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10 best business VoIP service providers in 2024

Best VoIP service

There are countless VoIP apps on the market. The question is, which one is right for your small business?

In this guide, we rounded up the 10 best VoIP service providers and compared them based on prices, features, and limitations. We also cover everything you should know about VoIP systems, including how they work, why they’re worth it, and how to choose the perfect platform.

The bottom line: The best small business-focused VoIP provider is OpenPhone. Yes, we’re biased, but OpenPhone is a great choice for growing businesses that want a simple, reliable, and collaborative phone system. 

10 best VoIP services for businesses of 2024

There’s no shortage of business VoIP solutions online, but the best ones offer more than basic inbound and outbound calling features.

Here’s a quick breakdown of the best VoIP services of 2024:

ProviderStarting PriceUnlimited calling to US & CanadaSMS/MMS to US & CanadaShared phone numbersAdditional phone numbers
OpenPhone$15 per user per month$5 per number per month
RingCentral$20 per user per month25 messages per user per month$4.99 per number per month
Ooma$19.95 per user per month Requires upgrade$9.95 per number per month
Nextiva$18.95 per user per monthRequires upgradeContact for a quote
Grasshopper$14 per user per monthLocal numbers onlyX$9 per number per month
Dialpad$15 per user per monthFor US & Canadian customers onlyRequires upgrade
8x8Contact for a quoteXContact for a quote
Vonage$13.99 per user per month (1-year contract for new customers)Local US and Canadian numbers onlyRequires upgrade or $4.99 add-on for each call group$14.99 per number per month
MightyCall$15 per user per month (three-user minimum)$5 per month per local number and $10 per month per international number
Aircall$30 per user per month (three-user minimum)US & Canadian customers onlyUp to 20 users$6 per number per month

Let’s dive into the must-know details about each of these VoIP services.

1. OpenPhone: Best for small businesses

VoIP service: OpenPhone for small businesses

Pros

  • Unlimited calls to the US and Canada
  • One new local or toll-free number per user
  • Set business hours
  • Shared phone numbers
  • Manual and automatic call recording
  • Single-view inbox
  • 5,000 third-party integrations

Cons

  • No verification through two-factor authentication*
  • No verification through two-factor authentication*

*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 a small business VoIP service designed to grow as your team does. Whether you’re in the office or working remotely, our VoIP app helps you stay flexible and communicate more efficiently.

For example, you can use our shared phone numbers to build better relationships with your customers. By letting your team members split responsibility for incoming calls, you can avoid redundant work, respond to customers faster, and store every call, text, and voicemail in a single-view inbox — no more letting conversations slip through the cracks. You can even tag teammates to collaborate on replies. 

Tag team members in OpenPhone

Compared to other business phone providers, with OpenPhone you can easily anticipate how much you’ll pay. We list all our pricing directly on the website (as well as international rates for calling and texting) so you don’t have to guess your monthly bills.

We also make it easy to scale as your team grows. Every new member on your account comes with one free local or toll-free number. If you need more than that, additional numbers cost $5 per number per month. Phone number porting is 100% free.

OpenPhone is also packed with automation features, including auto-reply texts and IVR functionality that allows for automatic VoIP call routing when clients dial your number. You can also integrate your favorite business apps — including Slack, Gmail, Zapier, and (with an upgrade) a handful of CRMs — to get added context without jumping between platforms.

Sign up for a seven-day free trial and see why OpenPhone is the #1 rated phone system for small businesses.

Key features of OpenPhone

  • Free calling and texting in the US and Canada
  • Text message automations (including scheduled messaging, snippets, and auto-replies)
  • Business app integrations (including Slack, Zapier, and email)
  • IVR (auto-attendant)
  • Shared phone numbers
  • Voicemail transcriptions
  • Call recording

OpenPhone pricing

OpenPhone pricing
  • Starter: $15 per user per month for unlimited calls in the US and Canada, unlimited shared contacts, shared phone numbers, manual call recording, auto-replies, AI message responses, and more
  • Business: $23 per user per month for CRM integrations, call transcriptions, phone menus, automatic call recording, and more
  • Enterprise: Contact for custom pricing for a dedicated account manager, audit logs, and priority support

How to get a business VoIP number with OpenPhone

Getting a new VoIP phone number from almost anywhere in the world is a simple process when you choose OpenPhone as your VoIP 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 new virtual phone number.

During the signup process, you’ll be asked for a credit card to help keep bad actors off the platform, but you can try calling from your computer for free to confirm it’s a great fit. And when your trial is set to expire, we’ll even email you a heads-up to the email address you used to sign up.

If you run into any issues during the signup process, fill out this form to reach our support team.

2. RingCentral: Best for desk phone rentals

VoIP service: RingCentral for desk phone rentals

Pros

  • Cost-effective desk phone rentals
  • Access to AI tools (meeting transcriptions and summaries)

Cons

  • SMS limits
  • Storage limits
  • Toll-free number limits

RingCentral is an older VoIP provider that paved the way for modern, cloud-based phone systems. It offers desk phone rentals if you’re still stuck on the idea of using landlines. Their basic plan doesn’t offer much more than voicemail transcriptions, SMS functionality, and unlimited calls in the US and Canada. You’ll need to upgrade to access more attractive features like audio and video conferencing.

There are a few other caveats to keep in mind. On the base plan, for example, you can only send up to 25 text messages per user per month before RingCentral charges you extra (or you can upgrade and pay more per month). Additionally, RingCentral only stores up to 5,000 text messages per user, making it an unreliable way to store all your conversations.

Toll-free numbers also come with significant limits. The base plan starts with 100 pooled minutes, which means they’re shared by every user (and every number) on your account. You’ll have to upgrade to the Advanced plan if you want 1,000 pooled minutes per month and again to the Ultra plan for 10,000 pooled minutes per month.

RingCentral does pretty well in the integrations department, but you’ll need the Advanced plan ($25 per user per month) to connect to platforms like Salesforce and Zendesk. You also won’t have limited storage for call recordings and other media unless you upgrade to the Ultra plan ($35 per user per month).

Key features of RingCentral

  • Free unlimited calling in the US and Canada
  • Video conferencing
  • Allotted toll-free minutes
  • CRM app integrations (requires upgrade)

RingCentral pricing

RingCentral pricing
  • Core: $20 per user per month for IVR, visual voicemail, access to the API, and more
  • Advanced: $25 per user per month for unlimited internet fax, call monitoring, automatic call recording, and more
  • Ultra: $35 per user per month for unlimited storage, device analytics, and more

3. Ooma: Best for overhead paging

VoIP service: Ooma

Pros

  • Support for desk phones
  • Helpful features for legacy PBX systems

Cons

  • Requires upgrade for desktop app
  • Restrictive SMS limits
  • CRM integrations behind the highest plan

Ooma is a VoIP service provider offering a small business phone system with desk phone call management. They provide an overhead paging feature to help office staff keep in touch. Plus, ring group functionality sends incoming calls to multiple phone lines until a representative answers.

With every Ooma plan, you can get unlimited calling in the US, Canada, Mexico, and Puerto Rico. However, the base plan only allows you to make and receive calls with compatible desk phones or Ooma’s Android or iPhone app. You have to upgrade if you want the convenience of calling on the desktop app, which lets you easily navigate to your VoIP phone system while you’re working on your computer.

Upgrading can also unlock key features like voicemail transcriptions and call recording, though other providers offer these as standard features. You even have to upgrade for SMS support — although you’re limited to just 250 messages per month unless you upgrade again.

Key features of Ooma

  • Free unlimited calling in the US, Canada, Mexico, and Puerto Rico
  • Text messaging (requires upgrade)
  • Voicemail transcriptions (requires upgrade)
  • Call recording (requires upgrade)

Ooma pricing

Ooma pricing
  • Essentials: $19.95 per user per month for call park, the desktop app (without calling enabled), overhead paging, music on hold, and more
  • Pro: $24.95 per user per month for text messaging (up to 250 messages per month), call recording, the desktop app with calling enabled, and more
  • Pro Plus: $29.95 per user per month for expanded text messaging (up to 1,000 messages per month), team chat, hot desking, CRM integrations, and more

4. Nextiva: Best for enterprise teams

VoIP service: Nextiva for enterprise teams

Pros

  • Enterprise integrations available (Bullhorn, ServiceNow, etc.)
  • Video calling on every plan

Cons

  • SMS requires upgrade
  • Limited toll-free minutes and shared contacts

Nextiva is a popular business VoIP provider among large-scale enterprises. When you sign up for Nextiva, you can make and receive phone calls, video calls, and team chat messages from a single app on your computer or mobile device.

Nextiva offers a handful of helpful integrations — like HubSpot and Zendesk — with a Professional plan. 

Although Nextiva can be effective for voice and video calls, it isn’t the best VoIP phone for companies that frequently text clients. You’ll need a Professional plan just to get VoIP texting capabilities. Even with that upgrade, you can only send and receive up to 1,000 messages per user per month, a limit your sales and support reps may quickly reach if they’re helping clients throughout the day.

Toll-free minutes fall into a similar category. The base plan offers just 1,500 included minutes per month, which won’t be enough if your team receives a lot of calls.

You’ll also have to worry about limited shared contacts. No matter how much you upgrade, you’re stuck with 500 shared contacts — you’ll have to remove older contacts (even if they’re active) so you can make space for new entries.

Key features of Nextiva

  • Free unlimited calling in the US and Canada
  • Video meetings (45 minutes per video call without upgrading)
  • Internet fax
  • CRM integrations (requires upgrade)

Nextiva pricing

Nextiva pricing
  • Essential: $18.95 per user per month for internet fax, voicemail, phone calls, and integrations with Microsoft and Google
  • Professional: $22.95 per user per month for screen sharing, text support, voicemail transcriptions, CRM integrations (Salesforce and HubSpot), and conference calling (40 participants max)
  • Enterprise: $32.95 per user per month for unlimited video conferencing and phone call recording

5. Grasshopper: Best for phone number extensions

VoIP service: Grasshopper for phone number extensions

Pros

  • Unlimited phone number extensions (with upgrade)
  • No user minimums

Cons

  • Additional numbers are expensive
  • No access to integrations or call recordings

Grasshopper is a VoIP solution designed for solopreneurs and microbusinesses. This platform offers basic phone features with every pricing plan, including extensions so you can forward incoming calls to other phone numbers.

Grasshopper may seem cost-effective at first, but it will spiral out of control as your business grows. For example, you’ll pay $9 per month extra for each additional phone number, which is almost double the cost of additional numbers with OpenPhone.

Plus, the base plan is limited to just one user and one extension. If you want to buy additional extensions, you need to upgrade to the Solo Plus plan and pay $25 per month to get three extensions. If you need more extensions, you’re paying a minimum of $55 per month.

Even when upgrading, Grasshopper still doesn’t offer nearly as many features as other providers. The Grasshopper app lacks integrations and automations, making it harder to work more efficiently. 

Grasshopper may be one of the better small business VoIP services, but your business’s needs will quickly outgrow what it can offer.

Key features of Grasshopper

  • Free unlimited calling and texting in the US and Canada
  • Voicemail transcriptions
  • Instant response texts
  • Call transfers (requires upgrade)

Grasshopper pricing

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

6. Dialpad: Best for AI tools

VoIP service: Dialpad for AI tools

Pros

  • AI tools on every plan
  • Google and Microsoft integrations

Cons

  • Upgraded plan comes with three-user minimum
  • International texting requires upgrade
  • Additional numbers require upgrade

Dialpad is a business VoIP provider that offers unlimited video meetings, as well as unlimited VoIP calling and texting in the US and Canada. It’s best known for offering built-in artificial intelligence (AI) features for call centers. This includes real-time call transcriptions, automated post-call summaries, and real-time analytics, which can help you make more informed decisions.

However, Dialpad has less-than-ideal phone number options for users. You need to pay $15 per month for each toll-free number. Also,you can only port in one number for free.

Plus, there’s not much you can do with the starter Dialpad plan. You can’t send international texts, purchase additional numbers, or add auto-replies. Even if you do upgrade, be prepared. The Pro plan requires a three-user minimum, which is a $75 minimum fee per month.

This isn’t ideal for growing businesses with tighter or more limited budgets.

Key features of Dialpad

  • Free unlimited calling and texting in the US and Canada
  • Unlimited video meetings
  • AI-powered voice and video transcriptions
  • Real-time analytics

Dialpad pricing

Dialpad pricing
  • Standard: $15 per user per month for unlimited AI meetings, SMS and MMS, team messaging, and more
  • Pro: $25 per user per month (three-user minimum) for CRM integrations, international texting, additional numbers, and more
  • Enterprise: Contact for pricing for dial-by-extension, 100% uptime, unlimited ring groups, and more

7. 8×8: Best for UCaaS

VoIP service: 8x8

Pros

  • Call, text, and video support
  • International calls in 14 countries

Cons

  • No public pricing
  • No free trial
  • 30 days of storage for call and video recordings

8×8 is a contact center solution that supports unlimited calling in the US and Canada, team messaging, and auto-attendants with every plan. With upgraded plans, you can make unlimited international calls to 14 countries and unlock interactive video conferencing and live streaming features.

8×8 was once a small business solution, but it’s recently pivoted to enterprise support. This means there’s no free trial to test the learning curve and no public pricing — you’ll have to contact their sales team for a quote.

Do you record lots of phone and video calls? You won’t have much storage with 8×8. The X2 plan only comes with 30 days of storage, while upgraded plans offer 130 days. If you’re willing to pay for an undisclosed add-on, you can unlock 10 years of media storage.

If your business makes lots of conference calls, webinars, and sales demos, 8×8 could be the best VoIP provider for your team. However, it lacks texting and calling features most companies need. You also won’t have much space for recordings unless you’re willing to pay extra.

Key features of 8×8

  • Free unlimited calling in 14 countries
  • Multi-level auto-attendants  
  • Team messaging
  • SMS, MMS, and team chat (requires upgrade)
  • Voicemail transcriptions
  • Supervisor analytics (requires upgrade)

8×8 pricing

8x8 pricing

8×8 has no publicly listed prices. However, there are a few online sources offering general estimates: 

  • X2: $25 per user per month for SMS support, Microsoft Teams integration, video/audio conferencing for 500 participants, and more
  • X4: $45 per user per month for unlimited voice calling in 48 countries, supervisor analytics, call monitoring, and more
  • X6: $85 per user per month for CX journey mapping, unmetered call bundles, skills-based routing, and more
  • X7: $110 per user per month for omnichannel support and co-browsing
  • X8: $140 per user per month for quality management, speech and text analytics, and more

8. Vonage: Best for API connections

VoIP service: Vonage

Pros

  • Customizable API
  • Team messaging (requires upgrade)

Cons

  • One-year minimum contract for new annual accounts
  • Expensive add-ons for essential features (including automatic call recording)
  • No free trial available

Vonage is a unified communications platform that brings voice calls, video calls, and messaging to one cell phone or desktop app. They also offer several APIs so you can customize their solution to your specific business needs.

Unfortunately, Vonage doesn’t offer a lot of built-in features. To access must-have tools like team messaging and on-demand call recording, you’ll need to pay for an upgraded plan. Want more essential features like automatic call recording? Be prepared to pay $49.99 per month for just 500 hours of storage.

Perhaps Vonage’s biggest limitation is there’s no free trial. Plus, you’ll have to sign up for a one-year minimum contract to open a new account. This could lock you into a VoIP platform that isn’t a good fit for your team.

Key features of Vonage

  • Free unlimited calling in the US and Canada
  • Auto-attendants
  • CRM integrations (upgrade required plus a monthly add-on fee for CRMs like Salesforce)
  • Call recording (15 hours per month) (requires upgrade)

Vonage pricing

Vonage pricing

Vonage’s price depends on the number of users on your account.

Here’s what you’ll pay for teams of one to four users: 

  • Mobile: Starts at $13.99 per line per month for desktop and mobile apps, voicemail, SMS support, and more
  • Premium: Starts at $20.99 per line per month for access to third-party integrations, team messaging, single sign-on, and more
  • Advanced: Starts at $27.99 per line per month for 15 hours of on-demand call recording, call groups, and visual voicemail

9. MightyCall: Best for supervisor workflows

VoIP service: MightyCall

Pros

  • Supervisor-centric features
  • Compatible with multiple devices

Cons

  • Limited free trial
  • User minimums
  • Features aren’t small business friendly

MightyCall started as the legacy system Infratel in 1999, but its newer call center solution lets you make unlimited calls in the US and Canada. Using its desktop, web browser, iOS, or Android VoIP app, you can make and receive calls through your WiFi connection.

Unfortunately, MightyCall isn’t a small business phone solution — most of its features were designed for large call centers with dedicated agent supervisors. The base plan comes with call recording, basic analytics, and a dial-by-name directory. Upgrading unlocks more supervisor-specific features, including call intercepting, supervisor workspaces, on-premises phone support, and advanced analytics.

Notice there’s a three-user minimum on each plan, which means your starting price of $15 per user per month is actually $45 per month minimum.

Want to try before you buy? You won’t have much of an opportunity with MightyCall. You’ll get just 100 minutes to test the platform, which is less than two hours for your entire team.

If you’re a large enterprise with dozens of supervisors, MightyCall could be a great choice for monitoring call quality. But if you’re a growing small business looking for ways to support your team, you may want to focus on a MightyCall alternative.

Key features of MightyCall

  • Free unlimited calling in the US and Canada
  • Call forwarding
  • Desk phone support
  • 3-way calling
  • Multi-level IVR

MightyCall pricing

MightyCall pricing

MightyCall’s pricing plans give you four options:

  • Core: $15 per user per month (three-user minimum) for two phone numbers, unlimited calling and texting, third-party integrations, and more
  • Pro: $23 per user per month (three-user minimum) for live call monitoring, a supervisor workspace, analytics and reporting, and more
  • Power: $30 per user per month (three-user minimum) for auto-dialers, a dedicated account manager, and more
  • Enterprise: Get a custom quote for volume discounts, SIP trunking support, and custom integrations

10. Aircall: Best for international numbers

VoIP service: Aircall

Pros

  • Free international calling (requires upgrade)
  • 100+ international numbers

Cons

  • Pricey plans and user minimum
  • Limited number of SMS messages per month
  • No MMS outside the US and Canada

Aircall offers many features that large-scale contact centers need, like international phone numbers, unlimited international calls, and the ability to make more than one outbound call at a time. If you’re willing to upgrade and pay for Analytics+, managers can also monitor calls and get more in-depth analytics.

However, you should know Aircall charges heftier subscription fees than most VoIP providers. Plus, each plan comes with a user minimum — which means their base plan actually costs $90 per month. Not the most cost-effective for small businesses. 

Their SMS and MMS features also leave much to be desired. You’ll only have access to 4,000 outbound text messages per user per month. Plus, you can’t send MMS messages outside the US and Canada.

The bottom line with Aircall? Companies that don’t need a full-blown call center may end up paying a premium for features (and user licenses) they don’t need.

Key features of Aircall

  • Free unlimited calling in the US and Canada
  • International numbers in more than 100 countries
  • Call recording
  • Integrations and API
  • Call monitoring (requires upgrade)
  • AI tools (add-on required)

Aircall pricing

Aircall plans all require at least a three-user minimum, here’s how they specifically break down:

  • Essentials: $30 per user per month (three-user minimum) for unlimited calls in the US and Canada, SMS and MMS support, IVR, click-to-dial, softphone for desktop, and more
  • Professional: $50 per user per month (three-user minimum) for mandatory call tagging, Salesforce integration, queue callback, smart router, and more
  • Custom: Contact for pricing (25-user minimum) for unlimited international calls, custom onboarding, custom analytics, and more

How we ranked the best VoIP services

We used a three-step process to determine the best VoIP services. First, we trialed multiple platforms to see which ones worked best for small business owners. Then, we used reviews from sites like TrustPilot and G2 to back up our research with user experiences.

Next, we organized this information to narrow down the top 10 VoIP providers. We ranked them in order based on these five criteria:

  1. Pricing: Price isn’t everything for a VoIP platform, but it’s still a major consideration for small businesses with leaner budgets. That’s why we selected competitive VoIP platforms that offer cost-effective prices and time-saving features.
  2. User interface: You shouldn’t have to struggle to use your VoIP platform. We only included intuitive systems here so you can avoid steep learning curves and unnecessary downtime.
  3. Features: Just because a plan comes with ‘features’ doesn’t mean they’re useful for small business owners. We looked for VoIP services offering practical features you can use to help your business grow.
  4. Reach: Your small business won’t stay small forever, and you’ll need a VoIP that can help you reach new markets. Our list includes VoIPs with international reach, which means they offer the ability to call and text long-distance customers.
  5. Integrations: We chose VoIPs offering third-party integrations with popular tools for small businesses. This includes communication platforms like Gmail and Slack, as well as popular CRMs like Salesforce and HubSpot.

How to choose a VoIP service

A lot of different VoIPs are on the market, and finding the right one can seem overwhelming.

Need some help whittling down your shortlist? Try asking these nine questions first:

1. What type of number(s) do you need?

Different types of numbers set distinct expectations for customers.

A local number, for example, has a familiar area code that encourages recipients to pick up. It’s a great way to enter new markets or areas, even if you don’t have a physical presence there.

Toll-free numbers, in contrast, can appeal to a broader customer base. Customers in North American regions can also call you for free, so they encourage higher call volumes for sales or customer support teams.

Can’t choose between a local or toll-free number? With OpenPhone as your provider, you can get as many local and toll-free numbers as you need.

2. What integrations do they offer?

The best VoIP services offer multiple ways to connect your business phone number to the rest of your tech stack. You can save time logging conversations in your CRM, communicate faster with tools like Slack, and connect with workflow tools like Zapier to build automations of your own.

Remember: VoIP platforms without integrations are eerily similar to analog phone carriers. If you’re going to invest in a business phone service, you should focus on solutions that will withstand the test of time.

3. How user-friendly is their app?

The last thing you need is a confusing tool. And if you manage a growing team, you probably don’t have time for extensive training.

This is why you should strive to choose an intuitive phone system — it will save you time and money in the long run (along with plenty of headaches).

The best way to gauge this is with a free trial. If the platform doesn’t offer one, try requesting a demo instead.

4. How can you access the app?

Work isn’t confined to a cubicle anymore, and your VoIP provider should reflect this. The best ones make it easy to access your business phone number(s) on your mobile phone, laptop, desktop, or tablet.

VoIP platforms like OpenPhone can help you get work done from anywhere with a WiFi connection. Whether you’re working from your smartphone or your office computer, you’ll have every opportunity to stay connected to your customers.

5. What time-saving features do they offer?

A good VoIP system can help your team make calls and texts. A great VoIP system can help you reduce repetitive phone-related tasks. That way, you can spend less time handling busy work and more time building relationships with your customers.

You should look for these key features in your VoIP:

  • Voicemail to email: It takes about two minutes to listen to 260 words. It takes less than a minute to read the same words in a voicemail transcript.
  • Interactive voice response (IVR): Customers route themselves to the right person, team, or department. There’s no need to hire a receptionist or spend precious time routing them yourself.
  • Call and text analytics: How many texts do you get in a day? How long do your customers spend on the phone? You can use analytics to make better decisions about call volumes, top performers, handle times, and more.
VoIP analytics

6. What team collaboration features do they offer?

What’s the secret to making your small business look bigger? Team collaboration — starting with calls and texts. The best VoIP platforms make it effortless to stay connected and ensure everyone on your team can split the responsibility for incoming messages.

With OpenPhone, you can create shared phone numbers for specific teams or departments, which enables your team members to work side-by-side. All calls, texts, and voicemails stay in a single view so your team can get immediate context and delegate tasks with ease.

Call summary with thread

7. How scalable is their offering?

Some VoIP apps work great for solopreneurs, but they can’t help you scale when the time comes to grow. This could lead to significant growing pains, which turns your VoIP platform into an obstacle rather than a competitive advantage.

The good news is this is the exception rather than the rule. The best VoIPs are designed specifically for small businesses and can help you scale whenever the time comes. Whether you’re adding new team members or upgrading for new features, you should feel firmly in control of your business’s growth plan.

8. Do their plans fit your budget?

Compared to larger enterprise brands, small businesses tend to work with more limited funds. You can’t afford to spend high prices on a limited, unscalable plan. You also don’t want to pay for unhelpful features your team will never use.

Sneaky budget-killers include:

If a platform doesn’t post transparent pricing on its website, you may want to reconsider if they’re a fit for your team.

  • User minimums
  • Paid minutes
  • Texting credits
  • International call ‘bundles’

9. What level of support can you expect?

Even the best-rated VoIP solutions need occasional troubleshooting. If you’re dealing with a user error or a software bug, you need to know where (and how quickly) you can get in touch with customer support.

Most VoIP platforms offer help docs and FAQs to help you deal with less critical issues on your own. However, you should seek out a platform that lets you contact a support rep if you’re running into issues.

How does VoIP work?

How VoIP services work

When you make a call on a VoIP phone, your VoIP service converts your voice messages into digital data. This data is broken up into smaller pieces (called “packets”), which are then sent over the internet and pieced back together upon reaching their destination (the call recipient).

Unlike traditional landline calls, VoIP calls don’t depend on physical wiring or circuits. As long as you have a strong internet connection, you can make crystal-clear calls without depending on a specific piece of hardware.

Are VoIP services worth it for a small business?

VoIP services are well worth the cost for small businesses. You’ll typically get more valuable features — like integrations and automations — for a lower cost than traditional phones. You don’t have to purchase brand-new hardware every time you need a system update. Plus, you can easily access more advanced features or bring new team members on board. VoIP technology can also enable your team to work remotely, as these systems are accessible via an internet connection.

VoIP services handle the technical side of managing a business phone system. If your small business doesn’t have an IT team or the bandwidth for regular troubleshooting, a VoIP service takes care of technical issues on your behalf.

Get the best VoIP service with OpenPhone

OpenPhone the best VoIP service

If you want more advanced phone features to save time, money, and effort, you need a reliable VoIP solution that supports your business needs. Whether you want free calls and texts, to automate call routing, or to integrate your phone with other apps, choosing a business phone that connects to the internet is the smartest move you can make.

OpenPhone is the best VoIP service for modern businesses, offering plenty of integrations and automations — along with helpful features like call recording and voicemail transcriptions — for companies that want to work smarter, not harder. Plus, when you sign up, you can test the platform for free using a US, Canadian, or toll-free number. 

Start your free, seven-day trial of OpenPhone.

FAQs

How much do VoIP services cost?

VoIP services typically cost between $14 to $40 per user per month. Pricing plans on the higher end tend to offer more customizable solutions that are fit for bigger teams.
Depending on your provider, VoIP subscription costs don’t always include the cost of minutes, extensions, extra phone numbers, and other add-ons.

Are VoIP services secure?

VoIP services can be highly secure if you choose a provider that takes precautions to keep your data safe. For example, OpenPhone encrypts data and backs it up daily to keep your communications private and secure. Account changes are also logged in case of discrepancies.
Unlike traditional phone systems, VoIP services aren’t susceptible to physical security issues like wiretapping and line cutting.

Can I set up a caller ID for my VoIP service?

Yes, you can still set up caller ID for local phone numbers when you switch to a VoIP service. However, keep in mind that caller ID isn’t available for toll-free numbers, no matter what type of phone system you have.
Additionally, some Canadian carriers may not display your caller ID, as there is no national caller ID database in Canada.

What are the pros and cons of VoIP?

As for pros, phone systems using Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) make it easy to reach customers from anywhere with a WiFi connection. You can contact local and international customers from the devices you already own, send and receive texts, images, and documents, and unlock modern phone features like auto-replies, third-party workflows, and AI tools.
On the downside, you can’t use most VoIP platforms to call emergency services, such as 911, as your phone number isn’t tied to a specific location. You also can’t verify accounts with two-factor authentication, which is a safety feature designed to reduce spam.

Which VoIP service has the best international calling rates?

OpenPhone offers the best international calling rates for small businesses expanding overseas. Unlike other VoIP phone services, we post our rates directly on our website. We don’t rely on calling packages or minute minimums — which means no billing surprises at the end of the month.

What is the least expensive VoIP service?

Many people choose Google Voice as a cost-effective VoIP service. However, the free version of Google Voice was built for personal use only. The Google Workspace version — starting at $10 per user per month — lacks critical features that can help businesses grow. You won’t have access to toll-free numbers, third-party integrations, or auto-replies.
OpenPhone is a better fit for growing small businesses. We offer shared numbers (and toll-free numbers) starting on our base plan. Plus, you’ll get a free local or toll-free number with every new member on your account. It’s quicker, cheaper, and more cost-effective to use our dedicated phone system for your growing team.

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