Is your phone system holding you back?
Managing a growing team on an old phone line is frustrating. You’re likely missing calls and important opportunities because of it.
The real problem is that choosing a new provider feels overwhelming. You’re worried about hidden costs and complex features you might not even need.
You aren’t alone in this. Blueface reports that 61% of businesses are open to switching from old phone lines. The drive for cost efficiency is pushing everyone to look for better options.
But finding the right fit doesn’t have to be a headache. This guide is designed to help you compare the top options.
In this guide, I’ll review the best virtual business phone services available today. I’ll break down their features, pricing, and ideal use cases.
You’ll gain clarity on which service offers the right tools for your team, from CRM integrations to mobile apps, without overspending.
Let’s find your perfect fit.
Quick Summary:
| # | Software | Rating | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nextiva → | Growing businesses & enterprises | |
| 2 | RingCentral → | Growing businesses | |
| 3 | GoTo → | Growing teams | |
| 4 | Phone.com → | Small businesses & teams | |
| 5 | 8×8 → | Growing businesses |
1. Nextiva
Is your business struggling with fragmented customer interactions?
Nextiva offers a Unified Customer Experience Management (CXM) platform to bring all your customer touchpoints into one AI-powered solution. This means you can orchestrate personalized journeys that acquire, retain, and grow your customer base.
The platform unifies all customer interactions across voice, live chat, messaging apps, SMS, email, social, reviews, and video, so you get a 360-degree view of your customer engagement. Here’s how you can gain a competitive advantage.
Nextiva solves the problem of disparate communication tools.
This powerful platform provides an AI-powered contact center and an open architecture with a workflow engine, designing and optimizing customer journeys. You also get real-time dashboards and customizable analytics widgets, empowering your teams with actionable customer insights and sentiment. Their pre-built AI and automation features are easy to deploy and scale, allowing for immediate value and continuous optimization. Additionally, Nextiva offers workforce engagement management tools with built-in automations to simplify management and boost agent productivity.
You can truly build amazing customer experiences.
Key features:
- Unified CXM Platform: Brings all customer interactions—voice, chat, SMS, social, and video—into one AI-powered platform for orchestrated customer journeys.
- AI & Automation: Features generative AI knowledge base, speech-to-text transcription, sentiment analysis, and intelligent routing for enhanced efficiency and customer insights.
- Workforce Engagement Management: Includes monitoring, coaching, quality surveys, and workforce scheduling to boost productivity and reduce agent fatigue.
Nextiva features, pricing, & alternatives →
Verdict: Nextiva stands out as one of the best virtual business phone services for growing businesses and enterprises, integrating communication channels with advanced AI and automation. Its Unified CXM platform, demonstrated by driving 40% cost reduction for major logistics and broadcasting companies, helps businesses deliver end-to-end personalized experiences at scale, making it ideal for those seeking comprehensive customer engagement solutions.
2. RingCentral
Struggling to unify your business communications?
RingCentral offers an AI-powered platform to bring your calls, messages, and meetings into one intuitive place. This addresses your need for streamlined operations.
This means you can say goodbye to app-switching and hello to a unified employee and customer experience. It truly simplifies communication across your entire organization.
Here’s how to simplify your communications.
RingCentral’s AI-powered capabilities, like AI Receptionist, serve as a 24/7 digital concierge, accurately routing calls and even sending texts. This significantly reduces missed calls and improves responsiveness.
Furthermore, RingCX allows you to effortlessly manage agents and improve customer satisfaction with omnichannel support, while RingSense provides conversation intelligence deeply integrated with your CRM, unlocking value from every customer interaction through automated recordings and insights. Additionally, RingVideo facilitates AI-powered video collaboration for meetings, town halls, and webinars, helping to foster engagement internally and externally. This comprehensive suite of features ensures your business stays connected and productive.
Your global communication solution is here.
If you’re also looking into business software integrations, my article on best API security testing tools covers important considerations.
Key features:
- AI Receptionist: Offers 24/7 support by answering questions, routing callers, and sending texts, eliminating missed calls and enhancing immediate customer engagement.
- Unified Communications Platform: Integrates AI-powered calls, messages, and meetings across all devices, simplifying workflows and reducing the need for multiple communication applications.
- Comprehensive AI Tools: Includes RingCX for effortless customer experiences, RingSense for conversation intelligence with CRM integration, and RingVideo for AI-powered collaboration.
RingCentral features, pricing, & alternatives →
Verdict: RingCentral stands out as a leading contender for the best virtual business phone services, especially for growing businesses. Its robust AI-powered features, including AI Receptionist and integrated conversation intelligence, deliver streamlined operations and improved customer satisfaction, making it a reliable solution for unified communications.
3. GoTo
Struggling to unify your business communications effectively?
GoTo Connect offers an all-in-one cloud communication platform that includes a robust business phone system and softphone capabilities. This means you can centralize your communication, reducing app-switching and streamlining workflows for your team.
For growing teams, this comprehensive suite allows you to integrate calling, texting, and reporting into one central location, simplifying your daily operations and improving efficiency. This leads to a more cohesive and productive work environment.
Here’s how GoTo can help.
GoTo Connect simplifies how your organization connects and engages. It offers a smart business phone system packed with over 100 features, making it easy to manage your communication needs.
Additionally, with GoTo Connect CX, you get a comprehensive suite of customer experience tools all in one solution, offering unbeatable value. This includes a phone system, softphone, digital channels, advanced reporting, and an attendant console. It’s designed to boost customer experience and empower your agents.
The AI Receptionist is a key feature, working 24/7 to answer calls and automate tasks, ensuring no customer inquiries are missed. Built into GoTo Connect, this smart assistant simplifies setup and integrates seamlessly, allowing your team to focus on higher-value work.
The result is a unified communication platform, ready for growth.
Key features:
- AI Receptionist: A 24/7 smart assistant integrated into GoTo Connect, ensuring no calls are missed and automating tasks to free up your team’s time.
- GoTo Connect Phone System: An easy-to-use cloud-based business phone system packed with over 100 features for comprehensive communication needs.
- GoTo Connect CX: A complete suite of customer experience tools, including advanced reporting and an attendant console, all within one solution.
GoTo features, pricing, & alternatives →
Verdict: GoTo delivers an all-in-one, AI-powered cloud communications platform making it an excellent choice for the best virtual business phone services. With features like the AI Receptionist, GoTo Connect Phone System, and GoTo Connect CX, your business can simplify communication, elevate customer experience, and ensure reliable uptime, as proven by companies like BMW of Murray.
4. Phone.com
Are you tired of mixing personal and business calls?
Phone.com solves this by offering a dedicated business phone number, keeping your personal line separate. This means you can easily manage professional communications without hassle.
This separation is crucial for small business owners and growing teams who need to maintain a clear distinction between work and personal life. You’ll avoid the frustration of expensive, hard-to-set-up VoIP systems.
Simplify your business communications today.
Phone.com empowers your business with an affordable, feature-rich solution that works from any device, anywhere. This means your team can stay connected and productive whether they’re in the office or on the go.
You’ll get over 50 features of a big-enterprise phone system without the complexity or high cost. Plus, you can choose from local, toll-free, or vanity numbers, and even transfer your existing number seamlessly. The result is a robust communication platform that truly fits your needs.
Additionally, Phone.com provides premium features like AI-Connect for intelligent call routing and appointment scheduling, ProSIM for superior business mobility via your mobile phone’s native dialer, and Live Answer-Connect, offering professional live receptionist services for an enhanced customer experience. These capabilities ensure your business runs smoothly, efficiently, and professionally.
You get exceptional support, 24/7.
If you’re also managing a team, you might find my article on best nonprofit CRM software helpful for specific organizational needs.
Key features:
- Dedicated Business Number: Easily acquire a separate business phone number, keeping personal and professional calls distinct and enhancing your brand’s professionalism.
- Mobile and Web Apps: Utilize intuitive web and mobile applications, allowing your team to make and receive calls from any device, anywhere, ensuring seamless communication.
- Scalable Solutions: Benefit from a platform designed to accommodate growth, offering over 50 features without hidden fees or complex setups, suitable for businesses of all sizes.
Phone.com features, pricing, & alternatives →
Verdict: Phone.com offers a robust, cost-effective solution for small businesses and growing teams seeking the best virtual business phone services. With over 50 features, including AI-Connect and ProSIM, it provides enterprise-grade capabilities like video meetings and call routing without complexity. This makes it an ideal choice for unified communications and efficient remote team support.
5. 8×8
Struggling to find one platform for every conversation?
8×8 offers an intelligent platform connecting your employees and customers, designed to deliver the outcomes that matter most for your growing business.
This means you can streamline your operations and improve customer experiences by centralizing communications, allowing your team to achieve the impact you’re after.
So, how can this help your business?
8×8 helps you elevate your customer experience and maximize operational efficiencies. You can modernize legacy systems and mitigate risk while building trust with secure and compliant communications.
For example, 8×8 Contact Center powers agents with AI to simplify operations and delight customers, while 8×8 Work connects your teams and customers globally with an AI-enabled communications suite. This unified platform is intentionally engineered to propel your business growth today and tomorrow, empowering all customer-facing teams to stay connected with ease.
It’s about smarter conversations and simpler stacks.
Key features:
- Unified Communications Platform: Offers one intelligent platform that connects employees and customers globally, enhancing customer experience and maximizing operational efficiencies.
- AI-Enabled Contact Center: Powers agents with artificial intelligence to simplify contact center operations, leading to improved customer satisfaction and business outcomes.
- No-Code Communications APIs: Allows your business to connect with customers on their preferred channels from a single platform, expanding reach and simplifying communication flows.
8×8 features, pricing, & alternatives →
Verdict: 8×8 stands out as one of the best virtual business phone services for growing businesses, offering a unified platform that drives real results. Its focus on security, compliance, and AI-enabled tools ensures that your team can deliver exceptional customer experiences, addressing key pain points for IT directors and business owners.
6. Ooma
Tired of complex virtual phone services?
Ooma simplifies business communication with comprehensive phone, video, and messaging solutions.
This means you can easily manage calls, collaborate with your team, and enhance customer experience without the usual hassle of juggling multiple tools, making your daily operations smoother and more efficient.
What if you could streamline your entire communication?
Ooma helps you solve the pain points of feature overlap and hidden costs. Its tailored solutions integrate seamlessly with your existing CRM platforms like Salesforce and HubSpot, ensuring a unified communication experience.
This includes essential call management features such as a virtual receptionist, call parking, and multi-ring capabilities to handle your inbound calls effectively. You also get powerful collaboration tools like videoconferencing, team chat, and call recording to keep your team connected. Additionally, customer experience features like a website widget and toll-free numbers help elevate your client interactions, ensuring you provide a professional and consistent service across all touchpoints.
The result is a powerful, integrated communication platform.
Key features:
- Unified Communication Platform: Combines phone, video, and messaging, offering comprehensive call management with a virtual receptionist, call parking, and multi-ring.
- Robust Collaboration Tools: Facilitates team communication through videoconferencing, team chat, hot desking, call recording, and seamless text messaging.
- Enhanced Customer Experience: Provides features like a Contact Us website widget, music on hold, extension dialing, and toll-free numbers for improved client interactions.
Ooma features, pricing, & alternatives →
Verdict: Ooma offers comprehensive, scalable solutions that address key pain points for business owners and IT directors, making it one of the best virtual business phone services for streamlining communications. With no long-term contracts and a 30-day money-back guarantee, it simplifies setup and ensures business continuity.
7. Grasshopper
Struggling to separate your personal and business calls?
Grasshopper provides a second business number for your personal phone, making it easy to manage communications on the go. This means you can easily keep your personal life private while maintaining a professional image.
It lets you establish a strong business presence without extra hardware. This also means you can avoid the headache and cost of buying additional phones or equipment.
Grasshopper simplifies your virtual phone needs.
It allows you to get your perfect business number, whether it’s a toll-free number for a national presence, a vanity number for brand recall, or a local number to build trust in a specific city. You can even port your current number.
Additionally, features like business texting, call forwarding, and voicemail transcription keep you connected to customers. You can route calls to your personal phone or team members, and read voicemails, boosting your efficiency. Plus, Instant Response automatically texts new callers if you miss their call, ensuring no lead is lost, which is a major win for business continuity and customer satisfaction.
The result is a professional, mobile-first solution.
While virtual communication enhances customer engagement, investing in your team’s capabilities is also crucial. Discover how learning experience platforms can close skill gaps and foster continuous growth.
Key features:
- Business Number Options: Choose from toll-free, vanity, or local numbers, or port your existing one, to establish a professional presence tailored to your business needs.
- Mobile-First Design: Utilize Desktop and Mobile Apps to make and receive calls, send texts, and manage features from anywhere, ensuring you stay connected on the go.
- Automated Customer Interactions: Leverage Instant Response for automatic text replies to missed calls and Voicemail Transcription for easy message management.
Grasshopper features, pricing, & alternatives →
Verdict: Grasshopper is ideal for small business owners and IT directors seeking the best virtual business phone services, especially if you prioritize mobile integration and want to keep personal and business calls separate. Its no-hardware setup and 24/7 support make it a budget-friendly and user-friendly choice.
8. Dialpad
Struggling to unify your team’s communication effectively?
Dialpad offers an AI-powered platform for calls, messages, and meetings, designed to streamline interactions and provide instant summaries. This means you can easily manage customer communications and internal collaboration, even with global teams.
This helps overcome decision paralysis by providing clear insights and reducing app-switching for your growing team. The result? A unified communication platform that truly works.
It’s time for sharper insights.
Dialpad solves these issues with its AI-powered customer communications solution, giving you next-gen contact center features and real-time coaching for sales. This means you get features like instant AI summaries and action items for all interactions, enhancing both quality and operational effectiveness. You can also access powerful integrations with apps like Salesforce and Zendesk, ensuring your business runs smoothly. Additionally, Dialpad offers enterprise-grade security and is built for resilience, supporting over 70 countries and consolidating multiple phone providers.
Your business can truly benefit from elevated conversations.
Key features:
- AI-Powered Insights: Get real-time AI coaching, instant summaries, and action items for calls, messages, and meetings, boosting efficiency and interaction quality.
- Seamless Integrations: Connect with essential business applications like Salesforce, Zendesk, and Google Workspace to unify your workflows and save significant time.
- Enterprise-Grade Reliability: Benefit from a dual-cloud architecture designed for best-in-class resiliency, ensuring secure and scalable communication across global teams.
Dialpad features, pricing, & alternatives →
Verdict: Dialpad is a strong contender for the best virtual business phone services, especially for growing businesses and enterprises. Its AI-driven features, extensive integrations, and robust security make it a reliable choice for achieving unified communications and significant efficiency gains, as seen with customers like RE/MAX and Randstad, who saw up to 25% less time spent on calls.
9. Zoom
Struggling to unify your team’s communication channels?
Zoom offers a robust platform designed to simplify how your team connects and collaborates effortlessly.
This means you can say goodbye to juggling multiple apps and welcome a solution that makes your communication smoother and more efficient.
Here’s how you can transform your team’s connectivity.
Zoom consolidates your virtual phone service, meetings, chat, and whiteboard into one seamless experience.
You can make and receive calls, send messages, and host video meetings all from a single application, boosting your team’s productivity and focus.
This integrated approach helps your business reduce app-switching, enabling global team collaboration and providing actionable analytics for smarter decisions, all while ensuring business continuity with intuitive admin controls.
Simplify your business communication today.
While we’re discussing optimizing business processes with the right tools, understanding best API design tools can be equally important for your technical teams.
Key features:
- Unified Communication: Consolidates meetings, chat, whiteboard, and phone services into a single, intuitive platform, reducing app-switching and streamlining workflows for your team.
- Global Connectivity: Empowers your global team collaboration with reliable international calling capabilities and seamless integration across various devices and locations.
- Intuitive Administration: Provides intuitive admin controls and analytics, allowing you to manage users, monitor usage, and optimize your communication strategy with ease.
Zoom features, pricing, & alternatives →
Verdict: Zoom stands out as a strong contender for the best virtual business phone services, offering a unified platform that simplifies communication for growing teams. Its ability to combine virtual phone services with meetings, chat, and whiteboard features directly addresses pain points like app-switching and ensures business continuity.
Conclusion
Finding the right phone system is tough.
With so many overlapping features and complex pricing from different vendors, I know choosing can feel overwhelming. This often leads to decision paralysis for your small business.
Nuacom reports that businesses can reduce communication costs by 75% by adopting VoIP. This move frees up budget for other critical growth areas, making the switch a smart financial decision for any startup.
Here is what I recommend.
From everything I’ve evaluated, Nextiva stands out as the top choice. It directly addresses the need for a unified platform that simplifies customer interactions.
Its Unified CXM platform brings all your channels together, from voice to social. Choosing one of the best virtual business phone services like Nextiva creates a truly seamless experience.
I strongly suggest you book a free demo of Nextiva. Seeing its unified platform in action will show you how it can transform customer engagement.
Your team will thank you for it.
