Our Verdict: Given their affordable pricing, overall ease of use, and high-quality live customer support, Nextiva and Grasshopper are both ideal small business phone systems. Nextiva offers security and reliability alongside collaboration tools like video conferencing and instant messaging, while Grasshopper provides better prices for solopreneurs and startups that only need a few phone lines and prefer a minimalist platform.
- Verdict
- Summary
- What is Grasshopper?
- What is Nextiva?
- Feature Comparison
- Pricing Comparison
- Pros and Cons
- Alternatives
We Recommend Nextiva if You Need:
- A high level of security: Nextiva offers HIPAA, PCI, and SOC2 Compliance as well as call encryption, 24/7 network monitoring, penetration testing, SSO, and a 99.999% uptime
- High quality customer support: Nextiva offers 24/7 voice, chat, and email support on all plans, plus a detailed online knowledge base and real-time status alerts
- Team collaboration functionality: Nextiva includes several team collaboration tools like 45-minute video meetings with up to 25 participants, unlimited conference calling, team chat with user presence, and call notes
We Recommend Grasshopper if You Need:
- A reliable, inexpensive solution: Grasshopper is best for startups and entrepreneurs on a shoestring budget or small business owners switching to VoIP from a landline for the first time
- An intuitive phone system: Grasshopper is commended for its high call quality and ease of use
- A “no-frills” basic solution: Many Grasshopper users conduct most of their business in person and don’t want an advanced VoIP platform
Nextiva vs. Grasshopper: Summary
| Category | Winner |
| Price and Value | Grasshopper: Grasshopper’s flat monthly pricing structure is one of the most affordable phone systems in the VoIP space |
| Calling | Grasshopper: Nextiva and Grasshopper have similar calling features, but Grasshopper has a better value |
| Auto Attendant | Nextiva: Nextiva offers multi-level auto attendant and includes more user options than Grasshopper |
| Integrations | Nextiva: Nextiva offers 19 out-of-the-box integrations |
| Customer Support | Nextiva: Nextiva offers 24/7 live chat and phone support to all users, as well as a robust knowledge base |
| Ease of Use | Grasshopper: Grasshopper’s platform is minimalistic and intuitive |
| Communication Channels | Nextiva: Nextiva consolidates phone, video, SMS, and email communication channels onto one platform while Grasshopper only includes phone and SMS messaging |
| Scalability | Nextiva: Companies can scale up with Nextiva from a basic communication system to a full featured contact center platform |
What Is Grasshopper?
Grasshopper is a virtual phone system that provides a business phone number and essential voice calling features for an affordable price.
Key features include call forwarding, voicemail transcription, online faxing, and caller ID.
What Is Nextiva?
Nextiva is a unified communications platform combining voice, collaboration, and customer management in one desktop and mobile platform.
Top Nextiva features include call recording, video conferencing, team chat, and CTI screen pops (call pops) with CRM system integration.
In addition to its business communications suite, the service provider offers a Contact Center as a Service (CCaaS) solution with advanced call routing, analytics, and Workforce Optimization tools.
Nextiva vs. Grasshopper: Feature Comparison
Phone System Features
Summary: Both VoIP systems provide reliable calling with HD-voice and a 99.999% uptime. While Nextiva provides a few extra features such as call recording, Grasshopper has lower prices.
Shared Features
Both Nextiva and Grasshopper offer:
- Unlimited Calling in the U.S. and Canada
- Unlimited Virtual Faxing: Faxes are delivered directly to user emails as a PDF attachment
- Voicemail Transcription: Voicemails are transcribed and delivered to users via text or email
- Mobile and Desktop Apps: Users can access the Nextiva app on a softphone, desktop, or iOS iPhone and Android mobile devices
- Inbound Call Management: Use Caller ID to screen and block calls
- Toll-Free Numbers: Plans include a toll-free or local number and bundled monthly toll-free minutes
- International Calling: Charged at country per-minute rates
Differences
- Call Recording:
- Nextiva: Offers on-demand and automatic call recording with, 6-month recording retention, share and take notes on call recordings
- Grasshopper: Does not offer call recording
- Simultaneous Ring:
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- Nextiva: All plans include simultaneous ring for up to 10 numbers
- Grasshopper: Simultaneous ring only offered as an add-on feature with up to 15 numbers
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- Conference Calling:
- Grasshopper: Up to 10 participants
- Nextiva: Unlimited participants in the Enterprise plan
Messaging
Summary: Although Grasshopper offers a solid SMS/MMS texting platform with automation capabilities, it does not offer instant team chat messaging. Nextiva, has a robust team collaboration platform with shared contacts, threaded conversations, and more.
Shared Features
Both VoIP services offer:
- Unlimited text messages: Users can send multimedia pictures and graphics
- Automatic messages: Users can set up automatic SMS responses to incoming calls.
- Group and 1:1 texting available
Differences
- Team collaboration tools:
- Nextiva: Video conferencing, team presence and status, up to 500 shared contacts, contact and call notes, team chat with up to 3 team collaboration rooms, threaded conversations
- Grasshopper: Does not offer team collaboration
- Texting Fees
- Nextiva: All fees included in bundled pricing plans
- Grasshopper: Charges a one time setup ($19) and monthly fee ($1.50-$2) for business texting services
Analytics and Reporting
Summary: Grasshopper includes historical reporting and allows users to run reports on demand. Grasshopper users can choose from one of three calling reports (usage, details, or activity). Nextiva offers more broad reporting options as well as an add-on voice analytics package that includes real-time analytics and gamification tools.
Shared Features
Both Nextiva and Grasshopper offer:
- Call history and logs: Track metrics like Average Handle Time (AHT), minutes used, etc.
- Details: Drill down Caller ID details, add filters, set custom date ranges
- Activity reports: Birds-eye-view of call activity organized by call type, etc.
Differences
- Scheduled reports: Nextiva lets users choose specific KPIs to track and uses automation to send out custom reports according to a pre-set schedule
- Real-time wallboards: Nextiva includes advanced features like customized wallboards that broadcast real-time call data like total talk time
- Gamification: Nextiva includes a gamification tool with customizable leaderboards, scorecards, filters, and themes
Auto Attendant
Summary: Both Nextiva and Grasshopper include an auto attendant feature that allows users to transfer incoming calls automatically to the extension the caller chooses without the need for a physical receptionist. Nextiva includes a few more options for users to customize call flows.
Shared Features
Both providers offer:
- Custom Greetings for incoming calls
- Call Forwarding to let admins set up multiple call flows
- Custom Hold/Transfer Music
- Business Hours: Inbound phone calls are automatically directed based on a pre-set schedule for open and closed hours (business hour routing)
Differences
- Customizability: Nextiva affords users more options than Grasshopper, such as the ability to change the time before a call is transferred to the operator due to inactivity
- Dialing Scope: Nextiva allows users to set up a dial-by-name, or department directory for callers
- Multi-Level Auto Attendant: Nextiva includes a multi-level auto attendant for Professional and Enterprise plan users
Integrations
Summary: Both providers allow users to create custom integrations with APIs, but Nextiva offers several out-of-the-box integrations with platforms like Zendesk, Salesforce, and HubSpot. Grasshopper users can forward their Grasshopper number to Google Voice or the Skype app.
Shared Features
- Custom integrations with APIs and SDKs
Differences
- Out of the box integrations: Nextiva includes 19 out of the box integrations with apps such as Outlook, ServiceNow, Zoho, etc.
- CRM integrations: Nextiva integrates with Salesforce, Oracle, etc.
- Access:
- Grasshopper: Offers all integrations in all pricing plans
- Nextiva: Availability of an integration depends on the pricing plan (Microsoft Teams integration is only available to Enterprise users, Salesforce is included in the Professional plan and up, and Google Contacts is available in all plans)
Nextiva vs. Grasshopper Pricing and Plans
Nextiva offers three pricing plans with volume and annual discounts.
Nextiva Pricing
- Essential Plan ($17.95-$23.95 per user/month): Includes unlimited voice and video calling with up to 1500 toll free minutes and unlimited efax.
- Professional Plan ($21.95-$27.95 per user/month): Includes unlimited conference calls with up to 40 participants and additional features such as voicemail to SMS.
- Enterprise Plan ($31.95-$37.95 per user/month): Includes up to 12,500 toll free minutes and additional security features such as SSO and call recording capabilities.
Grasshopper Pricing
Grasshopper offers 4 pricing plans with flat monthly fees. Features are consistent in all plans, but the number of phone lines and extensions varies by plan.
- True Solo Plan ($14 per month, 1 user, 1 phone number, 1 extension): Includes business texting, call forwarding, custom greetings, and basic reporting
- Solo Plus ($28 per month, unlimited users, 1 phone number, 3 extensions)
- Partner ($46 per month, unlimited users, 3 phone numbers, 6 extensions)
- Small Business ($80 per month, unlimited users, 5 phone numbers, unlimited extensions)
Nextiva vs. Grasshopper: Pros and Cons
Grasshopper Pros
- Unlimited Users: Flat monthly rates allow companies to have unlimited users with no per user fees
- Low Prices: The small business plan comes out to just $16 per month per number and includes unlimited extensions-one of the lowest business phone prices available
- Customer Support: All Grasshopper users have access to 24/7 live support via phone, email, Twitter, Facebook and live chat
Grasshopper Cons
- No Guaranteed Uptime: Many competitors offer an uptime SLA for business phone services
- No Video Conferencing: Video meetings are a feature offered by most Grasshopper alternatives
- No IVR: Although Grasshopper includes some basic call handling functionality–call forwarding and business hours–it does not offer IVR which many competitors do
Nextiva Pros
- Call Pops: CRM profile pop-ups are a convenient way for agents to prepare for an inbound call, improving the overall customer experience
- Ease of Use: NextivaONE is intuitive to use across all devices
- Collaboration Rooms: With one-click video and call conferencing, plus file sharing, Nextiva collaboration rooms are a powerful feature for remote teams
Nextiva Cons
- No SMS on Essential plan: Many competitors offer SMS in their lowest-tier plan
- Only 3 Concurrent Chat Rooms: While collaboration rooms are highly useful, NextivaONE limits teams to 3 rooms at once
- Limited Video Collaboration: Nextiva does not offer the same breadth of video collaboration features as some competitors
Grasshopper and Nextiva Alternatives
The below business VoIP providers are the top Nextiva and Grasshopper competitors:
|
Provider
|
Reviews
|
More Details
| |
|---|---|---|---|
Phone.com
|
| 5 Reviews | |
RingCentral
|
| 555 Reviews | |
Google
|
| 4 Reviews | |
GoTo Connect
|
| 155 Reviews | |
Ooma
|
| 38 Reviews |
