What’s the best conversation intelligence software?

We’re looking to integrate conversation intelligence into our sales process. This will help us record and analyze sales calls, coach reps more effectively, and gain deeper insights into what’s working (or not) in our deals.

We’re a small but growing team, so we need something powerful but still startup-friendly. This means easy to roll out, easy to use, and not overkill for our size.

Here’s what we’re hoping for:

• Automated call recording, transcription, and searchable notes
• Actionable insights (not just raw transcripts or basic analytics)
• Integrations with tools like Salesforce or HubSpot
• An intuitive experience for both reps and managers

Here are the platforms I’ve been looking at on G2:

1. Gong — Industry leader in conversation intelligence and sales coaching, but is it too heavy or expensive for smaller teams?
2. Salesforce Sales Cloud — With its built-in intelligence features, can it replace a standalone tool?
3. Fathom — A lightweight, Zoom-friendly tool; is it scalable beyond just note-taking?
4. HubSpot Sales Hub — Offers an all-in-one CRM + sales tool; how strong is its conversation intelligence side?
5. Fireflies.ai — Known for affordability and ease of use; does it deliver on insights and integrations?

If you’ve used any of these (or others), I’d love to hear:

• What tipped the scales for you when choosing?
• Did your team actually adopt it, or was it a tough sell internally?
• Any surprising wins or “wish we’d known that” moments?

Appreciate any tips or thoughts you’re willing to share!