In business, communications are key. The ability to stay in touch with your customers is critical to your success, especially with so many people working remotely these days. To accommodate the needs of your entire team, you need to know what the best virtual phone system is for your business.
What is a Virtual Phone System?
Traditional business phone systems were hardwired into the company office and were limited to in-office use and hardware restrictions.
The pandemic has forced a largely remote workforce presenting the opportunity to move to a more flexible phone system that works for everyone. That answer is a virtual phone system.
A virtual phone system is a communications platform that uses the internet to handle phone calls. VOIP (voice over IP) is nothing new, but now more vendors offer highly advanced cloud-based phone systems that work great for teams that are spread out over the globe.
One of the best things is that users can make and receive phone calls from any online device (computer, cell phone, tablet, etc.) without any special equipment. In addition, the system is entirely portable, so wherever your employees go, your virtual phone service goes with them.
Best Virtual Phone System Reviews
We have reviewed the best virtual phone systems on the market today to help you make an informed decision.
1. MightyCall
The first in our lineup is MightyCall which is excellent for small businesses just getting started. They offer super quick and easy setup and affordable monthly rates.
They also have some of the best CRM software integrated into the service. The award-winning virtual phone service gets high marks across the board from reviewers. They offer three pricing tiers at $29.99, $49.99, and $99.9 per month, depending on your needs.
They also provide payment processing, so this one might end up being your best invoicing software too.
✅ PROS:
- Local and toll-free numbers.
- No extra hardware needed.
- Easy setup and use.
- CRM built in.
- Payment processing.
- Security.
- AWS protection.
⛔️ CONS:
- Not good for large organizations.
- Limited features in the lower-tiered plans.
2. OpenPhone
OpenPhone is another vendor geared towards individuals and small teams. They offer simple, cheap pricing at $10/month per user.
The system works on Mac, iOS, Windows, and Android devices, covering all your bases. They offer a no-frills phone system, so this option may not be for everyone.Although this is not the most full-featured system, you can't beat the price.
✅ PROS:
- Easy setup and use.
- Local and toll-free virtual phone numbers.
- Caller ID customization.
- Automated text messages for missed calls.
- HubSpot, Slack, Google, and Zapier integrations.
- Inexpensive.
⛔️ CONS:
- No frills, limited features.
- Black background (no option to change).
3. 8x8
Unlike the first two, 8x8 was built as an enterprise communication solution. This company offers it all, providing the best option for flexibility for large firms with various needs such as video, voice, chat, and team collaboration.
8x8 has set out to be the enterprise-level all-in-one solution, and they score. They provide a secure, global cloud-based platform for all different types of business communications. Their prices start at $12/month per user and go up from there.
✅ PROS:
- All in one solution (voice, video, chat).
- XCaaS.
- Enterprise-level features.
- 35 business integrations.
- SMS service.
- Cloud PBX.
- Video conferencing.
- APIs.
- Easy administrative management.
- Comprehensive analytics and reporting.
- Great user interface.
- Unlimited voice calling for all tiers.
⛔️ CONS:
- Can get pricey the more users you add.
- May be too much for some users.
4. GrassHopper
GrassHopper falls in the middle because it was designed for small businesses that want enterprise-level features. They offer reasonable pricing that starts at $29/month up to $89/month.
Combined with their excellent set of features, they help small businesses to appear larger and more professional. There is nothing not to like about GrassHopper.
✅ PROS:
- Voicemail-to-text.
- Call forwarding and extensions.
- 24/7 support (phone, email, chat, social media).
- Custom greetings.
⛔️ CONS:
- Each plan limits the number of numbers/extensions.
- More expensive than other small business options.
5. Talkroute
Talkroute is another great option for small to medium-sized businesses. The company offers an enterprise-level phone system for a reasonable price, starting at $19/month.
Some of the features include call extensions, virtual voicemail, call stacking, and a call studio. In addition, Talkroute allows users to make and receive calls from any desktop or mobile device. They also offer a 7-day free trial, so you can try out the service before you buy.
✅ PROS:
- Toll-free and vanity numbers.
- Local numbers.
- Number porting.
- Fair pricing.
- Call forwarding and text messaging.
- Call recording.
- Call transfers.
- Call menus.
⛔️ CONS:
- Lower tiered plans are missing a lot of business features.
- Missing fax feature.
- Cannot switch between accounts.
6. Nextiva
Nextiva is probably the best well-known virtual phone service provider. They have been around for a while and offer a whole host of high-level services. The award-winning service provides excellent customer service from a brand you trust and a full feature set for even the pickiest customer.
Nextiva offers email, IM, video, and phone calls. Combine Nextiva with your best email marketing service, your best email verification service, and your company communications will be complete. However, Nextiva is a large company, and some customers complain about salespeople being pushy and not getting the training or customer service they desire.
✅ PROS:
- 1-800 and local phone numbers.
- Auto-attendant (AI) to answer calls and play customized greetings.
- Deep analytics and reporting.
- Phone, text, email, IM, and video.
- Excellent customer service.
⛔️ CONS:
- Pricing based on phone minutes (use).
- No training on how to use the system.
- Some customers complain about reliability and getting in touch with customer service.
- Pushy salespeople.
7. eVoice
eVoice offers something that most others do not, a free local or toll-free number when you sign up. The service also offers a custom call forwarding feature to set rules to direct specific calls where you want them.
Pricing starts at $14/per user, per month but you can get a customized plan to suit your needs. Along with the dozens of other features, a nice one is that you can share your screen with up to 2,000 users.
✅ PROS:
- Excellent call forwarding features.
- Free local or toll-free number.
- Personalized auto attendant to serve up custom greetings.
- Very affordable.
- Scalable, no hardware, and no setup fees.
- No contract, cancel anytime.
- 30-day money-back guarantee.
⛔️ CONS:
- Could get pricey the more users you have.
- Pricing based on usage (minutes).
- No conference calls or whiteboard on apps.
- Lackluster UI.
8. RingCentral
One of the best virtual phone systems out there is RingCentral, combining enterprise-level features with fair pricing. RingCentral's plans feature collaboration tools for teams, AI integrations, third-party app integrations, voicemail to email, SMS messages, video, automatic callback, and more.
The service is very reliable, with good customer support and new features added regularly. Pricing starts at 20 users for $19.99/month and goes up from there. They offer plans to suit any size business. RingCentral is a big winner in terms of overall value.
✅ PROS:
- Rich feature-set of enterprise-level options.
- Excellent admin support.
- AI integrations.
⛔️ CONS:
- Lower-tiered plans are limited.
- Can't customize reports as much as we would like.
- UI is a little fussy for some users.
9. DialPad
DialPad was built for team collaboration. The interface is clean and simple, and the apps are easy to use. Starting at just $15/month per user, it's also easily affordable for small to medium-sized businesses. Enterprise pricing can get expensive, though.
Nevertheless, the sleek interface is a joy to use, and the system continues to improve as DialPad ads new software features. DialPad is an excellent option for a company that wants some unique, highly sophisticated features at a reasonable price.
✅ PROS:
- Affordable.
- Easy to use.
- AI voice intelligence features.
- Good customer support.
- Smooth integrations.
- Voice transcription.
- Call routing and fallback options.
⛔️ CONS:
- Video conferencing is limited by the number of participants.
- Poor report customization options.
- Expensive enterprise pricing.
10. Phone.com
Phone.com is another highly reputable option for virtual phone service. From the minute you open their web page, you can feel the quality. Their interface is modern, sleek, and offers a rich set of more than 40 features to entice the most diverse companies.
They cater to team collaboration, and their sweet spot is mid-sized companies looking to cut the landline. Pricing is affordable and starts at $12.99/month. However, plans are based on usage. Phone.com rivals RingCentral and Nextiva in terms of quality and support.
✅ PROS:
- 40+ standard features.
- Versatile plans with usable features.
- 30-day money-back guarantee.
- Number porting.
- No new hardware is required.
- HD voice technology.
- Great UI.
- Easy to set up and use.
⛔️ CONS:
- Pricing plans based on usage (minutes).
What Are the Benefits of Using Virtual Phone Systems?
One of the best benefits of a virtual phone system is taking your virtual phone number with you wherever you go. You don't have to be sitting at a desk anywhere to receive all your client calls. Another big benefit is scalable communications. It is super easy to add or remove users on the fly—no need to purchase new equipment or add new lines.
Because all your calls are cloud-based, your device becomes your virtual receptionist, able to take messages or forward calls to another location. The flexibility is well worth switching from a traditional phone system to a virtual PBX.
Virtual phone systems are often far less expensive (roughly 65% less) than old traditional phone systems, which require a lot of fancy hardware. In addition, most virtual phone systems work with everyone's existing devices using an app.
Everything is stored in the cloud, making it easy to share, retrieve, and securely back up.
What are the Key Features of a Virtual Phone System?
Some key features of a virtual phone service include:
- Built-in text messaging.
- Business phone numbers.
- Voicemail.
- Cloud-bases storage.
- Reliability.
- Easy setup.
- Caller ID.
- Call holding.
- Conference calls (easy team collaboration).
- Call transfers.
- Hold music.
- Dialing directories.
- Analytics and reporting.
Virtual Phone System FAQs
The most popular questions that people ask about virtual phone systems are:
What is a virtual phone system?
A virtual phone system is a communications platform that uses the internet for phone calls rather than any landline or hardwired equipment.
What is the best virtual phone system?
The best virtual phone system is the one that works best for your team. Evaluate all the features and compare that with the price to determine the best value for your business. Our favorites are Phone.com, RingCentral, and GrassHopper.
How do virtual phones work?
Unlike landlines, virtual phones use software and the internet to transfer voice from analog to digital data and allow people to easily communicate using their own device and an app.
As the world continues to evolve, virtual phone systems are becoming the new standard for business communications. Whichever vendor you choose, weigh all your options and consider the overall value for you and your team