Virtual Phone System – 10 Best Providers 2021

Choosing the right VoIP service can make or break your business. The benefits of VoIP are countless and offer you the chance to streamline your organization.
With the range of VoIP phone service providers on the market today, it’s tough deciding which provider you should choose.

What is Business Virtual Phone System?

First, it’s important to understand what business Virtual phone system is. In short, virtual phone system uses a concept known as packet-switched telephony. Calls are transmitted over the Internet to cut down on costs and drastically reduce the amount of hardware necessary to run a telecommunications system.
Business VoIP differs from personal VoIP because it offers more services, such as conference calling and auto attendants.

Features of Business Virtual Phone System

Business virtual phone system offers more features that you are never going to get with a residential package. Some of these essential features include :–

Conference Calling :– Speak to multiple people at the same time during business meetings with crystal-clear voice quality.
Call Forwarding :– Small businesses simply can’t afford to be available 24/7. Call forwarding allows customer calls to be forwarded to another device, regardless of location
DND : – The Do Not Disturb feature is perfect for blocking out incoming calls when you’re in a meeting with someone else. This allows you to avoid the professional awkwardness associated with being interrupted.
Auto Attendant :– Give off the impression of being a major organization with an auto attendant. This menu system allows you to redirect calls to specific departments and specific offices.
Call Recording :– Business VoIP packages also allow you to record calls. This is crucial if you happen to be in a regulated industry, or you wish to record calls for training purposes.

 

The 10 best virtual phone systems

1. Cebod Telecom

Cebod Telecom is one of the market leaders for affordable business VoIP plans. If you want a quality VoIP system on a budget, Cebod Telecom is the provider for you.They offer a state-of-the-art Pay-Per-Line business telephone model. Revolutionary as businesses will pay per line as opposed to pay-per-user VoIP systems, this service offers businesses access to Cebod Telecom’s already well-regarded quality telephone systems. In addition, the company also offers all-inclusive basic and premium IP PBX and dial tone features including music on hold, call forwarding, voicemail, e-Fax, and SMS through their VoIP services. Cebod Telecom offers both metered and unmetered phone plans suited for every type and size of business. High call quality, unlimited user extensions, and unlimited calling within USA and Canada are some of the benefits offered for each phone plan. They also offer free android and IOS phone Apps to manage the phone system and to communicate.

Price

Enterprise Plan (37+ Phones) Pro Plan (10-36 lines) Basic Plan (2-9 Phones)
$9.99 per month per user $12.99 per month per user $16.99 per month per user
Unlimited USA/ Canada calling Unlimited USA/ Canada calling Unlimited USA/ Canada calling
1 Toll Free/Local Number per line 1 Toll Free/Local Number per line 1 Toll Free/Local Number per line
1.9 cents/toll free minute 2.2 cents/toll free minute 2.4 cents/toll free minute
Unlimited User Extensions Unlimited User Extensions Unlimited User Extensions
Money-Back Guarantee Money-Back Guarantee Money-Back Guarantee
50+ Calling features 50+ Calling features 50+ Calling features

Pros

  • Free phones
  • Excellent call quality
  • No setup fees
  • Extremely affordable prices
  • Totally scalable package
  • Can be integrated with an existing PBX system
  • Unlimited User Extensions
  • Pay-per line, not per user pay model
  • Free IOS/Android Apps
  • All-inclusive premium features with every phone plan

Cons

  • They offer free phones with a contract

2. RingCentral

RingCentral is a VoIP system aimed at agents and executives using a single line. This cloud-based system enables you to save on both software and hardware. It also comes with a free trial plan for you to test it out. Their lowest plan starts from $19.99 per month with basic features. Ring Central all plans have unlimited calls and unlimited business SMSs. If you want premium features like SSO, inbound caller ID, call recording, etc then you need to switch for premium plans, which increased your expenses also. Its price for phone service with premium features is higher than most of the VoIP providers on the list.  Although, RingCentral offers guides on its website but its customer service is not satisfactory.

Price

Essential Standard Premium
$19.99 per month per user $24.99 per month per user $34.99 per month per user
Unlimited phone calls Unlimited phone calls Unlimited phone calls
Unlimited Business SMS Unlimited Business SMS Unlimited SMS
100 toll free minutes 1,000 toll free minutes 10,000 toll free minutes
Free Trial Free Trial Free Trial

Pros

  • Includes a range of advanced PBX features
  • Toll-free, local, and international numbers available
  • Utilizes a simplified end-user design to limit training costs
  • Comes with mobile app features for managing VoIP from anywhere

Cons

Price is very high even for a basic plan
Online portal is not easy to use

  • No option for creating customized greeting messages
  • No support for Windows Linux

3. Nextiva

Nextiva is best known for its award-winning customer service. It utilizes data to figure out what customers want. Its advanced VoIP solutions are designed to enable your business to get to the next level.  Their plans and pricing based on number of users and features needed. It is suitable for both small and large-sized businesses. It is famous for its budget-friendly rates and multi-locale scalability. This is a Scottsdale, Arizona based company that perfectly balances between the prices and the features offered.nThere are three plans offered by Nextiva. They are Office Pro, Office Pro Plus, and Office Enterprise. Office Pro Plus and Office Enterprise provide a number of advanced features such as Nextiva video app and mobile voice, call recording, team presence status indicator, etc. However, it does not allow international calling.

 

Price

Basic Pro Enterprise
$26 per month per user $30 per month per user $40 per month per user
Free Number Porting Free Number Porting Free Number Porting
Auto Attendant Auto Attendant Auto Attendant
Hold Music Hold Music/Greetings Hold Music/Greetings
Unlimited Calling Unlimited Calling Unlimited Calling
SMS/Fax SMS/Fax SMS/Fax
Nextiva App Nextiva App
Conference Calls Conference Calls
Call Recording/Voicemail to text

Pros

  •       Good customer service
  •       Helps you to optimize your business through advanced data.
  •       All-in-one communications solutions.

 

Cons

  •       Setting up the system can take a lot of time.
  •       The Nextiva website can be confusing for new users.
  •        Expensive for smaller to mid size business.
  •       Charges extra for advaced features.

4. Jive

Jive is an Orem, Utah based VoIP company that was established in the year 2006. It focuses mainly on small business organizations and provides a wide variety of features at affordable prices.  Jive phone service is customizable and can be operated from mobile. However, the call quality is not up to the mark and caller ID is not present. The plans of Jive are divided into five tiers. They are Tier 1, Tier 2, Tier 3, Tier 4 and Tier 5. The prices are quite affordable, and this company offers 75+ VoIP features in all the above plans. They have a 24*7 customer service, unlimited calls throughout the day and night, live chat, email options, etc. However, there are a few drawbacks of Jive. One is that it has expensive international calls, and another is its limited videoconferencing.

Price

Tier Users Price
Tier 1 1-4 $29.95
Tier 2 5-9 $25.95
Tier 3 10-24 $23.95
Tier 4 25-49 $21.95
Tier 5 50+ $19.95

Pros

  •       Highly reliable and stable VoIP service.
  •       Simple to setup.
  •      Responsive customer support team.
  •      No additional cost for many features.

 

Cons

  •       Confusing administration portals.
  •      SMS interface is difficult to manage.

5. Dialpad

For a versatile and reliable VoIP platform, Dialpad is the option for you. This highly portable VoIP solution allows you to be available wherever you happen to be. It’s one of the simplest VoIP solutions on the market today.  Besides providing services such as video conferencing, voice calling, and text messaging, it also gives real-time suggestions and most call notes to the users. Dialpad also offers three pricing plans. The three plans offer free calls within the U.S. and Canada, unlimited SMS, conference calling, group messaging, video calling, operator routing, virtual receptionist, etc. The Pro Plan offers international services and a number of advanced features like holiday routing, advanced analytics, voicemail transcriptions, etc. Besides providing the features of the Pro Plan, the Enterprise Plan provides custom analytics.

Price

Standard Pro Enterprise
$15 per month per user $25 per month per user Contact Us
Free 14 Day Trial Free 14 Day Trial Get a Quote
Unlimited calling in the US & CAN All Standard plan features plus: All Pro plan features plus:
Unlimited SMS & MMS Local number support in 50+ countries API & Webhooks
Call controls (Transfer, Hold, Mute) Salesforce Integration Okta Integration
Custom Voicemail Greeting 24/7 Phone Support 24/7 Phone Support
 Productivity suite integrations (G Suite & Office 365) Custom Off Hours Routing Service Level Agreements (SLA)

Pros

  •       Easy and efficient call routing across multiple device types.
  •       Includes all the features that a business could ever need.
  •       Simple to get started with for beginners.

 

Cons

  •       No support for 1800 numbers.
  •      Unable to transfer calls from the desktop phone.
  •      Number porting from previous phone systems can be difficult.

6. Phone.com

Phone.com is a VoIP service aimed specifically at small businesses. This cloud-based solution consists of a simple user interface that can be managed by just one or two employees. Its base plan costs as $29.99/mo and it’s reduced to $24.99 if you pay annually. Phone.com is well-known for its inexpensive plans. The basic plan offers 300 minutes per month, 5000 text messages, unlimited user extensions, one local or toll-free number, and more than 40 standard features. The next plan is the Plus plan, which is one of the most popular plans. It includes 500 minutes per month, 10000 text messages, unlimited user extensions, two local or toll-free numbers, and many more advanced features. Lastly, the Pro Plan includes 1000 monthly minutes, 20000 text messages, unlimited user extensions, three local or toll-free numbers, and other advanced features.

Price

Standard Pro Enterprise
$29.99 per month $37.99 per month $59.99 per month
Unlimited Monthly Minutes Free 14 Day Trial Get a Quote
Unlimited calling in the US & CAN Unlimited Monthly Minutes Unlimited Monthly Minutes
Unlimited User Extensions Unlimited User Extensions Unlimited User Extensions
1 Local or Toll-Free Number 2 Local or Toll-Free Number 3 Local or Toll-Free Number
5,000 SMS Messages 10,000 SMS Messages 20,000 SMS Messages
300 Bonus Included Minutes 500 Bonus Included Minutes 1,000 Bonus Included Minutes
40+ Standard Features Everything in Base Plan Everything in Plus Plan
Call Forwarding Premium Hold Music Call Analytics & HD Video Conferencing

Pros

  •       Extremely affordable service.
  •       All plans include core VoIP features.
  •       No additional hardware required.

 

Cons

  •     Few advanced features.
  •     Lack of built-in collaboration features.

7. Grasshopper

Grasshopper is a VoIP system aimed at small and medium-sized businesses. This simplified VoIP system connects you to the rest of the world without all the hassle associated with more advanced VoIP options. They provide easy setup and toll-free vanity numbers. Grasshopper works with different iOS and Android apps. These apps are used for making and receiving calls by using your business number to separate your personal and work communication. Unlike other VoIP companies, Grasshopper provides the same services on all of its plans. However, there are certain issues regarding audio quality, transcription features, and extra charges for various other features.

Price

Solo Partner Small Business
$26 per month $44 per month $80 per month
1 Number 3 Extensions 3 Number 6 Extensions 5 Number Unlimited Extensions
Business Texting Business Texting Business Texting
VoIP + WiFi Calling VoIP + WiFi Calling VoIP + WiFi Calling
Call Forwarding Call Forwarding Call Forwarding
Voicemail Voicemail Voicemail
Mobile + Desktop Apps Mobile + Desktop Apps Mobile + Desktop Apps
Simultaneous Call Handling Simultaneous Call Handling Simultaneous Call Handling
Incoming Call Control Incoming Call Control Incoming Call Control

Pros

  •       Aimed specifically at entrepreneurs and other types of small businesses.
  •       Outstanding customer service department.
  •       Easy to scale and no additional hardware required.

 

Cons

  •     Fewer features than other enterprise solutions.
  •     Must be used with an existing landline or device.

8. 8X8

8×8 is a business-focused VoIP service that includes essential telecommunications features, such as two-way messaging and conference calls. It seamlessly integrates with existing software. It’s a San Jose based VoIP service provider and is one of the oldest VoIP companies in the world. It is famous for its budget-friendly international calling and impressive customer service. However, there are certain complaints regarding limited mobile access and closed API. It is easy to use and is reliable. 8×8 offers four plans to the users. The Express plan is suitable for small businesses. The X2 edition offers unlimited calling in 14 countries. The X4 edition and it includes unlimited calling in 47 countries. The last plan is the X6 edition.

Price

Basic Standard Premium
$25 per month per user $45 per month per user $110 per month
Unlimited Calling within 14 Countries Unlimited Calling within 47 Countries Unlimited Calling within 47 Countries
Call Handling Advanced Call Handling Advanced Call Handling
Unlimited Internet Faxing Unlimited Internet Faxing Unlimited Internet Faxing
Call Recordings Interactive Voice Response (IVR) Interactive Voice Response (IVR)
Voicemail Transcription Analytics & Call Quality Reporting Chat, Email, SMS, Social Media Channels
Enterprise-Grade Security Enterprise-Grade Security Enterprise-Grade Security
Compliance and Certifications (GDPR, HIPAA, ISO27001) Compliance and Certifications (GDPR, HIPAA, ISO27001) Compliance and Certifications (GDPR, HIPAA, ISO27001)
G Suite & Office 365 Integrations Outbound Predictive Dialer Outbound Predictive Dialer

Pros

  •       Impressive uptime rates.
  •       Affordable prices.
  •       High levels of security.

 

Cons

  •     Limited options for call queuing.
  •     No 24/7 customer support team.

9. OnSip

OnSip is a cloud-based VoIP solution offering a unified communications system for businesses that want to upgrade their telecommunications systems. It is easy to set up and install, with a variety of packages designed to suit everyone. There phone plans includes 50 plus advanced features with flexible payment plan.  

On Sip charges extra for some of the advanced features  and at time is too complicated to use. They don’t have  many tutorials on the website regarding managing the dashboard and using its features optimally.

Features

  • Voicemail to email
  • HD calling
  • Music on hold
  • 911 emergency dialing
  • Auto attendants
  • Call management
  • Call recording

Price

Features Unlimited Basic
Price $18.95 monthly per person $49.95 monthly per account + 2.9¢ per minute
Announcements Unlimited 1 included ($4.95 each additional)
Voicemail boxes + VM-to-email Unlimited 5 included ($2.00 each additional)
Standard calling minutes Unlimited 2.9¢ per minute
Ring groups Unlimited Unlimited ($14.95 each additional) (IVR)
Dial by name directory Unlimited 1 included ($9.95 each additional)
Call recording users Unlimited 1 included ($4.95 each additional)
Call parking Unlimited 0 included ($14.95 each parking lot)
Auto attendants Unlimited 3 included ($19.95 each additional)

Pros

  •       Highly innovative web app for managing OnSip.
  •       Highly rated customer support options.
  •       Easy to scale.

 

Cons

  •     Mobile app is not as developed as the web app.
  •     No text messaging features currently available.

10. Ooma

This Sunnyvale, California based VoIP company is one of the ideal VoIP providers for small businesses. It offers scalable services at affordable prices and has a simple interface. Ooma offers only one plan to the users. It costs just $19.95, and it includes three-way calling, free domestic calls, virtual fax machines, and other industry-standard features.

There are some drawbacks of Ooma, which are high hardware costs, a single standard plan, and dropped calls.