800.com Review: Is It Right for Your Business?
This article is part of a larger series on VoIP.
800.com is a business phone number service platform that provides local, toll-free, and vanity numbers. Its three affordable plans, which start at $29 a month, cover phone extensions, a fax number, and an allotted number of call minutes and SMS messages. The call management capabilities are limited to call forwarding, tracking, and analytics. In this comprehensive 800.com review, you’ll learn more about its features and determine if it’s the right phone solution for you.
800.com is best for startups and small businesses that want to operate multiple toll-free number lines in one place. It’s also ideal for entrepreneurs who want to improve their SMS marketing campaigns with tools like message automation and mass texting.
Overall Score:
3.83 / 5
What We Like
- Broad selection of toll-free numbers
- Call recording and analytics available across all plans
- Comprehensive inbox containing all calls, voicemails, SMS texts, and faxes
- 30-day money-back guarantee policy
What's Missing
- Activation fee of $25 to $35 for additional numbers, depending on if it's a local or an 800 number
- Additional charges for calls forwarded to numbers outside of the U.S. and Canada, plus a $100 deposit for activation of international forwarding
- Lacks advanced phone system features and third-party integrations
When to Use 800.com
- If you need multiple phone numbers: Named one of the best virtual phone number providers, 800.com makes it easy to order toll-free numbers from its number search tool.
- Always on the go: Using 800.com’s different call forwarding modes, your team will receive all calls wherever you are.
- To increase brand recognition: As one of our top picks for vanity phone number providers, 800.com is great for securing a custom number without extra fees.
- Engaging in SMS campaigns: Take advantage of the mass texting, auto-reply, and scheduled messaging features in 800.com.
- Tracking advertising spend: 800.com’s conversion tracking feature lets you assign unique phone numbers to marketing channels.
When to Use an Alternative
- If you plan to replace your existing phone system: The calls to your 800.com number are only forwarded to your existing landline or cellphone number. Check out these top 800.com alternatives, which will do well in replacing your current phone system.
- Receive a high volume of calls: 800.com discourages the use of their service for bulk call-in lines.
- Want to centralize all communications in one platform: 800.com lacks conferencing and instant messaging tools.
- Deal with sensitive health information: 800.com is not Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)-compliant.
800.com Deciding Factors
800.com is a straightforward, no-frills business phone number provider with a wide selection of toll-free numbers. It’s an ideal solution for companies that cater to a nationwide customer base and those that operate in multiple locations. Aside from toll-free numbers, the provider has vanity numbers allowing small businesses to have a unique, memorable number that reinforces brand identity.
To determine if this is the right solution for you, look at its standout features, pricing plans and discounts, and type of customer service. We summarized these factors here below:
Best For | Small businesses that have a low call volume and run SMS marketing campaigns |
Standout Features |
|
Pricing Plans (Billed Monthly) |
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Annual or Volume Discounts Available | Save 15% with annual billing |
Free Trial | None, but offers a 30-day money-back guarantee |
Customer Service | Knowledge base portal, hotline, email, and ticket submission platform |
800.com Alternatives
Although 800.com is a go-to provider of toll-free and vanity phone numbers, your business may benefit from other platforms that offer the same services but at an affordable price or with more useful phone system features. For instance, the business phone system 8×8 offers cheaper plans and has more capabilities than 800.com, namely team messaging and video conferencing.
Meanwhile, Grasshopper is similar to 800.com, accommodating businesses with low call volumes. However, Grasshopper features VoIP and Wi-Fi calling, a live virtual receptionist, and conference calling. RingCentral, on the other hand, is the ideal alternative for those wanting to have a unified communications platform as their phone system. For more details on their pricing and capabilities, these mentioned providers top our list of the best business phone systems.
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|---|---|---|---|
Best For | Solopreneurs looking for a dedicated phone number and an affordable, yet feature-rich phone solution | Small teams that need a free phone number and excellent call management features to accommodate low call volumes | Small to medium-sized companies requiring toll-free numbers and a phone system that integrates other communication capabilities |
Monthly Starting Price | $15 per user with unlimited calling in the U.S. and Canada, team messaging, and audio and video conferencing | $31 with a free phone number, three extensions, and simultaneous call handling | $32.99 per user for one to 20 users, one toll-free number, chat, and file sharing |
Read Review |
800.com got a perfect score in the aspect of pricing because of its affordable plans. All three packages offer a wide range of call management capabilities (e.g., call forwarding, call recording, auto-attendant, and custom greeting). It also includes Short Messaging Service (SMS, e.g., mass texting and auto-replies) and Application Programming Interface (API) support.
800.com Plans | Personal | Unlimited | Pro |
|---|---|---|---|
Best For | Solopreneurs with low call volumes | Solopreneurs with occasional spikes in call volumes | Entrepreneurs who engage in SMS marketing campaigns |
Monthly Pricing | $29 | $75 | $149 |
Annual Pricing | $25 | $64 | $127 |
Number of Toll-free Numbers | 1 | 1 | 5 |
Fee for Additional Numbers | $9 a month | $15 a month | 5 cents |
Included Minutes per Month | 1,000 | Unlimited | 5,000 |
Fee for Additional Minutes | 6 cents for toll-free or fax; 5 cents for local | ✕ | 4 cents for toll-free or fax; 8 cents for local |
Number of SMS Messages | 120 | 2,500 | 10,000 |
Fees for Additional Messages | 6 cents | 6 cents | 4 cents |
Voicemail Transcription | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ |
800.com Features
800.com complies with the regulations set by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on securing and using toll-free numbers—allowing number porting. The provider packs several features for handling calls. Pick up calls from your landline through call forwarding or use your browser or the mobile app.
800.com received a low score in this review on its general features because it lacks capabilities found in virtual phone systems, such as high-definition voice and call queueing. Nonetheless, you’ll have access to different routing methods for call forwarding when you choose 800.com. This functionality ensures that your business receives all incoming calls.
800.com allows businesses to set up efficient call flows that ensure all customer inquiries are accommodated. (Source: 800.com)
Standard call forwarding directs calls to your mobile or a single phone line, while simultaneous call forwarding alerts multiple phones at once. Sequential call forwarding rings several phones following the order of priority or availability. Similarly, 800.com has a voicemail feature, which is available across all three plans. Configure the voicemail settings according to your business hours and upload your custom greeting to reinforce your brand image.
Since 800.com only operates on a call forwarding setup, it won’t completely replace your existing phone system. Another limitation is that you can’t use it to accommodate large numbers of calls. In its terms of service, 800.com prohibits using its service for bulk call-in lines, including customer support or sales call centers and hotlines.
For this criterion in the 800.com review, it scored higher as it offered features in its basic plan typically locked in other providers’ high-tier plans, including vanity numbers and call recording.
Searching for a custom number is easy with 800.com, as you simply have to enter a word or pattern on its search tool. Meanwhile, the call recording feature is readily available in the analytics tool, helping businesses better improve customer service and workflows.
These are the other niche features 800.com offers:
It’s easier to remember details from voicemails and take the next steps with 800.com’s voicemail transcription feature. Share messages to colleagues fast via email without the hassle of listening to the audio and jotting down notes. However, note that this feature is locked behind the highest plan.
Voicemail transcription makes it easy for users to recall to-dos and get back to contacts. (Source: 800.com)
800.com generates call transcripts, giving insight into the kind of customer service team members provide and allowing businesses to improve training. The keyword spotting feature, on the other hand, highlights predefined words in transcripts, helping users pick out action steps.
The highlighted keywords in call transcripts enable users to see important details that require immediate response or action. (Source: 800.com)
With 800.com, generate unique phone numbers for different marketing channels. This feature, called dynamic number insertion, helps in monitoring which campaigns are effective and planning the next strategies. The virtual phone system also allows users to label calls as a conversion, existing customer, and missed call, enabling you to calculate the returns on marketing efforts.
Label calls appropriately for an accurate assessment of revenue against marketing costs. (Source: 800.com)
800.com features SMS API, which gives businesses the option to integrate messaging in existing business phone numbers, whether that is toll-free, local, or VoIP. The features include two-way texting, long-form text, picture messaging, character set support, and delivery receipts. Have peace of mind that the texts sent and received are kept securely with anti-spam safeguards.
If you’re interested in adding messaging capabilities to your existing phone numbers, use 800.com’s SMS API. (Source: 800.com)
In this aspect of the 800.com review, we gave a score of 4 out of 5, as the provider offers various channels for customer service. For one, it has a help desk section on its website, containing how-tos for using the platform. It covers a range of topics, from getting started on the platform and setting up an account to arranging routing rules, sending bulk texts, and managing the inbox.
There’s also a request submission platform on the website, where you’re able to describe the details of your request and upload the necessary files. You’re free to reach 800.com through its hotline and email as well.
For ease of use, 800.com gets a rating of 3.75 out of 5. Its neat interface helps users navigate the platform without hassle. There’s a decent number of options in the menu bar, so it’s not too overwhelming. Some functionalities, however, could be a little confusing for beginners, including deleting messages, porting numbers, and disabling numbers that are not in use.
With 800.com’s clean interface, it’s easy to see options and maximize different features. (Source: GetApp)
For this 800.com review, we gave an expert score of 3.13 out of 5. Several businesses in third-party review platforms noted that it’s easy to manage multiple phone numbers with 800.com’s dashboard. The actual process of obtaining a business phone number is straightforward and fast. Users were able to get the number they ordered within a few minutes.
However, some users experienced lag in the mobile app. Others found the upgrades and new features confusing. Nonetheless, the majority said the customer service was responsive.
As of writing, these are the ratings in different sites for 800.com reviews:
- Capterra: 4.7 out of 5 based on 67 reviews
- G2: 4.7 out of 5 based on 250 reviews
- Trustpilot: 4.5 out of 5 based on 393 reviews
How We Evaluated 800.com
To structure our 800.com review, we looked at criteria points based on the top considerations of businesses for virtual phone systems. This included the subscription cost, core features, unique capabilities, and user-friendliness. We checked the ratings of users on third-party review sites as well.
Learn how we evaluated 800.com by clicking on the tabs below:
15%
Pricing
20%
General Features
25%
Niche Features
10%
Customer Service
10%
Ease of Use
20%
Expert Score
15% of Overall Score
We considered the price for each subscription plan and if the range of inclusions and features is worth the cost. We checked if cheaper annual plans are available as well.
20% of Overall Score
We noted the availability of local and toll-free numbers, voicemail, and call management capabilities. We considered the inclusion of the HD voice feature, as small businesses prioritize this on their virtual phone system.
25% of Overall Score
We checked if the provider offers international and vanity numbers. Other call management features we factored into the evaluation include voicemail transcription, call recording, and on-hold music.
10% of Overall Score
Since some small businesses don’t have in-house technical support, we give more points to providers that offer multiple channels for customer service. We looked into the availability of live chat, phone support, an email ticketing system, and a help center on the website.
10% of Overall Score
A clean, intuitive interface is an important consideration for businesses, so we checked how easy it is to find options and use features on the platform. We determined how long it would take for a new user to be familiar with the technology and how many clicks it takes to perform a specific task.
20% of Overall Score
We looked at the provider’s standout features, value for money, and ease of use. Popularity is also a consideration, assessing if businesses are familiar with the phone system.
*Percentages of overall score
Bottom Line
800.com is a straightforward business phone solution that offers a wide range of toll-free and vanity numbers. It benefits small businesses that need multiple phone numbers for expanded reach. With its robust call-forwarding features, 800.com is also ideal for small companies that want to increase staff availability. Get toll-free numbers and vanity numbers at 800.com for as low as $29 a month.
