Most popular in 2025
Nextiva
Nextiva has carved out a distinctive position in the VoIP market by combining enterprise-grade communication tools with genuinely exceptional customer support, making advanced business phone technology accessible to growing companies. What sets them apart is their philosophy of providing not just a phone system, but a complete unified communications platform that includes built-in CRM functionality—something most competitors charge extra for or don't offer at all. The platform shines brightest for mid-sized businesses and scaling startups that need professional communication tools without the complexity of traditional enterprise systems. Their generative AI knowledge base and automated dispositioning streamline customer interactions, while features like real-time transcription, summarization, and language detection bring sophisticated capabilities typically reserved for much larger organizations. The secure payment agent assist functionality particularly appeals to businesses handling transactions over the phone, adding a layer of PCI compliance that many VoIP providers overlook. What consistently earns Nextiva praise is their white-glove onboarding process and responsive support team. Users regularly highlight the intuitive interface that requires minimal training, allowing teams to become productive quickly. The real-time dashboards and customizable reports provide visibility into call patterns and team performance without requiring technical expertise. However, prospective customers should understand Nextiva's pricing structure carefully. While the entry point of fifteen dollars per user appears competitive, unlocking their more advanced AI-powered features means jumping to higher-tier plans that can reach seventy-five dollars monthly. Additionally, securing the best rates typically requires committing to annual contracts rather than month-to-month flexibility. For businesses confident in their growth trajectory and willing to invest in premium support and integrated tools, Nextiva delivers substantial value. Those with tighter budgets or uncertain long-term needs might find themselves paying for capabilities they're not ready to utilize.
Zoom Phone
Zoom Phone emerged from the videoconferencing giant's DNA, bringing that same "it just works" philosophy to business telephony. For organizations already living in Zoom Meetings, it's the natural evolution of their communications stack—though that familiarity comes with a catch. The system's standout quality is its seamless integration with Zoom's video platform. Users can escalate voice calls to video meetings with a single click, share screens mid-conversation, and manage everything through the interface they already know. This unified experience eliminates the friction of juggling multiple apps, making it particularly attractive for remote-first companies and distributed teams that prioritize visual collaboration alongside traditional phone calls. Pricing sits comfortably in the mid-range at $15.99 to $29.99 per user monthly, competitive considering you're getting enterprise-grade reliability backed by Zoom's infrastructure. The platform supports both modern workflows through its mobile and desktop apps and traditional preferences via desk phone compatibility. Essential features like call recording, forwarding, voicemail, and blocking are all present, alongside more sophisticated capabilities like call delegation for executive-assistant setups. However, Zoom Phone isn't trying to be everything to everyone. Organizations requiring advanced call center functionality or complex auto-attendant trees might find it somewhat limited compared to legacy PBX replacements. The requirement for a Zoom Meetings license also means you're effectively committed to Zoom's ecosystem—beneficial if that's your direction anyway, less ideal if you prefer best-of-breed tools. With 4.40 stars across 5,100 reviews and a generous 30-day trial, Zoom Phone has clearly resonated with businesses seeking straightforward, reliable phone service that complements their existing collaboration tools rather than complicating them. It's telephony for the Zoom generation.
CloudTalk
CloudTalk positions itself as the VoIP solution built specifically for revenue-generating teams, and that focus shows in every aspect of its design. While many phone systems try to be everything to everyone, CloudTalk zeroes in on what sales and support teams actually need to close deals and resolve issues efficiently. At its core, CloudTalk delivers a power dialer that transforms how outbound teams operate. Representatives can burn through call lists with automated dialing, intelligent call routing, and seamless CRM integrations that surface customer data the moment a call connects. The system supports over 140 countries for international calling, making it particularly valuable for companies with global operations or diverse customer bases. Real-time analytics and call monitoring give managers visibility into team performance without interrupting workflow. The platform shines brightest for small to medium-sized businesses running dedicated sales or customer support operations. Teams using CRMs like HubSpot, Pipedrive, or Salesforce will appreciate the native integrations that eliminate constant tab-switching. CloudTalk's 14-day free trial offers a genuine test drive, with pricing starting at $19 per user monthly for basic functionality. However, the advertised entry price tells only part of the story. Many teams find themselves needing add-ons for features like advanced analytics or additional integrations, which can push costs toward the $49 upper tier or beyond. Unlike competitors investing heavily in unified communications, CloudTalk maintains minimal video capabilities, staying laser-focused on voice communication instead. With a solid 4.40-star rating across 380 reviews, CloudTalk has proven its worth where it matters most: helping teams have more conversations, close more deals, and support customers effectively. For organizations prioritizing call volume and quality over video meetings, that specialization becomes a significant advantage rather than a limitation.
Dialpad
Dialpad has positioned itself as the AI-first communications platform in an industry where most providers have simply bolted artificial intelligence onto legacy systems. Built from the ground up with machine learning at its core, Dialpad doesn't just offer voice calls—it transforms conversations into actionable business intelligence. What sets Dialpad apart is its proprietary Voice Intelligence technology, which transcribes calls in real-time and analyzes conversations to surface insights that would otherwise be lost. Sales teams can review AI-generated recaps instead of listening to hour-long calls, while managers use AI Scorecards to evaluate performance across objective criteria. The AI Live Coach feature provides real-time prompts during calls, helping representatives navigate difficult conversations or remember to mention key talking points. For training purposes, AI Playbooks capture best practices from top performers and make them accessible to the entire team. The platform targets forward-thinking businesses that view communication data as a strategic asset. Sales organizations particularly benefit from the AI sales assistant, which identifies objections, tracks sentiment, and highlights competitors mentioned during calls. Customer support teams leverage AI transcription to ensure accurate record-keeping and faster issue resolution. Dialpad's interface feels decidedly modern compared to traditional business phone systems, with exceptional mobile functionality that genuinely rivals the desktop experience. Implementation is straightforward, and the pricing structure starting at fifteen dollars per user makes the basic platform accessible to growing teams. However, unlocking Dialpad's full AI capabilities requires higher-tier plans that can become expensive, especially for smaller organizations. Some of the more innovative features remain in beta, which means occasional quirks and limitations. For companies prioritizing cutting-edge AI over rock-solid stability, these trade-offs may be worthwhile. For others seeking proven, traditional telephony, more established providers might be safer choices.
RingCentral
RingCentral has established itself as the enterprise workhorse of VoIP solutions, built for organizations that need a communication platform capable of scaling from small teams to thousands of users without missing a beat. What sets it apart is its all-in-one approach—this isn't just phone service, it's a complete unified communications ecosystem that brings voice, video, team messaging, and SMS together in one cohesive platform. The system shines brightest for mid-sized to large businesses that have outgrown basic phone systems but need something reliable enough to stake their daily operations on. With an extensive integration library spanning over 350 applications, RingCentral connects seamlessly into existing tech stacks, from Salesforce and Microsoft 365 to Slack and Google Workspace. This makes it particularly valuable for companies already invested in business software ecosystems. RingCentral's feature depth is genuinely impressive. The Interactive Voice Response system includes a drag-and-drop editor that lets non-technical staff build sophisticated call flows. Call flip allows conversations to move seamlessly between devices mid-call—starting on your desk phone and finishing on your mobile as you head out the door. The visual voicemail transcription and business SMS capabilities ensure no message falls through the cracks, while automatic call recording provides compliance peace of mind. The mobile experience deserves special mention—it's not a stripped-down version but rather a full-featured app that genuinely enables remote work. However, this comprehensiveness comes with trade-offs. At $39 to $60 per user monthly, costs accumulate quickly for larger teams. The platform's extensive capabilities also mean there's a legitimate learning curve, particularly when configuring advanced features. For organizations prioritizing reliability, feature richness, and professional-grade communications, RingCentral delivers. Just ensure your budget and training plans account for the investment required.
Aircall
Aircall has carved out a distinctive niche in the crowded VoIP market by laser-focusing on what sales and support teams actually need in their daily workflows. Rather than trying to be everything to everyone, this cloud-based phone system doubles down on seamless CRM integration and user-friendly design, making it a go-to choice for customer-facing teams that live and breathe in platforms like Salesforce, HubSpot, and Zendesk. What sets Aircall apart is its philosophy that your phone system should adapt to your existing tech stack, not the other way around. The platform integrates with over 100 business tools, allowing conversation data to flow directly into your CRM records without manual logging. For sales development reps making dozens of calls daily or support agents juggling multiple customer conversations, this automation eliminates busywork and keeps focus where it belongs. The system includes all the essentials you'd expect—intelligent call routing, customizable IVR menus, voicemail transcription, and configurable business hours—but delivers them through an interface that new team members can master in minutes rather than days. International and toll-free numbers come standard, while the analytics dashboard provides real-time insights into team performance and call patterns. However, prospective buyers should carefully consider the per-user pricing structure, which ranges from $40 to $70 monthly per seat. For rapidly growing teams, these costs accumulate quickly and may exceed budget expectations. Additionally, organizations seeking robust video conferencing capabilities will find Aircall's offerings limited compared to unified communications platforms. Aircall truly shines for small to mid-sized companies with dedicated sales or customer support operations who prioritize CRM connectivity and deployment simplicity over feature breadth. The seven-day free trial provides ample opportunity to test whether its focused approach aligns with your team's communication needs.
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Medical Practices
In a medical practice, every missed call could mean a patient in pain waiting for relief, a critical lab result going unreported, or an appointment slot sitting empty while your waiting room overflows. The communication demands of modern healthcare don't just require a phone system—they require a HIPAA-compliant command center that keeps patient information secure while ensuring no health concern slips through the cracks. Medical practices face a unique communication paradox: staff need constant accessibility for urgent matters while maintaining strict privacy protocols that protect sensitive health information. Traditional phone systems create bottlenecks when multiple patients call simultaneously during peak morning hours, forcing callers into endless hold queues or worse—voicemail limbo where urgent symptoms might deteriorate before someone returns the call. Meanwhile, physicians moving between exam rooms, nurses coordinating care across departments, and front desk staff juggling check-ins all need seamless connectivity without compromising patient confidentiality. VoIP technology transforms these challenges into streamlined workflows through encrypted call routing that maintains HIPAA compliance while directing patients to the right department instantly. When appointment confirmations and prescription refill requests flow through automated systems, staff reclaim hours previously lost to repetitive phone tasks, redirecting that energy toward actual patient care. Integrated voicemail-to-text features allow providers to triage messages between patients without breaking sterile fields or interrupting examinations, while call analytics reveal patterns—like chronic no-shows or peak call times—that inform better scheduling decisions. The real power emerges during staff transitions: when medical assistants leave for the day, calls automatically forward to on-call nurses without patients noticing the handoff. Remote physicians can access the practice line from home, maintaining professional presence without maintaining outdated hardware. For practices juggling a dozen employees across multiple examination rooms, VoIP doesn't just connect calls—it orchestrates the complex ballet of modern healthcare delivery while keeping patient privacy sacred.
Marketing Agencies
Marketing agencies live and die by responsiveness. When a client calls with urgent feedback on a campaign going live in hours, or a prospect reaches out after seeing your work, those moments can't wait. Yet with creative teams scattered across home offices, coworking spaces, and client sites, traditional phone systems create communication bottlenecks that cost agencies both money and reputation. The challenge runs deeper than just answering calls. Account managers juggle multiple client relationships simultaneously, designers need quick clarifications without breaking creative flow, and strategists require seamless collaboration across time zones. A missed call from a client often means they're already dialing your competitor. Meanwhile, the team wastes billable hours playing phone tag or struggling to track which conversations happened where. VoIP phone systems transform this chaos into coordinated efficiency. When client calls automatically ring across multiple team members' devices, someone always picks up, even if the account lead is presenting elsewhere. Integrated messaging lets designers quickly confirm direction without scheduling calls, while call recording ensures everyone captures client feedback accurately the first time. For agencies managing remote teams across different markets, features like virtual extensions and unified communications mean a New York client never knows the designer they're praising works from Austin. The financial impact matters too. Marketing agencies with modest teams can't justify expensive phone infrastructure, yet they need enterprise-level features to compete for premium clients. Cloud-based VoIP delivers call analytics showing which campaigns drive the most inquiries, professional auto-attendants that make boutique agencies sound established, and the flexibility to scale phone capacity up during pitch season without hardware investments. When your business depends on building relationships and delivering on tight deadlines, communication infrastructure isn't overhead, it's competitive advantage.
Insurance Agencies
Insurance agencies operate in a high-stakes environment where every phone call could represent a significant claim, a new policy opportunity, or a customer in urgent need of assistance. When a client calls about an accident or property damage, they expect immediate answers and seamless service, not busy signals or voicemail dead ends. For the typical agency with a dozen employees managing hundreds of active policies, traditional phone systems create bottlenecks that can cost both revenue and client relationships. The communication challenges facing insurance agencies are uniquely demanding. Agents frequently work split schedules between office hours and field appointments, requiring the ability to handle client calls from multiple locations. During storm season or major incidents, call volumes can spike dramatically within hours, overwhelming standard phone infrastructure. Meanwhile, compliance requirements mandate that certain conversations be recorded and archived, adding another layer of complexity to everyday operations. Modern VoIP phone systems address these specific pain points by enabling true mobility for agents who need to quote policies from home, process claims from client sites, or provide after-hours emergency support without personal cell phone exposure. Advanced call routing ensures that claims calls reach the appropriate specialist immediately, while queue management prevents frustrated clients from abandoning calls during busy periods. Integration with agency management systems allows representatives to see policy details before answering, creating more informed and efficient conversations. For agencies competing in crowded markets, communication quality directly impacts retention and growth. VoIP solutions provide the professional multi-line presence of larger firms while offering the flexibility and cost efficiency that medium-sized agencies require. The ability to scale phone capacity during peak periods, maintain business continuity during office closures, and deliver consistent service across all channels transforms communication from a operational challenge into a competitive advantage.
Real Estate Agencies
Real estate agents live between properties, coffee shop meetings, and their cars—rarely at a desk. When a potential buyer calls about that perfect three-bedroom listing, the agent showing another property across town can't afford to let it go to voicemail. In an industry where timing determines whether a deal happens or evaporates, communication infrastructure needs to move as fast as the agents do. Traditional phone systems anchor real estate agencies to physical offices that most agents visit maybe twice a week. Meanwhile, property inquiries flood in at all hours, showing requests need immediate coordination, and clients expect responses within minutes, not hours. A small agency with eight people might be managing dozens of active listings, hundreds of inquiries, and constant scheduling gymnastics for property viewings. Without flexible communication tools, opportunities slip away to competitors who answered first. VoIP phone systems transform smartphones into full-featured business lines that follow agents wherever deals take them. An agent can seamlessly transfer a buyer's call to the listing specialist while walking between showings, without fumbling with personal cell phone forwards or explaining why they're calling from an unknown number. Shared voicemail boxes ensure urgent property inquiries get handled even when the primary agent is unavailable, while call routing directs commercial property questions to the right specialist automatically. The difference becomes clear during peak buying seasons when every minute counts. Instead of playing phone tag or losing prospects to delayed responses, agencies can maintain professional availability that matches their clients' urgency. Virtual receptionists answer calls professionally with the agency's name, extensions connect directly to mobile devices, and conference calling brings together buyers, sellers, and mortgage brokers from separate locations. For an industry built entirely on relationships and responsiveness, VoIP removes the communication barriers that desk phones created.
Dental Offices
Running a dental practice means juggling dozens of patient calls while your hands are literally inside someone's mouth. When your front desk is overwhelmed with appointment requests, insurance verifications, and anxious patients asking about post-procedure care, missed calls translate directly to lost revenue and frustrated patients who'll simply call the competitor down the street. Modern dental offices face unique communication challenges that traditional phone systems can't adequately address. With an average team of eight people managing multiple treatment rooms, emergencies, and often satellite locations, your phone system needs to work as efficiently as your dental equipment. A patient calling about a knocked-out tooth at 6 PM can't wait until tomorrow, and your after-hours emergency protocol needs to route that call to the right provider immediately, not send them to a generic voicemail. VoIP technology transforms these communication headaches into streamlined workflows. Automated appointment reminders reduce no-shows that cost your practice thousands monthly in lost chair time. When patients inevitably call back asking "which tooth did you say needs the crown?" your staff can access call recordings and notes from any location, whether they're at your main office or covering your newer satellite practice across town. Integration with practice management software means incoming calls can automatically pull up patient records, eliminating the awkward "can you spell your last name?" conversation with someone who's been your patient for five years. The real game-changer is mobility. Your hygienist can forward calls to their cell when they're the on-call emergency contact, while still maintaining your office's professional caller ID. You're not just upgrading phones—you're eliminating the communication friction that keeps your team from focusing on what matters: delivering exceptional dental care without the constant anxiety of wondering which important calls you might have missed.
Veterinary Clinics
In veterinary clinics, every phone call could be a pet owner desperately seeking help for their beloved companion. When Mrs. Rodriguez calls at 8 PM because her dog ingested something toxic, or when a concerned cat owner needs immediate guidance about unusual symptoms, the communication system can't simply roll to voicemail. These aren't just business calls—they're urgent requests from people whose family members happen to have four legs and fur. Traditional phone systems create significant challenges for veterinary practices. Receptionists juggling walk-in clients while fielding calls often miss important messages. Pet owners frustrated by busy signals may choose a competitor who answers promptly. Meanwhile, veterinarians performing procedures can't be interrupted, yet they need to know which calls truly require immediate attention versus routine appointment requests. Modern VoIP solutions transform how veterinary clinics manage this delicate communication balance. Intelligent call routing ensures emergency calls reach on-call veterinarians directly while routing appointment requests appropriately. When Dr. Chen finishes surgery, she can review voicemail transcriptions instantly rather than listening to dozens of messages. The system integrates with practice management software, displaying patient records when owners call, enabling staff to provide personalized service without putting callers on hold while searching for information. After-hours communication becomes manageable rather than overwhelming. Automated attendants guide callers through options—pressing one for genuine emergencies, two for prescription refills, three for appointment scheduling. Pet owners appreciate text message confirmations for appointments and post-procedure updates, reducing callback volume. Multi-location practices benefit from unified systems where calls overflow between offices, ensuring someone always answers. For veterinary clinics where compassionate, responsive communication directly impacts patient outcomes and client retention, VoIP technology isn't just convenient—it's essential infrastructure that supports the practice's fundamental mission of caring for animals and supporting their human families.
Chiropractors
Chiropractic practices operate in a unique space where every missed call could mean a patient in pain waiting another day for relief. With small teams typically managing just five staff members, these practices can't afford dedicated receptionists monitoring multiple phone lines, yet they face constant interruptions from new patient inquiries, existing patients calling about treatment adjustments, and the endless back-and-forth with insurance companies. The communication challenges in chiropractic care are particularly acute during peak hours when patients arrive for adjustments while phones ring incessantly with insurance verification requests. A traditional phone system forces staff to choose between greeting the patient standing at the desk or answering the call from someone barely able to walk due to back pain. This impossible choice happens dozens of times daily in busy practices. VoIP phone systems transform this chaotic scenario by enabling intelligent call routing that sends insurance-related calls to voicemail during treatment hours while prioritizing urgent patient needs. Auto-attendants can guide callers through options like requesting prescription refills, checking appointment availability, or reaching the billing department without tying up the front desk. When chiropractors are hands-on with patients, calls automatically route to available staff members or mobile devices, ensuring no patient inquiry goes unanswered. The new patient intake process particularly benefits from VoIP capabilities. Potential patients often call multiple practices when seeking relief, and the first one to respond typically wins their business. With mobile apps and softphone integration, staff can return these calls immediately, even while managing in-office responsibilities. Call recording features also prove invaluable when documenting insurance authorization conversations, eliminating disputes about coverage approvals. For practices managing just a handful of employees, VoIP delivers enterprise-level communication capabilities without requiring IT expertise or significant infrastructure investment, allowing chiropractors to focus on patient care rather than phone management.
Auto Dealerships
The automotive sales floor never sleeps, and neither do the phone lines at a successful auto dealership. Between prospective buyers calling about that certified pre-owned SUV they saw online, existing customers needing service appointments, and the parts department fielding inquiries from independent mechanics, a typical 25-person dealership handles hundreds of calls daily across sales, service, and finance departments. When communication systems falter, deals literally drive off the lot to competitors down the street. Traditional phone systems create costly bottlenecks in dealerships where timing is everything. A sales associate test-driving a vehicle with one customer can't simultaneously answer calls from three other hot prospects, and service advisors juggling bay assignments can't afford to miss appointment requests during peak morning hours. The finance office needs private lines for discussing sensitive lending details, while the general manager requires instant access to all departments without playing phone tag. Without intelligent call routing and mobile integration, dealerships lose opportunities every single day. Modern VoIP solutions transform these communication challenges into competitive advantages. Sales teams can receive calls on their mobile devices while walking the lot, ensuring no lead goes unanswered. Service departments implement automated appointment confirmations and reminder calls, dramatically reducing no-shows that leave technician bays empty and revenue on the table. Call analytics reveal peak inquiry times, helping managers optimize staffing schedules, while CRM integration ensures every caller's purchase history and service records appear instantly on screen. For dealerships operating across multiple locations or managing separate collision centers and body shops, VoIP unifies communications under one system with transparent inter-location transfers. The ability to quickly reassign calls during inventory walk-throughs or test drives means every customer interaction becomes a potential sale, not a missed opportunity gathering dust in voicemail.
How-to guides
How to Set Up a Business Phone Number
How do I get a professional business phone number for my company?
How to Set Up Call Forwarding on Your VoIP System
How do I forward calls to another number?
How to Transfer Calls Between Extensions
How do I transfer a call to another person or department?