Channels
Channels is a cloud-based SaaS business phone system that displays caller CRM and eCommerce context to support agents in real time, serving SMBs in online retail, customer support, and sales across more than 60 countries via subscription and usage-based pricing.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2020
- HeadquartersSan Francisco, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Channels does
Channels, operated by CrazyCall Inc. (a Florida-incorporated private company), is a cloud-based SaaS business phone system that integrates with eCommerce and CRM platforms to display caller context (name, order history, prior interactions) to support agents in real time. The platform combines a virtual phone system / PBX, click-to-call web widget, IVR auto-attendant, two-way SMS, call recording, and virtual phone numbers from more than 60 countries, distributed across web, iOS, Android, and a Chrome extension. Core integrations include Shopify, Magento, Pipedrive, HubSpot, Zendesk, Clientify, LiveChat, Zapier, and Make, forming the technical basis for its data-driven helpline value proposition.
The company monetizes through tiered subscription plans billed monthly or annually, recurring per-number fees (national, mobile, toll-free), usage-based international termination rates charged per second, and prepaid calling balance top-ups. Go-to-market is product-led and self-serve: a 7-day free trial with no credit card required, supplemented by a Calendly-driven demo path for larger accounts and SEO-led comparison content positioning Channels against Google Voice, Zendesk Talk, and MagicJack. The customer base targets SMB and mid-market online businesses, particularly eCommerce merchants using Shopify/Magento, sales teams on Pipedrive/HubSpot, and customer support operations using Zendesk.
The leadership team of four (CEO Paweł Zając, CTO Wojciech Kwiatek, COO Adam Sokołowski, CMO Szymon Gołyski) directs a globally distributed team of approximately 30 employees. The company has been operating continuously since its April 2020 product launch with no disclosed external funding rounds, suggesting a bootstrapped operating model. Third-party review ratings (Capterra 4.8/5, G2 4.5/5, GetApp 4.83/5) reflect strong user satisfaction among SMB adopters, though the absence of disclosed revenue, headcount growth, or institutional investors limits visibility into commercial scale and trajectory.
Channels firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Channels
- Legal name
- CrazyCall Inc.
- Website
- https://channels.app
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2020
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Channels is a cloud-based SaaS business phone system that displays caller CRM and eCommerce context to support agents in real time, serving SMBs in online retail, customer support, and sales across more than 60 countries via subscription and usage-based pricing.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Channels industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Cloud Business Phone Systems
- NAICS
- Wired and Wireless Telecommunications Carriers (except Satellite) (51711), Wired and Wireless Telecommunications (except Satellite) (5171), Telecommunications (517)
- SIC
- Services-Telephone Interconnect Systems (7385), Telephone Communications (No Radiotelephone) (4813)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Cloud PBX & Hosted Telephony (HDAIAHAB)
Keywords
Where Channels is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Francisco
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Channels business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Operations
Revenue model
- Subscription Plans: Monthly or annual subscription plans with base user seats included. Cost depends on number of active user seats and additional paid phone numbers. Annual billing provides lower average monthly cost.
- Phone Number Fees: Monthly charges for virtual phone numbers (national, local, mobile, toll-free). Each number has both a one-time setup fee and recurring monthly charge. No limit on number of purchases.
- International Connection Rates: Usage-based charges for international calls. Rates depend on destination country and type of number (mobile vs landline). Charged per second based on call duration.
- Call Balance Top-up: Prepaid calling balance that users can add to their account. Automatic top-up available when balance drops below set threshold.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Three flexible plans available |
| Subscription | Monthly | No-Limit Addon |
| Usage-based | Pay-as-you-go | International calling rates |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Channels product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Channels is a cloud-based, data-driven business phone system that delivers VoIP calling, a virtual PBX, click-to-call web widgets, two-way SMS, toll-free and international virtual numbers (60+ countries), call recording, and IVR, while pulling customer data from Shopify, Magento, Pipedrive, HubSpot, and Zendesk so agents see the caller's name, order history, and prior interactions before answering. It is sold as a self-serve SaaS subscription with monthly or annual plans priced by user seats and paid phone numbers, plus usage-based international calling rates.
Product overview
Channels is a cloud-based, data-powered business phone system built as a unified SaaS platform. The core offering combines a virtual phone system with customer data integration from eCommerce (Shopify, Magento) and CRM platforms (Pipedrive, HubSpot, Clientify) to display caller information during calls. Key products include the Web Call widget for website click-to-call, Data-driven Helpline for context-aware support, Sales Calls for outbound teams, Two-way SMS, International/Toll-free/Business phone numbers, Virtual PBX with IVR, and Mobile Apps for iOS and Android. The platform also integrates with automation tools (Zapier, Integromat/Make, Zendesk) and communication platforms (LiveChat) to fit into existing workflows.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Channels — Data-powered Business Phone System Cloud-based, multi-tenant SaaS phone system that integrates customer data from eCommerce (Shopify, Magento) and CRM (Pipedrive, HubSpot, Zendesk) platforms and surfaces caller information to agents during calls. Sold as a monthly or annual subscription with 7-day free trial and tiered plans priced by user seats and paid phone numbers.
- Web Call (Click-to-Call Widget) Web-based click-to-call widget that lets website visitors initiate voice calls directly from any webpage and routes them to support or sales agents with the customer's context shown on screen. Sold as part of the Channels subscription, with eCommerce-focused use cases like reducing abandoned carts.
- Data-driven Helpline Helpline solution offered by Channels that delivers a phone system displaying customer name, order details, and call history to agents at the moment a customer calls, eliminating the need for customers to repeat information. Aimed at customer support and inbound call handling teams.
- Sales Calls Outbound and inbound phone system for sales teams, providing a CRM-connected calling experience with caller data prep, call logging back to Pipedrive/HubSpot, and toll-free or local numbers for outbound campaigns. Positioned to help sales teams close more qualified leads.
- Two-way SMS Standalone two-way SMS messaging capability delivered through the Channels business phone system, allowing businesses to send and receive text messages with customers via their business numbers.
- International Phone Numbers Virtual local, national, mobile, and toll-free phone numbers available in more than 60 countries, allowing businesses to establish a local presence globally. Each number carries a one-time setup fee plus a recurring monthly charge, billed on top of the subscription plan.
- Virtual PBX Cloud-hosted Private Branch Exchange (PBX) offering advanced call routing, IVR auto-attendant, multi-user extension management, and toll-free/800 numbers without on-premises hardware. Sold as a subscription add-on to the core Channels phone system.
- Channels Mobile App (iOS and Android) Companion mobile applications for iOS (App Store) and Android (Google Play) that let Channels users make and receive business calls, manage numbers, and access customer data from mobile devices. iOS app requires iOS 10 or higher; Android app requires Android 13 or higher.
Quantifiable outcome
- Reduced call resolution time through pre-populated customer data
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Channels
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Channels technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration9 records
Feature8 records
Channels partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- ShopifycoreNative integration allowing Shopify store customer data (names, orders, contact info) to sync with Channels, displaying customer details when they call. Two-way sync: new customers imported automatically, deletions propagate within minutes. Supports store deletion and customer data erasure scenarios.
- PipedrivecoreTwo-way integration syncing Pipedrive Person data (full name, email, organization, phone numbers) with Channels. Calls made in Channels reflected in Pipedrive with date, number, recording link, and notes. Contact updates sync from Pipedrive to Channels.
- HubSpotcoreIntegration tutorial available for connecting Channels with HubSpot CRM to enable customer data display during calls and call logging.
- ZendeskcoreIntegration with Zendesk customer service platform allowing call handling within Zendesk workflows and customer data access.
- MagentocoreIntegration with Magento eCommerce platform similar to Shopify, displaying customer details during calls for Magento store customers.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Channels competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Aircall: Cloud-based phone system aimed at SMBs and sales/support teams with deep CRM/helpdesk integrations (Salesforce, HubSpot, Zendesk). Closest direct competitor to Channels in positioning, target customer and integration-led GTM.
- Dialpad: Cloud PBX / UCaaS for SMBs and mid-market with AI-powered call features and integrations into CRM and helpdesk platforms. Competes head-on with Channels in business VoIP for SMB customer-support and sales teams.
Broad incumbents
- RingCentral: Largest pure-play cloud PBX / UCaaS provider with a broad product portfolio spanning voice, contact center and messaging. Competes with Channels across most customer segments and geographies.
- Nextiva: Established cloud communications provider offering VoIP, UCaaS and contact-center solutions to SMB and mid-market. Overlaps with Channels on the SMB business phone system category.
- 8x8: Global cloud communications provider combining UCaaS and contact center, serving SMB through enterprise. Competes with Channels on cloud PBX and integrated voice for support teams.
- Twilio: Communications platform-as-a-service offering programmable voice, messaging and underlying APIs that many cloud PBX providers (including Channels indirectly) build on or compete against. Relevant as both potential infrastructure partner and substitute.
- Vonage (Ericsson): Cloud communications provider (now part of Ericsson) offering UCaaS, SIP trunking and APIs. Competitor in cloud business telephony and a potential infrastructure dependency for SMB-focused providers.
Emerging players
- Talkdesk: Cloud contact-center platform with strong CRM integrations, increasingly overlapping with Channels in customer-support phone use cases for mid-market and enterprise.
- Zendesk Talk: Integrated phone channel inside Zendesk Support for inbound/outbound calling. Channels explicitly positions itself as a Zendesk Talk alternative, making this a direct head-to-head for support-driven buyers.
- Google Voice: Low-cost / freemium business phone service from Google. Named as an explicit 'Alternative' in Channels' own comparison content and represents the most aggressive price benchmark in the SMB segment.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Channels social profiles
Digital presenceChannels financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Channels leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Channels funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Channels M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Channels
What does Channels do?
Channels is a cloud-based, data-driven business phone system that delivers VoIP calling, a virtual PBX, click-to-call web widgets, two-way SMS, toll-free and international virtual numbers (60+ countries), call recording, and IVR, while pulling customer data from Shopify, Magento, Pipedrive, HubSpot, and Zendesk so agents see the caller's name, order history, and prior interactions before answering. It is sold as a self-serve SaaS subscription with monthly or annual plans priced by user seats and paid phone numbers, plus usage-based international calling rates.
Is Channels a public or private company?
Channels is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Channels founded?
Channels was founded in 2020. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Channels based?
Channels is headquartered in San Francisco, United States, in the North America region.
How does Channels make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Subscription Plans are the primary driver. The others are phone Number Fees, international Connection Rates and call Balance Top-up.
Who are Channels's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Aircall and Dialpad. Broad incumbents are RingCentral, Nextiva, 8x8, Twilio and Vonage (Ericsson). Emerging players are Talkdesk, Zendesk Talk and Google Voice.
Does Channels have an API?
No public API is recorded for Channels.
What industry is Channels in?
Channels's product category is Cloud Business Phone Systems. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDAIAHAB, Cloud PBX & Hosted Telephony. Its NAICS code is 51711 and its SIC code is 7385.