8x8 Express (discontinued) vs. Skype

Overview
ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price
8x8 Express (discontinued)
Score 7.3 out of 10
N/A
8x8 Express was a cloud-based phone system that included unlimited calling within the U.S and Canada, HD video conferencing, business SMS and team chat, pre-configured. As of March 2023 8x8 Express is end of sale and no longer available.N/A
Skype
Score 7.3 out of 10
N/A
Skype (the personal edition) is a free web meeting, video conferencing, and VoIP software. The free version includes audio and video Skype-to-Skype calls, ability to call mobile phones and landlines, paid international calling, and conference calling capabilities for up to 25 people.N/A
Pricing
8x8 Express (discontinued)Skype
Editions & Modules
No answers on this topic
No answers on this topic
Offerings
Pricing Offerings
8x8 Express (discontinued)Skype
Free Trial
YesNo
Free/Freemium Version
NoNo
Premium Consulting/Integration Services
NoNo
Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeNo setup fee
Additional Details
More Pricing Information
Features
8x8 Express (discontinued)Skype
Performance & Compatibility of Online Events Software
Comparison of Performance & Compatibility of Online Events Software features of Product A and Product B
8x8 Express (discontinued)
8.0
6 Ratings
1% below category average
Skype
7.4
134 Ratings
7% below category average
High quality audio8.06 Ratings7.9131 Ratings
High quality video8.03 Ratings7.8129 Ratings
Low bandwidth requirements00 Ratings6.4126 Ratings
Mobile support00 Ratings7.5114 Ratings
Screen Sharing
Comparison of Screen Sharing features of Product A and Product B
8x8 Express (discontinued)
8.5
2 Ratings
6% above category average
Skype
6.8
115 Ratings
15% below category average
Desktop sharing8.52 Ratings7.3114 Ratings
Whiteboards00 Ratings6.457 Ratings
Online Meetings / Events
Comparison of Online Meetings / Events features of Product A and Product B
8x8 Express (discontinued)
8.7
2 Ratings
9% above category average
Skype
6.7
115 Ratings
20% below category average
Calendar integration9.02 Ratings6.882 Ratings
Meeting initiation8.02 Ratings7.1103 Ratings
Record meetings / events9.02 Ratings7.174 Ratings
Integrates with social media00 Ratings6.062 Ratings
Slideshows00 Ratings6.666 Ratings
Online Events Collaboration
Comparison of Online Events Collaboration features of Product A and Product B
8x8 Express (discontinued)
8.5
2 Ratings
10% above category average
Skype
7.7
108 Ratings
8% below category average
Live chat8.52 Ratings8.4107 Ratings
Audience polling00 Ratings7.362 Ratings
Q&A00 Ratings7.359 Ratings
Online Events Security
Comparison of Online Events Security features of Product A and Product B
8x8 Express (discontinued)
9.3
5 Ratings
21% above category average
Skype
7.3
97 Ratings
13% below category average
User authentication9.05 Ratings7.084 Ratings
Participant roles & permissions9.54 Ratings7.380 Ratings
Confidential attendee list00 Ratings7.758 Ratings
Cloud PBX
Comparison of Cloud PBX features of Product A and Product B
8x8 Express (discontinued)
8.0
6 Ratings
2% below category average
Skype
-
Ratings
Hosted PBX7.54 Ratings00 Ratings
Multi-level Interactive Voice Response (IVR)8.05 Ratings00 Ratings
Directory of employee names8.66 Ratings00 Ratings
Call Management
Comparison of Call Management features of Product A and Product B
8x8 Express (discontinued)
8.9
6 Ratings
8% above category average
Skype
-
Ratings
Answering rules9.06 Ratings00 Ratings
Call recording9.05 Ratings00 Ratings
Call park9.04 Ratings00 Ratings
Call screening9.34 Ratings00 Ratings
Message alerts9.25 Ratings00 Ratings
Business SMS/External Messaging8.54 Ratings00 Ratings
Online Fax8.01 Ratings00 Ratings
Voicemail Transcription9.05 Ratings00 Ratings
Mobile apps
Comparison of Mobile apps features of Product A and Product B
8x8 Express (discontinued)
9.7
3 Ratings
12% above category average
Skype
-
Ratings
Mobile app for iOS9.73 Ratings00 Ratings
Mobile app for Android9.62 Ratings00 Ratings
Unified Communications Platform and Collaboration
Comparison of Unified Communications Platform and Collaboration features of Product A and Product B
8x8 Express (discontinued)
7.1
5 Ratings
6% below category average
Skype
-
Ratings
Centralized communications management8.05 Ratings00 Ratings
Team messaging8.24 Ratings00 Ratings
Team document sharing6.01 Ratings00 Ratings
Call and meeting analytics6.03 Ratings00 Ratings
Best Alternatives
8x8 Express (discontinued)Skype
Small Businesses
Nextiva Business Phone Service
Nextiva Business Phone Service
Score 9.2 out of 10
ClickMeeting
ClickMeeting
Score 9.5 out of 10
Medium-sized Companies
Nextiva Business Phone Service
Nextiva Business Phone Service
Score 9.2 out of 10
ClickMeeting
ClickMeeting
Score 9.5 out of 10
Enterprises
Cisco Unified Communications Manager (Call Manager)
Cisco Unified Communications Manager (Call Manager)
Score 8.6 out of 10
Google Meet
Google Meet
Score 8.3 out of 10
All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
User Ratings
8x8 Express (discontinued)Skype
Likelihood to Recommend
7.6
(8 ratings)
7.0
(136 ratings)
Likelihood to Renew
-
(0 ratings)
10.0
(5 ratings)
Usability
-
(0 ratings)
10.0
(3 ratings)
Availability
-
(0 ratings)
10.0
(1 ratings)
Performance
-
(0 ratings)
10.0
(1 ratings)
Support Rating
9.1
(2 ratings)
10.0
(42 ratings)
Implementation Rating
-
(0 ratings)
10.0
(3 ratings)
Configurability
-
(0 ratings)
10.0
(1 ratings)
Contract Terms and Pricing Model
-
(0 ratings)
10.0
(1 ratings)
Ease of integration
-
(0 ratings)
10.0
(1 ratings)
Product Scalability
-
(0 ratings)
10.0
(1 ratings)
Professional Services
-
(0 ratings)
10.0
(1 ratings)
Vendor post-sale
-
(0 ratings)
10.0
(1 ratings)
Vendor pre-sale
-
(0 ratings)
10.0
(1 ratings)
User Testimonials
8x8 Express (discontinued)Skype
Likelihood to Recommend
Discontinued Products
The 8x8 app is great and very user friendly and straightforward. Team Members can adjust their own setting as needed.
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Microsoft
Skype is well suited for quick calls back and forth, in both video and audio, among team members who have it already installed and who know how to use it. It is less well-suited when trying to do a presentation for somebody who does NOT have it installed or who lacks internet speed.
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Pros
Discontinued Products
  • So easy to use!
  • Voicemail - can be accessed anywhere, includes transcription of the voicemail and an email message with the recording
  • Telephone services without all the fees of a landline service
  • Auto attendant, offering recordings of our messages
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Microsoft
  • The instant chat function is great. Very straightforward, easy to use, easy to learn, no technical issues.
  • Video calls are pretty easy also, user friendly and a mostly stable connection with no issues.
  • Voice calls are easy also, eliminates the need for an external landline or the need to use your cell phone. Clear connections, not really any dropped calls.
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Cons
Discontinued Products
  • We are just starting to use the platform and using limited features at the moment and 8x8 is doing everything we need it to do.
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Microsoft
  • This is really small, but I'd love to see the emoticons updated to emojis.
  • Make calling free like some other communications app providers.
  • Grant the ability to not show that you're online even when you are. Sometimes you want to make a call, but you don't want other people to see you're online and start messaging you.
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Likelihood to Renew
Discontinued Products
No answers on this topic
Microsoft
I have given this rating as this need to give more than that as it's very helpful for us and makes our work more efficient and fast.
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Usability
Discontinued Products
No answers on this topic
Microsoft
Skype is not as good as Facetime in terms of ease to glance at it and figure out how it works. I think that's a result of Skype trying to be too many things at once. A lot of the menu and UI could be streamlined, and I would jettison some of the additional functions that have been tacked on over the years to simplify. That being said, while some options are slightly hard to find, they all work flawlessly once found.
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Support Rating
Discontinued Products
If you get less than 4 phones you fall into the online only customer service. There were a couple of times that I could have used more assistance but figuring it out online was a bit of a hassle.
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Microsoft
I am not aware of the current support level for Skype for business, as I have never used even though I have the product. However, the support for Skype's personal paid users is not where it could be. Users who pay for Skype features do not have a clear path to reach out to support. So, rating 6, can be better as soon as I need to use Skype for business support and get a good experience. I will say that I will renew Skype for Business subscription, which is a significant inconsistency on my end. The explanation is that Skype for Business comes bundled with Office for Business, with no additional cost, so why not.
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Implementation Rating
Discontinued Products
No answers on this topic
Microsoft
It can be used on the phone via mobile application as well as on the desktop by logging in to the website. Easily installed and ready to use.
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Alternatives Considered
Discontinued Products
8x8 has a much lower cost that avaya for the same features. 8x8 is a bit more user friendly than some other larger well established brands. It still uses industry standards in terminology and call flows to for anyone with voip experience its a pain free switch to make over.
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Microsoft
Microsoft Teams provides basically the same services. Local number calling is not available (that I know of) but that only matters if you have any need to use it. Teams is a little more stable, especially with a lot of people on a call. Skype is easier to set up and to operate. Skype also has a larger install base.
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Professional Services
Discontinued Products
No answers on this topic
Microsoft
The service provided is up to date, as discussed before buying.
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Return on Investment
Discontinued Products
  • Being able to listen to phone calls when there is a discrepancy
  • Keeping the honest honest by knowing we can listen to calls
  • Easy to communicate internally, been very helpful and time saving
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Microsoft
  • Overall Skype is a good investment. We use regular Skype so its a product that comes with Windows PC's as a standard app. We dont use Skype for Business so this cuts cost overall.
  • Using the basic functions of Skype and not Skype for business does have some downsides but you do save money. There are many other apps we use as well as Skype in order to accomplish all of our goals.
  • The downside of course is that the more you want Skype to do, the more money it will cost the organization as a whole. It does have many more functions which you have to upgrade to Skype for business for. That is my only criticism.
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ScreenShots

8x8 Express (discontinued) Screenshots

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