Google Voice may be a popular VoIP app, but getting a dedicated business number through Google — whether you’re a solopreneur or part of a team — can be a complex process with many unclear conditions and roadblocks.
Even before signing up for a new number, you’ll need to know the difference between the free and paid versions of Google Voice. Here’s what you need to know about getting a Google phone number for business and the pros and cons of Google Voice.
We’ll also introduce you to an easier way to get a business phone number that enables your business to do far more.
How does Google Voice for business work differently than their free plan?
Google Voice for business is a paid subscription designed for business use. The free plan is a VoIP service for personal use that’s only available in the US.
While both Google Voice options let you make calls and send texts using your internet connection (like WiFi or a mobile data plan), that’s pretty much all you can do with a free Google Voice plan. You can’t have multiple Google Voice numbers or more than one user per account, which makes it difficult to work with a team.
Do you have a business phone number you want to keep? You’ll need to pay $20 to port it into Google Voice personal. It also has texting limitations, preventing you from sending mass texts or group texts to more than seven people.
The free plan doesn’t provide unlimited calling in the US and Canada.
You’ll need Google’s business phone system to access professional features, such as phone menus, ring groups, and integrations with Google Meet and Google Calendar. Though the paid plans still have limitations, you can at least improve your efficiency by taking advantage of these features.
How to get a Google phone number for business in 5 steps
Getting a Google phone number for business is more complex than getting one for personal use. Business owners need to sign up and pay for two different services — Google Workspace and Google Voice — and navigate the many limitations of the Google Voice app.
Read this four-step tutorial to learn how to get a new number with Google Voice and what to focus on if you’re considering this VoIP service provider.
1. Sign up for a Google Workspace account
Before you can set up Google Voice for business, you need a Google Workspace account. This is a paid subscription — which starts at $6 per user per month — that’s required for all Google Voice business users. It unlocks some of the Google suite’s business features, like team calendars and business emails, but you still need to pay separately for your Google Voice plan.
During the signup process, you need to provide the following information:
- Company name
- Number of employees
- Your region
- Your contact information
- Your website domain
If your company doesn’t have a website domain yet, you have to purchase one and pay a recurring fee for it, too.
Even if you’re able to sign up for a Google Workspace account, you might not be able to get a Google Voice number. Google Voice for business is only available in Canada, the US, and some European countries. For example, it isn’t available if you live in Austria, Finland, and Greece.
Keep in mind: You can’t sign up for a limited free trial to test its features before you invest, which can be inconvenient for most small businesses.
2. Choose a Google Voice business plan
Still interested in getting a Google Voice number? Next, you need to choose one of three Google Voice business pricing plans:
- Starter: $10 per user per month (max 10 users) for voicemail transcriptions, unlimited domestic calls, and more
- Standard: $20 per user per month for ring groups, multi-level auto attendant, ad-hoc user call recording, and more
- Premier: $30 per user per month for automatic call recording and BigQuery exports
Again, this is a subscription fee you have to pay on top of your Google Workspace subscription. If you choose the Starter plan, you’ll pay $16 per user per month.
For the limited features you get, your total price can be costly. You have to upgrade to higher-tier plans for essential features like ring groups and call recording. And text messaging is only available to US customers.
Even if you don’t need any essential features yet, you’ll still have to upgrade to the Standard plan if your team has more than 10 members. This will cost $26 per user per month.
If you select the most expensive Google Voice plan, you’ll only get access to Google app integrations and limited collaboration features. Google Voice can’t connect to third-party business apps. Since the platform doesn’t offer any custom pricing plans with extra features, you’ll quickly outgrow the service as your small business scales.
Note: You must be an admin in your Google Workspace account before you can select a specific Voice plan.
3. Select a Google phone number for business
As you continue setting up your Google Voice account, the system will prompt you to choose your new number. Type your desired area code or city and choose one of the available VoIP phone numbers.
Google Voice doesn’t support toll-free numbers, which give your business a global presence and make it free for clients across North America to dial your number. You also can’t buy vanity numbers or a 800 business phone number that spells out a memorable word or phrase like 1-800-FLOWERS or 1-800-CONTACTS. Additionally, subscribers can’t select more than one number per user, so if you need shared phone numbers for each department (like sales and support) and every member of your team, you should go with another provider.
Once you get your Google phone number, you’ll also face texting limitations. For example, you can’t send auto-replies via Google Voice, which leaves customers waiting for a response. And since Google doesn’t let you schedule texts, it may be harder to stay compliant with the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) if texting customers in different time zones during business hours isn’t possible.
Also, you won’t be able to send text messages containing PDFs, files, videos, or documents, which can limit the quality of customer support you provide to customers.
4. Verify an existing phone number
Immediately after selecting your Google business phone number, you’ll need to link and verify an existing landline or mobile phone number. Once entered, you’ll receive a six-digit verification code via text. Or, if you have a landline, you can complete your verification via phone call.
5. Sign into the Google Voice app
After completing the Google Voice setup process, you can start using your Google phone number for business by signing into the web or mobile app. Google doesn’t offer a desktop app for Voice and isn’t compatible with all operating systems or browsers. To use your VoIP phone service on a desktop, you’ll need a Chrome, Mac, or Windows device (current release or two previous major releases only). Google Voice also requires the current or previous major release of one of the following browsers:
- Google Chrome
- Microsoft Edge
- Mozilla Firefox (Windows and Mac only)
- Safari
If you’re using the Google Voice app on your cell phone, you’ll need one of the latest two versions of Android or iOS.
If you do sign into Google Voice, you’ll run into issues catching up on conversations. All calls, texts, and voice messages live in separate folders.
Once you’re all set up, you’ll need to upgrade to the highest tier plan to access its analytics feature to see if your new number is performing how you hoped.
If you want to be confident that your business phone can support your team — and get set up without complex steps — there are better options than Google Voice.
How to get a business phone number with OpenPhone
Getting a Google phone number for business isn’t an intuitive process. However, setting up a business phone number with OpenPhone is — and you can rest assured you’re getting the phone features your company needs to work efficiently.
Follow these steps to get your new number fast:
- Head to the signup page to try OpenPhone for free with a seven-day trial.
- Enter your email address and tap Continue. You’ll receive a six-digit code in your email to enter in the following screen.
- Select whether your new phone number is for work or personal use.
- Receive an automatically assigned number or tap Pick a different number to choose a local US, Canadian, or toll-free number.
- Verify your account with an existing phone number.
- Enter your credit card information. You won’t be charged until day seven of your free trial and can cancel anytime. (A $1 hold will be made on your card. This temporary hold is a security check during our signup process. This is not an actual charge, and you will see the $1 hold removed from your card within a few days.)
The setup process only takes a few minutes. Once you’re done, you can use your new business number with the OpenPhone web, desktop, or mobile app. OpenPhone plans start at just $15 per user per month. With every plan, you’ll have access to features like:
- Free calls and texts (SMS and MMS) in the US and Canada to help you communicate with customers as often as you need
- One free US, Canadian, or toll-free number per user
- Additional numbers for $5 each per month
- Call recordings, texts, and voice messages in a single view with each contact (so you can follow up faster)
- Shared phone numbers so you can collaborate with team members to solve customer issues
- Free phone number porting to help you keep costs down when switching an existing number to OpenPhone
- Business app integrations (including Slack, Gmail, and Zapier along with the OpenPhone API) that save your team time on routine tasks
- Call recording
- Text message automations (including snippets, auto-replies, and scheduled text messages) to help your reps reply to customers faster
- Voicemail transcriptions so you don’t have to spend time listening to phone calls
Sign up for your free seven-day trial of OpenPhone and instantly get a business phone number to use.
The better way to get a business phone number: OpenPhone
If you choose Google Voice as your new business phone number provider, you may be disappointed — its lack of features can impact how well you can serve your customers. For example, there are no shared numbers, which limits how well your team can collaborate. There are also no auto-replies or text message templates, which means you can’t save time sending texts to your customers.
In contrast, OpenPhone provides snippets, auto-replies, scheduled messages, and more automation features. It’s also easy to set up — you can get a business phone number in minutes and can port in and out your number for free, unlike with Google Voice. Plus, OpenPhone offers transparent pricing, and you can cancel, downgrade, or upgrade anytime.
Sign up for a seven-day free trial today to see if OpenPhone is right for your team.
FAQs
If you sign up for the free version of Google Voice, you can get a free Google phone number. However, it’s not built for business use and comes with limited features.
If you have a business, you’ll find Google Voice very limiting in how you’re able to serve your customers. It’s also expensive for what you get. Instead, you can opt for a VoIP provider like OpenPhone, where you get more value for your money, and it’s easy to sign up.
