A woman in a flower shop stands behind a counter and holds a smartphone to her right ear as she writes something in a notebook with her left hand. She's smiling and wearing a dark green apron over a light green T-shirt. The counter around her is clustered with pots of leafy green plants and tall flowers with white petals. The shelves on the wall behind the woman are lined with pots, both empty and filled with plants.
Many VoIP systems allow call forwarding to or other integration with mobile devices, allowing your employees to take business calls from their cell phones. — Getty Images/Ridofranz

Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) sends data over an internet connection and provides private branch exchange (PBX) functionality without on-site infrastructure. It's the technology that powers the best business phone systems for small companies. However, features and pricing vary by VoIP provider and plan.

Below you will learn what makes each phone service suitable for small businesses, from per-user costs to features. Use these details to pick options to explore further. Also, see our guide to choosing a business phone system to learn how to compare vendors effectively.

Ooma Office: great for offices and retail spaces

Ooma Office is an excellent solution for companies switching from a traditional office phone system to a cloud-hosted service. It supports landline desk phones, analog fax machines, and overhead paging systems. Or you can buy VoIP phones through Ooma or install mobile or desktop apps.

The setup and user interface are straightforward, perfect for users new to VoIP phone systems. Ooma Office has three small business plans with unlimited calling in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Puerto Rico. Prices start at $19.95 per user per month.

[Read more: Small Business Phone System: A Guide to Service Types, Terms, and Equipment]

Google Voice: an add-on to Google Workspace

If your small business uses Google Workspace, you can add a Google Voice number with a few clicks. The Starter plan ($10) is for teams of up to 10 people. It includes voicemail transcripts, unlimited calling and text messaging, and mobile apps for Android and iOS devices. Larger groups can choose between Standard ($20) or Premium ($30). These plans have a desktop app, desk phone compatibility, an auto attendant, and call recording.

RingCentral: best small business service for integrations

RingCentral is a unified communications platform offering integrations with over 200 companies, including Salesforce and Microsoft. Its base plan provides a developer platform and application programming interface (API) access. This subscription also comes with single sign-on (SSO), visual voicemail, and video conferencing with up to 100 participants.

RingCentral business communications packages start at $30 per user monthly. The vendor offers volume discounts for 50 or more users, and you can save up to 33% with annual billing.

Nextiva: better for managing customer conversations

Nextiva stands out in the business phone system space for its customer experience potential. The NextivaONE platform pulls all interactions across multiple communication channels (email, voicemail, text, and phone) into threaded conversations. You can see call notes, customer surveys, or transcripts without switching apps. Pricing starts at $30.95 per user monthly for one to four people and decreases as you add users. It costs less if you enter a contract or prepay your account.

If your small business uses Google Workspace, you can add a Google Voice number with a few clicks.

Dialpad: AI features with all business phone systems

Dialpad's business phone service uses artificial intelligence to help small teams get more out of every conversation. AI-powered tools transcribe calls in real time and generate summaries. It can even coach your employees on phone calls. With a company dictionary, you can train the AI to recognize industry terms or competitors.

All subscriptions include call recording, unlimited calling, and a multilevel auto attendant. Dialpad has three business communications plans, starting at $23 per user monthly or $15 with annual billing.

[Read more: 4 Effective Ways Small Businesses Can Leverage AI]

Grasshopper: a flat-fee phone system option

Grasshopper is a virtual phone system that charges a flat rate instead of per-user fees. It forwards calls to an existing business phone number or cell phone. Grasshopper keeps personal calls separate from professional ones and offers mobile and desktop apps. Multiple people can share business phone numbers. Pricing starts at $31 monthly. Prepay annually to save over 10%.

8x8: ideal for scaling your workforce globally

8x8's cloud-based phone system offers phone number support in over 100 countries, allowing small businesses to establish a presence with local numbers even if they don't have a physical office in the area. Its user interface supports multiple languages, and 8x8 provides regional customer service support in seven countries.

Unlike other business phone systems, 8x8 X-Series lets you add contact center capabilities. This enables companies to expand customer support or sales without changing platforms. Pricing starts at $28 per user monthly, and you can save up to 23% with annual prepayment.

GoTo Connect: best for unlimited international calls

Small business owners appreciate GoTo Connect's feature-rich platform and 24/7 customer support. It's the right phone system for companies with a high volume of outbound international calls, as the Standard plan includes unlimited calling to more than 50 countries.

Business phone plans have team messaging, video meetings, and 40 to 80 text messaging credits per month. Prices begin at $27 per user monthly. But unlimited calling internationally requires the Standard package, which costs $32 per user or $29 with annual billing.

Zoom: flexible mix-and-match plans

While Zoom is known for video conferencing, it's also a VoIP provider offering business lines with metered and unlimited calling. You can mix and match subscriptions, choosing Zoom Phone pay-as-you-go versions for employees who make limited outbound calls and unlimited calling plans for others.

It also provides Zoom One subscriptions, which increase the video meeting capacity to 300 participants and are suitable for small businesses needing 10 or more licenses. Zoom starts at $10 per user monthly for metered plans.

[Read more: Choosing the Best Business Phone System for Your Business]

OpenPhone: best for solopreneurs

If you want a basic phone system with a few neat bells and whistles, consider OpenPhone. It included unlimited calling and messaging, an auto attendant, call recording, and one new local or toll-free phone number. OpenPhone integrates with email and Slack. Pricing begins at $17 per user monthly or $13 when paid annually.

CO— aims to bring you inspiration from leading respected experts. However, before making any business decision, you should consult a professional who can advise you based on your individual situation.

CO—is committed to helping you start, run and grow your small business. Learn more about the benefits of small business membership in the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, here.

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