Cloud-based voice over IP (VoIP) has long been the go-to solution for business telephony. But that doesn't mean choosing the right VoIP service is easy. Modern VoIP systems offer not just voice calling but also sophisticated call management, text chat, and video conferencing. Moreover, the AI explosion has increased the competition substantially. If you want to set up a basic business calling system, we're here to help. We've been testing VoIP services for more than a decade and can guide you in the right direction. Our Editors' Choice winners, Intermedia Unite, RingCentral RingEX, and Zoom Phone, are good places to start, but there are plenty of other worthwhile options. Read on for our evaluations of the leading business VoIP services and what to consider before you choose one.
Overview
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Best OverallRingCentral RingEX
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Easiest to UseIntermedia Unite
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Best Low-Cost VoIPZoom Phone
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Best for a Unified Communications HubVonage Business Communications
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Best for the Basics8x8 Work
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Best AI FeaturesDialpad Connect
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Best for Microsoft Teams UsersMicrosoft Teams Phone
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Best Guided Setup ProcessOoma Office
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Best for Zoho CustomersZoho Voice
You Can Trust Our Reviews
Deeper Dive: Our Top Tested Picks
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Credit: RingCentral
Best OverallRingCentral RingEX
Pros & Cons
RingCentral RingEX is a powerful VoIP solution for companies of all sizes. Standout features include AI call summaries and transcriptions, high-quality video meetings, and a wealth of integrations. We also like the streamlined admin setup.
Why We Picked It
RingEX supports more integrations than most VoIP services. Moreover, its AI-based summaries and transcriptions help streamline communication.
Price and support: The base Core plan costs $20 per user per month (billed annually). It supports unlimited domestic calling, text messaging, and video chats for up to 100 people. This tier includes AI call summaries and transcriptions. More expensive plans unlock additional AI features, more text message sends and toll-free call minutes, and unlimited faxing. You can get help via chat, email, and phone.
Platforms and ease of use: RingEX is accessible in a browser and offers apps for all popular desktop (macOS and Windows) and mobile (Android and iOS) platforms. The interface is straightforward and prioritizes texting and video chats over phone calls.
Desk phone support and integrations: Unlike many VoIP products, RingEX supports dozens of desktop phones from brands like Cisco, Poly, and Yealink. It offers an outstanding number of integrations across the communication, CRM, and productivity categories.
Call quality and reliability: Voice calls sounded pristine in our tests, and video meetings looked outstanding. We didn't experience any dropped calls or problems with distortion.
AI features: RingEX has reliable AI features. For example, you can get accurate summaries and transcriptions of audio and video calls, both of which help increase productivity. The only missing feature is AI-based sentiment analysis.
Admin features and analytics: Whether it’s adding users, assigning roles, or checking analytics, RingEX makes the process straightforward, even if you don't have a strong technical background. As for analytics, RingEX logs calls and keeps track of quality metrics.
Privacy and security: RingEX supports multi-factor authentication and end-to-end encryption. Its security and privacy policy is extensive.
Who It’s For
Integration-dependent businesses: With its extensive support for integrations, RingEX is ideal for customer service, sales, or tech support teams who need to easily connect it to other software solutions that are vital to workflows.
Remote workers: The RingEX mobile apps enable fluid business communication from wherever you are. Starting a call or a video meeting is intuitive, and the audio and video quality are outstanding.
Specs & Configurations
Automatic Call-Back Call Monitoring E911 Service Electronic Fax SIP Phone Support SMS Messaging Software Phone Toll-Free Option Video Conferencing Voicemail to Email Voicemail Transcription Learn More RingCentral RingEX Review -
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Credit: Intermedia
Easiest to UseIntermedia Unite
Pros & Cons
Intermedia Unite is an approachable VoIP service that enables smooth business communication. A powerful AI chatbot lets you ask questions during voice or video calls to help you research issues. Finally, extensive and intuitive admin settings let you set things up exactly how you want.
Why We Picked It
Unite doesn’t require vast technical knowledge to use; we appreciate its painless and quick process. Additionally, its powerful AI chatbot lets you do research in real time.
Price and support: The starting Pro plan costs $27.99 per user per month. Apart from unlimited domestic and international calling, this tier gets you 50GB of storage per person, an AI chat assistant, business texting, and video meetings that can include up to 100 people. Higher-end plans increase the storage and video meeting limits. Support is available by email, chat, or phone; it was outstanding in testing.
Platforms and ease of use: Unite supports all major desktop (macOS and Windows) and mobile (Android and iOS) platforms; it's also available in a web browser. The interface is intuitive across all devices, but we wish there were an easier way to add contacts that didn't involve syncing via the mobile app.
Desk phone support and integrations: The product works with the Intermedia desk phone models, as well as those from Poly and Yealink. You can also connect a select few third-party apps to Unite, such as Google Workspace, Slack, and Salesforce.
Call quality and reliability: In our tests, calls sounded clear and distortion-free. Unite didn't drop any calls or otherwise exhibit any problems with video chats.
AI features: The standout feature here is Unite's AI chatbot, which you can use to get answers to detailed technical questions and research a topic (or even a person) during a call. It also uses AI to generate summaries of call and video meeting recordings and action items from video conversations.
Admin features and analytics: Because Intermedia Unite makes its admin features easy to grasp, you don't need extensive technical expertise to add users, adjust roles, and tweak security settings.
Privacy and security: Unite offers both multi-factor authentication and end-to-end encryption. The product's security and privacy policy is highly detailed.
Who It’s For
Microsoft Teams users: Intermedia offers a special Microsoft Teams edition of Unite that seamlessly integrates with that communication platform. It essentially handles the calling aspects and leaves the chat, file syncing, or meeting abilities to Teams.
SMBs and startups: Unite is Ideal for smaller companies without a dedicated IT staff because of its intuitive app interfaces. The company can set you up with first-party desk phones and make its admin functions simple to configure.
Specs & Configurations
Automatic Call-Back Call Monitoring E911 Service Electronic Fax SIP Phone Support SMS Messaging Software Phone Toll-Free Option Video Conferencing Voicemail to Email Voicemail Transcription Learn More Intermedia Unite Review -
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Credit: Zoom
Best Low-Cost VoIPZoom Phone
Pros & Cons
Zoom Phone is a cost-effective VoIP service with a straightforward interface. Its unique AI feature tells you who spoke the most or asked the most questions during a call. To expand its meeting capabilities, you can also get Zoom Phone in a bundle with the excellent video conferencing solution.
Zoom WorkplaceWhy We Picked It
Zoom Phone stands out first and foremost for its affordability. It also performed reliably in testing and has a few genuinely useful AI features that we haven't encountered elsewhere. Furthermore, the setup process is simple, and the apps are easy to navigate.
Price and support: Plans start at $10 per user per month for a calling plan, but you have to pay a per-minute charge at that level. We recommend the US and Canada Regional Unlimited plan ($15 per user per month), which unlocks unlimited calling in the US and Canada and gets you 50 fax pages to send or receive within the two countries. The service's 24x7 tech support is excellent; other support options vary based on your plan.
Platforms and ease of use: Zoom Phone can be downloaded on all popular desktop (macOS, Linux, and Windows) and mobile (Android and iOS) platforms or used from within a browser. The full-featured mobile apps are especially outstanding and make it simple to conduct phone calls.
Desk phone support and integrations: In terms of desk phones, Zoom Phone supports a broad range of brands, including AudioCodes, Avaya, Cisco, Grandstream, Poly, and Yealink. The service is a top pick for integrations; it works with more than 170 third-party apps across the CRM, collaboration, messaging, and productivity categories.
Call quality and reliability: The audio quality of voice calls via Zoom Phone was consistently outstanding in testing, and the service didn't drop any calls.
AI features: No other VoIP solution we tested offers as much AI call analysis. As mentioned, Zoom Phone can tell you who spoke the most and asked the most questions during a meeting. Otherwise, you get standard AI-based note-taking, summarization, and transcription abilities.
Admin features and analytics: Zoom Phone is easy to configure on the surface, and most admin settings are obvious. But once you dig deeper, you will encounter more complex options for configuring call routing and the like. Some analytics features require additional add-ons.
Privacy and security: Zoom Phone maintains a clear and thorough security and privacy policy page. The product supports end-to-end encryption and multi-factor authentication.
Who It’s For
Cost-conscious businesses: Zoom Phone is seriously inexpensive, even after you factor in the price of the unlimited calling plan. Pricing is per user, so you need only pay for the employees who need calling capabilities.
Zoom users: If your team already uses Zoom Workplace for collaborative meetings, then it makes a lot of sense to turn to Zoom Phone for your telephony needs. The products share an interface and work smoothly together.
Specs & Configurations
Automatic Call-Back Call Monitoring E911 Service Electronic Fax SIP Phone Support SMS Messaging Software Phone Toll-Free Option Video Conferencing Voicemail Transcription Learn More Zoom Phone Review -
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Credit: Vonage
Best for a Unified Communications HubVonage Business Communications
Pros & Cons
If you need a clear and intuitive app that gets you chatting and video conferencing quickly, Vonage Business Communications is a good option. It offered excellent call quality in testing, and its analytics reports are easy to grasp. The service's starting costs are reasonable, too.
Why We Picked It
Vonage Business Communications is a reliable solution for streamlining business communications. The attractive user interfaces, decent video conferencing abilities, and straightforward admin features are all highlights.
Price and support: The entry-level Mobile plan costs $13.99 per user per month (billed annually). This tier gets you unlimited domestic calling, along with SMS and MMS messaging and a virtual receptionist. More expensive plans unlock support for desk phones, integrations, team messaging, and video conferencing. Call handling and faxing features cost extra. Help is available via chat, phone (extended North American business hours), and support tickets.
Platforms and ease of use: In addition to using it on the web, you can download Vonage Business Communications on all major desktop (macOS and Windows) and mobile (Android and iOS) platforms. The interface is colorful and almost fun to use.
Desk phone support and integrations: Vonage supports several desk phone models from brands such as Cisco, Poly, and Yealink, but we recommend checking your specific model. Integration options are varied, and some cost extra to use.
Call quality and reliability: The audio and video quality of calls during our testing was top-notch. We didn't encounter issues with digital hiss, distortion, or the like.
AI features: Vonage doesn't offer many AI features, but you can pay extra for an automated virtual assistant that manages and routes calls.
Admin features and analytics: The admin portal suits even non-technical users. This section is just as straightforward as the rest of the interface. Analytics are also easy to find. It's simple to easily generate call quality reports for meetings and phone calls, for example.
Privacy and security: Vonage's security and privacy policy is robust. The product supports both multi-factor authentication and end-to-end encryption.
Who It’s For
Analytic checkers: Vonage Business Communications's easy-to-find but powerful analytics make it easy to check data points related to call quality and total call times.
VoIP beginners: Because the main user interface and the admin portal are so accessible, you should feel comfortable using Vonage Business Communications no matter your level of expertise. It really doesn't require much of a learning curve.
Specs & Configurations
Automatic Call-Back Call Monitoring E911 Service Electronic Fax SIP Phone Support SMS Messaging Software Phone Toll-Free Option Voicemail to Email Voicemail Transcription Learn More Vonage Business Communications Review -
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Credit: 8x8
Best for the Basics8x8 Work
Pros & Cons
You might not be familiar with 8x8's VoIP solution, but it offers AI-based call sentiment detection (at an extra cost) and call quality analytics in a straightforward interface. The extremely affordable base tier is also worth a look if you solely want calling capabilities.
Why We Picked It
8x8 Work deserves credit for its advanced AI features that can gauge the tone of a call and help you draft messages. It performed reliably in testing and doesn't make its admin functions more complicated than they need to be.
Price and support: The basic X1 plan costs $15 per month per user. That's the one to get if you are exclusively seeking calling capabilities. Upgrading to the X2 plan ($25 per user per month) gets you faxing, texting, and video meetings (with up to 500 participants). The top-end X4 tier unlocks more analytics data and expands international calling capabilities; this level is the only one that supports call barging, monitoring, and whispering features. Support is available by chat, email, or phone, but pricing varies depending on your total account spend.
Platforms and ease of use: It's possible to use 8x8 Work in a browser, but you can also download dedicated apps for all major desktop (macOS and Windows) and mobile (Android and iOS) platforms. The mobile apps are easy to use, but have the same slightly dull design as the desktop clients.
Desk phone support and integrations: 8x8 Work supports several dozen desk phone and headset models from brands such as Grandstream, Jabra, Poly, and Yealink. As for third-party apps, the service connects with Google Workspace, Salesforce, and many more—about 70 in total. Some integrations cost extra, however.
Call quality and reliability: The quality of audio and video calls was fully reliable throughout testing. We like how the video conferencing component has a car mode with a simplified interface that reduces distractions.
AI features: 8x8 Work has a decent number of AI features, though you have to pay extra for the most advanced ones, such as those related to sentiment analysis. A beta version of the automatic call transcription feature worked well enough in testing.
Admin features and analytics: Admin functions are clear and easy to find, but they can be dull to navigate. The analytics dashboard adequately shows metrics related to call quality, but it's not customizable.
Privacy and security: 8x8's privacy and security policy is relatively easy to parse, but the company hasn't updated it since early 2024. The product supports end-to-end encryption and multi-factor authentication.
Who It’s For
Cost and feature minimizers: Smaller firms should appreciate the option to pay for calling capabilities and nothing else. The sparse design might also appeal if you don't want any interface distractions.
Second-guessers: The AI-based call sentiment feature means you can easily get feedback about how a call went. You never have to question whether a client left a call with a negative feeling. You can use the feedback you get to improve future calls, too.
Specs & Configurations
Call Monitoring E911 Service SIP Phone Support SMS Messaging Software Phone Toll-Free Option Video Conferencing Voicemail to Email Voicemail Transcription Learn More 8x8 Work Review -
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Credit: Dialpad
Best AI FeaturesDialpad Connect
Pros & Cons
Dialpad Connect is an innovative VoIP service with a slick interface and capable AI features, including meeting summaries (complete with action items) and live transcription. It's reasonably affordable and maintains an understandable admin settings section, too. Just keep in mind that it imposes seat-based restrictions on its lower-end plans.
Why We Picked It
Dialpad Connect stands out for its aforementioned AI features and modern interface design. The service's analytics features go beyond what most competitors offer, and it supports a good range of integrations. Finally, its performance was very reliable in testing.
Price and support: Dialpad Connect's Standard plan ($15 per user per month, billed annually) provides SMS, MMS, and team messaging, unlimited calling, and unlimited video conferencing (each meeting can last up to five hours and include 150 participants). However, this plan supports just one person. If more than one person on your team needs calling capabilities, you need to upgrade to one of the higher-end plans (starting at $25 per user per month, billed annually for the Pro level), which also unlock other call management features. Free chat and web-based support are available to all users; fee-based support is also an option if you want a more hands-on approach.
Platforms and ease of use: Dialpad maintains dedicated apps for the main desktop (macOS and Windows) and mobile (Android and iOS) OSes. You can also access Dialpad Connect in a browser. The apps all have an attractive look, but note that the video conferencing component requires a separate app on all platforms except the web. Ideally, Dialpad would work video conferencing capabilities into the main app.
Desk phone support and integrations: The product works with dozens of desk phones from companies such as Cisco, Poly, Mitel, and Yealink. It supports pretty much all of the major third-party apps your business is likely to use, from Freshdesk to Zoho CRM.
Call quality and reliability: Dialpad Connect performed impressively during our tests. Calls and video meetings sounded and looked clear, and we didn't experience any dropped connections.
AI features: Dialpad Connect can generate summaries of call discussions (along with relevant key items) and transcribe them in real time. For more advanced features around call sentiment and participant speaking times, you have to upgrade to Dialpad's call center product.
Admin features and analytics: We appreciate the straightforward admin functions. You can jump in and start customizing the experience, no matter how much technical knowledge you have. Dialpad Connect provides helpful performance data on latency and packet loss.
Privacy and security: Dialpad maintains a lengthy privacy policy. It uses end-to-end encryption and supports multi-factor authentication.
Who It’s For
Recent VoIP adopters: Dialpad Connect's interface is colorful and engaging, so customer service teams should be able to figure out how everything works without much training and be more productive in the process.
Small teams: The Standard and Pro plans cap out at one and 10 users, respectively, so Dialpad works best for relatively small groups. If your needs don't align with those restrictions, consider alternatives that offer more flexible, per-user pricing.
Specs & Configurations
Automatic Call-Back Call Monitoring E911 Service Electronic Fax SIP Phone Support SMS Messaging Software Phone Toll-Free Option Video Conferencing Voicemail to Email Voicemail Transcription Learn More Dialpad Connect Review -
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Credit: Microsoft/PCMag
Best for Microsoft Teams UsersMicrosoft Teams Phone
Pros & Cons
Microsoft Teams Phone is a telephony add-on for . An optional add-on brings AI chatbot functionality into the experience, alongside more typical AI features like action item creation and call summaries. Like with Teams itself, the admin features here require some time to fully grasp. The extra fees you have to pay to unlock the full capabilities of Teams Phone can add up quickly, too.
Microsoft TeamsCopilotWhy We Picked It
Microsoft Teams Phone makes this list first and foremost because it works seamlessly within the Microsoft 365 Business ecosystem. It's also highly scalable, has unique AI chatbot functionality, and supports a wide range of certified devices. It performed reliable in testing, too.
Price and support: The Teams Phone Standard plan ($10 per user per month, billed annually) is quite affordable. That said, you also need a subscription to Microsoft Teams itself (starting at $4 per user per month, billed annually). But that just gets you some call handling features on top of Teams' existing user-to-user calling capabilities. Teams Phone subscriptions with a calling plan begin at $17 per user per month, billed annually. And to unlock the full range of AI and personalization features, you need to pay for the Copilot ($30 per user per month) and Teams Premium ($10 per user per month) add-ons. To enable certain functions, you also have to shell out for individual resource accounts. Higher-end Microsoft 365 Business plans with Teams include other perks, such as desktop versions of Office apps. As for tech support, Microsoft offers 24/7 chat, email, and phone support.
Platforms and ease of use: Teams Phone requires Teams, which is available on all the popular desktop (macOS and Windows) and mobile (Android and iOS) platforms, along with the web. Teams Phone is generally easy to use on a day-to-day basis, but some of the deeper settings might initially be overwhelming if you are new to the platform.
Desk phone support and integrations: Teams Phone works with dozens of desk phones and headsets from companies such as AudioCodes, Cisco, Jabra, Poly, and Yealink. You can choose among some 2,500 integrations for Teams, so your business shouldn't have any issues connecting vital apps across your workflows.
Call quality and reliability: Calls via both the dedicated apps and the web worked exceptionally well in our tests; we didn't encounter any distortion or dropped calls. Video chats in Teams with dozens of people were free of lag.
AI features: Although the Copilot add-on is expensive, it unlocks extensive AI features. For instance, you can ask Copilot to build a presentation based on a discussion, list action items from a meeting, or summarize a call. And within the Teams interface, you can use Copilot like a regular chatbot to look up and generate whatever you want.
Admin features and analytics: Microsoft Teams Phone, like Microsoft Teams, is a complex piece of software, so it can be confusing to figure out how to configure every aspect of the service and get all your team members the features they need. On the bright side, Teams' analytics reports are top-notch; they show data on call quality, time spent on calls, wait times, and much more.
Privacy and security: Microsoft provides extensive security and privacy protections. It supports end-to-end encryption and multi-factor authentication.
Who It’s For
Desk phone fans: Microsoft Teams is among the best services we've tried in terms of hardware support. Microsoft certifies dozens of devices to work with the platform, so you don't need to do any guesswork on that front.
Enterprise and Teams users: Microsoft Teams Phone can scale to support hundreds or even thousands of team members. If your company already relies on Teams for internal communications or Microsoft 365 Business for general productivity, it makes a lot of sense to stay within the Microsoft ecosystem for your VoIP needs.
Specs & Configurations
E911 Service SIP Phone Support Software Phone Toll-Free Option Video Conferencing Voicemail to Email Voicemail Transcription Learn More Microsoft Teams Phone Review -
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Best Guided Setup ProcessOoma Office
Pros & Cons
Ooma Office is easy to learn and offers a good set of VoIP features for a reasonable price. It's meant for smaller teams, and its conference call participant limits for each tier reflect that. Ooma Office purposefully doesn't offer AI features to keep things as straightforward as possible, but that hasn't prevented it from winning our for the 12th year running.
Business Choice awardWhy We Picked It
Ooma Office's interface is understandable for non-technical users, and its call quality is exceptional. The service's pricing plans are clear, and if you need only calling features, you might be able to get away with its cheapest tier. The admin features are simple to configure, too.
Price and support: Ooma Office's base Essentials plan ($19.95 per user per month) supports unlimited calling to Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and the US. This level includes call blocking, extensions, unique numbers for each user, virtual faxing, and a virtual receptionist. It limits conference calls to 10 people, however. Higher-end plans (starting at $24.95 per user per month) add video conferencing and voicemail transcription features, as well as increase the conference call limit. You have to pay for the top-end Pro Plus tier to get access to all the available integrations, call queues, and hotdesking.
Platforms and ease of use: The solution has dedicated apps for desktop (macOS and Windows) and mobile (Android and iOS) platforms. It can also be used via a web browser. We appreciate how the simplified (though slightly boring) interface is accessible even for non-technical users.
Desk phone support and integrations: Ooma sells desk phones to support its product, but you can also use some models from Grandstream and Yealink. Ooma supports 15 integrations (including for HubSpot and QuickBooks Online). That's not a huge number of options, but your company might be able to get by. Just keep in mind that you have to subscribe to the most expensive Pro Plus plan to connect these services.
Call quality and reliability: One perk with Ooma Office is that you can see the call quality in the app at all times. In our tests, call quality was consistently outstanding and reliable. That said, the video conferencing component could use some streamlining; you have to invite attendees to a meeting manually and download a separate app on mobile to access video calls.
AI features: Ooma doesn't offer AI features because it says it makes the product more streamlined for business communications. However, it says it plans to add some in the future.
Admin features and analytics: The service's relatively focused feature set means you don't have to configure too many features, which is helpful for smaller companies. Analytics reports show useful data on call volume and the like, but you can't customize them. Call management features such as barging and whispering aren't available.
Privacy and security: Ooma's thorough security and privacy policy was updated earlier this year. The product uses end-to-end encryption and supports multi-factor authentication.
Who It’s For
Lean teams: Given the participant limits on conference and video call meetings, Ooma Office suits relatively small groups of workers.
VoIP newcomers: With its streamlined set of features, Ooma Office should appeal to firms that don't want to pay for or deal with more complex capabilities. The interface is intuitive enough for employees to get started without too much training.
Specs & Configurations
E911 Service Electronic Fax SIP Phone Support SMS Messaging Software Phone Toll-Free Option Video Conferencing Voicemail to Email Voicemail Transcription Learn More Ooma Office Review -
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Best for Zoho CustomersZoho Voice
Pros & Cons
Zoho Voice is a competent VoIP service that seamlessly connects with the company's other business products. It's generally easy to use, and some plans provide multiple licenses for distribution across your team, but Zoho could do a better job of hiding some of the enterprise-level features that small businesses don't need in the interface. The service lacks built-in video conferencing features and doesn’t provide AI-based call summaries or transcriptions.
Why We Picked It
Zoho Voice makes this list because of its value and relatively robust free tier. The solution worked reliably in testing, and the support options are extremely prevalent. Finally, your company's IT staff can take advantage of a highly customizable set of admin features.
Price and support: Zoho Voice's free tier supports 250 outgoing call minutes for just one user. It allows you to use the dialer app and access analytics reports. Paid plans (starting at $10 per user per month, billed annually) extend the calling and user limits, as well as unlock IM (Telegram and WhatsApp) and SMS messaging. All these plans are part of Zoho's range of Business Phone offerings, but it also offers an Enterprise Telephony lineup for larger corporations. Chat, email, and phone support are available.
Platforms and ease of use: Zoho Voice's dialer app is available on the major desktop (macOS and Windows) and mobile (Android and iOS) platforms. Its interface isn't overly complex, but it's also not especially inviting.
Desk phone support and integrations: Zoho Voice works with desk phones from Grandstream, Poly, and Yealink. The product mainly integrates with other Zoho products, such as Zoho CRM and Zoho Meet, but you can also connect it to Telegram and WhatsApp for IM services.
Call quality and reliability: Calls we conducted via Zoho Voice were clear and free of distortion.
AI features: Zoho Voice doesn't offer AI-based call summaries or live transcriptions. It can transcribe voicemails, however, and lets you manually add details about a call's disposition.
Admin features and analytics: The service's admin functions are easy to find. Here, you can quickly adjust user settings, configure call routing, and set up auto receptionists. Analytics helpfully show metrics on daily call volumes and the like.
Privacy and security: Zoho Office has a lengthy privacy and security policy, but it hasn't updated it since 2023. It employs end-to-end encryption and allows you to set up multi-factor authentication.
Who It’s For
Free users: Zoho Voice is the only business-ready VoIP solution we tested with a free plan. That tier doesn't include every possible feature, of course, but it might be sufficient if you are a sole proprietor with light calling needs.
Zoho loyalists: If your company already uses Zoho software to manage projects or customer data, it can be convenient to stick with a telephony solution that works within the same ecosystem.
Specs & Configurations
Call Monitoring E911 Service SIP Phone Support SMS Messaging Software Phone Toll-Free Option Voicemail to Email Voicemail Transcription Learn More Zoho Voice Review -
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Best For | Best Overall | Easiest to Use | Best Low-Cost VoIP | Best for a Unified Communications Hub | Best for the Basics | Best AI Features | Best for Microsoft Teams Users | Best Guided Setup Process | Best for Zoho Customers | Best Overall | Easiest to Use | Best Low-Cost VoIP |
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Buying Guide: The Best Business VoIP Services for 2026
What Is a VoIP Phone System?
Traditional landline phones are a form of analog telephony. VoIP, on the other hand, brings voice calling to the digital age. VoIP systems convert voice calls into network packets and transmit them over the internet or other IP-based networks. Most also include a bridge to traditional phone systems, so the people you call don't need to use VoIP themselves (nor do the people who call you). Additionally, they typically emulate the functions of traditional Private Branch Exchange (PBX) business phone systems, such as conference calling, call monitoring, and call routing.
How Much Does a Small Business VoIP System Cost?
Most small business VoIP systems bill on a subscription basis. You pay based on the number of users (phone extensions) you need, either on a monthly or yearly basis. You typically receive a discount for committing to a full year up front.
Costs can vary widely, depending on the features you need. Among the products we tested, prices range from $10 per person per month for a basic service to $65 per person per month for an advanced, enterprise-grade product. Most small businesses should expect to pay about $20 per person per month.
What's the Advantage of a VoIP Phone System?
VoIP phone systems supplanted traditional PBX phone systems because they are less expensive and more versatile. In addition to voice calls, most modern VoIP systems integrate various features, including call recording, conference calling, SMS/MMS texting, social media management, team collaboration, and video conferencing. Cloud setups often help reduce costs and increase reliability, too.
How to Choose a Business VoIP System
Whether you are new to business VoIPs or upgrading from an existing system, the sheer number of options can be dizzying.
Your first order of business should be to consider just how your company plans—or needs—to use its phones. For example, if your goal is to upgrade an existing PBX, replacing it outright might not be a viable option, as some parts of the system aren't easily convertible to softphones or even desktop VoIP handsets.
For example, suppose you're operating a heavy manufacturing environment with outdoor activities, such as a steel fabrication yard or a landscaping company. In that case, your rugged old outdoor phones may be just what you need there, and you should deploy VoIP only for office and remote workers.
Even in less extreme environments, consider the features you actually need—now and in the future. Without careful planning, it's easy to end up paying for capabilities you'll never use, not to mention unnecessary complexity that makes your phone system hard to manage.
A critical step in this process is to sit down with all stakeholders to discuss your decision. Naturally, this includes the IT staff and data security personnel, as your voice calls will now qualify as data communications. However, department heads and employees who use the system should also have their say, especially those whose work drives revenue and engages customers.
You don't want to hamstring anyone's activities by skimping on features, but you also don't want to overwhelm them with options they don't understand. The best VoIP system for your business will always be one that not only technically meets your employees' needs, but also makes them feel comfortable using it.
What Are Softphones?
Traditional VoIP systems use dedicated VoIP phone equipment that sits on your desk and establishes calls via the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP). But VoIP has come a long way.
Softphones are among the most important innovations for modern VoIP systems. In a nutshell, a softphone is an app that replicates all of the features of a traditional desktop business phone and often much more. What you lose in plastic hardware, you gain in functionality, including text chat and video conferencing.
At their most basic, softphones enable you to use the speakers and microphone on your PC, laptop, or other devices to replicate the capabilities of a desktop phone. Their screen-based interfaces make it easier to switch between communication channels, even during a call, and they also help the system integrate with other software, such as CRM systems.
Mobility adds another wrinkle. These days, most workers expect to be able to take calls on the go. However, using a mobile phone's standard calling features means sacrificing VoIP's productivity-enhancing features, such as call monitoring, logging, transferring, and integrations with other apps. Many VoIP systems offer softphone apps that run on Android and iOS devices, and in some cases, these apps have full feature parity with their desktop versions. Make sure to investigate these options thoroughly if your staff includes a significant number of road warriors.
Can Your Network Handle VoIP?
Networking issues have always been a primary concern for any VoIP implementation. VoIP traffic is much more sensitive to network bumps and potholes than most general office traffic, such as web browsing. A VoIP system that lacks sufficient bandwidth can result in connection difficulties, dropped or lost calls, or garbled conversations.
Further complicating matters is the ad hoc design of many modern small-business networks. Your small office network likely consists of a few wireless routers rather than dedicated Ethernet jacks at workers' desks, making it more difficult to monitor and maintain traffic quality. At least some of your staff are almost certainly working from home, and your internal IT staff will have little to no control over these staff members' home networks.
Finally, the business VoIP systems in this roundup are all managed cloud services rather than on-premises products. That's a good thing: Cloud VoIP services can potentially offer greater reliability, easier management, and more features, all at a lower cost than first-generation VoIP systems. But they also increase your reliance on the public internet for the most basic communication needs.
The upshot is that, unlike your local LAN, your company can do little to control networking conditions on the public internet. Managing your connectivity is almost entirely the province of your network provider—or multiple providers if your workforce is widespread. Often, the most you can do is to hope for the best.
Fortunately, the internet bandwidth available to homes and small businesses today is significantly greater than it was in the early days of VoIP. Check out our roundup of the best internet service providers (ISPs) to see which might be able to offer you the most bandwidth, and consider subsidizing high-speed connections for your remote workers.
What Is UCaaS?
The real value of modern VoIP systems comes from their flexibility and integration options. That's where the unified communications-as-a-service (UCaaS) field comes in.
The features of any particular UCaaS solution vary widely from vendor to vendor. Still, most include options for online collaboration, integrated faxing, mobile VoIP, and video conferencing. But their integration possibilities are their major benefit. For example, they might integrate with your CRM system to recognize a customer's phone number or other identifier and automatically retrieve the customer's record for the technician or salesperson answering the call. It could even alert a manager to monitor the call if it's a critical client.
Other popular UCaaS integrations include help desk software and marketing automation tools. Some vendors even offer industry-specific features for specific verticals, such as healthcare.
What AI Features Are Available for Business VoIPs?
If your current phone system uses an automated menu to help route customer calls or interfaces with your website's e-commerce features, expect vendors to pitch you on artificial intelligence. Among the most common implementations is for reporting and analysis. AI tools, for example, can give you a granular understanding of call and network quality, call sentiment, and more. Automatic call transcription and summarization are also common features.
Neil McAllister contributed to this story.