8x8
Proton
| Feature | 8x8 | Proton |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | From $28/mo | Free / from $3.99/mo |
| Free Plan | ✗ No | ✓ Yes |
| Rating | 4 / 5 | 4.5 / 5 |
| Best For | international-businesses, contact-centers, healthcare, financial-services | privacy-advocates, journalists, activists, security-conscious-users |
| Founded | 1987 | 2014 |
| Unlimited Calling | ✓ | ✗ |
| Video Conferencing | ✓ | ✗ |
| Team Chat | ✓ | ✗ |
| Contact Center | ✓ | ✗ |
| Analytics | ✓ | ✗ |
| Call Recording | ✓ | ✗ |
| Encrypted Email | ✗ | ✓ |
| Vpn | ✗ | ✓ |
| Cloud Storage | ✗ | ✓ |
| Calendar | ✗ | ✓ |
| Password Manager | ✗ | ✓ |
| Aliases | ✗ | ✓ |
| Self Destructing Messages | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ 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
✓ Proton Pros
- End-to-end encryption for all services
- Swiss-based with strong privacy laws
- Open-source and independently audited
- Comprehensive privacy suite (mail, VPN, drive, calendar)
- Free tier available for all services
✗ Proton Cons
- Free storage is limited (1GB for mail)
- Less feature-rich than mainstream alternatives
- Search functionality limited due to encryption
The Verdict
8x8 is built for international businesses and contact centers, with a focus on unlimited-calling and video-conferencing. Proton targets privacy advocates and journalists and leads with encrypted-email and vpn.
On pricing, Proton is the clear winner for budget-conscious users — starting at $3.99/mo compared to $28/mo for 8x8. That $24.009999999999998/mo difference adds up quickly for growing teams.
Proton 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.
Proton edges out on user ratings (4.5 vs 4). While both are well-regarded, that gap reflects real differences in user satisfaction worth considering.
Feature-wise, Proton 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: Proton has a slight overall edge — but if unlimited international calling matters most to you, 8x8 may still be the right call.