Cloud phone systems offer numerous advantages over landline telephones and on-premise PBX systems: cost savings and flexible pricing, mobility, advanced call management and team collaboration features, and third-party integrations to streamline business communications.
In this post, I'll provide the insights you need to make the right decision based on my hands-on testing and comparisons.
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Unlike other comparison and review sites, we exclusively research and analyze VoIP providers that offer cloud-based phone solutions.
We shopped, signed up for, and regularly use each company on this list to finalize. That's right, we have our own paid subscriptions to the solutions we test and write about.
Specifically, our team analyzed systems according to price and value, features (basic and premium add-ons), routing capabilities, call quality in various environments, user experience on both the mobile and desktop app, call handling, overall ease of use (for businesses up to 100 employees), communication channels, and types of phone systems (hardware and software) each provider offers.
All research and testing were conducted hands-on by us and fact-checked by our cloud telephony subject matter expert. We’ve validated every data point by calling, emailing, obtaining quotes, signing up for service, and live chatting with the service providers multiple times over the past eight weeks.
Who Made the Cut? Top Cloud Phone Systems of 2024
- RingCentral — Best unified telephony and collaboration
- Zoom Phone — Best video and collaboration, international teams
- Nextiva — Best price for the most features and support
- Vonage — Best for mobility and unlimited texting in the US
- GoTo Connect — Best for IT and support teams, international calling
- Dialpad — Best AI cloud calling features and pricing
- Ooma — Best for small teams with basic needs on a tight budget
- Grasshopper — Best for solopreneurs that need various numbers
- 8x8 — Best for international calling
- Intermedia — Best for mid-size teams with basic needs
RingCentral - Best unified telephony and collaboration
RingCentral is a cloud phone and unified platform best known for its 99.999% uptime, superior 24/7 customer service, and intuitive drag-and-drop Dial Plan Editor for up to 250 IVR call menus.
It’s an excellent system for teams with a high daily call volume, as it provides ring groups with up to 16 phone numbers/group, advanced call routing strategies across all plans, and remote call forwarding. We loved the user-friendly desktop app, with feature-rich team chat channels and a spacious live-call interface.
Video collaboration capabilities include video meetings for up to 200 participants, unlimited audio conferencing, breakout rooms, and collaborative meeting notes.
Price
RingCentral offers three plans that range from $20 to $35 monthly per user:
- Core ($20 monthly): Unlimited domestic calling, 25 monthly SMS per user, 100-participant video meetings, team messaging with file sharing, 100 toll-free minutes per account, IVR, call logs
- Advanced ($25 monthly): Adds automatic call recording, call monitoring, 300+ integrations including CRM, real-time business analytics, 1000 toll-free minutes per account, 100 monthly SMS per user
- Ultra ($35 monthly): Adds unlimited HD video, unlimited file sharing, customizable business insights, 10,000 toll-free minutes per account, 200 monthly SMS per user
What We Like About RingCentral
- Team chat capabilities: In RingCentral team chat, users can create unlimited group channels with unique features like team huddles, task management and assignment tools, and threads.
- AI-based video meetings: The platform’s video meetings leverage AI for auto-generated summaries and transcripts, in addition to collaborative features like breakout rooms and built-in whiteboards
- Customizable analytics: RingCentral includes business analytics on the Advanced and Ultra plans. We were especially impressed with the Ultra plan’s “Pro” analytics, which includes a customizable dashboard with tons of metrics spanning user activity, channel usage, and historical call volumes.
Where RingCentral Falls Short
- SMS limitations: The three plans limit each user’s SMS allotment to 25, 100, and 200 respectively–which we found way too restrictive. Some alternatives support unlimited texting.
- Overwhelming feature suite: While RingCentral offers an abundance of features, some of the advanced tools, like analytics and call monitoring, can have a steep learning curve for new users
Who Should Use RingCentral
- Teams seeking full UCaaS: RingCentral is not just a phone system but a complete UCaaS platform–with phone, chat, video conferencing, and texting. Its dynamic team chat can replace collaboration tools like Slack.
- Customer support teams: RingCentral’s queueing and IVR capabilities provide customer self-service, making it easier for your agents to handle inbound calls. It's a good solution for teams with multiple departments and complex inbound routing needs.
Zoom Phone - Best video and collaboration, international teams
Zoom Phone is a cloud phone system designed to integrate with the Zoom Meetings video conferencing platform. It allows current Zoom users to access more advanced phone calling features without switching to a new, unfamiliar provider.
All Zoom Phone plans include unlimited auto attendants, voicemail transcription, on-demand/automatic call recording with recording transcription, 3-way conference calling, call queues (up to 50 callers/queue), and 24/7 live chat and phone support.
Zoom Phone’s industry-leading mobile app provides on-the-go access to a robust feature set that includes call monitoring, call recording, team chat, video meetings with mobile screen sharing and whiteboarding, and customization of real-time call handling.
Price
Zoom Phone is available as a standalone product or as part of the Zoom Workplace unified system.
Standalone Zoom Phone pricing options include the US/Canada Metered (pay-as-you-go) plan at $10 monthly per user, the US/Canada unlimited plan from $15 monthly, and the Global Select Plan with unlimited regional calling in a select country for $20 monthly.
- US & Canada Metered ($10 monthly): Desktop and mobile apps, per-minute calling in the US and Canada, domestic SMS, team chat with file sharing, US or Canada phone number, call monitoring, call recording, call parking
- US & Canada Unlimited ($15 monthly): Same features as above, with unlimited calling in the US and Canada
- Global Select ($20 monthly): Unlimited domestic calling in selected country
What We Like About Zoom Phone
- Flexible pricing options: Pricing options offer your choice between unlimited calling for a flat monthly fee and metered, pay-as-you-go billing for domestic and international calling
- Intuitive interface: The Zoom Phone interface fits snugly into a desktop and mobile app right alongside Zoom’s other channels, like video and chat, which our users were already familiar with
- Feature-rich app: We were impressed by the variety of features that Zoom Phone includes–call queueing, multi-level IVR, and call monitoring
Where Zoom Phone Falls Short
- Meetings cost extra: While Zoom Phone integrates well with Zoom One and Zoom Meetings, the phone system itself does not include these features. You must purchase Zoom One’s Business Plus plan for Zoom's dynamic meetings suite.
- Advanced analytics are an add-on: Real-time call queue analytics, wallboards, custom KPIs, and CSV report exporting require the $300/year Zoom Phone Power Pack add-on
Who Should Use Zoom Phone
- Teams already using Zoom: The Zoom Phone app is very easy to use, largely because we were already familiar with the Zoom interface. The Phone features integrate nicely with the video and chat tools.
- Internationally based teams: Zoom’s Global Select plan uniquely offers domestic calling in one of up to 48 countries, which is a great option for teams based outside the US. For teams that frequently call internationally, the provider has an add-on for unlimited calling in 19 countries.
Nextiva - Best price for the most features and support
Nextiva is a cloud phone system and unified communications tool that offers unlimited VoIP calling in the US/Canada, 45-minute video calls, instant messaging, unlimited virtual faxing, and 24/7 customer support on all plans.
All Nextiva plans include bundled toll-free monthly minutes, basic auto attendants with IVR call menus, call forwarding, a Dial by Name directory, custom business hour routing, and ring groups with sequential/simultaneous ringing for up to 10 phone numbers.
The NextivaONE app, accessible on desktop/mobile devices or directly in-browser, allowed us to access voice and video calling, team collaboration tools like screen sharing and file sharing, SMS text messages, and live/historical analytics within the same interface.
Price
Nextiva pricing offers three monthly/annual plans from $18.95 to $32.95 per user per month:
- Essential ($18.95 monthly): Unlimited voice calling in the US and Canada, 1:1 video meetings, team chat with 3 rooms, a toll-free and a local number, 1500 toll-free minutes per account, single-level auto attendant
- Professional ($22.95 monthly): Expands to 40-participant video meetings, multi-level auto attendant, CRM integrations, 1000 monthly SMS per user, 3000 monthly toll-free minutes per account
- Enterprise ($32.95 monthly): Unlimited video-meeting participants, call recording, voicemail transcription, 2000 monthly SMS per user, 12,500 monthly toll-free minutes per account
What We Like About Nextiva
- CRM integrations: In-call access to CRM data helped us provide personalized customer service and increased agent productivity
- Video meetings: Video conferencing and unlimited conference calling to connect remote teams
- AI analytics: Nextiva’s AI analytics add-on helped us identify roadblocks in the customer journey and monitor factors influencing customer satisfaction
Where Nextiva Falls Short
- Limited video capacity: Video calls are limited to 45 minutes on all plans
- High-tier call recording: Call recording is only available to Enterprise users
- Lackluster basic plan: The Essential Plan lacks SMS texting, CRM integrations, and unlimited conference calls
Who Should Use Nextiva
- Teams seeking collaboration: Nextiva’s unified communications platform offers video conferencing and team chat, making it a great internal collaboration tool. However, the relatively low video participant capacity makes it a good fit for small teams with up to 100 employees.
- Users who are “on-the-go”: We enjoyed Nextiva’s mobile app, which provides all the collaboration features–including call controls, team chat, and video conferencing. It works well for teams whose employees often handle business while out of the office.
Vonage - Best for mobility and unlimited texting in the US
Vonage Business Communications (VBC) is a highly customizable cloud phone system with over 50 standard phone features, SMS, and video conferencing with 200 participants. The platform also includes team chat, ring groups, IVR, and basic analytics.
With a 99.999% uptime, 24/7 customer service, and unlimited video conferencing with Vonage Meetings, Vonage is an ideal choice for startups or new businesses with a limited budget and a small staff. It comes in a desktop and mobile app, with unlimited domestic calling in the US, Canada, and Mexico.
Price
Vonage Business Communication offers three plans from $13.99 to $39.99 monthly per user.
- Mobile ($13.99 monthly): Desktop and mobile apps, unlimited domestic calling, unlimited domestic SMS, voicemail, IVR
- Premium ($20.99 monthly): Adds 200-participant video conferencing, team chat messaging, 20+ third-party integrations
- Advanced ($27.99 monthly): Adds on-demand call recording, voicemail transcription, ring groups
What We Like About Vonage
- Scalability: A highly scalable cloud phone solution that lets you select specific features individually instead of paying for bundled features you won’t use
- Business Inbox add-on: We enjoyed using the Business Inbox feature, an add-on that allows multiple users to share an omnichannel inbox that aggregates messages across multiple channels–SMS, social media, and messaging apps
- Calling features: We found it easy to use Vonage’s suite of live call controls like transfer, call parking, call hold, and call flipping between devices
Where Vonage Falls Short
- Essential features reserved as add-ons: Essential features like call queueing, online faxing, automatic call recording, and the AI virtual assistant are only available as paid add-ons
- Limitations of the basic plan: Vonage’s mobile plan does not include video conferencing or IVR, making a limited phone system
Who Should Use Vonage
- Teams that text a lot: Vonage’s cloud phone service includes unlimited texting within the US, which goes far beyond the limits that many competitors have
- Teams that call Canada and Mexico: All Vonage plans include unlimited calling across the US, Canada, and Mexico. Many alternatives don’t include Mexico in their unlimited area.
GoTo Connect - Best for IT/support teams, international calling
GoTo Connect comes with 100 built-in features, such as real-time analytics, individual and shared voicemail inboxes, and an Instant Response feature that automatically texts first-time callers back if an agent missed the call. It’s a platform with 500-participant video meetings, VoIP calling, SMS texting, and team chat. Available on desktop and mobile, the phone system includes strong routing tools like IVR, queueing, and ring groups.
GoTo Connect provides local and toll-free numbers to help new businesses establish a local, familiar presence to increase consumer trust. Its color-coded visual dial plan editor makes optimizing call flows and customizing ring times straightforward.
Price
GoTo Connect offers four pricing plans, ranging from a basic business phone system to a complete enterprise contact center. The provider does not publicly provide pricing information for any of the plans but does provide the feature pack.
- Phone System: Unlimited calling to 50+ countries, video meetings with 250 participants, team chat, routing tools like IVR and ring groups, real-time and historical analytics
- Customer Engagement: Adds a shared user inbox, custom surveys, AI-powered messaging assistant, and webchat channel
- Complete CX: Adds customer-experience features like custom call campaigns, agent softphone, automatic queue callbacks, intelligent queue routing and agent skill assignment, and AI chat analytics
- Contact Center: A complete contact center that adds quality management features, agent screen recording, workforce management, and over 20 digital and social media channels
What We Like About GoTo Connect
- All-in-one functionality: GoTo Connect truly is a multi-purpose UCaaS platform. We found ourselves jumping from dynamic video meetings to team chat, to calls easily.
- Smart call routing: This platform had one of the most user-friendly dial plan editors we tried, with a drag-and-drop menu to customize your IVR menus and queueing system
- Real-time analytics: The Standard plan includes customizable real-time analytics for call volume and queue status, including caller hold-time reports that keep agents in the loop about queue activity
Where GoTo Connect Falls Short
- Basic plan limitations: GoTo Connect’s Basic plan limits teams to 20 users and only allows for 1 call queue, 1 ring group, and 1 dial plan/recorded greeting
- Pricing: While the platform offers an expanded calling area, GoTo Connect’s phone system is substantially pricier than many competing solutions
Who Should Use GoTo Connect
- Intricate and large phone systems: GoTo’s Standard plan includes unlimited call queues, ring groups, dial plans, and auto attendants, making it a great fit for large teams
- Teams that call internationally: GoTo’s Standard plan supports unlimited calling to a whopping 50 countries, which outmatches all competitors on this list
Dialpad - Best AI cloud calling features and pricing
Dialpad is an intelligent AI cloud system designed to optimize available agents and increase productivity with high-level voice, SMS, team chat, and AI-enhanced video meetings and voice calls. The platform has a wide range of routing tools, including multi-level IVR, custom call routing, ring groups, and call queues.
Dialpad Voice AI uses machine learning to create highly accurate call transcriptions with speaker differentiation, automatic post-call notes, and instant video meeting summaries with suggested action items. Fallback call routing strategies, unlimited extensions, unlimited ring groups, and personal working hours provide small businesses with the same resources as enterprise-level competitors.
Price
Dialpad offers three plans that range from $15 to over $25 monthly per user.
- Standard ($15 monthly): Unlimited calling in your country and North America, AI meetings for 10 participants, SMS, team messaging with file sharing, voicemail transcription, 3 ring groups, call recording, multi-level IVR, real-time call transcriptions, real-time analytics
- Pro ($25 monthly): Adds CRM and Microsoft Teams integrations, 25 ring groups, hold queues
- Enterprise: Adds 100% uptime and unlimited ring group
What We Like About Dialpad
- Use of AI: We were impressed by Dialpad’s built-in AI tools, including live video meeting transcriptions, real-time call transcriptions, and real-time analytics
- Virtual phone number selection: Dialpad offers business phone numbers from across the US, and in over 70 countries globally. We were able to find numbers in all the area codes we wanted.
- Chat rooms: Dialpad chat rooms, accessible on the desktop and mobile app, include file sharing, emoji responses, and buttons for one-click team huddles. Users can create unlimited rooms
Where Dialpad Falls Short
- Learning curve: Advanced AI features mean a higher learning curve
- Small video meeting capacity: Dialpad video meetings only support 10 users, which we found limiting
- Limited integrations: The solution only includes 9 software integrations, while some alternative UCaaS platforms offer dozens, or even hundreds
Who Should Use Dialpad?
- Teams seeking collaboration: Dialpad’s video meetings and team chat features facilitate internal team collaboration, with whiteboards, file sharing, and file storage
- Small Call centers and support teams: The app's queueing, custom call routing, and ring groups provide customer self-service to route inbound calls to the right agent
Ooma - Best for small teams with basic needs on a tight budget
Ooma Office is an easy-to-use cloud phone solution with voice calling, SMS texting, and video conferencing for up to 100 participants. Each plan supports unlimited calling to the US, Canada, and Mexico. The platform has 50 standard features, enhanced and custom call blocking for up to 100 numbers, and integrations with popular third-party apps like Salesforce and Microsoft Dynamics.
Ideal for small, in-house businesses with under 20 team members, Ooma Office also includes dynamic custom caller ID, advanced hardware integrations, and a robust mobile app for Android and iOS users.
Price
Ooma Office has three plans, which range from $19.95 to $29.95 monthly per user.
- Essentials ($19.95 monthly): Mobile app only, unlimited calling in North America and Mexico, ring groups, IVR, call transfer, call parking
- Pro ($24.95 monthly): Adds desktop app, unlimited SMS texting in the US, video conferencing for 25 participants, call recording, voicemail transcription, analytics
- Pro Plus ($29.95 monthly): Adds advanced texting with messaging analytics and bulk texting, call queues, 100-participant video meetings, and team chat
What We Like About Ooma Office
- Uncomplicated interface: Ooma Office only includes simple features and channels–including basic call controls, SMS, and video meetings. This made it easy for us to learn.
- Queueing and ring groups: With multi-ring technology and ring groups, we massively increased our call answer rate while using Ooma
- Hardware availability: Ooma also makes and sells hardware VoIP phones, making the phone system a good fit for in-person offices
Where Ooma Falls Short
- Lack of features: Ooma’s platform does not include video calling, call recording, or call monitoring–which are important features
- No team chat: Ooma does not offer any native team chat messaging, requiring a third-party chat app
Who Should Use Ooma Office
- In-person teams: Ooma includes features like hot desking and extension dialing, which make it a great tool for in-person offices and call centers
- Teams that prioritize toll-free numbers: Each Ooma account sign-up includes a free toll-free number, plus 500 minutes of inbound calls per month
Grasshopper - Best for solopreneurs that need various numbers
Grasshopper is a cloud phone system with VoIP calling and SMS texting, accessible via a mobile and web app. Users can make unlimited calls and texts across the US, and purchase business phone numbers from area codes throughout the US.
Grasshopper’s interface is simple and user-friendly, with essential call features: voicemail and call logs, contact list, SMS inbox, and call controls like transfer and hold. Set up simultaneous rings across multiple devices, with automatic text responses for missed calls.
Price
Grasshopper offers three pricing plans, each including the same features: Unlimited texting and calling in the US, call forwarding, voicemail transcription, automated text replies, and call reports. Plans cost $14 to $55 monthly per account, varying by the number of supported users, phone numbers, and extensions.
- True Solo ($14 per account): 1 user, 1 phone number, 1 extension
- Solo plus ($25 per account): Unlimited users, 1 phone number, 3 extensions
- Small Business ($55 per account): Unlimited users, 4 phone numbers, unlimited extensions
Where Grasshopper Falls Short
- Limited communication channels: Grasshopper does not have video or team chat, which makes it a poor fit for internal team collaboration
- Lack of integrations: Grasshopper only integrates with two platforms–Google Voice and Skype–which is far fewer than many competitors
What We Like About Grasshopper
- User-friendly interface: We found it very easy to understand Grasshopper, on both the desktop and mobile versions.
- Automated SMS replies: Users can set automated text replies, which send in response to missed calls or first-time callers
- Voicemail: All Grasshopper plans enable users to set up a custom voicemail, and all inbound voicemail logs have automated transcription
Who Should Use Grasshopper
- Teams who share phone numbers: Grasshopper’s pricing structure provides a preset bundle of phone numbers and extensions, but unlimited users. This can be a great value for teams that share phone numbers between multiple users.
- Teams that text a lot: Grasshopper’s unlimited texting in the US is a great option for teams that frequently send SMS to customers
8x8 - Best for international calling
8x8 is a cloud phone system and UCaaS platform with VoIP, SMS, team chat, and video conferencing for up to 500 participants. The platform has a desktop, web, and mobile app with unlimited calling up to 48 countries. 8x8 boasts a solid base of routing and call center tools like multi-level auto attendant, call queues, and call monitoring.
It also has strong collaboration capabilities, such as team chat with file sharing and interactive meetings that include polls and breakout rooms.
Price
8x8 offers two plans with quote-based pricing that isn’t posted publicly, though based on the quotes we received they typically range from $25-$40 per user. Users can mix and match plan types.
- X2: Desktop and mobile apps, unlimited calling to 14 countries, SMS, video meetings for 500 participants, team chat with file sharing, call queues, IVR, CRM integrations
- X4: Expands unlimited calling to 48 countries, adds supervisor and call activity analytics, 8x8 Frontdesk app for receptionists, call monitoring with whisper and barge
What We Like About 8x8
- Video capabilities: 8x8 video meetings support 500 users, the largest capacity of any provider on our list. We enjoyed using the live streaming and found the moderator controls intuitive.
- Analytics and AI: The X4 plan includes impressive analytics, providing data about channel usage, call activity, and live queue status. We felt like it provided call center functionality at a reduced cost.
- Call monitoring: The phone system has built-in call monitoring that enables supervisors to listen in on calls, whisper private guidance, barge in on conversations, or take them over entirely
Where 8x8 Falls Short
- X2 plan calling restrictions: While the X2 plan supports unlimited calling to 14 countries, some of these countries only allow calls to VoIP and landline numbers–not mobile
- Lack of pricing transparency: The provider’s lack of pricing transparency makes it more difficult to compare 8x8 with alternative providers
Who Should Use 8x8
- Teams that call internationally: 8x8’s two UCaaS plans support 14- and 48-country unlimited calling areas, respectively. It works very well for teams that call outside national borders.
- Those considering scaling into a call center: 8x8’s contact center plans build upon the UCaaS plans, using the same collaboration tools and interface. If your team is considering expanding to contact center functionality down the line, it could be a good choice.
Intermedia - Best for mid-size teams with basic needs
Intermedia Unite comes with VoIP, SMS texting, team chat, and video conferencing for up to 200 participants. The platform is accessible via desktop, mobile, and web app, and it integrates seamlessly with most of today’s VoIP phones. Plans include unlimited calling to 33 countries.
The phone system includes routing tools like voicemail and transcription, auto attendants, call recording, and basic call controls. Team chat includes file sharing, file storage, and an AI assistant.
Price
Intermedia Unite offers two pricing plans, at $27.99 and $32.99 monthly per user. Teams can mix and match pricing plans.
- Pro ($27.99 monthly): Mobile and desktop app, unlimited VoIP calling to 33 countries, SMS, video conferencing with 100 participants, team messaging and file sharing, auto attendant, call queues, supervisor analytics
- Enterprise ($32.99 monthly): Expands video meetings to 200 participants and 200 GB of file sharing, adds Salesforce integration
What We Like About Intermedia Unite
- Collaboration tools: Intermedia Unite acts as a team collaboration app, with internal messaging, file sharing, and presence detection features that can replace a tool like Slack
- Video meetings: The platform’s video meetings include a nice array of interactive and AI-based features. Users can share screens, record, and chat. AI provides live transcriptions and meeting insights.
- AI Assistant: We were impressed by Unite’s AI Assistant tool, which enables team collaboration. The tool can summarize messages and voicemails, create chat messages, and even write code.
Where Intermedia Unite Falls Short
- Pricy: The cheapest Intermedia plan costs $27.99, which is decently more expensive than the basic plans offered by many other providers
- Monitoring and queueing: Intermedia UNite does not include call monitoring, ring groups, or call queues–which could be critical for teams providing customer support
Who Should Use Intermedia Unite?
- Teams that call internationally: Both Intermedia Unite plans support calling to 33 countries, providing excellent value for as little as $27.99
- Teams seeking to leverage AI: The platform embeds AI into video meetings and team chat, helping agents collaborate and answer customers more easily
