This blog post was updated on Jun 19, 2024
It was originally published on Oct 1, 2019
In this post, we will compare the most popular VoIP (voice over Internet protocol) services to assist you in finding which one is the most suitable for your organization. Our evaluation of the services is based on business use, so we will only review VoIP service providers that cater specifically to small to medium-sized businesses.
You may already know that a VoIP service can potentially save up to 40 % on local calls, and up to 90 % on international calls. But, cost saving isn’t the only objective when adopting a VoIP phone system. We have elaborated on the various benefits of VoIP phone systems in our previous blog.
A novel use of VoIP is seen in omnichannel customer service. A Zendesk survey reveals that despite the growing use of email and social media channels, customers still rely heavily on phone calls. In fact, 71% of customers will call you when their email goes unanswered. Now that’s another solid reason to invest in VoIP.
Which is the best VoIP solution for small businesses?
So let’s get down to the main point. Here’s our list of the Best VoIP Phone Systems For Small Business:
We’ll evaluate each VoIP service in detail in the following sections.
1. RingCentral
RingCentral is a well-known brand among businesses familiar with VoIP. RingEX is their feature-packed flagship product that comes loaded with all the features that customers can expect from a business phone system. RingCentral is truly a Unified-communications-as-a-service (UCaaS) provider as it offers options ranging from chat and video conferencing to mobile VoIP, and many others, all of which can be managed from a unified central console.
This feature-rich experience comes at a competitive price. Besides, the company also offers advanced capabilities such as custom app development and integrations, and artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities, which provide AI meeting transcription, summaries, and insights.
Benefits of RingCentral VoIP
Wide range of features
Generous toll-free minutes
Unlimited video conferencing
AI meeting transcription and call analysis
Numerous add-on apps
Drawbacks of RingCentral VoIP
The lower-end plan lacks some essential features while the higher-end plans are pricey.
Their multi-year contracts, although cheaper, can be tedious to get out of.
Verdict
RingCentral offers a comprehensive VoIP solution that includes virtually every feature a small to medium-sized business may need. However, given the price and deep set of business features on offer, RingCentral is more suitable for businesses handling high call volume and in need of comprehensive business communication capabilities.
2. 8x8
8x8 offers two sets of plans. The first one called “8x8 Express” focuses on small business owners. The other one is the “X Series”, which offers more features and is tailored for mid to large businesses. 8x8 VoIP is relatively easy to set up and use. Its plans offer all the usual features such as Multi-level Auto Attendant, Call Handling, Presence Detection, Voicemail, Team Messaging & Business SMS, etc.
It also has multi-channel 24/7 customer support and an online knowledge base that is on point. In addition, their X-series plans give unmetered outbound calls to 14 countries on even the most basic plan, while on higher plans you can opt for metered or unmetered bundles. 8x8 is constantly evolving, adding new features such as the “8x8 Frontdesk for receptionists and operators, " allowing businesses to emulate traditional receptionist desks.
Benefits of 8x8 VoIP
Configuration and setup are simple
Plenty of standard features
International calling is inexpensive
Solid mobile and desktop capability
Frontdesk feature for receptionists and operators
Drawbacks of 8x8 VoIP
Missing some productivity features
Their application integration capabilities could be better
Verdict
8×8 VoIP service is a solid choice in terms of service, features, and pricing. It offers an abundant set of features without hefty bills. Its service is most helpful for businesses that are regular international callers. In fact in international call rates, they are practically unbeatable.
3. Vonage
Vonage is another popular VoIP service provider. In their earlier days, Vonage brought VoIP to the mainstream for residential users, and now, Vonage is building a world-class, cloud communications platform for businesses. It offers comprehensive business communication solutions including UCaaS and contact centers as a service (CCaaS).
Vonage Business Communications, which is their flagship product for small and medium businesses, has a strong feature set and pricing. It offers a unified communications platform that enables businesses to connect with their users via voice, chat, text messaging, and video conferencing. In addition, it offers a wide range of functionalities including useful administrative features and API integrations.
Vonage offers 3 tiered plans - Mobile, Premium, and Advanced, with many add-on features that can be purchased separately. This makes their pricing flexible and competitive, but if you start customizing your plans by adding features, your monthly bills can quickly add up to a significant amount.
Benefits of Vonage VoIP
A wide range of add-on features
Flexible pricing
A large number of CRM integrations
AI Virtual Receptionist
Impressive Admin console
Drawbacks Of Vonage VoIP
The basic plan lacks many useful features while the advanced plan is pricey.
The add-on features are great but come at a price.
Verdict
Vonage is a solid choice for small and medium businesses looking for a wide range of features and robust administrative controls. The basic plan lacks some useful business features, and while the add-on features fill in some of those requirements, they can significantly bump up your monthly bill.
4. Nextiva
Nextiva is another popular VoIP service available in the US and Canada. Nextiva offers all the standard VoIP features such as cloud PBX, number porting, mobile call management, free toll-free number, unlimited US calling, voicemail to email, etc. In addition, they also offer Internet Fax, marketing tools, CRM, as well as Unified Communications options.
Nextiva offers 3 tiered plans - Essential, Professional, and Enterprise. It is simple to get started and scale up as your business grows. They boast 99.999% uptime, which highlights their commitment to quality and reliability.
While it does offer many essential features, some features that competitors provide by default are only available at Nextiva's highest pricing tier. For example, call recording is only available on the Enterprise plan, and video calling is limited to 45 minutes in length on the Essential plan. Nextiva isn't the cheapest solution nor the most feature-packed one. It is a middle-of-the-pack solution that does a lot of things right.
Benefits Of Nextiva VoIP
Feature-rich plans
99.999% uptime
Free setup and installation
Integration with Google and Microsoft
Comprehensive analytics and reports
Drawbacks of Nextiva VoIP
The Basic plan lacks important business features
Contract cancellation can be tedious
Verdict
Nextiva has a solid offering for small and medium businesses looking for a balance between cost and features. While the higher-end plans are feature-packed, the basic plan, yet again, has limited features. Although there is the option of add-on features, they come at a price.
4. Dialpad
Dialpad is a comprehensive VoIP platform that offers voice calling, messaging, and meetings in application. It offers 3 business communication plans: Standard, Pro, and Enterprise. All plans include unlimited calling, HD voice, business phone numbers (one local number per user), multi-level auto attendant, SMS, MMS, and team messaging.
Dialpad offers a wide range of business features, including voicemail transcription and call recording on even the basic plan. However, some features, such as international texting and additional phone numbers, require upgrading to a higher tier.
What we like:
100% uptime on Enterprise plan
Key features such as voicemail transcription and call recording are available even on the basic plan
Real-time analytics and reporting
Integrations with popular CRMs
What could be better:
Lacks call quality information in the analytics report
Video conferencing is limited to 10 meeting participants on the basic plan.
Verdict:
Dialpad is a relatively newer entrant in the business phone systems market that packs a serious punch thanks to its focus on software-based communications services. Although, it lacks many features offered by larger competitors, at its price point, most small and medium-sized businesses wouldn’t mind those missing features. Overall, Dialpad is a solid business phone system, especially for those businesses that are planning to deploy only softphones.
What Features Should You Look For In A Business VoIP?
In this post, we evaluated a few of the most popular VoIP service providers. At a glance, their offerings and pricing appear similar. In addition to the plans and pricing, there are other important features that are more relevant for businesses.
So, before deciding on a VoIP service, take into consideration the following:
1. Call Management
Arguably, the most important feature of a VoIP platform is its ability to manage call traffic. This can be done based on your available resources as well as business requirements.
What happens when there is a large volume of incoming calls? Your system should be able to queue the calls and then distribute them to various extensions based on availability.
Calls may also be seamlessly routed to mobile phones, remote workers, or a voicemail of your choice. Advanced features such as Artificial Learning (AI) can also be used for routing calls to the most efficient or relevant line.
It isn't enough for the features to be there if you can't locate or use them. So, look for a VoIP service that offers feature-rich call management with an intuitive platform.
2. Mobile Apps
The mobility of employees is an important element of all modern-day businesses. If your employees will be on the go quite often, you should choose a VoIP service provider that offers a mobile app. Unfortunately, many VoIP plans either do not offer mobile apps or are limited in features when compared to their desktop versions. So, if the mobility of your employees is important, then choose a VoIP service that offers a feature-rich mobile app.
3. Third-party Integrations
In essence, VoIP is software so the VoIP service providers are able to provide a number of integrations that include apps such as Dropbox, Google Drive, etc. Many of your workflows likely depend on such integrations and therefore these integrations are critical for efficiency.
If you wish to create your own custom integration, you will need API (application programming interface) support. Not all VoIP vendors support APIs, so you need to find one that does.
4. Security
When using any internet-connected cloud-based service such as VoIP, security must your key concern. Always look for vendors that provide end-to-end encryption. Advanced security options such as multi-factor authentication are also necessary. Also, get a clear understanding of your service contracts. The contracts must clearly define the ownership of the data stored in the cloud.
5. Customer Support
Like any other product or service, some amount of customer support is necessary for your VoIP to function well. Look for a vendor who can provide customer support that guarantees your requests will be handled in a timely manner. When doing your research online, be careful not to get carried away by the heat many VoIP service providers get online. Most of the time the reviewers are not aware of the features and capabilities of their VoIP service.
Conclusion
For small and medium businesses, VoIP is an attractive communication platform because of its cost and flexibility advantages. Choosing the right VoIP service and selecting which features to implement requires thorough research and careful decision-making. This post gives you an evaluation of the most popular VoIP services as well as the key features you need to consider. Now you have the tools necessary to select the best VoIP service for your business.
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About The Author
Hari SubediMarketing Manager at Jones IT
Hari is an online marketing professional with a focus on content marketing. He writes on topics related to IT, Security, Small Business, and Mindfulness. He is also the founder and managing director of Girivar Kft., a business services company located in Budapest, Hungary.