Best business phone number apps: 8 best options to try for free

There’s no denying it: VoIP business phone number apps are better than traditional business landlines. The evidence? VoIP phone systems are less than half the cost of traditional landline phones, and VoIP apps provide a slew of exclusive features, including SMS and MMS messaging, international business calls, advanced call screening, and call transferring.

While the benefits of VoIP apps are clear, picking the right service provider can be challenging, especially considering how many options there are. 

This article will help you make the right choice by showcasing the top eight business phone number apps in 2024.

If you’re ready to find your next business phone app, you’ve come to the right place.

The best business phone number apps compared

Curious how our app picks match up? Get a high-level breakdown of the best business phone number apps in this comparison chart:

Provider	Starting price	Unlimited calling to US & Canada	SMS/MMS to US & Canada	Shared phone numbers	Additional phone numbers
OpenPhone	$15 per user per month	✓	✓	✓	$5 per month per number
Google Voice	$16 per user per month	Unlimited calls to Canada from US only	US customers only	Requires upgrade	Varies
Grasshopper	$14 per user per month	✓	Local numbers only	X	$9 per month per number
Nextiva	$18.95 per user per month	✓	Requires upgrade	✓	✓
Ooma	$19.95 per line per month	✓	Requires upgrade	✓	$9.95 per number per month
eVoice	$12 per month	✓	Requires upgrade	X	X
Sideline	$14.49 a user per month	Unlimited in the US only	X	X	✓
GoDaddy Conversations	$12.99 per month	Unlimited in the US only	US customers only	X	X

It isn’t enough to compare business phone number apps on pricing, calling, and messaging features alone. You have to look for options that can make your business more productive and efficient, including collaboration features, third-party integrations, and more. 

Here’s a detailed exploration of how these eight virtual phone services stack up, ranked from highest to lowest based on their price, functionality, and integrations.

1. OpenPhone: The best virtual business phone number app for growing teams

*Nearly all virtual phone numbers share this problem. For safety reasons, companies like Facebook, Uber, and Google rarely let you authenticate accounts through a virtual phone number.

OpenPhone is an all-in-one VoIP system that scales with your business. Since OpenPhone operates over an internet connection, you can manage all of your business communications (calls and texts) on any existing computer, smartphone, or tablet — there’s no need to invest in a desk phone or expensive hardware.

With OpenPhone’s comprehensive features, you’ll never miss a vital customer detail or request again. Every plan includes the essentials like call recording, voicemail transcripts, and more.

One of the biggest draws of OpenPhone is how easily it enables team collaboration. Users can access shared numbers, simultaneous ring, contact notes, and internal threads. With these features, your customers won’t wait long on hold or have to repeat themselves when they reach a new representative. Any of your customer service representatives can read notes from previous calls and get up to speed.

OpenPhone is also the solution for improving operational efficiencies. Use generative AI to provide real-time call transcriptions, summaries, and message responses, expediting your team’s next steps and action items. We also integrate with popular business software solutions like Slack, Salesforce, HubSpot, and Zapier.

OpenPhone is the best business phone number app for small businesses and growing teams, but you don’t have to take our word for it. Try OpenPhone with our seven-day free trial.

Key features of OpenPhone

• Free calling and texting in the US and Canada
• Call routing
• Call recording
• Auto-attendant (IVR; requires upgrade)
• Desktop, web, and mobile apps
• Options to get a US, Canadian, or North American toll-free business number
• Shared phone numbers
• Business hour settings
• Voicemail transcriptions
• AI-suggested text responses
• Texting automation (snippets and auto-replies)
• AI-generated call summaries, transcripts, and action items
• Business app integrations (Slack, Zapier, Google Contacts, and email come standard)

OpenPhone pricing

OpenPhone has three affordable pricing options:

• Starter: $15 per user per month for shared phone numbers, internal threads, contact notes, voicemail transcriptions, scheduled messages, auto-replies, manual call recording, and more
• Business: $23 per user per month for automatic call recording, group calling, AI call summaries and transcripts, and phone integrations with HubSpot and Salesforce
• Enterprise: Custom pricing for a custom plan, including audit logs and priority support

OpenPhone user ratings

• App Store: 4.5 with 8,300+ ratings
• Play Store: 3.7 with 3,300+ ratings
• G2: 4.7 with 1,700+ ratings

How to get a business number with OpenPhone

Getting a new phone number from almost anywhere in the world is a simple process when you choose OpenPhone as your virtual phone number provider. Follow these three steps:

1. Create an account with OpenPhone (when you sign up, you get a free, seven-day trial).
2. During signup, choose your city or area code in the US to select your preferred phone number.
3. Once the signup process is complete, you’re all set to use your business phone number!

2. Google Voice: Best for Google Workspace users

If you’ve ever Googled ‘VoIP,’ you’ve no doubt run into Google Voice. This is one of the most popular business solutions on the market.

The most significant advantage of Google Voice is that it integrates with Google Workspace apps, making it a popular draw for businesses that already use Gmail, Google Sheets, and Google Docs.

Keep in mind, though, that Google Voice does not provide a free business phone number. A line is free for personal phones (i.e., the Google Voice plan), but it costs $10 a month per user minimum for businesses through Google Voice for Google Workspace — plus an additional $6 per user per month, as you must have an active Google Workspace account.

That’s not all: Google Voice doesn’t offer toll-free numbers, auto-replies, or differentiation between personal phone calls and your second number.

Key features of Google Voice

• Free unlimited calling to the US from anywhere (and to Canada from the US)
• SMS in the US
• Mobile phone and web apps
• Voicemail transcriptions
• Google Calendar and Google Meet integrations
• Upgrade required for advanced features like auto-attendant

Google Voice pricing

Google Voice has three pricing plans:

• Starter: $10 per user per month*
• Standard: $20 per user per month* to unlock on-demand call recordings, ring groups, and phone menus
• Premier: $30 per user per month* to unlock automatic call recordings and advanced reporting

*Plus an additional $6 per user per month payment for Google Workspace required to use Google Voice for business.

Google Voice user ratings 

• iOS: 4.3 with 59,000+ ratings
• Android: 4.4 with 348,000+ ratings
• G2: 4.1 with 150+ reviews

3. Grasshopper: Best for multi-digit extensions

As a legacy VoIP provider, Grasshopper is one of the oldest and most well-known virtual business phone number apps. One of its standout features is its single-digit extensions for departments and multi-digit extensions for employees. Another notable feature is its pricing — Grasshopper users get access to all its features on each of plan. You only pay more for additional user seats, numbers, and extensions 

Compared to other providers mentioned in this article, their platform is relatively bare, with basic features like voicemail greetings and transcriptions. Even when they go the extra mile and offer features like auto-replies, there are enough limitations in place that you won’t get the full value out of them. Auto-replies in Grasshopper only go out to first-time callers — not every time someone contacts you over calls or texts.

Also, keep in mind that limitations in phone numbers (a max of 5 on the highest plan without paying extra) and zero integrations can be a problem as your business grows. Sharing responsibility for incoming calls also costs extra ($10 per month) on their dated platform.

Key features of Grasshopper

• Unlimited calls to Canada and the 48 continental states
• Android and iOS mobile apps
• Vanity numbers
• Call transfers
• Voicemail to text

Grasshopper pricing

Grasshopper offers three plans — True Solo, Solo Plus, and Small Business. While each plan offers all its features, they differ by the number of users and extensions you can access. 

Here’s how much each plan costs:

• True Solo: $14 per month for one user, one phone number, and one extension
• Solo Plus: $25 per month for unlimited users, one phone number, and three extensions
• Small Business: $55 per month for unlimited users, four phone numbers, and unlimited extensions

Grasshopper user ratings

• iOS: 4.8 with 43,000+ ratings
• Android: 4.2 with 3,900+ ratings 
• G2: 4.0 with 140+ reviews

4. Nextiva: Best for large enterprise teams

Video conferencing and screen sharing are what Nextiva does best. Built for teamwork-based industries like eCommerce and IT, this provider’s unified communication platform supports 10-digit and toll-free numbers. Integrations with Salesforce, Zendesk, and CRM platforms are provided on their second and third-highest plans.

But without business texting services on the Essential plan and message limits even when they upgrade, many teams seek out Nextiva alternatives. Also missing from Nextiva’s base plans are essential features like call recording and voicemail transcription. If you want to provide a toll-free option to your customers, Nextiva limits your toll-free minutes, which means you might have to pay for toll-free calls every month on top of your monthly fee.

Key features of Nextiva

• Virtual fax services
• Integration with Google Contacts
• Unlimited voice or video conference calling
• Voicemail transcriptions (requires upgrade)
• WiFi call management

Nextiva pricing

Nextiva offers three plans to its customers:

• Essential: $18.95 per user per month for unlimited calling within the US and Canada, video conference recording, auto attendant, and contact integrations
• Professional: $22.95 per user per month to access SMS/MMS messaging, voicemail transcriptions, and HubSpot and Zendesk integrations
• Enterprise: $32.95 per user per month to access call recording and Salesforce and ServiceNow integrations

Nextiva user ratings

• iOS: 3.8 with 4,200+ ratings
• Android: 3.8 with 3,000+ ratings
• G2: 4.5 with 3,100+ reviews

5. Ooma: Best for teams that need fax and paging support

The VoIP mobile app from Ooma was specifically designed for small businesses. Users can access free inbound and outbound calling in North America and Mexico. Better yet, extension dialing and call forwarding are available to all in-app users.

However, Ooma may be restrictive for business growth once your brand gets to a certain size. A lack of analytics may prevent you from measuring activity on a second phone number. Plus, Ooma offers legacy phone features like virtual fax and analog paging support, which means you’d pay for features you don’t need. You’ll also need to upgrade to access their desktop app if you want to call and text from your computer using Ooma. Any text messaging requires you to pay for one of their higher-tier plans. If you also need voicemail transcriptions or call recording software, get ready to upgrade.

Key features of Ooma

• Smartphone mobile apps
• Virtual receptionists
• Multi-ring and ring groups
• Overhead paging
• Text messaging (requires upgrade)
• Virtual and analog fax machine support

Ooma pricing

Ooma has three pricing plans for small businesses:

• Essentials: $19.95 per user per month
• Pro: $24.95 per user per month to unlock texting, voicemail transcriptions, call recording, and Ooma’s desktop app
• Pro Plus: $29.95 per user per month for Ooma’s Salesforce integration, hot desking, and Microsoft Dynamics 365 integration

Ooma user ratings

• iOS: 4.9 with 7,000+ ratings 
• Android: 4.4 with 1,200+ ratings 
• G2: 4.6 with 100+ reviews

6. eVoice: Best for teams with limited phone needs

eVoice provides virtual phone and live receptionist services to small businesses of all kinds. The eVoice app is currently compatible with iOS and Android. 

eVoice is affordably priced, but it comes with several drawbacks you should consider. It doesn’t appear to have shared numbers or integrations, which means your team will lose business context quickly and might struggle to stay on the same page. 

Key features like business texting, call recording, and voicemail transcriptions are only available as add-on features, and it’s unclear from their website how much these additional features cost. 

Bottom line: eVoice is fine for solo businesses, but it’s inefficient as you add more people to your team.

Key features of eVoice

• Call forwarding after hours
• Inbound caller ID screening
• Unlimited calls
• Call queuing
• Sequential ringing

eVoice pricing

eVoice offers a single plan to businesses for $12 per month to access all its features. 

What’s missing from this pricing is eVoice’s numerous add-ons, including call recording, voicemail transcription, business texting, and more. 

eVoice user ratings

• iOS: 3.7 with 490+ ratings
• Android: 3.7 with 1,600+ ratings

7. Sideline: Best if you only need one additional number

Sideline provides lean functionality with its business phone services. Both desktop and mobile apps allow users to access call logs across devices. SMS texting capabilities are perhaps its most notable business solution. You can’t get all its features on a single plan, though — and you’ll have to compromise to get what you want.

Keep in mind that while Sideline is a second number app, it isn’t a VoIP service. This platform requires you to have a pre-existing phone service to take and place calls. You’ll need to pay for their services as well as a traditional phone carrier. 

Key features of Sideline

• Group messaging
• Call announcement software
• WiFi calling
• Auto-replies
• Mobile app downloads
• Free and unlimited calls (US only)

Sideline pricing

Sideline’s plan details are buried in their support center. Here’s how much each plan costs:

• Standard: $14.49 per month, billed annually to access free calling and texting to the US, auto-replies, voicemail to text, group messaging, and number porting
• Enterprise: $14.49 per business line per month to access international calling and auto-attendant features

Sideline user ratings

• iOS: 4.3 with 1,200+ ratings
• Android: 3.9 with 6,200+ ratings

8. GoDaddy Conversations: Best for managing Facebook Messenger and Instagram chats

GoDaddy Conversations is a virtual phone number app that lets you communicate with your customers through channels like Facebook, Instagram, chat, or your web contact form — from one unified system. Conversations replaces Smartline, GoDaddy’s previous business phone number app. 

While GoDaddy Conversations makes messaging across social media platforms easier, the solution lacks many essential features customer support teams need to thrive. For example, it doesn’t offer shared numbers, call recording, an auto-attendant, group calling, or international calling.

It also only provides users with one business phone number, limiting fast-growing teams that need multiple numbers for different departments or locations.

Key features of GoDaddy Conversations

• Unified inbox
• Set business hours
• SMS and MMS messaging
• Custom voicemail options

GoDaddy Conversations pricing

Conversations offers the same features in each of its plans. The difference is you can choose to get a local or a toll-free number (toll-free numbers don’t charge customers when they call or message your team). 

• Local Number: $12.99 per month
• Toll-free Number: $16.99 per month

GoDaddy Conversations user ratings

• iOS: 4.4 with 1,800+ ratings 
• Android: 3.8 with 600+ ratings

How we ranked the best business phone number apps

We determined the top options after reviewing the following key factors across each app:

• Reliability — Call drops and system outages are dealbreakers.
• Bang for your buck — What value does the app generate for your business? The cheapest option is usually not the best app. You need a system that saves your team time and has predictable monthly costs.
• Third-party integrations — Speaking of saving time, integrations can help your team cut repetitive tasks out of their daily responsibilities.
• Low learning curves — Customizing your phone settings and getting team members up and running shouldn’t take hours. The best business number apps have intuitive interfaces that aren’t taxing to operate if you’ve ever used a smartphone.
• Customer service — If questions come up and you don’t see your question addressed in the Help Center, you need a support team that’s responsive.

5 signs you need to get a business phone number app

We’ve covered the top eight apps, but how do you know when you actually need a business phone number app? Here are five signs your team is ready to get one:

1. Your team is growing fast: You can get by without a business phone solution when you’re a one-person team. However, if you’re adding team members and want to share responsibility for customer calls, you’ll need to get a shared number from a business phone app. 
2. You’re getting calls outside work hours: Want a better work-life balance for you and your team? Business hours helps you send an auto-reply or voicemail to customers who try to reach you when you’re offline. You can also forward calls to a secondary number if you need to.
3. You’re using multiple apps to manage work communications: Using a business phone, call recording app, and Slack to update your team? Business phone number apps let you keep your tech stack lean so you don’t have to constantly switch contexts. 
4. You want to take repetitive tasks off your team’s plate: Your team shouldn’t get bogged down in work that doesn’t move the needle. With business phone features like auto-replies, snippets, and CRM and Zapier integrations, you can save your team hours.
5. You need to quickly add new local numbers: If you want to acquire customers in new cities, you need a local number to earn their trust. A business phone number app helps you create new local numbers so you can expand quickly.  

OpenPhone: Grow your team with the best business phone number app

If there’s one thing we’re not at OpenPhone, it’s limited. With transparent price plans, dozens of features, and integration options that make life easier, we’re always looking for new ways to add value. 

Interested in trying out OpenPhone for free? It’s easy! Sign up for a seven-day free trial to test OpenPhone, or drop by for a demo to see why thousands of happy small business owners use us.

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