The Cresta alternative for sales teams of any size
Cresta is enterprise contact-center AI, typically around $150k a year with a minimum near 100 agents. Merdial brings live coaching and 100% call scoring to sales teams of any size, starting at one seat.
- 1 seatMinimum to buy
- $0Free plan, no card
- ~300msObjection to answer
Choose Cresta if you are an enterprise contact center with 100 or more agents and a six-figure budget. Choose Merdial if you are a sales team that wants live coaching and every call scored now, from one seat and month to month.
Merdial and Cresta, compared
| Feature | Merdial | Cresta |
|---|---|---|
| Entry price | $0, then $39/month | $100–$200/agent/month + platform fee |
| Minimum to buy | 1 seat | ~100 agents |
| Contract | Monthly, cancel any time | Annual, ~$150k typical |
| Live in-call coaching | Yes, on every tier | Yes |
| What a call produces | An approved lead | Contact-center QA |
| Captures diallers, Zoom, Teams and Meet | Yes | Check with the vendor |
| Built for | Sales teams, from one seat | Contact centers |
| SOC 2 report | Not yet | Check with the vendor |
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 Vendors in this category mostly do not publish list prices, so several are ranges — check with the vendor before you decide.
An honest answer
- You are a team of 1 to 10, or want to start with one seat
- You want the answer on screen while the prospect is still talking
- Each client or campaign needs its own definition of qualified
- You want to pay monthly, with no annual contract
- You run 100+ agents and want an enterprise contact-center AI suite
- You need a vendor that will pass a large security review today
- A six-figure annual contract fits your budget
Straight answers
Is Merdial cheaper than Cresta?
For most small teams, yes. Merdial is $0 on one seat, $39 a month for Solo and $59 per user a month for Team, month to month. Cresta is typically $100–$200/agent/month + platform fee with a minimum of ~100 agents.
Can Merdial replace Cresta?
For live coaching and scoring every sales call — on any dialler, Zoom, Teams or Google Meet — yes, for teams of any size. If your security review needs a SOC 2 report today, Cresta is the safer buy: Merdial does not have one yet.
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.
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.
Related
- CompareCompareMerdial against Gong, Chorus, Balto, Cresta and Observe.AI, honestly.
- FeaturesReal-time coachingThe answer that closed before, on screen about 300 ms after the prospect objects — on any dialler.
- PricingPricingFree on one seat, Solo at $39 a month, Team at $59 per user, Custom for 11+ seats.
