6 Best Free & Low-cost VoIP Services in 2026

The Fit Small Business editorial process follows strict standards to ensure that our best answers are grounded in accuracy, clarity, authority, objectivity, and accessibility. Drawing on my experience evaluating VoIP and cloud communications solutions, I’ve identified industry-leading VoIP providers and popular choices among business professionals, thoroughly assessing each through in-depth reviews.

Review my full methodology to learn more about my evaluation process and criteria.

Faithe J. Day, Ph.D.

Lead Writer, VoIP at Fit Small Business

Ooma Basic is my pick for a home phone when you want familiar calling features without a monthly service charge. However, you still need to purchase an Ooma Telo and pay recurring taxes and fees. But that purchase includes features like US calling, voicemail, caller ID, and address-based 911.

Due to its residential services, I would choose Ooma Office for a business that needs employee extensions, a virtual receptionist, and other professional call controls. But if your priority is a free number on your smartphone, consider Google Voice's personal option, or for internet calls between teammates using SIP addresses, look at OnSIP.

Ooma Basic requires Telo hardware, sold separately. The included 60-day trial is for Premier, which costs $9.99 per month afterward, plus taxes and fees. Premier adds features such as enhanced call blocking and an Instant Second Line. Check your local taxes and fees before comparing the total cost with an app-based service.

Ooma Office is priced per user: Essentials is $19.95 per month, Pro is $24.95, and Pro Plus is $29.95, before applicable taxes and fees. Pro adds meetings, call recording, and voicemail transcription; Pro Plus adds features such as call queues, hot desking, and CRM integrations. 

• Custom call blocking: Premier provides additional controls for screening unwanted home calls. Check the plan before assuming advanced blocking comes with Basic.
• Caller ID and voicemail: Basic supplies familiar home-phone tools, including caller ID and voicemail, with a connected Telo device.
• Virtual fax: Ooma Office includes virtual fax for business users. This is separate from the residential Basic offering.

OnSIP is a useful free option for teams that communicate via SIP addresses rather than regular phone numbers. Its free account supports up to 100 users, unlimited extensions, and SIP-to-SIP voice and video calls. Therefore, I would use it for internal collaboration or web call links, but not describe it as a free replacement for a customer-facing business phone line.

For external phone calls, OnSIP offers paid Unlimited and Basic plans. Unlimited requires at least five users, so its advertised per-user price means a minimum of $94.75 per month. OnSIP also supports business SMS and MMS on paid plans. At the same time, I would compare its message allowances and usage charges with a flat account plan such as Grasshopper if texting is a priority.

*The free plan supports SIP-to-SIP calls, not regular phone-number calls. Unlimited starts at $94.75/month for five users and includes 250 SMS/MMS per account, with 1¢ overages. Basic excludes calling minutes: standard calls cost 3.2¢/minute and outbound SMS/MMS costs 1¢ per message. 

• SIP voice and video: Use the free account with OnSIP apps or compatible SIP devices to reach other SIP addresses.
• Call routing: Paid plans provide auto attendants and ring groups. 
• Business messaging: OnSIP supports SMS and MMS on business numbers, but allowances and charges depend on the paid plan.

Google Voice is my pick for Google Workspace users who wants a free US number without buying a separate home-phone adapter. The no-charge personal option includes domestic calling and texting, voicemail transcription, and forwarding. However, an eligible existing mobile number is required for this feature. It is also intended for one person, so I would not use it as a substitute for a centrally managed team phone system.

Google also sells standalone Starter and Standard subscriptions to US users with personal Gmail accounts, without requiring Workspace. However, teams still need Google Workspace plus paid Voice licenses. If you need broader team collaboration and more extensive call controls, I would recommend RingCentral.

*US individuals can also buy standalone Starter for $10/month or Standard for $20/month with a personal Gmail account; Workspace is not required. The table's team plans require Workspace, billed separately. Team Starter supports up to 10 users. Auto attendants and ring groups require Team Standard or Premier; standalone Standard also includes an auto attendant. 

• Voicemail transcription: Automatically converts voicemail to readable text so you can read incoming voice messages discreetly.
• Auto attendants: Guide callers to a set of phone menus and customize your options and greetings through the text-to-speech tool with Team Standard and Premier access. 
• Ring groups: Team Standard and Premier plans can distribute calls among multiple users.

Grasshopper is a practical paid option for solo professionals and small teams that want to separate business and personal calls. Its account-based pricing can be easier to budget for than per-user subscriptions. While it’s business numbers, custom greetings, and call forwarding cover common needs, I would check the selected plan's user, number, and extension allowances.

That said, Grasshopper is a solid choice when straightforward call handling matters more than video meetings or a broad collaboration suite. Its feature range also includes call recording and transcription. Confirm which features your plan includes before signing on, and consider RingCentral if you need a unified communications platform.

*Prices are per account, not per user; annual rates are monthly equivalents billed annually. Grasshopper offers a seven-day trial rather than an ongoing free plan. 

• Voice Studio: Create a strong first impression by hiring professional voice talent to record your greetings, announcements, and auto-attendant messages.
• Instant response: When you’re unavailable to answer a call, Grasshopper can automatically send a text message to the caller. This feature helps you stay responsive by letting potential clients know you’ve received their call and will follow up soon.
• Business texting: Every Grasshopper plan comes with unlimited business texting, so you can easily send quick updates or respond to customer inquiries via text. Registration is required to unlock this feature.

If you need a VoIP solution that brings all your business communications under one roof, RingCentral, the leading small business VoIP service, is the clear standout. It combines voice, video, messaging, and team collaboration tools into a single platform, making it easier to manage communication across departments and devices.

RingCentral makes sense when consolidating calling, meetings, and messaging can replace several separate subscriptions. At the same time, included AI Assistant capabilities vary by tier, and products such as AI Receptionist cost extra. Before choosing this option, I would compare the full per-user cost with the tools your team actually needs. For a solo user focused on price, Google Voice or Grasshopper may be easier to justify.

*RingCentral offers a 14-day trial for eligible new subscribers; SMS is excluded from trial use. Annual prices are monthly equivalents. AI Receptionist is a separate add-on starting at $39/month, and other optional products can increase the total cost.

• Virtual numbers: Purchase any type of direct inward dialing (DID) number, including local, toll-free, vanity, and international numbers, to help you connect with clients from anywhere. 
• Call flip: Seamlessly transfer live calls between devices without interruption. The call can only be picked up by the person who initiated the conversation.
• Shared lines: Allow multiple team members to manage calls from a single phone number.
  You can also place a call on hold and then continue the conversation on another phone.

Nextiva shines if you’re looking for a VoIP provider that goes beyond voice for multichannel communication. It combines messaging apps, social media, and review management with voice, email, and SMS into a single, unified system. This makes it easier for your team to manage client interactions across multiple touchpoints without switching between apps.

While Nextiva isn’t among the free VoIP providers, it offers strong value through its feature-packed tiers designed for growing businesses. However, if your business relies solely on phone calls and doesn’t need chat, email, or workflow automation, Nextiva might be more than you need. For straightforward voice communication at a lower cost, Google Voice is a better fit.

*Scale is advertised from $75/user/month. Annual Core and Engage offers require eligible new customers and a minimum 12-month paid agreement. CRM integrations and XBert are add-ons.

• Group email mailbox: Empowers teams to deliver timely responses by having shared email accounts and routing incoming messages to a centralized inbox.
• Digital fax: Send and receive faxes securely through email or an online portal without the need for physical fax machines.
• Customer to team SMS: Team members can simultaneously manage all incoming text messages for any assigned user, enabling cross-team visibility into client interactions.