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10 Best VoIP Services Of 2025

Audited & Verified: Mar 7, 2025, 7:44am
Written By
Staff Writer
Reviewed
Staff Editor
& 1 other
Editorial Note: We earn a commission from partner links on Forbes Advisor. Commissions do not affect our editors' opinions or evaluations.

Voice-over-internet-protocol (VoIP) phone systems enable you to make calls and send texts over the internet. This cloud-based communication technology is easy to set up and manage through an online dashboard, with advanced features for call routing, team collaboration and customer service. However, there are dozens of VoIP providers to choose from.

I tested over 20 cloud phone systems to determine the best VoIP services, comparing their features, user experience and overall value. Zoom Phone offers the best bang for your buck, with high-level AI features and a low monthly cost. However, platforms like Dialpad, Aircall and OpenPhone provide unique capabilities and communication channels for particular use cases. Check out my rankings and explanations below to learn more about the 10 best VoIP services of 2025.

Read more

Compare the Best VoIP Services of 2025

4.9
On Zoom Phone's Website
Superlative
Starting Monthly Price
$10 per user per month, $15 unlimited calling
Pros
User-friendly, low cost, AI features
Cons
Lacks analytics, full-featured video meetings cost extra
Expert Take
A user-friendly and affordable phone system with solid routing and AI features, Zoom Phone is a great value overall.
4.4
Read Forbes' Review
Starting Monthly Price
$30.00 per user
Pros
Team collaboration capabilities, feature-rich video meetings, strong analytics
Cons
SMS limitations, costlier than alternatives, unappealing user interface
Expert Take
Bundling a feature-rich phone system with chat and AI video meetings, RingCentral is a pricey but strong option for team collaboration and customer service.
4.2
On Dialpad's Website
Superlative
Starting Monthly Price
$27.00 per user
Pros
Great AI features, modern interface, real-time analytics on all plans
Cons
Costlier than alternatives, limited integrations on low-tier plans, SMS limitations
Expert Take
With analytics and AI call transcription on all plans, Dialpad stands out as a great option for teams looking to gather data and monitor agent performance.
4.0
Read Forbes' Review
Starting Monthly Price
$40.00 per user
Pros
100-plus integrations on all plans, clean interface, unique features like power dialer and queue callbacks
Cons
Expensive, most standout features are on the high-tier plan, lacks team collaboration channels
Expert Take
Aircall includes CRM integrations on all plans, plus unique features like queue callbacks and a power dialer that can provide sales and support teams with call center functionality.
3.7
On Intermedia's Website
Starting Monthly Price
$27.99 per user
Pros
33-country unlimited calling area, call center features, team collaboration
Cons
Interface feels outdated, difficult to reach support agents, pricier than many alternatives
Expert Take
Intermedia Unite includes unlimited calling to 33 countries along with call center features, making it a great choice for service teams with international customers.
3.7
Read Forbes' Review
Starting Monthly Price
$36.00 per user
Pros
Social media and review site integrations, live chat and chatbots, intelligent call routing
Cons
Expensive, may include communication channels you don’t need
Expert Take
With communication channels like live chat, social media and review sites, Nextiva offers unique touchpoints for marketing and customer service.
3.6
Read Forbes' Review
Starting Monthly Price
$25.00 per user
Pros
Unlimited calling to 13 countries, simple user interface, team collaboration channels
Cons
Low SMS limitations, no analytics or AI features
Expert Take
With simple video meetings, team chat and unlimited calling to 13 countries, 8x8 is a good choice for companies seeking team collaboration and international calling.
3.4
Read Forbes' Review
Starting Monthly Price
$19.00 per user
Pros
Phone number flexibility, modern interface, ring order customization
Cons
No IVR menus on low-tier plan, no team collaboration channels, number sharing may cause confusion
Expert Take
OpenPhone lets your users share business numbers and easily jump between them, helping your team be more flexible in how you support customers.
3.2
Read Forbes' Review
Starting Monthly Price
$10.00 per user
Pros
Ultra-low starting cost, user-friendly dashboard, unlimited SMS, unlimited calling in Europe for European teams
Cons
10-user maximum on Starter plan, limited to basic features, analytics are not user-friendly
Expert Take
With the lowest starting cost on our list, Google Voice is a great value for teams seeking unlimited domestic calling and SMS without extra bells and whistles.
Starting Monthly Price
$17.00 per user
Pros
AI features for messaging and video, low-cost, feature-rich video meetings
Cons
Many of the best AI features only come with the high-tier plan, no analytics or call transcription
Expert Take
Webex is a cost-effective choice for team collaboration, with AI message translation to improve internal communication for international teams

10 Best VoIP Services Of 2025


Best Value

Zoom Phone

Zoom Phone
4.9
Our ratings take into account each service's pricing and features along with each platforms overall usability. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.

Starting Monthly Cost

$10 per user per month, $15 unlimited calling

Communication Channels

Voice
SMS
Team chat

Unlimited Calling Area

U.S. and Canada

Zoom Phone
Learn More Arrow

On Zoom Phone's Website

$10 per user per month, $15 unlimited calling

Voice
SMS
Team chat

U.S. and Canada

Expert Take

While Zoom is best known for video conferencing, its VoIP phone system offers excellent value with a surprising breadth of customer service capabilities. With unlimited calling and texting in the U.S., the $15 starting cost is one of the cheapest available, and each plan comes with a suite of features that providers typically reserve for higher-tier plans. There’s also Zoom’s Metered plan beginning at $10 monthly per user with per-minute call pricing—this could work well for teams with low call volumes.

Any Zoom plan includes unlimited IVR, call queues and call monitoring with whisper and barge, which enable supervisors to organize inbound call flows and track agent performance. While using the software, I was impressed by Zoom’s AI. Even the basic plan included automated post-call summaries and action items extracted from voicemail messages. Zoom Phone also doubles as a UCaaS platform since it includes team chat and connects seamlessly with Zoom’s video meetings, though the meetings add several dollars to the monthly cost.

Zoom Phone’s main limitation is that it doesn’t offer real-time analytics or live call transcription, features offered by alternatives like RingCentral and Dialpad. Still, it’s a good value for companies seeking team collaboration, call routing and a full-featured VoIP system.

Learn more: Read our full Zoom Phone review.

Zoom Phone desktop dashboard.Zoom Phone’s main desktop app dashboard feels spacious and modern.

Pros & Cons
  • Low starting cost
  • Unlimited calling and texting
  • Full suite of features and integrations on all plans
  • Doesn’t include video meetings
  • No HubSpot integration
  • Lacks real-time analytics
Specs
Specification Details
Call Routing Features
IVR menus, automatic call distribution (ACD), ring groups, call queues
Integrations
10 integrations, including Salesforce, Slack, Google
Monthly SMS Limitations
Unlimited
AI Features
Post-call summaries, task extraction
Advanced Call Center Capabilities
Call monitoring with whisper and barge

Testing Insights

When testing Zoom Phone, I was immediately struck by how spacious and intuitive its interface felt—especially on the desktop app. I could quickly jump between my chat messages, SMS texts, voicemails and the central dial pad.

I was also impressed by how subtly the AI features fit within the dashboard and call logs. Zoom’s voicemail transcription was more accurate than I’ve experienced with other providers, and I found the extracted action items helpful (but not overwhelming) for agents managing large numbers of inbound tasks and voicemails.

Zoom Phone AI call summariesZoom Phone AI-based call summaries.

Best Unified Communications

RingCentral

RingCentral
4.4
Our ratings take into account each service's pricing and features along with each platforms overall usability. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.

Starting Monthly Cost

$30 per user

Communication Channels

Voice
SMS
Team chat
Video meetings

Unlimited Calling Area

U.S. and Canada

RingCentral
Learn More Arrow

Read Forbes' Review

$30 per user

Voice
SMS
Team chat
Video meetings

U.S. and Canada

Expert Take

While using RingCentral, I quickly realized that it’s not just a VoIP phone system but a unified communications platform. You can make calls and send texts but also collaborate internally through chat, file sharing and video meetings, which are surprisingly feature-rich. The dashboard left-hand menus make it easy to shift between communication channels, even while on an active call. This means teammates can collaborate and chat while actively serving customers.

RingCentral’s chat rooms have unique features that other UCaaS platforms lack, such as project management tools that let you assign tasks with deadlines. The meetings are some of the most advanced of any video conferencing platform, with AI summaries and captions, plus whiteboards that you can share in team chat conversations.

For all its team collaboration tools, RingCentral still includes a comprehensive phone system on all plans. The multilevel IVR menu and call queues are easy to set up and integrate for custom call handling. RingCentral also supports hundreds of third-party integrations—more than any VoIP alternative. The main downside to RingCentral is its low monthly SMS limit. Still, the system is ideal for teams that want a comprehensive phone system and internal collaboration.

Learn more: Read our full RingCentral review.

RingCentral team chatRingCentral’s team chat enables you to create channels, share files and assign tasks.

Pros & Cons
  • Feature-rich video and team chat
  • Real-time analytics on all plans
  • Strong call-routing tools
  • Interface feels outdated
  • Restrictive monthly SMS limitations (25 to 200 per user)
  • Costlier than many alternatives
Specs
Specification Details
Call Routing Features
IVR menus, automatic call distribution (ACD), ring groups, call queues
Integrations
300-plus integrations, including Salesforce, HubSpot, Slack, Google, Microsoft Teams
Monthly SMS Limitations
25 to 200, depending on the plan
AI Features
Video meeting transcription and summaries, AI call notes
Advanced Call Center Capabilities
Call monitoring with whisper and barge, real-time analytics

Testing Insights

When testing RingCentral, I was a little disappointed by the main user dashboard’s design, which I thought had an outdated and bland aesthetic. However, I found the team collaboration features easy to use—I instantly understood how to create channels, share files and assign tasks. I also liked RingCentral’s video meetings and found the HD video clearer than alternatives such as Zoom or GoTo Connect.

RingCentral’s customizable analytics overwhelmed me at first because I found myself looking at blank dashboards. However, as I experimented and added KPIs and widgets, I came to consider RingCentral’s analytics some of the most powerful and customizable. If you don’t mind taking some time to build dashboards for the KPIs you want to track, it’s worth opting for the Advanced plan that includes real-time analytics.

RingCentral’s custom analyticsRingCentral’s customizable analytics dashboards.

Best for AI Features

Dialpad

Dialpad
4.2
Our ratings take into account each service's pricing and features along with each platforms overall usability. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.

Starting Monthly Cost

$27 per user

Communication Channels

Voice
SMS
Team chat
Video meetings

Unlimited Calling Area

U.S. and Canada

Dialpad
Learn More Arrow

On Dialpad's Website

$27 per user

Voice
SMS
Team chat
Video meetings

U.S. and Canada

Expert Take

What sets Dialpad apart from competitors is its analytics and intuitive AI features, including real-time call transcriptions. When you make a call with Dialpad, the screen auto-populates with live captions. These transcriptions help supervisors track agent performance and lead to richer insights about customer satisfaction levels.

Dialpad’s analytics dashboards update in real time with call history, giving live insights about customer service. You can track basic KPIs like call volume and agent activity or customize visual dashboards and graphs with select widgets and metrics. While most alternatives only include analytics in high-tier plans, Dialpad offers them in each plan.

Dialpad’s video meetings have crisp video quality and valuable features like waiting rooms. The 150-participant capacity should be plenty for most teams. The phone system itself includes all the features you’d need to handle inbound calls: unlimited IVR menus, call queues and ring groups.

At a $27 price point, Dialpad is on the pricier end but not too bad. Since each plan includes AI and analytics, it’s worth it for small teams that want collaboration, live agent assistance and higher-level performance insights.

Learn more:Read our full Dialpad review.

Dialpad AI post-call summariesDialpad uses AI for live call transcriptions and post-call summaries, which supervisors can use to review agent performance.

Pros & Cons
  • Modern and spacious interface
  • Reliable AI-based call transcription
  • Customizable analytics with nice visual displays
  • On the more expensive side
  • May include features you don’t need
  • SMS limitations
Specs
Specification Details
Call Routing Features
IVR menus, ring groups, hold queues
Integrations
11 apps, including Salesforce, HubSpot and Slack
Monthly SMS Limitations
250 per user
AI Features
Real-time call transcription, real-time analytics and reports
Advanced Call Center Capabilities
Custom call routing, real-time analytics

Testing Insights

Dialpad’s modern interface immediately caught my attention and it was pleasant to use. Along the same lines, it has the most visually appealing analytics dashboards of any system I tried, with various bright, crisp and colorful display styles.

It was easy to navigate between channels, and despite the team collaboration and AI features, I didn’t find Dialpad to have a steep learning curve. However, you’re better off with a simpler platform if you’re not looking for bells and whistles like AI or analytics.

Dialpad AI analyticsDialpad’s AI-based real-time analytics.

Best for Call Center Features

Aircall

Aircall
4.0
Our ratings take into account each service's pricing and features along with each platforms overall usability. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.

Starting Monthly Cost

$40 per user

Communication Channels

Voice
SMS

Unlimited Calling Area

U.S. and Canada

Aircall
Learn More Arrow

Read Forbes' Review

$40 per user

Voice
SMS

U.S. and Canada

Expert Take

Aircall is one of the most expensive VoIP phone systems. While its lowest-cost plan is $40 per user per month, there’s a three-person minimum, so you’re really paying $120 per month.

Aircall provides unlimited calling and SMS only—no team chat or video. But for its high price, Aircall offers some unique features: a shared call inbox, flexible call distribution rules, multiple simultaneous calls from one number and queue callbacks. These tools give Aircall unique value for customer service and sales teams that want to provide high-level phone service without the ultra-high costs of a complete contact center.

Aircall’s auto-dialer syncs with CRM integrations and lets you rapidly dial down a contact list, streamlining outbound sales efforts. On the customer service end, queue callbacks allow customers to hang up and keep their place in line, leading to better satisfaction. A shared agent inbox allows multiple staff members to chip away at the same queries, keeping wait times low.

The service also offers excellent AI features as an add-on, including advanced conversational analysis like talk-to-listen ratios and agent scoring. If you don’t mind spending premium prices for call center features, Aircall will enable you to provide high-level phone-based customer support.

Learn more: Read our full Aircall review.

Aircall power dialerAircall’s power dialer lets sales agents rapidly dial contact numbers from a campaign list.

Pros & Cons
  • Unique call center tools for sales and support
  • Modern, clean user interface
  • High SMS limit
  • Expensive
  • No team collaboration tools—just voice and SMS
  • Feature abundance is too much for those seeking simplicity
Specs
Specification Details
Call Routing Features
IVR, call queues, smart routing, ring groups
Integrations
100-plus integrations, including Salesforce, HubSpot, Zendesk
Monthly SMS Limitations
10,000 per user
AI Features
Call transcription, call summaries, topic recognition, conversation analysis and scoring
Advanced Call Center Capabilities
Shared call inbox, power dialer, automated queue callbacks, real-time analytics, call monitoring

Testing Insights

I found Aircall extremely user-friendly right off the bat. The interface didn’t feel overwhelming despite its abundance of advanced features. Rather, the routing tools, task inbox and AI features felt interconnected. For example, when I finished a call, the screen immediately prompted me to leave notes or add the number to a power dialer campaign list. When I revisited my call log or voicemail, the auto-populated AI summary and tasks were subtly displayed directly under the audio itself without crowding the window.

Aircall post-call noteAfter a call, Aircall prompts you to leave a note and open or close the ticket.

Best for International Calling

Intermedia Unite

Intermedia Unite
3.7
Our ratings take into account each service's pricing and features along with each platforms overall usability. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.

Starting Monthly Cost

$27.99 per user

Communication Channels

Voice
SMS
Team chat
Video meetings

Unlimited Calling Area

33 countries, including the U.S., Canada, U.K., Hong Kong, Italy and India

Intermedia Unite
Learn More Arrow

On Intermedia's Website

$27.99 per user

Voice
SMS
Team chat
Video meetings

33 countries, including the U.S., Canada, U.K., Hong Kong, Italy and India

Expert Take

Intermedia Unite combines team collaboration with useful VoIP tools. Most notably, each plan provides an impressive 33-country unlimited calling area and unlimited SMS texting in the U.S. 8×8 is the only other provider on our list that enables unlimited calling beyond the U.S. and Canada, and its unlimited calling area is only 14 countries.

It includes some solid call center features, such as monitoring, queues and real-time dashboards that let supervisors keep an eye on agent activity and customer service levels. It’s easy to manage these queues, too, as you can manually add or remove new agents in minutes or automate this by agent availability.

While most VoIP providers limit monthly texting to a restrictive 200 SMS per user, Intermedia has no monthly texting limits. This unlocks unique marketing use cases, especially considering Intermedia integrates with marketing-related platforms such as Salesforce.

With video conferencing and team chat, Intermedia does a bit of everything. The software is a good value if you have complex inbound customer service needs and plan to utilize international calling.

Learn more: Read our full Intermedia Unite review.

Intermedia Unite dial padIntermedia Unite’s dashboard is simple but easy to navigate.

Pros & Cons
  • 33-country unlimited calling area
  • Unlimited SMS
  • Call center features for supervisor support
  • Outdated interface
  • Costlier than many alternatives
  • May be unnecessary for teams that won’t utilize the international calling
Specs
Specification Details
Call Routing Features
IVR menus, call queues, ring groups
Integrations
12 integrations, including Salesforce, Zendesk, Slack, Outlook and Google
Monthly SMS Limitations
Unlimited
AI Features
Real-time analytics, AI assistant for messaging, video transcription and insights
Advanced Call Center Capabilities
Real-time analytics, call monitoring, wallboards

Testing Insights

I had a so-so experience using Intermedia Unite. The first thing I noticed was that its interface felt plain and outdated. However, the features themselves were impressive and easy to use: The analytics dashboards displayed a ton of data, and the drag-and-drop IVR menu was straightforward.

I liked the AI assistant feature as well and found it did a good job summarizing and drafting team chat messages. However, I didn’t feel that the AI assistant had much utility, as I usually like to write these messages myself since they’re so short.

Intermedia Unite AI assistantIntermedia Unite’s AI assistance provides support with drafting and summarizing chat messages.

Best for Multichannel Communications

Nextiva

Nextiva
3.7
Our ratings take into account each service's pricing and features along with each platforms overall usability. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.

Starting Monthly Cost

$36 per user

Communication Channels

Voice
SMS
Team chat
Video meetings
Live chat and chatbots
Social media
Review sites
Email

Unlimited Calling Area

U.S. and Canada

Nextiva
Learn More Arrow

Read Forbes' Review

$36 per user

Voice
SMS
Team chat
Video meetings
Live chat and chatbots
Social media
Review sites
Email

U.S. and Canada

Expert Take

Nextiva is a unique VoIP phone system because of the messaging channels it includes: live chat, messaging apps, social media, email and review platforms. For teams seeking to unify social media with their workplace communication stack or those who want to connect with customers across multiple mediums, Nextiva is a clear top choice. It gives most full-fledged contact centers a run for their money despite being less than half the cost.

You can monitor review sites like Yelp and Google Reviews directly from the dashboard, helping you build an online presence and demonstrate that you care about your customers’ experiences. While many competitors only enable messaging apps such as WhatsApp, Nextiva lets you track your mentions and tags across social media channels like X and Instagram, interacting with customers on these platforms—all from the desktop app. You can embed a live chat widget into your mobile app or website, unlocking a touchpoint to catch customers when they’re already shopping or thinking about your services.

The phone system is solid, too. I found it easy to use, with a drag-and-drop design tool for IVR setup and AI-based intelligent routing on high-tier plans. While costly, Nextiva offers a multichannel customer service platform that’s a great value for companies that will use all the touchpoints.

Learn more: Read our full Nextiva reviewand Nextiva pricing guide.

Nextiva social media customer supportNextiva lets you connect with customers through social media channels such as X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram.

Pros & Cons
  • Unique communication channels unlock marketing and customer service use cases
  • Easy-to-integrate social media platforms
  • Intelligent call routing on the highest-tier plan
  • Extra channels are a waste for companies that won’t use them
  • High price floor for a phone system
  • SMS limitations on low-tier plans
Specs
Specification Details
Call Routing Features
Intelligent IVR, skills-based routing, ring groups, call queues
Integrations
16 integrations, including Microsoft Teams, Salesforce, e-commerce and online review sites, social media channels
Monthly SMS Limitations
0 to unlimited, depending on the plan
AI Features
Intelligent and skills-based routing, suggested responses for chat-based interactions
Advanced Call Center Capabilities
Queue callbacks, supervisor dashboard

Testing Insights

Using Nextiva felt more like operating a contact center than a phone system, but I still found it intuitive. The dashboard’s task inbox aggregates all the inbound messages you’ve received. Nextiva makes it surprisingly easy to respond to inquiries across these touchpoints, which is exciting because it enables new ways to support customers.

The analytics portals and skills-based routing systems are daunting and can require some tinkering to get everything routed to the right person. Still, if you’re looking for a full-on contact center, Nextiva is a relatively user-friendly option.

Nextiva multichannel task inboxNextiva’s multichannel task inbox aggregates social media, review sites, phone and chat.

Best for Large-Capacity Video Meetings

8×8

8×8
3.6
Our ratings take into account each service's pricing and features along with each platforms overall usability. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.

Starting Monthly Cost

$25 per user

Communication Channels

Voice
SMS
Team chat
Video conferencing

Unlimited Calling Area

14 countries, including the U.S., the U.K. and Australia

8×8
Learn More Arrow

Read Forbes' Review

$25 per user

Voice
SMS
Team chat
Video conferencing

14 countries, including the U.S., the U.K. and Australia

Expert Take

While 8×8’s UCaaS platform offers middle-of-the-road features for its phone system and team chat, it offers feature-rich video meetings. Its video meetings support up to 500 participants and include collaboration tools such as whiteboards, AI transcripts and AI summaries. The meetings also include unique features, such as polls, that most alternatives don’t have.

The cloud phone system also balances simplicity and functionality—with just the essential routing features, including IVR menus, call queues and ring groups. While 8×8’s phone system lacks advanced call center features like monitoring and analytics, it’s sufficient to customize how you’d like to distribute inbound calls among agents or departments.

Notably, 8×8 includes a 14-country unlimited calling area. While not quite as expansive as Intermedia’s 33 countries, 8×8’s unlimited area is still exceptional.

Unfortunately, 8×8 doesn’t have public pricing on its website—you’ll have to contact sales to get a quote. We reached out and were quoted $25 per month for its Contact Center plan. At $25 monthly, it’s cheaper than Intermedia Unite and RingCentral, making 8×8 an excellent choice for companies prioritizing video collaboration and a simple phone system, with overseas calling to destinations like the U.K., Australia or Italy.

Learn more: Read our full 8×8 review.

8x8 share whiteboard in team chat8×8 meetings let you collaborate on whiteboards and share them in team chat rooms.

Pros & Cons
  • 14-country unlimited calling area
  • Feature-rich and large-capacity video meetings
  • Paid add-on for high-volume SMS
  • Costlier than several alternatives
  • Lacks advanced features like call monitoring, analytics
  • SMS limitations on paid plans
Specs
Specification Details
Call Routing Features
IVR, call queues, ring groups
Integrations
73 integrations, including Salesforce, Google Workspace, HubSpot, Microsoft Teams and Outlook
Monthly SMS Limitations
50 per user on paid plans
AI Features
Video transcripts and summaries
Advanced Call Center Capabilities
Receptionist console for hands-on call distribution

Testing Insights

My favorite part about 8×8 was the video meetings. The HD video was crisp, the polls were easy to administer and I appreciated the whiteboard templates for sketching ideas. I also found the desktop app dashboard simple to navigate, with basic chat and call controls. Setting up routing and queueing was intuitive with the drag-and-drop studio tool.

However, the dashboard felt plain. While not a big deal, I didn’t think it looked as appealing as the more modern designs of alternatives like Aircall, Google Voice and Zoom.

Active call 8x8 desktop dashboardAn active call in 8×8’s desktop dashboard.

Best for Phone Number Sharing

OpenPhone

OpenPhone
3.4
Our ratings take into account each service's pricing and features along with each platforms overall usability. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.

Starting Monthly Cost

$19 per user

Communication Channels

Voice
SMS

Unlimited Calling Area

U.S. and Canada

OpenPhone
Learn More Arrow

Read Forbes' Review

$19 per user

Voice
SMS

U.S. and Canada

Expert Take

OpenPhone is a VoIP phone system with unique capabilities for phone number flexibility. Multiple users can share business phone numbers, and users can jump between numbers with one click. This makes it easier for your team to “wear multiple hats” and interact with customers from different company numbers—such as the one assigned to your customer service line, tech support line or sales line. If one agent is busy or out sick, teammates can easily fill in just by clicking the number from their left-hand menu and checking its task inbox.

The OpenPhone task inbox compiles an agent’s queries across both channels—SMS and voice, including voicemails and transcriptions. While the platform doesn’t let agents chat directly, as UCaaS platforms do, you can create chat threads underneath tasks. I find this feature is potentially even more valuable than designated chat channels, since teammates can coordinate task handling right underneath the tasks they’re communicating about.

OpenPhone also includes solid and unique call routing tools. You can customize inbound calls to ring agents and numbers in a particular sequence. Further, group calling enables multiple agents to make calls and send messages from the same number simultaneously. If your company has agents that handle multiple numbers or departments, OpenPhone is a strong choice.

Learn more: Read our full OpenPhone review.

OpenPhone main dashboardOpenPhone’s dashboard lets agents jump between multiple business numbers with one click from the left-hand menu.

Pros & Cons
  • Phone number sharing flexibility
  • Starter plan has a relatively low cost
  • Unlimited SMS
  • 10-user limit on Starter plan
  • IVR is reserved for the Business plan
  • Phone number sharing can cause confusion
Specs
Specification Details
Call Routing Features
IVR menus, ring groups, custom ring order, shared phone numbers
Integrations
Five-plus integrations, including email platforms, Slack
Monthly SMS Limitations
Unlimited
AI Features
Call transcripts, summaries and message responses
Advanced Call Center Capabilities
Task inbox

Testing Insights

Using OpenPhone was unique because of its phone number sharing and multichannel task inbox. While I expected these features to have a learning curve, I got the hang of them instantly because OpenPhone’s interface is simple overall. The left-hand menu displayed my phone numbers, and clicking each one enabled me to jump between them. The multichannel task inbox looked like a chat message log, except it featured texts, missed calls and voicemails.

OpenPhone was user-friendly from an administrative perspective, too. It was easy to assign business numbers to individual agents or groups.

OpenPhone multichannel task inboxOpenPhone’s multichannel task inbox when receiving an inbound call.

Best Low-Cost Phone System

Google Voice

Google Voice
3.2
Our ratings take into account each service's pricing and features along with each platforms overall usability. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.

Starting Monthly Cost

$10 per user

Communication Channels

Voice
SMS

Unlimited Calling Area

Within the U.S. and Canada, or within Europe

Google Voice
Learn More Arrow

Read Forbes' Review

$10 per user

Voice
SMS

Within the U.S. and Canada, or within Europe

Expert Take

Google Voice is the simplest and most user-friendly VoIP system. Rather than offering a large library of advanced features, it focuses on the most important features: unlimited calling and SMS texting, voicemail, call routing and analytics. U.S.- and Canada-based users can make unlimited calls, and users in 10-plus European countries can make unlimited calls within that domain.

At $10 monthly, Google Voice’s Starter plan is the cheapest VoIP plan available. It has few features but offers unlimited calling and texting, making it an excellent value for companies seeking simplicity. Even the $20 Standard plan, which adds ring groups and auto attendants, is an above-average deal considering the unlimited SMS.

Google Voice is a strong choice for teams that don’t need extra bells and whistles. Since the $30 Premier plan enables unlimited calling to European countries from within Europe, it’s also the best option on our list for international teams or companies based in Europe.

Learn more: Read our full Google Voice review.

Google Voice dial pad and call logWhile simple, Google Voice’s interface makes it easy to manage calls, texts and voicemails.

Pros & Cons
  • Low cost
  • Simplicity and user-friendliness
  • Unlimited SMS
  • Lacks advanced features
  • 10-user maximum on Starter plan
  • Very few third-party integrations
Specs
Specification Details
Call Routing Features
IVR menus, ring groups
Integrations
Two integrations: Google Meet and Google Calendar
Monthly SMS Limitations
Unlimited
AI Features
None
Advanced Call Center Capabilities
Advanced analytics on high-tier Premier plan

Testing Insights

The first thing I noticed when using Google Voice was its simplicity. The dashboard is spacious and pleasant to look at but disarmingly basic. Its left-hand menu lets you jump between your missed calls, texts, voicemails and calendar to view upcoming meetings—and that’s it. When I logged in for the first time, I could instantly navigate these features, make calls and notice when I received an inbound call.

If you want to make calls and send texts and don’t need much else, it will be near impossible to beat Google Voice’s pricing.

Google Voice SMS textingSending SMS texts with Google Voice.

Best for Engaging Video Meetings

Webex

Webex
3.1
Our ratings take into account each service's pricing and features along with each platforms overall usability. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.

Starting Monthly Cost

$17 per user

Communication Channels

Voice
SMS
Team chat
Video meetings

Unlimited Calling Area

U.S. only

Webex

$17 per user

Voice
SMS
Team chat
Video meetings

U.S. only

Expert Take

Webex Call is a pretty standard unified communication system that bundles voice, SMS, team chat and video conferencing. The interface feels reminiscent of other UCaaS systems like RingCentral and 8×8, except Webex’s Suite plan adds unique video engagement features and an AI Assistant for team chat messaging. Unfortunately, it’s hard to confirm if Webex has a monthly SMS limit, but from what I can gather, it appears to be unlimited.

Webex’s Slido integration improves video meetings by letting you create live polls and Q&As. These features enable more interactive meetings and webinars, but you must stay below the 200-participant capacity. The AI Assistant has surprising versatility: It summarizes video meetings and team chat conversations, plus it can draft, summarize and translate messages. These features help teams whose staff members may speak different languages.

However, the platform’s phone features are a bit disappointing and overpriced. While each plan includes unlimited domestic calling and IVR menus, key features like call queues and monitoring are reserved only for the highest-tier Enterprise plan. I’d recommend Webex for companies that want to boost engagement for video meetings alongside a decent but functional VoIP service.

Webex video meeting whiteboardWebex’s video meetings feature useful tools like whiteboards, AI transcription and live polls.

Pros & Cons
  • AI support for team messaging
  • Polls and Q&As in video meetings
  • Starting cost is on the lower side
  • Lackluster call routing features
  • Low-tier plan limits video to 40 minutes
  • Most unique features reserved for costly higher-tier plans
Specs
Specification Details
Call Routing Features
IVR menus, phone line extensions, call queues
Integrations
Over 200 apps, including Salesforce, Microsoft, analytics platforms, project management systems
Monthly SMS Limitations
Unlimited
AI Features
Ask AI assistant, meeting summaries, message drafting, message summaries and translations
Advanced Call Center Capabilities
Call monitoring and barging

Testing Insights

My favorite part of using Webex was its video meetings because the Slido integration made them more interactive than those of other platforms. I enjoyed how I could create Q&As and polls on the fly, which I could envision as a helpful feature for hosts seeking to gauge input from a large staff.

The phone system was fine but didn’t blow me away. The drag-and-drop IVR creation was simple and quick, but I missed VoIP staples like call queues and ring groups, which Webex lacks.

Webex IVR menu setupCreating an IVR routing menu with Webex’s drag-and-drop studio.

Methodology

To create this list, I compared 20 phone systems based on their features, popularity and overall value. While testing these services, I tried out everything—making calls, sending chat messages, hosting video meetings, creating IVR menus, customizing analytics dashboards and calling service reps.

I divided these decision factors into categories, assigning each a weight based on its importance in choosing a VoIP phone system. I combined data, reports from other users and my hands-on testing experience to tally scores for each criterion and arrive at the final list.

Decision Factor Scoring Weight Description
Expert Score
15%
My subjective scores for each VoIP software’s features, reputation and ease of use based on my testing experience
Value
9%
Not just the service’s price but its overall “bang for your buck,” considering monthly and yearly costs in relation to the services and features you get
App Reviews
3%
We considered the ratings each VoIP software received on the App Store and Play Store
Customer Reviews
15%
We aggregated customer reviews across various categories like call quality, ease of use, features, pricing and overall satisfaction to get a well-rounded picture of how small-business users feel about each service
Service and Support
4%
Each provider’s customer service availability, including the contact channels offered for customer support
General Features
15%
The most essential VoIP features, including the unlimited calling area, monthly SMS limit, phone number availability and voicemail
Advanced Features and Channels
22%
Higher-level features like analytics, call monitoring, call recording and additional communication channels, including team chat, video and live chat
Call Management Features
17%
Call routing and distribution tools such as IVR menus, ring groups, call queues and call center features

Why You Can Trust Forbes Advisor Small Business

The Forbes Advisor Small Business team is committed to providing unbiased rankings and information with full editorial independence. We use product data, strategic methodologies and expert insights to inform all of our content to guide you in making the best decisions for your business journey.

Learn More: How We Evaluate VoIP Services

  • 20 Companies Evaluated
  • 70 Decision Factors Considered
  • Four Levels of Fact-Checking
  • Hands-On Testing

How To Choose the Best VoIP Service

When choosing a cloud phone system, look for a plan offering the features and channels you’ll use, with a minimum of those you won’t. Prioritize important call routing tools like IVR menus and ring groups, and consider the locations you call most often to ensure your provider enables unlimited calling to those destinations. Before deciding on a final choice, ensure you understand how to set up the VoIP system and examine the app dashboard to ensure it’s appealing and user-friendly for your agents.

In particular, here’s what to consider when choosing a VoIP system:

Essential VoIP Features

The foundation of a VoIP phone system is based on features like the unlimited calling area and call routing tools because these organize your users and customer service efforts. In particular, prioritize the following features when choosing a VoIP plan.

  • IVR menus: Also called auto attendants, interactive voice response (IVR) menus let you create a self-service menu for inbound callers. IVR provides the caller with dial-tone options to indicate which department, submenu or announcement they’d like to reach.
  • Ring groups: Ring groups let you link agent phone numbers together so they ring in unison or in a custom order. This enables you to create departments, distribute call responsibility and improve your call answer rate.
  • Voicemail with transcription: Voicemail transcription automatically transcribes your inbound voicemail, providing a written log that agents can read quickly without having to listen to the whole recording. While nearly all VoIP plans include voicemail, make sure you choose a plan with transcription as well.
  • Toll-free and local numbers: Make sure the VoIP system you choose offers both local and toll-free numbers. Further, choose a platform that offers local numbers from the area codes you want for your caller ID. Many VoIP providers offer not only U.S.-based numbers but international ones, too.

While most VoIP platforms offer these core features, Zoom Phone’s Unlimited plan and Google Voice’s Standard plan are the best-value plans that include everything listed above. You should be able to find these essential features for under $20 per month, with advanced features typically exceeding this price.

Value

Value refers to how much you get for the price you pay. The cheapest VoIP service available or a free VoIP service isn’t necessarily the best value. To find the best value, choose a plan that includes all the features your company wants, with very few extra bells and whistles that will go to waste.

Google Voice’s Starter and Standard plans are some of the best values of any VoIP platform, with the Starter plan priced at an exceptionally low $10 monthly per user. Zoom Phone’s Unlimited plan is also an excellent value due to its low cost and great feature variety. However, Nextiva is also a strong value if you want additional communication channels, and RingCentral is a good value if you’re seeking team collaboration in addition to VoIP.

Communication Channels

While each VoIP phone system includes VoIP telephony and SMS texting, many cloud phone systems add other channels. These may include team collaboration channels like internal messaging and video conferencing or other customer service channels like social media and live chat.

RingCentral, Dialpad and 8×8 are our top choices for companies seeking unlimited calling and team collaboration since these systems include feature-rich video meeting features. For customer support features like live chat and social media, Nextiva is easily the top choice.

User Interface

Before deciding on a VoIP phone system, I recommend taking advantage of the provider’s free trial or checking out the agent dashboard through YouTube tutorials. Look for a user interface that looks modern, spacious and visually appealing rather than outdated or dark. All the features should be easily accessible, enabling agents to switch between communication channels while handling inbound calls and queues.

I found that Aircall has the best interface overall. Despite its advanced features and AI support tools, it was immediately easy for me to understand and use. Dialpad and OpenPhone also stand out with easy-to-use systems, despite both offering rich features.

Unlimited Calling Area and Texting Limitations

All the VoIP platforms on our list include unlimited calling within the U.S. and Canada, but some providers and plans go beyond that to enable unlimited calling to international countries. Intermedia Unite and 8×8 both include unlimited calling to over a dozen countries, which is included with your regular plan. Google Voice’s Premier plan also enables unlimited calling throughout Europe for European numbers, making it a great option if your company is based in Europe.

Similarly, while all VoIP systems include SMS, plans vary greatly in the number of monthly SMS they allow per user. RingCentral and 8×8 lower-tier plans limit users to as few as 50 SMS per month, while platforms such as Intermedia, Google Voice, Zoom Phone and OpenPhone enable unlimited texting.

Advanced Call Center Features

Depending on your business needs, advanced business features that improve customer service and sales efforts may be useful. These features are typically included in higher-tier plans, but some platforms offer them at a good value.

Here are some advanced call center features you may consider.

  • Call queues: When agents are busy, call queues organize overflow callers on hold. You can assign multiple agents to share a queue, creating departments. This feature is especially valuable for companies that receive large call volumes for many different reasons.
  • Real-time analytics: A supervisor tool, real-time analytics display to-the-minute call activity records and KPIs such as daily call volume, average conversation length, customer service, level and agent activity.
  • Call monitoring: Call monitoring gives supervisors a real-time dashboard to observe which agents are on call. Supervisors can then click to listen in privately on a call, whisper private guidance to an agent or barge into the call as a third party.
  • AI call transcription: AI-based call transcription provides a transcript of all calls, displaying it in real time to support on-call agents. These transcripts also power more in-depth analytics, such as service-level scores and customer sentiment detection.

Dialpad excels with real-time analytics and AI call transcription on all plans. RingCentral and Intermedia Unite include call queues and call monitoring. Finally, Aircall offers strong AI call summaries, supervisor support tools and queue features.

Third-Party Software Integrations

VoIP software typically includes ready-made third-party integrations that sync functionality and data with other apps your company uses. Common VoIP integrations include CRM software like Salesforce and HubSpot, communications platforms like Slack and Microsoft Teams, and marketing apps like Gong and Marketo. If your company relies on these platforms for daily workflows or wants to integrate your VoIP data, look for a plan that connects with the platforms you use.

RingCentral offers the most integrations overall, connecting with over 300 popular third-party systems. However, Aircall, OpenPhone and Zoom Phone include many of the most popular integrations, even on low-tier plans.


Which VoIP Phone Service Is Best for Your Business?

The best VoIP service for your company depends on several factors, including your size, budget and customer service goals. However, if cost-effectiveness is your main priority, or if you’re seeking a simple phone system without extra bells and whistles, I recommend Google Voice and Zoom Phone as the best options.

If you want to provide high-level customer service primarily by phone and SMS texting, OpenPhone and Aircall are great choices. OpenPhone’s number sharing will enable your agents to handle multiple call queues and serve customers more flexibly. Aircall’s queue callbacks, power dialer and custom call routing provide stellar control over how you handle inbound calls.

Finally, if you’re looking for communication channels beyond a simple phone system, RingCentral and Nextiva are strong options. Nextiva lets you serve customers through live chat and social media, unlocking touchpoints no cloud phone system can match. RingCentral’s team chat and video meetings improve internal team collaboration.


Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What are VoIP services?

Voice-over-internet-protocol (VoIP) services are cloud-based telephony software that lets you make and receive calls over the internet rather than a landline or mobile network. Read our article “What Is VoIP?” to learn more.

What is the most popular VoIP service?

There are several popular VoIP services, including Nextiva, RingCentral and Google Voice.

What is the disadvantage of using VoIP?

The main disadvantage of using VoIP is that its advanced digital features and interface may have a learning curve for new users.


Next Up In VoIP


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