Free business phone number apps are an effective way for businesses to add professionalism to their brand. These numbers make a company look more appealing and streamline inbound and outbound call processes by delivering a dedicated number for business matters. After you create a dedicated business number, you are still able to answer customer questions on your internet protocol (IP) phone, personal smartphone, or computer.
The number offerings, call management features, extensions, and call charges differ from provider to provider. We looked at dozens of free business phone number providers and arrived at the top seven for small businesses:
- Phone.com: Best overall pick for advanced call management features and number options
- CallHippo: Best for low call volumes
- Callcentric: Best for teams needing customizable call services
- Google Voice: Best for a basic monthly subscription with no hidden costs
- Grasshopper: Best for solopreneurs looking for calling features
- Talkroute: Best for multi-digit extensions
- 800.com: Best for a wide variety of toll-free number options
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 Business Phone Number Apps Compared
Free Business Phone Number Apps | Starting Monthly Price | Types of Business Phone Numbers | FSB Rating |
---|---|---|---|
$14.99 |
| 4.16 out of 5 | |
Free; paid plans start at $25 |
| 4.11 out of 5 | |
$1 |
| 4.10 out of 5 | |
Free; paid plans start at $10 |
| 3.92 out of 5 | |
$17 (fixed rate) |
| 3.74 out of 5 | |
$19 |
| 3.57 out of 5 | |
$23 (fixed rate) |
| 3.50 out of 5 | |
Phone.com: Best Overall Free Business Phone Number App
What We Liked
- Offers a variety of phone numbers for paid plans: local, toll-free, international, and vanity
- Volume discounts available for additional phone numbers
- Browser-based video conferencing services
Where It Falls Behind
- No inbound toll-free minutes available on the plans
- Custom phone numbers carry a one-time fee on top of the monthly fee on the subscription plan
- Fewer integrations compared to other providers like CallHippo
Phone.com Monthly Pricing*
- Basic: $14.99 per user for 1 free phone number, 500 pooled minutes, 1,000 pooled text segments, video conferencing of up to 10 participants, and 50 standard voice features
- Plus: $21.99 per user for unlimited minutes, conversational text messaging, video conferencing of up to 25 participants, and Internet Protocol (IP) desk phone compatibility
- Pro: $31.99 per user for call recording, call analytics, customer relationship management (CRM) integration, video conferencing of up to 100 participants, and voicemail transcription
*Save 15% with annual billing
With its attention to providing users with every type of virtual or direct inward dialing (DID) number, Phone.com comes out as our overall best. Customers not only have local, toll-free, and vanity numbers, but customers looking to do overseas business can also get international numbers. This means that any business can cater to any kind of customer with relative ease.
Phone.com is the best phone number app for businesses that want more call management features in their voice-over-internet-protocol (VoIP) phone system. The provider features a host of voice-over-internet-protocol (VoIP) capabilities, including call handling rules, call screening, call waiting, call transfer, click-to-call, hold music, automated attendant, and audio conferencing. To access these capabilities and get a business phone number free, subscribe to the provider’s Basic plan.
Another advantage of using Phone.com is the 500 pooled minutes available for each user in the Basic account. While Phone.com offers numerous call management features, its plans don’t provide inbound toll-free minutes. If you want customers to reach you quickly, choose a provider like Callcentric, which offers a flexible package for inbound toll-free minutes.
Phone.com Features
- Call handling: Route incoming calls more efficiently. Call handling options include setting up an auto-attendant, using the dial-by-name directory, forwarding, and scheduled routing.
- Click-to-call: Embed a code on your website that facilitates voice communication between you and the customer. When users click a button, Phone.com will call the number the customer provided.
- Audio conferencing: Host up to 300 participants in a conference call. The virtual meeting is secure, using password protection and a dedicated number.
CallHippo: Best for Low Call Volumes
What We Liked
- Up to 100 third-party integrations
- Click-to-call and IVR features available on the Basic plan
- Intuitive dashboard that is easy to use
Where It Falls Behind
- Call history only available for six months with the Starter plan
- Only offers a 99.9% uptime guarantee
- Voicemail transcription is an add-on
CallHippo Monthly Pricing
- Basic: $0 for unlimited users, click-to-dial, global connect, SMS, smart switch, and call mute
- Starter: $25 per user for 1,000 calling minutes within the U.S. and Canada; one standard number, one year call records, and basic report analytics
- Professional: $40 per user for unlimited calling minutes within the U.S. and Canada, call recordings, multi-lingual IVR, custom greetings, lifetime call records
- Ultimate: $55 per user for call blocking, compliance call recording, smart direct inward dialing (DID) routing, and advanced integrations
When it comes to complex call features, CallHippo is as straightforward as it gets. This makes it one of the best for lower call volumes because it really only has relatively basic call management capabilities. In the short term, this makes it a good solution for a business or nonprofit organization with short spurts of calls or that might only contact customers irregularly. This also makes for a good option for a solopreneur choosing their first VoIP system.
This isn’t to say that CallHippo is without useful features. One that stands out is its georedundancy; CallHippo has five global servers that carry VoIP calling. If one were to go down, the remaining four servers pick up the slack. CallHippo also has artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled call routing, which helps your customers get to the right rep. For companies looking to expand their reach into international markets, CallHippo has numbers in more than 70 countries.
Unfortunately, while not the most unreliable provider, it’s important to note that CallHippo only offers a 99.9% uptime guarantee. While this might seem high, a guarantee like this means you might experience up to eight hours of yearly downtime. Compare this to other providers, like RingCentral—with 99.999% uptime—which equates to five minutes of yearly downtime, and you’ll notice a stark difference.
CallHippo Features
- Multi-lingual IVR: Help customers get to the most qualified representatives who will address their concerns. A well-designed interactive voice response (IVR) system helps increase first contact resolution, which improves customer experience. CallHippo is one of the few that has IVR options for several languages.
- Power dialer: Don’t waste your time on manual dialing. With this feature, CallHippo automatically dials phone numbers from an uploaded contacts list for campaigns.
- Global connect: Determine the exact time zone and validity of phone numbers of contacts from different countries. With Global Connect, easily pick the right time to contact customers.
Callcentric: Best for Teams Needing Customizable Call Services
What We Liked
- Bring your own device (BYOD) option
- Flexible plans
- Wide range of call management features
Where It Falls Behind
- Configuration may be confusing to some users
- Outdated mobile app
- Lacks flat-rate annual plans
Callcentric Monthly Pricing
Inbound calls:
- Dollar Unlimited: $1 for unlimited call minutes within select regions in the United States (U.S.)
- Pay-per-minute: $1.95 within the U.S. and Canada (additional $0.015 per minute for incoming calls)
- Toll-free: $3.95 for unlimited call minutes within the U.S. and Canada (setup fee of $3.95)
- Office Unlimited: $8.95 for unlimited call minutes within the U.S. and Canada (setup fee of $8.95)
- Service Provider Unlimited: $19.95 for unlimited call minutes within the U.S. and Canada (setup fee of $19.95)
- International Unlimited: Rates vary by country
Outbound calls:
- IP Freedom: Free for unlimited in-network calling to Callcentric customers and other VoIP networks
- Pay per Call: Rates depend on the location called
- North America Basic: $1.95 for 120 minutes to the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico
- North America 500: $6.95 for 500 minutes to the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico
- North America 1000: $12.95 for 1,000 minutes to the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico
- North America 2500: $29.95 for 2,500 minutes to the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico
Callcentric stands out for its Dollar Unlimited plan, which benefits businesses calling specific areas of the country. As the name indicates, the Dollar Unlimited plan costs $1 a month and includes unlimited incoming call minutes within select U.S. states. Callcentric also provides a free business phone number with this plan.
Like Phone.com, Callcentric provides users with all four types of business numbers, which is amazing for smaller businesses. Additionally, this provider allows businesses to be flexible in terms of customizing their VoIP service. Callcentric features independent packages for inbound and outbound calls, ideal for teams with fluctuating call volumes. These solutions are available on a flat-rate unlimited and pay-per-use basis, offering greater control over costs.
While some businesses would appreciate the highly customizable services Callcentric provides, others find it confusing. If you don’t want to worry about device configurations, choose Google Voice, which takes only a few minutes to set up. Additionally, the Callcentric app is somewhat bare-bones; if you’re looking for a strong app experience on both Android and iOS, consider Grasshopper.
Callcentric Features
- Bring your own device (BYOD): There’s no need to replace your existing devices when using Callcentric’s services. Any device that supports Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) is compatible.
- Conference room: Host a virtual meeting with a single click. There’s no limit to the number of participants in the conference, so you can freely meet with a large team.
- Caller ID blocking: This feature hides the caller ID on outbound calls. If you only want to block the ID on a specific call, it’s possible by adding *67 before the number you’re calling.
Google Voice: Best for a Basic Monthly Subscription With No Hidden Costs
What We Liked
- Quick and easy phone number setup
- Intuitive interface
- Seamless integration with Google Calendar and Meet
Where It Falls Behind
- Toll-free and vanity numbers are not supported
- Limited call management features
- Global coverage is limited to 14 countries
Google Voice Monthly Pricing
- Personal use: Free phone number for business calls, sending texts, and receiving voicemails
- Starter: $10 per user for up to 10 users, calls to the U.S., Canada, and most European countries, voicemail transcription, and Google Calendar and Meet integrations
- Standard: $20 per user for unlimited users, unlimited domestic locations, multi-level auto-attendant, ring groups, and eDiscovery for records.
- Premier: $30 per user for unlimited users, unlimited international locations, advanced reporting, and automatic ad-hoc user call recording
One of the key selling points of Google Voice is its entirely free starting plan. With just a Google account, you can immediately make calls using Google Voice. This includes a phone number without a monthly subscription, making it one of the few providers out there to do so. This allows your business to streamline communications with the phone system’s features, including sending and receiving unlimited texts, making calls, and saving voicemails.
Google Voice is available using a laptop or desktop, a dedicated browser, or a mobile phone. When you call someone from the platform, the Google Voice number will appear on the recipient’s caller ID, keeping your personal phone number private. During the call, you can mute your audio, put the call on hold, and access the dial pad to key in numbers following a customer inquiry.
Despite these strengths, it’s important to understand that Google Voice doesn’t deliver toll-free, vanity, or international numbers. This can easily be a deal-breaker for small businesses looking to appear more national, as these businesses will be stuck with numbers from their own nearby areas. If this is something you need, consider Phone.com. The provider lets businesses choose from all types of phone numbers in their subscription plans.
Google Voice Features
- Voicemail greeting recording: Chrome and Firefox allow recording a three-minute-long greeting. On Safari, recordings are only a minute long. Find the voicemail greeting recording function in the Settings under the Active greeting section.
- Spam filter and number blocker: Google Voice automatically places unwanted calls in your spam folder using a global database. Manually block a number by selecting the number in question from your call log and choosing the Block Number option in the three-dot settings.
- Call forwarding: Link a phone number to your Google Voice account to avoid missing calls. This feature is especially useful when you’re traveling to a place without a good internet connection.
Grasshopper: Best for Solopreneurs Looking for Calling Features
What We Liked
- All phone system features are available across all plans
- Simple, easy-to-understand interface
- Unlimited extensions option
Where It Falls Behind
- Lacks advanced call management features other VoIP providers have
- No integrations with CRM tools
- Lacks call recording option
Grasshopper Monthly Pricing*
- True Solo: $17 for one phone number and one extension
- Solo Plus: $34 for 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
*Save over 10% with annual billing
Grasshopper serves as a strong solution for businesses that simply want a full-featured phone system without many non-phone communications features, like video conferencing. It is an ideal option for a free phone number app when your business is looking for vanity numbers.
As one of our top picks for business phone systems, Grasshopper offers one of these custom toll-free numbers for any account. Getting one is easy, as you simply have to search in their number lookup tool. With a memorable number, like 1-800-FLOWERS, you increase brand awareness and recall.
Grasshopper also makes it easy to port existing numbers. It doesn’t charge for this service, and when you sign up, the platform provides you with a number transfer form to keep the number from your old carrier. Once the transfer is complete, you’re free to use your custom number on the platform. Still, call management features are somewhat lacking with Grasshopper. Other providers, like Phone.com, have more robust call management feature sets.
Grasshopper Features
- Instant response: Grasshopper sends an automated response when you miss a call from a customer. The customer has the option to respond with callback details.
- Virtual fax: Have faxes delivered to your email inbox as PDF attachments. With this feature, sharing files with colleagues becomes easy.
- Incoming call control: Screen calls and block unknown numbers. Create custom schedules that align with your business hours to manage incoming calls better.
Talkroute: Best for Multi-digit Extensions
What We Liked
- Unlimited inbound and outbound calling throughout the U.S. and Canada
- Unlimited single and multi-digit extensions
- Video conferencing for up to 100 attendees
Where It Falls Behind
- Single digit extensions aren’t available for the base level plan
- Base level plan doesn’t include an auto-attendant
- Very few integrations, with the exception of Zapier
Talkroute Monthly Pricing
- Basic: $19 per user for 1 user, one phone number, 500 SMS, unlimited local calls, call forwarding, voice mailbox, custom greetings, caller ID, and 100 video attendees
- Plus: $39 for 3 users, two phone numbers, unlimited SMS, three mailboxes, call menu, business hours, simultaneous ring, live call transfer, and screen sharing
- Pro: $59 for 10 users, three phone numbers, 10 voice mailboxes, multi-level auto-attendant, multi-digit extensions, call recording, scheduled call forwarding, voice studio, and business associate agreements (BAA)
- Enterprise: Not published, 10+ phone numbers, 20+ mailboxes, service level agreement (SLA), and account management
As your company grows, having an easy way to reach your agents gains increasing value. Talkroute is one of the better options in the market for this as it includes both single and multi-digit extensions in its plans. While you cannot have single-digit extensions with the base-level plan, this feature is quickly usable as you scale into higher tiers.
With every plan, you get at least one local or toll-free number, and Talkroute also has vanity phone number options. As you scale up through the plans, you’ll be rewarded with two, three, and 10-plus numbers, respectively, for each tier.
For vanity numbers, the provider has both local and toll-free variations available. One noteworthy feature of Talkroute is the inclusion of video conferencing with their plans—you can have up to 100 participants, which is uncommon for virtual phone providers.
Still, with the good comes the bad, and Talkroute does fall behind when it comes to integrations. Outside of Zapier, there are few integrations with this provider, which means that some businesses will be more inclined to seek out a provider like Phone.com. Phone.com has over 100 integrations with popular third-party providers, like Chrometa and Zoho.
Talkroute Features
- Voice Studio: It’s useful to have professional-sounding voice prompts when creating an auto-attendant, IVR, or voicemail message. Talkroute is one of the rare providers that supplies voice talent services. Simply submit the script through its website and wait three business days.
- Call reporting and analytics: Talkroute has detailed history reports that provide detailed call information. This includes date, time, duration, caller ID, and status. There are also filtering options.
- Call stacking: This unique Talkroute technology forwards calls to devices in the order they were received. As the calls come in, the callers are placed on hold. If calls are being forwarded to multiple devices, the devices not currently tackling calls will receive the next call in the queue. With call stacking, you can also set things like maximum hold durations.
800.com: Best for a Wide Variety of Toll-free Number Options
What We Liked
- All VoIP tools are included in every plan
- Massive selection of toll-free numbers
- Unlimited calling minutes included
Where It Falls Behind
- No support for high call volumes
- No unified communications features
- No HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996) compliance features
800.com Monthly Pricing*
- Personal: $23 for 1,000 call minutes and one toll-free number
- Unlimited: $59 for unlimited call minutes and one toll-free number
- Pro: $149 for unlimited seats, 5,000 call minutes, and five toll-free numbers
*Save 15% with annual payment
As the name indicates, 800.com is best used for businesses looking for toll-free business numbers. The available numbers with so-called 800 prefixes include numbers 800, 888, 877, 866, 855, 844, or 833. While international numbers are unavailable through 800.com, this is a free business phone number app that delivers local, toll-free, and vanity numbers. The large list of available toll-free prefixes makes it one of the best providers for 800 number availability.
Subscribers are able to track calls, forward calls, view call analytics, and send short message service (SMS) messages. 800.com also grants access to application programming interfaces (APIs) for SMS, webhooks, and provisioning. This provides the ability to connect the service to external applications if you have a capable IT infrastructure.
The provider doesn’t allow for the creation of bulk text messaging campaigns or bulk call-in lines, so this isn’t the best option for companies with an expected high volume of calls. For a higher degree of high-volume call features, consider Grasshopper. There’s also no support for the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) with 800.com. For this, CallHippo is a better option.
800.com Features
- Weighted routing: This provides the ability to distribute incoming calls as you see fit. For example, you can equally distribute them or prioritize certain agents or teams.
- Call analytics: Call analytics enable teams to analyze incoming calls to the dedicated 800 numbers. These stats help businesses improve their call strategy and customer service. Deep-dive analytics will categorize the calls by the calendar date, time of call, geographic location, and call duration.
- Whisper greeting: 800.com allows users to add a specific whisper message to tracking numbers. This helps agents identify the source of the call to better prepare before engaging with the caller.
How We Evaluated the Best Free Business Phone Number Apps
Many VoIP and cellular service providers offer free business phone numbers that help small businesses maintain a professional image. To determine the best among excellent phone number app options, we looked at these criteria points shown in the tabs below:
30% of Overall Score
We awarded more points to providers that offer a truly free business phone number for which a monthly subscription fee isn’t required. For those with monthly fees, we considered whether the costs were affordable to small businesses.
15% of Overall Score
We assessed the types of phone numbers providers offered and whether they have local and toll-free numbers. We also considered call and text capabilities when awarding points.
15% of Overall Score
We evaluated providers to see if they have international phone numbers and international calling capabilities. We also looked at advanced phone system features, namely business hour management and vacation settings.
10% of Overall Score
User experience is integral to any software-as-a-service (SaaS) solution. We took a look at each provider and determined how easy it was for non-technical users to navigate their interfaces.
10% of Overall Score
When we evaluated customer support, we looked at the available channels and the hours each provider offered in order to determine which were the best.
20% of Overall Score
We considered the ease of use of business phone number apps and their popularity among users as we looked at third-party reviews. We also noted standout features and the value for money each provider offers.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
First, you’ll have to identify a business phone number provider. Most VoIP services provide some form of business phone number, but some may charge for additional ones.
This depends on the type of business. For example, for those building credibility in specific areas, a local phone number might be best. For those wanting to appear to be more national, toll-free phone numbers for business are a great option.
Companies looking to be more memorable with an alphanumeric number that uses memorable words or phrases will find a vanity number more useful. When businesses communicate around the world, an international number will help build a foreign customer base.
Google Voice is the easiest way to get a business phone number because it only requires a Google account. This phone number will be local to your jurisdiction, and 800, international, and vanity numbers are unavailable.
Bottom Line
Having a free business phone number helps you quickly and easily separate your work life from your private one. These numbers also help you reach your intended audience with a number type that best fits their needs.
Out of the providers we reviewed, Phone.com emerged as the clear winner thanks to its number availability, advanced calling features, and a Basic plan that’s very solopreneur-friendly. Check out Phone.com today to get the ball rolling on your new free business phone number.