On this page
- Quick picks
- The phone systems compared
- How to choose by team size and use
- What a phone system costs by team size
- Features that matter and which plan includes them
- VoIP basics before you switch
- Costs beyond the plan price
- How we picked
- Phone systems without published prices
- Pricing by company
- Free options
- Guides
- Frequently asked questions
Quick picks
Google Voice Starter at $10 a user a month, up to 10 users (no phone menu on Starter; teams also need Google Workspace).
DetailsGrasshopper, priced per account from $14 a month billed annually, 7-day trial with no card.
DetailsDialpad Connect Standard at $15 a user a month billed annually.
DetailsQuo: unlimited US and Canada texting on every plan, $15 a user billed annually.
DetailsOoma Office from $19.95 a user a month, with a virtual receptionist and a free toll-free number.
DetailsZoom Phone from $16 a user a month billed annually, with call recording and SMS on every plan.
DetailsThe phone systems compared
| Phone system | Starting price | Free trial | Phone menu (auto attendant) | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Google Voice | $10/user/mo (Starter, up to 10 users) | No Voice trial stated | Standard and Premier only | Lowest price per user |
| Grasshopper | from $14/mo billed annually (per account) | 7 days, no credit card | Phone menu (IVR) | Solo owners who want one business number on their cell |
| Dialpad | $15/user/mo annual; $27 monthly | 14 days | Auto-attendants offered | AI transcripts on the entry plan |
| Quo (formerly OpenPhone) | $15/user/mo annual; $19 monthly | 7 days | Business and Scale only | Small teams that text a lot |
| Zoom Phone | $16/user/mo annual; $18 monthly | Free trial offered; length not stated | Auto attendants/IVR on all plans | Teams already using Zoom |
| Vonage Business | $13.99/line/mo on an annual contract (promotion); $19.99 monthly | Not stated | Virtual receptionist listed | Lowest per-line price on an annual contract |
| Ooma Office | $19.95/user/mo | None found | Virtual receptionist on all plans | Offices that want desk phones and a receptionist menu |
| Nextiva | $15/user/mo annual; $23 monthly (NEXT Core) | No phone-plan trial found | Auto attendant offered | Toll-free minutes and texting bundled in |
| RingCentral RingEX | $20/user/mo paid annually; $30 monthly (Core) | 14 days, new subscribers | Auto attendant | Calls, texts, meetings and AI notes in one plan |
| Aircall | $30/license/mo billed annually, $40 monthly (3-license minimum) | Free access offered; length not stated | IVR on all plans | Sales and support teams of 3 or more |
Listed roughly from lowest to highest entry price. No company paid for placement. Tap a name for the full profile.
How to choose by team size and use
Start with how your team actually takes calls. The right plan for a one-person business on a cell phone is different from a front desk with desk phones or a sales team that makes calls all day. These are the matches our price and feature data supports.
Solo owner who wants a business line on a cell phone
Grasshopper or Google Voice Starter
Grasshopper True Solo is $14 a month billed annually or $18 monthly for 1 user, 1 number and 1 extension (Grasshopper plan summary). Google Voice Starter is $10 a month as a standalone plan for one user with a personal Gmail account, US only (Google). The free Google Voice plan is for personal use only.
Team of 2 to 10 working from laptops and cell phones
Dialpad, Quo or Zoom Phone
Dialpad Connect Standard and Quo Starter are $15 a user billed annually, Zoom Phone $16. For 5 people that is $75 to $80 a month. Dialpad includes AI transcripts on its entry plan; Zoom lists call recording and SMS on every plan; Quo's Starter has no phone menu.
Customers text you as much as they call
Quo
Quo includes unlimited US and Canada texting on every plan. It lists a one-time $19.50 carrier review and a $1.50 to $3 monthly messaging fee (Quo pricing). Compare Nextiva Core, which caps texts at 100 per user (period not stated), and Ooma, which has no texting on Essentials.
Front desk with desk phones and a phone menu
Zoom Phone or Ooma Office
Zoom Phone lists unlimited auto attendants/IVR and call queues on every Phone plan, from $16 a user billed annually ($18 monthly). Ooma Office includes a virtual receptionist and a toll-free number with 500 inbound minutes on every plan at $19.95 a user, with no contract at all.
Sales or support team that lives on the phone
Aircall, or a contact center plan
Aircall Essentials ($30 a license billed annually, 3-license minimum) has IVR, ring groups and call queuing; Professional adds a Power Dialer, live monitoring and call whispering (Aircall pricing). For larger queues see our call center phone systems comparison.
Already paying for Google Workspace, Zoom or Microsoft 365
Add the phone product you already have
Google Voice adds to Workspace from $10 a user (Starter caps at 10 users). Zoom Phone bundles start at $16. Microsoft sells Teams Phone with a calling plan at $17 a user a month paid yearly, plus a Teams license (Microsoft).
What a phone system costs by team size
Total monthly list price for 5 users on each company's lowest plan, using annual billing where the company offers it. Taxes, fees and add-ons are extra.
Grasshopper prices per account, not per user, which is why it leads for teams. Google Voice adds Google Workspace Starter, which teams need: $7 a user on Google's annual plan or $8.40 flexible. Aircall bills at least 3 licenses. RingCentral's $20 is its price paid annually; paid monthly it is $30 (RingCentral plans and pricing, checked October 29, 2026).
| Team size | Lowest three, annual billing where offered (ties included) | Lowest three, month to month (ties included) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 user | Google Voice $10, Vonage $13.99, Grasshopper $14 | Google Voice $10, Grasshopper $18, Zoom Phone $18 |
| 5 users | Grasshopper $55, Vonage $69.95, Dialpad $75, Nextiva $75, Quo $75 | Grasshopper $70, Zoom Phone $90, Google Voice $92 |
| 10 users | Grasshopper $55, Vonage $139.90, Dialpad $150, Nextiva $150, Quo $150 | Grasshopper $70, Zoom Phone $180, Google Voice $184 |
| 25 users | Grasshopper $55, Vonage $349.75, Dialpad $375, Nextiva $375, Quo $375 | Grasshopper $70, Zoom Phone $450, Quo $475 |
For any team size, use the cost calculator, which runs the same numbers for 1 to 500 users and either billing term.
Features that matter and which plan includes them
The entry price only matters if the entry plan does what you need. Three features most often push small businesses up a tier: a phone menu (auto attendant), automatic call recording and AI call summaries. This table shows the lowest plan that includes each one, as each company lists it.
| Phone system | Phone menu | Call recording | Business texting | AI transcripts or summaries | Toll-free number | Desk phones |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Google Voice | Standard ($20) | All paid plans, on demand; automatic on Premier | All paid plans (US only) | AI notes on Standard and up | Not mentioned | All paid plans |
| Grasshopper | Solo Plus and Small Business (not True Solo) | Solo Plus and Small Business (not True Solo) | Included | AI summaries and transcripts | Number can be toll-free | None sold; VoIP desk phones can connect, per its FAQ |
| Dialpad | Offered (plan not stated) | Offered (plan not stated) | SMS and MMS | Standard ($15 annual) | Supported | Supported |
| Quo (formerly OpenPhone) | Business ($23 annual) | Manual on Starter; automatic on Business | All plans | All calls from Business up | All plans (1 number per user) | Not stated |
| Zoom Phone | Auto attendants/IVR on all plans | All plans | All plans | Post-call summaries, all plans | Add-on: $5 a month per extra number | Phones sold as an add-on |
| Vonage Business | Virtual receptionist listed (plan not readable) | Advanced, 15 hours a month | All plans | Not stated | Not stated | Premium and Advanced |
| Ooma Office | All plans | Pro ($24.95) | Pro (250 a month) and Pro Plus (1,000) | Pro Plus ($29.95) | All plans: 1 number, 500 inbound minutes | Yes, phones sold |
| Nextiva | Offered | Offered | Core 100 per user (period not stated); Engage 500; Scale unlimited | 50 on Core ($15) | Engage and Scale (Core: add-on) | VoIP desk phones, bought separately |
| RingCentral RingEX | Auto attendant listed | On-demand on Core | Core, Advanced and Ultra | AI Assistant on Core | 100, 1,000 or 10,000 minutes by plan | Yes; rental needs a multi-year contract |
| Aircall | All plans | All plans | All plans | Transcripts all plans; summaries on Professional | 1 local or toll-free number included | Not stated |
- Phone menu (auto attendant): "Press 1 for sales" routing. Google Voice Starter and Quo Starter do not have one; Ooma and Aircall include it on every plan; Zoom lists unlimited auto attendants/IVR on every Phone plan.
- Call recording: check whether it is automatic or on demand. Google Voice records automatically only on Premier ($30), Quo from Business, and Vonage caps Advanced at 15 hours a month.
- Business texting: US carriers require business texting to be registered, and some companies pass on the fee. Quo lists $19.50 once plus $1.50 to $3 a month; Vonage says Campaign Registry fees apply; RingCentral requires TCR registration.
- Desk phones: Grasshopper and Quo are app-based. If you want handsets on desks, look at Zoom Phone, Ooma, Nextiva, Dialpad, Google Voice (paid plans) or Vonage Premium and up.
1. Google Voice: best for lowest price per user
Starting price: $10/user/mo (Starter, up to 10 users)Free trial: No Voice trial stated
Plans
| Plan | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Starter | $10/user/mo | Up to 10 users with Workspace, or 1 user standalone (US only) |
| Standard | $20/user/mo | Unlimited users; multi-level auto attendant |
| Premier | $30/user/mo | Automatic call recording; requires a Google Workspace plan billed separately |
Key features
- Calling: Calls to the US included; Canada included from US and Canadian numbers
- Texting: Unlimited US texting
- Phone menu: Standard and Premier only
- Call recording: On-demand (Starter, Standard); automatic (Premier)
- Toll-free: Not stated
Also worth knowing
- Multi-user Voice requires Google Workspace, billed separately.
- Port existing business numbers to Voice.
- Voicemail transcription on all plans; works with desk phones and ATAs.
Watch out for
- Starter has no auto attendant (phone menu).
- Google's page does not say whether prices require a monthly or annual commitment.
Visit Google Voice Source: official pricing page, checked October 22, 2026. Full Google Voice pricing.
2. Grasshopper: best for solo owners who want one business number on their cell
Starting price: from $14/mo billed annually (per account)Free trial: 7 days, no credit card
Plans
| Plan | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| True Solo | $14/mo billed annually, $18 monthly | 1 user, 1 number, 1 extension |
| Solo Plus | $25/mo billed annually, $32 monthly | Unlimited users, 1 number, 3 extensions |
| Small Business | $55/mo billed annually, $70 monthly | Unlimited users, 4 numbers, unlimited extensions |
Key features
- Calling: Unlimited calling and texting within the US and Canada
- Texting: Business texting (SMS/MMS)
- Phone menu: Phone menu (IVR)
- Call recording: Solo Plus and Small Business (not True Solo)
- Toll-free: Local, toll-free or vanity number
Also worth knowing
- Priced per account; Grasshopper says you can add unlimited users at no extra cost.
- Free number porting.
- AI call summaries and transcripts; virtual receptionist with AI, live or hybrid options.
Watch out for
- Grasshopper's pricing page lists month-to-month prices of $18 (True Solo), $32 (Solo Plus) and $70 (Small Business), checked October 29, 2026.
- Grasshopper says it has no third-party CRM integrations and no public API, and it is app-based with no desk phone to buy.
Visit Grasshopper Source: official pricing page, checked October 22, 2026.
3. Dialpad: best for aI transcripts on the entry plan
Starting price: $15/user/mo annual; $27 monthlyFree trial: 14 days
Plans
| Plan | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Connect Standard | $15/user/mo annual, $27 monthly | Real-time transcripts and call summaries |
| Connect Pro | $25/user/mo annual, $35 monthly | |
| Connect Enterprise | Custom |
Key features
- Calling: Unlimited calling in your country, the US and Canada
- Texting: SMS, MMS and group messages
- Phone menu: Auto-attendants offered
- Call recording: Offered
- Toll-free: Toll-free number support standard
Also worth knowing
- Real-time AI transcripts and call summaries from the Standard plan up.
- Port numbers in the online dashboard.
- HD calls and video meetings on Standard.
Watch out for
- Dialpad says the price on its website may differ from your actual price because of regional pricing.
Visit Dialpad Source: official pricing page, checked October 22, 2026. Full Dialpad pricing.
4. Quo (formerly OpenPhone): best for small teams that text a lot
Starting price: $15/user/mo annual; $19 monthlyFree trial: 7 days
Plans
| Plan | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Starter | $15/user/mo annual, $19 monthly | |
| Business | $23/user/mo annual, $33 monthly | Phone menus, automatic recording, AI call summaries |
| Scale | $35/user/mo annual, $47 monthly |
Key features
- Calling: Unlimited US and Canada calling, fair usage policy applies
- Texting: Unlimited US and Canada texting (carrier registration required)
- Phone menu: Business and Scale only
- Call recording: Manual (Starter); automatic (Business, Scale)
- Toll-free: One local or toll-free number per user included
Also worth knowing
- One local or toll-free number per user included; extra numbers $5 a month.
- Sona AI agent included on all plans with 1,000 credits (10 calls); paid credit tiers $25 to $199 a month.
- Number porting on all plans.
Watch out for
- Starter has no phone menu.
- Desk phone support is not stated.
Visit Quo (formerly OpenPhone) Source: official pricing page, checked October 22, 2026. Full Quo (formerly OpenPhone) pricing.
5. Zoom Phone: best for teams already using Zoom
Starting price: $16/user/mo annual; $18 monthlyFree trial: Free trial offered; length not stated
Plans
| Plan | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| US & CA Unlimited | $16/user/mo annual, $18 monthly | Meetings up to 40 min, 100 participants |
| Pro Plus | $20.50/user/mo annual, $24 monthly | Unlimited AI note-taking |
| Business Plus | $24.50/user/mo annual, $29 monthly | Meetings up to 300 participants |
Key features
- Calling: US & CA Unlimited plan: unlimited or metered; Pro Plus and Business Plus: unlimited
- Texting: Domestic SMS and MMS, all plans
- Phone menu: Auto attendants/IVR on all plans
- Call recording: All plans
- Toll-free: Extra local or toll-free numbers $5 a month each
Also worth knowing
- Post-call summaries and voicemail transcription on all plans.
- Port numbers with no hidden fees, per Zoom.
- Works with VoIP desk phones; Zoom sells Mitel, Yealink and Poly phones.
Watch out for
- The entry plan limits AI note-taking to 3 and meetings to 40 minutes.
Visit Zoom Phone Source: official pricing page, checked October 22, 2026. Full Zoom Phone pricing.
6. Vonage Business: best for lowest per-line price on an annual contract
Starting price: $13.99/line/mo on an annual contract (promotion); $19.99 monthlyFree trial: Not stated
Plans
| Plan | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Mobile | $19.99/line/mo monthly; $13.99 annual-contract promo | Desktop and mobile apps, unlimited domestic calling, SMS and MMS |
| Premium | $29.99/line/mo monthly; $20.99 promo | Adds desk phones, video meetings up to 200, team messaging, single sign-on |
| Advanced | $39.99/line/mo monthly; $27.99 promo | Adds on-demand call recording (15 hours a month), visual voicemail, call groups |
Key features
- Calling: Unlimited domestic calling, reasonable usage applies
- Texting: SMS and MMS
- Phone menu: Virtual receptionist listed
- Call recording: Advanced only (15 hours a month)
- Toll-free: Not stated
Also worth knowing
- Main local company number included with online purchases.
- Desk phones supported on Premium and Advanced.
- No early termination fee on monthly plans.
Watch out for
- Taxes and fees are not included in Vonage's prices.
- The promotional price needs a 1-year contract, and early termination fees on an annual contract can reach the total price of the contract. Vonage says the offer is valid through December 31, 2026.
Visit Vonage Business Source: official pricing page, checked October 22, 2026. Full Vonage Business pricing.
7. Ooma Office: best for offices that want desk phones and a receptionist menu
Starting price: $19.95/user/moFree trial: None found
Plans
| Plan | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Essentials | $19.95/user/mo | |
| Pro | $24.95/user/mo | Video meetings up to 25; call recording |
| Pro Plus | $29.95/user/mo | Video meetings up to 100; AI transcriptions |
Key features
- Calling: Unlimited calling to the US, Canada, Mexico and Puerto Rico
- Texting: Pro 250 a month; Pro Plus 1,000
- Phone menu: Virtual receptionist on all plans
- Call recording: Pro and Pro Plus
- Toll-free: One free toll-free number with 500 inbound minutes a month
Also worth knowing
- Free porting of regular US and Canada numbers.
- Ooma's shop lists IP desk phones from $79.99 in stock.
- AI receptionist available as an add-on; price not stated.
Watch out for
- No annual pricing and no free trial found on Ooma's plans page.
Visit Ooma Office Source: official pricing page, checked October 22, 2026. Full Ooma Office pricing.
8. Nextiva: best for toll-free minutes and texting bundled in
Starting price: $15/user/mo annual; $23 monthly (NEXT Core)Free trial: No phone-plan trial found
Plans
| Plan | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| NEXT Core | $15/user/mo annual, $23 monthly | Unlimited voice and video; 50 AI transcriptions and summaries |
| NEXT Engage | $25/user/mo annual, $50 monthly | Toll-free number with 2,000 minutes |
| NEXT Scale | $75/user/mo annual or monthly | Unlimited SMS |
Key features
- Calling: Unlimited voice and video calling
- Texting: Core 100, Engage 500 per user (period not stated); Scale unlimited
- Phone menu: Auto attendant offered
- Call recording: Offered
- Toll-free: Engage: toll-free number + 2,000 minutes; Scale: + 10,000
Also worth knowing
- Free number porting with every account.
- Annual small-business pricing applies to new customers with 1 to 100 employees and needs a 12-month or longer term.
- VoIP desk phones work with every plan; the phones are bought separately.
Watch out for
- The $15 and $25 prices need a 12-month or longer agreement; month to month, Core is $23 and Engage $50.
- A "up to 12 months free" promotion is shown without readable terms.
Visit Nextiva Source: official pricing page, checked October 22, 2026. Full Nextiva pricing.
9. RingCentral RingEX: best for calls, texts, meetings and AI notes in one plan
Starting price: $20/user/mo paid annually; $30 monthly (Core)Free trial: 14 days, new subscribers
Plans
| Plan | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Core | $20/user/mo paid annually, $30 monthly | Calls, 25 SMS per user, 100 toll-free minutes; AI Virtual Assistant included |
| Advanced | $25/user/mo paid annually, $35 monthly | CRM integrations, multiple sites, 1,000 toll-free minutes, 100 SMS per user |
| Ultra | $35/user/mo paid annually, $45 monthly | 10,000 toll-free minutes, 200 SMS per user, RingCentral Webinar |
Key features
- Calling: Unlimited calls within the US and Canada
- Texting: 25 SMS per user a month on Core (100 Advanced, 200 Ultra); not in the trial
- Phone menu: Auto attendant
- Call recording: On-demand on Core
- Toll-free: 100 minutes on Core, 1,000 on Advanced, 10,000 on Ultra
Also worth knowing
- RingCentral says you save up to 33% by paying annually.
- AI Receptionist add-on starts at $39.
- Desk phones supported; rental requires a multi-year contract.
Watch out for
- Its plans and pricing page labels $20 and $25 as the prices paid annually; paid monthly they are $30 and $35 (checked October 29, 2026).
- Its plans page conflicts on the free trial: the FAQ says 14 days with up to 20 phone lines, the disclaimer limits it to five users and two desk phones. No SMS during the trial.
Visit RingCentral RingEX Source: official pricing page, checked October 29, 2026. Full RingCentral RingEX pricing.
10. Aircall: best for sales and support teams of 3 or more
Starting price: $30/license/mo billed annually, $40 monthly (3-license minimum)Free trial: Free access offered; length not stated
Plans
| Plan | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Essentials | $30/license/mo billed annually, $40 monthly | Minimum 3 licenses; IVR, recording, transcripts, 50 AI Voice Agent minutes a month |
| Professional | $50/license/mo billed annually, $70 monthly | Minimum 3 licenses; adds Power Dialer, live monitoring, AI summaries |
| Enterprise | Custom | Minimum 25 licenses; unlimited global calls |
Key features
- Calling: Unlimited US and Canada calls on Essentials and Professional
- Texting: Included (14 countries)
- Phone menu: IVR on all plans
- Call recording: All plans
- Toll-free: One local or toll-free number included; extra numbers $6 a month
Also worth knowing
- Call and voicemail transcription on all plans.
- AI Voice Agents: 50 free minutes a month for all customers, then $0.29 a minute pay as you go, or bundles.
- Paying annually saves 25%, per Aircall.
Watch out for
- Every plan needs at least 3 licenses.
- Essentials is $30 a license a month billed annually or $40 monthly; Professional $50 or $70.
Visit Aircall Source: official pricing page, checked October 22, 2026. Full Aircall pricing.
VoIP basics before you switch
Every system on this page is a cloud phone system: calls travel over your internet connection instead of a copper line. Four things decide whether a switch goes smoothly. (New to this? Read what VoIP is and how it works.)
Keeping your number (porting)
The FCC says you can keep your number when you change providers in the same area, and your old company "cannot refuse to port your number, even if you owe money." Simple ports should take one business day. Do not cancel the old service until the new one is working (FCC). Grasshopper, Ooma and Nextiva say porting is free.
Internet you need
Dialpad asks for at least 100 Kbps up and down per voice call, with latency under 125 ms, jitter under 40 ms and packet loss under 2% for best quality (Dialpad). Zoom estimates 60 to 100 Kbps per call (Zoom). Ten calls at once at Dialpad's minimum is about 1 Mbps each way.
911 works differently
The FCC requires interconnected VoIP providers to offer 911, collect your physical address before service starts and warn you that VoIP "may not work during a power outage or when the internet connection fails." Keep your registered address current (FCC). Google's free Voice plan has no 911 support; its paid plans do.
Phones and apps
You do not need special hardware. Every system here has mobile apps, and most have desktop apps (Ooma's starts on Pro). For desks, you can use IP phones, or plug existing analog phones into an adapter (ATA) where supported: Google Voice paid plans list desk phone and ATA support, and Zoom lists analog device support.
Multi-line systems also have to let staff dial 911 directly, without a prefix like 9, and notify a central location when someone does. That is Kari's Law, in force since February 16, 2020 (FCC).
Costs beyond the plan price
- Taxes and fees: Vonage, Ooma, Quo and Zoom all say their prices exclude them. RingCentral lists a Federal Universal Service Recovery Fee, an E911 Service Fee and state and local taxes.
- Extra numbers: $5 a month at Quo and $6 at Aircall. Most plans include one number per user or one main number.
- Toll-free minutes: Ooma includes 500 inbound minutes and sells 1,000 more for $15 a month; Nextiva includes 2,000 on Engage and 10,000 on Scale.
- Contracts: Vonage's lowest price needs a 1-year contract, and its early termination fee can reach the full contract value.
See every fee each company lists, and the cost for 1 to 25 users, on our business phone system pricing page.
How we picked
We compared cloud phone systems that publish prices for small businesses. For each one we read its own pricing, plan and help pages on October 22, 2026 and recorded only what those pages state: the price and whether it is for monthly or annual billing, seat minimums and user caps, what each plan tier includes, trials, and the extra charges the company itself lists.
- Where a company shows a price without saying which billing it is for, we mark it "Not labeled" instead of guessing.
- Team costs are list price for the lowest plan tier that fits the team, computed the same way for everyone.
- We did not run call-quality tests or sign up for paid accounts, and we do not rate support. No company paid for placement.
Phone systems without published prices
- GoTo Connect: Every plan on its pricing page shows Contact Sales instead of a price. Pricing page
- 8x8: No public prices; quote only. Pricing page
Pricing by company
- Google Voice pricing
- RingCentral RingEX pricing
- Zoom Phone pricing
- Quo (formerly OpenPhone) pricing
- Dialpad pricing
- Aircall pricing
- Ooma Office pricing
- Nextiva pricing
- Vonage Business pricing
- Grasshopper pricing
Free options
Free business phone numbers and trials: what is actually free
Guides
- What is VoIP? How business VoIP works
- Virtual phone number providers
- Toll-free business numbers
- VoIP vs landline for business
- Call center phone systems for small teams
- RingCentral vs Nextiva
- Hosted PBX: prices and how it works
- Auto attendant phone systems compared
- Cheapest business phone service
- How to get a business phone number
- Best multi-line phone systems for small business
- Business landline phone service
- Phone systems for hotels
- Restaurant phone systems
- Dialpad vs RingCentral
- Ooma vs Vonage
- Free VoIP Service: What You Can Really Get for $0
- Best VoIP Phones for Business: Models, Specs and Prices
- Google Voice for Business Review: Plans, Costs and Limits
- Office Phone Systems: 7 Systems Compared With Real Prices
- Ooma Review: Is Ooma Office Right for Your Business?
- Vonage Review: Vonage Business Plans and Contract Terms
- Google Voice vs Grasshopper: Which Business Line Fits?
- What Is a PBX? How a PBX Phone System Works
- Best Cloud Phone Systems for Small Business
- AI Phone Systems: Which Business Phones Have AI Built In
- Grasshopper Review: Is It the Right Virtual Phone System?
- RingCentral Review: Is RingEX Right for Your Small Business?
- Nextiva Review: Is Nextiva Worth It for a Small Business?
- Quo Review: Is the Former OpenPhone Right for Your Team?
- Zoom Phone Review: Is Zoom Phone Right for Your Business?
Frequently asked questions
What is the best business phone system?
It depends on how you work. On published prices and plan features: Grasshopper (per account, from $14 a month billed annually) for a solo owner, Dialpad or Quo ($15 a user billed annually) for a small team, Quo for texting-heavy businesses, Ooma Office ($19.95 a user, no contract) for desk phones and a receptionist menu, Zoom Phone ($16) for teams on Zoom, and Aircall for sales and support teams of 3 or more.
What is the best cloud-based calling software for businesses?
Every system compared here is cloud-based, so choose on features and price. For the lowest per-user price with AI transcripts included, Dialpad Connect Standard is $15 a user billed annually. For a receptionist menu on the entry plan, Ooma Office starts at $19.95 with no contract. Google Voice is the cheapest per user at $10 but needs Google Workspace for teams.
How much does a business phone system cost?
Entry plans start at $10 a user a month (Google Voice Starter) and $15 a user billed annually (Dialpad, Quo). For 5 users, per-user plans run from $69.95 (Vonage, annual contract) to $150 (Aircall, 3-license minimum) a month at list price, before taxes and fees.
Do you need a special handset for VoIP?
No. Every system here works through apps on a cell phone or computer. If you want desk phones, use IP phones the provider supports, or connect a regular analog phone through an adapter (ATA) where the provider supports it, as Google Voice's paid plans and Zoom Phone do.
Can I use a VoIP phone without a provider?
Only for calls inside your own network or app. Calling regular phone numbers, and getting a number people can dial, needs a provider connected to the public phone network. Free apps like Microsoft Teams Free make internet calls between app users but come with no phone number.
How much does a landline cost for a business?
Spectrum's Business Voice price guide lists $50 a month for a first line with unlimited local and long distance, or a promotional $30 for months 1 to 12 and $40 after, plus $99 installation per location. Its sales page advertises $20 a line for one year when bundled with Spectrum Business Internet (price guide, sales page). See VoIP vs landline.
How do I get a virtual phone number for my business?
Sign up with a business phone provider, pick a local or toll-free number in its app (or port the one you have), and install its app on your phone. Grasshopper, Quo and Talkroute all offer 7-day trials. Our virtual phone number providers page compares the costs.
How can I purchase an 800 number for my business?
Toll-free numbers are assigned first come, first served through a Responsible Organization (RespOrg), which in practice is your phone provider. Ooma Office includes one toll-free number on every plan; Quo lets each user pick a toll-free number. See toll-free business numbers.
Can I keep my existing business number?
Yes. FCC rules let you port your number when you change providers in the same area. Google Voice, Grasshopper, Dialpad, Quo, Zoom Phone, Vonage, Ooma and Nextiva all say they port numbers; Grasshopper, Ooma and Nextiva say porting is free.
Which business phone systems include an AI receptionist?
Quo includes its Sona AI agent with 1,000 credits (10 calls) on every plan. RingCentral sells an AI Receptionist add-on from $39, Aircall includes 50 AI Voice Agent minutes a month then charges $0.29 a minute pay as you go, and Ooma and Nextiva offer AI add-ons.