How Merdial compares
Every competitor in this category has a minimum you have to clear before you can buy anything. Merdial does not. Here is the whole market side by side — and, just as plainly, what Merdial is still behind on.
- 1 seatMinimum to buy
- $0Free plan, no card
- ~300msObjection to answer
Gong and Chorus analyse calls after they end and sell annually from 10 to 25+ seats. Balto, Cresta and Observe.AI coach live but are priced for contact centers of 50 to 100+ agents. Merdial coaches live and scores every call — on any dialler, Zoom, Teams or Google Meet — from one seat, month to month. It does not have a SOC 2 report yet.
Where Merdial sits
| Feature | Entry price | Minimum to buy | Contract | Live coaching |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Merdial | $0, then $39/month | 1 seat | Monthly, cancel any time | Every tier |
| Gong | ~$1,400/seat/year + $5k–$50k platform fee | ~15 seats | Annual, prepaid | Post-call analysis |
| Chorus | $1,000–$1,800/seat/year | 10–25 seats | Annual | Post-call analysis |
| Balto | ~$100/agent/month | ~50 agents | Annual | Yes |
| Cresta | $100–$200/agent/month + platform fee | ~100 agents | Annual, ~$150k typical | Yes |
| Observe.AI | $69/agent/month (marketplace) | 100 seats | Annual | Yes |
Competitor figures were researched on 6 September 2026 from published pricing pages, marketplace listings and buyer-reported contract data. Vendors in this category mostly do not publish list prices, so several are ranges — check with the vendor before you decide.
Head to head
- CompareMerdial vs GongGong starts at ~15 seats. Where it is the better buy, and where Merdial is.
- CompareMerdial vs ChorusChorus starts at 10–25 seats. Where it is the better buy, and where Merdial is.
- CompareMerdial vs BaltoBalto starts at ~50 agents. Where it is the better buy, and where Merdial is.
- CompareMerdial vs CrestaCresta starts at ~100 agents. Where it is the better buy, and where Merdial is.
- CompareMerdial vs Observe.AIObserve.AI starts at 100 seats. Where it is the better buy, and where Merdial is.
Why teams choose Merdial
- Minimum1 seat
Every other vendor here has a 10 to 100-seat floor. Merdial starts free, on one seat.
- LiveEvery tier
The answer on screen about 300 ms after the objection — on the free plan too.
- CaptureAny call
Any dialler or softphone, Zoom, Microsoft Teams and Google Meet, with nothing to integrate.
- StandardsPer client
Each client or campaign is scored against its own rubric, not one company-wide scorecard.
Straight answers
Is the free plan a trial?
No. Free is 10 hours of talk time every month on one seat, with every call scored, live in-call coaching and the objection library. It does not expire and it does not ask for a card.
Does Merdial work on Zoom, Microsoft Teams and Google Meet calls?
Yes. Merdial captures the call wherever it happens — a dialler, a softphone, Zoom, Microsoft Teams or Google Meet — and transcribes, coaches and scores it the same way.
Does Merdial work with my dialler?
Yes. The Merdial desktop app for Windows 10+ and macOS 14.2+ captures the call audio on your computer — any dialler, softphone or meeting app — so it works beside whatever you already use, with no webhook or API key to set up.
