10 Leading Phone Services for Small Businesses

Small businesses often make do with personal or traditional phones when they start. However, as they grow, they need something more scalable, feature-rich, customizable, and collaborative – a phone system designed for businesses.

Here is where VoIP come into play. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) is a technology that facilitates incoming and outgoing calls through the internet.

While the VoIP phone system does everything a regular phone does, it also has several business-friendly features, such as s, call transfer, video conferencing, etc., that help streamline communications.

But how do you choose small business phone service providers or set up the phone system? Let us find out.

Table: 10 best phone services for small businesses

List: 10 top VoIP phone system for small businesses

1. Ringover

Ringover is a cloud-based virtual phone system for small businesses designed to meet the communication needs of small businesses. It offers a complete business phone system with features such as unlimited calling, call routing, voicemail-to-email, CRM integrations with popular software like Hubspot and Salesforce, and analytics. Ringover provides easy setup, scalability, and omnichannel communication capabilities, making it an ideal choice for small businesses looking for a flexible and efficient virtual phone system.

Ringover Pricing💲

This Internet phone service for small business has three plans available, allowing you to scale your service depending on your business needs. Subscribe to the Smart plan at £19 per user/month, the Business plan at £39 per user/month, or the Advanced plan at £49 per user/month.

2. Five9

Five9 is an IP phone that also focuses on customer engagement. It offers features such as toll-free numbers, call forwarding, voicemail, and text messages, making it a convenient choice for businesses who want to develop a strong customer relationship via communications.

Five9 Pricing💲

Because Five9 doesn't list their prices in British pounds, you'll need to reach out to them to get an accurate idea of the budget required to subscribe to their service. But looking at their pricing in dollars can give you an idea of what you'd be required to spend.

Their plans range from $150 to $230 per user/month. Just pay attention to what's offered in the plans because Five9 separates their voice and digital communications services. If you want to receive a service comparable to Ringover, which offers omnichannel communications, you might have to purchase two plans.

3. Nextiva

Nextiva provides a cloud-based business phone system that includes VoIP software, fax, and team messaging solutions. It offers advanced features like auto attendant, call recording, and CRM integrations with options like Freshsales, Zoho, and Pipedrive, making it suitable for small businesses looking for a comprehensive omnichannel contact centre software.

Nextiva Pricing💲

Unfortunately, Nextiva doesn't provide their prices in pounds.

But you can approximate the costs by taking a look at the rates listed in dollars. For the softphone service, there are three options listed on Nextiva's website. You can subscribe to the Essential plan for about $19 per user/month, the Professional plan at about $23 per user/month, or the Enterprise option at $33 per user/month if you have more developed needs.

4. Ooma Office

Ooma Office is a VoIP phone system that caters to small businesses, offering features such as a virtual receptionist, extension dialling, and conference calls. It provides a reliable and cost-effective solution for small businesses seeking to streamline their communication infrastructure.

Ooma Office Pricing💲

Ooma only provides pricing information on request, so if you want to understand the budget required for this service you'll need to get in touch with their sales team.

5. 8x8

8x8 provides a range of communication and collaboration solutions, including cloud-based phone systems, video conferencing, and team messaging. Small businesses can benefit from its unified communications platform, which offers flexibility and scalability to meet their evolving needs.

8x8 Pricing💲

There are two products offered by 8x8, a contact centre software and a unified communications (UCaaS) platform. But whichever you choose, there is no information on their prices available online.

6. Vonage

Vonage offers a feature-rich cloud phone system that includes business text messages, video conferencing, and inbound call centre solutions. It provides small businesses with the tools to enhance their communications and customer interactions.

Vonage Pricing💲

Figuring out what product to choose from Vonage is complicated, as they have four different options. But if you need a basic virtual phone system, your best bet is probably their unified communications option. Those plans start from £10 per user/month.

7. CloudTalk

CloudTalk provides a cloud-based call centre solution for small businesses, offering features such as call routing, analytics, and integrations with CRM systems. It is designed to optimise customer interactions and streamline communication workflows.

CloudTalk Pricing💲

There are three plans, beginning at £25 per user/month.

8. JustCall

JustCall offers a customizable VoIP phone solution for small businesses, with features such as auto attendants, call recording, and mobile device integration. It provides a reliable and scalable phone system for small businesses seeking flexibility and efficiency.

JustCall Pricing💲

Sadly for UK customers, JustCall doesn't provide prices in pounds on their website. However, you can get a general idea of the budget needed for this service. Their plans range in price from $19 to $49 per user/month. And if your business has particularly complex requirements, you can look into their custom plan option–just keep in mind there is a minimum of 10 users required.

9. Dialpad

Dialpad is a cloud-based business phone system that integrates voice, video, and messaging services. It offers AI-powered features, real-time analytics, and seamless integrations with business applications, making it a modern and efficient choice for small businesses.

Dialpad Pricing💲

The plans offered by Dialpad are relatively limited, with only two options available, and they begin at £18 per user/month.

10. 3CX

3CX is an open standards VoIP PBX that offers a software-based phone system with advanced communication features. It is a cost-effective solution for small businesses, offering web conferencing, softphone integration, and CRM connectivity to enhance productivity and customer interactions.

However, it's important to note that 3CX is only a phone software, and doesn't include phone service. To actually use the features provided by 3CX, you'll need to contract with a phone service provider, driving up the total cost of your business phone system.

3CX Pricing💲

3CX's pricing is very confusing as the prices change depending on the number of simultaneous calls you'll want to make–not to mention the fact that you'll need to hire a phone service provider, the cost of which can vary widely. With that being said, the basic service begins at £235 per year.

How do I set up a business phone service?

The main advantage of choosing VoIP phone services for small businesses is that there are no hardware requirements. Since VoIP telephony sends and receives calls over the internet, you only require the following:

• Subscription to a VoIP business phone service
• A stable internet connection with good speed and bandwidth
• Internet-enabled devices like laptops, desktops, smartphones, or tablets

Steps to install a business phone system

• Step 1: Firstly, you must have an account with a service provider like Ringover. Choose one based on your requirements and budget.
• Step 2: Subscribe to a business phone plan.
• Step 3: Invest in the right equipment. You do not need extra equipment to access the system through the web or mobile apps. However, if you are setting up an on-premise VoIP phone system, you will need VoIP desk phones, modems, routers, VoIP headsets, etc.
• Step 4: Get your business phone numbers. Most VoIP service providers offer numbers for each user as part of their plans.
• Step 5: Install and activate the system and its features. Companies that choose VoIP desk phones must install them in their office/location.

How much does phone service cost for a business?

Most VoIP business phone services for small businesses work the subscription-based models. The pricing varies from one service provider to another, and each provider may also have plans and packages with different pricing and features.

Ringover, for instance, has three plans – Smart, Business, and Advanced. The plans start at a monthly fee of £19 per user for annual billing. If you are looking for a package with additional features like analytics, voicemail drop, call campaigns, click-to-call extension, etc., consider the Business or Advanced plans at £39 and £49 per user§month, respectively.

Some VoIP business phone providers will also allow you to custom-create a plan based on your unique business requirements. The Enterprise plan of Ringover is an example. Here, the pricing will depend on the features and functionalities you choose for your custom package.

Business phone plans will typically include all incoming calls from any destination, unlimited outbound calls to a wide range of countries, and a gamut of features for communications and collaborations. If you make calls to destinations not included in the plan, pre-defined charges will apply.

What is the best phone system for business?

While there are several phone services for small businesses, not all of them are the same. As far as a growing business is concerned, three things matter – affordability, scalability, and productivity.

So, the best phone system for small businesses must fulfill all three criteria. Ringover is an ideal choice for start-ups and growing organizations in this regard.

Ringover offers features and functionalities that help growing businesses meet their sales goals. Moreover, many early-stage businesses work with limited human resources. The business-centric features of Ringover will help your teams increase their productivity and achieve more in less time.

Ringover offers business phone systems at highly competitive prices. The pricing starts at £19 per month per user for annual billing. All plans include unlimited calls to over 110 destinations across the globe and a great range of features. You get everything in one place, thus eliminating the need to invest in individual software solutions for communication or collaboration.

With a small business phone service provider like Ringover, you can transform the way you do business. So why wait? Switch to VoIP calling today, equip your team with the communication tools they need, and achieve your business and sales goals.

Who has the cheapest business phone plans?

Phone Services for Small Businesses FAQ

What is a business phone service?

A business phone service is a software-based phone (also called a softphone) which makes calls via the Internet. This type of software only requires an Internet-connected device to make calls, and also offers features useful to companies like IVR menus, unlimited calling, text messaging, and more.

Is VoIP cheaper than a landline?

Yes, VoIP is cheaper than a landline. That's because VoIP services, like Ringover, usually charge about £19 per month. You can use a VoIP phone from any Internet-connected device, so you don't have to invest in phone hardware to connect with your clients or prospects.

Can my small business pay for my cell phone?

If you have a Limited Liability Company (LLC) this entity can pay for your cell phone. However, you'll need to properly document your phone use for tax compliance. Keep your documentation in order so you can prove the phone was used for business purposes in case the IRS requires proof.