Top Rated Business VoIP Providers in 2023

Best Business VoIP Providers for 2023

Below are detailed reviews of our picks for the best systems.

 

Nextiva

Nextiva offers a VoIP phone service as part of a unified communications software. Their UCaaS platform, NextivaOne, includes multiple business communication channels–voice, SMS, team chat, and video conferencing with up to 250 participants. Nextiva’s VoIP services include unlimited calling within the US and Canada and from 1,500 to 12,500 toll-free minutes per month. Each plan includes a North America-based local number and a toll-free number, but users should note that Nextiva does not offer virtual numbers outside North America.

 

 

What Sets Nextiva Apart

Nextiva sets itself apart from other VoIP providers through its products’ well-roundedness and commitment to amazing customer service. Their VoIP product balances call routing, conferencing, collaboration tools, communication channels, and integrations.

While it does not include queueing or analytics–two important VoIP features–it does include multi-level IVR, built-in calendars, integrations to popular tools like Google and Microsoft, voicemail-to-email, and call logs in an easy-to-use single app.

 

Who Should Consider Nextiva

Nextiva is best for small to mid-size companies transitioning into a unified communications platform. It offers high-definition voice and video, over 100 phone system features, and multiple channels–in an easy-to-use mobile and desktop app without unnecessary bells and whistles.

 

What we dislike about Nextiva

• A 45-minute maximum for video meetings
• Only 3 ongoing team collaboration rooms at once
• No call queueing
• Limited integrations

 

RingCentral

RingCentral’s VoIP phone service is available in their contact center or UCaaS platform, RingCentral MVP. All RingCentral pricing plans include VoIP calling with unlimited US and Canada minutes, SMS, team chat, and video meetings. Create unlimited team chat channels with file sharing and storage and ongoing team video huddles. RingCentral video meetings host up to 200 participants and offer exceptional collaboration features like whiteboards, breakout rooms–even AI-generated transcriptions, summaries, and insights.

RingCentral includes not only routing and IVR but unlimited call queues and call center monitoring with whisper, barge, and takeover.

 

 

What Sets RingCentral Apart

RingCentral offers the most collaborative service for teams of any size. Teams can create unlimited channels with file sharing and anytime team huddles, and video meetings with up to 200 participants and no time limit.

Further, RingCentral boasts over 300 integrations–a larger number than any alternative. The provider also offers local DID numbers in area codes worldwide, uniting international teams and helping companies establish a global presence.

 

Who Should Consider RingCentral

RingCentral is best for teams that want better internal and external communications across Voice, Video, and chat. MVP is a versatile platform with routing, queuing, monitoring, analytics, instant chat, and collaboration features like unlimited channels and AI-enhanced video meetings

 

What we dislike about RingCentral

• Plans are slightly pricier than competitors
• File sharing is limited on all but the highest-tier plan
• Lowest-tier Core plan only includes basic analytics

 

Zoom

Zoom’s Phone service, Zoom Phone, is available as a standalone virtual phone system or as part of Zoom Meetings. Zoom Phone pricing plans start at $10 monthly per user, which includes texting and a domestic-based number. Phone system plans offer unlimited domestic calling inside either North America or one of 40+ other countries, with an add-on for unlimited calling in 19 countries.

Zoom Phone includes a wide suite of features: unlimited auto attendants, SMS, automatic call distribution (ACD) and call queues, call monitoring with barge and takeover, and call recording.

 

 

What Sets Zoom Apart

Zoom Phone offers unique domestic calling options outside the US and provides the most affordable phone service with essential call center features. At $10 monthly, Zoom Phone provides a better price than all competitors while offering a full suite of routing and ACD capabilities: unlimited queues and IVR, monitoring, and recording.

Since Zoom offers a free version of the Zoom One app, users can have affordable and dynamic phone services and team chat, at half the price competitors demand for these features.

 

Who Should Consider Zoom

Zoom is best for companies that are already using Zoom Video Meetings and want to add an affordable phone solution. It is also a good choice for businesses that want to be able to make and receive calls from anywhere in the world.

Additionally, companies based outside the US with large domestic call volumes should consider Zoom Phone, with its unlimited domestic calling in one of 40+ countries.

 

What we dislike about Zoom:

• No advanced analytics
• You must be an existing Zoom Meetings user to get the phone service
• Only 9 integrations–fewer than competitors
• Zoom One plans can get pricey

 

Vonage

Vonage offers VoIP services within a multichannel unified communications platform or as a standalone API that adds voice functionality to your pre-existing app. Vonage Business Communications, their UCaaS platform, offers 99.999% reliability and multiple communication channels: voice, SMS, team messaging, social media messaging apps, and video collaboration with up to 100 participants.

Vonage’s VoIP service supports calling around the world, unlimited calling in the United States, and local phone numbers in area codes around the world. While we think the UCaaS platform is slightly overpriced and lacks collaboration features like file sharing, it does include important phone system features: call queueing, call parking, flipping between devices, and auto attendants. The app interface–available on desktop, browser, and mobile–is easy to use, with collaborative video meetings including waiting rooms, whiteboard, and chat.

 

 

What Sets Vonage Apart

Vonage is unique in that it offers a standalone VoIP API or a unified communications platform. The VoIP provider supports unlimited calling in not just US and Canada, but Mexico as well. Furthermore, Vonage offers local phone numbers around the world.

Vonage’s Business Inbox feature is also a unique offering. Although it’s an add-on costing an additional $9.99 monthly, the inbox combines a user’s SMS and Facebook messages into one log, for easy multichannel messaging. Users can assign messages to each other, allowing teammates to easily share multichannel-task handling duties.

 

Who Should Consider Vonage

Vonage Business Communications makes a good fit for North-America-based companies that frequently do business in Mexico or those who message customers and leads via Facebook Messenger.

 

What we dislike about Vonage

• 100-participant video meeting capacity smaller than competitors
• Lacks file-sharing and analytics
• Expensive plans

 

GoToConnect

GoToConnect is a multichannel VoIP and UCaaS platform with voice, SMS, team chat, and video meetings with up to 250 participants. The Basic plan is great for small teams since it includes video meetings team chat, and local phone numbers around the globe. The phone system includes intelligent routing, instant response SMS messages, and one each of several key phone system features: auto attendant, ring group, and queue. The Standard plan includes unlimited access to these phone features, advanced analytics, and call recording.

Video meetings are limited to 4 users and 40 minutes on the Basic plan but support up to 150 users with no time limit on the Standard plan. All plans include built-in meeting scheduling, and video meetings include chat and screen sharing.

 

 

What Sets GoTo Connect Apart

While GoTo Connect’s Basic plan only includes an unlimited calling area within North America, the Standard plan offers an exceptionally large unlimited calling area spanning 50 countries. At $29 monthly, such a large unlimited calling area is a great value that no competitors can match–especially since the plan including unlimited call center features like advanced analytics, queueing, ring groups, and auto attendants.

 

Who Should Consider GoToConnect

GoToConnect’s Basic plan is great VoIP solution for small businesses since it offers 4-participant video meetings and limited access to a wide variety of phone system features.

With its massive 50-country calling area, the Standard makes a great fit for teams of any size with high international call volumes.

 

What we dislike about GoTo Connect

• Basic plan limits several key features to one use
• Limited video-collaboration features
• 4-participant limit on Basic plan video meetings

 

1-VoIP

1-VoIP offers two types of VoIP services: Cloud-hosted and SIP trunking. Cloud-hosted plans are hosted remotely and require no onsite hardware–just a cloud-based VoIP app with voice functionality. 1-VoIP offers a phone-only VoIP system without messaging or video, but with useful routing and queueing features: unlimited ring groups, call parking, call flows by time of day, call queues, auto attendants, and call recording.

Agents can transfer calls, set up automatic forwarding when they’re out of the office, and supervisors can set up activity monitoring for particular extensions and phone numbers.

 

 

What Sets 1-VoIP Apart

In addition to the flexibility of queue setup and control features that 1-VoIP provides, they’re unique in that they offer a phone-only solution without any collaboration features. Further, since 1-VoIP partners with Nomorobo, the VoIP service includes automatic call filtering for all identified spam callers.

 

Who Should Consider 1-VoIP

1-VoIP makes a good fit for companies that don’t want to pay extra for collaboration or those transitioning to VoIP for the first time from a legacy PBX system, with users who may feel overwhelmed from an abundance of unified communications tools.

 

What we dislike about 1-VoIP

• No digital messaging channels or collaboration features
• Plans can be expensive
• Lacks video conferencing

 

OpenPhone

OpenPhone offers a VoIP service as part of a UCaaS platform that also includes SMS texting and team threads, without video conferencing. The VoIP provider offers two flexible plans–a $13 Standard plan and $20 Premium plan–both of which include one local or toll-free number per user, with unlimited calling inside the US and Canada.

Both plans include a host of advanced phone system features: IVR, call recording, and ring groups. While OpenPhone does not have built-in call queues, they allow phone number sharing between multiple users, which can emulate call queues. OpenPhone also includes a suite of SMS messaging features–including auto replies to missed calls, snippets for one-click messaging, scheduled messages, and internal team threads that users can initiate within multichannel communication inboxes corresponding to each phone number.

 

 

What Sets OpenPhone Apart

OpenPhone offers unparalleled phone number flexibility. A company can share each phone number between dozens of users, who can simultaneously use the number to message and call customers. Each number has a multichannel inbox that organizes its communications with customers, and team members can create threads within the inbox to determine who should respond to which contacts.

A team member can have multiple phone numbers, jumping between them throughout the day as needed.

 

Who Should Consider OpenPhone

OpenPhone is best for startups and small businesses that just need basic incoming and outgoing phone calling. The platform also works well for companies just transitioning to VoIP services, since it includes only messaging and phone–no video–within an easy-to-use interface.

 

What we dislike about OpenPhone

• No video conferencing
• No SMS or MMS texting
• Only 5 integrations–fewer than many competitors

 

Intermedia

Intermedia offers business VoIP service as part of Intermedia Unite–a UCaaS platform with voice, SMS, team messaging, and video conferencing with up to 200 participants. The system’s plans are pricier but include unlimited US and Canada calling and a free VoIP phone or device. The UCaaS app is accessible on desktop or mobile.

It includes several other useful phone features: voicemail transcription, auto attendants, and call recording. Team members can send 1:1 messages or start group messaging conversations with file sharing and backup. Video meetings support collaboration with live transcription, unlimited recording, AI-generated insights, and screen annotations for ideation and drawing.

 

 

What Sets Intermedia Apart

Intermedia Unite includes Envision Analytics, which features powerful reports, dashboards, and insights. The analytics include call history reports, supervisor analytics with IVR and call center activity, custom wallboards, and other detailed historical and real-time analytics. Further, Intermedia offers AI-enhanced video meetings with automated insights and transcription, which many competitors do not offer. Both Intermedia Unite plans–the $27.99 Pro and the $32.99 Enterprise–include these features.

 

Who Should Consider Intermedia

Intermedia works best for companies that want a UCaaS system with AI collaboration tools and strong analytics. Companies should remember that Intermedia’s plans cost slightly more than alternatives, on average.

 

What we dislike about Intermedia

• Expensive plans
• No call queueing
• Only 12 integrations–fewer than competitors offer

 

Dialpad

Dialpad offers VoIP services as part of a unified communications solution or contact center, both of which include multiple communication channels: VoIP, SMS, team chat, and AI-powered video meetings with up to 10 users.

The business VoIP provider offers unlimited calling within the US and Canada, with some of the lowest international calling rates among all competitors. You can also purchase local numbers from area codes in 70 countries around the world. Dialpad’s phone system is advanced–with custom routing, unlimited call queues, and multi-level auto attendants.

 

 

What Sets Dialpad Apart

Dialpad VoIP service and video meetings shine when it comes to AI support. Meetings include whiteboards, waiting rooms, screen sharing, chats, and unlimited recordings.

All agent calls have automatic transcription, live speech coaching, and post-call summaries. Dialpad offers real-time analytics–including live queue activity–which benefits supervisors.

 

Who Should Consider Dialpad

Dialpad is best for small teams that want full queue functionality, collaboration tools, and live-agent support via AI.

 

What we dislike about Dialpad:

• 10-participant max capacity in video meetings
• No call-center monitoring like whisper and barge
• Limited to just a few integrations on lower-tier plans

 

Ooma

Ooma offers business VoIP and UCaaS functionality ranging from $19.95 to $29.95 monthly per user. While Ooma does not offer team chat, it does include VoIP, texting, and video conferencing with 25 participants.

The Essentials plan includes VoIP service only–no other channels–with a wide variety of basic phone system features, including IVR and ring groups. The Pro plan adds Ooma’s desktop app along with SMS texting, call recording, voicemail transcription, analytics, and video meetings that last up to 12 hours. The highest-tier Pro Plus plan adds call queueing, CRM integrations like Salesforce, and advanced call management with 5 concurrent IVR schedules.

 

 

What Sets Ooma Apart

Ooma sets itself apart by offering a phone-only plan–without SMS or video–that still includes essential phone system features, plus a free local and toll-free number per user. The Essentials plan includes ring groups, IVR, call parking, simultaneous ring on multiple devices, and unlimited calls to the US, Canada, and Mexico.

 

Who Should Consider Ooma

Ooma is best for small teams prioritizing just voice phone calls, who don’t need team chat or highly collaborative video meetings. The phone system also makes great value for teams that make frequent calls within North America and Mexico.

 

What we dislike about Ooma:

• No team chat
• No desktop app on the Essentials plan
• Lacks some collaboration features in video meetings

 

8×8

8×8 offers business VoIP service in a unified platform, which includes voice, SMS, team chat, and video conferencing with up to 500 participants. The 8×8 Work app–available on desktop, browser, and mobile–includes many phone-system features on all plans. Plans include call queueing, multi-level IVR, call analytics, and conversational AI support via live speech analytics.

 

 

What Sets 8×8 Apart

With 500 participants, 8×8 video meetings support a larger capacity than any alternative. These meetings also include uniquely interactive tools like emoji reactions, polls, and breakout rooms.

Even more impressive is 8×8’s unlimited calling area. While most alternatives limit unlimited calling to the US and Canada, 8×8 offers a 14-country unlimited area on their X2 plan and a whopping 48 countries on their X4 plan.

 

Who Should Consider 8×8 

8×8 works best for large companies that host collaborative video meetings or webinars with audiences of over 200 people. Further, 8×8 works great for teams that frequently make international calls.

 

What we dislike about 8×8:

• Expensive plans
• No call center monitoring on X2 plan
• No supervisor analytics on X2 plan

 

Grasshopper

Grasshopper is a virtual phone system offering just VoIP calling and texting–no video or team chat. The Grasshopper app–available on desktop or mobile–is simple and easy to use, pairing with the toll-free, local, and vanity numbers the provider offers throughout the United States. All plans include unlimited calling within the US and Canada and a suite of basic call capabilities: voicemail transcription, call forwarding, automated response texts, and basic call reports.

 

 

What Sets Grasshopper Apart

Grasshopper offers a unique pricing structure, charged by the account rather than by the user. Each plan includes a preset number of business phone numbers–from 1 to 5–and a preset number of extensions ranging from 3 to unlimited. However, each Grasshopper plan also includes an unlimited number of users. This means that companies whose users share phone numbers, such as within a department, can majorly save costs through Grasshopper’s pricing structure.

 

Who Should Consider Grasshopper

Grasshopper is best for teams seeking only VoIP-specific phone numbers and texting–no other channels–and whose users can share phone numbers with distinct extensions. These companies, especially large ones, can provide calling for a large number of users with a flat whole-account rate.

 

What we dislike about Grasshopper:

• No video conferencing or team chat
• Only basic call logs, no advanced analytics
• No built-in IVR or call queues

 

What is Business VoIP?

Business VoIP is a modern cloud communication technology that makes and receives phone calls over the Internet instead of the wired PSTN network. Teams can access their VoIP-powered business phone system with an Internet connection from anywhere, on any device.

Business VoIP requires little to no hardware and has a fast, simple plug-and-play installation process. High-quality business VoIP providers also grant access to additional communication channels like video conferencing, text messaging, and chat messaging.

Packed with advanced phone system features necessary to operate small to medium businesses, such as hosted PBX capabilities, desk-to-desk calling, automated attendant systems, call routing, and even music-on-hold, business VoIP technology makes it easy for any company to operate with the same level of efficiency as large scale enterprise systems. Business VoIP services also include Unified Communication solutions to empower the mobility and flexibility needed for any business.

With inexpensive, feature-filled phone solutions, your business can operate at a high level without worrying about the cost.

Most importantly, VoIP offers advanced phone system features such as IVR, voicemail transcription, call routing, and call recording.

Business VoIP unifies global workforces, streamlining remote, blended, and in-house communication.

 

How Does Business VoIP Work?

Business VoIP uses codecs to compress and convert callers’ voice audio into digital data packets that travel to the recipient via the Internet. The diagram below shows how codecs work:

 

 

Once these data packets reach their destination, they decompress and convert into normal voice audio.

 

 

For a more detailed explanation, check out our guide on VoIP and how it works.

 

Business VoIP Service Essential Features

The VoIP features we selected below are the most important ones to look for – don’t bother with a business VoIP provider that doesn’t offer them.

 

 

 

Call Management Features

VoIP companies should offer all the below calling features on their basic plan.

• Call Hold: Agents place callers on a brief hold to accept/make another phone call or get clarification from a colleague
• Call Waiting: Notifies an agent currently taking a call of another inbound call to their number.
• Call Transfer: Agents can transfer their current caller to another agent, department, or higher-up without ending the call.
• Hot Desking: Enables any agent to take/make business telephone calls on any desk on an as-needed basis.
• Call Parking: Agents can place active calls in a virtual parking lot, where any other available agent can take them over. 
• Call Forwarding: If the first phone number goes unanswered, call forwarding automatically forwards calls to additional, preset phone numbers, as shown in the image below:
• Call Blocking: Anonymously block inbound calls from suspicious, spam, or unwanted phone numbers.
• Audio Conferencing: Allows 3+ users to communicate via telephone simultaneously

Now let’s take a look at some of the more advanced features to look for.

 

Voicemail Transcription

Voicemail transcription converts your voicemail messages into text form, allowing you to read voice messages directly in the app or have them emailed or texted to you (the message audio is still available). Here’s an example of a transcribed voicemail within Grasshopper’s app:

 

 

Transcriptions make it easy to prioritize which calls to return first.

 

Call Routing

Call routing is a strategy where inbound calls are distributed to specific agents or proper departments based on pre-set call paths, agent availability, and the caller’s prompts.

There are numerous call routing options, but we’ve outlined the most popular in the image below:

 

 

 

Call Monitoring and Call Recording

Call recording automatically records your business telephone calls between agents and customers or on demand.

In most cases, callers must be notified of the recording, but check your state’s call recording laws to be sure.

Once the recording is complete, it’s automatically stored in a designated database where your employees can review and categorize them. Agent and customer names, call duration, contact information, and if the call was inbound or outbound are also included in the recording details.

 

 

 

To get the most from your recorded calls, be sure to look for providers that let you pause, isolate, fast forward and resume call recording.

Some VoIP providers also offer call recording transcription, which transcribes and displays recorded audio calls in text for faster review.

 

Interactive Voice Response (IVR)

IVR (Interactive Voice Response) is an automated call menu with pre-recorded menus and options that your callers can enter or speak their responses into to direct their calls.

A common IVR prompt is, “To speak to the billing department, press 2; for sales, press 3; to track an order, press 4; to repeat these options, press 5.”

The IVR system then uses Automatic Call Distribution (ACD) to send callers to the correct agent. Here is an example of a more basic IVR call flow:

 

 

IVR is commonly used to increase customer self-service and leave agents free to assist higher-level callers.

 

Call Analytics

Business VoIP providers offer real-time and historical caller analytics that give insight into agent activity and productivity, call volume, call trends, and more.

Reports can be run and exported at automatic intervals or on an ad-hoc basis with pre-made or customizable reporting templates. Individual agents, specific departments, or your entire small business can easily be monitored.

Here is an example of how your call analytics can be presented to you:

 

 

Common VoIP calling analytics include:

• Number of daily, weekly, and monthly calls
• Inbound: Outbound call ratio
• The average number of missed/unanswered calls
• Average agent talk time
• First Call Resolution rates (FCR)
• Cost per Call
• Customer Satisfaction (CSAT)
• Average speed of Answer (ASA)
• Average call handling time

 

Benefits of Using Business VoIP Systems

Aside from the numerous benefits of the above features, business phone systems give you an advantage in plenty of other ways.

Let’s look at the five most significant benefits:

 

1. Cost Savings

Small Business VoIP is generally 30-50% cheaper than traditional landline phone service.

In addition to the affordability, VoIP uses desktop and mobile apps to make and receive calls, texts, and even faxes.  Though VoIP-enabled desk phones are also available, most businesses today use the app.

Better still, VoIP drastically reduces the expense of long-distance calling, as VoIP manages calls over the Internet.

Cloud-based VoIP also lowers monthly maintenance and upgrade costs, as the provider, not the business owner, is responsible for hosting and monitoring the server.  This also means a faster – and cheaper – installation and setup process for you.

 

2. Flexibility and Mobility

Today’s workforce expects to work from anywhere, on their schedule – which means customers also expect to be able to connect to your business when they need to.

The flexibility and mobility of a virtual phone make this possible, thanks to features like automatic call forwarding and Find Me, Follow Me.

If the agent doesn’t answer their primary business phone number, the call is forwarded to their smartphone, home phone, voicemail, or even to another agent. Customers don’t have to hang up the phone and redial, as call forwarding is automatic.

 

3. Automation and Self Service

Customers today want fast answers and a resolution the first time they reach out to your business.

However, given that small businesses likely have a limited number of available agents – let alone enough to offer 24/7 customer support – this can be a challenge.

The solution?

Business VoIP automation features like auto-attendants, pre-recorded IVR call menus, Natural Language Processing (NLP), call routing/forwarding, sentiment analysis, customer callbacks, and automated reminder notifications.

This automation provides robust customer self-service options while keeping live agents free to make sales calls or deal with more complicated, urgent issues.

 

4. Multiple Business Phone Numbers

A VoIP phone number lets business owners and team members keep their personal telephone numbers private. VoIP companies offer four types of virtual numbers: local, toll-free, toll-free vanity numbers, and international.

Local numbers let businesses purchase numbers from any area code – even if the business isn’t located within that region. These numbers help businesses to establish a local presence, winning consumer trust and increasing the likelihood that the recipient will answer the call.

Toll-free numbers add further legitimacy to your business and ensure consumers can contact you without incurring any call costs. Common toll-free number prefixes include 800, 888, 877, 866, 855, etc.

Vanity phone numbers begin with one of the above toll-free number prefixes but spell out relevant words or phrases like 1-800-TOWMYCAR or 888-FLOWERS. Vanity numbers are easy to remember, strengthen branding, and are free to the caller.

International phone numbers give businesses a local presence abroad, making it easier to expand to foreign markets.

 

5. Scalability

The scalability of business VoIP services means you won’t be forced to pay for features you don’t yet need – but you can easily add them when you do.

Bundled plans offer tier-based, month-to-month pricing with unlimited calling in the United States and Canada.

Business VoIP providers also integrate with third-party business communication, CRM platforms, and collaboration tools, eliminating the need to purchase other software.

In addition to bundled plans, a la carte plans and completely customizable VoIP solutions for business are available.

With VoIP, adding more users, extensions, or phone numbers is simple – log into your admin portal and add them directly on the provider’s website.

 

6. Reliability

VoIP service has a much higher call quality than traditional landlines, but some wonder if VoIP services are as stable and reliable as the PSTN.

Quality VoIP providers will have a minimum guaranteed uptime of 99.9%, though the coveted “Five Nine” metric (99.999% uptime) is the gold standard.

Global Points of Presence (geographically diverse data centers) cement a high uptime by establishing network redundancy. Essentially, this means even if one data center goes offline, the others will keep the VoIP software going until a connection is reestablished.

Quality providers also offer:

• 24/7/365 network monitoring and speed testing
• Real-time network status update page
• Call quality data/analytics
• Carrier-grade/Tier 1 data centers

 

VoIP Service Network Requirements

Your existing Internet connection quality is the number-one factor in establishing consistent, jitter-free, and reliable VoIP service.

Note that users, not the VoIP provider, are responsible for purchasing their own adequate Internet connection.

In general, each VoIP line requires 100Kbps of bandwidth per phone line to maintain a consistent connection. Contact your ISP (Internet Service Provider) to determine your current speeds, and upgrade based on how many lines you plan to use simultaneously. This is especially important for in-house employees.

Not only is WiFi connectivity inconsistent when compared to hardwire ethernet – it’s also far less secure (especially if users connect on a public WiFi network.) To ensure your VoIP system is as secure as possible, always look for providers offering data encryption to protect your Local Area Network (LAN.)

 

What to Look for in a VoIP Provider for Business

Here are a few things that every business VoIP provider should offer.

 

Guaranteed Uptime of At Least 99.9%

“Uptime” is the amount of time per year that your VoIP software is fully functioning, online, and offering all the services promised by the provider.

Though 99.9% is the minimum, 99.999% uptime is the gold standard. For context, a 99.9% uptime equals about 44 minutes of annual downtime, while a 99.999% uptime equals just over 5 minutes a year.

 

Strong Security Measures

Small businesses are particularly vulnerable to VoIP and cybersecurity threats. While VoIP phones are more secure than landlines, you still need to know how to protect your business VoIP service.

First, ensure the provider conducts third-party security audits – meaning that a body outside the company evaluates the platform’s security standards. Security certifications include SOC 2 Type 2 Compliance, HITRUST, or ISO/IEC.

Your industry’s regulatory bodies may require other certifications like PCI, HIPAA, FINRA, and GDPR compliance.

Also, look for two-factor authentication (2FA), Single Sign-On (SSO), and end-to-end encryption (E2EE.)

Finally, be sure that the provider offers additional security settings, like robocall blocking, spam protection, network monitoring and redundancy, password protection, and access control.

 

Reasonable Fees

In addition to the cost of your monthly service plans, business VoIP providers are legally allowed to charge certain fees and taxes.

However, unscrupulous providers will attempt to overcharge you, counting on the fact that you won’t notice or won’t know the legality.

Common legal fees include:

• E911 Fees
• Universal Services Fund Fees
• Federal, State, and Local Taxes
• Number Porting Fees (most providers offer porting for free)
• Gross Revenue Surcharge
• Intercarrier Compensation

Red Flag fees to watch for include:

• Hefty early contract termination fees
• Hidden “Add-on Feature” fees
• RCIP Fees
• “Service,” “Support,” or “Administrative” Fees

Our VoIP taxes and fees guide will help ensure you’re working with a fair, legitimate provider.

 

Reliable Local Support

When you have a problem with your business VoIP phone service, you don’t want to have to wait to get help.

When considering providers, look for 24/7/365 support on at least one channel (though 24/7 phone support is ideal, most providers only offer 24/7 support via live web chat.)

In addition to phone and web chat support, ask about email support, online knowledge databases, ticket requests and support in-portal, and any other support channel you may need.

Ask how long the provider responds to and resolves a support request.

Though most providers offer paid support plans to allow users to slip to the front of the support queue or receive other priority support, that doesn’t mean that standard support users should be satisfied with subpar service.

 

Ease of Use

Finally, evaluate the VoIP phone system’s overall intuitiveness and ease of use.

While it’s normal to encounter some learning curve when using any new business software, ensure that the interface is uncluttered, customizable, and makes sense.

Examine the dashboard sidebars, icons, and whether or not call flow can be edited via a drag-and-drop tool. This is where a free trial of a business VoIP service platform comes in particularly handy. Have team members try it out and offer feedback on whether they feel it’s something they can learn to use.

Most providers offer some form of employee training, whether pre-recorded video tutorials, training webinars, in-person training, or customized training programs.

 

How to Choose the Best Business VoIP Provider

When shopping for a business VoIP service, knowing what you need ahead of time makes the transition fast, easy, and cost-effective.

 

Step 1: Review Your Business Basics

The most important thing to evaluate is whether the provider fits your business calling needs.

Each business has unique needs, short and long-term goals, budget, and customer base. There is no “one-size-fits-all” VoIP platform.

When choosing your business VoIP service, consider the following factors:

• Your business size and industry
• Your workforce type (Remote, in-house, blended, full-time, part-time)
• Your security needs and regulatory requirements
• Your target market and customer base
• Your long and short-term goals
• Your budget
• Your anticipated VoIP usage

Find a provider that can grow with you.

 

Step 2: Check Hardware and Software Compatibility

If you already have hardware or VoIP phones from reputable brands like Poly, Yealinik, and Cisco, make sure it’s compatible with the new provider that you are considering going with.

In addition to hardware compatibility, ensure the provider can integrate with any existing third-party software you use. This can include your CRM or call center software. Most providers offer an extensive searchable app gallery – confirm it before committing.

 

Step 3: Shop By Value, Not Price

Business VoIP should run you in an average price range of $10.00-$25.00 per user per month.

While it’s tempting to automatically look for providers on the more affordable end, the overall value is the real metric to consider.

Often, cheaper plans lack essential features like texting, call recording, or detailed analytics. These features are available – but only for a hefty add-on price. In most cases, it’s cheaper to upgrade to a higher tier than to purchase a la carte add-ons for the most affordable plan.

Decide which features your team must have, which ones you can wait to scale up to, and which ones you’re unlikely ever to need. Then, pick your plan accordingly.

While there is a bigger initial investment if your business can afford to purchase more complete plans that already include the features your team – and customers – need.

 

Step 4: Do Your Research

You’ll need to do some outside research to ensure the VoIP companies on your shortlist are as great as they seem on paper.

Read reviews, ask the provider if you can speak to an existing customer, and compare available features and pricing with the platform’s biggest competitors.

Finding unbiased opinions may require some extra digging, but it’s the best way to ensure you choose the best business VoIP phone service.

 

Questions to Ask Your New VoIP Provider:

• What are the startup & recurring costs?
• Is there a money-back guarantee?
• Can you port phone numbers? Costs involved?
• Is there a contract? Are there cancelation fees? Know what the cancelation process is like.
• Are there any hidden fees?
• Which calling features are included, and which features cost extra?
• Is there international calling?
• What kind of support is available?
• Do you offer E911? Costs involved?
• Do you have a mobile app?
• What is the process for upgrading or downgrading plans?

 

Business VoIP Service FAQs

Below, we’ve answered some of the most common questions shoppers may have: