6 Best Phone.com Alternatives in 2022
Corey McCraw is a staff writer covering VoIP and Unified Communications. Corey has over a decade of experience in marketing, tech writing, and corporate communications and has even penned content for the former First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move initiative.
This article is part of a larger series on VoIP.
The best Phone.com alternatives offer diverse functionality while still providing the essential voice-over-internet-protocol (VoIP) business calling features Phone.com users appreciate, such as an inexpensive base plan, toll-free numbers, and an auto-attendant. We examined several competitors, rated them on usability, features, and pricing, and identified the best use cases for six phone.com alternatives.
Based on our comparison, the best Phone.com alternatives include:
- Nextiva: Overall best Phone.com alternative for small to mid-sized businesses (SMBs)
- RingCentral MVP: Best alternative to Phone.com for mid-to-large-size companies wanting international phone numbers
- Vonage Business Communications: Top choice for seasonal, a la carte add-on options
- Dialpad: Best affordable Phone.com alternative with artificial intelligence (AI) features
- Google Voice: Great option for solopreneurs or startups that want a free business phone number with call recording
- Grasshopper: Best virtual Phone.com alternative for small, remote teams that don’t need more than five phone numbers
Phone.com & Best Alternatives at a Glance
Phone.com & Alternatives | Starting Price | Key Features | Free Trial | FSB Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | $12.99 |
| N/A | Read our Phone.com Review |
 | $30.95 |
| 7 days | 4.54 out of 5 |
 | $29.99 |
| 15 days | 4.53 out of 5 |
 | $19.99 |
| 14 days | 4.22 out of 5 |
 | $20.00 |
| 14 days | 4.16 out of 5 |
 | $0 |
| N/A | 4.0 out of 5 |
 | $29 |
| 7 days | 3.97 out of 5 |
Nextiva: Best Overall Phone.com Alternative
Nextiva
Overall Score: 4.54
OUT OF 5
What We Like
- Up to 3 professionally recorded greetings available on all plans, except Essential
- Easily switch devices mid-call using call flip
- Unlimited one-to-one video calling comes standard with all subscriptions
What's Missing
- Entry-tier subscription doesn’t include unlimited text or team messaging
- Voice and video call recording aren’t standard with Essential or Professional subscriptions
- Voice analytics are only available on the Enterprise and Ultimate versions
How It Compares to Phone.com
- Nextiva provides 1,500 to 12,500 toll-free minutes per month, whereas Phone.com doesn’t include any toll-free minutes with subscriptions.
- Host video meetings with up to 250 participants on Nextiva versus 100 on Phone.com.
- Nextiva’s call pop feature puts key customer data on the screen, including an experience score and account value. Phone.com doesn’t offer this feature.
- Mobile Nextiva users can share screens during a video meeting, whereas this feature only works in a Phone.com web browser or desktop app.
Nextiva is the best overall Phone.com alternative for SMBs because the unified communications (UC) platform includes professionally recorded greetings and toll-free minutes. No other providers offer free recordings for your auto-attendant or voicemail system, and Nextiva subscriptions include more toll-free minutes than RingCentral.
Nextiva works well for small businesses with on-site and remote employees. All plans include desk phone compatibility, whereas RingCentral and Vonage don’t include this in entry-tier packages.
Nextiva also provides 24/7 phone, email, and chat support. In comparison, RingCentral and Dialpad don’t offer phone support on their base plans. As one of the best small business VoIP services, Nextiva keeps your teams connected with its CoSpace application. It’s a shared workspace for your team, allowing them to interact via instant message, group chat, or video.
Although Nextiva is our top Phone.com alternative, you may want to consider another provider if you don’t need toll-free numbers and minutes or professional greetings. For instance, Dialpad is less expensive than Nextiva, yet offers advanced analytics, text messaging, and call recording on the base plan, whereas Nextiva locks these features behind pricier tiers.
Nextiva Pricing at a Glance*
- Essential: $30.95 per user, per month for unmetered calling in the U.S. and Canada, unlimited faxing, team messaging, one-to-one video calls, a local and toll-free number, and 1,500 toll-free minutes
- Professional: $35.95 per user, per month for 40 audio conference participants, 250 video meeting attendees, 3,000 toll-free minutes, short message service (SMS), 250 call pops, and one professional greeting
- Enterprise: $45.95 per user, per month for unlimited audio conferencing participants, 12,500 toll-free minutes, unlimited call pops, call and video recording, voicemail transcription, and three professional greetings
- Ultimate: $75.95 per user, per month for surveys, survey analytics, spam protection, and custom survey landing pages
*Pricing is based on one to four people with monthly billing. Save with discounts for additional users and annual billing.
Nextiva Features
See caller details before picking up the line. (Source: Nextiva)
- Unified communications: Nextiva puts instant messaging, text conversations, group chat, video, and voice capabilities into one platform. You also get unlimited faxing with all plans, unlike RingCentral, which leaves it off the base plan.
- Call pops: Use call pops to give agents more context about incoming callers before they pick up the phone. They can view previous customer interactions, customer experience scores, and survey ratings.
- Music on hold messaging: All subscriptions supply free professional recordings, except Essential. Music on hold messaging can be a mix of music and promotional messages. You provide the script, and Nextiva takes it from there.
RingCentral MVP: Best Phone.com Alternative for International Phone Numbers
RingCentral MVP
Overall Score: 4.53
OUT OF 5
What We Like
- International phone numbers in 100+ regions
- RingCentral is the only Phone.com alternative with the McAfee CloudTrust rating of Enterprise-Ready
- More than 250 integrations with customer relationship management (CRM) programs and productivity software
What's Missing
- Professionally recorded greetings don’t come with subscriptions
- More expensive than other Phone.com competitors like Dialpad and Vonage
- Volume-based discounts only apply if you have 100+ users
How It Compares to Phone.com
- RingCentral supplies 100 to 10,000 toll-free minutes, whereas Phone.com charges per-minute rates for toll-free calling.
- Choose from standard and toll-free numbers in more than 100 countries with RingCentral vs Phone.com’s 31.
- Connect with up to 200 video meeting participants on RingCentral compared to 100 on Phone.com.
- RingCentral audio conferences scale up to 1,000 attendees, whereas Phone.com limits audio conferences to 250 people.
RingCentral MVP is the best business phone system for midsize or larger organizations looking to expand globally. While it offers a unified communications platform similar to Nextiva and supplies toll-free minutes, Nextiva doesn’t provide international phone numbers. In contrast, RingCentral lets you choose international local or toll-free numbers, depending on the location.
If your company’s growth also includes adding international employees, RingCentral can help. All RingCentral products support 17 languages, so your team can get localized voice prompts and callers interact with multilingual interactive voice response (IVR) systems. Like RingCentral MVP, Vonage also supports global workforces in over 40 countries, but it doesn’t advertise support for multiple languages.
However, RingCentral only provides volume discounts for companies with 100 or more users. As such, its plans cost more than other Phone.com competitors. Vonage offers international numbers in more than 96 countries and may be your more affordable alternative. Check out the differences between these providers in our RingCentral versus Vonage comparison.
RingCentral MVP Pricing at a Glance*
- Essentials: $29.99 per user, per month for up to 20 users, a local or toll-free number, 100 toll-free minutes, unlimited calling in the U.S. and Canada, texting, and team messaging
- Standard: $37.99 per user, per month for unlimited faxing, 1,000 toll-free minutes, audio conferencing, video meetings with 100 people, and on-demand call recording
- Premium: $44.99 per user, per month for 2,500 toll-free minutes, video conferences with 200 participants, automatic call recording, single sign-on (SSO), and real-time analytics
- Ultimate: $59.99 per user, per month for 10,000 toll-free minutes, device status reports and alerts, and unlimited cloud storage
*Pricing is based on two to 20 people with monthly billing. Save up to 33% with annual prepayment and additional discounts with 100 or more users.
RingCentral MVP Features
Collaborate in real time and switch methods without changing apps or devices. (Source: RingCentral MVP)
- Team collaboration: Connect your team, regardless of where they live, using RingCentral MVP tools. Users can view services in their preferred language and work together in multiple ways, such as group chats or video meetings.
- Integrations: RingCentral works with hundreds of third-party apps, including customer relationship managers (CRMs), developer tools, and productivity platforms. With a vast range of options, RingCentral is great for large organizations wanting to improve workflows using integrated services.
- Security: Although other Phone.com alternatives provide services compliant with Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) standards, RingCentral has additional certifications. RingCentral MVP and apps are certified by the Health Information Trust Alliance (HITRUST) and earned a McAfee CloudTrust rating of Enterprise-Ready.
Vonage Business Communications: Best Phone.com Alternative for Seasonal a la Carte Add-ons
Vonage Business Communications
Overall Score: 4.22
OUT OF 5
What We Like
- Intuitive mobile apps with advanced capabilities, including Siri integration with iOS apps
- A la carte features make it easy to add extra services during seasons with higher call volumes
- Provides Call Continuity so you can forward calls to a backup number if an emergency, such as a power outage, occurs
What's Missing
- Doesn’t offer toll-free minutes with any subscriptions, unlike Nextiva
- Features like visual voicemail and automatic call recording don’t come in lower-tier plans
- Doesn’t have built-in single sign-on (SSO) capabilities, but you can use a third-party provider
How It Compares to Phone.com
- Vonage supports unlimited calling to the U.S., Canada, and Mexico—Phone.com’s unmetered calling plans don’t include Mexico.
- Like Phone.com, Vonage offers various add-ons so you can easily customize your calling plan.
- Vonage offers a software-defined wide area network (SD-WAN) that monitors bandwidth and prioritizes voice and video calls to ensure consistent call quality. Phone.com doesn’t have this feature.
- Vonage’s 14-day trial gives you a chance to try out the services, while Phone.com doesn’t have a free trial (although it has a 30-day money-back guarantee).
Vonage Business Communications differs from other Phone.com competitors because it offers many features as optional add-ons. While the cost of add-ons can make Vonage less affordable than other providers, it’s a good fit for companies needing extra support during peak seasons. For instance, you may use the low-priced Mobile plan year-round but want to add call groups during cycles with higher call volumes or call recording when training seasonal staff.
In these cases, paying $4.99 for call groups, which ring up to 28 extensions simultaneously or sequentially, or adding 500 hours of call recording time for $49.99 per month may be cheaper than paying for higher-priced subscriptions year-round. Vonage Business Communications also helps manage call quality with its SmartWAN feature. You can prevent congestion, prioritize voice and video calls, and view performance statistics.
If you require ring groups and call recording throughout the year, Dialpad offers a better solution. Three ring groups and call recording come with the Standard plan, and you can choose annual billing to drop the price to $15 per user, per month.
Vonage Business Communications Pricing at a Glance*
- Mobile: $19.99 per user, per month for unlimited calling in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, unmetered SMS, team messaging, and Vonage app center integrations
- Premium: $29.99 per user, per month for video meetings with 100 people, multi-level auto-attendant, CRM integrations, and internet protocol (IP) phone compatibility
- Advanced: $39.99 per user, per month for on-demand call recording, call groups, and visual voicemail
*Pricing is based on one to four people.
Vonage Business Communications Features
Keep your team connected from anywhere with multi-device compatibility. (Source: Vonage Business Communications)
- Siri for iPhones: Vonage Business Communications users can use Siri to start a hands-free call using their iPhone. This feature is perfect for sales teams and others constantly on the go. By the way, RingCentral also works with Siri and lets you send a hands-free text message.
- Mobility: Vonage supports the how and where you work. Your team can connect up to three devices to the service, including desk phones and softphone apps on your computer or cell phone. Plus, you can easily switch devices mid-call, just like with Nextiva and RingCentral.
- Quality management: As your business moves to cloud-based services, it can be challenging for your internet to keep up. The SmartWAN feature provides information required for quality of service (QoS) and experience (QoE) reports. It helps optimize internet traffic and can reduce the need to purchase more expensive broadband packages.
Visit Vonage Business Communications
Dialpad: Best Phone.com Alternative for AI Features
Dialpad
Overall Score: 4.16
OUT OF 5
What We Like
- Robust entry-tier plan has many features typically locked behind higher tiers, such as call recording and voicemail transcription
- Automatic post-call notes reduce after-call work (ACW)
- Standard call transcriptions and speech coaching help supervisors monitor and train staff
What's Missing
- Only Enterprise users get SSO security features
- Toll-free numbers aren’t included with a Dialpad subscription and are more expensive ($15 per month) than other Phone.com alternatives
- Video meetings are limited to 5 hours on the Pro plan, and there is no persistent video option
How It Compares to Phone.com
- Dialpad provides international phone numbers for 59 regions versus 31 with Phone.com.
- Dialpad’s base plan with annual billing is about $5 more per user and includes unlimited calling, texting, and call recording. Phone.com’s entry tier plan is metered, and call recording costs an extra $8 per month.
- Dialpad’s Pro subscription includes international texting, and Phone.com restricts texting to the U.S.
- Automatic spam protection comes with all Dialpad subscriptions, as does a block list. In contrast, Phone.com only has a block list.
Dialpad gives the most bang for your buck with artificial intelligence (AI) by way of AI-based tools for automating tasks and advanced analytics. It also offers the most feature-rich entry-tier subscription compared to other Phone.com alternatives. Dialpad’s Standard plan includes features like call recording, voicemail transcription, spam protection, and multi-level auto-attendants for $15 per user, per month with annual billing.
In contrast, Nextiva only offers spam detection on its Ultimate plan ($67.95 per user, per month with yearly prepayment). RingCentral MVP charges $34.99 per user, per month with annual billing for its Premium subscription with automatic call recording. Likewise, both providers lock real-time and voice analytics behind higher tiers. Although Google Voice includes call recording on its free and paid versions, it lacks AI-driven tools and advanced analytics.
Other standout Dialpad features include international texting on the Pro plan and advanced routing tools like round-robin, fixed order, and longest idle. However, toll-free numbers are an add-on cost, and Dialpad restricts video conferencing to 10 participants unless you opt for a paid Dialpad Meetings subscription.
If you host large meetings with 200 or 250 people, the upper-level Nextiva and RingCentral MVP packages have higher conference limits and advanced features. Your total cost of ownership (TCO) for an upper package with these Phone.com alternatives could be about the same as subscriptions to both Dialpad voice and video services, which caps participants at 100.
Dialpad Pricing at a Glance*
- Standard: $20 per user, per month for a local number, unlimited calling in the U.S. and Canada, call recording, multi-level auto-attendant, spam protection, voicemail transcription, and unlimited texting
- Pro: $30 per user, per month with a three-license minimum for international SMS, integrations, and 25 ring groups
- Enterprise: If you need 100 or more licenses, contact Dialpad for a custom quote for unlimited ring groups and single sign-on (SSO) integrations
*Pricing is based on monthly billing. Choose annual for additional discounts.
Dialpad Features
Identify action items from calls using voice intelligence. (Source: Dialpad)
- Analytics and reporting: Drill down into usage and performance using Dialpad’s reporting capabilities. It tracks various metrics for keywords, on-hold queues, caller sentiment, and call data. AI-based voice intelligence generates the insights used for improving customer experiences.
- Speech coaching: The real-time assist speech coaching tool displays on-screen suggestions to your employees. It can remind them to speak clearly, avoid filler words like “um,” and slow down.
- Productivity: Dialpad plans provide AI-based tools to reduce your team’s after-call work (ACW). Once you’ve enabled voice intelligence, you can automatically create a real-time transcript at the start of every call. The software generates call summaries, highlights, and action items.
Google Voice: Best Phone.com Alternative for Startups & Solopreneurs
Google Voice
Overall Score: 4.00
OUT OF 5
What We Like
- The free version includes call recording and visual voicemail, two features that don’t come on many entry-tier paid plans from Phone.com competitors
- Automatically filters spam calls using artificial intelligence (AI)
- User-friendly mobile apps and browser-based tools with an interface similar to Gmail and other Google services
What's Missing
- Doesn’t offer volume or annual discounts or a free trial of paid plans
- Desk phone support isn’t available on the Starter plan
- Google Voice doesn’t provide toll-free phone numbers
How It Compares to Phone.com
- Individuals can use Google Voice for free, whereas Phone.com doesn’t offer a free version.
- Free and paid Google Voice subscriptions come with call recording. In contrast, Phone.com charges $8 per month on Basic and Plus plans.
- Google’s Starter plan includes unlimited calling minutes and texting for $10 per user, per month. Phone.com Plus is unmetered yet costs $15.99 per user, per month with annual billing.
- Google Voice seamlessly integrates with Google products, such as Google Workspace and Gmail. Phone.com has limited built-in integrations, and Google isn’t one of them.
Google Voice is an excellent Phone.com alternative and is on our list of the best cheap VoIP services. Individuals get a phone number, unlimited calling and texting in the U.S., and voicemail for free, making it a great option if you need a second phone number for business.
Unlike Nextiva, all Google Voice subscriptions include spam protection and call recording. The Starter package is also useful for small teams of up to 10. It’s the most affordable base plan at $10 per user, per month, but also requires a separate Google Workspace subscription, starting at $6 per user, per month.
The Standard package includes features such as auto-attendants, desk phone compatibility, and ring groups. If you already use Google Workspace, adding Google Voice delivers extra value. For five users, you’ll pay the same price for the Google Workspace and Standard voice combo ($80 per month) as you would for Grasshopper’s Small Business plan ($80 per month with annual billing).
But Google Voice lacks built-in video conferencing and doesn’t support toll-free numbers. In this case, Nextiva would be more suitable than Google Voice. A team of five or 10 pays $25.95 per user, per month with annual billing on Nextiva’s Professional plan. While more expensive, the extra cost pays for a local and toll-free number, 3,000 toll-free minutes, a professionally recorded greeting, and conferences with 250 participants.
Google Voice Pricing at a Glance*
- Personal: No monthly charge for one phone number, unlimited calling in the U.S., call recording, voicemail transcription, and unlimited texting
- Starter: $10 per user, per month for up to 10 users, unlimited calling and texting, do not disturb (DND), call recording, and voicemail transcripts
- Standard: $20 per user, per month for auto-attendants, desk phone compatibility, and ring groups
- Premier: $30 per user, per month to add international locations and export voice to BigQuery
*Paid subscriptions are an add-on to a Google Workspace plan, starting at $6 per user, per month.
Google Voice Features
Set up your auto-attendant in the Google Admin portal. (Source: Google Voice)
- Google integrations: Google seamlessly works with your Gmail and Google Calendar apps. You can start a call right from your inbox or send calls straight to voicemail if your calendar shows you’re busy.
- Voicemail transcription: Save time by reading your voicemail messages from your email or Google Voice app. Google uses artificial intelligence to transcribe customer messages and bolds new messages in the mobile app.
- Auto-attendants: The Google Voice auto-attendant lets callers choose from a list of options, and it automatically routes them to the right team. You can set different actions for after-hours calls or holiday closures. Plus, Google can send calls to an individual, another auto-attendant, or number.
Grasshopper: Best Phone.com Alternative for Sharing Five Lines
Grasshopper
Overall Score: 3.97
OUT OF 5
What We Like
- The mobile apps work well for small teams that want to use their personal cell phones for work
- Supports local, toll-free, and vanity phone numbers, and subscriptions include 1 to 5 numbers
- Doesn’t charge per-user pricing and the highest-plan tier provides unlimited extensions
What's Missing
- No built-in video conferencing tools
- Not HIPAA compliant
- Not as scalable as other Phone.com alternatives, such as RingCentral
How It Compares to Phone.com
- Phone.com and Grasshopper offer similar pricing for 5 users with annual billing ($79.95 versus $80). But Grasshopper is about $10 cheaper if you opt for monthly payments.
- Both companies provide add-on features, such as call answering services. Grasshopper also sells professionally recorded voice greetings.
- Grasshopper’s desktop app is complimentary with a subscription. In comparison, Phone.com works on a web browser and charges $4.99 per extension.
Like Google Voice, Grasshopper is a popular virtual number provider offering local, toll-free, and vanity phone numbers. It doesn’t charge per-user fees, and you can forward calls to cell phone and landline numbers.
Users choose Grasshopper because the mobile app is super user-friendly and setup doesn’t require any technical skills. Subscriptions with unlimited extensions mean you can add a contractor or temporary employee without increasing your phone bill.
Unfortunately, Grasshopper doesn’t offer HIPAA-compliant services or integrated video conferencing. All of the other Phone.com alternatives can meet HIPAA standards and all except Google Voice have native video conferencing features.
All Grasshopper features are included in every plan tier, unlike other Phone.com alternatives. Plus, like Vonage, Grasshopper offers add-on features, such as 35% off Ruby Receptionist services and professionally recorded greetings starting at $75. See exactly how Grasshopper and Phone.com stack up in our Phone.com vs Grasshopper head-to-head comparison.
Grasshopper Pricing at a Glance*
- Solo: $29 per month for one local, toll-free, or vanity phone number and three extensions
- Partner: $49 per month for three numbers and six extensions
- Small Business: $89 per month for five numbers and unlimited extensions
*Pricing is based on monthly billing. Choose annual and save up to 10%.
Grasshopper Features
Turn your personal smartphone into a business device with Grasshopper’s app. (Source: Grasshopper)
- Mobile and desktop apps: Use your cellular data or internet connection to make and receive calls, text with co-workers and clients, and view business contacts. Grasshopper apps also give you a voicemail box for reading transcriptions or listening to the messages.
- Informational extensions: Contact Grasshopper Customer Care to create up to five topics and five subtopics with enhanced extensions. Your messages can be any length, making them perfect for sharing your business hours or latest promotions without tying up your phone line.
- Call reports: Discover details about usage, activity, or calls with Grasshopper reports. You can filter results according to a business number, time frame, or call forwarding number. These give a small team insight into call volumes, but as your business grows, you may prefer a solution like Dialpad for advanced analytics.
How We Evaluated the Best Phone.com Alternatives
Phone.com competitors provide several features Phone.com doesn’t offer, such as toll-free minutes and AI-based analytics. But the providers and subscriptions vary greatly in price and functionality, so we looked at general and advanced features to compare vendors.
We scored each service based on its overall value for the money and user ratings. Check out our full Phone.com review to see the pros and cons, then consider our top recommended alternative, Nextiva.
Nextiva earned 4.54 out of 5 based on our criteria, making it the best Phone.com alternative. It provides annual and volume-based discounts, free professional voice recordings, and an auto-attendant. Like Phone.com, Nextiva supports video conferencing but lets you meet with up to 250 people instead of just 100. Learn more in our Nextiva review or try it yourself with a seven-day free trial.
Here’s a breakdown of how we measured each provider:
15%
Pricing
30%
General Features
30%
More Niche Features
25%
Expert Score
15% of Overall Score
Phone.com alternatives use various pricing models, so we compared subscription costs, including available discounts for annual billing and larger teams, to determine a per-user cost. We also rated services with a free version and a free trial higher.
30% of Overall Score
Each Phone.com competitor had to offer texting, call forwarding, and an auto-attendant on one or more plans. We looked for services with toll-free numbers, visual voicemail, and multiple phone extensions.
30% of Overall Score
We examined iOS and Android mobile apps as well as desktop versions. We reviewed call reporting options and scored alternatives with international calling, voicemail transcription, and 24/7 customer service higher than those without.
25% of Overall Score
Our expert score is based on our own firsthand experience with each platform and reviews from other users. We also considered the overall value for the money, standout or unique features, and general popularity of the services.
*Percentages of overall score
Bottom Line
Phone.com is an affordable and popular phone system, yet it lacks features some businesses may want, such as advanced analytics and toll-free minutes. As such, there are some cases where a Phone.com competitor may fit your needs better. We assessed several Phone.com alternatives and compared them based on our rating system and potential business use cases.
Based on our research, Nextiva is the best Phone.com alternative. It provides a unified communications platform where your team can collaborate in real time and turn any chat into a voice or video call. Unlike Phone.com, Nextiva also offers toll-free minutes with every plan. Check out Nextiva to learn if it’s right for your business.
