Best Business VoIP Providers

Telephones might not be the most glamorous business equipment out there, but many businesses depend on them. Unfortunately, many of those businesses struggle to get by with outdated phone systems. They juggle numbers for landlines and cell phones, often overpaying for low-quality sound on their calls.

Fortunately, we have an alternative. With VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol), you can get features like HD voice quality, virtual receptionists, and seamless call routing―often at a lower price than many traditional phone providers. In other words, you can bring your phone calls into the 21st century.

Ready to get VoIP for your business? We’ve rounded up 10 of the best VoIP providers out there. We’ll tell you what sets them apart and help you decide whether or not they’re right for you.

Price: Starting at $29.99/user/mo.

Price: Starting at $19.95/mo.

Price: Starting at $19.95/mo.

Price: Starting at $26.00/mo.

Price: Starting at $9.99/mo.

VoIP stands for voice over internet protocol―but that doesn’t mean much to most people.

Put simply, VoIP lets you make phone calls over the internet. So instead of making calls over telephone lines (like people have been doing for the past 100 years), you’re using the power of the internet to transmit your voice data.

That doesn’t mean you have to use a special phone, though. Yes, you can get phone hardware that’s been specifically designed for VoIP. But you can also use your cell phone or a traditional phone with a VoIP adapter.

But why choose VoIP over traditional phone lines? Well, VoIP has some advantages, like cheaper long-distance calls and better sound quality. It also comes with loads of features, ranging from virtual receptionists (called auto attendants in VoIP-speak) to video conferencing to virtual phone numbers to Find Me/Follow Me (a service that routes calls to your devices based on your specific preferences).

Plus, you’ll get all the usual things you’d expect from a business phone system, like call forwarding, caller ID, hold music, and more.

That’s not to say VoIP is a perfect solution for every business. Unlike traditional landlines, VoIP requires both power and internet to work. So if you have frequent internet outages or you need the most reliable connection possible, VoIP might not be right for you.

But for most businesses, the future is here―and it’s VoIP.

You have a lot of VoIP providers to choose from. To find the right fit for your business, you need to consider a few things:

Features

How you plan to use your VoIP will inform what kinds of features you need. If you just want a straight-up replacement for your old phone system (just with better sound quality), you may not need much more than call waiting and hold music. If, on the other hand, you want to wow your customers with your fancy phone system, you might want features like a virtual receptionist or custom greetings.

Not all VoIP providers offer the same features. Even providers that do have the same features may charge differently for them. So as you evaluate providers and plans, look to see if the features you want are included―or how much they’ll cost you if they’re not.

Number of users

As with any phone system, you need to consider how many people will actively use your VoIP system. Keep in mind that most VoIP providers charge per user per month, so the number of users you have will play a key role in how much you’ll pay.

Plus, the number of users you have will affect everything from the number of minutes you need (more on that in a second) to the number of lines your system can juggle at once to the number of voice mailboxes you want. And depending on how your users work together, you may also want to look for features like calling groups to make sure phone calls go to the right people.

Expected usage

Many VoIP providers let you make both phone and video calls―but the features for each will vary. So if you plan to make lots of video calls, you might want to look for a provider that offers HD video conferencing. But if you’re mostly making voice calls to other countries, you’ll want a provider that offers free international calling.

Likewise, think about the number and length of the calls you plan to make. Do you spend all day on the phone? Then you might want a provider who offers unlimited calling. Do you make only a short call or two each day? Then you can probably get away with a cheaper plan that has limited minutes.

The right VoIP provider for your business will depend on your unique needs and usage. All of the providers on this list have a lot to offer, so choose the one that best fits your business’s situation.