If you're looking for apps to record your phone calls, you're in luck because there are many...
“Why do I need an app?” you may ask. Well, Android and Apple are making it harder and harder to record calls natively from your phone due to legal complications in many countries.
Over 18 leading countries have some sort of law concerning call recording, including the US, Germany, India, and the UK. For these countries and countless others around the world, the legality of call recording is becoming a growing concern for governments. This is why Android and Apple are staying out of it and letting apps take the lead on this service.
Recording phone calls has countless benefits, especially for businesses. VoIP providers are making call recording easy, as well as providing many other features that lets businesses manage their calls more efficiently, improve the customer experience, and increase revenue.
Read on to learn more about recording calls from your phone:
To avoid the risk of breaking any country or state-specific laws, Apple does not have an inbuilt feature to record calls. Also, third-party apps are not allowed to access the microphone and dialer app simultaneously. However, there are ways around it.
The most basic way is to use the phone's loudspeaker mode for your conversation and record it on another device. You can use a simple recorder or the Voice memo app on another iPhone. The sound quality will depend on the surrounding sounds and thus, this is not always a viable solution.
A simpler choice would be to install one of the many apps that you can call from and record your conversations.
The Rev call recording app is a free app that can be downloaded by the Apple store. It allows you to record as many incoming and outgoing calls as needed without having to deal with hidden costs or ads. In addition to call recording, Rev also offers a transcription service at a per-minute cost. These transcriptions can also be shared via email, etc.
Rev users commend the app for its easy navigation and highly accurate transcription services. However, in the absence of a subscription model, transcribing calls can become expensive.
TapeACall Pro can record incoming and outgoing calls with no limit on the number of calls or call duration. It can be sued only on devices equipped with three-way calling ability. The recording can be labeled and stored in the cloud or uploaded in MP3 format to your email inbox, Google Drive, Evernote or Dropbox account.
The app can be purchased for $10.99.
TapeACall Pro has a simple interface and creates high-quality, shareable recordings but in the case of incoming calls, callers must be put on hold for a few seconds before the recording can start.
This is one of the easiest call recording apps for iPhone users. Users can call directly from the app and record domestic and international, incoming and outgoing calls. The recordings are saved on the phone and can be accessed at any time. They can be downloaded to a MAC/PC or shared in MP3 format.
The app is free with a premium membership subscription option. This may be billed weekly, monthly, annually or purchased as a lifetime subscription.
The has received good reviews for delivering what was promised. On the other hand, some people have said the app has too many steps required to start recording.
ICall allows users to record incoming and outgoing calls with a single click. The recordings are saved on the phone and can be accessed at any time. They can also be exported as audio files or shared.
The app is free with weekly, monthly and annual premium subscription plans.
iCall reviews have been mixed. Some people say it is useful while others complain of abruptly ended call recordings.
The NoNotes app can be used to automatically record and transcribe incoming and outcoming calls of any length. The recordings are saved on the cloud and shared via email or social media platforms.
20 minutes of recording time per month are free. Alternatively, users can choose between an $11.99 monthly subscription and a $99.99 annual subscription for unlimited call recordings.
The app has received good reviews for being easy to use and offering good customer service. However, some users have said that it takes longer than expected to start recording.
Call Recorder Lite is a simple, straightforward app that allows users to record and save incoming and outgoing calls. Playback is easy with a handy control bar that lets you skip backward or forwards and adjust the playback speed. Call recordings can be shared by message, email, Dropbox or social media platforms.
The app is free to use but an in-app $9.99 purchase is required for recording calls beyond a certain limit and listening to more than 60 seconds of a recording.
The app is easy to use, versatile and mostly free from glitches but people have been unhappy with the vagueness of paid plans.
CallRec Lite is a simple way to record calls. The free version allows users to record incoming and outgoing calls of any length but offers only 1-minute playback. Call recordings are saved on the server and can be played on the app or downloaded to a computer.
While recording calls is free, users need to upgrade to a $6.99 monthly subscription to hear the full recording.
Reviews for the paid version of this app have been favorable but it lacks the ability to record conference calls.
A few years ago, Google turned off the call recording functionality in Android 9 and 10. In certain regions, it has been turned back on from Android 11 onwards. But, this hasn't made recording calls as simple as it should be. For example, some phone manufacturers like Samsung have disabled not only the built-in call recording function from the dialer app but also from third-party apps for phones in the USA.
In phones where the call recording feature hasn't been disabled, you can customize settings to ‘always record' calls from unknown numbers and select contacts.
To do so, open the phone app and navigate to call recordings from the settings menu.
Under ‘Always record' either click on ‘numbers not in your contacts' or ‘selected numbers'. In the case of the latter, click on the ‘+' icon and choose contacts. When you're done click on ‘Always Record'.
Alternatively, you can start a recording while you're having a conversation. Note that both parties will be informed about this recording.
To start recording while you're talking to someone, click on the ‘Record' icon on your screen.
Another choice is to use a call recording app.
Call X is an auto-call recorder app with a caller ID feature to avoid spam. Users can record incoming and outgoing calls and customize the call record settings to set the audio quality.
The app is free to use.
Reviews for the CallX recording quality are mostly positive, but there have been instances where people say it interfered with the quality of the ongoing conversation.
Recognizing the need for with respect to recorded conversations, Call recorder allows users to protect recordings with a PIN code. You can choose to record all calls, only incoming/outgoing calls or calls from specific contacts.
In-app purchases may be required.
According to reviews, the app is helpful, but the app has glitches.
This app can be set to record all conversations by default, record calls only from unknown numbers or record calls from selected numbers. You can later choose which to save and which to ignore. You can also add notes to the recording and share it. The number of recordings saved is limited to the memory available.
The app is free but a premium plan is also available.
Many users have testified to how this app has helped clear disputes. However, some users have said that it does not always record both halves of the conversation well.
Call Master is an all-in-one app that records calls, blocks spam calls and provides caller ID for incoming calls. You can choose between automatic recording and selective call recording
The app is free to download and use.
As a free app, Call Master has received many positive ratings for its sound quality, but the app is clunky and sometimes, cumbersome.
CallsBOX is designed to help users identify callers, avoid spam and record conversations. The app can be set to record conversations automatically or by shaking the device.
The app is free.
According to reviews, the app is helpful, but it asks for unrelated permissions and navigation can be confusing.
This app allows you to record incoming and outgoing calls and lists them with a link to your contacts. You can search for recordings by name, number or note. These recordings can be uploaded to the cloud.
The app is free.
ACR reviews appreciate the fact that it records calls taken even via BlueTooth devices. On the other hand, the quality of recordings is not consistent.
Blackbox is a professional call recording app with a clean interface and automatic call recording capabilities. Once recorded, you can access the recordings at any time and upload backups to your Google Drive.
In-app purchases may be required.
The interface is simple and easy to navigate but recordings are not always clear.
In addition to call recording, CallApp offers many features such as call blocking and caller ID. Choose between automatic and manual settings for the call recording function. These recordings are available online and offline and can also be shared.
CallApp is free to use.
The multiple functionalities offered by the app are well appreciated. However, the app can be glitchy at times.
WhatsApp does not have an inbuilt call recording feature.
If you're using an android phone, the solution is fairly simple. Keep your phone on loudspeaker mode and record the conversation using an in-built voice recorder app or a third-party app.
You cannot do this on iOS devices since third-party apps are not allowed to access the microphone and phone app simultaneously. In this case, you will need to have the conversation on the loudspeaker and use a second device to record the conversation.
Recording phone calls is very important for business owners.
Firstly, this feature allows you to monitor your team's conversations and ensure that they are offering the highest quality of services. Call recordings play an important part in training too. You can show trainees what they should and should not be doing by playing recorded calls.
In the unfortunate instance that your company is caught in a dispute related to a telephone conversation, these recordings can prove instrumental in proving your case.
It does raise the question of legality.
The good news is that it is legal to record phone calls for business purposes in most parts of the world. In some parts of the USA, one-party consent is necessary. This means that at least one participant in the conversation must know that the call is being recorded. However, in Canada and 11 American states including California and Florida, both participants must consent to the call being recorded. In the case of interstate conversation, the law usually sides with the regulations of the state where the call originated. So, if the call originated in Florida, both parties must consent to be recorded.
To be on the safe side, it is always better to ensure that everyone in the conversation knows that they are being recorded. This is why most calls to customer service numbers cite “This call may be recorded for internal training and quality purposes…” at the beginning.
Most businesses are represented by teams from multiple departments and calls are made from many different numbers. Rather than install an individual app on each phone, you need a centralized calling system with a call recording feature.
Most businesses are shifting to VoIP systems with call recording features. It is more budget friendly, provides access to many more features and is easier to set up and get running. Of course, you may still choose to retain a PBX phone system and use an add-on call recording software. Here are the top 5 options available to you.
Quicktalk is a call center software designed to meet the needs of small, growing businesses. It simplifies the phone setup system and gives business tele-conversations a professional touch. Calls can be made from multiple devices including smartphones and laptops. The Quicktalk system can be easily connected to an e-commerce platform and helps businesses improve customer support with many advanced call center features.
Amongst the features available, Quicktalk gives businesses the ability to record all conversations a team has on smartphones or desktop devices. These audio recordings meet high-quality standards and can be stored for up to 6-months in line with compliance regulations.
Quicktalk has a simple, all-in-one pricing plan of $19 per company per month for one business phone number and 3 users. It includes unlimited calls to 35 destinations, call recording, real-time monitoring and live call listening.
Ringover is a leading VoIP service provider for businesses. The system is built on a secure, global infrastructure that ensures excellent call quality. Users of the Ringover business phone system can make unlimited VoIP calls to over 110 destinations and benefit from a range of features included in the call center software.
Call recording is a common feature in all Ringover plans. All business calls to the Ringover number are automatically recorded while allowing system managers to maintain full control over the recording and storage preferences. These recordings can be accessed from anywhere and shared if needed.
Ringover has two preset monthly plans named Smart and Power and a customizable Enterprise plan. The Smart plan is priced at $24 per user per month while the Power plan is priced at $49 per user per month. Certain features like live call monitoring, advanced analytics and call reporting are available only in the Power plan.
Ringcentral offers a streamlined solution for business communication. The cloud phone system brings together voice and video calling as well as conferencing, messaging and eFax on a single platform. The aim is to simply workflow.
Ringcentral is equipped with the ability to automatically record all inbound and outgoing calls. Each account can save up to 100,000 recordings for 90 days. To ensure that these recordings are lawful, a default or custom announcement can be set for the beginning of each call.
Ringcentral has 4 packages, Essential, Standard, Premium and Ultimate priced in a range of $19.99 to $49.99 per user per month. Packages differ by the limit on the number of users, the number of participants in video meetings and availability of other features. Automatic call recording is included in the Premium and Ultimate package and available on demand for the Standard package. It is not included in the Essentials package.
Mitel is a global communications service provider based in Canada. The company focuses on VoIP products for government services and businesses of all sizes, in all sectors.
Mitel offers a number of products and solutions with built-in call recording capabilities. This includes the MiContact Center Business, MiContact Center Enterprise, Mitel InAttend and MiVoice Office Application Suite. A digital file of each recording is stored in the system from where it can be played back or transcribed.
Mitel offers many different plans and packages for each of its solutions. These plans differ by the number of users and features included. Pricing ranges from $20 to around $40 per user per month.
Twilio is an American communication platform through which businesses can make and receive voice and video calls, send and receive text messages, etc. The Twilio Voice API keeps businesses connected to customers worldwide with an omnichannel experience.
Twilio offers programmable call recording with the ability to record, store, retrieve and transcribe voice calls in the cloud. You can choose single or dual channel recordings and start, pause and resume recordings as required. These recordings are protected by public key encryption to control access. Stored recordings can be deleted at any time.
Twilio services can be used in a pay-as-you-go model with commitments to the number of minutes. Businesses can also get volume discounts and committed use discounts. Call recording is categorized as an Intelligent Service available as an add-on. This service is billed at $0.0025 per minute for recording, $0.0005 per minute per month for storage and $0.05 per minute for transcription.
Call recording has personal and business uses. With a focus on businesses, call recording plays an important role in training callers and making sure your team gives customers a good experience. In the case of ‘he said-she said' disputes, these recordings can be critical pieces of evidence.
When it comes to recording personal conversations, there are many apps that can be installed on iPhones or Android devices. However, call recording for businesses must be more centralized and easier to scale. When you're choosing a VoIP phone system, make sure call recording is an option included in the plan. It's important to note that some VoIP service providers list call recordings as a feature but offer it only in specific plans or as an add-on feature with an extra cost associated. Hence, look into the fine print and choose a plan inclusive of call recording.
Paul is a tech and business phone system enthusiast always open to discuss ideas. If you’re interested in collaborating on content projects or getting a product listed on our blog, don’t hesitate and reach out to us: [email protected].
