8x8
Novu
| Feature | 8x8 | Novu |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | From $28/mo | Free / from $0.0025/mo |
| Free Plan | ✗ No | ✓ Yes |
| Rating | 4 / 5 | 4.3 / 5 |
| Best For | international-businesses, contact-centers, healthcare, financial-services | saas-developers, product-teams, startups, notification-heavy-apps |
| Founded | 1987 | 2021 |
| Unlimited Calling | ✓ | ✗ |
| Video Conferencing | ✓ | ✗ |
| Team Chat | ✓ | ✗ |
| Contact Center | ✓ | ✗ |
| Analytics | ✓ | ✗ |
| Call Recording | ✓ | ✗ |
| Multi Channel Notifications | ✗ | ✓ |
| Notification Center | ✗ | ✓ |
| Subscriber Preferences | ✗ | ✓ |
| Workflow Editor | ✗ | ✓ |
| Digest | ✗ | ✓ |
| Templates | ✗ | ✓ |
| Self Hostable | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ 8x8 Pros
- Unlimited international calling
- Strong contact center features
- Good uptime and reliability
- Compliant for healthcare and finance
✗ 8x8 Cons
- Interface feels dated
- Support can be slow
- Pricing not transparent
✓ Novu Pros
- Single API for all notification channels
- Open-source with self-hosting option
- Built-in notification center UI component
- Subscriber preference management included
✗ Novu Cons
- Complex setup for advanced use cases
- Documentation has gaps for edge cases
- Self-hosted version requires maintenance
The Verdict
8x8 is built for international businesses and contact centers, with a focus on unlimited-calling and video-conferencing. Novu targets saas developers and product teams and leads with multi-channel-notifications and notification-center.
On pricing, Novu is the clear winner for budget-conscious users — starting at $0.0025/mo compared to $28/mo for 8x8. That $27.9975/mo difference adds up quickly for growing teams.
Novu has a free plan, which gives it a meaningful edge for individuals and small teams exploring their options. 8x8 requires a paid subscription from day one.
Feature-wise, Novu offers broader built-in capabilities (7 features vs 6), while 8x8 takes a more focused approach — which can mean a simpler, faster onboarding experience.
Bottom line: Novu has a slight overall edge — but if unlimited international calling matters most to you, 8x8 may still be the right call.