Voice-over-internet-protocol (VoIP) services deliver many telephony features that traditional landlines cannot, all for a lower cost. The best VoIP for a small business goes beyond typical voice calls by offering advanced call management, video conferencing, instant messaging, e-faxing, and third-party app integrations. Monthly fees start at $10 per user, but pricing varies depending on the provider, call plan, and feature inclusions.
Here’s a list of the best VoIP providers for small businesses, as well as their best use cases:
- RingCentral: Best overall small business VoIP for high call volumes
- Zoom Phone: Best low-cost VoIP service
- Phone.com: Best for unpredictable call volumes
- Nextiva: Best for customer communications
- Vonage: Best custom VoIP service
- Grasshopper: Best for VoIP phone numbers
- Dialpad: Best AI-based VoIP service
- Ooma: Best for straightforward telephony service
Best VoIP for Small Business Compared
Best VoIP for Small Business | Monthly Starting Price (per User) | Key Features | FSB Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
 | $30 |
| 4.77 out of 5 |
 | $10 |
| 4.53 out of 5 |
 | $14.99 |
| 4.44 out of 5 |
 | $35.95 |
| 4.43 out of 5 |
 | $19.99 |
| 4.28 out of 5 |
 | $18 |
| 4.26 out of 5 |
 | $23 |
| 4.22 out of 5 |
 | $19.95 |
| 4.12 out of 5 |
Quiz
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Which VoIP service for small businesses is best for you?
RingCentral: Best Overall for High Call Volumes
What We Liked
- It offers over 300 app integrations.
- It has an advanced call management system.
- It is easy to use and set up.
Where It Falls Behind
- It has limited SMS credits per plan.
- It can be expensive to scale up.
- It requires an Enterprise plan for bigger cloud storage.
RingCentral RingEX Monthly Pricing (per User)*
- Core: $30 for one phone number, 100 toll-free minutes, unlimited local calls, 25 SMS, visual voicemail, call management features, multilevel IVR, basic call queues, on-demand call recording, team chat, and 100 video attendees
- Advanced: $35 for 1,000 toll-free minutes, 100 SMS, advanced call routing and monitoring, automatic call recording, hot desking, unlimited e-fax, advanced integrations, and business analytics
- Ultra: $45 for 10,000 toll-free minutes, 200 SMS, unlimited storage, and device analytics
- Free trial: 14 days
*Save as much as 33% with annual billing, which starts at $20 per user, monthly. Volume discounts are also available for six users and above.
RingCentral is our best VoIP phone system for small businesses dealing with heavy inbound and outbound call traffic because it efficiently distributes calls to the right destination. This ensures a smooth call experience and is one of the reasons it’s one of the best call management systems. RingCentral RX’s base plan includes multilevel IVR, shared lines, call queue, and call park—features that most competitors offer in higher subscription tiers.
Configure your phone system across the company, regardless of device or location, and use the mobile app to set up admin and user settings. RingCentral also secured a position on our list of the best business cell phone plans due to its essential call features, such as answering rules, call transfer, and call forwarding.
If you like RingCentral’s feature-rich offering but find it a little expensive, consider a low-cost alternative like Zoom Phone. While Zoom is popular for its video conferencing platform, it also has a full-featured VoIP solution with monthly plans starting at as low as $10 per user.
RingCentral Features
RingCentral lets you build a custom analytics dashboard to suit your team’s needs. (Source: YouTube)
- Multilevel IVR: Set up routing menus with a visual IVR editor and route calls to voicemail, extensions, and external phone numbers. Each account supports up to 250 voice menus and submenus.
- Multisite management: Support all your branch offices’ phone systems based on their unique needs under one account. Each site can have its own outbound caller ID, call handling rules, user roles, and auto-receptionist.
- Analytics portal: Get real-time insights on adoption, usage, and quality of service with RingCentral’s analytics portal. Various call metrics let you set key performance indicators (KPIs), identify top performers, and track issues quickly.
Zoom Phone: Best Low-cost VoIP Service
What We Liked
- It offers mixed types of plans in an account.
- It offers metered and unmetered plan options.
- It has the same integration options across all plans.
Where It Falls Behind
- Its phone number extension is not available in the entry-level plan.
- It has limited integrations.
- It requires an extra fee of $25 monthly for call queue analytics and historical insights.
Zoom Phone Monthly Pricing (per User)*
- Pay as You Go: $10 for unlimited inbound calls and metered outbound calling for US and Canada
- Unlimited: $15 for unlimited inbound and outbound calling within the US and Canada
- Pro Global Select: $20 for unlimited inbound and outbound calling in one of the 48 countries and territories
Note: All plans include domestic, HD calls, number porting, voicemail transcription, auto-attendant, IVR, call monitoring, call recording, business hours routing, call park, team chat, and hot desking.
*Contact the sales team for annual billing discounts
Zoom Phone is the best VoIP service for small business owners on a budget, thanks to its high-quality voice and video calls, generous call management tools, and affordable rates. With monthly plans ranging from $10 to $20 per user, all plans have the same features except for phone number extensions and messaging, which aren’t available on the base plan. Plans differ in the call plan type, whether for metered or unlimited inbound and outbound calling.
Zoom Phone is one of our best hotel phone systems, and it has affordable international calling plans. For only $20 per user monthly, you get unlimited regional calling in one of the 48 countries supported by Zoom. Another cheap deal is the unlimited international calling add-on for 15 countries, starting at $10 per month.
Unfortunately, Zoom Phone’s base plan does not come with business messaging. If you are looking for this feature, a better alternative is Grasshopper. It’s on our list of best virtual phone number providers and offers unlimited messaging with all its plans. Like Zoom Phone, it’s one of the more affordable providers on this list.
Zoom Phone Features
The Zoom dashboard provides a detailed analysis of calls, including their quality and performance. (Source: Zoom)
- Call delegation: Assign a phone user to make and receive calls on another user’s behalf. Both users can view the status of the shared lines and access the delegator’s direct phone numbers.
- Shared line groups: Share a phone number and extension with common area phones or a group of phone users. You can set routing rules and apply custom business hours.
- Call quality dashboards: View the overall quality of phone calls and filter voice data on a specific user. It includes reports displaying phone usage data for a particular user or call queue.
Are you on a tight budget? Check out our list of the best free VoIP services with competitive feature inclusions.
Phone.com: Best for Unpredictable Call Volumes
What We Liked
- It offers mixed metered and unmetered plans.
- All plans include standard voice call features.
- Calls to the US, Canada, Italy, Israel, and the United Kingdom are included in all plans.
Where It Falls Behind
- It highly depends on Zapier for integrations.
- It has no team chat.
- Non-Pro subscribers have to pay $8 monthly for call recording.
Phone.com Monthly Pricing (per User)*
- Basic: $14.99 for one phone number, 500 pooled minutes, auto-attendant, call transfer, caller ID, call waiting, hold music, greetings, 10 video attendees, and audio conferencing
- Plus: $21.99 for unlimited domestic calls, voicemail transcription, 25 video attendees, and desk phone compatibility
- Pro: $31.99 for call analytics, call recording, 100 video attendees, and Zapier integration
*Save up to 15% by opting for annual billing, which starts at $12.74 per user, paid monthly,
Phone.com is our best VoIP phone system for small businesses with fluctuating call volumes because it allows teams to share a single pool of minutes across multiple users. Rather than paying for unlimited minutes, this approach ensures that no minutes go to waste and accommodates team members with different call volumes. Its metered plan includes 500 pooled minutes and 1,000 pooled SMS segments shared between users in one account.
This provider allows you to mix and match metered and unlimited call packages, so you can choose the best plan for each user. For example, managers can get a higher plan to access call recording and video meeting transcription, and field agents can get the basic plan if they work remotely or take fewer calls. Advanced tiers have unlimited minutes, while the base plan lets you purchase additional minutes or text credits if you exceed the monthly limit.
Phone.com has relatively few integrations, limiting its ability to connect with third-party apps. If you need a VoIP solution that readily integrates with your current app stack, check out RingCentral. This provider offers unlimited domestic calling and has a dedicated app gallery with over 300 business solutions for automation, CRM, and productivity. Here’s our list of the top RingCentral integrations for small businesses.
Phone.com Features
Phone.com lets you configure how incoming calls should be forwarded to specific phone numbers or extensions. (Source: Phone.com)
- Call handling: Create rules to route incoming callers to the right destination. Options include forwarding, auto-attendant, dial-by-name directory, and scheduled routing.
- Voice tagging: This feature announces which menu option the caller selected before answering the call. It is helpful for businesses with multiple auto-attendant options that ring to the same number.
- Live receptionist: Add live answering services to your Phone.com account. With a monthly starting fee of $125, you get professional phone operators to answer your business calls.
Nextiva: Best for Customer Communications
What We Liked
- It has a modern and intuitive interface.
- It offers a generous toll-free minute allotment per plan.
- It offers rich integrations with customer relationship management (CRM) platforms.
Where It Falls Behind
- It has no SMS in the base plan.
- Its unlimited conference call participant feature only unlocks with an Enterprise account.
- Its base plan has a 45-minute video calling limit.
Nextiva Monthly Pricing (per User)*
- Essential: $35.95 for one phone number, unlimited calls to the US and Canada, 1,500 toll-free minutes, unlimited e-fax, video recording, auto-attendant, call log, hold music, team chat, 500 shared contacts, and 45-minute video calls
- Professional: $40.95 for 40 conference participants, 3,000 toll-free minutes, 1,000 SMS/MMS, voicemail transcription, CRM integrations, and multilevel auto-attendant
- Enterprise: $50.95 for unlimited conference call participants, call recording, 12,500 toll-free minutes, 2,000 SMS/MMS, and single sign-on
*Annual billing is available, starting at $28.95 per user, monthly.
As one of the leading VoIP systems, Nextiva combines internet telephony with a customer experience plugin that seamlessly integrates CRM platforms into your phone system. It gives teams a unified view of customer interactions and enables businesses to deliver personalized service through real-time customer information and history. Send automatic surveys after each call to generate immediate feedback regarding your team’s performance.
Despite its extensive offerings, Nextiva’s price point is relatively steep compared to other small business VoIP phone systems, putting budget-conscious teams at a disadvantage. If you’re after affordability, check out Zoom Phone, one of our best cheap VoIP services, with monthly plans starting at $10 per user.
Nextiva Features
When a call comes in, the Call Pop feature will appear on the corner of your screen, displaying key customer information. (Source: Nextiva)
- Call Pop: This displays the caller’s details before picking up the call. Customize it to show whatever customer information you need, like sentiment or account value.
- Automation tools: These enhance service efficiency with automation features like automated surveys, real-time suggestions, and automatic follow-ups.
- Call pulling: This transfers an ongoing call between devices without interruption. This feature works on desk phones, computers, and mobile phones.
Vonage: Best Custom VoIP Service
What We Liked
- All plans include 41 standard phone features.
- It has an intuitive desktop and mobile app.
- It offers customizable monthly plans.
Where It Falls Behind
- It only accepts one-year contracts for new accounts.
- Its extensions and toll-free numbers have monthly charges.
- Payment is required to access tech support.
Vonage Monthly Pricing (per User)*
- Mobile: $19.99 for unlimited local calls, unlimited SMS, and up to 43 voice features
- Premium: $29.99 for virtual receptionist, access to Vonage App Center, analytics and reporting, 200 video attendees, and desk phone compatibility
- Advanced: $39.99 for on-demand call recording, call group, and voicemail transcription
Note: All plans include an admin portal, call forwarding, display caller ID, text messaging and chat app, virtual receptionist, and visual voicemail, among others.
*Save up to 30% with annual billing, which starts at $13.99 per user, monthly. Gain greater savings when you have five users and above.
Vonage is one of our best VoIP phone systems for small business users who want to customize their plans to fit specific communication needs. Instead of purchasing all-inclusive plans, Vonage’s extensive a la carte offering allows you to add your desired features as your business needs change. There are 18 paid add-ons, such as call recording, e-fax, a paging system, and a virtual mailbox. You can add third-party apps through the Vonage App Center.
However, those who want to try Vonage for the first time, particularly those not ready to commit to a long-term contract, will find the platform requires a one-year contract for new users. If you’re new to VoIP, try Phone.com. It uses the same a la carte model as Vonage, but you can subscribe to its metered plans, which you can cancel anytime.
Vonage Features
The Vonage App Center elevates your company’s workflow through native integrations. (Source: YouTube)
- App Center: This is a self-service platform for viewing and purchasing third-party apps, such as CRM systems, productivity tools, contact centers, and support platforms.
- Admin portal: This allows admins to manage and customize the company’s phone system. Audit account changes, track employee activity, and view monthly billing.
- Business inbox: You can directly access all your SMS, MMS, and Facebook Messenger messages in one unified inbox. You can assign users access so they can send and receive customer messages.
Grasshopper: Best for VoIP Phone Numbers
What We Liked
- It allows unlimited users for a fixed monthly fee.
- It offers optional add-on features for live receptionist and professional phone greetings.
- It offers bundled toll-free numbers.
Where It Falls Behind
- It lacks third-party app integrations.
- It lacks video calling and team chat.
- It lacks advanced calling features like IVR and call recording.
Grasshopper Monthly Pricing*
- True Solo: $18 for one user, one phone number, and one extension
- Solo Plus: $32 for unlimited users, one phone number, and three extensions
- Small Business: $72 for unlimited users, four phone numbers, and unlimited extensions
- Free trial: Seven days
Note: All plans include business SMS, call forwarding, voicemail, e-fax, call transfers, custom greetings, simultaneous call handling, and reporting.
*Opt for annual billing and save over 20%. Annual prepay starts at $14 per month.
Grasshopper is the best hosted VoIP for small business owners needing multiple phone numbers, especially for coordination between distributed teams. While most providers charge extra for additional phone numbers, Grasshopper offers them in bundles at a fixed monthly price, eliminating unexpected costs. Using phone extensions allows multiple team members to share a single phone number, ensuring calls are answered without needing multiple lines.
Another highlight of Grasshopper is that it offers toll-free vanity numbers for free. You can customize a number or let them generate one. Typically, business VoIP providers charge a one-time setup fee for vanity numbers apart from the monthly rate. When you purchase a monthly plan at Grasshopper, you can choose from a local or toll-free vanity number or port an existing one.
Since Grasshopper is a virtual phone system, note that it doesn’t have unified communications (UC) features like video meetings and team chat. If these features are necessary for your team, choose RingCentral or Nextiva. Both solutions have robust UC capabilities, allowing you to streamline collaboration.
Grasshopper Features
All Grasshopper plans come with virtual phone extensions for routing callers to the correct department or employee. (Source: YouTube)
- Virtual receptionist service: Adding Ruby to your Grasshopper account gives you a professional phone answering service that will handle calls on behalf of your business. All Grasshopper users have exclusive pricing starting at $155.40 per month.
- Call transfer: Grasshopper offers two ways of transferring calls—blind or supervised. Blind lets you automatically transfer calls to another user, while supervised lets you speak with the receiving party first.
- Custom greetings: You can record phone greetings or have a professional voice actor record your script in Grasshopper’s voice studio. Pricing starts at $75 per order.
Dialpad: Best AI-based VoIP Service
What We Liked
- It has rich built-in AI features.
- It supports international SMS.
- It has robust messaging tools.
Where It Falls Behind
- It only supports 10 meeting participants.
- Phone extensions are limited to Enterprise accounts.
- It has limited app integrations.
Dialpad Monthly Pricing (per User)*
- Standard: $23 for one local number, unlimited calls to the US and Canada, multilevel auto-attendant, visual voicemail, custom call routing, SMS/MMS, team chat, five-hour video calls, call transcriptions, and real-time analytics
- Pro: $35 for hold queues, 25 ring groups, international SMS, and CRM integrations
- Enterprise: Custom pricing for dial-by-extension, and unlimited ring groups
- Free trial: 14 days
*Annual billing starts at $15 per user, paid monthly.
Dialpad is the best VoIP system for small businesses with tech-savvy teams that want to use automation features to optimize customer service and boost productivity. Its AI-powered phone system includes many smart tools, such as a virtual assistant, live coaching, call summary, and sentiment analysis. These features capture and analyze conversations effortlessly and offer actionable feedback regarding team operations.
If you’re dealing with a high volume of calls, Dialpad’s built-in AI will transcribe conversations, track action items, and take notes so agents can focus on the conversation. The best part is that AI tools are available on all Dialpad plans, so you can enjoy streamlined workflows and provide personalized customer experiences.
Sadly, Dialpad only accommodates up to ten participants for video meetings. If you frequently host large-scale meetings, consider RingCentral, which supports up to 200 participants, including access to interactive video conferencing features like breakout rooms, whiteboards, and remote control.
Dialpad Features
Host three-way conference calls on the Dialpad desktop app. (Source: Dialpad)
- Simultaneous ring: Route incoming calls to multiple devices at the same time so your team will never miss a call. Supported devices include desk phones, computers, and mobile devices.
- Three-way calling: Seamlessly add a third-party participant to your business calls. You have the option to mute, hold, and transfer all the participants.
- International services: Enabling this feature lets you place calls and messages internationally. Calls are billed per minute, while texting rates are billed per message.
Ooma: Best Straightforward Telephony Service
What We Liked
- Its base plan includes 50-plus standard call features.
- It has an updated interface with a more modern aesthetic.
- It offers affordable toll-free calling plans.
Where It Falls Behind
- Its desktop apps in the Essential plans have no calling capabilities.
- Call screening and enhanced call blocking are Pro Plus features only.
- Its base plan has no video conferencing capabilities.
Ooma Monthly Pricing (per User)
- Essentials: $19.95 for one toll-free number, 50+ phone features, ring groups, call blocking, and virtual receptionist
- Pro: $24.95 for SMS/MMS, hybrid ring groups, call recording, call analytics, voicemail transcription, and 25-attendee video meetings for four hours
- Pro Plus: $29.95 for call queues, call screening, 100-attendee video meetings for 12 hours, hot desking, and CRM integrations
Ooma takes a straightforward approach to its VoIP service by focusing on basic call management. This provider employs a no-frills cloud telephony service compared to top competitors like RingCentral, with a feature set that can overwhelm a small team (e.g., business analytics and intelligent meetings). Its phone and voicemail capabilities are ideal for businesses with moderate call volumes.
This platform secured a spot on our list of the best VoIP services for home offices, thanks to its free home phone service. Once you purchase the Ooma Telo device for $79.99, you get unlimited access to its internet home phone plan, which includes free US calling, HD voice, and online call logs.
Although Ooma offers one free toll number with 500 minutes of inbound calls monthly, it lacks international numbers. We recommend RingCentral, our top Ooma alternative, which offers extensive VoIP features, including four types of virtual phone numbers—local, toll-free, vanity, and international.
Ooma Features
Ooma has a dedicated platform to manage and customize all your office extensions. (Source: Ooma)
- Multidevice ring: This is a call-forwarding variation that lets you receive calls on any device and have multiple devices ring when an Ooma user is called.
- Extension monitoring: A user or receptionist can monitor the status of other phone extensions and perform different actions, such as call transfer or three-way calling.
- Distinctive ringtones: Add a unique ringtone to a call queue or ring group to alert team members about the nature of the incoming call.
How We Evaluated the Best VoIP for Small Business
The best VoIP phone for small businesses includes various tools for efficiently handling incoming and outgoing calls while supporting a wide range of budget requirements. For this guide, we compared eight well-known providers of VoIP and UC solutions. We analyzed them based on cost, key features, and performance.
Learn how we evaluated the best VoIP for small businesses by clicking on the tabs below:
25% of Overall Score
Small businesses have different budget considerations when choosing a VoIP service provider. Therefore, we examined the cost of VoIP solutions based on the availability of free trials or free plans, discounts, and lower annual pricing. We gave higher points to providers with lower costs than more expensive alternatives.
25% of Overall Score
Every company that provides VoIP services must offer standard calling features to help users manage inbound and outbound calls. We looked at overall VoIP features like video and audio conferencing and basic call management features. We also checked whether each platform includes a desktop or mobile app.
15% of Overall Score
We gave points to providers that offer additional key features, such as IVR, robust third-party integrations, and an IVR system. We also examined which systems allow international calling.
10% of Overall Score
We evaluated each VoIP provider’s usability by determining the technical expertise required to set up and operate their phone systems. We assessed if platforms have an intuitive interface and easy-to-use admin settings.
10% of Overall Score
As part of our evaluation, we considered the types of customer support channels each provider offers. These include live chat, phone, email, and help desk tickets. We gave more points to those operating 24/7 and partial points to those available during business hours.
15% of Overall Score
Using our firsthand experiences with each provider, we developed our expert score by examining their unique features and ease of use. We also considered user reviews to determine the popularity and value for money of the best VoIP for small businesses.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
The best VoIP phones are reliable, well-priced, and provide excellent call quality. According to our best VoIP phones for business guide, Polycom VVX 601 is the top choice because of its intuitive touchscreen and crystal-clear acoustics.
The first step in setting up a VoIP system is identifying business needs and assessing bandwidth requirements and budget. The remaining steps include choosing a VoIP provider, transferring or getting a business number, and installing your new VoIP system. To better understand each step, read our detailed instructions on how to set up a VoIP guide.
Yes. However, VoIP has less extensive hardware requirements than the traditional analog phone setup. Since VoIP is software-based, it can be installed on any device that connects to the internet, including a desktop computer, laptop, smartphone, tablet, or an internet protocol (IP) phone.
Bottom Line
VoIP phone systems benefit small businesses by offering scalability, cost savings, portability, and rich feature sets. Among these options, RingCentral excels as the best VoIP for small businesses, offering robust call management features ideal for high call volumes and growing companies needing a comprehensive phone solution. Experience the advantages yourself by visiting RingCentral for a free demo or signing up for its 14-day free trial.
