Best VoIP Services Of 2024

Google Voice earned such a high score because of its intuitive interface and excellent value. Signing up with a new business number was easy and took just a few minutes. I appreciate the dashboard’s spacious layout and that it only focuses on the essential features: voicemail, ring groups and IVR menus. Most small businesses can set up a cost-effective inbound call handling system with these features, avoiding extra bells and whistles.

Google Voice call logs and dial pad on web browser.

General Features

Rather than offering a large library of advanced features, Google Voice focuses on the features that matter most: 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.

IVR menus and ring groups provide simple call-routing tools for small businesses that don’t need a full call center. I love the drag-and-drop IVR call flow tool, which lets me connect several users into a self-service menu.

While voicemail transcription is a fundamental tool, many alternatives reserve this feature for high-tier plans. Thankfully, Google Voice includes it on all plans.

Google Voice makes it easy to manage features like call recording and IVR menus.

Customer Reviews

When looking at Google Voice reviews online, it’s clear that satisfied customers appreciated the user-friendly interface, mentioning that the phone service is strong, especially for the price. Some also appreciated the ability to easily port their personal numbers to a local professional number and, therefore, avoid buying a second phone or signing up for a separate phone service. Others liked the ability to make calls from their PC without relying solely on their phones.

Pricing and Value

While Google Voice offers personal VoIP numbers for free, its business plans begin at $10 monthly per user—still an exceptional value for a business phone number with unlimited calling and texting. Unfortunately, the $10 plan has a 10-user maximum and no call-routing tools, so teams larger than 10 will have to upgrade to the $20 monthly Standard plan.

At $20 and $30, respectively, Google Voice’s Standard and Premier plans still offer a decent value—especially for companies that plan to send a lot of texts.

Mobile and Desktop Apps

While Google Voice is available for download to iOS and Android-capable devices, there is no desktop app. I was able to use Voice through my phone and a web browser with relative ease.

Customer Service

I find that support for Google Voice is not as straightforward as it could be. When you click on the “Help” function within the app, you can search through Google’s support page library. In my experience, the closest you get to live assistance is through the community forum, where you briefly describe your problem and hope that board members or a moderator can provide the answer you are looking for.

Google’s customer support is perhaps its weakest attribute, although the service is straightforward enough that you might not need live assistance in the same way that you might with another VoIP service. That said, if reliable customer support is a major concern, Google Voice might not be a good fit.

User’s Input

David Idle, CPO of Bigleaf Networks, a leading provider of network optimization solutions, shared his thoughts on Google Voice:
“I like its user-friendly interface and seamless integration with Google Workspace, but I dislike its limited feature set compared to enterprise-grade solutions. My overall view is that it’s ideal for smaller organizations seeking a simple, cost-effective solution.”

Learn more: Read our Google Voice review.

While using RingCentral, I quickly saw that it’s much more than just a VoIP phone system: it’s a unified communications platform. I used it to make calls but also to collaborate internally with chat, file sharing and video meetings that were surprisingly feature-rich. I could easily shift between communication channels, from voice and text to chat and video conferencing.

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

RingCentral’s desktop app, dial pad and call logs.

General Features

RingCentral offers toll-free and local business numbers across the U.S., plus international business numbers from over 40 countries. When signing up for a plan, we could pick between a toll-free or regular number, and each plan includes an allotment of toll-free numbers. I was impressed with RingCentral’s audio quality—which is probably because it uses the modern Opus codec to compress audio data.

The platform includes rich call-routing features that provide call center functionality, helping us provide better customer service. You can make as many IVR menus and call queues as you want. Call monitoring dashboards let supervisors keep an eye on each agent’s activity and queue status.

RingCentral’s video meetings are incredibly comprehensive. They have AI features such as automated captions and summaries, with engagement tools such as breakout rooms and whiteboards.

In addition to calling, RingCentral lets you send team chat messages and share files.

Customer Reviews

RingCentral is an extremely popular VoIP service, with thousands of customer comments across various websites. Satisfied customers appreciate the wide range of call, text, chat and video features. Their feedback largely aligned with my own experience using the service. Additionally, the satisfied customers mentioned that RingCentral saved them money, and they found it to be a very convenient all-in-one platform.

Meanwhile, the negative feedback from customers repeatedly mentioned their unpleasant support experiences. For instance, some mentioned a lack of available agents or inconsistent communication.

Pricing and Value

Starting at $30 per user with a monthly commitment, RingCentral’s pricing is slightly above average for the VoIP market. Alternatives such as Google Voice and Zoom Phone offer rates as much as $10 cheaper per user per month, but these alternatives don’t include the comprehensive call-routing and collaboration features that RingCentral has.

RingCentral’s plans are a good value for companies that want not just VoIP, but also team collaboration and some call center features. You’re paying for advanced capabilities such as call monitoring, call queues, IVR and AI video meetings.

Mobile and Desktop Apps

When testing RingCentral, I downloaded the apps for mobile and desktop use. In my experience, the app functioned uniformly across all platforms; I was able to start communication on my laptop and continue on my smartphone without missing a beat. I think this level of flexibility is very convenient for situations where you begin communicating on one device but need to resume a call or chat on another.

Customer Service

I am not sure it’s fair to say that RingCentral has 24/7 support—unless you count an artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot as an agent. While the chatbot is perpetually available, in my experience, it did not always provide the exact information I needed. I also found it difficult to connect to a live support agent.

User’s Input

Bob Mesas, vice president of sales for Central Business Systems, also noted RingCentral’s robust service: “RingCentral is probably the most refined VoIP application on the market in terms of the features it offers. You can put it on a phone, tablet, laptop or desktop. It also integrates with Microsoft Teams directly, and there are a lot of different plugins for CRM applications, such as Salesforce.com. If you are working in Salesforce, you can dial right out of Salesforce into RingCentral with the click of a button. It’s a very scalable solution, whether you have a couple of people or hundreds or thousands. It’s a little pricier than some of the others, but I think RingCentral more than makes up for it in features and support.”

Learn more: Read our full RingCentral review.

Dialpad’s app has a very modern, spacious feel that grabbed my attention immediately and made the platform a joy to use. The left-hand menu made it easy to know when I had a missed call, SMS or team message. Similar to RingCentral, Dialpad goes beyond a phone system to provide a full UCaaS platform: I was able to collaborate using chat, file sharing and video meetings.

What really sets Dialpad apart from competitors is its analytics and intuitive AI features, including real-time call transcriptions. These are advanced technologies that many providers don’t have, and Dialpad offers them on all plans. It’s pricier than some alternatives but worth it for small teams that want collaboration and higher-level performance insights.

However, companies that plan to text a lot, or those that just want a basic phone system, can find better value with a simpler alternative.

Dialpad’s AI transcriptions power post-call summaries and action items.

General Features

Dialpad’s call quality was good, probably because it uses the modern Opus codec. I found the app interface modern and attractive, with a crisp white color scheme. The phone system itself includes all the features you’d need to handle inbound calls: unlimited IVR menus, call queues and between three and unlimited ring groups depending on your plan. I found these capabilities easy to set up.

I was especially impressed by Dialpad’s analytics and call transcription. When I hopped on a call, the screen auto-populated with captions that updated live. These transcriptions help supervisors track agent performance, and they lead to richer insights about customer satisfaction levels. Immediately after calls, I could see real-time statistics and graphs displaying the number of calls made, queue status and wait time.

The team collaboration features are also good. Team chat worked well, with basic file sharing—sort of like a minimalistic version of Slack. The video meetings have incredibly crisp video and some useful features such as waiting rooms, but the 10-participant capacity prevented our whole team from simultaneously hopping on a video call.

Dialpad’s supervisor dashboard makes it easy for managers to assign numbers and monitor remote teams.

Customer Reviews

Dialpad is another very popular VoIP provider, and there are hundreds of customer reviews detailing past and present experiences with the company. Satisfied customers describe Dialpad as a reasonably priced service with great features. Customers enjoyed the AI components, flexibility in day-to-day communication, and the ability to send and receive calls through PC and mobile devices. Some also appreciated Dialpad’s scalability.

Meanwhile, less enthused customers cited call issues and language translation inaccuracies. There were also multiple concerns centered around a lack of billing transparency. In a few cases, customers mentioned they had difficulty canceling their service.

Pricing and Value

Starting at $27 monthly per user with a monthly commitment, Dialpad’s pricing is about average for a VoIP phone system and unified communications platform. Keep in mind that you can reduce this price 44% to a cost-effective $15 per user with an annual commitment.

But even at $27 monthly, Dialpad is a good value for companies that will use its advanced features: IVR, ring groups, collaboration tools with chat and video, real-time analytics and live call transcription. Even teams that plan to use mostof these features still get a good deal with Dialpad, since some alternatives charge a lot more for AI-based capabilities.

Mobile and Desktop Apps

Dialpad has apps for both desktop and mobile, and I tested both. I appreciated how easy it was to communicate by voice or video across multiple devices. Dialpad’s apps are compatible with Windows and Mac operating systems and iOS and Android smart devices.

Customer Service

As part of my review process, I contacted Dialpad’s support team to get a better idea of what the customer service experience would be. I reached out with a question about a call feature to see how the agent would handle my concern. The team member was professional and thorough in their assistance, addressing my question completely.

While this was my experience, I must note it may not be the case for everyone as certain support options might not be available according to your specific service plan. I also found that Dialpad’s AI bot, while useful for straightforward issues, might not be as helpful for specific problems that ultimately require a human support team member.

User’s Input

Jason Elliott, owner of Elliott System Partners, which specializes in consulting businesses on phone systems and contact centers, shared his thoughts with us:

“Dialpad stands out as a highly technologically advanced phone system solution. The company embarked on the development of their proprietary artificial intelligence (AI) technology several years ago, well ahead of the prevailing trend. This strategic decision has endowed Dialpad with a heightened level of security, surpassing that of most of their competitors. Dialpad also boasts an extensive array of native integrations specifically tailored for CRMs, facilitating a streamlined and enhanced work environment for the employees, resulting in better experiences for the customers.”

Learn more: Read our full Dialpad review.

Intermedia Unite is a unified communications platform that combines team-collaboration tools with some very useful VoIP tools. Most notably, it provides an impressive 33-country unlimited calling area and unlimited SMS texting in the U.S. on all plans. Many alternatives can’t match these calling and SMS capabilities on any plan, and Intermedia includes them on all.

While it lacks advanced call center tools like monitoring and AI transcription, Intermedia’s IVR menus and call queues were more than sufficient for my team’s call handling needs. With video conferencing and team chat as well, Intermedia does a bit of everything. The only teams it may not fit are those prioritizing low cost, those who don’t want UCaaS or those seeking AI insights.

The analytics portal tracks KPIs for individual users and the whole team.

General Features

I tested Intermedia Unite’s multiple communication channels across desktop and mobile devices, including voice, SMS, video and chat. While I found the app interface somewhat plain, it is easy to use and surprisingly diverse in its feature set.

The customizable analytics dashboards have eye-catching visual displays, and they’re included with all plans. Along with wallboards that display daily call stats, these reports offer a big benefit to supervisors and remote teams. Further adding to the call center tools, Intermedia’s call queues, ring groups and IVR menus made it easy for me to build a robust call-handling system.

Best of all was Intermedia’s unlimited texting. While most VoIP providers limit monthly texting to a restrictive 200 SMS per user, it was refreshing that I could send unlimited texts while using Intermedia. This unlocks unique marketing use cases, especially considering that Intermedia integrates with marketing platforms such as Salesforce.

Intermedia Unite lets you send team chat messages, even when on a live call.

Customer Reviews

Intermedia has had decades to build its reputation as a communications service provider, garnering positive feedback in recent years. Satisfied customers had good experiences using the service and praised Intermedia’s straightforward pricing. The negative customer reviews referred to minor issues such as language barriers and the inability to deal with email spam. There was also mention of poor reception while traveling.

Pricing and Value

While the $27.99 starting price on Intermedia’s website may seem high, note that Intermedia has no contract, and this is with a monthly commitment. By that standard, Intermedia’s cost is on par with the rest of the UCaaS market. Companies that plan to take advantage of the 33-country unlimited calling area and unlimited SMS will receive excellent value with Intermedia.

Even better, companies using Microsoft Teams can choose the “Unite for Teams Advanced” plan that begins at $22.99 monthly—a great deal for no-contract UCaaS.

Mobile and Desktop Apps

I downloaded and tested Unite on both desktop and mobile devices. Its apps are compatible with Windows and Apple computers or iOS and Android smartphones.

Customer Service

In my experience, customer support was very helpful and professional in offering assistance. There was a short wait over the phone and I connected with a team member after around 20 seconds. I also received a prompt email response to my service issue.

User’s Input

David Idle, CPO of Bigleaf Networks, a leading provider of network optimization solutions, also likes Intermedia Unite: “It has reliable performance, making it a robust unified communications platform. Pricing may be higher compared to some competitors, but it’s a solid choice for industries prioritizing reliability and security.”

Learn more: Read our Intermedia Unite review.

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 your communication stack, or those who want to connect with customers across multiple mediums—Nextiva is a good value. In fact, it gives most call centers a run for their money.

The phone system is solid too. I found it easy to use, with a drag-and-drop design tool for IVR setup. And the pricing structure lets you choose the specific features you want without paying for those you don’t. Companies seeking advanced features such as skills-based routing and AI capabilities still find a tough-to-beat price with Nextiva’s highest-tier Power Suite.

Nextiva’s drag-and-drop setup tool helps you create IVR menus and chatbot conversation flows.

General Features

For all the communication channels it unifies, the Nextiva dashboard was surprisingly easy for me to understand and learn. A central inbox unifies all messaging channels and calls, so I always knew where to find my latest notifications.

Nextiva’s dashboard lets you monitor review sites such as Yelp and Google Reviews, which is useful for just about any company. While many competitors only enable messaging apps such as WhatsApp, Nextiva lets you track your mentions and tags across social media channels such as X and Instagram, interacting with customers on these platforms—all from the Nextiva desktop. These channels make it much more than a phone system—it’s also a digital customer-service platform.

The VoIP phone system itself is intuitive, with some unique features that competitors don’t have. While you can choose a low-cost plan with simple IVR, high-tier plans include skills-based routing that pulls customer data from your CRM system in real time, to match each caller with an agent best suited to help. The high-tier plan has a supervisor dashboard with AI call summaries for teams that want a full-fledged contact center.

Nextiva’s multichannel dashboard lets you call and message customers across platforms.

Customer Reviews

Nextiva is a popular VoIP provider with mostly positive reviews from customers. Users consider its software easy to use. References to the support team were mixed, with some claiming to have good experiences with sales and support agents, while others were frustrated. One area that concerned me was the claims of having difficulty canceling service.

Pricing and Value

Nextiva’s plans start at $25 monthly per user, with a monthly commitment. However, this price only includes digital communication channels: review sites such as Yelp, social media such as Instagram and X, and live chat that you can embed on your website. While a good value, this plan lacks VoIP.

Nextiva’s VoIP phone system begins with the Core plan, costing $35 monthly per user. It’s nearly $10 costlier than alternatives such as Dialpad, but this is because Nextiva includes those unique communication channels that no one else offers. The Engage and Power Suite plans, at $50 and $75, respectively, add advanced call center features like queues and AI call transcription.

For companies that want not just VoIP but digital messaging channels and social media, Nextiva offers unparalleled value. But teams that just want a simple phone system can find better value with many alternatives on our list.

Mobile and Desktop Apps

Nextiva’s app, NextivaONE, is compatible with Windows, Mac/iOS and Android devices. While there is some flexibility in accessing NextivaONE by phone or computer, it is crucial to note that your experience will vary.

For instance, while I could easily log into the NextivaONE app through my web browser, the app would sometimes lag when loading or, in some cases, get caught in a log-in loop where you are directed back and forth between the app and mobile website.

Customer Service

I did not directly engage Nextiva’s customer service while testing the product. However, I did note that it offers 24/7 support uniformly across all plans. This means no matter which tier you commit to, you should expect to be able to reach a live agent. Being able to connect with Nextiva support by phone, email, and chat is helpful and makes the service stand apart from many competitors that charge extra for live agent access.

User’s Input

Alex Aristides, a VoIP expert and our advisory board member, said, “This company has a great all-in-one package, but it lacks many voice features and ease of use in comparison to the other companies here.”

Learn more: Read our full Nextiva review.

Grasshopper’s VoIP phone system is specifically designed for small teams and solopreneurs who need a simple phone system. It only includes basic features and call controls such as call forwarding, transfers and voicemail with transcription. While it lacks call-routing features such as IVR, Grasshopper outperforms many alternatives by providing unlimited calling and texting across the U.S. and Canada.

Grasshopper’s ease of use and unlimited calling and texting make it a great fit for teams wanting to call and text—nothing else. However, its lack of call-routing tools and advanced features make it a poor fit for medium-to-large teams or those whose customers call for many different reasons.

Grasshopper’s live call display.

General Features

I found Grasshopper’s desktop and mobile apps intuitive due to their simplicity. The dashboard has only basic features: calling, texting, voicemail with transcription, call forwarding and transfers. It’s missing an IVR menu—which I consider a near-essential feature—but simultaneous call handling let me link multiple users’ numbers or extensions together. This ensured that I missed very few calls, and it’s sufficient for small teams that don’t have complex call-routing demands.

The unlimited calling and SMS texting are great, especially for the price point. The Instant Response feature is cool too, letting users respond to new texts and missed calls with an auto-reply.

Even though Grasshopper’s plans limit your team to a maximum of four phone numbers, the unlimited extensions and users on high-tier plans mean that multiple users can share a phone number for a low cost.

Grasshopper’s SMS dashboard.

Customer Reviews

Grasshopper is a popular VoIP option among individuals and small business owners. Satisfied customers frequently mentioned that they enjoyed how simple and easy the service is while providing everything necessary to support a virtual business operation or remote work. They also enjoy its convenience and mention that it is priced fairly.

Some customers had issues with poor call quality. I also noted a few Grasshopper customers found it difficult to connect with live agents.

Pricing and Value

Grasshopper starts at $18 monthly for one line and phone number, with a monthly commitment. It prices by the account—not by the user—so higher-tier plans cost $32 for one number with three extensions, or $70 for four business numbers and unlimited extensions. Each plan has the same features, along with unlimited calling and texting.

These prices are a good value for companies that don’t need a separate number for each user. If you plan to use the extensions for multiple staff members to share one phone number, you can reduce your average cost down to $10 monthly per user. This is a steal, especially for those who capitalize on unlimited texting.

Mobile and Desktop Apps

Grasshopper has both desktop and mobile apps. When you create an account, Grasshopper will link your personal number to your new business number, after which you may make calls using the desktop or mobile app. Grasshopper apps are compatible with Windows and Mac for desktop and with Apple and Android-capable smartphones.

I tested Grasshopper using both a laptop and phone and found it worked perfectly fine across both devices.

Customer Service

In my experience, getting the right assistance through Grasshopper’s customer service can be a bit of a lengthy process. It requires accessing a help article most relevant to your issue. If the article does not solve your problem, you are directed to click the “Contact Us” link, after which you will be given a case number. You can opt to skip certain steps by contacting the toll-free support number. When I called, I was connected to a support team member within seconds.

User’s Input

Jason Elliott, owner of Elliott System Partners, which specializes in consulting businesses on phone systems and contact centers, shared his thoughts with us:
“Grasshopper is a distinctive and cost-effective solution tailored specifically for small businesses, particularly startups. It boasts a simple, user-friendly interface that facilitates seamless navigation. The streamlined call-forwarding functionality enables the elimination of app downloads unless the need arises to engage in text-based communication through the Grasshopper business number. Furthermore, incoming voicemails can be conveniently emailed, thereby obviating the necessity for callers to leave messages on personal mobile devices.”

Learn more: Read our full Grasshopper review.

While Zoom is best-known for its video conferencing, the provider’s VoIP phone system offers a really good value overall. The $15-monthly-per-user plan, with unlimited calling and texting in the U.S., is as low as you’ll find, and each plan comes with lots of features. Any Zoom plan includes unlimited IVR, call queues and call monitoring with whisper and barge.

Zoom Phone also doubles as a UCaaS platform, since it includes team chat and connects seamlessly with Zoom’s video meetings. Its main limitations are that Zoom Phone doesn’t offer video meetings, advanced analytics or AI call features—so teams that are seeking these advanced capabilities should look elsewhere.

Zoom’s dial pad and call history display.

General Features

Zoom Phone’s features are among the most comprehensive on our list. It’s more of a UCaaS platform than a pure phone system, since all plans include team chat. The desktop app display is simple and familiar, especially for those who have used Zoom before. The team chat tab feels similar to Slack, with messaging, file sharing and the option to jump into meetings. I got the hang of my calling, texting and messaging workflows almost immediately when I began using Zoom.

Zoom’s team chat includes rich text formatting options, GIFs and emoji reactions.

The call center features are robust as well: unlimited IVR menus that are easy to set up, plus call queues. This means that Zoom can support teams with multiple departments and complex routing needs. Call monitoring tools—whisper, barge and takeover—let supervisors support new agents and observe queue activity. Zoom Phone has a good balance between team collaboration, call center tools and an intuitive feel.

Customer Reviews

Zoom continues to enjoy a largely positive reputation among VoIP or video conferencing customers in the post-pandemic era, indicating that it remains a leader in the cloud communication industry. Customers have good things to say about Zoom’s call quality. They also like the available integrations and feel the service is very easy to use, especially if you’re already familiar with digital voice and video meetings.

A few customers felt the interface was a bit clunky and not as visually appealing as some alternatives. Meanwhile, some customers experienced a slight learning curve as they were new to Zoom. Connection quality was reportedly an issue, which I think suggests Zoom may not be the best choice for anyone without a stable high-speed internet connection.

Pricing and Value

Zoom’s Metered plan begins at $10 monthly per user with per-minute call pricing—which is tied for the lowest rate on our list. The cool thing is, this plan still includes Zoom Phone’s comprehensive routing features, making it a great value for teams with low call volumes. At $15 monthly per user, the US & Canada Unlimited plan is a good value for teams of any size, with unlimited calling and a price that’s still strongly on the low side, compared to other VoIP systems.

Mobile and Desktop Apps

Zoom has apps downloadable to desktop and mobile devices, compatible with Windows and Mac on PCs or iOS and Android on phones and tablets. I appreciated the ability to use Zoom to place calls through laptops or smartphones; I only wish that the call quality could have been a little better.

Customer Service

I reached out to Zoom’s support team for help with my account. While my own experience was positive and the agent was knowledgeable and polite, the ability to connect with a member of the support team readily could vary based on your service plan. Zoom does offer 24/7 support to standalone Phone customers.

User’s Input

David Idle, CPO of Bigleaf Networks, a leading provider of network optimization solutions, chimed in on Zoom Phone:
“It has seamless integration with Zoom’s video conferencing platform. But it’s relatively new to the market, so it may lack some advanced features. I think it’s best suited for businesses already utilizing Zoom for collaboration needs.”

Learn more: Read our full Zoom Phone review.

8×8 is a VoIP and UCaaS solution with a good variety of contact center tools to customize your customer-support strategy. It has video and team chat for internal collaboration, the essential call-routing tools, and it transitions easily into 8×8’s higher-tier contact center plans. Teams that may want to scale up to a contact center down the line will find the future transition much easier with 8×8.

Perhaps most notable with 8×8 is its unlimited calling area, which covers 14 or 48 countries, depending on which plan you choose. Paired with unlimited texting in the U.S., the calling and texting functionality make 8×8 a good value for its price. If you plan to take advantage of the contact center features too, 8×8 is a top choice.

8×8’s dial pad and call logs.

General Features

8×8’s services span unified communication and contact center capabilities. I directly tested its voice, business chat and video conferencing features and appreciated its high-quality visual and sound components. I was especially impressed with its massive 500-participant video capacity and ability to livestream meetings on YouTube, which can help organizations reach a much wider audience than standard conferencing tools. 8×8’s video meetings are engaging too, with features such as live polls and breakout rooms.

You can create unlimited IVR menus and call queues, with call monitoring and real-time analytics for supervisors. These features made it feel like I was running a mini contact center. And 8×8 offers contact center plans that just build on the UCaaS platform, which is a great option for scaling teams.

Sending an SMS and viewing contact profile in 8×8.

Customer Reviews

8×8 is one of the more established UCaaS providers, having serviced businesses of all sizes for decades. The feedback I found was largely positive, with customers mentioning 8×8’s excellent call quality and plan features. There was also praise for 8×8’s customer support and how agents assisted in navigating any issues as they arose, as it matched my own experience.

There has been a recent shift in feelings regarding 8×8, particularly whether it is a good fit for smaller businesses. A growing number of customers feel that 8×8’s focus is primarily on enterprise-level companies, with some expressing frustration over transparency in pricing and plan details.

Pricing and Value

While 8×8 doesn’t publicize pricing information, I contacted them and went through the signup process to find out what plans cost. The basic X2 plan costs $25 monthly per user. With a 14-country unlimited calling area, unlimited SMS and IVR menus, this is a good value for teams that want team collaboration and plan to take advantage of the large calling area. The X4 plan costs $40 monthly per user, which seems overpriced to me—even with its impressive 48-country calling area.

Mobile and Desktop Apps

8×8 offers both desktop and mobile apps for download. I was able to test the mobile app 8×8 Work, which supports voice, messaging, voicemail, call recording, and parked call features. 8×8 Work is also available for desktop and offers similar functionality, making it possible to call, text, or chat across multiple devices.

Customer Service

In my experience, 8×8 customer support was very knowledgeable and helpful. It was fast, efficient and among the most positive experiences when testing customer support for VoIP services. When seeking assistance, I was able to connect with 8×8 support over the phone and also through chat.

User’s Input

Joel Wolfe, president and founder of HiredSupport, used 8×8 for his company:
“I found 8×8 to be a good option when interacting with my marketing department. There was no need to switch platforms, as an in-app feature helped us to communicate seamlessly. It has excellent call quality; there was no background noise during the call, even though I was stuck in traffic.”

Learn more: Read our 8×8 review.

Aircall is one of the more expensive VoIP phone systems, providing unlimited calling and a high texting limit—no team chat or video. But for its high price, Aircall offers some one-of-a-kind features: a shared call inbox, flexible call distribution rules, simultaneous calls on 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 paying for a complete contact center.

Aircall provides a detailed log for each call you receive, even those that reach IVR.

General Features

Aircall’s app has a noticeably modern feel that’s user-friendly and pleasant to use. It stands out with a nice array of call handling features: not just the usual IVR and call queues but a shared call inbox that let me share call and SMS responsibility with teammates. Queue callbacks are another unique feature that Aircall includes, so customers can leave a callback number without having to wait online.

Further, Aircall includes an auto dialer, which streamlines outbound sales efforts. With its abundance of integrations—including popular CRM systems—Aircall makes a cost-effective and robust system for inbound customer service and proactive sales use cases.

Setting up an agent’s call preferences in the Aircall dashboard.

Customer Reviews

Customer reviews for Aircall are largely positive. Customers find the interface to be attractive and modern. Although some reviewers find Aircall’s pricing a bit expensive, many consider it a good value for money. What negative reviews I did find focused on call and performance issues. For instance, some past customers disliked the lack of spam call protection. Meanwhile, others felt that the Aircall didn’t suit solopreneurs and small business owners.

Pricing and Value

Aircall starts at $40 monthly per user with a monthly commitment, making it one of the most expensive phone systems on our list. However, the extra cost comes from the unique customer-service features such as a shared call inbox and call transcriptions. Still, the $40 price point seems like a poor value.

On that same line, Aircall’s $70 monthly Professional plan costs almost as much as some call centers. However, this plan offers nearly full call center capabilities—with queue callbacks and a power dialer. This plan offers a good value for sales and customer service teams that make a lot of calls per day, but teams seeking a simple phone system will end up paying for features they won’t use.

Mobile and Desktop Apps

The Aircall apps are downloadable through Google Play and the App Store. The service also provides desktop software compatible with Windows and Mac devices; however, it does not work with Chromebook or Linux operating systems.

Customer Service

I reached out to the customer service team for help with setting up an Aircall account. The team member was very patient and helpful and provided all the information necessary for using the service. Moreover, I consider Aircall’s help center knowledge base to be very detailed and useful in getting the most out of its product.

User’s Input

Joel Wolfe, president and founder of HiredSupport, shared his experience with using Aircall:
“Running a company means getting everyone involved and this is what Aircall is all about. I acquired one local number and added additional contacts for just $6 per month. Its ease of use is what makes it special. All the adjustments I need to make can be done through the dashboard.”

Learn more: Read our full Aircall review.

Ooma offers a basic phone system that focuses on VoIP calling—other channels such as video, SMS and team chat are only included with higher-tier plans. The interface feels a bit outdated, but all plans have the essential routing features: voicemail, IVR menus and ring groups. Beyond its price, one of Ooma’s drawbacks is that the low-tier Essentials plan is mobile only, since the desktop app only comes with higher-tier plans.

On the plus side, Ooma makes a good choice for teams focused on providing toll-free numbers for customers. Each user sign-up includes a free toll-free number and 500 toll-free minutes. For this reason, I’d recommend Ooma for teams prioritizing toll-free service who don’t mind missing out on other communication channels.

Ooma contact list and customer profile.

General Features

When using Ooma Office, I did not enjoy the user interface. Visually, it felt outdated and dark, though it was simple to use. I was able to set up IVR menus and ring groups for a decently intricate call-routing system. The low-tier Essentials plan unfortunately does not include a desktop app, voicemail transcription, SMS texting, video or team chat. These features are all included with higher-tier plans, which makes the Essentials plan feel very bare bones.

Even for those using the high-tier plans, Ooma’s features did not impress me. The video meetings only have screen sharing and chat—no other engaging features—which limits their utility for team collaboration.

However, I used Ooma to make a few calls to Mexico and found the audio quality to be good. I appreciated that the unlimited calling area includes not just the U.S. and Canada, but Mexico too.

Ooma voicemail log with audio transcription.

Customer Reviews

Customers had positive feedback for Ooma Office’s software, stating that they appreciated the service’s phone quality and features. Reviews also praised the customer support team and felt that the VoIP provider offered great service overall. Although customer feedback has been mostly positive, some claim that older reviews do not represent the current state of Ooma Office’s product or service, with concern that there has been a loss of quality.

There were a few unhappy customers who claimed Ooma’s accounts and apps lack the appropriate connectivity across devices, impacting user experience (UX) negatively. Moreover, others have expressed that Ooma might not be a good fit for sole proprietors.

Pricing and Value

Ooma Office starts at $19.95 per user per month, which is about average for a monthly commitment. Some providers, including Google Voice and Zoom, offer cheaper rates with a wider variety of features than Ooma has—especially since Ooma’s low-tier plan is mobile only and doesn’t have SMS. While Ooma’s higher-tier plans add SMS, a desktop app and other communication channels, you’re still more likely to find good value with another provider.
The main thing that sets Ooma’s value apart from alternatives is its toll-free offering: a free toll-free number and 500 toll-free minutes with each sign-up.

Mobile and Desktop Apps

Ooma provides a downloadable version of its app for mobile called Ooma Telo. It is available for existing customers at no additional cost while new customers can use Telo following a one-time purchase. The app helps ensure you avoid missed calls, allows you to check voicemail messages easily and can potentially save on international calling.

Customer Service

I found the Ooma sales and support team to be very helpful. The company took a very proactive approach to ensuring I had the best possible experience with their service. For instance, a sales team member contacted me after signup to check that the process went smoothly and to confirm whether I needed any VoIP hardware.

I did ultimately reach out to support with an account issue. It took a few minutes to clear everything up, and the support agent who assisted me was very knowledgeable and courteous.

User’s Input

David Idle, CPO of Bigleaf Networks, a leading provider of network optimization solutions, shared his thoughts on Ooma Office:
“It’s a cost-effective solution with solid call quality and reliability, but it may lack some advanced features compared to enterprise-grade solutions. Overall, it’s a reliable choice for smaller businesses seeking an affordable communication solution.”

Learn more: Read our Ooma Office review.