3CX has made a set of changes to how its licence editions are named, structured, and priced. The ENT+ edition is being retired. The Enterprise edition has been renamed to AI Edition. The feature split between PRO and AI Edition has been clarified, and pricing for larger deployments has been adjusted downward. These changes are active from 2026 and affect all 3CX deployments at renewal.
As an authorised 3CX partner, Sentire Kenya manages these licence decisions for clients across our base. This article covers exactly what changed, what each current edition includes, and what action, if any, existing clients need to take.
The Three Changes in Summary
1. ENT+ is being retired
The ENT+ edition — which combined Enterprise with bundled cloud transcription — is no longer being actively promoted. Transcription services have dropped significantly in cost, and 3CX is moving to support third-party providers (including Grok, arriving in Update 9) rather than maintaining its own cloud transcription bundle. Existing ENT+ customers will be moved to the AI Edition at renewal.
2. Enterprise has been renamed AI Edition
The Enterprise edition is now called the AI Edition. The name change reflects what this tier actually delivers: full AI call handling, transcription, analytics, and agentic routing. The underlying features are the same; the name now matches the product's primary value.
3. Pricing adjusted for larger deployments
3CX has reduced pricing for higher-SC (simultaneous call) licence tiers from January 2026. The gap between PRO and AI Edition has narrowed, which makes the AI Edition more accessible for growing businesses that previously found the price step too large.
What Each Edition Now Includes
| Feature | BASIC | PRO | AI Edition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Core telephony, apps, SIP phones | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Auto attendant (non-AI) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Voicemail transcription (via Google or OpenAI) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Call recording | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Call centre queues and wallboard | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| CRM integration (full) | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Microsoft 365 / Google Workspace (full integration) | Sync only | ✓ | ✓ |
| Video conferencing (max participants) | — | 100 | 250 |
| AI Receptionist — natural language call handling | — | — | ✓ |
| Full call transcription, summaries and sentiment | — | — | ✓ |
| AI Personal Assistant — executive call screening | — | — | ✓ |
| Agentic AI routing — multi-step, CRM-aware | — | — | ✓ |
| AI Analytics — sentiment tracking and call scoring | — | — | ✓ |
| On-premise transcription server | — | — | ✓ |
| Inbuilt failover and standby licence | — | — | ✓ |
For a full breakdown of what each AI feature does, see the 3CX AI features guide.
Prices per year in USD. All three editions are licensed by simultaneous calls (SC), not per user. Prices shown are for 1-year licences.
| Simultaneous Calls | Max Users | BASIC | PRO | AI Edition |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 SC | Up to 40 | $300 | $395 | $575 |
| 16 SC | Up to 80 | $600 | $795 | $1,095 |
| 24 SC | Up to 120 | $825 | $1,095 | $1,495 |
| 32 SC | Up to 192 | $1,015 | $1,350 | $1,795 |
| 48 SC | Up to 288 | $1,500 | $1,995 | $2,495 |
Prices do not include tax or VAT and are subject to FX rate fluctuations. Multi-year discounts available: 10% off 2-year, 15% off 3-year. Larger SC tiers available up to 1024 SC. Managed hosting by Sentire Kenya is available from $750/year on top of the 3CX licence — final price depends on compute and storage requirements.
What Happened to ENT+?
ENT+ was the edition that bundled Enterprise features with 3CX's own cloud transcription service. It was priced above the standard Enterprise tier to account for the transcription usage costs.
3CX has retired it for two reasons. First, the cost of transcription has fallen significantly — providers like OpenAI, Google, and now Grok have made high-quality transcription widely available at lower cost than 3CX could offer through its own bundled service. Second, 3CX is moving toward supporting third-party transcription providers directly, starting with Grok in Update 9, so clients can choose their preferred provider rather than being locked into a bundle.
If you were on ENT+
ENT+ clients move to the AI Edition at renewal. You retain access to all transcription features — the difference is that you configure your own transcription provider (OpenAI or Grok) rather than using 3CX's bundled service. Sentire Kenya handles this reconfiguration as part of the renewal process at no additional charge.
Grok Transcription: Coming in Update 9
Update 9 adds Grok as a supported transcription provider. Grok's transcription pricing is lower than OpenAI, Google, and 3CX's own cloud transcription service. For businesses with high call volumes where transcription costs are a meaningful line item, this is a significant change worth planning for at the next renewal review.
On-premise transcription remains available in the AI Edition for organisations that cannot route audio through any third-party server, such as legal, medical, and financial services firms with strict data handling requirements.
Free Licence Changes
If your system runs on a legacy FREE 4SC licence
Legacy FREE 4SC dedicated licences on V20 continued to work through end of 2025. From 2026, these licences are renewed with a limit of 2 simultaneous calls rather than 4. Any business requiring more than 2 simultaneous calls needs to move to a commercial licence. Sentire Kenya can advise on the right tier for your call volume.
Edition Downgrade Flexibility
One useful change introduced alongside the edition restructure: 3CX now allows edition downgrades at renewal. Previously, customers on AI Edition or PRO could not move to a lower tier without a fresh purchase. With the new policy, switching from AI Edition to PRO, or from PRO to a smaller tier, is permitted at renewal.
This matters for businesses whose call handling requirements have changed, or those who want to move to PRO and handle AI features through a different configuration. Sentire Kenya reviews each client's licence at renewal and flags any cases where a different edition would be a better fit.
What Current 3CX Clients Should Do
- Check your current edition. Log into your 3CX admin console and confirm whether you are on PRO, Enterprise, or ENT+. Your Sentire renewal notification will also state your current licence tier.
- If you are on ENT+, no immediate action is needed. The change takes effect at renewal. Sentire Kenya will handle the migration from ENT+ to AI Edition and configure your transcription provider as part of that process.
- If you are on PRO and want AI features, now is a good time to review. The price gap between PRO and AI Edition has narrowed with the 2026 pricing adjustments. If your business would benefit from AI call handling, transcription, or analytics, the upgrade cost is lower than it was in 2025.
- If you are on a FREE licence with 4 simultaneous calls, act before renewal. From 2026, the free tier is capped at 2 simultaneous calls. A commercial licence review will confirm the right tier for your actual call volume.
Worth reviewing before your next renewal:
Which edition are you on, and does it still match how your business actually uses 3CX? The edition restructure is a practical moment to check whether your licence fits your current call volume and whether the AI Edition features would change how your team handles calls. Share this with whoever manages your phone system and compare notes before renewal.