel follow-up, CRM integration, cost, and inbound coverage. Thoughtly wins for AI-native outbound + inbound lead conversion; Orum and Nooks lead for human SDR parallel dialing.
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I evaluated the AI outbound dialer platforms that revenue teams are actually using in 2026 — not just the ones with the loudest marketing, but the ones that show up in G2 reviews, Reddit threads, and procurement decks when teams need to decide what to buy.
Outbound dialing is a different test than inbound lead conversionInbound lead conversionThe process of turning opted-in inquiries, form fills, calls, and quote requests into qualified conversations, appointments, or transfers.. The question isn't just “how many calls can we make?” — it's “when a call doesn't connect, what happens next?” The best platforms don't just dial faster; they handle the follow-up, the CRM write-backCRM write-backUpdating the CRM after an interaction with call outcomes, transcripts, qualification answers, notes, appointments, dispositions, and next-step fields., and the multi-channel persistence that turns a dial list into booked pipeline.
That distinction matters because the outbound dialer market is splitting. On one side: parallel dialers built to maximize human SDR call volume. On the other: AI agent platforms that place calls, send follow-up texts and emails, and book meetings without a human rep in the loop. The right choice depends on whether you're augmenting a sales team or replacing the dialing layer entirely.
I looked at six dimensions that matter when a revenue team is choosing an outbound dialer in 2026. The goal was not to find the platform with the most features — it was to find the platforms that convert more calls into pipeline without creating operational drag.
How fast can the platform connect a rep — or an AI agent — to a live prospect? I looked at parallel dialing capabilities (how many lines can run simultaneously), AI-powered live detection (how quickly the system distinguishes a human from voicemail), and the latencyLatencyThe delay between a caller speaking and the agent responding. Lower latency makes AI voice conversations feel more natural. between prospect pickup and rep connection. Platforms with sub-second connection times score higher; platforms with documented dead-air problems score lower.
Does the platform use AI to actually place calls and handle conversations, or is AI just a feature layer on top of a human-rep dialer? This matters because AI-native platforms scale without headcount; human-rep augmenters scale only by adding seats. I looked at whether the platform offers AI agents that can call, qualify, and book without a human on the line.
When a call doesn't connect, what happens? The best outbound platforms don't just redial — they follow up by SMS, email, or WhatsApp to increase the chance of reaching the prospect. I looked for platforms with native SMS, email, and multi-channel workflows, not just dialing-only tools that depend on a separate sequencing platform.
Every call, outcome, and next step should sync to your CRMCRMThe system of record for leads, contacts, deals, and activity. Thoughtly reads from and writes to your CRM continuously. automatically. I looked at the depth of CRM integrations (Salesforce, HubSpot, Pipedrive, Zoho), whether sync is two-way or one-way, and whether call outcomes are auto-tagged and logged without rep intervention. Platforms that require manual CRM logging after calls scored lower.
What does the platform cost per seat, and are you paying for AI economics or human-rep economics? Parallel dialers typically cost $200–$500 per user per month — and every user is a human SDR. AI agent platforms price differently: per minute, per call, or per outcome. I looked at published pricing, G2 review pricing data, and the total cost of ownership when you factor in headcount.
Can the platform handle both inbound and outbound, or is it outbound-only? Many sales teams buy an outbound dialer and then realize they also need a separate platform for inbound lead follow-upLead follow-upThe calls, texts, and emails sent after a lead raises their hand, with the goal of reaching them quickly and moving them to a booked or transferred conversation.. I looked for platforms that can handle both directions, or at least integrate cleanly with an inbound solution.
Here's how the platforms compare at a glance. Details on each follow.
| Platform | Best for | Key limitation | Pricing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thoughtly | AI-native outbound + inbound lead conversion (voice + SMS + email + CRM) | Best when your CRM and lead sources are clearly defined | Per-minute; contact for pricing |
| Orum | High-volume B2B parallel dialing with coaching | Connection lag; no SMS or inbound; $250+/seat/mo | ~$250/user/mo (annual) |
| Nooks | Remote SDR team culture + parallel dialing | Most expensive ($5K/user/yr); dead-air problem | ~$416/user/mo |
| Koncert | Budget-conscious SDR teams | Fewer integrations; more reliability complaints | Contact for pricing; generally lower than Orum/Nooks |
| CloudTalk | Blended inbound/outbound call centers | Not AI-native; limited parallel dialing | From ~$25/user/mo; dialer features on higher tiers |
| Talkdesk | Enterprise contact center with dialer | Overbuilt for pure outbound sales; CCaaS-first | ~$75–$115+/user/mo; enterprise pricing |
| Outreach | Sales engagement platform with dialer add-on | Dialer is add-on, not core; very expensive | ~$130–$180+/user/mo with dialer |
Thoughtly is an AI agent platform that handles both inbound and outbound calls — but the key distinction is that the AI places the calls, not a human rep. When a lead lands in your CRM, Thoughtly's agent calls within seconds. If the lead doesn't answer, the same agent sends an SMS, follows up by email, and schedules a callback — all autonomously, with CRM write-back after every interaction.
For outbound dialing specifically, Thoughtly agents can work aged leads, re-engage dead contacts, and follow up on form fills that went cold. The platform supports voice, SMS, iMessage, WhatsApp, and email from a single agent, meaning every channel carries the same context, brand, and conversation history. Native integrations with Salesforce, HubSpot, Pipedrive, Zoho, and 24+ certified connectors mean call outcomes, deal stages, and next steps sync automatically.
What makes Thoughtly different from every other platform on this list: there is no SDR seat to buy. The AI agent is the rep. Pricing is per-minute, not per-seat, which means you're paying for AI economics — not human-rep ramp time, training, or management overhead.
#### Pros
#### Watch for
#### Best fit
Revenue teams in high-consideration consumer industries (insurance, mortgage, real estate, education, healthcare, legal, financial services) that want AI to handle outbound follow-up on every inbound lead — without adding SDR headcount.
#### Pricing
Per-minute pricing. Contact Thoughtly for a custom quote based on call volume and workflowWorkflowAn automated, multi-step process — usually triggered by an event (form fill, new lead) and orchestrating one or more voice / SMS / email actions. complexity.
Orum is an AI-powered parallel dialer built for B2B SDR teams that need to maximize live conversations. The platform dials up to 10 prospects simultaneously, uses AI to detect human pickups versus voicemails, and routes the connected call to the rep in seconds. Orum serves more than 1,200 sales organizations, including IBM, Samsung, Ramp, and Crunchbase.
Beyond dialing, Orum offers a Virtual Salesfloor feature that recreates the energy of an in-person sales floor for remote teams, plus an AI Coaching Suite with call scorecards and roleplay. The platform integrates with Salesforce, HubSpot, Outreach, Salesloft, Apollo, and Gong — making it a strong fit for teams already running a mature sales engagement stack.
The trade-off: Orum is a human-rep augmenter, not an AI agent platform. Every seat is a human SDR. The platform has no native SMS, email follow-upEmail follow-upEmail follow-up is the process of sending timely, context-aware replies or reminders that keep an inbound lead moving toward qualification, scheduling, or handoff., or inbound call handling — it's dialing-only. And the parallel dialing model has a well-documented weakness: connection lag that creates dead air when a prospect answers, which can signal “spam call” and reduce connection quality.
#### Pros
#### Watch for
#### Best fit
B2B SDR teams with established sales engagement stacks (Outreach, Salesloft, Apollo) that want to maximize human rep call volume and coaching impact. Not ideal for teams seeking AI-native automation or multi-channel follow-upMulti-channel follow-upA follow-up motion that uses more than one channel — usually voice, SMS, and email — to improve contact rates after a prospect raises their hand..
#### Pricing
Opaque, annual-commitment pricing. Launch plan starts at ~$250/user/month with 5 parallel lines and 200 data credits per rep per month. Higher tiers available for more lines and AI features.
Nooks is an AI parallel dialer and virtual sales floor platform that has positioned itself as the premium option in the parallel dialer space. The platform combines multi-line dialing (typically 5 lines), AI-powered live detection, a Virtual Salesfloor for remote team culture, and prospecting tools — all in one workspace. Nooks serves over 1,200 customers, including HubSpot, Deel, ZoomInfo, and Rippling.
The Virtual Salesfloor is Nooks' standout feature. G2 reviewers consistently single it out as a morale and energy booster for remote SDR teams — reps report higher engagement, better coaching, and a sense of team even when working from home. The platform also includes 29 verified integrations on G2, the most of any dialer on this list.
However, Nooks is the most expensive platform on this list at approximately $5,000 per user per year. And despite the premium price, the platform shares the same structural weakness as Orum: connection lag during parallel dialing that creates dead air when prospects answer. G2 data shows 212 “Call Issues” mentions and 110 “Dialer Issues” mentions in Nooks reviews. Multiple Reddit threads from 2026 describe connection rates plummeting after the initial contact list is burned through.
#### Pros
#### Watch for
#### Best fit
Well-funded B2B SDR teams that prioritize remote culture, coaching, and prospecting consolidation over cost efficiency. Not suitable for teams seeking AI-native automation or operating on tight budgets.
#### Pricing
Pricing is not published on the website. Market data indicates ~$5,000/user/year with annual commitment. Contact Nooks for a custom quote.
Koncert is an AI-powered sales dialer that offers parallel dialing, AI Flow Dialer, and a virtual sales floor at a more accessible price point than Orum or Nooks. The platform supports up to 5 parallel lines, includes caller ID monitoring and heat mapping to reduce spam flags, and integrates with Salesforce, HubSpot, Outreach, and Salesloft. Koncert targets B2B sales teams that want dialing acceleration without the premium price tag.
Where Koncert stands out is affordability. It offers similar core functionality — parallel dialing, AI live detection, CRM syncCRM syncCRM sync is the two-way flow of lead records, conversation notes, outcomes, and next steps between an AI agent platform and a CRM so human teams inherit current pipeline instead of manual updates. — at a lower cost per seat than Orum or Nooks. The platform also includes a Connector tool for caller ID reputation monitoring, which addresses one of the biggest operational risks of high-volume dialing.
The trade-off is reliability and integration depth. G2 reviews show 35 “Call Issues” mentions, 28 “Dialer Issues” mentions, 12 “Slow Loading” mentions, and 11 “Delays” mentions — all higher rates relative to review volume than Orum or Nooks. Koncert has only 8 verified integrations on G2, compared to 17 for Orum and 29 for Nooks. The platform is a solid budget choice, but teams with complex stacks may hit integration limits.
#### Pros
#### Watch for
#### Best fit
B2B SDR teams that want parallel dialing at a lower price point and have a simpler tech stack. Not ideal for teams with complex integration needs or those seeking AI-native automation.
#### Pricing
Not fully public. Koncert offers tiered plans (Melody, Symphony, Melody+, Symphony+). Contact Koncert for pricing — generally lower than Orum and Nooks.
CloudTalk is a cloud call center platform that includes power dialerPower dialerDialing software that automatically places calls from a lead list while keeping a rep or agent available for each connected conversation., smart dialer, and predictive dialer capabilities. Unlike the pure-play SDR dialers above, CloudTalk is built for blended call center teams that handle both inbound and outbound calls — think customer support teams that also do outbound follow-up, or inside sales teams that take warm transfers and make outbound calls in the same session.
The platform supports 50+ integrations including Salesforce, HubSpot, Zendesk, Pipedrive, and Shopify. It also includes native SMS, call routingCall routingDirecting a caller to the right agent, rep, team, location, queue, or workflow based on intent, data, and availability., IVRIVRInteractive Voice Response — a phone menu system that routes callers using keypad or spoken inputs. AI agents often replace or augment rigid IVR trees., and analytics — making it a more complete phone system than the dialer-only tools. Pricing starts at roughly $25/user/month for the entry tier, with dialer features available on higher-tier plans.
The limitation is that CloudTalk is not an AI-native platform. It doesn't offer AI agents that place calls autonomously. The dialer is designed for human reps, and while the parallel dialing capabilities exist, they're not as optimized for high-volume SDR workflows as Orum or Nooks. CloudTalk is a better fit for teams that need a full phone system with outbound capabilities, not teams looking for a dedicated high-volume dialer.
#### Pros
#### Watch for
#### Best fit
Inside sales and customer support teams that need a unified phone system for both inbound and outbound calls. Not ideal for high-volume SDR teams or teams seeking AI-native automation.
#### Pricing
Published tiered pricing starting at ~$25/user/month. Dialer features available on mid-tier and higher plans. Contact CloudTalk for exact pricing on dialer-enabled tiers.
Talkdesk is an enterprise-grade cloud contact center platform (CCaaS) that includes an Advanced Dialer as part of its broader CX suite. Named a Leader in the 2025 Gartner Magic Quadrant for CCaaS, Talkdesk is built for large contact centers that need compliance, scalability, and deep workforce management — not just outbound dialing.
The Advanced Dialer supports predictive, progressive, and preview dialing modes, with omnichannelOmnichannelA coordinated customer journey across channels such as voice, SMS, email, web forms, and CRM tasks, where context carries across each interaction. routing, AI-powered conversation summaries, and deep integrations with Salesforce, Zendesk, and ServiceNow. Talkdesk has also invested in AI agents that can orchestrate customer journeys — but these are focused on CX workflows (support, scheduling, triage), not outbound sales prospecting.
The limitation for outbound sales teams is that Talkdesk is overbuilt. It's a CCaaS platform first, a dialer second. Pricing typically starts at $75–$115+/user/month depending on the plan, but enterprise contracts with the Advanced Dialer add-on can be significantly more. Implementation is complex, often requiring professional services. For pure outbound sales use cases, Talkdesk brings unnecessary complexity and cost.
#### Pros
#### Watch for
#### Best fit
Enterprise contact centers that need compliance-grade infrastructure with outbound dialing as one capability among many. Not ideal for SDR teams or companies seeking AI-native outbound automation.
#### Pricing
Enterprise pricing, not fully public. Base plans start at ~$75–$115+/user/month. Advanced Dialer may require higher-tier plans or add-on pricing. Contact Talkdesk for a custom quote.
Outreach is the enterprise default for sales engagement platforms (SEPs). It combines email sequencing, call sequencing, LinkedIn automation, deal management, forecasting, and coaching in one platform — with a dialer available as an add-on or higher-tier feature. Outreach was recently repositioned as an “Agentic AI Platform for Revenue Teams,” with AI agents that act as teammates for prospecting, deal management, and forecasting.
For outbound dialing specifically, Outreach offers a Sales Engagement Dialer that supports power dialing, local presence, call recordingCall recordingCapturing audio from a phone conversation for review, QA, training, compliance, dispute resolution, or supervised retention., and auto-logging to Salesforce and HubSpot. The dialer is tightly integrated with Outreach's sequencing engine — reps can call through a sequence, and the dialer auto-logs outcomes and advances the sequence. This makes it the best option for teams that want dialing embedded in their broader sales engagement workflow.
The trade-off is cost and complexity. Outreach is one of the most expensive platforms on this list — typically $130–$180+/user/month when you include the dialer. Implementation can take weeks, and the platform requires dedicated admin resources to maintain sequences, templates, and rules. The dialer is an add-on to a sequencing platform, not a standalone dialing engine. And while Outreach's new AI agents are promising, they're focused on deal management and forecasting — not placing outbound calls.
#### Pros
#### Watch for
#### Best fit
Enterprise B2B sales teams that already use or plan to use Outreach as their primary sales engagement platform and want an integrated dialer. Not ideal for teams seeking a standalone dialer or AI-native outbound automation.
#### Pricing
Not fully public. Base platform typically starts at ~$130/user/month. Dialer features may require higher-tier plans or add-on pricing. Annual commitment required. Contact Outreach for a custom quote.
The right outbound dialer depends on one fundamental question: are you augmenting human reps, or replacing the dialing layer with AI?
If you're augmenting human reps — specifically, if you have a B2B SDR team that needs to make more calls per hour — Orum and Nooks are the strongest options. Orum offers the best balance of volume, coaching, and integrations at ~$250/user/month. Nooks is more expensive (~$416/user/month) but offers the best remote team culture features and the most integrations. Koncert is the budget alternative if you can accept fewer integrations and more reliability issues.
If you're replacing the dialing layer with AI — meaning you want calls placed, follow-ups sent, and meetings booked without human SDR headcount — Thoughtly is the only platform on this list that does this. Its AI agents handle voice, SMS, email, and CRM write-back autonomously, with per-minute pricing instead of per-seat pricing.
If you need blended inbound/outbound — CloudTalk is the most affordable option that handles both call directions. Talkdesk is the enterprise-grade option for regulated contact centers. Both require human reps for every call.
If you're already on Outreach or Salesloft — using their built-in dialer avoids adding another vendor. But if your SDRs need true parallel dialing (5–10x lines), you'll likely need Orum or Nooks on top of your SEP.
The buyer fork is simple: human-rep augmenters (Orum, Nooks, Koncert, CloudTalk, Talkdesk, Outreach) scale by adding seats. AI-native platforms (Thoughtly) scale by adding minutes. Which economics make sense for your team?
An AI outbound dialer is a platform that uses artificial intelligence to automate outbound calling. This can mean AI-powered live detection (distinguishing humans from voicemails), parallel dialing (calling multiple prospects simultaneously), or AI agents that place calls autonomously, handle conversations, and book meetings without a human rep on the line.
Parallel dialers for human reps typically cost $200–$500 per user per month: Orum starts at ~$250/user/month, Nooks at ~$416/user/month, and Koncert is generally lower. CloudTalk starts at ~$25/user/month but requires higher tiers for dialer features. AI-native platforms like Thoughtly use per-minute pricing instead of per-seat pricing, which can be more cost-effective for teams with high call volume but limited SDR headcount.
Yes — Thoughtly's AI agents can place outbound calls, send SMS and email follow-ups, qualify leads, and book meetings autonomously. The AI handles the entire conversation, not just the dialing. This is different from parallel dialers like Orum and Nooks, which use AI to detect human pickups but still require a human rep to handle the conversation.
A parallel dialer calls multiple prospects simultaneously (typically 5–10 lines) and routes the first human answer to a rep. A power dialer calls one prospect at a time but eliminates manual dialing, voicemail, and dead time between calls. Parallel dialers maximize volume; power dialers prioritize connection quality. Parallel dialers have a known weakness: connection lag that creates dead air when a prospect answers.
CarrierCarrierA telecommunications provider that routes phone calls and SMS over its network. Twilio, Telnyx, and Bandwidth are the three most common in the AI voice space. spam flags are a major risk for high-volume outbound dialing. Platforms address this with local presence dialing (using local area codes), caller ID monitoring and heat mapping (Koncert's approach), and number rotation. However, parallel dialers that make 300+ calls per day per rep are inherently at risk of triggering carrier algorithms — connect rates often deteriorate over 3–6 months as numbers get flagged.
Most outbound dialers are outbound-only. Orum and Nooks do not handle inbound calls. CloudTalk and Talkdesk handle both directions but are not optimized for high-volume outbound sales. Thoughtly is the only platform on this list that handles both inbound and outbound calls via AI agents — the same agent that follows up on an inbound lead can also make outbound calls to aged leads and re-engage cold contacts.
