The best GoDaddy Smartline alternatives in 2023

Attention small business owners: if making phone calls is a stressful part of your to-do list, you don’t need a miracle — you need a second phone number.

VoIP phone systems and second phone numbers allow startups to do more with their business lines by managing incoming calls, leveraging SMS outreach, and otherwise delivering exceptional customer support. Not only can you (finally) step back from business calls on your personal number, but you can start driving your company forward in all the ways that matter. This includes providers like GoDaddy’s Smartline, one of the oldest and best-known VoIPs in the marketplace.

But this platform doesn’t necessarily offer everything new startups require, which is why most businesses consider alternatives before signing on the dotted line.

Let’s look at some reasons why business owners switch from Smartline in the first place, along with five Smartline alternatives that make your hectic life that much easier.

What you should know about GoDaddy Smartline

In case you’re not familiar, GoDaddy is a web hosting company that’s been around for years (think decades). Their website builder, domain registrar, and email solutions put them on the map for SMEs of all sizes.

While Smartline does fit some qualifications of a VoIP, its features are anything but impressive. And by impressive, we mean nonexistent.

The GoDaddy Smartline can be downloaded as a mobile app on iOS and Android and used as a secondary number for outreach and business communications. 

But there’s a catch: it’s not a true VoIP. Smartline requires you to own a cell phone equipped with a current service provider. Because it runs off a cellular network, Smartline isn’t available to use on your computer. Case in point: you’re just putting an app on your phone and using your cellular network (rather than WiFi) to make calls.  

And the gut punches don’t stop there. Smartline offers a particularly limited number of features, including:

• Voicemail
• Caller ID
• Business hours
• Voicemail greetings
• SMS messaging

Why businesses switch to Smartline alternatives

If you’re looking to scale your business by any significant degree, or if you’re looking for something that does more than a desk phone, Smartline might not be for you.

But you don’t have to listen to just one voice. Lots of users are frustrated with Smartline’s call quality, lack of integrations, and frustrating texting functions. Check out some recent customer reviews about GoDaddy’s Smartline:

“The biggest con for me is how expensive the application is. I think $20 is a bit expensive for this application monthly. I also do not adore how when a call comes through it takes over the complete screen even if I am already on a call.” – GetApp

“I am a Landlord and most communication with tenants are through texts, this SmartLine system is currently not a quality system when it comes to texting. And if your company runs heavy in the texting department SmartLine falls well short and is going to cause more frustration than help, just buy used smartphone on a normal phone carrier.” – AppGrooves

“The sound quality is not always as great as just using a normal phone without the application. It still sounds good while using the software but could be improved slightly.” – Capterra

Smartline pricing

There are two major plans offered in the Smartline umbrella: Smartline Unlimited, and Smartline Toll-Free. The Unlimited plan starts at $9.99 per month, while the Toll-Free plan is more than twice that at $19.99. There is a one-month free trial option for entrepreneurs looking to test the waters, but be warned — you’ll have to cancel before the period ends if you don’t want to be charged.

Both of GoDaddy’s options allow for unlimited minutes and text messages, as well as the basic features we talked about earlier. And that’s pretty much it. Seriously.

The biggest and only difference between Smartline’s plans is toll-free business phone numbers. One has it, and one doesn’t.

The verdict on Smartline

Although GoDaddy’s Smartline has some functions for VoIP users, it’s about as basic as they come. Not only does Smartline not support multiple users, but it doesn’t offer any integrations at all — even if you upgrade.

If you’re looking for a phone system that is more than just a bare-bones business phone, you might want to start looking for Smartline alternatives ASAP.

5 GoDaddy Smartline alternatives

So Smartline might be a good place to start your small business, but it doesn’t offer what you need to scale effectively. If you’re investing in a second phone number app to manage business tasks, make sure it’ll have a tangible difference and hit the mark every time.

For this reason, we’ve gathered a few of the best VoIP alternatives to GoDaddy’s Smartline, including OpenPhone, Grasshopper, Google Voice, Sideline, and iPlum. Let’s take a look at each of these options in greater detail. 👀

1. OpenPhone

In terms of pricing, features, and integrations, OpenPhone’s solutions put Smartline to shame.

Unlike Smartline, you don’t need an existing cell phone service plan to get started. Just choose your preferred tier, set up a toll-free or local number, and start making calls through our mobile app, desktop app, or web application. All you need is WiFi to start working across devices — no workarounds required!

No matter which OpenPhone plan you choose, treat yourself to these modernized features:

• US and Canadian number access
• MMS and international call support
• Snippet functions
• Auto-reply features
• Call recording capabilities
• Multiple users and shared inboxes
• Slack and Zapier integrations
• ​IVR/phone menu options
• Voicemail transcription services

Best of all, OpenPhone never requires you to upgrade in order to get a toll-free number. It’s always included!

OpenPhone pricing

At OpenPhone, we pride ourselves on providing consistent, coherent, transparent prices to all our customers. This includes three different models:

Standard

• Starting at $13 per user per month to streamline all your communication.

Premium

• Starting at $20 per user per month, users can access HubSpot CRM integrations, call transferring, advanced auto attendant options, and analytics.

Enterprise

• Enjoy access to a dedicated account manager, all for a custom-built price for you and your business.

How to port your existing number from Smartline

As soon as you’re ready to port your number from Smartline to OpenPhone, we’re ready to help! In just three steps and 1 to 2 weeks, you’ll be using your preexisting number without any muss or fuss. 

Here’s how it works:

1. Kick things off by creating an OpenPhone account.
2. Submit your porting request through the OpenPhone app.
3. And voila! You’re done. We’ll get on it ASAP.

The bottom line for OpenPhone

If you need a VoIP that offers 100% scalable features, great prices, and 3,000+ integrations, OpenPhone has got your back. With thousands of happy customers and hundreds of five-star reviews, we blow other Smartline alternatives out of the water. Get signed up for a seven-day, free trial now and discover why today’s entrepreneurs trust OpenPhone’s VoIP.

2.  Grasshopper

One of the oldest providers on the list, Grasshopper is a legacy VoIP provider with a large following. Both Android and iPhone apps allow users to call clients from any device.

Grasshopper’s major features include:

• Local area code numbers
• Missed call transcriptions
• Instant responses (also known as auto-replies)
• Business SMS
• Real-time data

While Grasshopper is pretty well known, it doesn’t necessarily have everything you need to succeed. Inconvenient price scales, limited features, and — to be sweet about it — antiquated interfaces slow down your workflow dramatically.

Grasshopper pricing

In terms of plans, you have three major options:

1. The Solo Plan starts at $28 a month for one phone number and three extensions.
2. Partner Plans are $46 per month for three phone numbers and six extensions.
3. The Small Business Plan ($80 a month) offers five phone numbers with unlimited extensions.

You can also tack on additional numbers for an added fee. Secondary numbers cost $10 per month per line.

The bottom line for Grasshopper

If you have experience working with older VoIP interfaces, Grasshopper might not be a problem. But if you’d rather spend more time working on your business than on the phone with support, you may want to consider other Smartline alternatives.

3. Google Voice for Google Workspace

Google Voice for Google Workspace is perhaps one of the most well-known Smartline alternatives out there. It offers a streamlined interface, easy-to-use features, and fairly inexpensive prices.

But not all that glitters is gold. Google Voice’s features are a little on the bare side, including:

• Unlimited calls
• Business SMS support (US customers only)
• Number porting

Google Voice is also significantly limited by spam-catching functions, which limit calls and group texts according to a personalized algorithm.

Google Voice for Google Workspace pricing

Contrary to popular belief, Google Voice isn’t totally free. For small business owners, Google Voice for Google Workspace requires a paid Google Workspace plan. This starts at $10 per month per user, with an additional $6 per month per user in order to access the Workspace account. This is a grand total of $16 per user on a monthly basis — just for basic access.

The bottom line for Google Voice

Despite its attractive pricing model, Google Voice lacks the features modern business owners simply need, including flexibility, integrations, and team collaborations. Check out our guide to GoDaddy Smartline vs Google Voice to find out more on how these two platforms compare. 

4. Sideline

Not to be confused with Smartline, Sideline is a Smartline alternative that moves your business phone calls into the cloud. Similar to Smartline, the program requires you to have an existing cell phone service provider to route calls through towers.

But here’s the thing about Sideline: despite all its shiny packaging, the tool isn’t dynamic.

The company offers a scant set of features for basic plans, including:

• Unlimited calls
• Web texting
• Auto replies
• Voicemail functions

Other features depend on the pricing plan you choose, potentially locking you out of other alternatives. 

Sideline pricing

Sideline’s pricing page lists two major options, but their help center page says otherwise. In all, there are four plans with four different price points.

1. Standard Plan: $9.99 for one user and one number per month.
2. Team Number Plan: The same $9.99 for either sharing a number or having a second phone number.
3. Enterprise Plan: $9.99 per line per month provides access to additional features (which also cost extra).
4. Pro Plan: The most expensive option ($14.99 per month) offers some great features — none of which are compatible with Team Number Plans or Enterprise Plan features.

The bottom line for Sideline

No matter what you pick or pay, Sideline just isn’t capable of offering customizable plans with all features unlocked. Learn more about these two platforms compare by checking out our Smartline vs Sideline guide.

5. iPlum

If you’ve never heard of iPlum before, don’t feel too bad. This newer VoIP provider was founded in 2015 and specializes primarily in virtual lines on mobile devices.

This platform offers a limited number of features, including:

• IVR functions
• Dual calling
• Phonebook CRMs

iPlum probably won’t be useful for every business. Like Smartline, it only offers a mobile app with no browser or desktop functions. Lots of existing features cost extra on top of their monthly fee. This is in spite of the platform’s poor documentation and, according to reviews, cookie-cutter customer service. 

iPlum pricing

There are three major iPlum plans to choose from, with options for unlimited or measured features. Since measured plans require you to pay by the minute, we’re not going to consider them here. Unlimited is the future, folks.

• US Phone Number: $7.99 per user per month
• Canada Phone Number: $11.99 per user per month
• Toll-Free Phone Number: $14.99 per user per month

The bottom line for iPlum

iPlum isn’t a bad option when it comes to business phones — it’s just not the most effective option. If you need something a little more tried-and-true in the marketplace, this app isn’t for you.

OpenPhone: The best GoDaddy Smartline alternative

We’re not trying to brag or anything, but OpenPhone is the clear winner of this roundup. If our fully flexible prices don’t catch your eye, you can still enjoy a host of functional integrations that make call management a breeze. Check out this helpful chart to compare features at a glance.

With more integrations and features than any competitors, try out OpenPhone today with a free, seven-day trial.

Meagan Shelley

Meagan is a professional writer in VA that has covered business phone communication since 2021. If she’s not helping companies navigate VoIP technology, she’s helping companies craft their own stories.