10 best VoIP providers for small businesses in September 2024

In this article, we provide a rundown of the best VoIP services based on their pricing, uptimes, and customer satisfaction ratings. We also outline key features of each that you should know before deciding which VoIP works best for your small and midsize business (SMB) needs. Rates and features in our list are up-to-date as of the time of publication but are subject to change. See our full VoIP methodology below.

Why trust Fortune Recommends

Our editors are committed to bringing you unbiased ratings and information. Our editorial content is not influenced by advertisers. We use data-driven methodologies to evaluate financial products and companies, so all are measured equally. Read more about our editorial guidelines and the business solutions methodology for the ratings below.

• More than two dozen providers compared
• Over 450 data points analyzed
• 30+ years of combined VoIP experience
• 5 levels of fact-checking

The 10 best VoIP of September 2024

Best VoIP plans for small businesses: our top picks

Why we picked it

8×8 is a VoIP provider that provides standard features found with many VoIP vendors, such as internet fax, voicemail with transcription, and a multilevel auto attendant. The X2 plan also delivers short message service (SMS) and multimedia message service (MMS) to reach out to customers via text.  Some third-party integrations are available at this tier.

Besides domestic calling, 8×8 is one of the few providers delivering unlimited international calling. This provides calling to 14 countries.

Learn more: Read our 8×8 review.

Why we picked it

Like many providers in our guide, Intermedia Unite serves as a VoIP and UC as a service (UCaaS) provider. In addition to cloud telephony, the provider delivers cloud-based communications via video conferencing and team messaging. This provides stronger opportunities for collaboration and grants additional channels to communicate with customers.

For those just looking to dip their feet in and see if this is a fit, Intermedia offers a lengthy free trial of 30 days. Once signed up, Intermedia provides a free IP phone, which is a good way to start the build-out of in-office endpoints for the service.

Learn more: Read our Intermedia Unite review.

Why we picked it

73% of companies are using artificial intelligence (AI). Dialpad embraces this through its aptly named Ai software. Ai is available at their base tier and runs in tandem with video conferences and call and voicemail transcriptions. This ensures that recorded information is managed accurately. Ai uses natural language processing (NLP) and speech recognition to record, transcribe, and analyze sentiment.

The price point is very reasonable for the Starter plan; when billed monthly, the price is $23 per user, per month, and with annual pricing, the price drops to $15. While Dialpad doesn’t provide vanity VoIP numbers, extra local, toll-free, and international numbers are available as add-ons. 

Learn more: Read our Dialpad review.

Why we picked it

When it comes to integrations, RingCentral is one of the industry leaders with more than 300 available, even at its Core tier of service. As a result, it’s fairly easy to integrate with popular solutions like Salesforce, Google Workspace, and Microsoft Teams. RingCentral also offers unlimited calling in the U.S. and Canada and has options for SMS. 

RingCentral’s call management is very competitive with options for a multilevel auto attendant and interactive voice response (IVR). In addition to calling features, RingCentral’s Core tier offers video conferencing for up to 100 attendees.

Learn more: Read our RingCentral review.

Why we picked it

Zoom Phone has a low cost for service that’s in line with Google Voice. For $10, you’re afforded domestic metered calling in the U.S. and Canada and metered international calling. Zoom Phone is one of the few providers that provides Canadian virtual numbers for users who want to establish a presence within that country.

Both toll-free and local numbers are available, and users access voicemail and voicemail transcription through computer- or smartphone-based apps. Zoom Phone integrates with Zoom Video, so any call can be easily elevated to a Zoom video conference.

Learn more: Read our Zoom Phone review.

Why we picked it

One of the standout features of Vonage Business Communications is the availability of all calling features across all plans. Even with the Mobile tier of service, you’ll receive 99.999% service uptimes, call flip, smart numbers, and voicemail to email. Vonage is also very scalable with volume discounts for more than 1,000 users. 

It’s important to note that “Mobile” is an appropriate name for the plan as Vonage doesn’t support IP desk phones until the next tier of service. With annual and volume discounts, the $19.99 per user price is reduced to $13.99, making it a very affordable VoIP provider.

Learn more: Read our Vonage review.

Why we picked it

At its base, Google Voice is one of the few truly free VoIP phone services, but this plan is fairly skimpy when it comes to inbound and outbound calling features. Its first-tier business phone plan, called Starter, is much more attuned for smaller businesses and solopreneurs. For $10 per month, per user, you get call forwarding, activity reporting, voicemail transcription, and unlimited calling and texting to the U.S. and Canada.

Google Voice is also a key provider if your business utilizes Google Workspace as it integrates with all of the solutions provided there. The entire ecosystem provides a UC style of functionality that grants the capability of turning a call into a meeting.

Learn more: Read our Google Voice review.

Why we picked it

Unlike many other providers in this guide, Grasshopper serves purely as a virtual phone system. This means you’ll only have access to telephony with Grasshopper, so no video conferencing or team chat. This is useful for SMBs that already have solutions like Zoom or Google Chat and merely want a working, internet-based phone system.

The True Solo plan is a solopreneur-based plan from Grasshopper that grants all the calling features available at higher tiers for one user. Priced at only about $18 without the available discounts, this is a cheap option for the smallest companies. Despite this low pricing, virtual VoIP numbers and an impressive 99.999% uptime are available.

Learn more: Read our Grasshopper review.

Why we picked it

Like RingCentral, Nextiva is a business phone provider that has extensive UC features. While Nextiva doesn’t boast a huge number of integrations, its partnership with Go Integrator Cara opens up the platform’s connectivity with hundreds of third-party solutions. 

SMBs frequently look for ways to save, and Nextiva has both volume and annual discounts for users. This brings the initial investment of the monthly per-user pricing from $30.95 to as low as $23.95. Users are also afforded access to local, toll-free, and vanity numbers with Nextiva, which helps companies find the number to best reach their customers. Finally, Nextiva is one of the leaders for toll-free minutes. Essential provides 1,500 by default.

Learn more: Read our Nextiva review.

Why we picked it

Talkroute is a virtual phone provider that also delivers useful unified communication features like video meetings. The Basic tier of service is similar to Grasshopper’s True Solo plan since it’s designed for one user with a single VoIP number and voicemail inbox. As your company grows, adding additional users only costs $5 per month.

Call stacking, forwarding, call routing, and custom greetings are all available for starter-tier Talkroute users. Customer support is also very competitive with 24/7 email support teams available and phone support available between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. Central time.

Learn more: Read our Talkroute review.

What is VoIP?

VoIP stands for voice-over-internet-protocol, and it amounts to internet calling. Rather than transmit your voice over a copper wire network like traditional landlines, VoIP transmits voice over the internet. VoIP calling does this by using audio codecs, encryption, and packet switching to transmit the call’s audio within milliseconds. 

Since there’s little reliance on aging copper network infrastructures, VoIP ends up being one of the more reliable telephony systems. Additionally, it’s common for VoIP systems to pack in numerous call management features to ensure a quality experience.

Another business solution similar to VoIP phone service is Private branch exchange (PBX). PBX offers businesses the option of physical setups, virtual, or a hybrid model.

How much does a VoIP system cost?

VoIP systems vary in price thanks to numerous factors. While initial costs with most providers range between $14 to $35 per month, per user, some providers offer flat-rate pricing that does not change based on the number of users. In addition, some providers mitigate pricing with two additional factors. These include:

• Annual discounts: Some providers reduce the pricing of their plans by offering a way to pay annually rather than month to month. For example, a monthly per-user price of $30 reduces to $20 per month when paying annually.
• Volume discounts: With volume pricing, the monthly price reduces based on team size. This ensures that as a company grows communications costs become cheaper.

VoIP pricing also varies based on the hardware investment. While VoIP for SMB needs is much cheaper than landlines, some users might want to purchase VoIP endpoints, such as IP phones. These vary in price significantly, but some providers offer rental agreements for hardware and some offer discounts when companies want to purchase phones through them. Also, this cost can be entirely mitigated if you use VoIP apps on existing desktops, laptops, or smartphones.

Learn more: Read about the best cheap VoIP services.

How to choose the best VoIP for your small business

Choosing a VoIP for SMBs will vary significantly from business to business. It takes a bit of due diligence to find the right provider that aligns with your business needs. Here are a few criteria to consider:

• Team size: The size of your team doesn’t only affect the pricing of your VoIP package. For example, companies with larger agent pools might consider a provider with call/contact center features that better place customers with the appropriate specialist. Also, a provider with more virtual number options would be beneficial for a team that spans multiple office locations. However, for solopreneurs and SMBs, a provider with only local and toll-free VoIP numbers will be adequate.
• International calling: The international calling experience varies from vendor to vendor. For example, a provider may charge for international calling per minute, may have minute bundles that replenish per month, or may have unlimited calling to specific countries. 
• Call management features: When customers call, what happens comes down to the call management features of your provider. Popular features include an auto attendant, which routes customers to the right agent or department; an IVR system, which is like an auto attendant with self-service features; or call forwarding features that help send calls to the right department. 

Our methodology 

The Fortune Recommends^TM team compared a list of more than 25 of the best VoIP providers available in the U.S. We selected our top picks using specific categories based on the percentages listed below: 

• Pricing (25%): We considered both monthly and annual pricing as well as any free trial or demo.
• General features (30%): This includes the most important features a VoIP system should offer.
• Additional features (20%): We came up with some nice-to-have features in VoIP that give some providers an edge over others.
• Support (15%): Support covers the level of access to knowledgeable support the platform provides. We provided the highest points to those with 24/7 live assistance.
• Expert score (10%): Our expert score is based on personal experience/knowledge of the space from our writers/editors.

Our core values that drive business solutions strategy (including VoIP) for analyzing the best products and services on the market include:

• Complement, don’t complicate
• Maximum value, minimal costs
• Support your future growth.

Frequently asked questions

What are third-party integrations?

Integrations allow your VoIP system to connect with a third-party software solution. For example, when calling through your provider, your customer resource management (CRM) solution will provide you with data on your customer. Popular integrations occur with calendar apps, contact applications, or enterprise resource planning (ERP) software.

What calling features should a small business consider?

Calling features that a small business needs will vary based on the type of business. However, some features most often considered include:

• HD voice
• Call forwarding
• Call routing
• Call management
• International calling
• Auto attendant or IVR
• Call recording
• Conference calling

What is a service level agreement (SLA)? 

An SLA guarantees service uptime from a provider typically during a calendar year. For example, a provider offering an SLA of 99.9% guarantees all but eight hours of service uptime during that year. While there might not seem to be much of a numerical difference between 99.9% and 99.999%, it’s important to note that the latter number guarantees a service uptime of all but five minutes during the year.

If a provider fails to meet the terms of the SLA, then the user is typically comped for any missing service. For the sake of business continuity, most companies should err on the side of providers offering higher service uptimes. 

---