Is your phone system holding you back?
Managing a hybrid team with a clunky, traditional phone system is a constant headache. It’s expensive and inflexible for your remote employees.
And the worst part is paying for an outdated system that just can’t keep up with your growing team’s communication needs.
In fact, Future Market Insights reports that traditional PBX systems lead to increased operational expenses and infrastructure costs. This financial drain directly impacts your ability to scale effectively.
But what if you could cut costs while supporting your team anywhere? A virtual PBX system makes this possible.
If you’re also looking to boost your support, my article on the best virtual call center software provides further insights.
In this guide, I’ll break down the features and pricing of the top providers. I’m here to help you find the best virtual PBX system.
You’ll learn how to choose a solution that enhances productivity and integrates with your existing tools, like your CRM.
Let’s get started.
Quick Summary:
| # | Software | Rating | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | RingCentral → | Growing SMEs with hybrid teams | |
| 2 | Nextiva → | Cost-conscious hybrid teams | |
| 3 | Dialpad → | Enterprise hybrid teams | |
| 4 | 8×8 → | SMEs needing unified communications | |
| 5 | Grasshopper → | Small hybrid businesses |
1. RingCentral
Seeking to simplify your communication infrastructure?
RingCentral offers a comprehensive platform bringing together calls, messages, and meetings, ideal for managing your hybrid team and supporting customers effectively.
This means you can say goodbye to missed calls and fragmented communication, providing a reliable system that empowers every employee with AI-powered calls, messages, and meetings across devices.
It’s time to bring your employee and customer experiences together.
RingCentral helps solve the challenge of information overload and balancing advanced features with budget constraints by providing an all-in-one, AI-powered communications platform. This eliminates the need to piece together multiple disparate systems, reducing complexity and potential hidden costs.
You can easily manage agents, coach performance, and improve customer satisfaction with every interaction, thanks to its robust contact center capabilities. Additionally, its AI Receptionist handles 93% of calls for some users, managing inquiries, routing calls accurately, and even sending text follow-ups. Plus, with AI Assist and Instant Summaries, your team gets real-time insights and automated notes, saving valuable time.
The result is seamless implementation and enhanced productivity.
Speaking of empowering your team, my article on best corporate gifting solutions offers insights on how to delight your global teams & clients.
Key features:
- AI Receptionist: Offers 24/7 support with AI that answers questions, routes callers, and sends texts, significantly reducing missed calls and improving customer satisfaction.
- Integrated Communication Suite (RingEX): Empowers employees with AI-powered calls, messages, and meetings across all devices, streamlining workflows and enhancing team collaboration.
- Conversation Intelligence (RingSense): Unlocks value from every customer interaction with automated recordings, customer insights, and AI-powered coaching, deeply integrated with your CRM.
Learn more about RingCentral features, pricing, & alternatives →
Verdict: RingCentral’s blend of AI-powered features, including the AI Receptionist and comprehensive communication suite, makes it a top contender for the best virtual PBX system for any growing SME. With over 400,000 global customers, including First Bank seeing 30% annual phone system cost savings, it offers reliability, global scale, and robust integrations.
2. Nextiva
Struggling with fragmented communications and rising costs?
Nextiva offers a Unified Customer Experience Management (CXM) platform to consolidate all customer interactions into one AI-powered system.
This means you can streamline your operations, handling voice, chat, SMS, and social media from a single interface, addressing common challenges like siloed solutions and high IT overhead.
This brings all your customer touchpoints together.
Nextiva unifies customer interactions on its AI-powered platform, orchestrating complete customer journeys. This allows you to manage all communication channels like voice, live chat, SMS, and social media from one unified inbox.
You can also leverage AI capabilities like generative AI knowledge bases, speech-to-text transcription, and sentiment analysis to automate tasks and gain deeper insights. This platform aims to reduce your cost per interaction and enhance workforce productivity by centralizing communication data and providing real-time analytics. You can also deploy pre-built AI solutions quickly to optimize customer journeys, ensuring seamless experiences that are secure and compliant.
This approach transforms customer experience.
While we’re discussing managing customer interactions, understanding how Mac CRM software can further boost sales and streamline customer management is equally important.
Key features:
- Unified Agent Experience: Consolidate all communication channels like voice, chat, and SMS into a single inbox for streamlined customer interactions and improved efficiency.
- AI-Powered Automation: Utilize generative AI knowledge bases, speech-to-text transcription, and sentiment analysis to automate tasks and gain real-time customer insights.
- Intelligent Routing Capabilities: Leverage skill-based routing, robust ACD algorithms, and in-queue sidebars to ensure customer interactions are directed efficiently to the right agent.
Learn more about Nextiva features, pricing, & alternatives →
Verdict: If you’re seeking to reduce costs and enhance customer support for your hybrid teams, Nextiva’s Unified-CXM platform stands out as a strong contender for the best virtual PBX system. Its comprehensive features, including AI-powered tools and unified communication channels, can significantly improve efficiency and customer retention.
3. Dialpad
Struggling with complex communication systems and hidden costs?
You’re likely looking for a solution that simplifies operations and supports your hybrid teams effectively. Dialpad delivers with its AI-powered platform.
This means you get calls, messages, and meetings all in one place, with instant AI summaries and action items to keep everyone on track and improve efficiency.
It’s time to streamline your team’s communication.
Dialpad solves this by providing a unified, reliable platform, replacing disparate on-premise systems with a dual-cloud architecture designed for best-in-class resiliency and reliability. You can integrate it with essential business applications like Salesforce, Zendesk, and Google Workspace, making your business run smoothly.
Their proprietary AI accelerates work by delivering real-time insights and unmatched accuracy at scale, offering features like AI agents, assistants, and coaching to elevate every interaction. This enables you to drive agent success, scale global operations, and transform communication, saving your team significant time each week. You’ll gain sharper insights and achieve remarkable outcomes, boosting overall efficiency for both management and frontline teams.
It truly elevates every conversation.
Key features:
- AI-powered Communications: Offers real-time AI summaries, action items, and coaching for calls, messages, and meetings to enhance productivity and interaction quality.
- Seamless Integrations: Connects with essential business tools like Salesforce, Zendesk, and Microsoft Teams, ensuring smooth workflows and consolidated operations.
- Reliable and Scalable Platform: Built on a dual-cloud architecture for best-in-class resiliency, supporting distributed teams and ensuring business continuity for global enterprises.
Learn more about Dialpad features, pricing, & alternatives →
Verdict: If you’re seeking the best Virtual PBX System that truly supports hybrid teams and cuts costs, Dialpad is an excellent choice. With its unique AI capabilities that provide real-time insights and a track record of helping companies like RE/MAX and Randstad save significant time and boost efficiency, it offers a comprehensive solution for enterprise communication.
4. 8×8
Struggling with fragmented communication and escalating costs?
8×8 offers a unified platform that connects your employees and customers globally. This means you can simplify your tech stack and centralize conversations, leading to smoother operations.
Their intelligent platform helps you deliver the outcomes that matter most, like improving customer experience and boosting operational efficiencies. It’s designed to help you modernize your systems and stay ahead.
Here’s how 8×8 makes a difference.
8×8 integrates contact center solutions, unified communications, and Communications APIs into one cohesive system. This allows you to manage all interactions from a single source, which is ideal for hybrid teams.
The platform provides an AI-enabled communications suite, which helps your agents and customer-facing teams with tools to simplify operations and delight customers. This translates to data-driven insights and powerful automation to become a well-oiled machine.
You can also amplify your Microsoft Teams with 8×8’s communication capabilities and contact center integrations, ensuring secure, compliant, and accessible communications across your organization to build customer trust.
This simplifies communications for everyone.
Key features:
- Unified Communications: Connects your teams and customers globally with an AI-enabled suite, enhancing collaboration and accessibility for hybrid work environments.
- Contact Center Solutions: Powers up agents with AI to simplify operations and boost customer satisfaction, providing valuable data insights for better decision-making.
- Communications APIs: Offers no-code CPaaS to connect with customers on their preferred channels, ensuring comprehensive reach from a single, integrated platform.
Learn more about 8×8 features, pricing, & alternatives →
Verdict: 8×8 stands out as a best virtual PBX system for SMEs, simplifying complex communication challenges. Its unified platform, robust security, and AI-enabled features help elevate your CX and maximize operational efficiencies, ensuring your investment aligns with desired outcomes like seamless implementation and transparent costs.
5. Grasshopper
Struggling to keep business and personal calls separate?
Grasshopper offers a second business phone number right on your smartphone or computer. This means you don’t need to buy any additional hardware or equipment, which simplifies your setup. Here’s how you can maintain privacy and still connect with clients effortlessly.
Grasshopper simplifies communication by allowing you to choose a new toll-free, vanity, or local number, or even port your existing one. This provides immediate credibility, especially with features like custom greetings that make your business sound professional from the first call. Additionally, you can utilize the instant response feature to automatically text new callers when you miss a call, ensuring you never lose a lead.
The result? Professional communication from anywhere.
You can download the Grasshopper app on your desktop, iPhone, or Android device, letting you manage calls and texts on the go. This is particularly helpful for hybrid teams or remote workers, as you can forward business calls to your personal phone or other team members. VoIP and Wi-Fi calling are also available, ensuring reliable connectivity even when cell reception is poor.
Moreover, Grasshopper includes business texting for quick replies, voicemail transcription so you can read messages, and virtual fax, delivering incoming faxes directly to your email as PDFs. Plus, extensions allow you to give employees or departments their own call forwarding rules, streamlining internal and external communications for your growing team.
It provides a virtual phone system in your pocket.
Key features:
- Mobile + Desktop Apps: Stay connected with your business number from any device, ensuring you’re always reachable to customers and team members.
- Business Texting + Instant Response: Provide quick updates and automatically text new callers when you can’t answer, helping you capture leads and maintain customer engagement.
- Voicemail Transcription + Virtual Fax: Read voicemails as text and receive faxes as PDFs in your email, boosting your efficiency by eliminating physical machines.
Learn more about Grasshopper features, pricing, & alternatives →
Verdict: Grasshopper offers an affordable and robust virtual PBX system, ideal for SMEs seeking to cut costs and support hybrid teams. Its focus on mobile apps, business texting, and instant response, coupled with easy setup and 24/7 support, helps growing businesses streamline communication and present a professional image.
6. Phone.com
Tired of managing separate personal and business lines?
Phone.com offers a dedicated business phone number, allowing you to easily separate calls and maintain a professional image. This means you can keep your personal number private.
You can get a dedicated business phone number with ease, simplifying setup and ensuring you only pay for what you need. No more complex systems or huge upfront investments.
Here’s an affordable solution for your team.
Phone.com solves the problem of integrating diverse communication channels, letting you work from any device, anywhere. This supports your hybrid team’s need for flexibility.
This platform provides over 50 features, including video meetings, call routing, and voicemail-to-email, giving you the tools of a large enterprise system without the complexity and cost. You can manage communications effortlessly.
Additionally, Phone.com offers advanced features like AI-Connect for intelligent call routing and appointment scheduling, ProSIM for superior mobile integration, and a Live Answer-Connect service with professional live receptionists to enhance your customer experience. This ensures your business communications are always optimized.
The result is truly seamless conversations and collaboration.
While we’re discussing system features, understanding a clinical decision support system is equally important for specialized industries.
Key features:
- Dedicated Business Number: Easily acquire a separate business phone number, maintaining professional boundaries and simplifying communication management for your team.
- 50+ Enterprise Features: Access a comprehensive suite of advanced communication tools including video meetings, call routing, and HIPAA compliance without high costs.
- Hybrid Team Support: Utilize mobile apps, flexible device compatibility, and global number options to ensure your team can communicate effectively from any location.
Learn more about Phone.com features, pricing, & alternatives →
Verdict: Phone.com is an ideal choice if you’re seeking the best virtual PBX system for cost-effective, scalable, and feature-rich business communication. With over 50,000 small businesses trusting it, its ability to separate personal and business calls, integrate video meetings, and offer robust mobile app support makes it perfect for managing hybrid teams and ensuring seamless client interactions.
7. OnSIP
Tired of complex phone systems and hidden costs?
OnSIP’s customizable VoIP system adapts to your business needs, letting you easily add or remove users and features.
This means you only pay for what you need with month-to-month contracts, making your system cost-effective and perfectly aligned with your budget.
Here’s how OnSIP simplifies things.
You can make calls directly from their app, or use a desktop phone, with best-in-class VoIP phones included with their Unlimited plan (for 5+ users).
Their patented technology ensures an “always up, always on” platform, cloud-based with high redundancy for disaster-proof service. This robust system also helps businesses comply with HIPAA obligations.
Plus, you get features like Auto Attendants, Ring Groups, and Music-on-Hold, all designed to manage your calls professionally and efficiently, enhancing customer experience.
Take control of your business communications.
Speaking of enhancing business communication, you might also find my guide on best writing tools helpful for creating high-quality content.
Key features:
- Flexible Customization: Easily add/remove users and features, paying only for what you need with month-to-month contracts.
- Patented Reliability: Enjoy a “bulletproof,” always-on VoIP platform with cloud-based, high-redundancy, and HIPAA-compliant technology.
- Comprehensive Call Management: Utilize features like Auto Attendants, Ring Groups, and Call Recording for efficient and professional communication.
Learn more about OnSIP features, pricing, & alternatives →
Verdict: OnSIP offers a highly customizable, reliable, and cost-effective hosted VoIP solution, making it a strong contender for the best virtual PBX system for SMEs. Their patented technology and included VoIP phones (for Unlimited plans with 5+ users) help streamline communication for growing and hybrid teams.
8. Unitel Voice
Tired of missed calls and skyrocketing communication costs?
Unitel Voice offers a robust virtual PBX system to streamline your business communications. This means you can centralize your call management and improve team connectivity.
You can also expect to reduce overhead while gaining advanced features typically reserved for large enterprises. Here’s how Unitel Voice simplifies your phone system.
This empowers your teams, wherever they are.
Unitel Voice offers solutions for every business size, from solopreneurs to large organizations. Their system provides a dedicated business phone number, ensuring a professional image and consistent availability. This eliminates the need for expensive hardware or complex installations.
Additionally, you can manage your entire phone system from your computer or smartphone, allowing for incredible flexibility. Plus, Unitel Voice offers services like call recording, custom greetings, and voicemail-to-email, enhancing both productivity and customer service, all designed to make your business run smoother.
This ensures seamless communication for your entire team.
While we’re discussing business operations, understanding best vendors management software is equally important for efficiency.
Key features:
- Virtual Office Phone System: Get a dedicated business phone number, custom greetings, and voicemail-to-email for a professional, flexible communication solution.
- Mobile App and Desktop App: Manage calls, voicemails, and settings from anywhere using intuitive apps on your smartphone or computer.
- Unlimited Extensions and Voicemail: Expand your team’s communication capabilities without extra costs, ensuring everyone has direct lines and efficient voicemail.
Learn more about Unitel Voice features, pricing, & alternatives →
Verdict: Unitel Voice offers a cost-effective and flexible solution, making it a strong contender for the best virtual PBX system for hybrid teams. Its ability to provide unlimited extensions, a mobile app, and a dedicated business number directly addresses key pain points for growing SMEs, enhancing productivity and reducing overhead.
9. Ringover
Struggling with fragmented communication and hidden costs?
Ringover offers cloud telephony and multichannel communications, bringing calls, instant messaging, emails, and social media into one platform. This means you can centralize all your team’s conversations, enhancing visibility and ensuring you never lose important context again.
This is a true communication platform.
Ringover addresses challenges for growing SMEs by unifying communications. It provides conversational AI for automatic transcription, summaries, and mood analysis, alongside sales prospecting tools with automations and analytics. This allows for better-fit placements and increased productivity.
You can connect your business tools with just a few clicks through their App Marketplace, integrating with CRMs like Salesforce and ATS systems such as Bullhorn. Additionally, Ringover offers advanced reporting, providing insights to identify and fix weak spots in performance at scale, which is crucial for coaching and training. Plus, it supports native apps for various devices, allowing your team to work from preferred platforms while keeping data safe and visible, eliminating the need for investing in new devices.
This means reliable uptime and transparent cost structures.
Key features:
- Conversational AI: Provides automatic transcription, summaries, and mood analysis for calls, ensuring you capture every bit of context for better decision-making.
- Multichannel Communications: Integrates calls, instant messaging, emails, and social media into one platform, centralizing all communications for improved visibility and team collaboration.
- CRM/ATS Integrations: Connects seamlessly with popular business tools like Salesforce, Bullhorn, and Avionté, streamlining workflows and eliminating manual data entry.
Learn more about Ringover features, pricing, & alternatives →
Verdict: If you’re seeking the best virtual PBX system that offers advanced communication, AI-driven insights, and deep CRM/ATS integrations, Ringover is an excellent choice for scaling teams. It empowers your team with tools like call recording, transcription, and robust reporting, helping you grow by 400%, as one customer experienced.
Conclusion
Still using a clunky, outdated phone system?
Choosing the right one is tough amid conflicting reviews. You need a reliable system that supports your hybrid team without breaking your budget.
A study by Verified Market Research shows virtual PBX adoption reduces communication costs. This shift to scalable cloud infrastructure is essential for supporting remote work and cutting unnecessary operational expenses.
So, what’s my top recommendation?
After reviewing all these options, I believe RingCentral is the best choice. It directly addresses the need for a cost-effective, all-in-one system.
For additional insights, my analysis of best experience management software provides valuable perspectives.
I was impressed by their case studies, like First Bank seeing 30% annual cost savings. When you implement the best virtual PBX system like RingCentral, you gain proven reliability.
I recommend you explore RingCentral’s plans. See for yourself how its AI-powered features can unify communication and drastically simplify management for your business.
Your team will be more connected.
