The fact that Gong.io and Gong competitors as sales tools exist is a testament to how smart video conferencing can empower Sales. Long gone are the days of sitting in a sweaty call-center-style office, a sales director breathing down your neck, mouthing ‘CLOSE’ as you try to engage a potential customer. Sales is so much more than schmoozing someone on the phone and ringing a giant bell nowadays.
That’s because video conferencing allows more than just connecting you with your prospects face-to-face. Sales call technology has come on so far that it can fulfill the role of sales manager, trainer, admin, data collation, and others. No more trying to translate your scrawled notes into a CRM system manually, or trying to remember every single thing that the prospect said – it can all be done automatically using tools and applications.
That’s why there are so many Gong competitors on the market. Each one is ready to provide you with the latest and greatest features to help you close deals faster than ever. Gong.ai has made a name for itself as one of the bigger sales call recording softwares – but is it the best? Factors such as pricing, team size, onboarding and integrations should be considered if you’re in the process of determining whether Gong.ai is right for your team or organisation. We’ll take a look at some popular alternatives, including our lower-priced and cross-functional call recorder for Google Meet, Microsoft Teams and Zoom.
Table of Contents
What is Gong.io?
Gong.io is a video conferencing application created specifically for sales teams. As a tool it helps you record calls and meetings, send emails to your contacts, manage follow-ups and more. However, unlike other video conferencing tools on the market, it is very much geared up for the cut-and-thrust world of inside sales.
Gong.io uses the power of a homegrown AI to supercharge your sales patter. No more stuttering and losing your thread in a sales call, and no more objections that your role-playing hasn’t prepared you for. The information Gong.io provides is based on what the top performers are doing, so you can stay one step ahead of your competition.
Gong.io comes with a range of features to make sure your sales team is firing on all cylinders. Some of the key features include:
- Automated call recording and transcription
- Record of your calls and follow-ups
- AI-driven insights and analytics get an in-depth look at how your team is performing, so you can identify areas for improvement
Integration with popular CRM tools links up with your existing customer relationship management software, streamlining processes and making it easier to manage sales pipelines.
So – if you’re looking for a video conferencing solution that is super geared towards sales teams, then Gong.io may be the right choice for you.
HOWEVER (and it’s a big however)… there are a lot of drawbacks when it comes to Gong. The major one is its pricing.
Gong.io Pricing – How much does Gong cost?
Gong pricing, it’s not super straightforward, and like any smarmy salesperson, it can vary somewhat on who you talk to. The typical ideal is they want to get you onto a call and find out what you’re willing to pay. Great for the salesperson’s commish, not so great for the casual browser.
From looking around online, in whispers on Reddit and further, the general figure is bumped with a setup/foundation fee and then between $500/1,200 per user, per year.
That means if you are serious about sales and have a full team it can get eye-wateringly pricey pretty quick. If you have a team of 20 sales people, on the lowest tier, that’s $10,000 upfront cost. That’s not even factoring in the time (read: wages!) it’ll take to train the reps on that system, accounting for any downtime, etc.
To put that into perspective, tl;dv has a free tier and even the Pro version is only $20 per user/month. Even compared to the more sales-specific tools like SalesLoft ($100-$150 per user/month), Execvision ($1,200 per user/year) and slightly cheaper, Wingman ($500 per user/year), there’s nothing clear what is costing that additional outlay. It also means, even with a Gong competitor or Gong alternative, there will be a higher cost and that means ROIs are going to harder to achieve.
Second is its AI.
Now, Gong has it’s own AI. It’s not driven by GPT and is very much it’s own beast. That in itself is pretty amazing. However, it does mean that the technology can be dated quite quickly. If you don’t have a thousand tech savvy smart people, from around the globe working collaboratively like those using GPT-3 and GPT-4 are, then… well. You can get stuck.
It’s also host to potential bias which in sales, and particularly if you are selling internationally, can cause issues. What is pushy in the UK for example, could be totally cool in the US. Being overly friendly and chatty might be fine in France, but in Honduras it could be viewed as unprofessional.
A GPT-based tool is more likely to have higher accuracy because it’s not reliant on a single organization to invest time, energy, and money into it.
Maybe thinking that Gong.io isn’t quite the right fit for your business? Many try Gong.io only to turn to a competitor more suited toward their specific business needs. We’ve listed some alternative solutions, for those of you who are unsure Gong.io is worth the price or right for your team.
Gong Pros
- Designed specifically for prospect calls
- Provides analytics and insights for Sales teams
- Integrations with the likes of Klue and Salesforce
Gong Cons
- Unsuitable for cross-functional teams
- Lack of transparency around pricing
- Non-GPT AI
- Difficult onboarding
The Best Gong.io Competitors in 2023
Without further ado – let’s dive into the list!
tl;dv
tl;dv is an online AI meeting assistant for Zoom, Microsoft Teams and Google Meet. It is the ultimate in gong.io alternatives.
It allows sales teams to record, transcribe, timestamp, edit and analyze calls in one simple package. It can even help teams to create mini reels of key insights in a flash. Easy to share with the wider team, customer success, and even dev (for that lovely feature your customer really wants!
Due to its intuitive interface, CRM integrations and unbeatable pricing, tl;dv is used as a sales call recording software by teams all over the world.
There’s a whole slew of amazing features that can help Sales teams level up their close rate. For example, the ability to revisit timestamped moments helps Sales reps remind themselves of what was discussed in calls, thereby strengthening their follow-ups. Colleagues covering for OOO Sales reps will also feel more empowered when they’re able to access the full context of a client or prospect relationship by watching the timestamped recordings or video clips. These can be accessed from within in the tl;dv user library, directly with CRMs, or via Slack. Preparedness is key!
Teams get notified the moment their lead watches their call recording. This kind of insight is great for indicating keenness on part of the prospect. In other words: when might be a good time to follow-up and close the sale! In fact, many users describe tl;dv as the ultimate follow-up tool.
The reason tl;dv is typically used as a cross-functional software is because insights are intended to be shared across your organisation for maximum impact. For example, if a client or lead offers an important insight – say, a feature they expect from your product before they’re willing to sign, or the reason they moved from a competitor to your product – you can share this with key members of your organisation in a matter of minutes.
The result? You’ll bring customer voices closer to your entire organisation, letting real emotion and experiences inform everything from Product Development to Marketing.
tl;dv Pros
- AI driven by GPT that is constantly being developed and improved upon
- Automatic transcription and recording of all sales calls and meetings
- Compatible with Zoom, Microsoft Teams and Google Meet.
- Timestamps allow fast revisitation of key points discussed during call
- Integrates directly with popular CRM systems, streamlining your sales process.
- Easily create clips out of great sales call moments, difficult questions or tricky objections. Use these clips as educational assets in training, feedback and even onboarding. Push clips directly to relevant Slack channels.
- MAGIC clips. Search by keyword and the AI will create a reel of that topic from ALL meetings.
- Encourage transparency across your organisation with a library of accessible calls.
- Clue in key stakeholders in a matter of minutes by letting them catch up on the recorded call.
- tl;dv timestamps and meeting clips integrate smoothly into any Sales CRM systems like Hubspot and Salesforce. If you have a profile for a lead in Hubspot, you can link to all important and relevant tl;dv moments from within their profile.
- Simple and intuitive interface with amazing onboarding experience
- tl;dv is free! And even the Pro version is only $20 per month for each user
tl;dv Cons
- Unlike some tools, tl;dv is not ONLY for salespeople. The meeting recorder can be used in a whole range of other roles and for many purposes due to its simplicity.
- There is no smart AI coaching you on what you say on your sales call, although this may be preferable if you experience Gong.ai’s ‘recommendations’ as intrusive.
"tl;dv is a Customer Superbrain that helps me remember every detail from any customer conversation, and elevate the emotional insights throughout my entire organization"
Susana de Sousa
Director of Support, Loom
tl;dv versus Gong.io?
Gong | tl;dv | |
Free Plan | No | Unlimited recordings & transcripts for free |
Monthly Price | > 2000 USD / user + 5000 USD setup-fee | 20 USD / user to unlock advanced features |
Google Meet | Yes | Yes (even on Free) |
Zoom | Yes | Yes (even on Free) |
Records Video | Yes | Yes (even on Free) |
Automated Transcription | 20+ languages | 20+ languages (even on Free) + free translations |
Speaker Recognition | Yes | Yes (even on Free) |
CRM Integrations | Yes | Yes |
Slack Integration | Yes | Yes (even on Free) |
Search through all meeting transcripts | Yes | Yes (even on Free) |
Adoptable by the non-Sales team | No | tl;dv is easy to understand for your entire company |
Viewing Analytics | Yes | Yes (even on Free) |
Create Clips | Yes | Yes (even on Free) |
Speaking time analysis for reps | Yes | 2023 |
AI suggested takeaways | Yes | No (we prefer high signal-to-noise ratio) |
Listen to keyword alerts | Yes | 2023 |
| Tag colleagues in timestamps | No | Yes |
If your Sales team HATES being micromanaged by AI then tl;dv is a much better option. AI and analytics are great and all, but sales, as a role and career, can already feel like there are so many KPIs and rules getting in the way of natural conversation and intuition. AI should be there to help you, not breathe down your neck, and make you paranoid!
tl;dv gives salespeople the ability to take control of their progress and development on calls while keeping an accurate record of what has been said and why. The tool is perfect for onboarding sales reps, sharing insights across your organisation, following up calls and involving the right stakeholders at the right time.
Outreach.io
Outreach.io, and its associated product Outreach Kaia, is a sales acceleration platform that combines AI and automation with analytics to help you better track, monitor, and engage with your leads. It also offers powerful sales insights and data-driven recommendations to ensure your team has the best chance of closing deals. With Outreach.io, sales teams can automatically connect and follow up with prospects in any language or channel they choose, ensuring they don’t miss a single opportunity to close a deal. It also offers smart calendars and can book in meetings and follow-ups intelligently.
Outreach.io Pros
- Automatically reach out to prospects on multiple channels (email, LinkedIn, Twitter etc.).
- Data-driven insights & reporting tools give an overview of performance so you can spot trends quickly and make informed decisions about how to improve.
- Automatically log and track all conversations, so you can quickly follow up on any leads.
- Easy to use UI/UX makes it simple to understand your team’s performance and make adjustments if needed.
- Even integrates WITH Gong.io.
Outreach.io Cons
- Slightly more expensive than some of the other options on the market with pricing plans starting at $100 per user per month.
- Can be difficult to get used to the interface and all its features if you’re new to sales acceleration tools.
Outreach.io versus Gong.io?
Gong | Outreach | |
Free Plan | No | Unlimited recordings & transcripts for free |
Monthly Price | > 2000 USD / user + 5000 USD setup fee | 100 USD / user to unlock advanced features |
Google Meet | Yes | Yes |
Zoom | Yes | Yes |
Records Video | Yes | Yes |
Automated Transcription | 20+ languages | 20+ languages |
Speaker Recognition | Yes | Unknown |
CRM Integrations | Yes | Yes |
Slack Integration | Yes | No |
Search through all meeting transcripts | Yes | Yes |
Adoptable by the non-Sales team | No | No |
Viewing Analytics | Yes | Yes |
Create Clips | Yes | Yes |
Speaking time analysis for reps | Yes | Yes |
AI-suggested takeaways | Yes | Yes |
Listen to keyword alerts | Yes | Yes |
If you’re looking for an incredibly powerful tool that can handle both manual outreach as well as automated processes, Outreach.io is a great choice. Its features are extensive and its analytics capabilities are second-to-none. It’s worth the extra cost if you need a sales acceleration platform that can handle large volumes of leads efficiently and accurately – and if you have the budget!
However, Gong.io offers slightly more features specific to sales people, so if you don’t need the extra complexity of the whole Outreach.io suite then it might be better to stick with Gong.io for a simpler experience.
Revenue.io
Revenue.io, formerly known as RingDNA, is a sales platform that combines machine learning and automation with comprehensive analytics to help teams maximize their revenue potential. It offers customizable sales pipelines, real-time insights, data-driven predictions and recommendations so you know exactly what actions your team needs to take in order to close deals faster and more efficiently. Revenue.io also has an intuitive user interface so users can quickly understand how your team is performing and make changes when necessary.
It is very geared up towards onboarding and training, so while it is designed for sales teams, it’s practical usage may be more limited.
Revenue.io Pros
- Automation features save time by automating tedious tasks like lead qualification or follow-up emails
- Comprehensive analytics provide deep insights into performance metrics so you can easily identify trends or areas of improvement
- AI-driven predictions and recommendations help you close deals faster by focusing on the right leads and activities
- Customizable sales pipelines make it easy to keep track of progress throughout the entire process
Revenue.io Cons
- The tool is very much geared towards training, coaching and development.
- Some of the functionalities are redundant for actual inside sales.
- The user interface can be a bit overwhelming for those who are new to using sales acceleration tools.
- There simply isn’t any detail of how much it costs. It is all hidden behind a “get a quote” and there is no free trial.
Revenue.io versus Gong.io?
Gong | Revenue | |
Free Plan | No | No |
Monthly Price | > 2000 USD / user + 5000 USD setupfee | Unclear |
Google Meet | Yes | Unclear |
Zoom | Yes | Yes |
Records Video | Yes | Yes |
Automated Transcription | 20+ languages | Yes |
Speaker Recognition | Yes | Unclear |
CRM Integrations | Yes | Yes |
Slack Integration | Yes | Unclear |
Search through all meeting transcripts | Yes | Unclear |
Adoptable by the non-Sales team | No | Yes – Finance |
Viewing Analytics | Yes | Unknown |
Create Clips | Yes | Unknown |
Speaking time analysis for reps | Yes | Unknown |
AI-suggested takeaways | Yes | Unknown |
Listen to keyword alerts | Yes | Unknown |
Revenue.io is an incredibly powerful sales platform that offers a wide range of features for teams to maximize their revenue potential. However, it’s also more expensive than other options and the user interface can be difficult if you’re brand new to using these types of tools. If you need the extra complexity or AI insights of Revenue.io, it might be worth considering.
People.ai
People.ai is an artificial intelligence-powered platform that helps sales teams optimize their processes and increase efficiency. It uses predictive analytics to give teams actionable insights about their performance, helping them make smarter decisions about how to sell and close more deals faster. People.ai also offers automated features like lead scoring and account profiling so you can quickly get the information you need to prioritize leads and focus on the most promising opportunities.
People.ai Pros
- Automated lead scoring & account profiling save time by doing tedious tasks for you.
- Predictive analytics provide deep insights into performance metrics so you can easily identify trends or areas of improvement.
- AI-driven predictions and recommendations help you close deals faster by focusing on the right leads and activities.
- Simply to use mobile app makes it easy to stay up to date even when you’re away from your desk.
People.ai Con
- Pricing plans start at $50 per user per month so it’s slightly more expensive than some other options. Not the most expensive, but still pretty expensive when you start building larger teams.
- The AI algorithms can be a bit unreliable at times, resulting in inaccurate predictions or recommendations.
People.ai vs Gong.io?
Gong | People | |
Free Plan | No | Freemium |
Price | > 2000 USD / user + 5000 USD set-up fee | 50 USD / user per month |
Google Meet | Yes | Unknown |
Zoom | Yes | Yes |
Records Video | Yes | Yes |
Automated Transcription | 20+ languages | Unknown |
Speaker Recognition | Yes | Unknown |
CRM Integrations | Yes | Yes |
Slack Integration? | Yes | Unknown |
Search through all meeting transcripts | Yes | Yes (even on Free) |
Adoptable by the non-Sales team | No | Unknown |
Viewing Analytics | Yes | Unknown |
Create Clips | Yes | Unknown |
Speaking time analysis for reps | Yes | Unknown |
AI-suggested takeaways | Yes | Unknown |
Listen to keyword alerts | Yes | Unknown |
People.ai is an excellent platform for sales teams looking to optimize their processes and increase efficiency through automated features and predictive analytics. It’s very data driven, however some of the AI insights can be a little bit simplified and not take into account nuances of business.
Elevating your sales and close more deals with tools
No matter which of these alternatives you choose, your sales team is bound to close deals faster and more effectively than ever before. The right technology and tools can make a huge difference.
AI and AI-driven tools help generate and close more sales. They offer additional insight and data which will, no doubt, mean that some deals that would have slipped through the net can be pulled back. However, in the high-pressure world of sales, targets, and ensuring that you know that you’re filling your pipeline – some of these alternatives may feel a bit…’Minority Report’. Data is great, but so much of sales is about building rapport and getting to know your prospect and their requirements.
An AI may prompt you to say “mention X feature”, but if the conversation isn’t really in that frame, it can lead to much more robotic and – dare we say it – “AI feeling” calls. People buy from people, so let’s make sure we don’t lose sight of that. After all, a good Sales person should trust their gut feeling. Plus – an AI shouldn’t influence your overall Sales culture. The uniqueness you bring to your pitch should help you stand out from competitors. Sounding like a robot with a pre-written script may actually be detrimental to your efforts.
From a cost and usage perspective, we recommend tl;dv for recording all your prospect and client calls. It’s free, packed full of features, easy to use and can be adopted across your organisation – way beyond just sales. All you’ll need to do is focus on identifying and sharing the key insights to drive better sales results. Good luck!
Happy selling! 🤝💰🚀
