Best Call Recording App in 2026: What Works and Where

TL;DR: There is no single best call recording app, because what works depends on your phone and your country. The iPhone's built-in recording is not currently available in the European Union, Google Phone and Samsung work only on some models and in some countries, and Cube ACR on Android 9 and later needs a second app that is distributed outside Google Play. For a private call, use whichever app passes a test on your phone; a sales team is easier to serve with recording on a business number.

Call recording apps compared

We make Heilo, so this is not an independent ranking. We checked the manufacturers' official pages and the app stores on 19 October 2026; the links are in the sections below. We have not compared recording quality on the same phones.

Why old app rankings mislead

In 2022 Google changed the Google Play policy: the Accessibility API may not be used to record call audio (Accessibility API policy, policy announcement). Call recording apps had relied on that mechanism.

The apps did not disappear from Google Play: Cube ACR shows 50M+ downloads there (checked 19 October 2026), so it still appears in roundups. The publisher itself says that after the policy change the Google Play version can no longer ask for the accessibility permission for call recording, so on Android 9 and later it needs a separate app, Cube ACR Helper, distributed outside Google Play. An old review does not confirm that an app works on today's phone. The API restriction does not mean every app lost every recording method. Check the publisher's current documentation, the supported audio source and whether both sides are recorded.

Built-in recording on your phone

Google Phone

It works on non-Pixel devices from Android 9 and on Pixels from the Pixel 6 with Android 14, and only in countries and on carriers where Google has made it available. Both participants hear an announcement that the call is being recorded, because the app plays it automatically. Recordings are stored on the phone, and in the settings you can turn on automatic recording of numbers that are not in your contacts (Google Phone help, checked 19 October 2026).

This can be a convenient option for one person. The help page gives no list of countries, so whether it works on your phone and with your carrier is something only a test will tell you. In a team, test it on every phone: availability also depends on the carrier, so two similar devices can behave differently.

Samsung and other manufacturers

If your phone has recording in the Phone app, test it on a controlled call. The same model can differ in features depending on region, carrier and software version. A missing feature on one Samsung does not mean it is missing on every device sold in your country.

Samsung's UK One UI page describes transcripts and summaries of recorded calls in the Samsung Phone app, with the caveat that available features may vary by device model, country/region and carrier (Samsung One UI features, checked 19 October 2026). What matters most is the result on the phone you actually use. For other brands, see our guide to call recording on Android.

iPhone

iPhone has built-in call recording from iOS 18 in some countries, with recordings saved in the Notes app. Apple's guide says it is not currently available in the European Union and several other regions (iPhone User Guide, checked 19 October 2026). In the EU, what remains are apps that add a service number to the call through three-way calling (Cube ACR, TapeACall). Details: call recording on iPhone and iOS.

Apps from the store

Before you buy any of these apps, run a test with an incoming and an outgoing call and listen to both voices.

Cube ACR on Android

According to the US Google Play listing (checked 19 October 2026), Call Recorder - Cube ACR is free, contains ads and in-app purchases, has 50M+ downloads and 4.1 stars from 912K reviews, and uses Accessibility services. The publisher says a Premium subscription only gives access to extra features and does not change the quality of call recording.

On Android 9 and later the publisher requires the separate Cube ACR Helper app, which it offers through Galaxy Store, AppGallery, Amazon Appstore, Aptoide or as an APK on its own website. According to the publisher's FAQ, the workaround for Android 9–14 does not work for calls made through a headset, and not every device can record VoIP calls (both sources checked 19 October 2026).

Do not choose an app by its download count alone. With Cube ACR, also check how you export the recordings, and write down the system and app versions. Repeat the test after an update; a result from a year ago does not guarantee that it works today. If recording fails, see what to do when Cube ACR is not recording. We also compared this app with a business service: Cube ACR vs Heilo.

Cube ACR on iPhone

According to the US App Store listing (checked 19 October 2026), the app is free, but call recording needs a Premium subscription: $7.99 a week, $34.99 for six months or $49.99 a year. The description also lists transcription of recordings. The recording is made by dialling a service number and merging the calls, so your carrier must support three-way calls. The app needs iOS 15 or later.

Truecaller

Truecaller Premium lists call recording with AI transcripts and summaries as a Premium feature and says recordings are saved only on the phone. The same page says feature availability may vary across devices, systems or regions, so check in the app that call recording is available on your phone and in your country (checked 19 October 2026).

TapeACall and conference services

TapeACall is available for iPhone and Android. According to its App Store and Google Play listings, it records through a three-way call with a service number, so your carrier must support it. It offers transcription and sharing of recordings, for example to Dropbox and Google Drive, and subscriptions are bought in the app. The publisher's feature page describes the scope (all sources checked 19 October 2026).

A conference service can record once its number is added to the call as a participant. How you start and merge the call depends on the app and the carrier. Not every service requires you to start the original call inside its app.

Check conference support, the cost of the extra call, the recording notice and how the data is stored. Judge quality and delay on your own test, without assuming every tool gives the same result.

Check in a minute whether your phone can do it

1. From the system Phone app, call a second phone that you can use for the test.
2. Look for a record button during the call, on the call screen, not in the app settings.
3. If it is not there, check the Phone app settings for "call recording".
4. If the option is not in the settings either, check the documentation for your model. Judge a separate recording app by its instructions and the result of your test.

If the button is there but the recording contains only your voice, we described the cause and the symptoms separately: call recording on Android and why it fails.

What not to do

• Do not change the region code or install unknown APK files to unlock recording. If an app needs an extra component, such as Cube ACR Helper, download it only from the source the publisher names. On a phone that holds customer data, a trusted software source matters most. A later update can also undo such a modification.
• Be wary of "recording unlock" services. They boil down to the same modifications, only for money, and the risk that the phone stops receiving security updates stays with you.
• Do not build a company process on an employee's agreement to install an app on a private phone. Without a company account and a controlled export, the company can lose access. How copies and the cloud are handled depends on the app.

App-based recording vs cloud call recording on a business number

An app records on one phone and depends on its model, system and carrier. A cloud call recording service on a business number records the call off the phone, so an Android update does not break it, and the recording and transcript go to a shared dashboard.

Before you choose, answer four questions:

1. How many calls do you really want to record? One a month and twenty a day are two different problems.
2. Should anyone besides you have access to the recording? If so, a file on a private phone is out, however well it records.
3. What should happen after the recording? A file alone rarely does the job. You usually need text in which you can find a name, an address, a date and an amount.
4. Who tells the other person the call is recorded? An app will not decide that for you. The legal basis and the duty to inform rest with your company as the data controller; see our article on business call recording laws.

The answers usually settle the choice faster than comparing store ratings.

Heilo has three plans. Heilo Voicemail takes messages after missed calls and needs missed-call forwarding at your carrier. With Heilo Select you keep your number and add Heilo to a chosen call through conference calling; Heilo records from the moment it joins, and you inform the other person yourself. Heilo Line gives each rep a business +48 number: inbound calls, and outbound calls placed with “Call via Heilo” (+48 numbers only), are recorded automatically, and by default a new number plays a recording notice to the other person. Calls placed from the ordinary Phone app do not go through Heilo and are not recorded. After each call you get a transcript, a summary, suggested tasks and notes from the call coach. Once you set up an integration, the API, signed webhooks, Zapier or Make send the results to your own CRM.

For calls on company-issued phones, see call recording on a work phone.

What apps and Heilo cost

Built-in recording on a phone costs nothing extra if the manufacturer offers it. Cube ACR on Android is free with ads, and you buy Premium features in the app; on iPhone, call recording in Cube ACR needs a subscription (amounts are in the table). Truecaller and TapeACall sell subscriptions in their apps, and the store shows the current amounts.

Plans and prices are on the pricing page; it shows net prices in Polish zloty per number. Billing is monthly.

Checked: 19 October 2026

Conclusion

The best option depends on the goal: a single recording, text for a note, or a shared history for a team. Test the Phone app and other recorders on your own device. Assess a conference service or recording on a business number separately. For a business, the criteria are the quality of both voices, team access, retention and how agreements reach your CRM. For a full overview, see how to record phone calls.

Need business call recording with transcription and SMS notifications? See Heilo call recording.

FAQ

What is the best call recording app for a business?

There is no single best one. Compare where the recording happens, whether the whole team can reach it and how the results get into your CRM. An app records on one phone; a service on a business number, such as Heilo, records off the phone. Compare the complete setup, including consent, transcript quality and CRM delivery.

Is Cube ACR enough for customer calls?

It can be enough for someone who records occasionally and handles every call personally. For a company, evaluate the supported device settings, shared access, cloud export and how follow-up reaches your CRM. A call recorder app does not replace a separate missed-call service.

Is built-in phone recording better than an app?

For personal use, often yes, where the feature is available. For business use, you still need a way to share customer history, include transcripts in your workflow and manage notes, deadlines and call statuses.

Which app is best for iPhone?

There is no single best one. Apple does not currently offer built-in call recording in the European Union. Some apps, such as Cube ACR and TapeACall, use a conference call with a service number. Cost and quality need checking in the specific offer, and your carrier must support three-way calls.

Does Heilo replace a CRM?

No. Heilo captures business calls and sends the recordings, transcripts, summaries and tasks to the CRM your team already uses, through the API, signed webhooks, Zapier or Make once the integration is set up. Small service businesses without their own CRM can use its built-in contacts, projects and tasks.