Choosing a voice-over-internet-protocol (VoIP) provider can get overwhelming, especially for solopreneurs and small businesses with limited resources. Teams with basic calling needs are better off with a low-cost, straightforward solution with unlimited calling and robust mobile apps. Our best free VoIP phone service guide is divided into two groups: three absolutely free VoIP providers and three solutions with lengthy free trials and paid plan discounts.
Top free VoIP services:
- Google Voice: Best overall free VoIP service
- Ooma: Best for international calling
- OnSIP: Best for pay-as-you-go-pricing
VoIP services with free trials:
- RingCentral: Best for call management
- Grasshopper: Best for shared virtual numbers
- Dialpad: Best for built-in artificial intelligence (AI) functionality
Grasshopper offers a seamless platform designed to empower entrepreneurs and small business owners alike. Take your business to the next level with streamlined communications. |
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Best Free VoIP Phone Services Compared
Providers | Monthly Starting Price | Key Features | FSB Rating |
---|---|---|---|
$10 per user |
| 4.30 out of 5 | |
$9.99 per month |
| 4.27 out of 5 | |
$18.95 per user |
| 4.06 out of 5 | |
Best Free Trial VoIP Services Compared
Providers | Monthly Starting Price | Key Features | FSB Rating |
---|---|---|---|
$30 per user |
| 4.11 out of 5 | |
$17 (flat rate) |
| 4.06 out of 5 | |
$23 per user |
| 4.04 out of 5 | |
Google Voice: Best Overall Free VoIP Service
What We Liked
- User-friendly interface
- Integration with Google Workspace tools
- Has advanced reporting features
Where It Falls Behind
- Lacks a native call transcription feature
- Does not offer multi-level auto-attendant in the base plan
- Only available in 14 countries
Google Voice Monthly Pricing
- Personal: No cost for one U.S. virtual phone number and incoming call recording
- Starter: $10 per user for up to 10 users, unlimited text messaging in the U.S., and voicemail transcription
- Standard: $20 per user for an unlimited number of users, unlimited domestic locations, multi-level auto-attendant, and ring groups
- Premier: $30 for on-demand, advanced recording, and automatic call recording
Google Voice is the overall best free VoIP phone service because it’s a simple solution for integrating business and personal calling. It’s free to sign up for the service for communications between your Google Voice number and other U.S. numbers. It’s one of our best business VoIP phones because it offers a free personal plan for Google account owners, making it a top solution for people already using Google products.
The free plan has several standard business phone features, such as unlimited domestic calling, voice recording, and text messaging. Upgrade to a paid monthly plan for users looking for advanced features like ring groups and multi-level auto-attendant, which starts at $10 per user. You will need an existing U.S. number to use this service.
Google’s free phone system is excellent for freelancers and startups looking for a low-cost business plan. However, as a lightweight VoIP solution, it’s not suitable for companies looking for advanced phone features and extensive third-party integration. If this is what you need, choose RingCentral. It’s a complete business phone system with 300-plus integrations and sophisticated call management tools, such as unlimited file sharing and agent monitoring.
Google Voice Features
- Voicemail-to-text transcription: Spend less time catching up with voicemails with Google’s advanced speech recognition technology. Google Voice transcribes your audio messages into text so that you can read your messages instead of listening to them.
- Multi-level auto-attendant: Simplify your inbound call flow and use this sophisticated automated voice system to route calls efficiently. Customize a menu system with greetings or prompts using Google’s text-to-speech option.
- Ring groups: Set up ring groups so teams can answer calls from the same Google Voice number. Members can either take turns answering calls or ring all team members simultaneously until someone picks up.
Ooma: Best Free VoIP Phone Service for International Calling
What We Liked
- Has unlimited U.S. calling
- Has remote voicemail retrieval
- Affordable international per-minute rates
Where It Falls Behind
- Users need to purchase an Ooma Telo device starting at $99.99
- Free plan does not include high-speed internet or broadband service
- No available volume-based or annual billing discounts
Ooma Monthly Pricing Home Phone Plans
- Basic: Free for U.S. calling, call waiting, online call logs, and call hold
- Premiere: $9.99 per month for calls to Canada, Puerto Rico, and Mexico, voicemail monitoring, and custom call blocking
- World Plan: $17.99 for unlimited calling to landlines in over 60 countries and to mobile phones in over 10 countries
- World Plus Plan: $25.99 for unlimited calling to landlines in over 70 countries and to mobile phones in over 40 countries
Ooma Office Business Phone Plans
- Essentials: $19.95 per user for 50-plus features, unlimited calling to U.S., Canada, Mexico, and Puerto Rico
- Pro: $24.95 per user for text messaging, video conferencing for up to 25 participants, and call recording
- Pro Plus: $29.95 per user for video conferencing for up to 100 participants, team chat, hot desking, and call queuing
The best free VoIP phone service for home-based businesses making international calls has to be Ooma, thanks to its free residential plan and unlimited international calling packages. When you make a one-time Ooma Telo purchase, you can immediately make free unlimited calls within the U.S. The free plan gives you high-definition (HD) calling, mobile app access, and caller ID. Best of all, the Ooma Basic Plan has no monthly contract or long-term commitment.
Upgrade to the paid residential plan and get advanced international calling, voicemail notifications and monitoring, and call blocking. Ooma also has business phone plans that start at $19.95 per user, monthly, and users get over 50 standard features.
Unfortunately, while Ooma offers a comprehensive list of communication features, it doesn’t have robust AI capabilities. If you’re a small business looking for a VoIP phone service with powerful automations, try Dialpad. Dialpad Ai has tools like real-time transcription, actionable insights, and workflow automation to improve your business interactions.
Ooma Features
- Custom call blocking: Prevent specific phone numbers and caller ID names from reaching you and get total control over when your phone rings and when it doesn’t.
- Call leaderboard: Get insights and information on how Ooma users use your company’s phone lines. Key data on display include the number of internal, incoming, outgoing, and missed calls.
- Virtual fax: This digital faxing alternative doesn’t require a physical fax machine. Send multiple PDF files as a single fax document. Users can send and receive files through the End User Portal, Ooma Office Manager, or the Ooma Desktop application.
OnSIP: Best Free VoIP Services for Pay-as-you-go Pricing
What We Liked
- Includes free on-network calling
- Call whisper, barge, and monitor are included with enhanced automatic call distributor (ACD) queues
- Phone numbers only cost $2 per number, per month (has a one-time $7 fee per number)
Where It Falls Behind
- Unlimited plan has a minimum of five users
- Lacks several VoIP features (call forwarding and voicemail transcription)
- No native business messaging feature
OnSIP Monthly Pricing
- Free: No payment for the internet-based voice, video, and messaging solution, SIP-to-SIP internet calling, up to 100 users with unlimited extensions, and business hours rules
- Unlimited: $18.95 per user for at least five users and unlimited announcements, call recording users, auto-attendants, ring groups, and calling minutes
- Basic: $49.95 per account for one announcement, three auto-attendants, three ring groups, basic music on hold, and one call recording user
OnSIP offers individual features as add-ons like auto-attendants, starting at $1.95 per month for inbound bridge and $1.80 per seat, per month for 911 emergency dialing.
The best free VoIP phone service provider for flexible pricing is OnSIP because, in addition to a free, web-based plan, it has a Basic plan with flat-rate pricing and a menu of add-on features. Small teams with low call volumes can avail of the per-minute Basic plan and add features as needed. For example, a solopreneur can use the Basic plan and pay for optional features like extra phone numbers and HD conference suites.
OnSIP’s Free plan is great for organizations looking for a flexible service with no contracts, installation, or monthly fees. However, one of its biggest drawbacks is its lack of native messaging services. If you need an SMS service, you must use a third-party vendor. For built-in SMS, go for Grasshopper. It offers a monthly rate, not per-user pricing, and all plans have unlimited business texting voicemail and virtual fax.
OnSIP Features
- Video conferencing: Connect with colleagues and clients from anywhere using OnSIP’s video calling. This feature is available on all plans, and users can hop into video calls straight from the OnSIP app interface.
- Business hour rules: Create your business hour rules through the web app’s administrator’s tab. Set the rules for how incoming calls will be directed based on the time and the day of the week.
- OnSIP-Slack integration: Boost your productivity and team collaboration by connecting your OnSIP cloud phone system and Slack communications platform. Generate custom click-to-call links from Slack, use commands to get information about your OnSIP service, and generate custom click-to-call links. Type “/onsip help” to see a list of all /onsip commands.
RingCentral: Best for Call Management
What We Liked
- All plans have multi-level auto-attendant and interactive voice response (IVR)
- International numbers are only $5.99 per user, paid monthly
- Unlimited phone calls within the U.S. and Canada
Where It Falls Behind
- Unlimited storage is an Ultra plan exclusive
- Advanced call monitoring features are not available in the base plan
- Free trial only supports up to 20 phone lines
RingCentral Monthly Pricing*
- Core: $30 per user for unlimited domestic calling, 100 video participants, 100 toll-free minutes, and 25 business SMS per user
- Advanced: $35 per user for advanced call queues, hot desking, 1,000 toll-free minutes, and 100 business SMS per user
- Ultra: $45 per user for unlimited storage, 200 video participants, 10,000 toll-free minutes, and 200 business SMS per user
- Free trial: 14 days
*Save up to 33% by paying annually; volume discounts for 50-plus users are available.
RingCentral is one of the leading unified communications (UC) platforms and our recommended best call management software, thanks to its sophisticated call analytics. Analytics features include call log reports and real-time call queue management. Its cloud phone system has toll-free minutes, visual voicemail, interactive voice response (IVR), call recording, hot desking, and AI noise cancellation.
In addition to built-in call management features, it integrates with over 300 business apps for marketing automation, productivity software, and customer relationship management (CRM) systems. Unfortunately, this full-featured phone system may be too much for a solopreneur or two-person team. Given this, Google Voice is the best option for you. Google users with an existing U.S. phone number can use this service at no cost.
RingCentral Features
- Virtual numbers: RingCentral offers every type of direct inward dialing (DID) number, including local, toll-free, vanity, and international numbers. This allows you to expand your geographical reach and make communications with clients more convenient.
- Call tracking: Use RingCentral MVP Analytics for Sales to see call tracking patterns in real time. Identify your team’s top performers using the platform’s metrics and insights. It also allows you to send weekly status reports to sales leaders.
- Automatic call recording: Record inbound and outbound calls to gain insights on customer sentiment and concerns or ensure proper documentation of interactions.
Grasshopper: Best for Shared Virtual Numbers
What We Liked
- Affordable fixed monthly pricing model
- Straightforward phone system with essential calling features
- Includes voicemail and read your voicemail
Where It Falls Behind
- Lacks third-party integrations
- Does not offer hardware-based VoIP desk phones
- No call recording capabilities
Grasshopper Monthly Pricing*
- True Solo: $17 for one user, one phone number, and one extension
- Solo: $34 for unlimited users, one phone number, and three extensions
- Partner: $56 for three phone numbers and six extensions
- Small Business: $92 for five phone numbers and unlimited extensions
- Free trial: 7 days
*Save more than 10% with annual billing.
Grasshopper is one of the best VoIP for apps for small businesses because its rate is fixed regardless of your number of users and extensions. Depending on your plan, you can have up to five phone numbers. The highest plan comes with unlimited users and extensions. All plans have the same features and vary only in the number of phone numbers, extensions, and users, making it ideal for small teams wanting to share phone numbers.
Call management tools available at every plan tier include call forwarding, virtual fax, free toll-free number registration, and unlimited business texting. However, Grasshopper is more of a virtual phone system than a complete unified communications (UC) solution. It lacks essential features like video conferencing, team chat, and task management. RingCentral is the better option if you are looking for a feature-rich UC solution. RingCentral offers video, voice, and messaging features.
Grasshopper Features
- Voice Studio: Use Grasshopper’s voice studio and gain access to professional voice talent for your auto-attendant. Make the right impression by using professionals to convey your message.
- Instant response: Automatically message new callers when you cannot take their call. This allows you to interact with potential clients and get back to them when possible.
- Business texting: All Grasshopper plans come with unlimited business texting. Send updates and quick replies to customers with ease. Note that this feature requires registration.
Dialpad: Best for Built-in AI Functionality
What We Liked
- Offers unlimited AI-powered video conferencing
- Enterprise plans get 100% uptime guarantee
- International numbers in 70+ countries
Where It Falls Behind
- Video meeting capacity is limited to 10 attendees
- Internet fax is a paid add-on
- Google Workspace is the only base plan integration available
Dialpad Monthly Pricing*
- Standard: $23 per user for unlimited calling, SMS, three ring groups, 10 meeting participants, real-time call transcriptions, Google Workspace integration
- Pro: $35 per user for international SMS, quality-of-service (QOS) reports, 25 ring groups, and hold queues
- Enterprise: Custom pricing for unlimited ring groups, extensions, and 100% uptime
- Free trial: 14 days
*Gain greater savings when you opt for annual billing.
When it comes to AI capabilities, Dialpad is the best free VoIP phone service provider because all plans come with advanced automation capabilities, especially call transcription. Users can access AI tools like real-time call transcriptions, post-call summaries, live speech coaching, and analytics. These features allow your agents to focus on conversations instead of note-taking and transcription, leading to better customer service and client satisfaction.
While Dialpad comes with integrated AI tools, its video conferencing participant capacity may be a deal-breaker for businesses that host larger meetings. While its meeting features include HD audio and video, virtual backgrounds, and screen sharing, Dialpad’s video meetings are limited to 10 participants. We recommended trying OnSIP’s free plan. It allows up to 100 users with free voice calls and unlimited extensions.
Dialpad Features
- Screen sharing: Available on desktop and mobile with one click, this feature helps teams brainstorm and improve collaboration.
- Speech analytics: Analyze active customer calls in real time and gain actionable insights to improve interactions. Since calls are monitored as they happen, agents can deal with client issues more efficiently. Dialpad Ai lets agents know if they’re talking too fast and transcribes calls in real time.
- Simultaneous ring: Ring groups members simultaneously and ensure no calls fall between the cracks. Incoming calls are sent to all connected devices simultaneously.
How We Evaluated the Best Free VoIP Services
We handpicked several free VoIP service providers and scored them based on their pricing, features, customer support, and ease of use. Ratings are based on our professional experience and recent customer feedback through verified sites.
Learn how we evaluated the best free VoIP services by clicking on the tabs below:
20% of Overall Score
Pricing was one of our main considerations, and we looked at and beyond price points to the availability of free plans and discounts. We evaluated each provider’s different tiers and per-user costs to determine affordability. We awarded higher points to those offering monthly plans at $35 or less.
25% of Overall Score
The best free VoIP services should include standard features like unlimited calling, video conferencing, and an uptime service level agreement (SLA). We gave points to those with functional mobile apps.
20% of Overall Score
Beyond the standard VoIP features, we also looked at premium features, specifically unlimited users (no per-user pricing), virtual numbers, and robust integrations. We also awarded points for solutions with IVR capabilities.
10% of Overall Score
Platforms should be simple to use. We evaluated each provider’s user interface by testing usability and determining the technical expertise required to set up and use the software. Our team looked at user reviews from reputable review websites.
10% of Overall Score
To identify the best free VoIP services in the market, we checked each provider’s support channels. To be considered a leading provider, you must have multiple options: phone, live chat, phone support, and email support. Service providers offering 24/7 customer support were given additional points.
15% of Overall Score
The expert score is based on our specialist assessment using each software platform. We verified our own findings with customer feedback to learn about their experiences and long-term use.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Yes, free VoIP services often have end-to-end encryption, two-factor authentication, and essential security features like user permissions and waiting rooms. However, it’s important to note that the quality of service varies between providers. Enterprise-grade security features like single sign-on are typically paid tools available in premium subscriptions.
Yes and no. Since VoIP calls are internet-based, call rates are usually lower. You also get more flexibility and portability when using VoIP technology. However, there are cases where traditional phone lines are the better option. For example, areas with limited phone connectivity or power outage-prone areas require phone lines because VoIP depends on the internet and requires power.
Leading free VoIP services offer low-cost pricing, robust features and integrations, and an easy-to-use interface. Look for providers offering free versions, multiple subscription plans, and discounts. Focus on essential VoIP features, such as caller ID, call forwarding and transfer, music on hold, and custom greetings. Team members shouldn’t have a hard time using the system, so we recommend availing of free trials and free plans to get a feel for the platform.
Bottom Line
Using VoIP for business enables you to make calls anytime, anywhere, as long as you have a reliable internet connection. Zero-cost VoIP subscriptions make it easy to scale, collaborate, and travel. The best free VoIP services are more cost-effective, expand your call management features, and integrate different communication channels.
Out of the various providers we evaluated, we found that Google Voice delivers the most value for small business users because of its seamless Google integration and user-friendly interface. Google account owners with an existing U.S. phone number can get a free personal plan with basic phone features, such as voicemail transcription and Wi-Fi calling. Give Google Voice a try today.