I curated a list of the 10 best Live Call Routing software for incident management.
To compare them, I created a checklist of essential features. I then read their documentation to see how they stacks up against my checklist.
And finally, I encapsulated the results in three tables:
- Checklist Table: Shows which tools have the key features
- Scorecard Table: Ranks each tool based on the checklist
- Comparison Table: Shows which tool fits your team and budget
If you are new to live call routing, I’ve included a section that covers the basics for you.
Let’s get started!
✨ Key highlights
- Live Call Routing automatically connects incoming calls to on-call engineers based on existing on-call schedules.
- Key features of Live Call Routing include automatic incident creation, escalation fallbacks, secure phone integrations, Slack/Teams alerts, audit log, custom messaging, call recording, and contact management.
- Tools on this list: Spike, PagerDuty, Incident.io, Splunk OnCall, Zenduty, Squadcast, Datadog OnCall, AlertOps, xMatters, and Grafana OnCall.
Table of Contents
New to Live Call Routing? Start Here
What is Live Call Routing?
Live Call Routing is a system that automatically connects incoming calls to on-call engineers based on existing schedules.
For example, if your payment API is down, a stakeholder can call a dedicated number. The Live Call Routing system checks your schedule, finds the on-call engineer, and rings their phone.
Why do you need Live Call Routing in incident management?
During an incident, every second counts. Manual call trees and looking up numbers are slow and prone to error. This delays the response.
Automated routing removes these manual steps. It connects the person reporting an issue directly to the person who can fix it. This helps teams acknowledge and resolve incidents faster.
What are the key benefits of Live Call Routing?
- Faster incident response times
- Fewer missed calls with fallback options
- No off-hour interruptions, so less on-call stress
- A clear audit trail of every call for post-mortems
- Reduced human error from manual routing
- Automatic incident creation
Live Call Routing Checklist: What to Look For
Use this checklist to see if a tool has all the key features for Live Call Routing.
Deal Breakers:
- Does it automatically create incidents from incoming calls
- Can I include fallbacks/escalations if the on-call engineer misses the call
- Is Live Call Routing available in the starter plan
- Can I get started with live call routing immediately, or do I need to contact sales
Operational Essentials:
- Can I use my Twilio/Plivo number for routing without sharing API keys with the vendor
- Does it send alerts to Slack/Teams when calls are received
- Does it provide a dedicated audit log with info like caller, receiver, call duration, etc
- Can I customize the welcome and voicemail messages callers hear
Convenience Features:
- Do I have the option to record the calls
- Can I save and organize frequent caller information
How Each Tool Stacks UP
Let’s check which tools tick the most boxes for key live call routing features.
| Criteria | Spike | PagerDuty | Incident.io | Splunk OnCall | Zenduty | Squadcast | Datadog OnCall | AlertOps | xMatters | Grafana OnCall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Automatic incident creation | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Escalation if call missed | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Available in starter plan | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Get started without contacting sales | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Use own Twilio/Plivo number without sharing API | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Slack/Teams alerts | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Dedicated audit log | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ |
| Custom messaging | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ |
| Call recording | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Save contacts | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
Live Call Routing Scorecard: See Which Tool Ranks Highest
Here’s how the tools scored based on the checklist. I awarded one point for each ✅
| Tool | Score |
|---|---|
| Spike | 10 |
| Splunk OnCall | 6 |
| Squadcast | 5 |
| AlertOps | 5 |
| PagerDuty | 4 |
| Zenduty | 4 |
| xMatters | 4 |
| Grafana OnCall | 4 |
| Incident.io | 3 |
| Datadog OnCall | 2 |
Spike stands out as the clear winner with a perfect score of 10/10 points, ticking every box for key live call routing features.
To learn more about Spike’s Live Call Routing, check out this post
Which Tool Fits Your Team and Budget
| Tool | Best for | Price (starting plan with LCR) | Website |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spike | Teams of all sizes who want all the key live call routing features | $7/user/month | Visit Spike |
| Splunk OnCall | Splunk users needing fast setup and full LCR | $9/user/month | Visit Splunk OnCall |
| Squadcast | Mid-sized teams who want call recording | Contact sales | Visit Squadcast |
| AlertOps | Teams needing US/Canada LCR with audit logs | Contact sales | Visit AlertOps |
| PagerDuty | Large orgs needing solid integrations | Contact sales | Visit PagerDuty |
| Zenduty | Teams needing fallback options | $16/user/month | Visit Zenduty |
| xMatters | Enterprises seeking robust audit and custom messaging | Contact sales | Visit xMatters |
| Grafana OnCall | Grafana stack users needing LCR | $20/user/month | Visit Grafana OnCall |
| Incident.io | Modern, Slack-first teams | $25/user/month + $20/user/month for on-call | Visit Incident.io |
| Datadog OnCall | Teams already on Datadog | $29/user/month | Visit Datadog OnCall |
Final Thoughts
After evaluating 10 Live Call Routing software across key features, the data shows clear patterns.
Most tools handle basic routing, but few offer complete solutions. Only a handful include live call routing in starter plans, and many require sales calls just to get started.
Based on the checklist scores, Spike offers the most comprehensive feature set at the best price point. For teams needing immediate setup without sales friction, it’s the clear choice.
FAQs
What’s the difference between live call routing and traditional call center routing?
Traditional call center routing sends calls to any available agent, usually in a queue. Live call routing for incident management connects calls directly to the specific on-call engineer who can fix the problem.
How much does call routing cost?
Costs vary by vendor and features. Some tools, like Spike, offer live call routing starting at $7 per user each month. Others bundle it with higher-tier plans or need you to talk to sales.
Do I need extra hardware to use call routing software?
No. The best Live Call Routing Software is cloud-based and works with your existing phones and computer. You just need an internet connection and your phone. Most tools set up virtual numbers or work with your Twilio, Plivo, or similar accounts.
When do I need a live call routing software?
You need live call routing when manual phone trees slow down your incident response. If you have on-call schedules and people call about outages, automated routing saves critical time. Consider it essential if you run high-stakes workloads like payments, healthcare, or 24/7 SaaS services, where a missed call could mean lost revenue or user disruption.