# Quo vs Upfirst: feature, pricing, and use-case comparison

> Canonical: https://dialzara.com/compare/quo-vs-upfirst  
> Summary: Reference comparison of Quo (business phone system (formerly openphone) with sona ai agent, starting at $19/user/month) and Upfirst (ai answering service and virtual receptionist for small businesses) — pricing, features, strengths, and when each one fits.

## Summary

Quo is business phone system (formerly openphone) with sona ai agent, starting at $19/user/month. Upfirst is ai answering service and virtual receptionist for small businesses. This page lists the structured differences in pricing, features, and target fit between the two so a reader can decide which is the better match for their use case.

## At a glance

| | Quo | Upfirst |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **Type** | ai-first | ai-first |
| **Starting price** | $19/user/month (Starter plan) | $24.95/month (Starter) |
| **Pricing model** | Per-user monthly pricing with tiered AI credit add-ons | Per-call pricing with monthly tiers |
| **Public pricing** | Yes | Yes |
| **Target market** | Small to mid-size teams needing a modern business phone system with AI features | Small businesses, solopreneurs, and service professionals needing budget-friendly 24/7 call coverage |

## Feature comparison

| Feature | Quo | Upfirst | Dialzara | Notes |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| AI Call Handling | Yes | Yes | Yes | Quo offers Sona AI agent (1,000 free credits / ~10 calls, then paid tiers); Dialzara includes 60 minutes of AI answering |
| Appointment Booking | Yes | Yes | Yes | Both support scheduling from calls via AI / Both offer appointment booking; Upfirst integrates with Google Calendar, Outlook, and Clio |
| Lead Capture | Yes | Yes | Yes |  |
| Call Recording | Yes | Yes | Yes | Quo requires Business plan for auto recording; Dialzara records all calls |
| Call Transfers | Yes | Yes | Yes | Quo requires Business plan ($33/user/mo) for call transfers; Dialzara offers blind transfers on all plans, warm transfers on Pro ($99/mo) |
| Voicemail | Yes | Unknown | Yes |  |
| SMS Notifications | Unknown | Yes | Yes | Both send instant call summaries via SMS or email |
| Bilingual Support | No | Yes | Yes | Dialzara supports English and Spanish; Quo does not advertise bilingual AI capabilities / Upfirst supports 35+ languages; Dialzara offers bilingual English/Spanish support |
| HIPAA Compliance | No | No | Yes | Dialzara is HIPAA compliant on all plans; Quo does not advertise HIPAA compliance / Dialzara is HIPAA compliant for healthcare businesses; Upfirst does not advertise HIPAA compliance |
| CRM Integration | Yes | Unknown | Yes | Quo integrates natively with HubSpot & Salesforce on Business plan; Dialzara connects via Zapier/Make on all plans |
| Zapier Integration | Yes | Yes | Yes | Both include Zapier on all plans for CRM and app connections |
| Dedicated Phone Number | Yes | Yes | Yes |  |
| Custom AI Training | No | Unknown | Yes | Dialzara trains from your website URL; Quo Sona AI agent customization details are limited |
| Spam Filtering | Unknown | Yes | Yes | Upfirst does not count spam calls toward your total; both filter unwanted calls |
| Quick Setup | Unknown | Yes | Yes | Dialzara trains from your website URL in 2 minutes; Upfirst setup takes about 10-30 minutes |

## About Quo

Quo (formerly OpenPhone) is a business phone system that recently rebranded after raising $105M. It offers calling, messaging, and a built-in AI agent called "Sona" on all plans. Quo starts at $19/user/month (Starter), $33/user/month (Business), or $47/user/month (Scale). Sona AI is included with 1,000 free credits (about 10 calls) on every plan, with additional credit tiers from $25-$199/month. AI call summaries and transcripts require the Business plan ($33/user/month). Like Allo and RingCentral, Quo is primarily a business phone system — not a dedicated AI answering service like Dialzara.

- **Type:** ai-first
- **Target market:** Small to mid-size teams needing a modern business phone system with AI features
- **Website:** https://www.quo.com

### Quo pricing

- **Model:** Per-user monthly pricing with tiered AI credit add-ons
- **Starting price:** $19/user/month (Starter plan)
- **Public pricing:** Yes

| Tier | Price | Details |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Starter | $19/user/mo | Phone number per user, unlimited US/CA calling & messaging, voicemail transcripts, Sona AI agent (1,000 free credits / ~10 calls), email support, API access |
| Business | $33/user/mo | Everything in Starter plus AI call summaries & transcripts, group calling, call transfers, HubSpot & Salesforce integrations, phone menus, analytics, auto call recording, live chat support |
| Scale | $47/user/mo | Everything in Business plus AI call tags, dedicated onboarding, priority support, inbound phone support |

Sona AI agent included on all plans with 1,000 free credits (~10 calls). Additional AI credit tiers: $25/mo (40 calls), $49/mo (100 calls), $99/mo (250 calls), $199/mo (600 calls). Overage rates from $0.45-$1.00 per call. Carrier registration fee of $19.50 one-time for messaging. Annual billing saves ~20%. 7-day free trial available.

### Strengths

- Modern business phone system with unlimited US/CA calling and messaging
- Sona AI agent included on all plans (1,000 free credits)
- Native HubSpot and Salesforce integrations on Business plan
- Well-funded company ($105M raised) with strong product development
- Desktop and mobile apps for seamless communication
- Analytics and reporting for team performance tracking
- Flexible AI credit tiers from free to $199/month
- 7-day free trial

### Weaknesses

- Per-user pricing — costs scale with team size ($19-$47/user/month)
- AI call summaries require Business plan ($33/user/month)
- Sona AI only includes 10 free calls — additional AI usage costs $25-$199/month extra
- Call transfers require Business plan ($33/user/month)
- No HIPAA compliance advertised
- No bilingual English/Spanish support advertised
- Primarily a phone system, not a dedicated answering service
- AI overage rates from $0.45-$1.00 per call on top of plan costs
- $19.50 one-time carrier registration fee required for messaging

## About Upfirst

Upfirst is an AI-powered virtual receptionist that answers calls 24/7, captures leads, schedules appointments, and transfers calls. They use per-call pricing starting at $24.95/mo for 30 calls, with all features included on every plan. They support 35+ languages and offer Zapier integration. However, per-call pricing means you pay the same whether a call lasts 30 seconds or 10 minutes, and the Starter plan includes only 30 calls with $1.50 overage per additional call.

- **Type:** ai-first
- **Target market:** Small businesses, solopreneurs, and service professionals needing budget-friendly 24/7 call coverage
- **Website:** https://upfirst.ai

### Upfirst pricing

- **Model:** Per-call pricing with monthly tiers
- **Starting price:** $24.95/month (Starter)
- **Per-minute rate:** $1.50/call overage on Starter, $1.00 on Premium, $0.75 on Pro, $0.70 on Scale
- **Public pricing:** Yes

| Tier | Price | Details |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Starter | $24.95/mo | 30 calls included, $1.50 per additional call, all features included |
| Premium | $59.95/mo | 90 calls included, $1.00 per additional call, all features included |
| Pro | $159.95/mo | 300 calls included, $0.75 per additional call, all features included |
| Scale | $299/mo | 600 calls included, $0.70 per additional call, all features included |

Annual billing saves 20% (Starter: $20/mo, Premium: $48/mo, Pro: $128/mo, Scale: $240/mo). Per-call pricing — you pay the same whether a call is 30 seconds or 10 minutes. Spam calls, calls under 15 seconds, and pocket dials are not counted. 14-day free trial with no credit card required.

### Strengths

- Low starting price at $24.95/month — one of the cheapest AI answering services
- Most features included on every plan — minimal upselling or tier-gating
- 35+ language support on all plans
- Per-call pricing means longer calls don't cost more
- Spam calls, pocket dials, and calls under 15 seconds are not billed
- 14-day free trial with no credit card required
- Clean, simple interface designed for non-technical users
- Transparent pricing with no hidden fees

### Weaknesses

- Only 30 calls included on the $24.95/mo Starter plan — businesses with moderate call volume will quickly exceed this
- Per-call pricing can be expensive for short calls — a 30-second call costs the same as a 10-minute call
- Overage costs add up quickly at $1.50 per additional call on Starter
- No HIPAA compliance — not suitable for healthcare or regulated industries
- Basic integrations compared to more robust platforms
- Simple workflow capabilities — not ideal for complex multi-step call handling
- Limited voice customization compared to some competitors

## Frequently asked questions

### What is the main difference between Quo and Upfirst?

Quo is business phone system (formerly openphone) with sona ai agent, starting at $19/user/month. Upfirst is ai answering service and virtual receptionist for small businesses. Quo targets small to mid-size teams needing a modern business phone system with ai features, while Upfirst targets small businesses, solopreneurs, and service professionals needing budget-friendly 24/7 call coverage. Both offer AI-powered call handling, but they differ in pricing, features, and target audience.

### Which is cheaper, Quo or Upfirst?

Quo starts at $19/user/month (Starter plan), while Upfirst starts at $24.95/month (Starter). Per-user monthly pricing with tiered AI credit add-ons. Per-call pricing with monthly tiers. The total cost depends on your call volume, team size, and which features you need.

### Does Quo or Upfirst offer HIPAA compliance?

Neither Quo nor Upfirst advertises HIPAA compliance. If you need HIPAA-compliant phone answering for healthcare or regulated businesses, you may need to look at other providers in the space.

### Which is better for small businesses, Quo or Upfirst?

It depends on your specific needs. Quo's strengths include: modern business phone system with unlimited us/ca calling and messaging, sona ai agent included on all plans (1,000 free credits). Upfirst's strengths include: low starting price at $24.95/month — one of the cheapest ai answering services, most features included on every plan — minimal upselling or tier-gating. Consider your call volume, budget, and which features matter most to your business when choosing between them.

### Is there a better alternative to both Quo and Upfirst?

There are several AI phone answering services on the market beyond Quo and Upfirst. Dialzara is one option worth considering — it's a purpose-built AI answering service starting at $29/month with bilingual support, appointment booking, and HIPAA compliance on all plans. Browse our comparison pages to evaluate all your options.