The best business phone systems are the ones that fit how many people answer your phones, what has to happen to a call before someone picks up, and how fairly you can cancel if it doesn’t work out. Nextiva sits first on our list and suits teams that want calls, texts and video in one app. RingCentral fits growing, multi-site teams, Vonage publishes its prices and fees and answers support calls seven days a week, and 8×8 fits customer service teams that expect to grow into a contact center. Our top three all hold up on reliable calls and reaching support, so let your team’s needs decide between them, and get the full monthly bill and the rules for canceling in writing before you sign.
10 systems comparedEntry plans from $15 to $30 per user2 of 10 priced by quote32 customer reviews from G2 and TrustRadius
Prices checked November 1, 2026 on each company’s own website.
Nobody buys a rank here. We place every company using our own scoring system, built on many factors, from what real customers tell us to what the contract asks of you. That’s our verdict, but yours is the one that counts. The best choice is the one that fits your company, and we’re here to help you find it.
New to thisOpening a new business?
Start with the basics: what business phone systems do, the words you will see, the equipment and internet you need, and a simple first-week plan.
Business phone systems give everyone on your team a professional number that rings on a desk phone, a computer or a cell phone, with a greeting and call routing that keep working when nobody is at the front desk. If you’re the person who has to choose one, you’re probably juggling this with ten other things. The owner wants a bill that makes sense, the front desk wants calls to stop getting lost, and whoever looks after IT doesn’t want a new headache.
It gets much easier once you stop comparing feature lists and start with two questions: how many people need to answer calls, and what has to happen to a call before someone picks it up. A five-person dental office that needs a friendly greeting has very different needs from a 60-person sales floor that logs every call in Salesforce.
This guide covers every size, from a new business with one phone to a company with hundreds of users, and ranks ten cloud phone systems by the kind of team each one suits. If you have 1 to 20 users, our guide to phone systems for small business goes deeper on your size, with grades and picks by kind of business. If a word sounds like phone company talk, we explain it where it appears, and our list of phone words in plain English is there whenever you need it.
The 5-minute brief on business phone systems
Among business phone systems, Nextiva sits first and suits teams that want calls, texts and video in one app, RingCentral suits growing, multi-site teams, and Vonage publishes its prices and fees. No company graded poor on reliable calls or reaching support sits in our top three. Eight of the ten publish prices, while GoTo Connect and 8×8 build a custom quote for each business. Quo appears only as a second number, because its help pages state that 911 isn’t available.
Already pay for Zoom?Shortlist Zoom Phone first; calling simply appears in the app your team already uses.
Calls drive revenue?Put Dialpad and Aircall side by side. Both log calls in your customer records.
Contact center within two years?Start on RingCentral or 8×8 now rather than migrating later.
Our grades for growing and larger teams
Star ratings tell you whether people like a phone system. They don’t tell you what the bill looks like in month three, or what happens the day you try to cancel. So we graded each company on the seven things that decide whether you’ll be glad you signed or sorry you did, the way a report card would.
These grades are for growing and larger teams, the kind of company that needs call queues, hours by location and one place to manage every office. A Good doesn’t mean perfect, and a Poor doesn’t mean a bad company. It means this is where you should slow down and look closer before you sign. “Not enough information” means we don’t have enough to grade that item yet, so we leave it out instead of guessing. A company we can’t grade on most of the card sits after the ones we can. “Fewer reviews so far” under a name means fewer recent reviews stand behind that company’s grades, so its place could move as more come in. The best fit is still the one that suits your team, and if you have 1 to 20 users, our guide to phone systems for small business has grades for an everyday office.
What you’ll payHow the price compares once the fees a company publishes are added in. A custom quote counts as a real price, so selling by quote doesn’t lower this grade.
Happy customersWhether people are still pleased after they’ve lived with the system for a while, not only on the day they signed up. Everything customers wrote counts here, from the calls to the bill.
Reliable callsWhether calls connect, sound clear and stay connected, day in and day out.
Easy to manageHow easily your team learns the system, and how easily an administrator can add a person, change a greeting or update hours across offices without calling for help.
Reach supportWhether you can get a real person when something breaks, and when they’re open.
Canceling fairlyHow long you’re tied in, what it costs to leave early, and whether your number comes with you.
Meeting your needsHow much of what a growing company needs is confirmed by the company itself, from call queues and hours by location to 911 and texting.
The report card: growing and larger teams
GoodA strengthOKFine for most teamsPoorLook closer firstNot enough informationToo little to grade fairly
SystemWhat you’ll payHappy customersReliable callsEasy to manageReach supportCanceling fairlyMeeting your needs
1Nextiva
What you’ll payOK
Happy customersOK
Reliable callsOK
Easy to manageOK
Reach supportGood
Canceling fairlyPoor
Meeting your needsOK
2RingCentral
What you’ll payOK
Happy customersPoor
Reliable callsOK
Easy to manageOK
Reach supportOK
Canceling fairlyOK
Meeting your needsOK
3VonageFewer reviews so far
What you’ll payGood
Happy customersNot enough information
Reliable callsOK
Easy to manageOK
Reach supportGood
Canceling fairlyOK
Meeting your needsPoor
48×8Fewer reviews so far
What you’ll payOK
Happy customersOK
Reliable callsPoor
Easy to manageGood
Reach supportOK
Canceling fairlyOK
Meeting your needsGood
5Aircall
What you’ll payGood
Happy customersOK
Reliable callsPoor
Easy to manageGood
Reach supportPoor
Canceling fairlyPoor
Meeting your needsOK
6Zoom PhoneFewer reviews so far
What you’ll payOK
Happy customersPoor
Reliable callsOK
Easy to manageGood
Reach supportPoor
Canceling fairlyOK
Meeting your needsOK
7GoTo ConnectFewer reviews so far
What you’ll payPoor
Happy customersPoor
Reliable callsOK
Easy to manageGood
Reach supportPoor
Canceling fairlyOK
Meeting your needsOK
8DialpadFewer reviews so far
What you’ll payOK
Happy customersPoor
Reliable callsPoor
Easy to manageOK
Reach supportPoor
Canceling fairlyOK
Meeting your needsOK
9Ooma OfficeFewer reviews so far
What you’ll payOK
Happy customersNot enough information
Reliable callsPoor
Easy to managePoor
Reach supportOK
Canceling fairlyPoor
Meeting your needsPoor
10QuoSecond number onlyFewer reviews so far
What you’ll payGood
Happy customersOK
Reliable callsPoor
Easy to manageGood
Reach supportOK
Canceling fairlyPoor
Meeting your needsPoor
Scroll inside the card to see all 10
Grade details
Nextiva
What you’ll payOK
NEXT Core is $15 a user on annual billing or $23 month to month. A $3.95 recovery fee and a $1.50 E911 fee per line are published, so ask whether both apply to Core.
Happy customersOK
Customers most often praise how easy it is to learn, and most stay pleased after living with it for a while.
Reliable callsOK
Calls hold up for most teams, and a public status page shows past incidents. Nextiva states 99.999% uptime, but its terms give no credit when service is interrupted.
Easy to manageOK
New staff pick it up quickly, though building a custom report takes more work.
Reach supportGood
You can call support at 800-285-7995 at any hour on every NEXT plan, and live chat runs on weekdays. The Scale plan lists a dedicated onboarding team.
Canceling fairlyPoor
On a minimum commitment contract, you owe the rest of the term plus a disconnect fee with no published amount. Any limit on price rises at renewal isn’t published either.
Meeting your needsOK
Calls, video, texting, a shared inbox and team chat share one app. Call recording and faxing are add-ons on Core and included from Engage at $25.
Grade details
RingCentral
What you’ll payOK
RingEX Core is $20 a user on annual billing or $30 month to month. Fee types are named, but their amounts aren’t published, so ask for the full monthly bill.
Happy customersPoor
Customers like having everything in one place, but many over the past year were unhappy with billing and automatic renewals, so put your renewal date on the calendar.
Reliable callsOK
Customers find the calling dependable, and RingCentral states 99.999% uptime. Its terms show no credit for outages, and its status page didn’t load when we checked.
Easy to manageOK
It’s harder to manage than most here, so expect to spend real time in the admin settings.
Reach supportOK
Technical support answers by phone at any hour on every plan. Standard web cases on complex issues take about 48 hours, and faster paid support is sold by quote.
Canceling fairlyOK
You can cancel in writing within 30 days of buying and get back the unused part of what you prepaid. After that, leaving early means paying the rest of the term.
Meeting your needsOK
Every plan includes unlimited domestic calling, texting, large video meetings and an AI Virtual Assistant. Managing several sites and connecting your customer records start on Advanced at $25.
Grade details
Vonage
What you’ll payGood
Prices and fees are published: Mobile is $19.99 a line for 1 to 4 lines, plus a $3.50 recovery fee and a $0.99 emergency fee a month. Extras such as ring groups and call queues cost more.
Reliable callsOK
A public status page shows past incidents, and Call Continuity rings a backup number you choose when your phones can’t take calls.
Easy to manageOK
Admins add users in the Admin Portal and choose from set roles, such as billing or call queue manager, and live training sessions are offered.
Reach supportGood
Support answers by phone at 1-866-901-0242, weekdays 8 a.m. to midnight and weekends 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Eastern, with an after-hours emergency line.
Canceling fairlyOK
Monthly plans have no early termination fee and end with 30 days’ written notice. Annual plans can owe the rest of the contract, and stopping renewal takes 60 days’ notice.
Meeting your needsPoor
We couldn’t confirm what teams with more than one location need from business phone systems. Desk phone support starts on Premium, and call recording on Advanced.
Grade details
8×8
What you’ll payOK
8×8 builds a custom package for each business, so no price is published and you get it from sales. Ask for every fee in writing before you sign.
Happy customersOK
Customers call it easy to use from day to day, and most are pleased with it overall.
Reliable callsPoor
8×8 states 99.999% uptime, but the promise and credits for direct customers aren’t published, and no backup number you set for outages is described. Ask how calls keep flowing if the system goes down.
Easy to manageGood
Offices in several states get one system to manage. The advanced settings take a while to learn.
Reach supportOK
A support phone line and chat run seven days a week, though phone help may depend on your contract. Response times aren’t published.
Canceling fairlyOK
You can end it within 30 days if the service doesn’t meet requirements. After that, you buy out the remaining months, and month to month isn’t offered.
Meeting your needsGood
Calling, meetings, messaging, a receptionist screen and reports run on one system, and a customer service team can add a contact center later without switching.
Grade details
Aircall
What you’ll payGood
Essentials is $30 a user on annual billing or $40 monthly, with a three-user minimum and a 7-day free trial. Two per-user fees are named without amounts.
Happy customersOK
Customers single out the connections to their customer records.
Reliable callsPoor
Calls depend on a steady internet connection, so test yours during the 7-day free trial before you commit.
Easy to manageGood
It’s easy to manage, and it logs every call in your customer records by itself.
Reach supportPoor
Help starts with an AI assistant, and no support phone number or human hours are published, so ask how you reach a person when calls stop working.
Canceling fairlyPoor
Annual and larger plans need 30 days’ notice before renewal, you stay committed to the term you signed, and refunds aren’t offered.
Meeting your needsOK
Essentials includes texting, a shared inbox, phone menus, AI transcripts and more than 250 connections to other software. Video meetings aren’t listed.
Grade details
Zoom Phone
What you’ll payOK
US & CA Unlimited is $16 a user on annual billing or $18 month to month. Taxes aren’t priced up front, and payments aren’t refunded.
Happy customersPoor
Teams like having calls, meetings and chat in one app, but fewer customers stay pleased with the phone side over time, so try it on your own calls first.
Reliable callsOK
Calls hold up for most teams. Zoom doesn’t publish how long a trial runs, so ask before you start one.
Easy to manageGood
Calling appears inside the app your team already knows, so there’s very little to learn.
Reach supportPoor
Live phone help comes with Premier Support, which is priced by quote. Everyone else gets the help center and a virtual agent around the clock, so check what your plan includes.
Canceling fairlyOK
You cancel in the web portal with no cancellation fee listed, but payments aren’t refunded. Move your numbers first.
Meeting your needsOK
Texting, call recording, 50 fax pages a month and AI summaries come on the entry plan. Teams that need heavier call center reports may want more.
Grade details
GoTo Connect
What you’ll payPoor
Phone System is priced by quote, so no price is published and you get it from sales. GoTo offers team discounts, with no amounts shown.
Happy customersPoor
Front desks like how it handles several lines, but fewer customers stay pleased over time, often over billing at the end of a term, so get your end date and how to cancel in writing.
Reliable callsOK
Calls hold up for most offices, and you can test yours during the 14-day free trial.
Easy to manageGood
Customers find it easy to manage, and staff can transfer and conference calls without technical training.
Reach supportPoor
Support is listed as 24/7, but no support phone number or response time is published, so ask how you reach a person before you sign.
Canceling fairlyOK
You give 30 days’ notice before the term ends. Ending early makes the fees through the end of the term due at once, and payments aren’t refunded.
Meeting your needsOK
Every plan includes unlimited phone menus and call queues, and visual call plans help offices where calls have to land in the right place.
Grade details
Dialpad
What you’ll payOK
The Standard plan is $15 a user on annual billing or $27 month to month, with a 14-day free trial. Taxes and the E911 fee show only on the invoice.
Happy customersPoor
Customers like the AI call summaries and the call quality, but fewer stay pleased after living with it for a while, so use the free trial on your own busy days.
Reliable callsPoor
A public status page shows live status and past incidents, but an uptime promise comes only on Enterprise, outage credits are case by case, and no backup for outages is described.
Easy to manageOK
It’s fine for most teams. Managing several offices in one place starts on the Pro plan at $25.
Reach supportPoor
Phone support and round-the-clock help start on the Pro plan. Standard users get web, email and chat, with no published hours or response times.
Canceling fairlyOK
Monthly plans can cancel at any time. Annual plans owe the rest of the term plus a disconnection fee with no published amount.
Meeting your needsOK
Calling, messaging, HD meetings and live transcripts come on the entry plan. Connections to your customer records start on Pro.
Grade details
Ooma Office
What you’ll payOK
Essentials is $19.95 a user and Pro is $24.95. A $29.95 activation charge appears at sign-up.
Reliable callsPoor
No uptime promise or status history is published, and its terms say no credits are given for interruptions. Calls can forward to a cell phone when your devices are offline.
Easy to managePoor
An administrator manages user extensions, but staff roles, audit logs, live training and video lessons aren’t published.
Reach supportOK
You can call support for free at 1-866-939-6662 at any hour, and live chat runs 5 a.m. to 8 p.m. Pacific, seven days a week. Response times aren’t published.
Canceling fairlyPoor
Month-to-month plans have no listed fee, but prepaid time isn’t refunded, and neither is the first month of service. Keeping your number takes 30 days’ notice.
Meeting your needsPoor
It’s made for small offices, and teams of 6 or more go through sales. Call queues start on Pro Plus, and 911 can’t be dialed from the mobile app.
Grade details
Quo
What you’ll payGood
Starter is $15 a user on annual billing or $19 monthly, with a 7-day trial. U.S. texting registration adds $19.50 once, plus $1.50 a month for most businesses.
Happy customersOK
It holds the highest G2 rating of any system here, and customers like the transcripts.
Reliable callsPoor
A public status page shows its uptime, but its terms promise no figure and no credit, and calls don’t move by themselves during an outage. With no 911, keep another phone.
Easy to manageGood
It runs from your own cell phone, and shared numbers let a small team see every call and text in one inbox.
Reach supportOK
AI chat runs around the clock, live chat comes on Business from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Pacific, and phone support starts on Scale. Response times aren’t published.
Canceling fairlyPoor
You can cancel in the app with no listed fee, but payments aren’t refunded, and Quo’s pages give different hold times for your numbers.
Meeting your needsPoor
With no 911, it can only be a second number. Phone menus and call transfers start on the Business plan.
Each of these business phone systems earns its place for a different kind of team, so read the “best for” line before you read the rank. Ratings on each card come from G2 and TrustRadius, two independent sites where verified customers rate software (G2 out of 5, TrustRadius out of 10).
About the ratings on each card: G2 and TrustRadius are independent websites where verified customers review the business software they use. Higher is better.
Our order comes from many factors, and what customers tell us and how fairly you can cancel count the most. If a phone system doesn’t work out, you should be able to see how you get out, what it costs you and whether your number comes with you. Here’s what shaped where each company sits. A company graded poor on reliable calls or reaching support can’t sit in the top three, however well it does elsewhere.
#1 Nextiva: a published entry price, support you can call at any hour, and calls, texts, video and chat in one app. Its published canceling terms are among the weakest here, with the amount of its disconnect fee and any limit on price rises at renewal unpublished, so read the contract closely.
#2 RingCentral: the best canceling terms shown here, with 30 days from purchase to cancel and get back the unused part, and technical support by phone at any hour. It’s built for growing, multi-site companies, and happy customers is poor on the card, so note your renewal date.
#3 Vonage: prices and fees are published, support answers by phone seven days a week, and monthly plans have no early termination fee. Happy customers isn’t graded yet and it has fewer reviews so far, so this place could move.
#4 8×8: easy to manage, with calling, meetings and a path into a full contact center on one system. You get a 30-day way out at the start and a clear buyout after that, but month to month isn’t offered, and reliable calls are poor on the card, which keeps it out of the top three. It has fewer reviews so far, so this place could move.
#5 Aircall: easy to manage and built for teams that live on the phones, with a published price and a 7-day free trial. Reliable calls, reaching support and canceling are poor on the card, so test it hard before you commit.
#6 Zoom Phone: a low published price and a very easy rollout for teams already on Zoom, and you can cancel in the web portal with no fee listed. Happy customers and reaching support are poor on the card, and it has fewer reviews so far.
#7 GoTo Connect: strong call routing for front desks and easy to manage, with a clear rule for ending a term. Its price takes a conversation with sales, happy customers and reaching support are poor on the card, and it has fewer reviews so far.
#8 Dialpad: written transcripts and summaries on a low-priced entry plan, and monthly plans can cancel at any time. Happy customers, reliable calls and reaching support are poor on the card, and it has fewer reviews so far.
#9 Ooma Office: standard plans need no contract and support answers at any hour, but prepaid time isn’t refunded, and reliable calls, managing it and meeting a growing team’s needs are poor on the card. It’s best for five people or fewer.
#10 Quo: you can cancel in the app with no listed fee, though payments aren’t refunded and no page explains an annual plan’s unused months. It’s well liked, but with no 911, it can only be a second number.
When pricing business phone systems, count phone users, not employees. A practice with 25 staff might have only 8 people who answer or make calls, and that smaller number is what you pay for. Find the step below that sounds like your team. Some picks need a higher plan than the one we show, so check the company’s section before you buy.
Running a team of 1 to 20 users? Our guide to phone systems for small business compares ten providers by kind of business, from dentists to plumbers, with the monthly bill and contract terms for each.
1 to 5 phone usersSolo owners and new businesses
What a call means to you: every call is a customer, and you or one other person will answer it between other jobs.
What matters most: a professional number that keeps business calls off your personal cell, a greeting that sounds established, business texting, and voicemail you can check from anywhere. Skip anything that needs an IT person to run.
Start with:Zoom Phone, Nextiva and Ooma Office. Quo works as a second number, as long as your regular cell phone stays your 911 phone.
Which one for you?
You already use Zoom:Zoom Phone adds calling to the app you open for meetings.
You expect to grow past ten people:Nextiva gives you room to grow without switching later.
You want no contract:Ooma Office needs no contract on standard plans, and you can call a person for help at any hour.
5 to 15 phone usersA busy front desk
What a call means to you: the phone now rings more than one person can handle, and a caller who gets bounced around notices.
What matters most: a phone menu (the “press 1 for scheduling” recording), ring groups so several people can grab a call, rules for after hours, a desk phone at the counter and texting for reminders and quick replies.
Offices with a receptionist:GoTo Connect‘s Customer Experience plan adds a screen that helps a front desk juggle several lines.
Offices that like real handsets:Ooma Office supports desk phones at the counter, though teams of 6 or more go through sales.
Offices that want to add pieces slowly:Vonage starts with calling on phones and laptops, then adds desk phones, video and recording.
15 to 50 phone usersDepartments and a second location
What a call means to you: calls now belong to departments, and nobody can see them all. A missed call can sit unnoticed until a customer brings it up.
What matters most: call queues, which are waiting lines that hold callers in order, plus call recording, a connection to your CRM (software for your customer records) and reports that show where calls are missed. Easy admin tools start to matter as much as the phone app.
Opening a second location:RingCentral‘s Advanced plan at $25 ties several offices into one system.
Drowning in call notes:Dialpad writes transcripts and summaries on its entry plan.
Tired of missed calls:Nextiva lists reports on missed and abandoned calls.
50 to 250 phone usersMulti-site companies
What a call means to you: someone in IT or operations now owns the phones, and an outage or a confusing bill lands on their desk.
What matters most: one admin website for every office, single sign-on (one login for all your work apps), user roles and live reports for managers. Uptime promises and support response times belong in the contract. None of the ten confirms credits for missed uptime, so ask before you sign.
Offices in several states:RingCentral was built with this in mind, with multi-site management on Advanced.
Single sign-on at a published price:Nextiva includes it on Engage at $25, annual.
A contact center on the horizon:8×8 runs calling and its contact center on the same system.
250 to 1,000+ phone usersEnterprise rollouts
What a call means to you: changing phone systems is now a project with a budget, a timeline and people who’ll ask you to defend the choice.
What matters most: rolling out one site at a time, directory sync (your staff list and phone system stay matched), compliance tools, a dedicated onboarding team and a clear path to a contact center.
Companies standardized on Zoom:Zoom Phone keeps everyone in one app, with higher Workplace plans for larger teams.
Directory sync and onboarding help:Nextiva‘s Scale plan at $75 lists both.
Companies on Microsoft Teams:8×8 offers a version that works inside Teams.
Sales, support or call centersAny size, calls drive revenue
What a call means to you: every call is money or a customer’s patience, and a manager needs to see what’s happening as it happens.
What matters most: every call logged in your CRM by itself, a power dialer that calls the next number for you, whisper and barge so managers can coach or join a call, and live dashboards for supervisors.
Sales teams:Aircall‘s Professional plan at $50 adds a power dialer plus whisper and barge.
Support teams on a general phone system:RingCentral includes call monitoring and whisper on Advanced.
Teams looking at Dialpad: Its listen and whisper tools are for Contact Center or Department use, not main line calls.
Find your situation
Team size tells you which business phone systems to look at. Your situation tells you how careful the change needs to be. Most companies shopping for a phone system are in one of these four places.
Brand newA new business or a new officeWith nothing to replace, you can set things up the right way the first time. Decide who answers what before you buy, and choose a plan you can grow into without changing companies. Start with our Business phone systems 101 and first-week setup plan.
Established, staying putSame building, better phonesThis is a replacement, so the work is in the details. Find your old contract’s notice period and renewal date, then list every number, greeting and line, including anything else plugged into a phone jack. Keep the old service running until your numbers have finished moving.
Established, movingA new office for the whole teamInternet phones can move with you, which takes a lot of stress out of an office move. Check the internet at the new address first, and update everyone’s 911 address before the first day there. Equipment on old copper lines may need its own plan, so see our business landline phone service guide.
Established, branching outMore locations, more statesYou want one system instead of a different phone company in every office. RingCentral‘s Advanced plan at $25 ties offices together, and 8×8 suits companies that also expect to need a contact center. Give each location its own hours and its own 911 address.
Not sure which business phone systems fit your team?
Tell us how many phone users and locations your system needs to support, along with your call volume, equipment needs, must-have features and timeline. Our telecom consultant can help you compare business phone systems before you commit.
Businesses use a phone system to get customers to the right person, keep calls moving when someone is out, and give managers a clear view of what’s happening on the phones. The bigger the team, the more a phone call becomes a handoff between people, and the phone system is what keeps that handoff from falling apart.
One number for everyoneCustomers call one number and reach whoever can help, no matter which desk or office that person sits in.
Reaching the right teamSales, billing and service each get their own route, so callers aren’t passed from person to person.
Covering for each otherWhen someone is at lunch, out sick or on another call, the next person’s phone rings.
Working from anywhereStaff at home or on the road take calls on the company number, and their personal numbers stay private.
Opening a new locationA new office joins the same system with its own hours and greeting, so nobody starts over with a new phone company.
Hiring and goodbyesA new hire can be set up in minutes. When someone leaves, the number stays with the company, not on their personal cell.
Handling after hoursWhen you close, callers hear your hours, leave a message, or reach whoever is on call for true emergencies.
Seeing what’s happeningReports show how many calls were missed and when, so you can see whether you need more hands at certain hours.
Training new peopleRecorded calls help new staff learn, and on some plans a manager can listen in and coach during a call.
An ordinary week on a business phone system
Here’s what that looks like for a made-up insurance agency with 40 people in two offices. The details change from one business to the next, but the rhythm may feel familiar.
8:00 AM, both offices openThe system switches each office to its daytime greeting by itself. Nobody has to remember to do it.
9:30 AM, the Monday rushClaims calls stack up faster than the team can answer. Callers wait in a call queue, in order, and each is answered as someone comes free.
11:00 AM, someone calls in sickA manager opens a laptop and moves that person’s calls to a coworker. It takes a minute, with no call to the phone company.
1:15 PM, a new hire startsThe office manager adds a user. The new agent has a direct number and the phone app before the afternoon is over.
3:30 PM, a difficult callOn plans that include it, a team lead listens in and quietly coaches a new agent, and the customer hears only the agent.
Friday, the weekly reportThe owner sees that most missed calls came between noon and 1 PM, so the team staggers its lunch breaks next week.
Most of this works on any system in this guide, but some pieces, such as live coaching, depend on the company and the plan. Each company’s section below tells you what to expect.
Cloud business phone systems run your phone lines over the internet instead of copper wires, which is why you’ll also see them called VoIP. You pay a monthly fee per person, your number rings on any device you choose, and you change greetings, hours and users yourself on a website. There’s no phone equipment to install in a closet and no technician visit. If you still need a traditional line for an alarm panel, elevator phone or fax machine, our business landline phone service guide covers those options.
How a call moves through business phone systems
A customer callsThey dial your main number, local or toll-free.
The greeting answersA recording welcomes them and checks your hours. A phone menu can offer choices, like “Press 1 for scheduling.”
Routing decidesThe system sends the call where you told it to: one person, a group of phones or a waiting line.
Someone picks upOn a desk phone, computer or mobile app, wherever they are.
Nobody free?Voicemail records it and emails a written transcript.
Phone words in plain English
Phone companies have their own language, and they don’t all use the same word for the same thing. These are the ones you’ll see most often when you shop for business phone systems.
Phone menuThe recording that offers choices, like “Press 1 for scheduling, press 2 for billing.” Often called an auto attendant.
Ring groupSeveral phones that ring at once, so whoever is free can answer.
Call queueA line where callers wait in order, with music or messages, until someone is free.
PortingMoving your existing number to the new provider so customers keep dialing the same digits.
SoftphoneA phone app on a computer or cell phone that works like a desk phone.
VoIPCalling over the internet rather than copper phone lines. Every company here works this way.
IVRA smarter phone menu that can answer common questions or collect details before passing the call along.
Business textingSending texts from your business number; U.S. carriers require a one-time registration first.
Hot deskingSigning in to any shared desk phone so it becomes your extension for the day.
CRMSoftware that keeps your customer list and notes. Some phone systems log calls in it by themselves.
Single sign-onOne login for all your work apps, so IT can turn access on or off in one place.
Whisper and bargeWhisper lets a manager coach during a call without the customer hearing. Barge lets the manager join in.
Your first-week setup plan
Count your phone usersList who makes or takes calls; that number sets what business phone systems cost you each month.
Decide on your numberKeep your current number by moving it to the new company, which is called porting, or pick a new local or toll-free number.
Check your internetCall quality depends on a steady connection; see the speed table below.
Choose your devicesApps work on day one; add desk phones for the front counter or reception.
Build your greeting and hoursRecord a short welcome, set office hours, and decide where after-hours calls go.
Test, then switchCall in from a cell phone, try every menu option, and keep your old service until your number has finished moving.
Equipment, internet and the rules every new business should know
The monthly plan is only one piece of a business phone system. Many owners are surprised by the gear, the internet speed and the few legal and carrier steps that come with it, so here’s what to buy, what to skip and what you can’t ignore.
The equipment checklist for business phone systems
Free to startComputers and smartphonesEvery one of these business phone systems includes desktop and mobile apps, so the devices you own become business phones on day one.
Most officesHeadsetsA comfortable wired or Bluetooth headset for anyone on calls for hours; it improves sound on both ends.
Front desksDesk phonesVoIP desk phones for reception and shared counters. Most providers sell or rent models already set up for their service.
Meeting roomsConference phonesA speakerphone built for rooms, so a whole team can join a call clearly.
Every officeBusiness routerA router that can give voice traffic priority (often called QoS), so calls stay clear while files upload.
RecommendedBackup planA second internet line, or rules that forward calls to cell phones automatically if your connection drops.
How much internet speed business phone systems need
Plan on about 100 kbps of upload and download speed for every call happening at the same time, then leave plenty of room for everything else your office does online.
Calls at the same time
Speed for calls alone (up and down)
Typical office
1 to 2 calls
About 0.2 Mbps
Solo owner or a two-person shop
5 calls
About 0.5 Mbps
A small office with a front desk
10 calls
About 1 Mbps
A busy practice or agency
25 calls
About 2.5 Mbps
A sales or support floor
Rules and must-dos for business phone systems
Register your 911 addressFederal rules (Kari’s Law and RAY BAUM’S Act) require business phone systems to dial 911 directly and send a precise location. Enter each user’s street address, floor and suite in your provider’s portal.
Register before you textU.S. carriers block business texts from unregistered local numbers. Your provider walks you through a one-time brand and campaign registration.
Know the recording rulesSome states require everyone on a call to agree before it is recorded. A short “this call may be recorded” greeting covers you.
Health care? Ask for a BAAMedical and dental offices handling patient information need a business associate agreement (BAA) from their phone provider for HIPAA. Dental offices can also compare dental answering services.
What business phone systems cost beyond the monthly plan
Taxes and feesRegulatory fees and taxes are added to every advertised price.
HardwareDesk phones, headsets and conference phones, bought or rented.
Extra numbersAdditional local or toll-free numbers and toll-free minutes.
Entry plans, the lowest plan each company sells, differ most on texting, video meetings and AI. This table shows what each one includes, so you can see which business phone systems cover what you need before you look at price. “AI” here means things like written transcripts and summaries of your calls.
System and entry plan
Calling
Business texting
Video meetings
AI on the entry plan
Contract
Nextiva NEXT Core
Unlimited voice
100 per user
Included
Transcripts and summaries, 50 conversations
12-month term for the lowest rate, or month to month
Published entry prices for business phone systems run from $15 (Dialpad Standard, Nextiva NEXT Core and Quo Starter, all billed annually) to $30 (Aircall Essentials) per user per month. Eight of the ten publish their prices, and GoTo Connect and 8×8 build a quote for each business, so they sit under Other plans.
Prices are per person, so a $20 plan for 15 people is $300 a month. The annual price is what you pay for committing to a year, and the monthly price is what it costs to stay free to leave. Then come taxes and fees, which is why a website price is never your bill. Before you sign, ask for a written quote that shows every line.
Entry price for business phone systems, per user per month
Showing the 8 systems that publish prices. Not shown: GoTo Connect and 8×8, which price by quote (see Other plans below).
Dialpad Standard (annual)
$15
Nextiva NEXT Core (annual)
$15
Quo Starter (annual)
$15
Zoom Phone Unlimited (annual)
$16
Ooma Office Essentials
$19.95
Vonage Mobile (regular rate)
$19.99
RingCentral Core (annual)
$20
Aircall Essentials (annual)
$30
Nextiva
NEXT Core$15 annual / $23 monthly
Unlimited voice and video, 100 texts per user, team chat, skills-based routing, basic CRM and ticketing, a shared inbox, and AI transcripts and summaries for 50 conversations.
NEXT Engage$25 annual / $50 monthly
Adds live chat with a chatbot, 500 texts per user, a toll-free number with 2,000 minutes, multiple team inboxes, single sign-on, virtual fax and 200 AI conversations.
NEXT Scale$75
Adds unlimited texting, 10,000 toll-free minutes, directory sync, a dedicated onboarding team, unlimited AI and supervisor monitoring.
RingCentral RingEX
Core$20 annual / $30 monthly
Unlimited domestic calling, on-demand call recording, 100 toll-free minutes, 25 texts per user each month, the AI Virtual Assistant and HD meetings for up to 300 people.
Advanced$25 annual / $35 monthly
Adds CRM integrations, multi-site management, core reporting, 1,000 toll-free minutes and 100 texts per user.
Ultra$35 annual / $45 monthly
Adds tools for reaching larger audiences and deeper business insights.
Popular add-onsFrom $25
An AI Receptionist from $39, a Call Queues Booster at $35 and a Business SMS Booster at $25 extend any RingEX plan.
Vonage Business Communications
Mobile$19.99 ($13.99 promo)
Desktop and mobile apps, unlimited domestic calling, texting and voicemail.
Premium$29.99 ($20.99 promo)
Adds VoIP desk phone support, video meetings for up to 200 people, team messaging, app integrations and single sign-on.
Advanced$39.99 ($27.99 promo)
Adds on-demand call recording (15 hours a month), visual voicemail with transcription and call groups.
Aircall
Essentials$30 annual / $40 monthly
Unlimited U.S. and Canada calls, texting, a shared inbox, call recordings with AI transcripts, phone menus, basic analytics and 250+ integrations. Three-user minimum.
Professional$50 annual / $70 monthly
Adds AI call summaries, smart routing with queue callback, a power dialer, call whispering and barging, live monitoring and full API access.
EnterpriseCustom pricing
A 25-user minimum, with unlimited global calls, custom onboarding, an enterprise SLA, HIPAA and SOC 2 compliance, and single sign-on.
Zoom Phone
US & CA Unlimited$16 annual / $18 monthly
Unlimited U.S. and Canada calling, texting, 50 fax pages a month, call recording and AI post-call summaries, added to Zoom Workplace Basic.
Workplace Pro Plus$20.50 annual / $24 monthly
Unlimited calling added to Zoom Workplace Pro, with longer paid meetings and collaboration tools.
Workplace Business Plus$24.50 annual / $29 monthly
Unlimited calling added to Zoom Workplace Business for larger teams.
Dialpad Connect
Standard$15 annual / $27 monthly
Unlimited calling, HD calls and meetings, built-in messaging, real-time transcripts and instant call summaries.
Pro$25 annual / $35 monthly
Adds key CRM integrations, 24/7 customer support and multi-office management.
EnterpriseCustom pricing
Adds single sign-on, user access controls, unlimited office locations and a 99.9% uptime commitment.
Ooma Office
Essentials$19.95
Unlimited calling in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and Puerto Rico, a virtual receptionist, the mobile app, a free toll-free number and digital fax.
Pro$24.95
Adds the desktop app, up to 250 texts a month, video meetings for 25, call recording and enhanced call blocking.
Pro Plus$29.95
Adds AI transcripts and insights, CRM integration, up to 1,000 texts, meetings for 100, team chat, hot desking and call queues.
Quo
Starter$15 annual / $19 monthly
One local or toll-free number per user, U.S. and Canada calling and texting, voicemail transcripts, the Sona AI agent and 1,000 automation credits.
Business$23 annual / $33 monthly
Adds AI call summaries, group calling, call transfers, phone menus, HubSpot and Salesforce connections, analytics, automatic call recording and live chat support.
Scale$35 annual / $47 monthly
Adds AI call tags, dedicated onboarding support and priority support.
Prices are per user per month (Vonage: per line) unless noted. “Annual” means billed yearly. Nextiva’s annual rate applies to new customers with 1 to 100 employees on a 12-month term. Vonage’s $19.99, $29.99 and $39.99 rates are for 1 to 4 lines, and larger teams pay less per line. Its page calls the discount a 12-month promotion, but its terms say it lasts for the duration of the service, so confirm that in writing.
Other plans
8×8Priced by quote Unified communications, 8×8 Contact Center, 8×8 Engage and 8×8 for Microsoft Teams, built as a custom package.
GoTo ConnectPriced by quote Phone System, Phone System + AI Receptionist, Customer Experience, CX Complete and Contact Center.
Enterprise tiersPriced by quote Larger RingCentral deployments, Dialpad Enterprise, Aircall Enterprise (25-user minimum) and Ooma Enterprise.
Business phone systems cost by team size
Here is what business phone systems cost per month on each entry plan at three common team sizes, before taxes and fees. GoTo Connect and 8×8 aren’t listed because they price by quote, and Ooma Office sends teams of 6 or more to sales.
Entry plan
5 users
15 users
50 users
Nextiva NEXT Core (annual)
$75
$225
$750
RingCentral Core (annual)
$100
$300
$1,000
Vonage Mobile (regular rate)
$89.95
$269.85
$749.50
Aircall Essentials (annual)
$150
$450
$1,500
Zoom Phone US & CA Unlimited
$80
$240
$800
Dialpad Standard (annual)
$75
$225
$750
Ooma Office Essentials
$99.75
Ask sales
Ask sales
Quo Starter (annual)
$75
$225
$750
Free personalized guidance
Prices are only part of the decision
Tell us how many phone users and locations your system needs to support, along with your call volume, equipment needs, must-have features and timeline. Our telecom consultant can help you compare business phone systems before you commit.
Customer ratings for these business phone systems come from G2 and TrustRadius, two of the best-known business software review sites. A rating gives you a quick feel, but it can’t tell you how a system fits your team, so each company below also gets a full write-up, plain answers on contracts and canceling, and what customers wrote. Each company has six review cards from the past year. Most pair Google Maps reviews with one other review site, and each card links back to where the review was posted.
Who is G2?Founded in 2012, G2 hosts more than 3 million verified reviews. It confirms each reviewer’s identity and moderates every review before it goes live.
Who is TrustRadius?Based in Austin, Texas, TrustRadius is known for in-depth reviews from verified users, many signed with their full name, job title and company. It is independent of G2.
We re-check review ratings, reviews and prices often, so what you see here stays current.
Customer review ratings for business phone systems
G2, out of 5TrustRadius, out of 10
3.54.04.55.0
678910
Nextiva
G2
4.5 (3,683 reviews)
3.54.04.55.0
TrustRadius
8.5 (398 reviews)
678910
RingCentral
G2
4.2 (1,515 reviews)
3.54.04.55.0
TrustRadius
8.8 (547 reviews)
678910
Vonage
G2
4.3 (504 reviews)
3.54.04.55.0
TrustRadius
8.6 (103 reviews)
678910
8×8
G2
4.2 (941 reviews)
3.54.04.55.0
TrustRadius
8.7 (988 reviews)
678910
Aircall
G2
4.4 (1,680 reviews)
3.54.04.55.0
TrustRadius
8.0 (144 reviews)
678910
Zoom Phone
G2
4.6 (2,682 reviews)
3.54.04.55.0
TrustRadius
7.5 (146 reviews)
678910
GoTo Connect
G2
4.4 (1,422 reviews)
3.54.04.55.0
TrustRadius
8.0 (504 reviews)
678910
Dialpad
G2
4.4 (4,216 reviews)
3.54.04.55.0
TrustRadius
8.3 (578 reviews)
678910
Ooma Office
G2
4.5 (134 reviews)
3.54.04.55.0
TrustRadius
6.4 (86 reviews)
678910
Quo
G2
4.7 (3,423 reviews)
3.54.04.55.0
TrustRadius
8.2 (27 reviews)
678910
3.54.04.55.0
678910
Bars start at 3.5 on the G2 scale and at 6 on the TrustRadius scale, so small differences are easy to see. The number in parentheses is how many customer reviews each rating is based on. 8×8 ratings are for 8×8 Work. Review ratings checked October 24, 2026, and refreshed often.
#1
Nextiva: best for calls, texts and video in one app
One app that grows from a small office to an enterprise
Our pick in this guide forSolo owners and new businessesA busy front deskDepartments and a second locationMulti-site companiesEnterprise rollouts
Nextiva suits businesses that want everything in one app, with room to grow inside it. Even the entry NEXT Core plan goes well past a basic phone line: your team gets unlimited calling and video, business texting, a shared inbox and team chat in one desktop and mobile app, plus AI that writes up call transcripts and summaries. A small office replacing personal cell phones gets a professional number and a phone menu on day one, while a larger team can add live web chat, a toll-free line and supervisor tools later without changing companies.
Customers on both review sites most often praise how easy it is to learn. Two things need a close look, though. Nextiva lists a $3.95 recovery fee and a $1.50 E911 fee per line, and no page confirms whether they apply to Core. Its published canceling terms are also among the weakest shown here. The amount of its disconnect fee, any limit on price rises at renewal, what it costs to move a number out and how long your data is kept after you leave aren’t published, and the terms describe no way to export your data.
Not the best fit if: you need call recording or faxing on the entry plan. Both are add-ons on Core and included from Engage at $25.
Ideal phone users5 to 1,000+
Best matched toOffices that want calls, texts, video and chat in one place
Entry planNEXT Core
Customer review ratingsG2 4.5 out of 5 · TrustRadius 8.5 out of 10
Straight answers
Is there a contract?The annual price needs a 12-month minimum term that renews by itself. Monthly agreements are also available.
Can you cancel easily?Cancel by email or phone, since no in-app way is described. With a term, give 30 days’ notice before it ends, or it renews. Month to month, canceling takes effect at the end of the first billing period that closes at least 30 days after your notice. On a minimum commitment contract, you owe the rest of the term plus a disconnect fee with no published amount. Nextiva’s pages don’t state whether its annual plan counts as one, so ask before you sign.
Setup fees?The terms mention them, with no amounts published.
Trial or guarantee?A 30-day money-back guarantee with limits. A free trial isn’t published.
Discounts or perks?Up to 12 months free for switching, with conditions not shown.
Nextiva customer reviews
From TrustRadius and Google Maps, all from the past year. Each card opens the review where it was posted.
Nextiva
Both sides, one customerRated 9 out of 10
Nextiva for Education
How they use itWe use Nextiva as our primary phone system for our school district spread across 4 buildings in two different towns. We utilize the auto attendant features to answer and route calls to various individuals and departments across the organization. We also utilize the phone app to provide mobile communication for mobile workers and supervisors when they are away from their desks.
+Pros
Call quality is excellent
The mobile app is great for making and receiving calls away from your desk
Online setup of users is simple and straight forward.
−Cons
Ability to add and remove users from the underlying database requires customer service input
When users are removed or changed, customer service must be called to update user lists on devices
Changes to automated attendants requires customer service input in most cases.
How they use itWe use Nextiva as our phone service company, we have an office here in the us and an office in India as well as people on the field. We love how easy is to have everybody connected as if all of us were in the same location. Either by using a phone set or the cellphone app. We find very easy to add and remove users as well as assign extension numbers.
+Pros
We can communicate using extension numbers with our coworkers in India and on the field.
Our India office can receive and make calls as if they were here in the us.
We even have an e-fax for free with Nextiva
It is easy to use Nextiva with our cellphones.
−Cons
We had Issues setting up phone sets in India. So we set them up here in the us and ship them.
LDLuis D.Auditor and IT, Galaxy Management Company Hospitality, 51‑200 employees
In their wordsWe had a smooth and professional experience working with Nextiva throughout the number-porting process. Their team was responsive, knowledgeable, and clearly understood the complexities involved with telecom number porting. Having worked in telecom myself, I know that porting numbers can involve multiple carriers, regulatory requirements, and coordination behind the scenes. Nextiva handled the process professionally and kept things moving in the right direction. Their support team has been excellent throughout the experience, and I appreciate the communication and attention they’ve given us. It’s clear that customer service is a priority for Nextiva. Overall, we’re very pleased with the experience and look forward to having everything fully operational. I would definitely recommend giving Nextiva serious consideration if you’re looking for a business phone service provider.
In their wordsAvoid Nextiva if you can. Their auto-renewals are predatory. I contacted them and asked them not to auto-renew my contract because my firm is smaller and we were moving. Because I didn’t respond in their arbitrarily small response window (busy with the move!) they renewed me anyway without my consent and now say that I’m in a 3 year contract. Stay away!
In their wordsWe have used Nextiva for over 5 years; however, this year we experienced the worst customer service. We recently had all of our phones go offline. In order to rectify this situation, we had to spend 4-5 hours on the phone with tech support only to have 2 of 4 phones work again. They eventually said it must be our Cox Internet service. It didn’t matter that our Cox service was working fine. We had Cox come out anyway and verified internet was good. Called back and was told the backend system of the phones probably need to have settings changed. Mind you they wanted us to change the settings on the phones even though we have never changed them. The phones just stopped working. When I explained that we are a small business and we do not have the IT knowledge to 1) check all of the phone settings or 2) sit on hold with tech support for 4-5 hours (again), I asked for an onsite tech appointment. I was told they don’t offer any onsite support. In other words I have to spend my time figuring out how to fix their phone system when it all of sudden stops working. I decided I would just move our phone service to Cox since they have onsite support. I move everything over and now Nextiva says we have to pay an early termination fee because our contract allegedly renewed automatically 2 years ago. This is interesting because when we purchased a 4th phone 2 years ago their employee said we were out of contract and just month to month. Additionally, the contract we signed in 2021 does say it will automatically renew but does not say for what time period. Their contract language is not clear at all. Nor do they ever remind you that your contract is up and will auto renew. So not only do they not want to provide satisfactory support, they want to hold you to a contract that their own employee stated was month to month and their own contract does not make clear.
Deep admin controls for companies adding people and places
Our pick in this guide forDepartments and a second locationMulti-site companiesEnterprise rolloutsAny size, calls drive revenue
Of all the business phone systems here, RingCentral’s RingEX is the one built for companies adding people, departments or locations. Picture a business opening its third office: every plan includes unlimited domestic calling, on-demand call recording, business texting, large video meetings and RingCentral’s AI Virtual Assistant, so the basics are covered from the first user.
Moving up to Advanced connects your CRM, ties several offices into one system and adds the reports a manager needs to see where calls are being missed. Reviewers like having everything in one place and the smooth setup, and they find the calling dependable.
RingCentral’s strong point is what happens if it doesn’t work out. Its published terms give you 30 days from purchase to cancel and get back the unused part, a clear rule for leaving after that, and no fee of its own to move your number out. Two things are worth planning for. It’s harder to manage than most systems here, so expect to spend real time in the admin settings, and reaching support is where customers are least happy. Reporting depth and device limits come up too.
Not the best fit if: you’re a very small office. The system has more settings than you’ll ever use, and something simpler such as Ooma Office may suit you better.
Ideal phone users10 to 1,000+
Best matched toMulti-location and fast-growing businesses
Entry planRingEX Core
Customer review ratingsG2 4.2 out of 5 · TrustRadius 8.8 out of 10
Straight answers
Is there a contract?Yes. Each order sets a term that renews by itself, and monthly payment is offered.
Can you cancel easily?You can cancel in writing within 30 days of buying and get back the unused part of what you prepaid, unless your agreement states otherwise. After that, leaving early means paying the rest of the term. Give 30 days’ notice before the term ends to stop renewal. The account owner or an admin cancels by calling or chatting with support. Move your numbers first, because they’re disconnected when you cancel.
Setup fees?None listed, though RingCentral doesn’t state there are none.
Trial or guarantee?A free trial for new subscribers, without texting.
Discounts or perks?Annual payment saves up to 33%. Nonprofit and volume discounts aren’t published.
RingCentral customer reviews
From TrustRadius and Google Maps, all from the past year. Each card opens the review where it was posted.
RingCentral
Both sides, one customerRated 10 out of 10
Powerful communication tool with seamless calling and messaging tools
How they use itRingEX provides seamless business calls, messaging and team collaboration under one secure platform that is easy to use. I can conveniently use RingEX on the desktop application, desk phone and mobile apps with simple set up process. The platform is able to record each conversation for future reference and for efficient record keeping.
+Pros
Texting and messaging customers.
Call center for all our communication operations.
Conversation analysis.
−Cons
The monthly text limit leads to extra charges when reached which can be sometimes overwhelming for my team.
VBValerie B.Network Engineer, Tateeda Global Computer Software, 51‑200 employees
How they use itWe manage the phone systems for all of our dental practices and migrate them from their old phone provider into our RingCentral account.
+Pros
Allows for flexibility and scalability.
It makes creating new accounts and device purchases simple.
It makes phone service incredibly affordable.
−Cons
RingEX could provide us more administrative controls on the phone system.
RingEX can improve on the accuracy of the call log reports.
RingEX could also eliminate the 100,000 call criteria for keeping call recordings and leave the criteria to just 90 days.
RingEX could also give administrators control on how RingEX archiver labels and saves recordings.
VUVerified UserProfessional in Information Technology Medical Practice Company, 1001‑5000 employees
How they use itThere are a couple businesses that use the Call Queues and employees have DID #’s that people can get a hold of them. They didn’t want a complex phone system for their call queues. It is fairly easy to use as Administrators and if he have any questions or get stuck we can submit a ticket or call in. Support is helpful.
+Pros
Easy Call Queues
Easy Administration
Easy to get Support when stuck for Administration.
−Cons
Not easy to find Abandoned Queue calls before get to agent.
Business Analytics and Performance Reports not sure why there are two……makes it confusing to guide Managers on which ones to use.
Setting up Subscription reports -wasn’t working correctly
Should have more Live Report options
VUVerified UserAdministrator in Information Technology Information Technology & Services Company, 201‑500 employees
How they use itWe are a large Dental Support Organization. We have deployed RingEX across 180 sites so far. RingEX is a solid product and easy to deploy and rarely has voice quality issues if the network is setup correctly. We use Advanced Support as the level one support is less than desirable.
+Pros
Voice Quality
Deployment
Faxing
−Cons
Service
Built in Analytics
Keymaps
MMMatthew M.Telecommunication Specialist, Specialty1Partners Health, Wellness and Fitness, 1001‑5000 employees
In their wordsVery happy with Ring Central and the organization it provides my small business. I use it for phone and fax. I really appreciate having voicemails transcribed and emailed to me, makes multi-tasking a breeze! Professional walk-through in the beginning, much better than the previous company I was considering. Would recommend.
In their wordsTerrible service and very poor support. 1. Support agents can take up to 10 minutes to reply, yet the chat window automatically closes if you don’t respond within just 2 minutes. I had to speak with over nine different people without getting the issue resolved; it consumed five hours of my time—all because of a problem that seemed complex or was caused by a hidden system glitch. 2. The support staff are supposed to be technical experts, yet they don’t seem to fully understand their own system. They told me to change extension 101 to 102, failing to realize that only extension 101 is configured to receive calls routed from the "0" key on the menu.
Start on mobile, add desk phones and video as you grow
Our pick in this guide forA busy front deskDepartments and a second location
Vonage Business Communications suits offices that want to start small and add only what they need. The Mobile plan gives each person desktop and mobile apps, unlimited domestic calling, texting and voicemail, which is plenty for a team that works from laptops and cell phones.
Premium adds support for desk phones, video meetings for up to 200 people, team messaging and app connections, and Advanced adds on-demand call recording and voicemail you can read. Customers like the voice quality and simple screens. Some reviewers mention that call quality can dip on weaker connections.
Not the best fit if: you want everything in one price. Pieces many companies include are extras here, such as ring groups at $4.99 a month per group and call queues at $14.99 a month per queue.
Ideal phone users2 to 500
Best matched toOffices that want to start mobile and add desk phones later
Entry planVonage Mobile
Customer review ratingsG2 4.3 out of 5 · TrustRadius 8.6 out of 10
Straight answers
Is there a contract?Monthly plans, or a minimum 1-year contract on annual.
Can you cancel easily?Monthly plans have no early termination fee, and service ends with 30 days’ written notice. Annual plans can owe the rest of the contract, and any fee appears only when you pick a cancellation date in the portal. Stopping renewal takes 60 days’ notice. Charges paid aren’t refunded, and numbers can’t move once the account is canceled, so move them first.
Setup fees?Not published, and one-time charges may apply.
Trial or guarantee?Not published.
Discounts or perks?30% off new annual contracts through December 31, 2026.
Vonage customer reviews
From G2 and Google Maps, all from the past year. Each card opens the review where it was posted.
Vonage
Both sides, one customerRated 5 out of 5
All-in-One Cloud Communications with Powerful APIs and Innovation
+What they like bestWhat I like most about Vonage Business Communications is how it combines voice, messaging, video meetings, and contact center solutions into one flexible cloud platform. I also appreciate its strong API capabilities, which allow businesses to integrate communications into their existing workflows and create better customer experiences. As someone with a digital marketing background, I value solutions that help companies improve customer engagement, streamline communication, and scale efficiently. That’s why I find Vonage’s focus on innovation and customer experience especially appealing.
−What they dislikeOne area where I think Vonage Business Communications could improve is making the platform even easier for first-time users. Because it offers a wide range of features and integrations, the initial setup and learning curve can feel overwhelming for some businesses. Enhancing the onboarding experience and simplifying navigation would help new customers adopt the platform more quickly and get value from it sooner. Overall, I see this as an opportunity for improvement rather than a major drawback.
MSMohamed S.Senior Digital Marketing Consultant | Vendor for snapchat supporting Advertisers in MENA, Marketing and Advertising Mid-Market (51‑1000 emp.)
+What they like bestVery helpful in one-to-one texting and calling. This can be easily used on both phones and desktops/Laptops. Very easy to use in day-to-day life. Vonage offers text, calling, team messaging, and video calls, as well as group texting, which helps us coordinate within the organisation. We can use this app anywhere, anytime, just with a good internet connection.
−What they dislikeTake a lot of time to open in the system. The internet connection is slow, it gives intermittent issues in calling.
+What they like bestWhat I like best about Vonage Business Communications is its reliability and flexibility for daily business use. In my role as a Business Development Manager in a US staffing environment, I rely heavily on consistent outbound and inbound calling, and Vonage has provided stable call quality with minimal disruptions.
The platform is very user-friendly, especially the desktop and mobile apps, which allow me to stay connected even when I’m not at my desk. Features like call forwarding, voicemail-to-email, and easy call management have helped improve my productivity and ensure I never miss important client or candidate calls.
Another major advantage is the ability to manage communication across different time zones, which is critical for working with US clients from India. Overall, it has streamlined our communication process and made remote work much more efficient.
−What they dislikeOne of the main drawbacks of Vonage Business Communications is that call quality can occasionally fluctuate, especially during peak hours or with weaker internet connections. While it works well most of the time, even small disruptions can impact productivity in a role that depends heavily on consistent client communication.
Another area for improvement is the user interface, which can feel slightly outdated and less intuitive compared to some newer communication platforms. Certain settings and features take extra time to locate, especially for new users.
Additionally, the mobile app, while useful, can sometimes lag or have minor performance issues, particularly when handling multiple calls or switching between features.
Overall, while the platform is reliable for daily operations, there is definitely room for improvement in terms of performance consistency and user experience.
Simple and Effective Communication with Excellent UX
+What they like bestI use Vonage Business Communications for business calling and appreciate its unique UI that’s not complicated. I really like its UX and how simple it is without being overly complicated. The initial setup was really easy with no issues.
−What they dislikeI don’t like when you block a number the number still can call you
In their wordsThis is an awful company. Please beware. I tried to transfer my phone service to Vonage. After a month they were not able to transfer my existing phone numbers over from Comcast. So I had to cancel the service. However they keep billing me as if I had their service. So every month I have to fight with them to reverse the charges.
8×8: best for multi-location and contact center growth
Unified calling now, a full contact center later
Our pick in this guide forMulti-site companiesEnterprise rolloutsAny size, calls drive revenue
8×8 suits organizations that want a phone system now and expect to need a contact center later. Calling, meetings, messaging, a receptionist screen and reports run on the same system as 8×8 Contact Center, so a customer service team can add queues and supervisor views without moving to a new company.
Businesses with offices in several states, or customers who call from other countries, get one system to manage, and 8×8 also offers a version that works inside Microsoft Teams. Reviewers call it easy to use day to day, while admins note a learning curve on the advanced settings.
Not the best fit if: you’re a small office, or you want to stay month to month. 8×8’s help pages state that month to month isn’t offered, and the term is 36 months if your order doesn’t name one.
Ideal phone users25 to 1,000+
Best matched toCustomer service teams and multi-location companies
Entry planCustom package
Customer review ratingsG2 4.2 out of 5 · TrustRadius 8.7 out of 10
Straight answers
Is there a contract?Yes. 8×8 doesn’t offer month to month, and the term is 36 months if your order names none.
Can you cancel easily?You can end it within 30 days of the start date if the service doesn’t meet requirements. After that, leaving early means buying out the remaining months. To stop renewal, give written notice at least 30 days before the term ends, or it renews for 12 months. Move your numbers before you cancel, because they stop working on the cancellation date.
Setup fees?Not published, and implementation is optional paid work.
Trial or guarantee?Not published.
Discounts or perks?No promotion listed.
8×8 customer reviews
From TrustRadius and Google Maps, all from the past year. Each card opens the review where it was posted.
8×8
Both sides, one customerRated 10 out of 10
8×8 Global VOIP Tool Review
How they use itIt is our global telephony system integrated with Teams. We use both fax and SMS features. Prior to this we had 3 different VOIP tools going with 8×8 made much easier to manage both from a technical & billing point of view. Having a dedicated account manager for direct questions or escalations is practical.
+Pros
Quick response on support
Quick response on billing
Ease of use to manage the account
−Cons
Improve the use of excel templates and replace with more GUI based approach.
VUVerified UserEmployee in Information Technology Biotechnology Company, 501‑1000 employees
How they use itWe are now much more flexible when it comes to assigning phone numbers to employees and can make adjustments directly at the department level. Since no hardware phones are required, our capital costs are lower. We can instead invest those funds in other IT projects. Setting up a user is super easy and quick. Different permission levels are also available for administration itself, which wouldn’t really work with a traditional phone system.
+Pros
Quick setup
high availability
platform-independent
−Cons
Improving Teams Integration
Improved update feature in the 8×8 client
VUVerified UserAdministrator in Information Technology Paper & Forest Products Company, 201‑500 employees
8×8 Work improves reliability, and all comms unified
How they use itWe have a CoE that needs a unified communication solution, 8×8 Work is the perfect solution for the organization. It help us to contact all our customers in the US. It was easy to deploy and easy to install in each endpoint, the SMS services and ring groups help us to avoid any lost call.
+Pros
SMS contact campaign
Incoming and outcoming calls for our customers
Call trace and fully detailed reports
Local numbers in the US
−Cons
Some of the reports can be more detailed
Integration with Whatsapp they provide it with an additional service
VUVerified UserAdministrator in Information Technology Information Technology & Services Company, 51‑200 employees
Decent price okay product but not the best in class
How they use itWe use 8×8 Work primarily as our VOIP provider and a minor role in out UCASS system. Our primary focus is usage is on traditional desk handsets, but many users reach out to clients using the voice, video, and messaging services. It is a good tool that unifies a lot of different softwares, however some, like the conference service, are lacking. Our users appreciate the ability to text from the desktop 8×8 Work app and others have adopted a full softphone approach. Out use cases are largely per-user, but they are varied.
+Pros
Simple to use admin UI
Mostly reliable service
Good soft phone UI
−Cons
Many technical solutions are held behind 8×8 support
Desk phones seem to have issues every 3-6 months
OBi devices for manual fax are terrible to set up
VUVerified UserEmployee in Information Technology Law Practice Company, 51‑200 employees
In their wordsOur company had 8×8 for many years. Customer service was horrible to non-existent. We tried emailing their customer support only to get emails bounced back. Other emails never received a response. We tried calling customer service multiple times and could not get help. They direct you to their automated attendant "auto" or "otto", but it was of no use. They gladly take your money each month for their software, but have absolutely poor customer support services. As a business we found their customer service unsatisfactory.
Our pick in this guide forAny size, calls drive revenue
Aircall is the specialist here. It’s built for teams whose calls bring in the money or keep customers happy, and it logs every call in your CRM, so notes, recordings and outcomes land in the right customer record by themselves. Essentials already includes texting, a shared inbox, phone menus, AI transcripts and more than 250 connections to other software.
Professional adds AI call summaries, smarter routing, a power dialer, and whisper and barge so managers can coach reps live. Reviewers single out the connections to customer records. Some reviewers mention calls cutting off when their internet drops.
Not the best fit if: you’re a general office. It costs more per user than a typical office phone system and needs at least three users.
Ideal phone users3 to 500+
Best matched toSales floors, support desks and call centers
Entry planAircall Essentials
Customer review ratingsG2 4.4 out of 5 · TrustRadius 8.0 out of 10
Straight answers
Is there a contract?Monthly billing with no long-term commitment, or a 12-month annual term that renews by itself.
Can you cancel easily?Accounts of up to 10 seats can cancel in the Dashboard, and larger accounts email Customer Success. Annual and larger plans need 30 days’ notice before renewal, and you stay committed to the term you signed. No cancellation fee is published, and refunds aren’t offered.
Setup fees?None listed. Self-subscribers pay an initial deposit.
Trial or guarantee?A 7-day free trial.
Discounts or perks?A 25% annual saving and 50 free AI Voice Agent minutes a month.
Aircall customer reviews
From G2 and Google Maps, all from the past year. Each card opens the review where it was posted.
Aircall
Both sides, one customerRated 5 out of 5
Fast Connection and Easy Call Record Tracking
+What they like bestFast connection. Can track call records easily
−What they dislikeI’ve only used it for a couple weeks. And I like it. So none so far.
MCMiguel Paolo C.Customer Support Specialist Enterprise (> 1000 emp.)
Easy-to-Use Calling, but Inconsistent Audio Levels
+What they like bestI find Aircall practical and easy to use once I understand how it works. I use live calls, call recordings to verify information, and the keyboard during calls. I use it for customer service, booking appointments, and communicating with the medical centers I need to reach.
−What they dislikeI wish Aircall managed the sound proactively. Sometimes I can’t hear anything, and other times the sound is too loud. Adjusting the volume myself doesn’t help once I’ve already heard a very loud or very low sound. I’d like to be able to predefine my preferred volume so Aircall can adjust it automatically for each call, since the sound varies.
Easy-to-Use Dialing, but Call Quality and Recording Access Need Work
+What they like bestI find Aircall easy to use. I use the dialer and power dialer, and I can choose from multiple numbers when calling different regions. I like that it shows the local time zone so I know whether it’s a good time to call. The connectivity is good, the analytics are great, and I can download recordings. I like the features, and after trying a lot of options, Aircall is the best so far.
−What they dislikeSometimes I have issues while dialing, with disturbances during calls where people aren’t able to hear me. It happens rarely, but I’ve noticed it especially in the UK and some parts of Europe. I also have to log in to the call dashboard and navigate to a specific area to access recordings and transcripts. I’d like them to be available in the app after I dial, with an option to download the recording there. The setup was a bit confusing when I was new, though I wouldn’t say it was difficult.
YSYusuf S.Partnerships Development Manager Mid-Market (51‑1000 emp.)
In their wordsMisleading Billing and Unresponsive Support – Do Not Recommend Aircall charged my account for additional users that I did not have. I reviewed my dashboard carefully and confirmed the actual number of active users. I contacted their support team multiple times, provided explanations and evidence, but they refused to acknowledge or remediate their billing error. I would strongly caution other businesses to monitor their invoices closely and be aware that resolving billing disputes with Aircall may be difficult.
Zoom Phone: best for businesses already using Zoom
Calls, meetings and chat in the Zoom app your team already uses
Our pick in this guide forSolo owners and new businessesA busy front deskEnterprise rollouts
If your team already opens Zoom every morning, Zoom Phone is the easiest of these business phone systems to roll out, because calling simply appears inside the app people know. Calls, meetings, chat and voicemail share one contact list, so a hybrid team can move from a phone call to a video meeting with one click, and AI writes a summary after each call.
The US & CA Unlimited plan is where most offices would start, at $16 a user a month on annual billing or $18 month to month, with unlimited calling across the U.S. and Canada. Zoom also names metered calling plans, but its pricing page doesn’t show a price for them, so ask before you sign. Reviewers love having one app. Teams that need heavier call center reporting or finer admin controls may want more.
Not the best fit if: your team doesn’t already use Zoom. That takes away most of what makes it such an easy choice.
Ideal phone users2 to 1,000+
Best matched toRemote, hybrid and enterprise teams on Zoom Workplace
Entry planUS & CA Unlimited
Customer review ratingsG2 4.6 out of 5 · TrustRadius 7.5 out of 10
Straight answers
Is there a contract?You choose monthly or annual renewal.
Can you cancel easily?Cancel in the web portal under Plans and billing, and service runs to the end of your term. No cancellation fee is listed, and payments aren’t refunded. Zoom’s terms ask for 30 days’ notice before renewal, while its help and pricing pages don’t. Move your numbers first, because numbers left behind may go to other customers after 30 days.
Setup fees?None listed.
Trial or guarantee?Trial buttons appear, with no published length or terms.
Discounts or perks?No promotion listed.
Zoom Phone customer reviews
From G2 and Google Maps, all from the past year. Each card opens the review where it was posted.
Zoom Phone
Both sides, one customerRated 5 out of 5
Easy Call Management and Helpful Features for Staying Connected
+What they like bestWhat I like most about Zoom Phone is how easy it makes it to manage work calls in one place. I can stay connected with colleagues and clients without relying solely on a traditional phone system. The call quality is consistently good, and everyday features like call forwarding and voicemail are genuinely helpful for my daily workflow. Overall, it’s a solid option for keeping teams connected, especially when people are working from different locations.
−What they dislikeOne thing I dislike about Zoom Phone is that call quality can sometimes depend heavily on the internet connection. It can also take a bit of time to get familiar with all the features and settings. If you’re used to a regular phone system, the initial setup may feel a little confusing at first. Overall, it works well, but a simpler setup process and more consistent call quality would make it even better.
PTParth T.Legal Intern, Law Practice Enterprise (> 1000 emp.)
+What they like bestI like Zoom Phone’s app base and call recordings feature. It helps me review KPIs easily, and I can pull recordings whenever needed.
−What they dislikeI’m not too happy with the customer service. Whenever we need to contact Zoom, they aren’t able to fix issues over the phone.
+What they like bestI like how Zoom Phone combines calling, video meetings, messaging, and screen sharing in one platform, which makes communication simple and efficient. I especially appreciate the reliable call quality, the easy collaboration features, and the option to connect with both mobile phones and landlines, helping our team stay productive and connected.
−What they dislikeSome aspects of Zoom Phone could be improved to enhance the overall experience. One limitation is the lack of more advanced analytics and detailed reporting features compared to some other business phone systems. Since it is a cloud-based service, call quality can sometimes depend on internet stability, which may lead to occasional call drops or audio issues in weaker network conditions. There are also instances of minor application glitches or performance slowdowns, especially on less powerful systems. Additionally, customer support response times can sometimes be inconsistent. While it works well for daily communication, improving reliability, support, and advanced features would make it even more efficient and user-friendly.
+What they like bestI like the simplicity and integration of Zoom Phone. It allows you to easily switch between calls, video meetings, and chat on a single platform, speeding up the workflow. The user interface is familiar, making it easy to learn, and features like converting a call to video with one click save time, making it an all-in-one communication hub. Additionally, its initial setup is very easy.
−What they dislikeZoom Phone has some drawbacks such as limited integration, especially for CRM and live chat, lack of customer service features (like call back), and the high cost of some business plans. Additionally, the reporting and analytics dashboard is not as detailed as competitors, especially for businesses that require in-depth data.
+What they like bestI use Zoom Phone mainly for making and receiving business calls, team communication, and staying connected while working remotely. It’s easy to use, integrates well with Zoom Meetings, and offers clear call quality. I love that it’s a reliable cloud phone solution for individuals and teams, and everything is in one app—calls, meetings, contacts, and voicemail—so I don’t have to switch tools, which saves time and makes communication faster and simpler.
−What they dislikeSome advanced features are only available on higher plans, and setting up call routing or admin settings can be a bit tricky at first. Call routing setup could be simpler, with clearer settings and guided setup for admins.
AAAayush A.Java developer training Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)
In their wordsCustomer support with Zoom has been pretty nonexistent. I set up a Zoom Phone VoIP system and have been dealing with issues with SMS campaign verification after porting my business phone number. Unfortunately, communication and support from Zoom have been extremely disappointing.
I’ve tried reaching out through email, phone, and chat support, but I still haven’t received meaningful assistance or a resolution. It has now been months without this issue being resolved.
The phone system itself has potential, but the lack of responsive customer support and follow-through has made the experience incredibly frustrating. For a business relying on its phone system, having an issue remain unresolved for months is unacceptable.
On Google, every review in the past year that described Zoom’s service was a complaint. The 4- and 5-star ratings left no comment, apart from one about the office.
Worth knowing: the Pro Plus and Business Plus plans bundle calling with higher Zoom Workplace plans, so check which Workplace plan your team already pays for.
GoTo Connect: best for call routing and call management
Visual dial plans for front desks and departments
Our pick in this guide forA busy front deskDepartments and a second locationMulti-site companies
GoTo Connect is the one to compare when the real problem is where calls go. Its call plans send callers by department, office hours, holidays and who’s available, and every plan includes unlimited phone menus and call queues, free calls to 50 countries and video meetings for up to 250 people.
The Customer Experience plan adds a team inbox, AI call summaries, a screen that helps a front desk manage several lines, and texting, web chat, WhatsApp and social messages in one place. Offices with a receptionist juggling several lines tend to feel the difference quickly. Some small company reviewers report calls or messages that didn’t arrive.
Not the best fit if: you want to compare prices tonight. GoTo sells by quote, so you’ll need to talk to sales to learn what it costs.
Ideal phone users10 to 1,000+
Best matched toFront desks, departments and multi-location call flows
Entry planPhone System
Customer review ratingsG2 4.4 out of 5 · TrustRadius 8.0 out of 10
Straight answers
Is there a contract?Each order sets the term, which renews by itself, and term lengths aren’t listed.
Can you cancel easily?GoTo Connect isn’t among the products GoTo lets you cancel online, so plan on contacting support or your sales rep. Give 30 days’ notice before the term ends, or it renews. Ending early makes the fees through the end of the term due at once, plus the cost of any subsidized hardware you don’t return new, and payments aren’t refunded.
Setup fees?Not published.
Trial or guarantee?A 14-day free trial, with no conditions listed.
Discounts or perks?GoTo offers team discounts, with no amounts shown.
GoTo Connect customer reviews
From TrustRadius and Google Maps, all from the past year. Each card opens the review where it was posted.
GoTo Connect
Both sides, one customerRated 9 out of 10
GoTo Review
How they use itGoTo used as an user desk phone, soft phone etc. Can access their voicemails from the GoTo app. To access their extensions, phone number and the voicemails from anywhere. GoTo address many transfer calls and adding multiple people to make easy conference calls for a quick short meetings. Main scope is to access their numbers at any time from anywhere.
+Pros
Extension overview
Soft phone set up
Cleaning up old voicemails
Assigning new area code phone numbers
−Cons
App updates
Voice call drops
instant voicemail messages
VUVerified UserAnalyst in Information Technology Education Management Company, 1001‑5000 employees
How they use itWe used to be a small company in the office, and after COVID we went fully remote and have stayed remote. This product helps us immensely so we can all stay connected to each other and customers. It is helpful because most people don’t want to provide their personal number, and being able to continue to use a work phone number keeps everyone secure.
+Pros
Call forwarding
Online user portal via computer app
Online user portal via cell phone app
Call mapping
−Cons
I’m not sure if they have completely updated their online user interface, sometimes it still routes me to the old webpages, but the new one is more interconnected
VUVerified UserEmployee in Other Construction Company, 201‑500 employees
How they use itWe use GoTo Connect as our main hub for all calls, video meetings, and client messages to keep everything under one roof. It completely wiped out the headache of losing track of client requests across different apps since everything now feeds into a single shared screen. Our entire team runs on it daily, and those automatic AI call notes honestly save us hours of busywork.
+Pros
First is the call routing. They have this visual drag-and-drop tool that lets you build out what happens when someone calls the agency
Second is the mobile app. My team is constantly on the move, running between client offices or working remotely.
Having all our texts, voicemails, and the AI-generated call notes feed directly into one single inbox is a massive lifesaver.
−Cons
The initial backend setup for user permissions can be incredibly clunky, making it surprisingly painful to just give a new team member access to a specific shared inbox without accidentally messing up their general calling settings.
The platform native dashboard reporting feels pretty basic when you need to dig into deep productivity metrics, so it forces you to spend way too much time exporting CSV files just to build a simple custom report for the week.
I would love to see a much more fluid, deeply integrated task manager built right into the chat threads, because right now you still have to leave GoTo Connect and log into a separate project tool just to assign a simple follow-up action to a teammate.
How they use itWe use GoTo Connect as our main VoIP system, for faxing, and occasionally we use GoTo Meeting for conference meetings. We transitioned to them when our landline was getting disconnected, and they have been a great partner and phone system for that transition. They are easy to use, easy to customize, and are very reliable.
+Pros
Easy customization.
Good phone call quality and reliability.
Good user experience and interface.
−Cons
Device provisioning can be difficult.
Occasional outages can be frustrating.
Call reports can be hard to navigate and filter calls.
VUVerified UserTeam Lead in Information Technology Logistics & Supply Chain Company, 501‑1000 employees
How they use itGoTo is primarily used by my Customer service agents. We also utilize the AI receptionist for after hours phone calls, as well as the email fax option. The addition of the AI receptionist was a game changer for us! We previously used an after hours service, which was expensive. GoTo’s AI Receptionist saved our company a lot of money.
+Pros
AI Receptionist
Call Queue
Virtual Fax
−Cons
Difficult to switch devices to another extension
Notifications when agent not logged into a call queue
LMLisa M.VP of Administration, Maxijet Machinery, 11‑50 employees
In their wordsI started with Jive Communications in 2009, they were bought at some point by GoTo Communications. Jive was fantastic, GoTo trashed Jive Communication’s systems, and trashed the relationships with existing clients. If a client calls to figure out an issue, the foreigners- who barely understand English- hang up on you on a regular basis and then you have to go through the 10 minute AI phone tree to actually get to speak to someone again. The company logo should be a middle finger based on the company attitudes towards it’s customers.
Our pick in this guide forDepartments and a second locationMulti-site companiesEnterprise rolloutsAny size, calls drive revenue
Dialpad builds AI into the everyday call instead of selling it as an extra. Even the Standard plan writes a live transcript while you talk and hands you a summary the moment you hang up, so your team spends less time typing notes and more time on the next call. If people on your team are always asking “What did that customer want?”, this is the appeal.
The Pro plan adds connections to your customer records, round-the-clock support and multi-office management, which makes it a strong fit for sales teams. Customers praise the call and video quality across phones, tablets and laptops. The frustrations are integrations and occasional call quality.
Not the best fit if: you only need basic calling. You won’t get much from the AI tools that set Dialpad apart, and phone support starts on Pro.
Ideal phone users5 to 1,000+
Best matched toTeams that will actually use transcripts and summaries
Entry planDialpad Standard
Customer review ratingsG2 4.4 out of 5 · TrustRadius 8.3 out of 10
Straight answers
Is there a contract?Monthly or annual, and online orders renew by themselves.
Can you cancel easily?Monthly plans can cancel at any time, and accounts with 10 or fewer licenses can do it in Admin Settings. Annual plans and larger accounts go through Dialpad. Annual plans owe the rest of the term plus a disconnection fee with no published amount, and notice to stop renewal is due 30 days before the term ends. Refunds are generally not offered, apart from canceling within 3 days of a payment.
Setup fees?None listed, though the terms mention initiation charges.
Trial or guarantee?A 14-day free trial.
Discounts or perks?No promotion listed.
Dialpad customer reviews
From G2 and Google Maps, all from the past year. Each card opens the review where it was posted.
Dialpad
Both sides, one customerRated 5 out of 5
Flowless experience and loved the product features
+What they like bestSupport response time is massively a game changer for dialpad. The audio quality is excellent.
−What they dislikeIn global lan, we still had to pay for few regions extra with credit recharges.
RTRahul T.Account Executive Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)
Dialpad Makes Managing Your Phone Queue So Simple!
+What they like bestI really love the layout of the Dialpad Connect system. It’s easy for me to see all the inbound calls and messages that have been received by our company in just a few clicks.
I can easily follow up with potential new clients as well as established clientele. It’s very easy to manage the client profiles as well! You have all their information and notes at your fingertips when you’re on a live call. The chat transcription feature is very clutch too. It helps me make quick notes after the call in case I want to confirm a detail the client mentioned or might have misheard something.
I also appreciate the built in integration for video calling make it easy to set those up straight through the Dialpad dashboard if that is needed for any possible client meetings where they want to be visible and see our staff.
Overall Dialpad has been the easiest VoIP tool I’ve used in the last 10-15 years. Believe me, I’ve worked some really bad/confusing ones and Dialpad has taken all that worry & stress away.
Highly recommend using Dialpad to manage your business call flow, especially if you’re a small business just getting started.
−What they dislikeSometimes the messaging features don’t appear to work as intended
JNJames N.Animal Care Specialist Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)
+What they like bestDialpad is a darn solid call management system for teams who interact with public facing customers, internally, and for outbound calling too. My team is pretty small but the AI transcription tool is fairly accurate, the at a glance reporting is solid, and the features agents have access to are a nice quality of life.
−What they dislikeThe transcription accuracy isn’t always the best, only being accurate like ~80% of the time. And I wish I had more versatile options for reporting by default.
In their wordsMoveCrew has been a Dialpad customer since 2023, and as a small business we’ve paid as much as $1,150 for our phone lines. On September 30, three weeks before our renewal, I asked to downsize to one user and three numbers. I had a call with support, they wrote down the plan, and I did my part. Over the next three weeks my request went to 9 different reps across 5 support tickets. They kept asking me to re-verify my support code, and one rep even called me by the name of the user I had just removed. Four days before renewal, I was finally told the license had to be removed separately. That’s something nobody mentioned on the original call. I was billed for the license anyway. It took 17 emails, and the charge still went through. If small businesses aren’t who you want to serve, that’s fine. But if you’re not going to do something well, why do it at all?
Contract-free service with a virtual receptionist on every plan
Our pick in this guide forSolo owners and new businessesA busy front desk
Ooma Office is made to simply work. Every plan includes a phone menu to greet callers, unlimited calling across the U.S., Canada, Mexico and Puerto Rico, a free toll-free number and digital fax, and you can keep using desk phones at the front counter.
Standard plans need no contract, and moving up to Pro or Pro Plus adds texting, call recording, video meetings and call queues as the office gets busier. Customers like the price and call quality. One recent reviewer found the bill ran higher than the advertised price, so check the full bill first. A $29.95 activation charge appears at sign-up.
Not the best fit if: your team is larger than five. Teams of 6 or more go through sales, and 911 can’t be dialed from the mobile app, so keep another way to call 911 close by.
Ideal phone users1 to 5 online, more through sales
Best matched toLocal service businesses and front-desk offices
Entry planOoma Office Essentials
Customer review ratingsG2 4.5 out of 5 · TrustRadius 6.4 out of 10
Straight answers
Is there a contract?No contract is needed on standard plans.
Can you cancel easily?Month-to-month plans have no listed fee. Ask Customer Care, allow 5 business days, and service ends when the billing period closes, with no refund for prepaid time. If you want your number, give 30 days’ notice before ending service. Fixed terms, such as the free-phone offers, need 90 days’ notice, and leaving early costs what’s left in the term.
Setup fees?A $29.95 activation charge.
Trial or guarantee?A 30-day money-back guarantee on hardware. The first month of service isn’t refundable.
Discounts or perks?Free-phone offers, which need a 1-year or 3-year term.
Ooma Office customer reviews
From G2 and Google Maps, all from the past year. Each card opens the review where it was posted.
Ooma Office
Both sides, one customerRated 4.5 out of 5
Virtual Receptionist Makes Operations Effortless
+What they like bestVirtual receptionist feature works well and is easy to program.
−What they dislikeCost is slightly higher than some of the no frills services
NGNorman G.Managing Partner Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)
Clear Call Quality and Minimal Downtime- Look carefully for hidden costs beyond the quoted on ad
+What they like bestCall quality is clear, with very little downtime. The new fax software is also a good addition.
−What they dislikeThe hidden costs are high. It adds almost $10 to the price quoted in the ad. Support is too slow, and when there are system issues, there’s no pre-notification to clients or any follow-up. The new fax software also doesn’t include an option to resend a fax if it fails.
VUVerified UserHealth, Wellness and Fitness Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)
Great Call Quality and Easy Setup, but Missing Real-Time Analytics and Smooth Support
+What they like bestThe Clear call quality was great, the software itself is very easy to navigate. Set up can be done with minimal effort.
−What they dislikeIt was lacking realtime dashboard analytics features that we need for our day to day operations. Calling support was sometimes an issue, there is a language barrier and at times I would have to explain my issue multiple times so they could understand my inquiry. We were not able to easily integrate it with our other software.
JAJesus A.Customer Service Representative Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)
In their wordsWe were looking to get divorced from CenturyLink at our condo association due to their horrific customer service so we went with Starlink and it was a great solution, however, then we needed a VOIP office phone and after some research and bad experiences with other VOIP providers we found Ooma and had a great experience with Alex Anderson. He Answered all my questions got us all set up with a new voip office phone even took care of my onslaught of email questions. Ooma combined with Starlink ended up being a far better option than CenturyLink!
In their wordsThis company ranks right up there with Comcast. They are horrible! Their service was terrible and the cancellation process bordered on harassment. I will never do business with this company again. One of the biggest business mistakes of my career!
Formerly OpenPhone: shared numbers, calls and texts in one app
Our pick in this guide forSolo owners and new businesses
911 warning: Quo’s help pages state that emergency services aren’t available through Quo. Use it only as a second number, and keep your regular cell phone for 911.
Quo, the business phone app formerly called OpenPhone, is built for owners who run the business from their own cell phone. Every plan gives each person a local or toll-free number, calling and texting across the U.S. and Canada, voicemail transcripts and Sona, an AI agent that can answer when you’re busy. Shared numbers let a small team see every call and text in one inbox.
The Business plan adds phone menus, call transfers, group calling, AI call summaries, automatic recording and connections to HubSpot and Salesforce. It holds the highest G2 rating of any system here. Some reviewers would like the newer AI agent to hand off calls more reliably.
Not the best fit if: it would be your only business phone. Anyone who might need to call 911 from work needs another phone that can.
Ideal phone users1 to 5
Best matched toA second number for owners
Entry planQuo Starter
Customer review ratingsG2 4.7 out of 5 · TrustRadius 8.2 out of 10
Straight answers
Is there a contract?Monthly billing is sold, and each order sets the term, which renews by itself.
Can you cancel easily?Cancel in the app under Plan & billing, with no phone call and no listed fee. Service runs to the end of the billing period, and payments aren’t refunded. The terms also ask for 30 days’ notice before renewal, and no page explains an annual plan’s unused months. Quo’s pages give different hold times for your numbers, so plan on 30 days at most and move them before you cancel.
Setup fees?None listed. U.S. texting registration is $19.50 once, plus $1.50 a month for most businesses.
Trial or guarantee?A 7-day trial, with a card required.
Discounts or perks?Annual billing savings.
Quo customer reviews
From G2, all from the past year. Each card opens the review where it was posted.
Quo
Both sides, one customerRated 5 out of 5
Game-Changing Multi-Location Inbox, Automations, and Flexible Phone Lines
+What they like bestWe manage 28 locations and growing, all with their own inbox. Being able to oscillate easily and turn on/off notifications by location has been game-changing. We’ve also been able to easily create automations for reporting through a variety of agentic toolsets, this has made deeper analytics across our entire org so much easier. Lastly, for the cost of adding new phone lines, it’s a no-brainer. We can create phone lines for specific campaigns that forward to the main line, allowing us to easily see the impact a certain OOH campaign had in its community.
−What they dislikeBeing a VoIP, some systems or login tools don’t accept the phone numbers as proper numbers and of course, if our internet drops so does the phone line.
BRBilli R.Director of Sales & Marketing Mid-Market (51‑1000 emp.)
Highly User-Friendly Platform with Patient, Helpful Onboarding
+What they like bestQuo is a highly user-friendly communication platform that has helped connect our team of therapists with the greatest of ease! During onboarding, the staff was extremely patient and helpful.
−What they dislikeAs new users of Quo, we’ve yet to run into any issues! We’re looking forward to internal group messaging in the future but are loving the setup as is!
EJErin J.PracticeManager Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)
Reliable VoIP with Responsive Support and Professional Call Routing
+What they like bestReliable VoIP with responsive customer support. Scheduled business hours and call routing make it easy to keep client communication professional, and having a separate business line is a big plus.
−What they dislikeSetup requires verification, which can take some time.
BMBecky M.Owner | Bookkeeper Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)
Too Expensive Despite Useful Features and Real Phone Line
+What they like bestI love that its a separate and real phone line. I love the business hours features.
−What they dislikehonestly its way to expensive.. and the fact that every new user is another new price is ridiculous. Approval and verification took forever.
AHAddison H.Owner Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)
+What they like bestI like how Quo makes communication and collaboration easier. Its organized interface and convenient features help streamline daily tasks, keep conversations in one place, and make it easier to stay connected with the team.
−What they dislikeSometimes, notifications and updates can be delayed, and navigating certain features could be more intuitive. Improving these areas would make the overall experience smoother and more efficient.
Helpful Porting Team and Reliable Two-Way Texting on Quo
+What they like bestI moved my business phone number to Quo in early October and the porting team was genuinely helpful. When my first port request was rejected over an incorrect transfer PIN, support flagged the issue clearly and got the retry submitted the same day I sent corrected credentials. The port completed overnight, and they also helped me clean up the old number afterward. My SMS application and business caller ID were approved within days, and two-way texting has worked reliably since.
−What they dislikeThe port took a couple of tries because of the transfer PIN issue – getting the credentials right the first time would have saved a round trip. A minor hiccup, not a dealbreaker.
These business phone systems came close but didn’t make the top 10 for most buyers. If you already pay for Microsoft or Google, or you want something very simple, one of these may be worth a look.
Intermedia UniteStrong customer reviews and a free device with each user, but priced above most entry plans.
VirtualPBXOne flat plan with no contract and a money-back guarantee, from a smaller company with fewer reviews.
GrasshopperA virtual number for solo and mobile-first businesses rather than a full office system.
Microsoft Teams PhoneA natural add-on for companies that already run on Microsoft 365 and Teams.
Google VoiceSimple calling and texting for small teams already on Google Workspace.
Verizon Business Digital VoiceBundles business phone service with Verizon’s business internet.
net2phoneA solid telecom option for small offices that just missed the list.
Phone.comA budget-friendly choice that fits very small offices with simple needs.
There is no single best choice among business phone systems. Start with how many people answer your phones and what has to happen to each call, not with the price, and then look hard at how you’d cancel. Nextiva sits first on our list because it puts calls, texts, video and chat in one app with a published price and support you can call at any hour, as long as its fees and rules for canceling work for you. From there, let your situation narrow the field: RingCentral if you’re adding locations and want a clear way out, Vonage if you want published prices and phone support seven days a week, 8×8 if a contact center is in your future, Zoom Phone if your team already lives in Zoom, GoTo Connect if your front desk struggles to route calls, and Dialpad if you want AI call notes on a low-priced plan.
Teams that live on the phones should look hard at Aircall. Smaller offices have two low-stress options in Ooma Office and Vonage, and our guide to phone systems for small business goes deeper on that size. Whichever you choose, try it before you trust it, and get the full monthly bill and the rules for canceling in writing. Businesses rarely get hurt by a missing feature. They get hurt by a contract they didn’t read.
What cloud business phone systems do well
Your number rings on desk phones, computers and mobile phones, so nobody is tied to one desk.
Greetings and call routing work after hours without anyone in the office.
Adding a new hire takes minutes in an admin portal instead of a technician visit.
What to plan for
Call quality depends on your internet connection, so a reliable business line matters.
Texting, recording and CRM features often start on the second plan tier.
Taxes and regulatory fees are added to every advertised price.
Quick math: what annual billing saves 10 users in a year
Showing the plans where this guide lists both a yearly and a monthly rate. The others are listed at one rate or price by quote.
Nextiva NEXT Engage ($25 vs $50)
$3,000
Aircall Professional ($50 vs $70)
$2,400
Dialpad Standard ($15 vs $27)
$1,440
RingCentral Core ($20 vs $30)
$1,200
RingCentral Advanced ($25 vs $35)
$1,200
Dialpad Pro ($25 vs $35)
$1,200
Aircall Essentials ($30 vs $40)
$1,200
Nextiva NEXT Core ($15 vs $23)
$960
Savings compare the published annual and month-to-month rates for 10 users over 12 months.
Which business phone systems work best for a very small office?
For one to five phone users, Zoom Phone is a natural pick if you already use Zoom, and Nextiva is the better choice if you expect to grow past ten users. Ooma Office is easy to set up and needs no contract on standard plans. Our phone systems for small business guide goes deeper.
How much does a business phone system cost per month?
Published entry plans on this list run from $15 to $30 per user per month, so a five-person office typically pays about $75 to $150 a month before taxes and fees. Our cost by team size table shows the exact totals for each plan.
What equipment do I need for a business phone system?
Only a computer or smartphone to start, since all ten business phone systems here include apps. Most offices add headsets, desk phones for reception, and a business router that gives voice traffic priority.
Do I still need desk phones?
Not necessarily. Every one of these business phone systems works through desktop and mobile apps. Desk phones remain popular at front counters, reception areas and medical offices, and most providers here sell or support them.
How fast does my internet need to be?
Plan on about 100 kbps of upload and download speed for each call happening at the same time, so ten simultaneous calls need roughly 1 Mbps on top of everything else your office does online.
How many phone lines does my business need?
Cloud business phone systems are priced per user, not per line, and most handle several calls at once per user. What matters is how many people need to make or take calls and how many calls arrive at the same time during your busiest hour.
Can I keep my current business number?
Yes. All ten business phone systems here let you move your existing numbers, which is called porting. Depending on the company, it can take a few days to about four weeks. Have your old account number and transfer PIN ready, and keep your old service active until the move is complete.
How long does it take to set up a business phone system?
With most business phone systems, a small office using apps can be making calls the same day with a temporary number. Porting your existing number and shipping desk phones usually set the real timeline, so plan for one to three weeks before you fully switch over.
Can my business send text messages from its phone number?
Yes, on most plans here. U.S. carriers require businesses to register before texting from a regular local number, and your provider walks you through that one-time step. Ooma Office adds texting on its Pro plan, and RingCentral’s Core plan includes 25 texts per user each month.
Do business phone systems charge fees beyond the monthly price?
Yes. Business phone systems add taxes and regulatory fees on top of the plan price, desk phones are a separate purchase with most providers, and add-ons such as AI receptionists or extra numbers cost more.
Why do some plans require annual billing for the lowest price?
Among business phone systems, RingCentral, Zoom, Dialpad, Nextiva, Aircall and Quo all publish a lower rate for a 12-month commitment. Paying month to month costs more, but it usually leaves you freer to go. Check the rules for canceling either way.
Is VoIP better than a traditional landline?
For most businesses, yes. Cloud business phone systems cost less to run, work from anywhere, and add features like phone menus, voicemail transcripts and texting that landlines cannot match.
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