The 7 best Cresta alternatives for support teams in 2025

Cresta is a big name in the world of contact center AI, and for good reason. It offers real-time agent coaching and some pretty smart conversation analytics. But you’re probably here because you're running into a few bumps. Maybe the lack of customization is frustrating, the onboarding feels a bit heavy, or the pricing is just… unpredictable.

If that sounds familiar, you’re in the right place. The market is packed with great tools that might be a much better fit for your team's needs. Whether you're after a more hands-on, self-serve platform or a tool that focuses on a different part of the support puzzle, we’ve got you covered.

Let's walk through the top seven Cresta alternatives to help you figure out what's next for your team in 2025.

Understanding AI agent assist platforms and Cresta alternatives

Before we jump into the list, let's get on the same page. AI agent assist platforms (sometimes called conversation intelligence tools) are designed to give customer support and sales teams a boost. They usually work by listening in on and analyzing conversations from calls, chats, and emails as they happen.

Most of them focus on a few key things:

• Giving agents live tips and guidance during a customer interaction.

• Taking care of after-call work, like summarizing conversations and logging notes.

• Digging through conversations to find useful customer insights and track team performance.

• Automating the quality assurance (QA) process by scoring interactions for you.

Cresta leans heavily on the real-time coaching part, but many alternatives have different strengths, like fully automating tickets, offering deeper quality management, or making it easier to connect to your knowledge base.

What to look for when choosing Cresta alternatives

Switching from Cresta isn't just about finding a replacement; it's about finding something that works better for your specific workflow. Based on the common headaches we hear about, here’s what you should really be thinking about.

How fast can you get it working?

Some platforms feel like they require a dozen sales calls and a team of consultants just to get started. The best modern tools are truly self-serve, letting you connect your accounts and see results in minutes, not months.

Does it play well with others?

Does the tool force you to rip out your existing helpdesk? Or does it plug right into the tools you already use every day, like Zendesk, Freshdesk, or Slack? A tool that works with your current setup is always going to be less disruptive.

Are you in the driver's seat?

Can you set specific rules for which tickets get automated and which ones need a human touch? A flexible system that lets you build your own workflows is way more powerful than a rigid, one-size-fits-all approach.

Where does it get its information?

An AI is only as smart as the information it learns from. A platform that can instantly pull knowledge from past tickets, internal wikis like Confluence or Google Docs, and your public help center will give you much more accurate and relevant answers.

Is the pricing a guessing game?

Does the vendor charge you per resolution, making your bill jump around every month? Look for platforms with clear, flat-rate pricing. You shouldn't be penalized for having a busy support month.

Can you try before you buy?

This one's a biggie. Can you test the AI on your own historical data before you unleash it on your customers? A good simulation mode lets you see exactly how the AI will perform, so you can feel confident before you flip the switch.

The best Cresta alternatives in 2025: A quick comparison

Here's a quick side-by-side look at our top picks.

Tool	Best For	Key Feature	Self-Serve Setup	Pricing Model
eesel AI	Teams wanting fast, flexible, and powerful automation	AI that trains on past tickets and docs	Yes, go live in minutes	Flat-rate, tiered plans
Gong	Sales teams focused on revenue intelligence	Deep conversation analytics	No, sales-led	Custom, quote-based
Observe.AI	Contact centers prioritizing QA and compliance	Automated quality management	No, sales-led	Custom, quote-based
Balto	Teams needing live agent guidance	Real-time call prompts	No, sales-led	Custom, quote-based
Level AI	Support teams focused on quality assurance systems	Comprehensive QMS package	No, sales-led	Custom, quote-based
CallMiner	Large enterprises needing deep analytics	Omnichannel interaction analytics	No, sales-led	Custom, quote-based
ASAPP	Fortune 500 companies needing a custom build	AI-native enterprise platform	No, sales-led	Custom, quote-based

A deep dive into the top 7 Cresta alternatives

Alright, let's get into the details of each platform and see what makes them tick.

1. eesel AI

eesel AI is a modern AI platform built for support teams who want to move fast and have full control. Unlike older platforms that lock you into long sales cycles, eesel AI is completely self-serve. You can connect your helpdesk, let the AI learn from your past tickets and knowledge docs, and see how it would perform in minutes. It’s a full suite, with an AI Agent for automation, an AI Copilot for helping agents, and AI Triage for smart routing.

• Pros:

  • Go live in minutes: It’s a true self-serve platform. You can set everything up yourself without needing to schedule a single sales demo.

  • Brings all your knowledge together: It instantly connects to your helpdesk, wikis like Confluence and Google Docs, Slack channels, and more.

  • Powerful simulation mode: You can test the AI on thousands of your past tickets to get a clear picture of its performance before it ever talks to a customer.

  • You control the workflow: A flexible engine lets you decide exactly which types of tickets to automate and which to send to your team.

  • No-nonsense pricing: The plans are simple, flat-rate, and posted right on their site. No surprise fees for resolving more tickets.

• Cons:

  • Since it's a newer platform, it might not have every single niche feature you'd find in a legacy enterprise system.

  • The self-serve model is perfect for teams that like to be hands-on, but it might be less ideal for those who prefer a fully managed, "white-glove" setup.

• Pricing: You can find eesel AI's pricing right on their website, and there's a 7-day free trial.

  • Team Plan: $299/month for up to 1,000 AI interactions. It drops to $239/month if you pay annually.

  • Business Plan: $799/month for up to 3,000 AI interactions, and includes advanced features like training on past tickets and using AI Actions. The annual plan is $639/month.

  • Custom Plan: Available for teams with unique needs and unlimited interactions.

A look at how eesel AI can learn from past tickets to improve its performance, a key feature for those looking for Cresta alternatives.::alt_title=Cresta alternatives - eesel AI Past Tickets History,alt_text=A screenshot of the eesel AI interface showing how the AI learns from past tickets. This is one of the top Cresta alternatives.

2. Gong

You've probably heard of Gong. It's a powerhouse in "revenue intelligence," making it one of the most popular Cresta alternatives for sales teams. While it can be used by support, its real strength is in analyzing sales calls to figure out what top performers are doing right, improve forecasting, and coach reps. It records and analyzes everything from calls to emails to give sales leaders a clear view of their pipeline.

• Pros:

  • Fantastic for sales teams looking to analyze performance and close more deals.

  • Offers great insights into market trends and what competitors are up to.

  • Top-notch call recording and transcription.

• Cons:

  • It's not really built to automatically solve customer support tickets.

  • It can be one of the pricier options out there.

  • Getting started is a sales-led process, which means it can take a while and you don't know the price upfront.

• Pricing: Gong's pricing isn't public. It’s typically a per-user fee plus a platform fee, but you have to book a call with their sales team to get a quote.

3. Observe.AI

Observe.AI is a solid choice for large contact centers that are laser-focused on quality assurance and agent performance. It automates the painful process of scoring customer interactions, giving you insights into compliance issues, coaching opportunities, and overall customer sentiment. If you're looking to upgrade from tedious, manual QA, this is a great tool.

• Pros:

  • Powerful automation for quality management and checking for compliance.

  • Gives you data-backed coaching recommendations for your agents.

  • Analyzes both voice and chat conversations.

• Cons:

  • The main focus is on analytics and QA, not on automating ticket resolution or providing self-service.

  • The setup can be complicated and often requires help from their professional services team.

• Pricing: You won't find Observe.AI's pricing on their website. They have different packages but require you to "Talk to sales" for a custom quote.

4. Balto

Balto is all about real-time guidance. Think of it as a live coach that sits on your agent's shoulder. It listens to conversations and pops up helpful suggestions on their screen to help them navigate tricky objections, stick to scripts, and stay compliant. If your main goal is to make agents better during a live conversation, Balto is a fantastic choice.

• Pros:

  • Best-in-class for real-time prompts and agent coaching.

  • Helps keep your team consistent and compliant.

  • Agents find it easy to use and adopt.

• Cons:

  • It doesn't put as much focus on what happens after the interaction (analytics, automation).

  • It doesn't learn from your external knowledge bases like a wiki or shared documents.

• Pricing: Balto keeps its pricing under wraps. You’ll need to book a demo with their sales team to get a quote, which can be a roadblock for teams that want to get moving quickly.

5. Level AI

Level AI is another Cresta alternative that goes deep on its Quality Management System (QMS). It offers auto-QA, AI-powered coaching dashboards, and detailed voice of the customer analytics. For support leaders who want to build a serious, data-driven quality program, Level AI provides all the tools you need to analyze and improve every conversation.

• Pros:

  • Deep features for automating your Quality Assurance process.

  • Pulls out useful customer insights and trends.

  • Offers agent screen recording, which adds a lot of context for QA.

• Cons:

  • The setup can take a while; some users have reported delays.

  • It’s more about QA and analytics than it is about real-time agent help or full automation.

• Pricing: Level AI's pricing is not public. You have to schedule a demo to get a quote for your business.

6. CallMiner

CallMiner is one of the original players in this space, and it's still a powerful option, especially for large enterprises. It provides a highly detailed platform for analyzing conversations across all channels to improve customer experience, stay compliant, and boost efficiency. Its main advantage is its ability to crunch huge amounts of data and spot trends you might otherwise miss.

• Pros:

  • An enterprise-level platform with deep, customizable analytics.

  • Strong features for managing compliance and risk.

  • It's been around for a while and is trusted by many large companies.

• Cons:

  • It can be complex and pricey, with a pretty steep learning curve.

  • The interface can feel a bit dated compared to more modern tools.

• Pricing: CallMiner doesn't list its prices online. As an enterprise tool, pricing is customized and you'll need to consult with their sales team.

7. ASAPP

ASAPP is an AI-native platform built for massive enterprises that are looking to completely rethink their contact center operations. It’s less of an off-the-shelf product and more of a foundational technology partner, offering things like generative AI agents and agent assist tools designed to handle complex issues at a huge scale.

• Pros:

  • Built from the ground up on AI for top-tier performance.

  • Designed to handle high volumes and complicated customer problems.

  • Focuses on real business results like cutting costs and boosting CSAT.

• Cons:

  • This is not a self-serve tool. It requires a significant investment and a deep partnership.

  • It's not a fit for small or medium-sized businesses.

• Pricing: Pricing for ASAPP is completely custom and aimed at enterprise clients. You’ll have to get in touch with their sales team to discuss a partnership.

This video discusses some of the most questionably priced JDM Legends and suggests some more affordable obscure Cresta alternatives.

How to choose the right Cresta alternative for your team

Okay, that’s a lot of options. How do you actually pick the right one? Here’s a simple way to think about it.

Start with your main goal

What's the number one problem you're trying to solve right now?

• Want to improve sales performance? Check out a revenue intelligence tool like Gong.

• Need to automate your QA process? Look at a specialist like Observe.AI or Level AI.

• Looking for live agent coaching? Balto is probably your best bet.

• Need fast, flexible, and powerful automation? A modern, self-serve platform like eesel AI is the way to go.

Think about your team's time

Do you have people who can dedicate themselves to a months-long implementation project? Or do you need a tool you can set up yourself by the end of the week? If speed and independence matter to you, a self-serve model should be at the top of your list.

Run a pilot or simulation

Whatever you do, don't buy an AI tool without seeing it work with your data. The best way to feel confident in your choice is to use a platform that offers a free trial or a simulation mode. This lets you see the real-world performance and ROI before you commit, which is a huge advantage of platforms like eesel AI.

The final word on Cresta alternatives

Cresta is a solid tool, but the AI support world has grown up a lot. Today’s best platforms offer more than just real-time coaching, they provide true automation, plug into your existing tools without a fuss, and give you the control to get started when you’re ready.

While tools like Gong and Balto are great at what they do, eesel AI stands out as the best all-around Cresta alternative for teams that need a solution that’s powerful, flexible, and genuinely easy to use. The ability to pull in all your knowledge, test performance without any risk, and go live in minutes makes it the clear choice for modern support teams.

Ready to see for yourself? Try eesel AI for free and see how quickly you can put your support on autopilot.