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VoIP for PC: 12 best Windows apps in 2024

VoIP for PC

Your cell phone may travel around in your pocket, but when you’re already on your Windows computer, there’s nothing more convenient than calling or texting straight from your PC. If you’re looking for VoIP software with desktop functionality, there are a handful of providers that can meet your needs.

However, the best VoIP apps can do far more than let you make and receive calls from a PC. Great solutions offer automations, integrations, and easy-to-navigate platforms that help you work smarter, so you can focus on building strong relationships with your customers. Here are 12 providers that support VoIP for PC and how they can add value to your business.

12 best VoIP for PC solutions

With over 90% of households owning at least one computer, VoIP solutions accessible through most computers and mobile devices have become more prevalent than ever. Here’s what you need to know about 12 of the best VoIP phone systems for businesses that want to manage phone calls and texts without turning away from their computer screens.

1. OpenPhone

VoIP for PC: OpenPhone

OpenPhone is a business phone system that lets you make and receive calls and texts from any device. You can use OpenPhone’s PC, Mac, Android, iPhone, or browser apps to dial or text any phone number. 

You can even reach out to saved contacts with a single click. All you need to do is make OpenPhone your default calling app on your Windows device, you can also instantly click to call phone numbers on most websites — no need to tap Ctrl+C or Ctrl+V ever again.

To help you streamline your business communication, OpenPhone offers a handful of automations and integrations. For example, you can set up automated text messages and connect your phone to apps like Slack, Zapier, and (with an upgrade) CRMs to avoid wasting time hopping between platforms.

Want to ensure customers always get the support they need? Share your business phone numbers, so any available team member can pick up text conversations or answer calls.

Key features

  • Free calls and texts to anyone in the US or Canada
  • Business app integrations (including Slack, Zapier, HubSpot, Salesforce, and email)
  • Text message automations (including scheduled messaging, snippets, and auto-replies)
  • Shared phone numbers and contacts
  • Call recording

Pricing

  • Starter: $15 per user per month
  • Business: $23 per user per month
  • Enterprise: Contact for custom pricing

Sign up for a free seven-day trial to see for yourself why thousands of businesses use OpenPhone.

2. RingCentral

VoIP for PC: RingCentral

RingCentral is a legacy business VoIP service provider that offers desktop, browser, and mobile apps with every plan. Its Essentials plan is pretty bare-bones — including little more than calling, texting, and voicemail transcriptions capabilities — but RingCentral still stands out for the fairly large number of integrations it offers when you upgrade. You can connect to Slack, Microsoft Teams, and Google Workspace with a second-tier plan or higher.

RingCentral doesn’t support a lot of text message automations and requires costly plans for CRM integrations and call recordings. However, with an upgrade, it can be a good PC VoIP solution if you want both voice and video call functionality on your computer (or any device).

Key features

  • Free unlimited calls in the US and Canada
  • Business app integrations (upgrade required)
  • Call recording (upgrade required)

Pricing

RingCentral’s pricing varies depending on the number of users on your account. For teams of 1-20 users:

  • Essentials: $19.99 per user per month (max 20 users)
  • Standard: $27.99 per user per month
  • Premium: $34.99 per user per month
  • Ultimate: $49.99 per user per month

3. Zoiper

VoIP for PC: Zoiper

Zoiper is a VoIP softphone powered by session initiation protocol (SIP) technology. This makes it possible for businesses to access SIP-powered features like video calls and instant messaging with a one-time desktop app purchase or a mobile app subscription. SMS (but not MMS) is available if you purchase a custom-branded desktop app.

However, Zoiper doesn’t work on its own. To call or text, you need to connect an existing PBX or VoIP provider that Zoiper has configurations for, like 1-VoIP or Callcentric.

With a Zoiper plan, you can get features like call recording, call transfer, encryption, and (on desktop) click-to-call and CRM integrations. However, you need to pay separately for business access to the iOS, Android, and desktop apps, and you won’t get any collaboration features that link your team together. Plus, since you have to locally host the PC app if you go with Zoiper, you’ll need to purchase, download, and configure a new app with every update instead of getting automatic, free software updates.

Key features

  • Unlimited voice and video calls
  • CRM integrations
  • Call recording

Pricing

Additional fees will apply depending on which PBX or VoIP provider you choose, but Zoiper offers the following pricing options for its business products.

  • Zoiper Premium for iOS: $4.99 one-time fee, plus $9.99 per year or 99 cents per month subscription fee
  • Zoiper Pro for Android: Free to download, plus $10.99 per year or 99 cents per month subscription fee
  • Desktop with business functionality: $49.95
  • Branded desktop app: Contact for custom pricing

4. Google Voice

VoIP for PC: Google Voice

For the many companies that use the Google software suite, using Google Voice for business can feel like a natural solution for your VoIP calling needs. While Google Voice doesn’t offer a desktop app — which means you’ll need to log in through your browser to get VoIP for PC functionality — it’s an affordable VoIP phone solution that supports calls, texts, and two Google app integrations with every plan.

You’ll need upgrades to access more time-saving solutions. But while upgrades can unlock auto-attendants for automatic VoIP call routing and ring groups that let any available team member answer calls, there’s no way to automate texts or integrate with third-party apps on any Google Voice plan.

Additionally, all calls, texts, and voice messages live in separate inboxes in Google Voice, making it more time-consuming to catch up on conversations than other VoIP solutions. 

Key features

  • Free unlimited calls and texts in the US
  • Google Calendar and Google Meet integrations
  • Call recording (upgrade required)

Pricing

To use Google Voice for business, you need a Google Workspace subscription, which starts at $6 per user per month, on top of your Voice subscription.

  • Starter: $10 per user per month (max 10 users)
  • Standard: $20 per user per month
  • Premier: $30 per user per month

5. Skype

VoIP for PC: Skype

Skype is a free calling solution that supports video meetings and voice calls (with up to 100 Skype users) with no added costs. You can use this WiFi calling platform from its desktop, browser, mobile app, or even your Xbox.

Skype’s free VoIP service can be a good bargain if you collaborate exclusively with team members and clients who have their own Skype accounts. However, if you want to call or text any mobile phone or landline numbers, you’ll need to pay per minute or pay a monthly fee. Paying users can’t unlock any special functionality. Skype is a no-frills app that does little more than what you’d expect from every VoIP phone service: letting you call or text people using an internet connection. Advanced features are pretty much nonexistent.

Key features

  • Free unlimited calls and instant messaging between Skype users
  • International calling and texting (upgrade required)

Pricing

  • Skype Calls: Free between Skype users
  • Skype Credit: Prepaid credits in $5, $10, or $25 increments to reach mobile devices and landlines. Per-minute rates vary between countries.
  • Skype Subscription: Monthly fee to reach mobile devices and landlines worldwide or in specific countries or continents. Pricing and allotted minutes vary.

6. Vonage

VoIP for PC: Vonage

Vonage is a voice and video conferencing platform that you can access from your desktop, phone, and browser. While it doesn’t offer a lot of native features with its Basic plan, you can access a number of third-party app integrations (including Slack and Google Workspace) with every plan. You can also upgrade to get CRM integrations, but keep in mind: These integrations often require extra monthly fees on top of the cost of your subscription.

Vonage also requires you to upgrade to access key features like call recordings and voicemail transcriptions.

Key features

  • Free unlimited calls in the US and Canada
  • CRM integrations (upgrade and monthly fees usually required)
  • Call recording (upgrade required)

Pricing

Like RingCentral, Vonage’s price depends on the number of users on your account. For teams of 1-4 users: 

  • Mobile: Starts at $19.99 per line per month
  • Premium: Starts at $29.99 per line per month
  • Advanced: Starts at $39.99 per line per month

7. Ooma

Ooma

Ooma is a popular VoIP provider for small businesses available to use on an Android, iOS, or compatible IP phone with their base plan. You’ll need to upgrade to get VoIP for PC functionality. If you do upgrade, you unlock video conference calls, call recording, and voicemail transcriptions — though the latter two commonly come standard with many VoIP softphones.

When you upgrade to Ooma’s Office Pro plan, you can integrate your phone system with Salesforce (along with Google Workspace and Office 365). However, other popular apps like Slack and Zapier don’t integrate with this small business phone system.

Key features

  • Free unlimited calls in the US, Canada, Mexico, and Puerto Rico
  • Ring groups
  • Call recording (upgrade required)
  • Desktop app (upgrade required)

Pricing

  • Ooma Office Essentials: $19.95 per user per month (doesn’t support VoIP for PC)
  • Ooma Office Pro: $24.95 per user per month (provides access to Ooma’s desktop app) 
  • Ooma Office Pro Plus: $29.95 per user per month 

8. 8×8

8x8

8×8 is a cloud-based contact center solution designed to help sales and customer support teams manage a high volume of calls. You can use its desktop, mobile, and web apps to make unlimited calls in up to 48 countries.

8×8’s mid-tier and top-tier plans can be good VoIP for PC solutions if your team wants to get interactive video conferencing features, like screen sharing and polls, along with call management features like ring groups and call forwarding. However, where 8×8 really falls flat is in the texting department. Group texting isn’t available and you won’t be able to text from a shared number.

Key features

  • Free unlimited calls in the US, Canada, and 46 other countries
  • SMS and MMS
  • Call recording storage for up 130 days (upgrade required)

Pricing

  • x2: $24 per user per month
  • x4: $44 per user per month

9. Dialpad

Dialpad

Dialpad is an AI-powered business VoIP app that supports voice calls, video calls, and texts on its desktop, web, and mobile apps. No matter what device you’re using, Dialpad’s AI technology can offer real-time transcriptions and tell your team if they’re speaking too fast or too slow on every call.

However, Dialpad sets several limitations that can leave you with no choice but to upgrade as your team scales. A basic plan only supports three ring groups — and a mid-tier plan still sets a limit of 25 — so you might not be able to set up shared numbers for every department or customer need. Plus, there’s no way to get additional numbers unless you upgrade if you need more than one number per user.

Key features

  • Free unlimited calls and texts in the US and Canada (international texting requires an upgrade)
  • CRM integrations (upgrade required)
  • Ring groups (upgrade required for more than three users to receive call notifications simultaneously)

Pricing

  • Standard: $15 per user per month
  • Pro: $25 per user per month (three-user minimum)
  • Enterprise: Contact for pricing

10. 3CX

3CX

3CX is a free calling platform that offers virtual PBX, WhatsApp messaging, and video call solutions with every plan. Whether you’re using the Windows, Mac, web, or mobile app, you can use 3CX to integrate live chat with your website and easily escalate conversations to call center representatives for extra support.

3CX has annual plans to use private hosting environments that help you avoid VoIP issues caused by shared traffic. With 3CX, you’ll also end up footing a larger bill to access vital business phone features like call recording or SMS and MMS functionality. Security concerns may also lead you to a 3CX alternative.

Key features

  • WhatsApp integration
  • Ring groups (upgrade required for more than one)
  • Call recording (upgrade required)

Pricing

3CX has a fairly complex pricing system that varies depending on the size of your team. You can access the following pricing for up to 10 users on a business phone system hosted by 3CX.

  • Startup Free: Free (max 10 users, shared hosting)
  • Startup Pro: $175 per year (max 20 users, shared hosting)
  • Dedicated Pro: $295 per year plus hosting fees (max four simultaneous calls [or more with over 10 users], dedicated hosting)
  • Dedicated Enterprise: $330 per year plus hosting fees (max four simultaneous calls [or more with over 10 users], dedicated hosting)

If you want to self-host your phone system using Amazon, Google, or Azure, you can choose from the following plans (pricing for up to 10 users):

  • 3CX Free: Free (max four simultaneous calls)
  • Dedicated Pro: $145 per year (max four simultaneous calls — or more with over 10 users)
  • Dedicated Enterprise: $180 per year (max four simultaneous calls — or more with over 10 users)

11. CloudTalk

CloudTalk

CloudTalk is call center software that offers local numbers in over 160 countries. Available as a desktop, web, and mobile app, it supports ring groups and call queuing functionality that automatically distributes calls to the right agents (based on your preset rules) with every plan. You can also compile shared contacts from third-party platforms with ease.

However, CloudTalk isn’t the best PC VoIP solution for companies that make a lot of outgoing calls. You need to pay per minute when dialing your clients. You also can’t get text messaging capabilities unless you upgrade.

Key features

  • Free inbound calls for standard local numbers (excludes toll-free numbers and high-cost country numbers like Sri Lanka and Cote d’Ivoire)
  • Call recording (upgrade required for more than one month of storage)
  • Ring groups

Pricing

  • Starter: $25 per user per month
  • Essential: $30 per user per month
  • Expert: $50 per user per month
  • Custom: Contact for pricing

12. Grasshopper

Grasshopper

Grasshopper is a small business VoIP solution available on desktops and mobile phones. It offers the same set of phone features with every plan — including text messaging, voicemail transcriptions, and call transfers — you can choose your Grasshopper plan based on the number of phone lines and extensions you need.

Unfortunately, this means Grasshopper won’t scale with your business for long. You can’t unlock more features, like integrations or automations, when you upgrade. While Grasshopper offers some add-ons, like simultaneous ring, these extra features are costly and limited as you still don’t have a shared inbox where your team can work together. Grasshopper may market itself as the best VoIP for small businesses, but there are far more feature-rich options.

Key features

  • Free unlimited calls and texts in the US and Canada
  • Voicemail transcriptions
  • Auto-replies

Pricing

  • Solo: $28 per month (one phone number and three extensions)
  • Partner: $46 per month (three phone numbers and six extensions)
  • Small Business: $80 per month (five phone numbers and unlimited extensions)

8 key VoIP phone features businesses need

When shopping for a VoIP for PC solution, keep an eye out for these eight features to get the most out of your business phone service with any device.

1. Clear upfront pricing

The best VoIP services don’t have any hidden fees. Choose a provider that shares add-on costs and international calling rates upfront instead of hiding additional fees behind hard-to-find pages or in their terms and conditions.

2. Integrations

Integrations can help you streamline your workflow by eliminating busy work. Identify the business apps you regularly use and select a VoIP platform that can integrate with your most-used software.

For example, OpenPhone integrations with Zapier, Slack, and Gmail come with every plan. On the OpenPhone Business plan, you can also connect your phone to HubSpot, Salesforce, Gong, and more.

3. Texting automations

Manually typing and sending text messages can take a lot of time. VoIP software that helps you streamline at least part of the process is ideal. 

VoIP for PC: schedule a text

OpenPhone, for instance, lets you schedule texts, set up auto-replies, and save time with snippets, which are text message templates you can create for the conversations you frequently have.

4. Shared numbers

VoIP software that lets you share phone numbers can help ensure you’re not playing phone tag with your customers during business hours. 

VoIP for PC: Kimberly is typing in a group chat

While ring groups and call queues can offer similar benefits, shared numbers on platforms like OpenPhone also let your team share notes and see when other team members are typing or on calls for smoother collaboration. In OpenPhone you can even tag teammates to work together on responses or assign out tasks. 

5. Shared contacts

If you want to keep all your VoIP users on the same page, your business needs a solution that supports the ability to share contacts with your workspace. With OpenPhone, you can also share contacts with specific teammates or inboxes in your workspace.

6. MMS support

Colin Harper chatbox GIF

Not every business VoIP provider with SMS functionality supports MMS. However, you need MMS to share images, GIFs, videos, audio, and other forms of media that help you better support your customers. Plus, MMS lets you send texts with more than 160 characters, so your message won’t reach your customers in multiple out-of-order pieces.

7. Call recordings

If you’re doing quality assurance, training your team members, interviewing job candidates, or keeping record of verbal agreements, call recordings can come in handy. Choose a PC VoIP solution that offers call recordings without time-based storage limits to ensure your records don’t get erased and you don’t have to worry about archiving recordings for later reference.

8. Clear conversation histories

VoIP providers (like OpenPhone) that keep all your call recordings, texts, and voicemails in a single view can help you avoid missing important messages, so you can make all your clients feel understood and supported. Avoid choosing providers that split up your messages into separate folders to maintain a full view of your conversations.

Get the best PC VoIP solution: OpenPhone

OpenPhone desktop app

When your business phone system lets you make and receive VoIP calls and texts from your Windows computer, you can support your clients without reaching for your phone. With OpenPhone, you can further boost your efficiency with robust automations, integrations, click-to-call functionality, and all the VoIP features you need to get the most from your VoIP for PC solution. Start your free trial of OpenPhone today.

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