Gong is the undisputed market leader in Revenue Intelligence. It defined the category of recording calls and analyzing them after the fact.
But in 2025, the market has shifted. Sales leaders are realizing that analyzing a lost deal on Friday doesn't help you win it on Tuesday.
This has given rise to a new category: Real-Time Sales Coaching. If your goal is to help reps navigate objection handling, pricing negotiations, and discovery while the customer is still on the line, you need a different toolset.
Below, we evaluate the 5 best Gong alternatives specifically for teams prioritizing in-call execution over post-call reporting.
Methodology: How we ranked these tools We prioritized platforms that move beyond passive recording and align with modern Sales Enablement strategies:
- Live In-Call Prompts: Detection of keywords/intent to trigger battle cards instantly.
- Dynamic Learning: Systems that update based on what top performers are actually saying.
- Adoption & Usage: Interfaces designed for reps, not just Ops managers.
The Data: A Stanford HAI study proved that AI assistance increases productivity by 14%, primarily by helping newer reps replicate the behaviors of top performers. Read the study.
#1 Nomi.so — Best Gong Competitor for a “Living Playbook”
What it does Nomi is the "specialist" in this list. While others treat real-time guidance as a feature, Nomi treats it as the entire product. It is an AI Copilot that sits on top of your video calls (Zoom, GMeet) and guides reps through the conversation.
Its differentiator is the Living Playbook. Instead of static PDFs that go stale, Nomi digests your best calls to update Objection Handling Scripts automatically.
Why consider it
- Zero-Latency Guidance: Built for speed; prompts appear the moment a competitor or objection is mentioned.
- Auto-Learning: It identifies the "winning arguments" used by your top 10% of reps and distributes them to the rest of the team.
- Rep-First UI: It is non-intrusive and designed to feel like a "cheat sheet" rather than a distraction.
Mind the fit Nomi is not a forecasting tool. It doesn't try to replace Salesforce or Clari for pipeline prediction. It replaces the "I don't know what to say" moments during a call.
- Best for: High-growth sales teams, SDRs/AEs needing ramp-up speed, and companies with shifting messaging.
- Learn more: Visit Nomi.so
#2 Clari Copilot — Best for an All-in-One Revenue Platform
What it does Formerly known as Wingman, Clari Copilot is now fully integrated into the Clari Revenue Platform. It combines conversation intelligence (CI) with Clari's world-class forecasting and pipeline inspection tools.
Why consider it
- Consolidation: If you already use Clari for forecasting, adding Copilot makes sense to keep vendor count low.
- RevOps Integration: It ties call data directly into deal health scores, giving Ops a complete view of risk.
Mind the fit The real-time coaching features are solid but secondary to the platform's main goal: Revenue Operations. It is less customizable for "in-the-moment" scripting than dedicated tools.
- Best for: Large revenue organizations looking to consolidate their tech stack.
- Learn more: Clari Copilot
#3 Outreach Kaia — Best Gong Substitute for Outreach Users
What it does Kaia (Knowledge AI Assistant) is embedded directly into the Outreach Sales Engagement Platform. It focuses on reducing friction by auto-capturing action items and surfacing content cards during meetings.
Why consider it
- Workflow Friction: If your reps live in Outreach for emailing and prospecting, Kaia feels like a native extension.
- Content Surfacing: It excels at pulling up marketing collateral (PDFs, Case Studies) relevant to the conversation.
Mind the fit Kaia is powerful, but it locks you into the Outreach ecosystem. If you use HubSpot or Salesloft for engagement, Kaia is likely not an option.
- Best for: Teams deeply embedded in the Outreach ecosystem.
- Learn more: Outreach Kaia
#4 Cresta — Best for Enterprise Contact Centers
What it does Cresta was born in the Contact Center (CCaaS) space. It uses heavy-duty AI to guide high-volume interactions. It is exceptionally strong at "Agent Assist"—guiding support and sales agents through complex, compliance-heavy workflows.
Why consider it
- Compliance & Scripts: If your reps must read specific disclosures or follow a rigid script (e.g., Insurance, Banking), Cresta is the leader.
- Omnichannel: It works just as well on chat/SMS as it does on voice.
Mind the fit Cresta is an enterprise-heavy deployment. It is likely overkill for a B2B SaaS team simply looking to handle pricing objections better.
- Best for: High-volume call centers, regulated industries (Finance, Telecom).
- Learn more: Cresta for Sales
#5 Salesken — Best for Rapid Rollout in SMB & Mid-Market
What it does Salesken balances the line between post-call analytics and real-time cues. It offers a "cue card" system that helps reps navigate conversations based on intent detection.
Why consider it
- Ease of Use: It is generally faster to deploy than a heavy enterprise suite.
- Balanced Analytics: It provides decent dashboards for managers to see who is using the cues and who isn't.
Mind the fit While a strong contender, users sometimes report that the interface can feel "busy" compared to newer, AI-native competitors.
- Best for: SMBs who want a "lite" version of Gong + Real-time features.
- Learn more: Salesken
The Elephant in the Room: Gong Pricing vs. Alternatives
Gong is a premium product. While they do not publish pricing, industry estimates place it between $1,200 and $1,600 per seat/year, often with platform fees and minimums.
For a startup or mid-market team, this "Revenue Intelligence Tax" can be heavy if you aren't using the advanced deal-intelligence features.
The "Unbundling" of Gong: In 2025, we are seeing the market split.
- Macro-Analytics: Tools like Clari/Gong for the VP of Sales to forecast.
- Micro-Execution: Tools like Nomi for the Rep to actually close the deal.
Many teams are finding they can achieve better results by pairing a lightweight CRM for forecasting with a heavyweight Execution tool for coaching—often at a lower total cost than a full Gong deployment.
Comparison Matrix: 5 Top Alternatives
| Key Feature | Nomi.so | Clari Copilot | Outreach Kaia | Cresta | Salesken |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primary Focus | Execution (In-Call) | Revenue Ops | Engagement | Contact Center | Hybrid |
| Real-Time Latency | Instant | Low | Low | Low | Medium |
| Living Playbook | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| Ideal Team Size | 5 - 500 | 100+ | Users of Outreach | 500+ Agents | 10 - 200 |
| Setup Time | Minutes | Weeks | Days | Months | Days |
Conclusion: Which tool is right for you?
The "Best" alternative depends on what problem you are solving:
- Forecasting Problem: If you need to know when deals will close, choose Clari.
- Workflow Problem: If you want to streamline admin work within Outreach, choose Kaia.
- Volume/Compliance Problem: If you run a call center, choose Cresta.
- Execution Problem: If you need your reps to say the right thing, ramp faster (see our Onboarding Guide), and handle objections live, choose Nomi.
Ready to upgrade your team's execution? Stop analyzing why you lost deals and start winning them in real-time.