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Free Business Phone Number: What Is Actually Free
Most free phone number apps are not meant for business. Google Voice's free plan, TextNow and 2ndLine all say in their own terms that the free service is for personal use, and Ooma's $0 home service is for residential use only. The free options built for businesses are trials: Grasshopper and Quo for 7 days, Dialpad and RingCentral for 14, and FreedomVoice for 30. The cheapest paid business number we found is Google Voice Starter at $10 a month.
Free phone numbers and what their own terms say about business use
| Option | What is free | Business use allowed? | The catch | Cheapest upgrade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Google Voice (free plan) | A US number, calls to almost all US and Canada numbers, US texting | No. Google says: "This no-charge plan is for personal, consumer use." | Needs a personal Gmail account and an existing mobile number. Google may reclaim the number after 3 months without calls or texts. No 911 support or call recording. | Starter, $10 a month (Google Voice pricing) |
| TextNow | A number with unlimited calling and texting in the app, paid for by ads | No. Its terms say to use the service "solely for personal, non-commercial, peer to peer communication and use." | Ads. A number that is never used can expire, and TextNow may cancel an account inactive for more than a year. | Ad Free+, $9.99 (from a TextNow help article) |
| 2ndLine (a TextNow product) | A local number with unlimited talk and text to the US and Canada over Wi-Fi or data | No. Its terms carry the same personal, non-commercial wording as TextNow. | Same account rules as TextNow. | Not stated |
| TextFree (Pinger) | A number with unlimited calls and texts, paid for by ads | Not stated. Its terms page would not load when we checked. | Ads. Keeping the same number (a reserved number) is a paid feature. | TextFree Plus, $9.99 a month |
| Talkatone | A US number with free calls and texts to most US and Canada numbers | Not stated. Its terms page would not load when we checked. | Ad and inactivity rules are not stated on the pages we could read. | Not stated |
| Dingtone | Your first US number, for first-time US users only | Not stated. Its terms page would not load when we checked. | The free number expires (Dingtone does not say when), and calls and texts use credits. | Not stated |
| Ooma Basic (home phone) | $0 a month phone service for US calls | No. Ooma's residential terms allow it to end service used in a way "inconsistent with residential, non-commercial use." | You buy an Ooma Telo ($79.99) and pay monthly taxes and fees. Bringing an existing number costs $39.99. | Premier, $9.99 a month (home service) |
| Microsoft Teams Free | Video calls, chat and 60-minute meetings | Not the issue: it comes with no phone number. | No phone number. You cannot call or receive calls from regular phones. | Teams Phone with pay-as-you-go calling, $13 a user a month paid yearly, plus a Teams license |
Skype is not an option: Microsoft retired it on May 5, 2025, and Skype Number subscriptions ended in May 2026.
Free trials of business phone services
| Service | Free trial | Credit card needed | What the trial includes | Price after the trial |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grasshopper | 7 days | No | Not stated | From $14 a month, billed annually |
| Quo (formerly OpenPhone) | 7 days | Yes | One US, Canada or toll-free number per user and calls within the US and Canada. No US texting until you pay. | $19 a user a month, or $15 billed annually (Quo pricing) |
| Talkroute | 7 days | Not stated | Not stated | Basic, $19 a month with 1 number, 1 user and 500 texts |
| Dialpad | 14 days | Not stated | Not stated | $15 a user a month billed annually (Dialpad pricing) |
| RingCentral | 14 days, new subscribers only | Not stated | Up to 20 lines and 2 desk phones. No texting during the trial. | From $20 a user a month (RingCentral pricing) |
| FreedomVoice CloudNumber | 30 days | Not stated | A toll-free or local number | Not verified (its plans page did not show prices clearly) |
"Not stated" means the provider's pricing page does not say. Prices are per month as each company shows them, before taxes and fees.
Which one to use
- To test a business line for free: Grasshopper is the only trial we found that says no credit card is needed. Quo's trial gives you a working number with calling right away, but needs a card and blocks US texting until you pay.
- For the lowest ongoing cost: Google Voice Starter at $10 a month is the cheapest paid business plan we found, and it adds the 911 support, call recording and desk phone support that the free plan lacks.
- For a free toll-free number to try: FreedomVoice's 30-day trial and Quo's 7-day trial both include a toll-free number option.
- Avoid running a business on a free personal app. The provider can reclaim the number (Google after 3 months of no use) or close the account under its terms, and your customers lose the number they call.
What a business number needs that free apps usually lack
- A number you keep and can port out if you switch providers.
- Business texting that carriers accept. US carriers require business senders to register, which is why Quo blocks US texting on its trial.
- 911 support, call recording and a phone menu (auto attendant).
- Terms that allow commercial use.
Compare small business phone systems or see every plan side by side.
Frequently asked questions
Can I get a free business phone number?
Most free phone number apps are not meant for business. Google Voice's free plan, TextNow and 2ndLine all say in their own terms that the free service is for personal use, and Ooma's $0 home service is for residential use only. The free options built for businesses are trials: Grasshopper and Quo for 7 days, Dialpad and RingCentral for 14, and FreedomVoice for 30. The cheapest paid business number we found is Google Voice Starter at $10 a month.
Is Google Voice free for business?
No. Google says its no-charge plan "is for personal, consumer use." Business plans start at $10 a month (Starter).
Can I use TextNow for my business?
TextNow's terms say to use the service "solely for personal, non-commercial, peer to peer communication and use," so its free number is not meant for business.
Can I get a free toll-free number?
Not permanently from the services we checked. FreedomVoice offers a toll-free or local number free for 30 days, and Quo's 7-day trial lets you pick a toll-free number.
Which business phone trial does not need a credit card?
Grasshopper says its 7-day trial needs no credit card. Quo requires one. Talkroute, Dialpad, RingCentral and FreedomVoice do not say on the pages we checked.