9 best IVR systems for small business in 2025

As your business grows, keeping up with more calls gets tough. Customers want quick answers, but a small team can only handle so much. An IVR system helps by letting customers route themselves to the right rep, department, or self-service option.

But choosing the right IVR solution can be an overwhelming task — especially if you’re a small business owner just trying to see what’s out there.

This guide makes it easy to choose the best IVR system for small businesses by comparing the seven best solutions of 2025.

First, let’s look at the top IVR systems side by side.

The top IVR systems for small businesses compared

Here’s a comparison chart of the best business phone solutions with IVR systems based on their prices and features:

Keep reading as we cover each of these phone solutions in depth below. 

1. OpenPhone: Best for small and growing businesses

Pros

• IVR included on the Business plan
• Use a new number or port your existing number for free
• Build different phone menus for during and after business hours
• Compatible with devices you already own
• Offers shared numbers so you can split responsibility for incoming calls and messages

Cons

• No verification through two-factor authentication*

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

OpenPhone is the #1 business phone solution as rated by thousands of growing companies on G2. As a small business owner, you can easily scale your business phone system as your team grows. Each user on your plan comes with one local US, Canadian, or North American toll-free number. You can also create shared numbers for your team to split responsibility for incoming calls.

Worried about what might happen to your current business number? Good news — you don’t have to buy a new number from OpenPhone to put IVR on your current business phone number. Since OpenPhone works with VoIP technology, you can port your existing number for free using our two-minute form. Then, you can add IVR in a couple of steps and build voice-activated menus in 15 minutes or less.

OpenPhone’s IVR is available on the Business plan ($23 per user per month). You can set any of the following as phone menu options:

• Dial all shared number members simultaneously or in a custom ring group.
• Forward calls to a different OpenPhone number or US or Canadian number outside of OpenPhone
• Send straight to voicemail
• Play an audio recording based on frequently asked questions (like your team’s business hours or how to pay an outstanding bill)

If a caller doesn’t select a menu option, the auto-attendant greeting plays again by default. You can also set the system to forward calls automatically so no customers get lost looking for help. This keeps important conversations from falling through the cracks and customers from moving onto your competitors. Plus, you can set up different IVRs for during and after business hours if you need to set up a different call flow when you’re out of the office. For example, you might want to provide business hours or self-service options.

Thousands of small businesses rely on OpenPhone to simplify their daily workflows and build customer relationships — and not just because of our intuitive IVR. Get access to shared numbers, free calling and texting to US and Canada numbers, automatic call recording, AI call summaries and transcriptions, hundreds of CRM and VoIP integrations, and much more. 

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Key features of OpenPhone

• One new local or toll-free number per member of your team
• Free calls and texts in the US and Canada
• IVR
• Call recording
• Integrations with Zapier, Slack, HubSpot, and Salesforce
• Voicemail to text
• Ring groups
• Business hours
• Different call flows for during and after business hours 
• Text-to-speech options to add your greeting once you have an IVR script in place 
• Time-saving texting automations, like scheduled messages, snippets, and auto-replies
• AI call tags 
• The new OpenPhone API to automatically log all call activity into your CRM

OpenPhone pricing

OpenPhone’s pricing plans offer three tiers to choose from, with IVR available on the Business and Scale plans:

• Starter: $15 per user per month for unlimited calls in the US and Canada and one free US, Canadian, shared phone number, or toll-free number per user
• Business: $23 per user per month for IVR, HubSpot and Salesforce integrations, IVR, and call transfers
• Scale: $35 per user per month for AI call tags, dedicated onboarding support, and priority live chat and email ticket support

2. Aircall: Best for sales centers

Pros

• Unlimited calls in the US and Canada
• Stock hold music 

Cons

• AI-generated call summaries require an expensive add-on 
• More expensive than other IVR solutions
• Three user minimum for the base plan

Aircall is a remote phone system that offers call center software to sales and support teams. Its interactive voice response system uses number and voice recognition to route callers where they need to go. It also lets you:

• Choose from 15 voice styles and 16 languages if you use its text-to-speech option to create your IVR message
• Set up stock hold music
• Build your IVR on a visual canvas that lets you know if there are any errors with your menu’s design

Aircall is much more expensive than the other IVR systems on this list. Aircall’s basic plan ($30 per user per month) comes with a three-user minimum. This means Aircall’s IVR is a minimum of $90 per month — which might be more than you want to pay as a growing small business. 

Keep in mind Aircall doesn’t offer extra phone numbers when you add new users to your plan. You have to pay $6 per month for an additional number, which also adds to your phone system costs.

If you want an IVR solution at a lower price, you’re better off looking at an Aircall alternative.

Key features of Aircall

• Call recording
• Click-to-call
• Unlimited simultaneous outbound calls
• Free inbound and outbound calls in the US and Canada
• Desktop, Android, and iOS apps

Aircall pricing

Aircall’s pricing gives you three different plans to choose from:

• Essentials: $30 per user per month for local, toll-free, or international numbers, call recording, and click-to-call (three user minimum)
• Professional: $50 per user per month for the Power Dialer, mandatory call tagging, and the Salesforce integration (three user minimum)
• Custom: Personalized quote for custom analytics, custom onboarding, API developer support, and unlimited calls worldwide (25 user minimum)

3. Nextiva: Best for teams that use Microsoft products

Pros

• Good for distributed teams
• Integrates with Microsoft products (requires upgrade)

Cons

• Advanced auto-attendant requires an upgrade
• No voice calls, SMS, or MMS on the base plan
• Skills-based routing requires an upgrade to the highest plan

Nextiva launched in 2009 as a vFAX (virtual fax service) and has since evolved into a communications platform. 

On Nextiva’s Core ($30 per user per month), you can use an auto-attendant to create basic call flows for customers. Callers can use keypad inputs and voice commands to get where they want to go. 

If you want to prioritize urgent customer calls so they can skip the queue, you’ll have to upgrade to the Power Suite plan to access priority-based routing. Plus, skill-based routing, which ensures calls are routed to the most qualified reps, is also only available on the highest-tier plan ($60 per user per month).

Keep in mind Nextiva also has several other limitations — and you have to upgrade to access the basic communication features most small businesses need. For example:

• If you want to transcribe voicemails, you need to upgrade to the Core plan ($30 per user per month).
• Call recording is locked behind the Core plan and an add-on, which could be a problem if you need to record your calls for legal or contextual purposes.
• Toll-free numbers require an upgrade to the Core plan, and even then, you’ll have to pay for an extra add-on. And if you want to unlock extra toll-free minutes, you have to upgrade to the Engage plan — and no matter how much you upgrade, you can’t get more than 12,500 minutes.

Key features of Nextiva

• Basic auto-attendant (IVR)
• Skills-based routing (requires upgrade)
• Custom hold music
• Free number porting
• Voicemail transcriptions (requires upgrade)

Nextiva pricing

Nextiva’s pricing offers four different pricing plans for you to pick from. However, only three provide a basic IVR. Let’s break them down:

• Digital: $20 per user per month for messaging apps, social media channels, and competitive monitoring (no IVR support)
• Core: $30 per user per month for basic IVR, voicemail with AI transcription, and inbound and outbound voice calls 
• Engage: $40 per user per month for customer-to-team SMS messaging, toll-free number and minutes, and MS Teams integration
• Power Suite: $60 per user per month for priority and skills-based routing, inbound sales and service call center, and unified team interface

4. CloudTalk: Best for having an outbound contact center

Pros

• Multi-level IVR
• International numbers in over 160 countries

Cons

• IVR is not available on the base plan
• Speech-to-text requires an upgrade
• Smart routing (requires add-on)

CloudTalk call center software is specifically for outbound call centers. You can use their multi-level IVR to create submenus that have more options. For example, you can create two separate automated phone systems based on location (e.g., ‘Press one for Seattle and two for Chicago’). Then, build separate options within those menus to route callers to the right place (like ‘Press three for the Help Desk’).

You can’t access CloudTalk’s IVR solution on the basic plan. Instead, you have to upgrade to the Essential plan ($30 per user per month). You’ll also need to purchase new phone numbers for each user on your account (if you don’t want them to use their personal numbers). Additional numbers from CloudTalk are $6 per number per month.

Even once you’ve upgraded your plan to access CloudTalk’s IVR, you may still need to upgrade once or twice more to unlock specific features. For example:

• VIP queues (let important customers get through the line faster) are available on the Expert plan.
• You can’t convert calls or recordings into text unless you upgrade to Expert and pay an undisclosed add-on cost.
• There’s no way to make unlimited calls at the same time unless you upgrade ($30 per user per month).
• You can’t use smart routing to direct a caller to the most suitable rep or department unless you pay an undisclosed add-on fee.

And no matter how much you upgrade, you can’t send unlimited SMS and MMS messages without paying flat rates.

Key features of CloudTalk

• Multi-level IVR
• Ring groups (one group only)
• Automatic call distribution (requires upgrade)
• Toll-free and international numbers
• Call recording (only one month of storage)

CloudTalk pricing

CloudTalk’s pricing offers four different plans for you to choose from. Keep in mind the base plan doesn’t support IVR.

• Lite: $19 per user per month for unlimited domestic calling within the US and Canada, ring groups (one group), call flow designer, and international numbers (no IVR support)
• Essential: $30 per user per month for IVR, automated call distribution (ACD), caller-based routing, and skill-based routing
• Expert: $50 per user per month for call whispering, VIP queues, and the Go-To CFD feature
• Custom: Personalized quote for unlimited worldwide call packages, custom reports, and enterprise-level security

5. Vonage: Best solution with an API

Pros

• Highly customizable
• Auto-attendant is available

Cons

• Advanced IVR requires coding knowledge
• Auto-attendant supports one language
• MMS messaging requires an API

Vonage is a business phone solution that was launched in 2001. It provides an IVR feature on every plan. Its IVR can route callers to the right department or rep depending on the time, day, or vacation status. It also offers a text-to-speech option, allowing you to type in your greeting message. Keep in mind Vonage’s auto-attendant is limited — it only supports English — and if you need access to more languages, you’ll have to pay for its communication API and build your own IVR app.

Plus, Vonage doesn’t support MMS messaging unless you also pay for its communication API. There are several other features you can only get through programming, like:

• Call tracking 
• Call transcriptions 
• Call whispering

Keep in mind that with Vonage, you can’t access business features like on-demand call recording and visual voicemail until you upgrade to the highest tier ($39.99 per line per month).

And unless you’re happy with a simple IVR or familiar with coding (or know someone who can do it for you), Vonage might not be the best fit for your growing business.

Key features of Vonage

• Use IVR on mobile and desktop apps
• Calls and texts in the US and Canada
• 20+ third-party integrations
• Unlimited internal messaging
• Shared call appearance

Vonage pricing

The price you pay for Vonage’s pricing plans depends on the size of your team. The fewer members you have, the more you’ll pay, which is frustrating if you’re getting your business up and running.

Here’s what teams of one to four will pay:

• Mobile: $19.99 per number per month for unlimited domestic calling, virtual receptionist (IVR), desktop and mobile apps, and voicemail
• Premium: $29.99 per number per month for VoIP desk phone support, access to the VBC app center, and team messaging
• Advanced: $39.99 per number per month for call groups, visual voicemail, and on-demand call recording (15 hours per month)

6. RingCentral: Best for desk phone rentals

Pros

• Multi-level auto-attendant is available
• IVR helps customers complete simple tasks on their own (like setting PINs for their accounts)

Cons

• Voicemail transcriptions and automatic call recordings require upgrades
• Limited storage for recordings and other files without upgrading
• Base plan only includes 25 texts per user per month

RingCentral is a legacy business phone solution with plans for calls, texts, and video conferencing. You can use the platform to connect your team with up to 250 multi-level phone menus that:

• Respond to voice commands or keypad entries
• Provide self-service options that customers can do themselves (like checking their account balance)
• Accepts payments for bills and fees
• Identify the rep who can solve a customer’s issue the quickest and route the caller to them

Although you can access RingCentral’s IVR system from any plan, most of its best features are locked behind higher tiers. For example:

• Automatic call recordings require an upgrade
• All files, texts, and call recordings come with limited storage unless you upgrade ($35 per user per month)
• You can only send up to 25 texts per user per month on the base plan and 200 texts per user per month on the highest tier (unless you want to pay extra)
• Device analytics and alerts are only available on the Ultra plan ($35 per user per month)

If you’re responsible for a larger team and want to nurture customer relationships over text, RingCentral won’t be the right pick for your business.

Key features of RingCentral

• Local or toll-free numbers
• Unlimited calls in the US and Canada
• Integrations with Google and Microsoft apps
• On-demand call recording (automatic requires upgrade)
• Business SMS (25 texts per user per month on the base plan)

RingCentral pricing

All of RingCentral’s pricing plans give you access to its IVR. Let’s break them down:

• Core: $20 per user per month for unlimited domestic calling, IVR, SMS and MMS (25 texts per user per month), and integrations with Google and Microsoft apps (like Calendar or Teams)
• Advanced: $25 per user per month for automatic call recording, call whispering, and 300+ other third-party integrations (like Salesforce and HubSpot)
• Ultra: $35 per user per month for AI assistant for SMS, unlimited storage, and device alerts and analytics

7. 8×8: Best solution for omnichannel support 

Pros

• Multi-level auto-attendants 
• Ring groups

Cons

• Unlimited call recording storage costs extra
• Steep learning curve
• Pricing isn’t listed publicly

8×8 is a communication platform with tools for all your business channels, including phone calls, social media, and chat. It provides an IVR system across all its plans and other built-in tools for voice, video, and texting.

You can use 8×8’s intelligent interactive voice response to automate repetitive tasks and potentially boost customer satisfaction. For example, you could set up IVR call flows that:

• Answer frequently asked questions
• Help customers pay bills over the phone
• Set up appointments with members of your team

Keep in mind if you need to store call recordings to reference later in case of a legal dispute, they’re only available for a limited period of time. Plus, users have complained it has a clunky UI and steep learning curve, which means your reps may need a significant amount of time to figure out how to use the platform.

Key features of 8×8

• Multi-level auto-attendant
• Voicemail transcriptions
• Hot desking
• Mobile, web, and desktop apps
• Ring groups

8×8 pricing

8×8’s pricing plans aren’t listed publicly. You won’t know how much you’ll pay for their platform, and you have to contact the sales team to get a quote.

8. Zoom Phone: Best for teams that use Zoom video conferencing 

Pros

• Set up unlimited IVR on the base plan
• Skills-based routing

Cons

• Unlimited calling within the US and Canada requires an upgrade
• Confusing pricing
• Can’t text from shared phone numbers

Zoom Phone is a VoIP phone system that’s an add-on to Zoom Video. It offers features like voicemail transcriptions and call recording that make it easy for your reps to review past conversations. Plus, it provides a multi-level IVR that can route callers to specific reps, call queues, voicemail, or external contacts based on the caller’s input. You can also set up the IVR menu so it supports multiple languages, letting customers choose a language they’re comfortable with when they call. 

Keep in mind that Zoom Phone has some limitations. You can’t send or receive texts from a shared number, making it harder for your team to work together on customer issues. If you need advanced texting features, you’ll have to buy the Zoom Phone Power Pack, which adds another $25 per license per month. Plus, Zoom Phone only allows four simultaneous calls from a shared number, slowing your team down when call volume is high. There’s also no single place to see all customer calls, voicemails, and messages, which means reps need to switch between folders to get the full context of conversations. 

Key features of Zoom Phone

• Multi-level IVR
• Call recording
• Transcriptions
• Unlimited calling in the US and Canada (requires upgrade)
• Supports toll-free numbers

Zoom Phone pricing

Zoom Phone’s pricing provides five different options for you to choose from:

• US & Canada Metered: $10 per user per month for metered international calling, US and Canadian numbers, IVR, and post-call summaries
• US & Canada Unlimited: $15 per user per month for unlimited calling within the US and Canada and unlimited calling to 19 countries
• Global Select: $20 per user per month for a direct dial number (DID) for each license and unlimited domestic calling in 40+ countries and territories
• Pro Plus: $18.32 per user per month for everything in Zoom Phone US & Canada Unlimited (BYOC, 3rd Party PBX, and VDI excluded) and Zoom Workplace Pro 
• Business Plus: $22.49 per user per month for the features in Zoom Phone US & Canada Unlimited, Zoom Workplace Business, and visitor management

9. Dialpad: Best for large enterprises

Pros

• Multi-level IVR on the base plan
• Ring groups on the base plan (maximum of three groups)

Cons

• No scheduled texts or text templates
• Additional numbers require an upgrade
• Ring groups on the base plan

Dialpad is a communications platform that was launched in 2011. It provides a multi-level IVR on all its plans. Its IVR can route callers to specific reps based on skill level, helping customers get their issues fixed faster. Plus, Dialpad can track which IVR menu options your callers use the most, making it easy to build a call flow that provides the most helpful options to your customers. If you’re a large enterprise with multiple call centers, you can set up multiple IVR systems with different languages to better serve your customers.

While Dialpad offers features like call recording and toll-free number support, it comes with limitations. For example, you’ll need to upgrade your plan to buy extra phone numbers or send international texts. Dialpad also limits you in other ways, with each user only getting 250 outbound texts per month in the US. After that, you’ll be charged for every message sent. 

There’s also no option to schedule texts or use snippets, making it harder for your reps to save time on routine texts. And if you’re considering its highest-tier plan, you’ll need to pay for a minimum of 100 users.

Key features of Dialpad

• Phone extensions (requires upgrade)
• Custom IVR call routing
• Hold queues (requires upgrade)
• Call recording
• Visual voicemail

Dialpad pricing

Dialpad’s pricing provides three different plans:

• Standard: $15 per user per month for IVR, AI-powered call and voicemail transcriptions, Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 integrations, and web and chat support
• Pro: $25 per user per month for 24/7 live agent support, CRM integrations (Salesforce, Zendesk, HubSpot, Zoho, and more), and 25 ring groups
• Enterprise: Custom price for unlimited ring groups, dial-by-extension, and priority live agent support

How we ranked the top IVR systems for small business

We followed a specific process to narrow down our list of the best IVR services.

First, we looked at the options and disregarded platforms with low ratings and limited features. Then, we trialed the remaining platforms and ranked each based on the following factors:

• Prices: Phone systems that offer better value for the price rank higher on our list. This includes platforms with more features and scalability that most small businesses need compared to competitors.
• Calling features: IVR isn’t the only functionality you need to reach current customers and clients. We didn’t list IVR systems missing critical call management features (including unlimited calls to the US and Canada).
• Third-party integrations: Modern businesses use multiple platforms to connect with customers and leads, which is why partnering with an integration-friendly phone system is important. The higher an entry ranks, the more useful their integrations are.
• Customer support: Can users get support when they need it? Or are there long wait times involved? The best solutions address customer inquiries in real time without them having to wait for callbacks.
• User experience: It should never be hard to navigate your phone system’s interface — even if a customer hasn’t used it before. Any amount of confusion could lead to downtime for your business and a poor experience for your customers.
• Advanced features: Your small business won’t stay small forever. You need a scalable phone solution that can offer more features as your business grows, including CRM integrations, call metrics, call transfers, automations, and more.

We also took user feedback into account. Our team visited review sites like G2 and Trust Radius to gain the perspective of small business owners. This allowed us to understand what current and past users had to say about a platform so we could rank the top options accordingly.

OpenPhone: The best IVR for small business

Choosing the right IVR for your small business can feel like taking a leap in the dark. However, when you compare the prices, features, and integrations of the best programs, you can see choosing OpenPhone is as clear as night and day for most small businesses.

With OpenPhone, you can have a dedicated business number (or multiple numbers) that connects team members, departments, or other groups with a user-friendly IVR. You can easily create self-service phone menus that direct customers where they need to go without the help of live agents. This means you can save more time for your team while delivering a better experience for your customers. And since our phone numbers, calling features, and IVR run directly through VoIP, you can take your business (and your IVR) anywhere with an internet connection.

Thousands of customers rely on OpenPhone’s business phone system to build better relationships with their customers. Try it for yourself with our seven-day free trial and set up an IVR in 15 minutes or less.

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