Best VoIP Business Phone Systems 2021

Voice over internet protocol (VoIP), which sends phone calls over internet connections, has become the preferred business phone service for many companies. A VoIP solution is often less expensive and more flexible than a traditional landline phone system, supporting calls through desk phones and smartphone and desktop apps. In addition, plenty of companies offer deals combining VoIP with other services like videoconferencing and digital fax.

We rate the top 10 VoIP business phone systems of 2021 and explain the plans the companies offer, along with how to choose the VoIP business phone system that’s best for your company.

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We took a look at the best VoIP business phone systems of 2021. We examined the plans each company offers, how they integrate with other business technology, what options are available for businesses with different needs, and what service from each company tends to cost.

Nextiva: Nextiva emphasizes plans that integrate with customer relationship management and contact management systems. Its plans include basic calling, fax, and video conferencing services. The companies more expensive plans add features focused on customer service and sales, like customer sales ticket tracking and enhanced caller ID and call analytics.

Dialpad: Dialpad, created by the founders of the Google Voice calling system, integrates with software like Microsoft Office 365 and Google’s Workspace starting with its most basic plans. Higher plans add connections with CRM and chat software in higher tiers. Dialpad allows calls from desk phones, laptops, and smartphones.

RingCentral: With an international presence, RingCentral enables users of all but its most basic plan to set up phone numbers in more than 100 countries. It also provides audio- and videoconferencing, sophisticated call routing with higher-tier plans, document sharing features, and integrations with office and CRM software.

GoToConnect: GoToConnect is communications service from the company behind the GoToMeeting videoconferencing platform. All GoToConnect plans combine basic calling features with conference calling and videoconferencing. Higher tier plans add features helpful in flexible offices, including being able to sign in to any phone and page colleagues through an intercom feature.

8×8: 8×8’s Express plan, designed for small businesses, is among the least expensive VoIP business phone plans at $12 per user per month. Its service is compatible with privacy laws like HIPAA and Europe’s GDPR, and higher-tier plans add call center features like call recording and tools to monitor calls.

Vonage: One of the longest established players in the VoIP market, Vonage boasts of reliability and steady uptime, while prices are higher than some competitors. It provides features to integrate with CRM and web browser software, and it offers 24/7 tech support. Vonage provides phone setup assistance in its highest end plans.

Ooma: Ooma Office, as it calls its business service, is relatively inexpensive compared to its competitors in our Best VoIP Business Phones of 2021 rating. Its entry level plan includes calling, faxing, and SMS. Higher-tier plans add features like desktop app calling, voicemail transcription, call recording, and CRM integration.

Cisco: Cisco offers voice calling in conjunction with its Webex conferencing platform. The service includes a call routing system for answering incoming calls, team messaging tools, and standard phone features like call waiting. It doesn’t list prices on its website, so call its customer service department for information about plans.

Grasshopper: Grasshopper is focused on VoIP services for small businesses, even offering a plan geared toward solo entrepreneurs. All of its plans include some services that other competitors only offer at higher tiers, such as fax and voicemail transcription. Grasshopper doesn’t offer non-voice features like videoconferencing or integration with common business software.

Comcast: Comcast VoIP prices vary based on discount offers, where you’re located, and what other Comcast services you use. Comcast touts the reliability of its service, which uses its network, over other VoIP services that use the public internet. Higher-tier plans come with desk phones that operate with its service.

To pick the best VoIP business phone system for your company, start by thinking about what VoIP services and other features you need. Some companies need services optimized for handling customer support and technical support
calls, like call monitoring, recording, and integration with customer relationship management software. Others simply need the ability to make and receive calls. Some providers offer what’s called Unified Communications as a Service, which the U.S. General Services Administration explains refers to integrating phone, messaging, videoconferencing, and other telecom services. Others mostly focus on basic phone services. If there’s a feature you think you might need to use in the future but don’t need at the moment, you might want to make sure the virtual phone system provider you’re considering offers it so you don’t have to switch phone companies later.

Different service providers include different features like toll-free numbers, business-grade videoconferencing, texting, faxing, and various call routing tools at different price tiers.When shopping, make sure that you’re looking at the plan you’d actually use from each provider. Keep in mind that companies may offer discounts based on services you already use, for paying for a year’s worth of service upfront, or based on the number of employees who use the service, so take that into account as well when comparing prices.

Providers often advertise easy-to-use desk phones that are already configured to work with their networks, along with smartphone and desktop apps that you can use for calling. It’s a good idea to see how easy it is to set up service, including whether you can activate it yourself online or need to work through a salesperson. Also consider whether you’ll need to buy new hardware or will be able to use phones you already have.

VoIP business phone systems advertise a variety of features, from voicemail-to-text transcription to call recording and videoconferencing. Think about what your business needs to decide which features are important to you.

For instance, if you have employees working remotely, call forwarding to people’s home phones and an auto attendant letting callers be routed to the right person might be important features. You may also want internal messaging tools from your phone provider if your company doesn’t already have one you’re happy with. If you’re frequently on the go, you might want voicemail-to-email features that let you quickly see what people are calling about and a mobile app letting you access phone service features from your smartphone.

Also think about telephone features such as caller ID, three-way calling, international calling, and visual voicemail, and verify that providers you’re considering offer them at the plan tiers in your price range. Think about whether you’ll need to frequently send and receive faxes, whether your employees will want a phone system that automatically integrates with a customer relationship management system, or whether you’re mostly concerned with basic calling features.

Also consider a provider’s customer service options, including whether the company offers 24/7 support and help with installation and configuration.

VoIP stands for voice over internet protocol. That means, as the Federal Communications Commission explains, that VoIP-based business phone systems route phone calls through your business’s wired or Wi-Fi internet connection instead of through traditional phone lines. While this can lead to more spotty connection quality, modern VoIP systems generally offer pretty good call quality and reliability with a good internet connection. You can usually make calls from VoIP phones to traditional landlines and cellphones.

It’s possible to have on-premises servers for a VoIP system, similar to a system called a PBX that handles traditional business landline calls. However, many VoIP systems are cloud-hosted, meaning that the VoIP provider’s servers process your calls. That often makes it easier to connect to them from multiple locations, including through cloud-based smartphone apps, which can be good for businesses with people frequently on the road or people working from home. VoIP systems often also include other services, such as videoconferencing and internal company messaging.

With cloud-based systems reliant on your phone company’s servers and software, it can be important to pick a provider with a level of customer service that you want.

VoIP phone service can be useful for many businesses, and it’s often cheaper than traditional landlines. VoIP systems frequently allow you to use the same business phone at home and at work, which can be good for people who regularly work from home. Many VoIP providers also allow you to connect to their networks to make calls using a smartphone or desktop app, which can allow for hassle-free communications from home, the office, or on the road.

While for some businesses it might make more sense to simply provide employees with cell phones or ask them to use their own phones with reimbursement for any paid calls, a business VoIP system can be a good alternative that provides a unified phone network without having to run phone cables.

VoIP business phone systems often come with support for other communication systems, including employee messaging, videoconferencing, faxing, and texting. This is sometimes called Unified Communications as a Service. Some provide integrations with common business software, including office suites and customer support tools. It might make sense to buy some services a la carte from other providers, but bundled services from one VoIP company can provide convenience. If you choose a bundle, just make sure it only includes services you need.

If you already have a traditional landline business phone system, it may be possible to reuse the same phones with VoIP service, although you may need adaptors to connect them to the VoIP network. Consider the total costs of transitioning to new phone service, including new hardware you might have to buy and the employee time you’ll need to devote to training, installing equipment, and handling paperwork. Check to see if VoIP providers you’re considering offer assistance in configuration and setup, as some do, particularly at higher plan tier levels.

You don’t necessarily need any hardware for a VoI
P-based phone system, because many provide support for mobile phone and desktop apps to make and receive calls. If you prefer to use more traditional office devices, many VoIP companies offer desk phones and conference room phones that you can use with their services, often preconfigured to quickly connect to their networks. You may be able to use third-party phones as well. If you have existing desk phones, you may need an adaptor to connect them to the VoIP network, particularly if they’re traditional landline devices rather than digital phones.

VoIP-based business phone systems can vary in price from less than $20 to more than $70 per user based on what features are included, how big your company is, and whether you pay month-to-month or upfront for a longer period of time.

Internet-based phone service is generally less expensive than comparable landline service, but shop around to find a set of features that makes VoIP service cost-effective for you. Also consider the cost of switching from any existing phone service, including employee time for training and setup and any hardware you may need to buy.

Many business VoIP providers offer plug-and-play desk phones that are designed to operate with the provider’s network as soon as you receive them. Such companies also often offer smartphones and desktop apps that can connect to their networks when you download them from the provider or your phone’s app marketplace. If you’re setting up an entire office worth of phones or adjusting existing devices to work with your new VoIP provider, you may want to see if the company can provide assistance over the phone or in person in setting up your new equipment.

VoIP service can be handy for remote employees. Often, business VoIP service will let you use the same devices at home and at work with minimal configuration, so you can use your business phone number to receive and make calls wherever you are. In addition, you frequently can use mobile devices or software-based desktop tools to connect to your VoIP system from any smartphone or computer. Many VoIP services also come with messaging and videoconferencing tools.

Securing VoIP phones can be more challenging than traditional landline phones, according to the Department of Homeland Security, but modern VoIP systems generally use encryption to keep your calls safe from eavesdroppers. VoIP companies, like other online companies, also use encrypted communications when you connect to their websites to prevent someone from accessing your account to steal phone time or access your payment credentials like credit card numbers.

Many VoIP providers also advertise compliance with particular privacy and security standards, including the U.S. HIPAA standards for safeguarding healthcare information and Europe’s General Data Protection Regulation. Many also undergo audits according to protocols like SOC 2 and SOC 3, designed to ensure that companies have adequate safeguards to prevent data breaches. If you’re required by regulators or corporate policy to do business with companies with particular security certifications, you can shop around for VoIP providers that have the necessary credentials.

It’s also important to use the same safety measures you would with other internet technologies, like picking secure passwords and making sure your phones, computers, and other devices have the latest security updates and security software installed. That can help keep your VoIP accounts secure and reduce the risk of eavesdropping or unauthorized use.

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We explain what matters most when it comes to buying a business phone system by sourcing experts and professional reviewers. We also provide an unbiased evaluation of business phone systems. Our goal is to empower businesses with the information and tools they need to make informed decisions. More information about our methodology for evaluating business phone services is available here.