Phone.com vs Grasshopper: Which Is Better for Small Businesses?

The Phone.com vs Grasshopper debate comes down to the size of your team and what type of features you need for your business calls. Both use voice-over-internet-protocol (VoIP) for call handling, support, and text messaging, but only Phone.com has video conferencing and in-meeting chat. Grasshopper is easier to use and provides personal phone lines with paired-down, professional-grade functionality, but does require an existing phone service to work.

Here are the best use cases for both:

• Phone.com: Better option for brick-and-mortar businesses with on-site and remote employees
• Grasshopper: More appropriate for home office users or field-based teams needing five lines or less

Phone.com vs Grasshopper at a Glance

Pricing*	$10.39 to $23.99 per user, per month	$26 to $80 per month for up to 5 numbers and unlimited extensions
Free Trial	30-day money-back guarantee	7-day free trial
Ease of Use	Easy	Extremely easy
Call Logs	✔	✔
Mobile Apps	✔	✔
Auto-attendant	✔	✔
Video Conferencing	✔	✕
Integrations	✔	On Enterprise plans
Customer Support	24/7 phone, email, and chat support	24/7 phone and help ticket
For More Information	Visit Phone.com	Visit Grasshopper

*Phone.com is based on one to four users with yearly billing. Grasshopper pricing is based on annual prepayment.

Best for Pricing*: Phone.com

Basic Users: $10.39 per user, per month for 300 pooled minutes, 1 phone number per account, 1,000 pooled text segments, 10-participant video conferences, fax, and call handling Plus Users: $15.99 per user, per month for 1 number per user, unlimited minutes for calling and text messaging, 25-person video conferencing and recording, fax, internet protocol (IP) phone compatibility, and voicemail transcription Pro Users: $23.99 per user, per month for unlimited calling, texting, and 100-participant video meetings and data call recording, analytics, video breakout rooms, and customer relationship management (CRM) integration

All Grasshopper service plans include inbound faxing, unlimited domestic calling, call forwarding, voicemail, instant response, and call handling. Solo: $26 per month for 1 phone number and 3 extensions Partner: $44 per month for 3 phone numbers and 6 extensions Small Business: $80 per month for 5 phone numbers and unlimited extensions

*For both Phone.com and Grasshopper, the above pricing is based on annual billing. You can also choose a monthly subscription option.

Phone.com and Grasshopper plans use different pricing models, so we compared costs based on different use cases, including solopreneurs, three-person, and five-person teams. Hands-down, Phone.com’s metered plan (Basic Users) is the cheapest solution for any workforce size. Also, Grasshopper doesn’t offer a pay-per-minute option.

Phone.com is the most affordable choice for solopreneurs, costing about $187 less annually for the unlimited plan (Plus Users) versus Grasshopper’s Solo package. If you need five lines, Phone.com is also less expensive, as it’s priced at about $97 lower per year. However, if you only need three phone lines, Grasshopper is cheaper by about $48 annually.

Beyond basic pricing, Phone.com sells additional phone numbers for $4.99 monthly, whereas Grasshopper charges $10. Phone.com’s volume-based discounts and the flexibility to mix and match plans make it a more affordable solution in most cases.

Best for Call Handling: Phone.com

Auto-attendant Call screening and blocking Call queues Call transfer and forwarding Dial-by-name directory Find me, follow me	Virtual receptionist Call screening and blocking Call transfer and forwarding Dial-by-name directory Find me, follow me

Phone.com takes the lead when it comes to call handling, thanks to an auto-attendant that’s slightly more sophisticated than Grasshopper’s virtual receptionist. It lets you route calls based on your business schedule or caller identification (ID). Caller ID routing sends known contacts directly to an open line (or any action of your choosing) while presenting an unknown caller with voice menu options.

You also can build more complex call flows with Phone.com vs Grasshopper. The configuration tool supports time limits for call segments, allowing you to add multiple elements to your call flow. For example, ring lines for a specific duration before playing hold music or add additional segments, such as sending unanswered calls back to the phone tree menu or voicemail.

Like Grasshopper, Phone.com’s virtual receptionist comes with all subscriptions, including the basic metered plan. Both systems offer a dial-by-name directory, custom greetings, and call forwarding to various devices and extensions. Use the “find me, follow me” feature to ring multiple phones simultaneously.

If your team consists of just a couple of people, you probably won’t notice a big difference between Grasshopper and Phone.com. Larger groups with higher call volumes benefit from Phone.com’s advanced call handling tools.

Best for Call Logs & Analytics: Phone.com

Call logs are available with all plans Pro Users have access to analytics and reports	Call logs come with all subscriptions

We give Phone.com the edge for call logs and analytics because the Pro plan provides a few more insights than Grasshopper offers. Choose your report type and filter options (inbound, outbound, or calls during a certain time frame), and then view the results on the screen. Phone.com offers three graph options, and all data is available as a downloadable comma-separated value (CVS) file.

Grasshopper has three reports: usage, detail, and activity. These provide a basic overview of your call volume by time frame and phone number. The activity report also has data about your faxes, voicemails, and hang-ups. However, these reports are only exportable as CSV files and aren’t as visually appealing as the on-screen graphs Phone.com offers.

Both providers offer call logs for all plans and users. However, the added analytics capability at the Pro tier makes Phone.com a better option for companies with more than five lines. Since Phone.com offers mix-and-match phone plans, you can assign an administrator to a Pro line to view analytics but keep other employees on the Basic or Plus packages.

Best for Ease of Use: Grasshopper

Intuitive mobile app interface Knowledge base	Straightforward mobile app interface Knowledge base

Phone.com and Grasshopper aren’t complicated to set up or use. Both have mobile and desktop applications that work on Android and iOS devices and web portals for online administration. However, Grasshopper is the best virtual phone number provider and earns higher ratings for its straightforward mobile and desktop apps. The user interface has a modern feel, and quickly switches between calls, voicemails, and text messaging.

Grasshopper is also simple to set up, and there isn’t a significant learning curve. It has 24/7 U.S.-based customer support available over the phone or by submitting a help ticket. You’ll have access to both support options from many of Grasshopper’s knowledge base articles. Check out our Grasshopper review for more details about ease of use, features, and pricing.

On the other hand, Phone.com is easy to configure as well. Like Grasshopper, Phone.com provides 24/7 customer service. Support is available over chat or phone, or you can submit a request online. Phone.com says its team is able to help you order or connect IP phones, configure a call routing schedule, or set up a fax line.

Best for Conferencing: Phone.com

Audio conferencing with up to 300 people Video conferencing with up to 100 participants	Audio conferencing with up to 10 attendees

Phone.com is the better option if you want built-in video conferencing and higher audio conferencing capacities. All subscriptions include unlimited one-to-one or group video meetings for 10, 25, or 100 participants. The video application supports file and screen sharing, branded meeting rooms, and chat. Choose the Pro plan to record meetings and use a whiteboard or upgrade to the Plus package for full meeting transcriptions and breakout rooms.

Grasshopper doesn’t offer video conferencing, but it allows you to host an audio conference with 10 people, lagging behind the 300 attendees supported by Phone.com. In addition, Phone.com provides a conference bridge number, and participants can call into your meeting. With Grasshopper, you’ll need to contact each person to connect them to your audio conference.

Best for Integrations: Phone.com

YouTube video streaming Zapier Customer relationship management (CRM) systems	None

If you want to integrate your favorite tools with your virtual phone system, Phone.com is the best solution. It only offers a few built-in integrations with applications like Zoho, AllProWebTools, and Chrometa. Still, the Zapier connection supports nearly limitless integrations with all of your favorite apps, including HubSpot, Google Gmail, and Salesforce.

These integrations add more functionality to your phone system, allowing you to use screen pops or click-to-dial from your customer relationship manager (CRM). In contrast, Grasshopper doesn’t integrate with any tools. Neither phone service offers the rich integrations found in their alternatives, such as RingCentral.

Best Alternatives

Although Grasshopper and Phone.com are affordable and easy to use, other alternatives may work better for your team. There are less expensive solutions and options that include a greater number of features and advanced tools. Take advantage of free trials to explore the features and functionality of different business phone systems.

A few Grasshopper and Phone.com alternatives include:

• MightyCall: Like Phone.com, MightyCall offers metered and unlimited plans. It costs less than Grasshopper and Phone.com and provides an auto-attendant, performance reports, and CRM integrations. It costs $9 to $15 per user, per month.
• Google Voice: If you’re a solopreneur, the free Google Voice is an excellent Grasshopper alternative. Likewise, existing Google Workspace users will appreciate the integrated phone system as an add-on for $10 to $30 per user, per month.
• RingCentral: This platform is our top pick for growing businesses wanting a full-featured VoIP business phone platform. RingCentral has advanced team messaging and collaboration features with unlimited calling and conferencing. Prices range from $19.99 to $49.99 per user, per month with annual billing.

How We Evaluated Phone.com vs Grasshopper

Phone.com and Grasshopper share many similar characteristics, but there are differences. We researched how various features worked and used the softphone apps to test them ourselves. For an accurate comparison between the two providers, we looked at service plan pricing, as well as general and advanced features, and gave each an expert score.

Here’s a complete breakdown of these factors:

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Can I transfer my current phone number to Grasshopper or Phone.com?

Yes, both Grasshopper and Phone.com offer free number porting. Simply complete a transfer request and keep your current phone line active until the porting process is complete. The providers typically complete the request in about 15 days, but it can take longer in some cases.

Is Phone.com or Grasshopper HIPAA-compliant?

Grasshopper service isn’t compatible with Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) regulations. On the other hand, Phone.com offers HIPAA-compliant services for voice and video and will sign a business associates agreement (BAA) when required. Learn more in our guide to HIPAA-compliant video conferencing solutions.

Can I use a VoIP phone with Grasshopper or Phone.com?

Phone.com’s Pro and Plus subscriptions support IP desk phones, and you could use an analog telephone adaptor (ATA) to connect analog devices. Grasshopper doesn’t work with IP desk phones unless you transfer your Grasshopper calls to phones connected through an existing landline or VoIP service.

Bottom Line

Grasshopper and Phone.com are small business phone services with affordable service plans. Grasshopper is more suitable for small, remote teams of three to five people, whereas Phone.com supports dozens of employees working on and off-site. Both of these also offer international calling when needed at reasonable rates.

Phone.com outperforms Grasshopper when it comes to call handling, conferencing, analytics, and integrations. It also offers low-priced metered subscriptions, perfect for users with lower call volumes. Learn more about our top pick in our Phone.com review or explore service plans with a 30-day money-back guarantee.