Updated for 2020
A variety of call recorder apps for Android and iOS have hit the market in recent years, and it’s never been easier to record phone calls. But how do you choose the best call recorder for your needs? We took a look at the top call recorder apps for Android and iPhone and evaluated their key features and benefits.
Having a recording of a phone call can come in handy whether you’re a business owner, sales person, reporter, lawyer, or anyone else who uses their phone for professional purposes. Besides that, call recorder apps can be used for a variety of useful reasons, including training for customer sales and support people, getting important details from client calls, or anytime you’d prefer to focus on the phone call instead of jotting down notes while you’re talking.
However, before you record any phone calls, it’s important to know the laws governing recording a phone call in your area and beyond.
Laws for Recording Phone Calls in the U.S.
Knowing the laws related to recording phone calls in your area and those in the location of the people you’re recording will help protect you and your business. The legality of recording phone calls varies from country to country, and in the U.S. it varies from state to state.
According to the Digital Media Law Project, what’s important to know from a legal standpoint is whether you need consent from the other party to record a phone conversation. In some U.S. states, you need to have consent to record a phone call from all parties who are being recorded. But even if you’re in a state that allows you to record a call without the other party’s consent, if the person you’re talking to is in a state that does require consent, you may be subject to the laws of that state. So, be sure to understand the relevant laws before you record a conversation without the other party’s – or parties’ – consent.
States that Require Two-Party Consent to Record Calls
| California | Connecticut |
| Florida | Illinois |
| Maryland | Massachusetts |
| Montana | New Hampshire |
| Pennsylvania | Washington |
Phone Conversation Recording Laws in Non-U.S. Countries
Laws related to recording phone conversation vary by country. Therefore, the safest way to go when recording phone conversations is to let the other party or parties know they’re being recorded. Not doing so could put you at legal risk, unless you’re well-versed in the laws for relevant locations.
Questions to Consider Before Choosing a Recording App
When choosing a call recording app for personal use or for your business, it doesn’t hurt to write down a list of your must-haves. This will ensure you don’t sign up for a call recording app that doesn’t meet your needs, or one that has features you’ll never use.
| 1. How often will you record your calls? |
| If you’ll be using your call recorder for business purposes and you record the majority of calls, a call recorder with an automatic recording option can ensure you don’t miss a recording. |
| 2. Will you always know ahead of time that you plan to record a phone call, or would you like to be able to decide to start recording during the call itself? |
| Most Android call recorder apps allow you to automatically record all calls, though only KeKu can do the same for iPhones (iOS). Most of iPhone call recorder apps will require you to call a service number everytime you want to record a specific call and then merge your calls. This is not a very convenient way if you need to record your calls on a constant basis. Keku lets you record calls you’re making from your iPhone automatically. |
| 3. Do you want to inform the other party that the call will be recorded or not? |
| According to U.S. law in certain jurisdictions, you must inform the other party that you’re recording the call. Some call recorder apps will automatically provide such a notification; while others leave it up to you. |
| 4. How do you want to notify the other party that the call will be recorded? |
| If you’re confident that you’ll remember to tell each person verbally, then you won’t need an automated system that notifies your caller. However, if you’re using the call recorder for professional purposes, consider opting for a call recorder that automatically notifies the other party that the call will be recorded either with a beeping noise and/or a verbal warning message. |
| 5. How long are your phone calls? |
| If you generally have short phone calls, but you still plan on recording them, an automatic recording feature is essential, as you could miss parts of your calls if you need to start the recording manually every time. However, if you have long phone calls that you plan on recording, it’s important to know that some call recording services charge extra to store longer recording files. |
| 6. Do you only make calls within the U.S., or do you also call internationally? |
| International calls can add to your overall costs. So, call recording services like KeKu that offer discounted rates for international calls with no additional fees for recording your international calls can be a huge advantage if you do business overseas. |
| 7. What level of security do you need for your stored call recordings? |
| The growth in call recorder apps in recent years underscores how important this feature has become for businesses and consumers alike. But this doesn’t mean every call recording app is reputable. If you’re concerned about the security of your call recordings, opt for a call recording service that has been in business for a while and has an established track record of providing service to satisfied customers. |
| 8. How much are you willing to spend on a call recording app and related services? |
| While many call recorder apps offer a lot of value for a low cost, you’ll want to seek out the right combination of features for your needs and budget. For personal use, a low-cost recorder may offer everything you need. For business uses, having a consistently reliable, automated call recorder can be well worth paying a higher premium. After all, if your call recordings can provide your business with legal coverage should the need arise, you won’t regret paying for a higher priced call recorder. |
Taking time to consider these questions will help you select the best call recording app for your needs.
The 10 Best Call Recorder Apps for Android and iPhone – Overview and Pricing
1. Keku Call Recorder App for Android and iPhone
KeKu has been in telecom business for more than 10 years providing international calling services. Last year the company launched several new, cool services including their call recorder. KeKu is a comprehensive calling app, not just a call recorder. Keku offers high-quality calls and it makes it easy to make and receive calls. The service also automatically records calls and stores them, and it’s easy to download your recordings to your own files. The app lets you easily share recordings as well. And if you don’t download the files yourself, you’ll still have access to them in your Keku account.
Keku is one of the few services that offers a call recording solution for both Android and iOS. Offering a convenient mobile app, plus desktop account services, Keku is an ideal combination of high-quality technology, breadth of features, and low-cost pricing.
Their pricing is hard to beat. If you just want to try the app first, you can make calls through the app and then listen to the first 30 seconds of all of your call recordings for free. With Keku’s low-cost subscription plan of just $4.99 per month, you can access, download, and share full recordings, and Keku will automatically and securely archive three-months of your call recordings. The automatic set-it and forget-it recording feature means you won’t miss recording important calls and you don’t have to worry about pressing any button or merging calls with a service number during or right before your call.
What’s even better is that Keku offers other services that enhance their call recording app. KeKu has one of the lowest rates on international calls; those calls can be recorded too, at no additional cost. Also, Keku’s virtual phone numbers allow you to easily use multiple phone lines in one phone. So, you can easily switch phone numbers based on whom you’re talking to. This is especially useful if you want to have separate phone numbers for all your business calls.
Price: Free
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2. USA Call Recorder for iPhone (NEW)
This is the most easy to use app if you want record calls in the USA. Download this app, enter your phone number, and call from this app. No need to merge calls (i.e. do 3-way calls).
Calls are recorded from within the app and recordings are available immediately. Very easy to use.
All call records are securely kept in an archive, you can access them anytime. The reviews of the app are very positive.
Price: Free, or $9.99/month, or $29.99/year
3. CallApp for Android
CallApp is a caller ID and call blocker application that lets users block phone calls, including those from telemarketers. In addition, it has a handy feature for putting select callers on a no-call blacklist. The app is integrated with over 60 information sources, including social media platforms, which makes it easier to identify callers. CallApp lets you integrate social media data, such as friends’ and family members’ photos and birthdays with their contact data. The core focus of the app is not on call recording, but it does enable you to record incoming and outgoing phone calls, and even share the recordings on social media.
Price: Free or $3.90
4. Call Recorder and Call Recorder Unlimited for iPhone by BP Mobile
Call Recorder and Call Recorder Unlimited for Android also lets you automatically record incoming or outgoing calls. As an Android-based device, Call Recorder lets you store call recordings in Google Drive as well as Dropbox. Call Recorder makes it convenient to manage your recording files, including marking those that are important. It also lets you share your recordings via email and SMS.
Price: Free or $7.99/week
5. Call Record NOW for iPhone
Call Record NOW for iPhone offers a 7-day trial, which is not as compelling as the services that let you try their app for free for 30 days. They offer a flexible monthly or annual subscription, but only store your recordings for 30 days before they’re deleted.
Price: Free, $3.99/ month or $14.99/ year
6. Call Recorder ACR for Android
Call Recorder ACR offers both a free and pay-for version of their recording application for Android. Short for “Another Call Recorder,” the app offers some convenient features, including a search feature and a recycle bin so you don’t just permanently delete old recordings. Call recording is manual, but the app lets you start recording in the middle of a conversation via manual recording setting. The paid version lets you store your recording files in Google Drive or Dropbox. One of its best features is that it offers four audio formats for your recordings: 3GP, WAV, MP4, and AMR.
Price: Free or $3.99
7. Automatic Call Recorder for Android by Appliqato
Like its name implies, Automatic Call Recorder will automatically record your phone calls, or it can be set up to record calls from select contacts. It’s also integrated with Google Drive and Dropbox, making storage and sharing of your call recordings easy.
As with other Android-based call recording apps, Automatic Call Recorder may not work with some handsets, so it’s recommended you try the free version first, just to rule out any compatibility issues with existing hardware.
Price: $4.49
8. iReCall Recorder for Android
iReCall Recorder for Android puts a special focus on security and compliance. The app encrypts the recordings of your phone calls before they’re uploaded for storage on the company’s servers. The app allows you to share recordings via email, providing a full audit trail. You can also set the app to record calls automatically. iReCall offers a 30-day free trial, after which they offer a monthly or a year subscription.
Price: $1.99 per month or $19.99 annually.
9. Wiz Call Recorder for Android
The Wiz Call Recorder for Android is free but you’ll have to put up with advertisements. This app offers manual recording with the click of a button or by adjusting your volume key, so you can record only portions of calls if you choose. You can also start and stop a recording multiple times on one phone call. Sharing features include email and Whatsapp.
Price: Free, but has ads.
10. TapeACall and TapeACall Lite for iPhone and Android
TapeACall lets you record calls even if you’re already on a call, or you can set it up to record the call you’re about to make. It also offers a manual recording process vs. automatic recordings. Your call recordings can be shared via email, text message, Facebook, and Twitter. And the app is available in 45 countries and 28 languages.
Price: $24.99 per year.
11. Call Recorder for Android by Quality Apps
Call Recorder for Android is another no-frills recording app that offers a free version if you’re willing to put up with advertisements. The app also offers an ad-free, pay-for version that lets you store your call recording files in Dropbox. It offers a convenient automatic recording feature that lets you record every call, or just calls with select phone numbers. There’s a convenient search feature you can apply to your call log, and the app offers recordings in a few different formats, including .mp3, .ogg, and others. It also offers convenient storing and sharing options, including Google Drive, Dropbox, SMS, Skype, and Facebook.
Price: $4.49
Key Features of iOS Call Recorder Apps
Of the call recorder apps we researched, only two (Keku and TapeACall) make apps for both Apple iOS and Android. For convenience, we compared key features of the apps according to their operating system compatibility.
| Keku | Call Recorder Unlimited by BP Mobile |
Call Recorder NOW | TapeACall | |
| Records Incoming Calls | Automatic call recorder works on virtual numbers. You can use a virtual phone number as a second line in your smartphone for business purposes. No conferencing is required. Works with any mobile provider. | Yes but only works with some mobile providers.
Calls both the service and the number of the person you’re calling, then you merge the calls. 3-way conference call feature is required. |
Yes but only works with some mobile providers.
Though the recording is not automated. You have to manually merge the calls. 3-way conference call feature is required. |
Yes but only works with some mobile providers.
Though the recording is not automated. You have to manually merge the calls.3-way conference call feature is required. |
| Records Outgoing Calls | Automatically | Yes.
Though it’s not automatic. Conference call needs to be setup. |
Yes.
Though it’s not automatic. Conference call needs to be setup. |
Yes.
Though it’s not automatic. Conference call needs to be setup. |
| Max Recording Length | Unlimited | Unlimited with Pro Version | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Archives Files | Up to 3 months of archiving. | Calls are stored permanently on the server. | Yes.
For 30 days in the server. |
Yes. |
| Caller ID | You can choose to share your private Caller ID or KeKu Virtual Number Caller ID. You can use a virtual phone number as a second line in your smartphone for business purposes. | Uses your caller ID.
You cannot switch to another number. |
Uses your caller ID.
You cannot switch to another number. |
Uses your caller ID.
You cannot switch to another number. |
| Warning Message to Other Party/Parties | Yes.
An automated warning message is provided in the states where it’s required by the U.S. law. |
Yes.
There’s a beep when the recording starts. |
No. | Optional.
You can choose to play a beep when recording starts in the app’s settings. |
| Share Recordings | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Downloads Recording Files | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| User-Friendly Interface | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Key Features of Android Call Recorder Apps
| Keku | CallApp | Call Recorder – ACR | Automatic Call Recorder by Appliqato | iReCall Recorder | Wiz Call Recorder | TapeACall | Call recorder by Quality Apps | |
| Records Incoming Calls | Automatic call recorder works on virtual numbers. You can use a virtual phone number as a second line in your smartphone for business purposes. | Yes.
You can choose manual with merging calls or automatic. |
Yes.
Automatic. Pro adds manually by pressing record button or shake to record. |
Yes
Automatic. In the pro version ($4.49 one-time fee) there’s an added feature that lets you shake the phone to start recording a call. |
Yes
Automatic |
Yes.
Manual or automatic. In manual mode, you use the up volume key to start and pause; and the down key to resume. |
Yes.
Manual, by merging calls. |
Yes
Automatic |
| Records Outgoing Calls | Automatically | Yes
Manual with merging or automatic |
Yes
Automatic Pro – adds manually by pressing record button or shake to record |
Yes
Automatic. In the pro version ($4.49 one time fee) – a feature to shake the phone to start recording a call is added |
Yes
Automatic |
Yes
Manual or Automatic. In a manual mode- use volume up key to start and pause/ resume with down |
Yes
Manual by merging calls |
Yes
Automatic |
| Max Recording Length | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Archives Files | Up to 3 months of archives | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes. Stores in the server for 1 year. | Yes |
| Caller ID | You can choose to share your private Caller ID or KeKu Virtual Number Caller ID. You can use a virtual phone number as a second line in your smartphone for business purposes. | Shares your SIM card caller ID. You cannot switch to another number. | Shares your SIM card caller ID. You cannot switch to another number. | Shares your SIM card caller ID. You cannot switch to another number. | Shares your SIM card caller ID. You cannot switch to another number. | Shares your SIM card caller ID. You cannot switch to another number. | Shares your SIM card caller ID. You cannot switch to another number. | Shares your SIM card caller ID. You cannot switch to another number. |
| Warning Message to Other Party/Parties | Yes.
An automated warning message is provided in the states where it’s required by the U.S. law. |
No | No | No | No | No | Optional | No |
| Share Recordings | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Downloads Recording Files | Yes | Yes | Yes, in the pro version | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| User-Friendly Interface | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
It’s never been easier to record your incoming and outgoing phone calls. Whether you need a call recorder for work or you just want recordings of personal phone calls, today’s call recording apps are almost as easy to operate as sending a text message. While call recorder apps can be especially useful for protecting your business for legal purposes, be sure to educate yourself about the laws related to recording phone calls before you record.
We hope this guide gives you all the information you need to make the best decision on a call recording app for your needs! Have any questions? Contact us.