The business world has spoken and it appears VoIP software is trending with good reason. Depending on the industry you’re in, landing on the right Voice over Internet Protocol phone service could make or break your small business.

All things considered, the ability to make and receive phone calls over the internet has been a total game-changer. People have the option of placing calls from traditional handsets, desktops, laptops, tablets and mobile app. The sky’s the limit since calls are no longer dependent on a physical location or physical hardware and installation.

According to Statista, in the United States alone more than 35 million VoIP lines were added between 2010 and 2018. Let the the scale of it sink in while also noting that VoIP market growth remains steady especially among SMBs which are expected to grow exponentially by 2025.

Why the big VoIP provider boom?

VoIP technology has been around since around 1995, but it’s recent growth can be mostly accredited to increasing mobile work trends. The technology’s accessibility and flexibility has greatly contributed to a growing remote-first work culture shift.

When the only infrastructure needed is stable internet connection, communication benefits blossom. Speaking of benefits, here are are some other undeniable perks of VoIP:

• Affordability: there’s typically only a small cost associated with installation, maintenance, and setup. Hosted systems usually cost $20 – $40 These are cost savings that can be used to grow your business, rather than pay for outdated technology.

• Scalability: When things are going great and business is booming, scaling becomes a priority fast. VoIP lets you capitalize on your opportunities to grow, rather than waiting on new phone purchases and landline installations. Adding a new number to a VoIP phone system doesn’t require any requests to the IT department. In fact, it doesn’t require much more than a few clicks of a mouse. : You get to grow on your terms.

• Simplicity: The ease of use that comes with a VoIP system stems from modern software and user-friendly interfaces. In today’s digital age, the workforce is accustomed to using web-based products that they can test and learn quickly. Managers can train on these systems much faster than they could with manual setups. And without the need for physical phones and ongoing maintenance, managers can focus on growing their teams, rather than fielding troubleshooting questions from confused employees.

Ooma

Ooma offers 35+ features that combine to create an awesome small business phone solution ideal for providing optimal customer service. From a Virtual Receptionist that can be customized to provide essential information to callers to Ring Groups that make sure every call is answered, Ooma Office can greatly add to business’ efficient running.

• Pricing starts from $19.95/user/month
• Free mobile and desktop app
• SMS messaging
• Call recording
• Unlimited calling in U.S., Canada, Mexico and Puerto Rico
• FREE number transfer

8×8

8×8 integrates voice, video, chat, contact center, and enterprise-class API solutions into one global, secure and reliable cloud communications platform. From call activity reporting to AI-driven speech analytics and virtual agents, this VoIP option provides unique insights that can drive business productivity improvements, cost savings and revenue growth.

• 30-day free trial
• unlimited nationwide calling plus video conferencing and chat for $12/month
• unlimited calling in the U.S. and Canada
• voice, video and messaging in one app
• cancel at any time within the one month trial period.

VirtualPBX

VirtualPBX has been providing VoIP services for more than two decades. Over the years it has won awards from customers and industry organizations alike delivering innovate features from simple Follow-Me Calling to plug-and-play VoIP phones.

• pricing starts from $11.99/per month
• unlimited Users
• 300 Plan Minutes
• 2 Toll-Free or Local Numbers
• 24/7 Support

Mitel

Mitel offers a comprehensive range of business phone systems so you business can have a targeted call center and unified communications product. It makes it easy to integrate with key third-party business applications from Salesforce to Skype for Business, there’s a plug-in for almost everything. 

• plans starting at $20,99/user/month
• unlimited minutes
• mobile app
• rich PBX features, advanced call controls and softphone, mobile and IP desk phone options
• modern, intuitive user interface
• backed by Google Cloud’s industry-leading reliability

RingCentral

RingCentral prides itself as providing everything you need to get work done in one simple app. They make it easy to manage calls with extensions, shared lines and an Auto-Receptionist feature. Switching calls between desktop and mobile app is made possible with a single tap and the admin portal will allow you to track service quality, view usage and set up call routing.

• plans starting at $19.99/user/month
• essentials plan allows to have up to 20 users only
• unlimited calls within the US/CA
• unlimited business SMS
• other plans include integrations with Office 365, G Suite, Slack, Salesforce, Zendesk, and more
• mobile apps for iOS and Android

Nextiva

Nextiva business phone software is an other option that provides unified communication with VoIP, video and chat all rolled into one. Plus if your business requires local phone lines or a toll-free number, they can make it possible along with the usual key features like call recording and call forwarding.

• plans starting at $19.95/month/user
• essential plan offers 1000 Toll-Free Minutes
• unlimited Calling within the US/CA
• free Local & Toll-Free Number
• mobile App Calling
• 24/7 Support

Vonage

Vonage Business Communications activates conversations across voice, SMS, team messaging, fax, social, meetings and more. It’s all in the name of providing a quality unified customer communication experience. Over 50+ business phone features also combine to pack a powerful punch.

• plans starting at $19.99/month
• provides mobile and desktop app
• CRM integrations
• conference calls, online meetings, video conferencing, file sharing
• multi-level auto-attendant

Grasshopper

Grasshopper empowers small business with the option of  various business phone numbers. Pro tip: toll free numbers are awesome when it comes to building a more professional presence. Not to mention this VoIP option can work with your existing phone so there’s never any need to buy additional equipment.

• plans starting at $26/month
• desktop + mobile apps
• 7-day free trial
• voicemail transcription, business texting, call forwarding
• VoIP/Wi-Fi calling
• virtual receptionist

OpenPhone

OpenPhone aims to speed up workflow through automation and shortcuts. Handy features like voicemail to text make it possible to skim voicemail messages and know what’s important and what can be left til later. Snippets is another useful one to quicken response times by creating and sending message templates for common questions.

• plans starting at $10/user/month
• free trial
• unlimited calls to US and Canada
• voicemail to text
• IVR and extensions
• toll-free phone numbers

Loop Communications

Loop Communications’ core focus is to provide hosted business phone systems to small businesses and mid-sized companies within the United States and Canada. Cordless, desk, conference phones and headset are all available for purchase accompanied by self-described passionate customer support and flexible contracts.

• plans starting at $17/month
• unlimited calling within the United States
• no long-term contract
• Direct Dial other locations or have one number route to multiple locations
• call routing

CloudTalk

With CloudTalk’s cloud-based business phone system, CloudTalk Voice, you can interconnect branches, departments and team members without any hassle. Literally all you’ll require is your internet browser and a headset and you’ll be ready to make your first calls.

• plans starting at $15 per user/month billed annually
• 14-day free trial
• call recording
• each user, agent, caller queue or department can have their own personalized number or extension
• toll free numbers
• International numbers
• customized call queues

Verizon

Verizon VoIP Business Digital Voice is a professional communications solution that works over a secure cloud-based VoIP connection. There are 45+ calling features, including automatic call forwarding, voicemail to email and seamless call transfer between devices. Plus if your business is on the larger side, Verizon makes it easy to order additional lines.

• mobile leader
• built-in bring-your-own-device (BYOD) solutions
• unlimited nationwide calling
• secure VoIP network
• full-service connections
• fiber-optic internet

CallHippo

CallHippo helps businesses deliver smoother customer service with IVR, smart call routing, live call monitoring and more. You’re able to buy numbers from more than 50 countries worldwide.

• plans starting at $14 per user/month
• free number
• forward calls to multiple devices
• call recording, voicemail transcription
• SDAP : Patent Pending Technology
• iOS and Android App
• integrations with Slack, Zoho, Zendesk, and more

Freshcaller

Freshcaller is a modern cloud-based architecture phone system that brings together legacy features with new advanced capabilities like Smart Escalations and Custom Call Center Analytics. The company offers phone numbers in over 90 countries globally.

• 21-day trial with access to all features
• easy number management
• custom reporting
• advanced inbound routing engine
• virtually monitor every conversation

Dialpad

Dialpad Talk is a cloud based business phone system that includes voice intelligence features like real-time transcription and post-call summaries with highlighted action items. This VoIP option is easily integrated with other important applications like G Suite, Salesforce, and Zendesk.

• plans starting at $15 per user/month
• free 14-day trial
• unlimited calling, SMS, MMS
• custom voicemail greeting
• custom routing
• G Suite & Office 365 Integrations and more

Bitrix24

Bitrix24, founded since 1998, is a free social knowledge management and collaboration platform used by 4 million+ companies worldwide. This VoIP solution is available in both cloud and on-premise format with open source code access.

• free plan available
• online file storage, file sharing and document management
• offers a fully-featured CRM
• customizable self-hosted editions
• Private Cloud Suite

SIP.US

SIP.US is a business-class Session Initiation Protocol trunk service provider for IP-PBX systems and analog/digital telephone adapters. They work with an Internet connection and setup is easy leaving you in full control via an interface that enable managing all aspects of your SIP account including, adding or changing your service and reviewing or exporting real-time call data records.

• pricing plan of $24.95 per month
• prepaid pricing with no contract
• powerful easy-to-use control panel
• Call Data Records (CDRs)
• tier-1 upstream providers to route traffic
• own bandwidth

3CX

3CX Phone System’s installation and maintenance can be handled effortlessly whether its been installed on-premises on Windows or Linux, on an appliance or server, or on the cloud. It’s super user friendly and enables remote managers to view, listen and transfer calls as well as keep track of team activity.

• free plan available up to 16 users
• unlimited users
• choose your own SIP Trunk
• CRM integration
• WebRTC Web Conferencing
• mobile apps

GoToConnect

GoToConnect (formerly Jive) delivers business telephone systems and services to organizations large and small. There are five various pricing tiers accompanied by over 35 productivity features.

• plans starting at $19.95/user/month
• cloud PBX
• call routing
• unlimited call queues
• international calling
• 250 meeting participants

MessageBird

MessageBird is a communications platform-as-a-service company that’s on a mission to modernize and simplify the overcomplicated space of customer communication. The SMS, Voice and Conversations APIs make contact easier, more efficient and more accessible.

• offers free plan
• 24/7 support
• unlimited team members
• equipped with auto-scaling APIs
• integration with WhatsApp Business
• Flow Builder

Weave

Weave is a technology company aimed at helping practitioners and office managers increase and maintain their patient and client base by building and retaining stronger relationships. The smart phone system provides key insights on things like heavy call times and other actionable intel.

• no contracts
• see all the important information about a customer before you start a call
• schedule messaging
• customize any phone experience
• weave’s mobile app
• team chat
• dedicated business line

ZoiPer

ZoiPer is both an on-premise and cloud-based softphone solution that caters to service providers, call centers, VoIP integrators, mobile operators and businesses that require softphones independent of their service provider. It aggregates contacts from various sources such as Outlook, Windows, Android, iOS and all incoming calls to create an address book.

• unified VoIP communication
• free calls among ZoiPer users
• compatible with Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iOS and browsers
• end-to-end free encryption for texts, voice calls and video calls
• custom interface to best fit your user’s experience

Last Call

According to Top 10 VoIP List, business owners commonly switch to VoIP because of a growing need for increased productivity when managing customer support channels.

A desire for improved customer experience and faster response times is also up there along with dissatisfaction with high telecom costs.

If any of this sounds relatable, check out the listed solutions and be on your way to improved connectivity and business performance today!