7 Best VoIP Apps for Small Businesses in 2023

Voice-over-internet protocol (VoIP) apps enable users to make and receive calls and messages from anywhere using different devices, from desktop computers to smartphones. The best VoIP app for small businesses includes call management solutions such as video conferencing and omnichannel capabilities that lower operational expenses and improve portability. When choosing a VoIP app, consider usability, call quality, messaging features, and affordability.

Based on our research, here are the seven best VoIP apps for small businesses:

• RingCentral: Best overall VoIP app
• Nextiva: Best for remote and hybrid team collaboration
• Vonage: Best for customizing phone systems
• Dialpad: Best for automation and advanced artificial intelligence (AI)
• Phone.com: Best for mobile-first users
• Ooma: Best for hardware compatibility
• Grasshopper: Best low-cost solution with flat-rate pricing

Best VoIP Apps at a Glance

RingCentral: Best Overall VoIP App

*Save up to 33% with annual prepay and receive volume discounts for 50 or more users.

RingCentral is our top business phone systems provider and the best VoIP app thanks to its robust call management and productivity integrations. Compared to other VoIP phone apps, RingCentral offers the most functionality with features like multi-level auto-attendant, real-time analytics, and video conferencing. Its call management tools improve how your business routes, tracks, and analyzes inbound and outbound phone calls.

In addition to phone functionality, RingCentral has over 200 third-party integrations, an App Gallery, and an open API (application programming interface) platform for customizing your phone system. For example, RingCentral’s integration with customer relationship management (CRM) systems, like Salesforce and HubSpot, gives agents instant access to complete customer profiles for better client conversations.

While RingCentral’s platform is an excellent choice for growing businesses and is priced competitively considering its feature-rich offering and discounts, solopreneurs and microbusinesses on a tight budget are better off with Grasshopper. Its fixed monthly rate and unlimited users let you add as many team members as necessary at no extra cost.

RingCentral Features

• Multi-level IVR: Configure your phone tree menus using RingCentral’s visual IVR editor. Flexible IVR menus allow you to efficiently route customer calls, leading to better client experiences.
• Team huddle: Facilitate spontaneous collaboration meetings between colleagues using team huddle. This feature was designed to make virtual meetings easier by letting meeting participants hop in and out of audio and video conferences as they please.
• RingOut: This is particularly useful when the internet is spotty. Use your landline or mobile phone to make calls, and the receiver’s caller ID will show your RingCentral number, not your landline or mobile number.

Nextiva: Best for Remote & Hybrid Team Collaboration

*Pricing is based on one to four users. Opt for its annual prepay option and save up to 22%.

Nextiva leads the pack in collaboration tools because of its Cospace app, which solves the issue of siloed data and confusing app switching. This remote workforce management solution boosts team productivity even when out of the office by enabling team members to share files, screen share during meetings, task projects, and speak in real time through instant messaging.

It’s one of the best VoIP apps for Android because it is an integrated solution that consolidates voice, text, video, and email—unleashing the power of teamwork. This collaborative approach to communication reduces application subscription, creates a seamless experience across channels, and improves data sharing. Other notable features of Nextiva include its drag-and-drop call flow builder, toll-free minutes, and unlimited fax.

However, even with all of Nextiva’s robust productivity tools and video conferencing capabilities, it has a 45-minute meeting limit. If you need a longer meeting duration, consider RingCentral. RingCentral is a powerful unified communications (UC) platform, and its video meetings have no time limits. All plans have virtual meeting tools like whiteboard and annotations, collaborative notes, and breakout rooms.

Nextiva Features

• Mobile screen share: Nextiva’s cell phone app has screen sharing capabilities, allowing mobile participants to present during meetings. Android users can screen share even when using Android’s mobile split-screen feature.
• Nextiva App: Access all your communication tools in the same app on desktop or mobile. Message contacts, take business calls, and share screens with your team.
• Call flow builder: Build a call flow easily using Nextiva’s call flow builder. The visual format makes it easy to build a call flow diagram that suits your customer’s calling trends and common concerns easily.

Vonage: Best for its Customizable Phone System

*A minimum one-year contract is required.

Choose Vonage if you’re looking for a customizable and scalable VoIP app offering essential features and advanced functionality. It differentiates itself from other VoIP platforms because it uses an a la carte pricing strategy. Vonage features include tools like unlimited calls, messages, and team messaging as well as other optional tools, such as toll-free numbers and online faxing, which are paid for separately.

All Vonage plans come with standard capabilities, such as auto-attendant, call blocking, forwarding, routing, and screening, which is enough for small businesses with seasonal call traffic. Vonage offers mobile and desktop applications and a web app login where you can maximize features like unlimited calling, messaging, and group chat to facilitate internal coordination.

Vonage is on our list of top VoIP apps for iPhone, notably for its custom features and advanced mobile messaging functionality. However, Vonage’s team collaboration tools are limited, and if you’re looking for robust UC functionality, go with Nextiva or RingCentral. All their plans come with extensive collaboration tools that improve internal coordination and communication.

Vonage Features

• Spam shield: Automatically identify telemarketers or suspected scammers with Vonage’s spam shield. Agents will see a caller ID warning that will keep them from answering the call.
• Shared line appearance: Monitor the status of line extensions easily from your desk phone screen. Users can answer, park, and place calls from another extension using their desk phones.
• Team messaging: Vonage’s team messaging facilitates effortless collaboration through file sharing, video collaboration, and group chat. Users can receive SMS messaging using personal devices or their office phone numbers.

Dialpad: Best for Automation & Advanced Artificial Intelligence

*Annual billing discounts are available.

Dialpad is best for businesses that want to expand traditional phone functionality with advanced voice intelligence tools, such as live call transcription and sentiment analysis. Live transcription is excellent for note-taking and makes it easier for colleagues to track discussions and follow up on agreed actions. Dialpad’s artificial intelligence (AI)-powered sentiment analysis reads how customers are feeling in real time, allowing your agents to adjust their manner of speaking and conversational tone.

Most of Dialpad’s AI tools, like real-time call transcriptions, automated post-call summaries, and live speech coaching, are available across all plans. Increase team efficiency and improve sales and customer support training by generating powerful insights for informed decision-making. However, while it offers virtual meeting capabilities, it only supports 10 attendees. If you typically have more participants, try Nextiva. This provider accommodates up to 250 meeting attendees.

Dialpad Features

• Number porting: Dialpad lets users transfer and keep existing phone numbers when they switch to the provider.
• Business phone number: Separate personal from business calls and use the free number included in your plan. All plans come with one local number, and Pro and Enterprise plan subscribers get a second local or international number.
• Voicemail: Use the default message or record your own business voicemail greeting using the web portal or mobile app.

Phone.com: Best for Mobile-first Users

*Save 15% with annual billing.

Phone.com has an easy-to-use, powerful mobile application that’s ideal for solopreneurs and freelancers primarily using smartphones. Unlike providers whose mobile apps have limited functionality compared to web browsers and desktop applications, Phone.com’s mobile app for iOS and Android lets users make calls, send faxes, and read voicemails on their mobile devices.

While Phone.com’s capabilities don’t match the built-in collaboration features of RingCentral and Dialpad, it was designed specifically for small businesses and entrepreneurs looking for essential voice features and with a full-featured app. The softphone app gives users full control over their schedules, and you can set up voicemail on any of your Phone.com numbers or extensions.

Phone.com’s metered pricing and base plan with 500 pooled minutes is enough for teams with low call volumes. If your calling patterns shift, upgrade to an unlimited plan or purchase more minutes. While Phone.com offers Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)-compliant video conferencing in all plans, its maximum video conferencing participant count is only up to 100. Try RingCentral’s HD conferencing for up to 200 attendees.

Phone.com Features

• Call handling: Phone.com allows users to set rules and protocols for routing incoming calls. Determine whether calls are routed to a single or different destination depending on the time of day or caller.
• Voicemail transcription: This feature transcribes your voicemail messages automatically and sends the written version to your email or as a text message. Go through your messages without listening to the audio clips, or forward transcriptions to others for documentation.
• Greetings: Personalize your audio greetings, music, menus, and messages by uploading audio files. Users can use different file formats like MP3, GSM, and WAV.

Ooma: Best for Hardware Compatibility

When transitioning from a landline to VoIP, Ooma is excellent because it works with various equipment, such as paging systems, desk phones, and intercoms, allowing you to retain your current devices. Connect your telephones and fax machines to your Ooma VoIP system through analog telephone adapters and enjoy advanced VoIP capabilities. It also has its own brand of IP phones and works with other devices, such as Yealink and Cisco.

Ooma is a beginner-friendly, scalable cloud system that offers an express setup assistant that guides you through creating a virtual receptionist and adding users and optional features. Its applications focus on business-critical features like phone calls and blocking robocalls quickly and easily. Its other call management tools include call forwarding, call transfer, voicemail, and extension dialing.

Subscribers can add unlimited international calling to their plans to landlines in up to 70 countries and mobile phones in up to 40 countries. However, Ooma doesn’t offer international phone numbers or international SMS capability. If you need these features, RingCentral is a great alternative. It provides international numbers in over 100 countries, and users can port in or transfer existing phone numbers to RingCentral.

Ooma Features

• Agent Call Queue Log: Agents log in and out of call queues using the Ooma Office desktop app for better business insights regarding staffing levels.
• Simultaneous ring: Minimize customer wait times or missed calls by ringing multiple devices simultaneously. When an incoming call is received, all the devices—IP phones, mobile phones, and applications—connected to the extension will ring.
• Shared Voicemail Boxes: Ring groups, such as sales teams or departments, have a dedicated voicemail box accessible to all team members. This improves response times and consolidates all voicemails for collective access.

Grasshopper: Best Low-cost Solution With Flat-rate Pricing

*Save over 10% with annual billing. Add additional phone numbers for $10 each, paid monthly.

Grasshopper is a user-friendly virtual phone system offering flat-rate pricing and accommodating unlimited users in each account. Get multiple phone numbers and extensions to handle simultaneous customer calls with ease. Access features like voicemail transcription and simultaneous call handling, regardless of your plan subscription. Grasshopper’s most expensive plan comes with five phone numbers and unlimited extensions.

Grasshopper helps freelancers and small businesses improve their professional image with telephony features like call transfer and incoming call control. However, it is primarily a phone system offering no-frills call management solutions and lacks advanced tools like video conferencing and third-party integrations. If you need these features, explore RingCentral. It provides robust UC tools, including unlimited HD video conferencing.

Grasshopper Features

• 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 your customers to call you using toll-free numbers that are free of charge for the caller. 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 who can record your custom phone greetings. Announcements can be recorded in English and Spanish.

How We Evaluated the Best VoIP Apps

We considered pricing, general and niche features, ease of use, and customer support to assess the best VoIP app for small businesses. We took into account our own experiences and verified customer feedback to come up with seven top providers.

Learn how we evaluated the app for VoIP calls by clicking on the tabs below:

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What are the disadvantages of using VoIP apps?

VoIP systems depend on an internet connection, so without strong bandwidth or constant connection to internet service, you will have issues like latency, jitter, and low audio quality. Avoid these issues by upgrading your hardware and increasing your bandwidth to support your system requirements.

What is the most common VoIP application?

The leading business VoIP applications include RingCentral, Nextiva, Grasshopper, and Vonage. They allow you and your team to communicate using a phone, softphone on a computer, or mobile application.

How do I make a call using a VoIP app?

Most VoIP providers offer mobile applications, so you’ll begin by downloading the mobile app and logging in. Once you’re in your account, the main dashboard often has call, settings, and message options at the bottom of the screen. Click on the phone icon to see your call log and keypad dialer. From there, you can make and receive phone calls as long as you’re connected to the internet.

Bottom Line

VoIP apps lower cost, increase mobility, and modernize simple phone systems. Out of all the service providers we reviewed, RingCentral is the best VoIP app because of its advanced call routing and conferencing capabilities. This reliable VoIP solution has powerful applications that let users access your virtual phone system from anywhere, using any device. Sign up for RingCentral’s 14-day free trial today.

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