7 Best VoIP Apps for Small Businesses

RingCentral is the best VoIP application overall, ticking off the top considerations for a VoIP platform: cross-platform compatibility, intuitive interface, and rich call management system. The base plan has all the phone functionality needed to streamline communication and effectively manage customer interactions, such as business SMS, video meetings, internet fax, and team messaging.

With its robust call management at the entry-level plan, RingCentral also secured the top spot in the best VoIP apps for iPhone. Its multilevel auto-attendant supports up to 250 voice menus and submenus per account. If you manage several branch offices, RingCentral lets you set up custom call handling rules per site based on business hours and time zones.

On the downside, RingCentral’s text messaging credits are limited, with 25 to 200 messages per plan tier. For businesses that rely on SMS, Grasshopper is a better option, offering unlimited texting for a one-time $19 number registration and a $1.50 monthly messaging fee.

• Presence: See who among your colleagues is available for a phone call or a meeting. User presence may be set to available, busy, or do not disturb modes.
• Hot desking: Allow team members to log into any phone in your system and access their unique extensions, profiles, or voicemail inboxes. Anyone can work anywhere in the office and collaborate with other departments without missing important calls.
• Call delegation: Assign assistants to answer incoming calls for executives. RingCentral allows a maximum of 10 assistants to an executive and 10 executives to an assistant.

The presence feature indicates users’ status with colleagues. (Source: RingCentral)

Traditionally, VoIP providers store records of phone calls, chats, and texts in separate sections, causing users to switch between multiple tabs to communicate and track interactions. With Nextiva, business users get a unified view of the conversations. Users can take advantage of features like auto-attendant and call pop, which provide real-time caller details and help teams personalize client services.

The NextivaONE app integrates multiple communication channels and tools for team collaboration and customer engagement, like automated follow-ups and surveys. This functionality secures Nextiva’s spot in our best VoIP apps for Android guide. The platform is available on iOS and Android devices so that you can stay connected with your teams and customers on the go.

One disadvantage of using Nextiva is that the number of advanced features can be overkill for small teams with basic phone requirements. Instead, we recommend a more straightforward VoIP phone system, Google Voice, for basic call center features and a UC solution. It’s ideal for smaller teams, thanks to essential calling features and easy integration into Google Workspace for basic collaboration needs.

• Call pop: See key customer details before picking up their call. Customize the call pop screen based on your needed information, including their experience score, last survey response, sentiment, and account value.
• Call pulling: If you’re in an ongoing call and need to step away from your desk, use call pulling to move the call from your desktop phone to your mobile. This way, you don’t need to cut the conversation short and interrupt the flow of the discussion.
• Threaded conversations: You can view past calls, voicemail messages, chats, and texts in one place, eliminating the need to switch between menu tabs to find messages.

The Threaded Conversations feature displays all interactions with a customer in one view. (Source: Nextiva)

Zoom Phone is a good VoIP app for local and international calling, with high call quality and flexible, affordable plans. It offers unlimited calling to the US and Canada or selected countries, with options to add unlimited calling to 19 or 40 countries starting at $10 per month (the 40-country option requires sales coordination). Small businesses also benefit from features like call routing, forwarding, and auto-attendant for streamlined customer management.

Supplementary features like voicemail transcription, call recording, and shared line groups. However, while Zoom integrates with over 2,000 third-party apps, Zoom Phone supports 130-plus integrations only, with CRM integrations limited to Microsoft Dynamics, HubSpot, and Zendesk. Moreover, it lacks the advanced CRM capabilities of providers like Nextiva, which include tools like call pop, chat, sentiment analysis, and custom automation to enhance customer interactions.

• Number porting: This allows businesses to transfer their existing phone numbers to Zoom Phone, making it easier to transition without changing contact information. You also have the option to purchase new numbers.
• Shared line appearance: Enable multiple phones to share the same line, so teams can manage calls together for better collaboration and availability.
• Zero-touch provisioning: This feature lets devices set up automatically upon connection, so teams with little to no technical know-how skip manual setups and make deployment faster and simpler.

Easily monitor Zoom Phone performance to address potential network quality issues promptly. (Source: Zoom Phone)

Grasshopper is the only VoIP phone application listed here with a dedicated plan for freelancers and solopreneurs seeking value for money without unnecessary extras. It focuses on the core VoIP functionalities needed by individual users to enhance their professional image and support basic communication requirements. These include business texting, call transfer, custom greetings, and visual voicemail.

The advantage of choosing Grasshopper is that when your operations expand as a solopreneur, you can upgrade to a higher-tier subscription plan for a flat rate. Add as many team members as you need to the phone system without paying for each user. Unfortunately, Grasshopper doesn’t have chat or video meeting capabilities. If you’re looking for a budget-friendly VoIP app with video meeting capabilities, Google Voice with Google Meet integration is a great alternative.

• Business hours: Set up a schedule for each extension based on your team’s operating hours. You only get calls when you want them or are available to take them.
• Toll-free numbers: Encourage customers to call you using toll-free numbers so they won’t incur calling charges. Toll-free numbers present a professional image and allow you to be available to your nationwide clientele.
• Voice Studio: Grasshopper has a pool of professional voice actors to record your custom phone greetings. Announcements can be recorded in English and Spanish.

Separate your business and personal calls with Grasshopper’s intuitive desktop and mobile app. (Source: Grasshopper)

Talkroute is an affordable solution and the best voice-over IP app for small call centers because it helps small teams manage high-touch interactions. Its features include call routing, voicemail, multiple phone numbers, auto-attendant, and customizable greetings to manage customer calls professionally. Starting at $19 per month, Talkroute includes essential business features, with advanced options like IVR and simultaneous ring in higher tiers.

One downside of Talkroute is the need for international calling; Talkroute doesn’t allow international outgoing calls via its apps or outbound dialing feature. Users can receive incoming international calls with Talkroute virtual phone numbers. Try Zoom Phone or GoTo Connect, both accommodate incoming international calls and offer unlimited global calling.

• Call stacking: Receive multiple calls simultaneously and place them on hold until your phone becomes available. Play hold music or a custom message while callers wait.
• Mailboxes: Create additional mailboxes for different phone numbers, automated menus, and extensions. This provides teams or departments with a dedicated mailbox for managing and routing their messages.
• Transfer codes: Automatically assign transfer codes to a forwarding number, voice mailbox, and desktop user. This lets you easily transfer live calls by simply dialing a code.

The Talkroute app works on Mac and iPhone devices. (Source: Talkroute)

GoTo Connect is a highly scalable VoIP application designed for businesses expanding their customer base, offering features like free global calling, toll-free minutes, and unlimited auto-attendants to support growth. As your team and communication needs evolve, you can choose from four plans—Phone System, Customer Engagement, Complete CX, and Contact Center—each unlocking more advanced VoIP tools as you upgrade.

This unique approach to service packages enables businesses to select a plan that aligns with their current needs and easily upgrade as they require more advanced features. For example, the Phone System plan is ideal for basic routing needs, while the Complex CX plan caters to teams seeking more sophisticated routing capabilities.

One potential disadvantage of GoTo Connect is that it caps its toll-free minutes at 1,000 free minutes shared across accounts. This is much less than the maximum of 10,000 toll-free minutes offered by Nextiva and RingCentral. If you’re interested in a VoIP phone system with UC capabilities, including a generous toll-free calling allowance, give these two alternatives a try.

• Dial plan editor: Customize your call flows using a drag-and-drop visual interface. Route calls to specific auto-attendants, ring groups, and voicemail boxes.
• Call handling: Provide users the ability to park, transfer, and forward calls to any extension, department, or external line to the right without disconnecting the caller.
• Virtual fax manager: Send digital copies of your fax documents to an email inbox or fax machine. Incoming faxes are received as file attachments via email.

The GoTo Connect app works across multiple devices, such as desktops, smartphones, and desk phones. (Source: GoTo Connect)

Google Voice is a simple, cost-effective phone system providing small teams with essential features like call forwarding, voicemail, and text messaging. This VoIP app integrates seamlessly with Google Workspace, allowing businesses to manage contacts, schedule calls, and access messages across multiple devices. Starting at just $10 per month, Google Voice is reliable, affordable, and doesn’t require advanced features for UC.

The provider excels in simplicity and integration with Google Workspace, offering an all-in-one communications solution. However, its call management tools may not meet the needs of growing businesses with high call volumes. For a small call center solution with advanced features like extensions and custom greetings, Talkroute is a better choice for efficient call handling.

• Session-initiated protocol (SIP) link: This feature lets you connect your existing SIP-enabled third-party hardware to the platform, making incorporating Google Voice into custom telephony setups easier.
• Unlimited text messaging: Communicate with customers without worrying about message limits or additional costs. Unmetered text messaging enhances customer engagement and streamlines communication.
• Google Meet integration: This integration enables seamless transitions from voice calls to video meetings and improves collaboration. Businesses can schedule and join video calls directly from the Google Voice interface for added convenience.

Google Voice uses AI to block spam calls and automatically transcribe voicemails to text. (Source: Google Voice)