Choosing the right office phone system for a small business is overwhelming considering the multitude of options one has today.
But getting it right is important; your phone system is all about being able to reach out and not just make calls but also be the backbone of your communications with your team, clients, and customers.
Be you a startup or a small business on the rise, an excellent office phone system can help you appear professional, organized, and efficient without breaking the bank.
Office Phone Systems are essential tools that streamline communication and enhance productivity. So, let’s dive into what makes a phone system perfect for small businesses like yours!
What Are the Different Types of Office Phone Systems?
To begin with, choosing the right phone system for your small business starts with knowing what is available. Every type of system has its unique set of features, pros, and cons. Below are three of the most common types to help you decide which one best suits your business needs:
1. Traditional Landlines
Traditional landlines are the tried-and-true option, relying on physical phone lines to connect calls.
They are highly reliable and have good-quality calls, even in locations where internet service is spotty.
However, they can be pricey to maintain, often with specific hardware and service agreements from the telecom providers.
Landlines are suitable for businesses that emphasize stability and operate in places where the internet is unreliable
- Pros:
- Reliable, even during power or internet outages
Familiar and easy to use - Cons:
- Features limited compared to modern systems; for instance, no video calls or integrations
More costly to maintain
2. VoIP Systems
Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) systems use the Internet to make and receive calls.
They have become a favorite for small businesses because of their flexibility, cost-effectiveness, and feature-rich offerings like video conferencing, call forwarding, and integration with other business tools.
VoIP works best if your business has a stable and high-speed internet connection.
- Pros:
- Affordable with lower upfront and ongoing costs
Packed with modern features (voicemail-to-email, mobile apps, etc.)
Scalable as your business grows - Cons:
Depending on the quality of the internet connection
May require additional equipment, such as routers and headsets
3. Virtual Phone Systems
Virtual phone systems are perfect for businesses that have remote or mobile teams.
These systems route calls to employees’ personal or business cell phones through a central business number.
Virtual systems are cost-effective and easy to set up, making them perfect for startups and businesses without a fixed office.
- Pros:
- No hardware or installation required
Perfect for remote teams and on-the-go professionals - Cons:
Limited advanced features compared to VoIP
Call quality varies based on mobile networks
List of Top Office Phone Systems for Small Businesses
1. OpenPhone
OpenPhone is a high-powered VoIP system that scales with your business and has some modern features to make communication smooth and efficient.
Even a solopreneur’s life can become easy while managing communications using the facility of automation of calls via phone menu options and automatic texting replies in OpenPhone.
It connects your favorite business apps, ensuring everything you need is connected. Whether you use a computer, smartphone, or tablet, you can easily dial calls and send texts for constant connectivity from anywhere.
It’s easy to scale with your business as it grows as adding new users and assigning US, Canadian, or toll-free numbers to each is simply easy for your business to scale across North America. Plus, collaboration is easy.
Team members can add notes to contacts, start internal threads, and assign tasks to streamline teamwork.
Key features:
- Free Calling and Texting in the US and Canada
- Affordable International Rates
- Desktop, Web, and Mobile Apps
- Shared Phone Numbers
- Call Recording
- Business Hour Settings
- Voicemail Transcriptions
- Auto-Attendant (IVR)
- Texting Automation (Snippets and Auto-Replies)
- AI-Generated Call Summaries, Transcripts, and Action Items
- AI-Suggested Text Responses
Pricing: Starter has a $15-per-user-per-month price, focusing on offering the bare essentials for smaller businesses.
The Business plan costs $23 per user, which adds group calling and call transfer as features, among others, plus includes integrations with HubSpot and Salesforce, as well as AI-generated call transcripts.
The Enterprise plan allows for customized pricing, mainly for large businesses, adding priority support, dedicated account managers, and other features.
Website: https://www.openphone.com/
2. Google Voice
Google Voice for Google Workspace is one of the popular office phone systems for small businesses already using tools like Gmail and Google Docs.
It has most of the necessary features that any growing business would require, including voicemail transcriptions and unlimited calling within the US.
However, it is not without its limitations. For example, it doesn’t support toll-free numbers or recording calls for business accounts, which may make scaling your business and training your team harder.
Another disadvantage is that Google Voice only integrates with other Google Workspace apps, which can be challenging if your business relies on a variety of other communication tools.
Key features:
- Voicemail Transcriptions
- Unlimited Calling in the US
- Integration with Google Workspace Apps
- No Toll-Free Numbers
- No Call Recording for Business Accounts
- Limited Integration with Non-Google Tools
Pricing: Google Voice offers three pricing plans that cater to different business needs.
The Starter plan costs $10 per user per month, which is essential for small businesses.
The Standard plan at $20 per user per month unlocks more functionalities, including on-demand call recordings, ring groups, and phone menus.
For companies that want more advanced features, the Premier plan comes in at $30 per user per month. This contains automatic call recordings and advanced reporting to better manage communication.
Website: https://voice.google.com/u/0/about
3. Dialpad
Dialpad is an AI-powered business phone system filled with modern features such as shared phone numbers and seamless integrations with business apps.
One of its great capabilities is the ability to analyze conversations and alert users if they are speaking too fast or too slow, helping improve communication.
However, Dialpad can be more expensive than one expects. Additional charges apply to port more than one existing number into the system, and upgrades are required to get more than one number per user.
Most other important features such as auto-replies, Slack and Zapier integrations, and international SMS, are only available in the higher-tier plans.
Key features:
- AI-Powered Speech Analysis
- Shared Phone Numbers
- Business App Integrations
- Auto-Replies (Higher Tiers)
- Slack and Zapier Integrations (Higher Tiers)
- International SMS (Higher Tiers)
- Number Porting (Additional Fees)
- Multiple Numbers per User (Upgrade Required)
Pricing: Dialpad offers flexible pricing plans to meet different business needs.
The Standard plan costs $15 per user per month, providing essential features for small teams.
The Pro plan, at $25 per user per month, comes with extra features such as local or international numbers, international SMS, and access to the open API and webhooks.
It comes with custom pricing for enterprise businesses that need advanced functionalities, including unlimited ring groups and office locations, and a guaranteed uptime of 100%. The user seats are a minimum of 100.
Website: https://www.dialpad.com/
4. Vonage
Vonage is a legacy business VoIP service provider well-known for its Office Phone Systems, but it lags behind newer options like OpenPhone and Dialpad.
The base plan has a few features included in it, but most of the current important tools such as auto-attendant features and CRM integration need to be upgraded.
Though Vonage does offer desktop, web, and mobile apps, it does add up quickly with extra fees.
Other costs include extra features, extensions, and toll-free numbers, which are mostly included in other systems, making Vonage more costly for businesses looking for holistic and modern communication solutions.
Key features:
- Basic Plan with Limited Features
- Auto-Attendant Capabilities (Requires Upgrade)
- CRM Integrations (Requires Upgrade)
- Desktop, Web, and Mobile Apps
- Fees for Extensions and Toll-Free Numbers
- Add-On Expenses for Essential Features
Pricing: Vonage’s pricing for its base plans is based on the size of your team, with smaller teams paying more per user.
For teams of 1-4 users, the Mobile plan costs $19.99 per line per month, offering unlimited team messaging, access to both mobile and desktop apps, and the Vonage App Center, which includes 20 integrations.
The Premium plan costs $29.99 per line per month and adds unlimited video meetings with up to 100 participants, multilevel auto-attendants, and integrations with IP desk phones, including popular brands like Cisco.
For $39.99 per line per month, the Advanced plan provides features such as visual voicemail, call groups, and 15 hours of on-demand call recording.
Website: https://www.vonage.com/
5. Grasshopper
Grasshopper markets itself as a small business phone system with a distinct pricing model, where each user gets access to 100% of the features.
Higher-tier plans mainly provide additional phone numbers and extensions, rather than offering more advanced functionalities.
However, even its top-tier plan is designed for teams of up to five users, which means that as your business grows, you’ll either need to switch to a new provider or pay significantly more for additional features.
Furthermore, even when businesses pay extra for a complete set of all Grasshopper features, they will still miss many of the key tools, such as integrations and shared numbers since Grasshopper is a legacy provider with minimal modern features.
Key features:
- Free Calling and Texting within the Continental US and Canada (Excludes Alaska and Hawaii)
- Desktop and Mobile Applications
- Voicemail Transcription
- Personalized Greetings
- Virtual Fax Services
Pricing: Grasshopper’s pricing structure is different from most other small business phone systems since it charges based on the number of phone numbers you need rather than the number of users.
The Solo plan costs $28 per month, providing one phone number and three extensions.
The Partner plan is priced at $46 per month, offering three phone numbers and six extensions.
The Small Business plan, for growing businesses, costs $80 per month and comes with five phone numbers and unlimited extensions.
Website: https://grasshopper.com/
6. Sideline
Sideline is a virtual phone service that allows you to make calls through your phone, but it’s not a true VoIP app like many of the other options on this list.
Instead, Sideline uses your existing cell phone service, meaning you’ll still need to pay for a traditional phone plan in addition to your Sideline subscription.
Their basic plan does have business texting features such as automatic replies, but you’ll see that upgrading to higher-tier plans, Sideline is by no means perfect for growing businesses.
Upgrading or not, it lacks integrations, call recordings, and shared numbers – which makes Sideline unsuitable when the scale of your business needs to expand.
Key features:
- Web and mobile apps
- Shared phone numbers (with Team Number plan)
- Business hour settings (upgrade required)
- Voicemail transcriptions
- Texting auto-replies
Pricing: Sideline’s pricing plans are not directly visible on their website but can be found in their support center.
The Standard plan is $10.84 per month, billed annually, and includes free calling and texting to the US, auto-replies, voicemail-to-text, group messaging, and number porting.
The Enterprise plan is $14.49 per line per month and adds international calling and an auto-attendant.
Website: https://www.sideline.com/
7. Nextiva
Nextiva is a very widely used VoIP service provider, especially for large enterprises, but small businesses may find per-user costs higher than larger teams.
One feature that stands out about Nextiva is the inclusion of video conferencing and screen sharing on every plan, which differentiates it from others.
However, with its basic plan of $23.95 per user for a month, it lacks some of the important business phone features, most especially SMS and MMS. This has made more small businesses consider other alternative services that have more substantial communication tools.
Key features:
- Video Conferencing with Screen Sharing (Included on All Plans)
- Higher Per-User Fees for Small Businesses
- Mobile text messaging (upgrade required)
- Desktop, web, and mobile apps
- Voicemail transcriptions
- Auto-attendant (IVR)
- Business app integrations (upgrade required except for Outlook and Google Contacts)
Pricing: Nextiva’s pricing for small businesses depends on the size of your team, with smaller teams paying more per user per month.
For 1-4 users, it charges between $18.95 and $23.95 per user per month for the Essentials Plan, which includes unlimited voice and video calling, Outlook and Google integrations, and video conference recording.
The Professional Plan costs between $22.95 and $27.95 per user per month and offers features such as screen sharing, SMS and MMS, unlimited conference calling with up to 40 participants, and integration with Salesforce and HubSpot.
For more advanced features, the Enterprise Plan costs between $32.95 and $37.95 per user per month, offering call recording, voicemail transcriptions, and unlimited video conference recording.
Website: https://www.nextiva.com/
8. Aircall
“Aircall is a cloud-based call center solution offering Office Phone Systems that help businesses manage their operations across more than 100 countries.”
One of its key strengths is its integration with over 100 popular business tools, such as Salesforce, HubSpot, Zendesk, and Gorgias, that help streamline business operations.
While the company has an international scope, Aircall offers valuable features like call routing, auto-attendant (IVR), SMS, toll-free numbers, call recording, and CRM integrations, so it is a good fit for businesses that put priority on voice communication and integration of their workflows.
Key features:
- Call Routing
- Auto-Attendant (IVR)
- SMS
- Toll-Free Numbers
- Call Recording
- CRM Integrations
Pricing: Aircall offers three plans to cater to different needs.
The Essentials plan costs $30 per user per month, includes 4,000 SMS messages per user per month, up to one year of call recording storage, and up to three teams per account with a minimum of three users.
The Professional plan starts at $50 per user, with access to APIs and webhooks, unlimited call recording storage, and up to six months of advanced analytics with a minimum of three users.
For businesses with higher complexity needs, the Custom plan offers tailored solutions, such as API developer support, “unlimited” international outbound calls, and prioritized customer support, with a minimum of 10 users. Firms require calling for a quote to obtain the price.
Website: https://aircall.io/
9. 8×8
8×8 is one of the broadest communication platforms, and it’s built to help both small companies and large-scale enterprises; in its most basic, a user will enjoy auto-attendant (IVR), among other core features that it has, including unlimited video calls within the US and Canada, with higher tiers opening them up to other countries as well. 8×8 integrates with popular business applications such as Microsoft Teams, HubSpot, and Salesforce.
This helps businesses connect communications with CRM and collaboration tools. In addition, it features voicemail transcription and has a solid set of desktop, web, and mobile apps that keep your team connected from anywhere.
Key features:
- Free Unlimited Calling and Video Calling in the US and Canada (with more countries available on higher plans)
- Text Messaging to the US and Canada or From Any Country (no group texts)
- Desktop, Web, and Mobile Apps
- Voicemail Transcription
- Auto-Attendant (IVR)
- Business App Integrations (including Microsoft Teams, HubSpot, and Salesforce)
Pricing: The X2 Plan comes at $24 per user per month, offering voice calling in 14 countries with added support for SMS and MMS messaging.
Users can even host live stream meetings over YouTube, making this more of a flexible option for any business that uses voice communications and video communications.
The X4 Plan is set at $44 per user per month, with expanded calling coverage to 48 countries and call recording storage up to 130 days.
Website: https://www.8×8.com/
10. GoTo Connect
GoTo Connect is an all-in-one communication platform designed to simplify internal and external business communications by putting VoIP phone services and virtual meetings together in one solution.
This service has several strong features that will help businesses streamline their workflow, such as unlimited extensions, conference calling, and integration with popular business tools, including Zoho, Zendesk, and Salesforce-though integrations require an upgrade.
However, GoTo Connect could be a bit difficult to set up, especially for SMS and MMS messaging, which have to be manually activated and are not available to international customers in the US and Canada.
Finally, businesses can enjoy international free calling to more than 50 countries, however, that would require another upgrade.
However, these challenges do not prevent GoTo Connect from being a great option for companies seeking to centralize their communications platforms under one roof.
Key features:
- SMS and MMS Messaging (requires activation; available to US & Canadian customers only)
- Unlimited Extensions
- Integrations with Google Workspace and Microsoft Outlook
- Conference Calling
- Integrations with Zoho, Zendesk, and Salesforce (upgrade required)
- Phone Menus (upgrade required)
- Ring Groups (upgrade required for more than one group)
- Free International Calling to 50+ Countries (upgrade required)
Pricing: GoTo Connect offers its pricing based on the size of the team, with plans specifically designed for businesses that have two to ten users.
The Basic Plan is priced at $24 per user per month and allows for a maximum of 20 users, providing essential VoIP and virtual meeting features.
For businesses that need more advanced functionality, the Standard Plan offers additional capabilities at $29 per user per month. This package has call recordings, paging, 1,000 toll-free minutes, and free international calls to over 50 countries.
Website: https://www.goto.com/connect
How to Choose the Best Phone System for Your Team?
Selecting the Best Office Phone Systems for Your Team- It is not just a matter of choosing the latest technology available, but rather finding the appropriate solution that will suit the communication needs and goals of the business. Here’s the step-by-step guide that will help you make the correct choice:
1. Assess your business needs
Begin by analyzing the way your team communicates. Are you relying on internal calls much, or is most of your communication with clients? Do you require video conferencing and mobile access? Knowing your needs will limit your choices.
2. Think About Your Team's Size and Shape
The size and makeup of your team will dictate the best system. An in-office team may work well in a traditional system, while a virtual or hybrid team may perform better in a VoIP or virtual system that supports mobility.
3. Evaluate Essential Features
Identify the must-have features for your phone system. Common features include call forwarding, voicemail-to-email, conference calling, and integration with CRM tools. Prioritize the features that will enhance productivity and improve customer service.
4. Set a Budget
Determine how much you’re willing to invest. Traditional landlines often have higher setup and maintenance costs, while VoIP and virtual systems typically offer more affordable and scalable pricing models.
5. Test Call Quality and Reliability
Poor call quality can damage even the best reputations of any business. You should test and verify whether your system meets such expectations on reliability and clarity.
6. Scale and Flexibility
A growing business should grow its phone system also. Consider a system allowing you to add users, lines, or features without any interruptions or costs.
7. Compare Providers
Compare different service providers and read reviews, find customer support, and other benefits such as free trials or no-contract plans.
Why Should Your Business Upgrade to a Modern Phone System?
An improved modern phone system is a total turnaround that brings many more advantages besides calling, and this is the right choice for small businesses because:
1. Advanced Features for Communications
Today’s VoIP and virtual phone systems boast innovative features such as voicemail-to-email, call forwarding, video conferencing, and auto-attendants. These help communicate smoothly with your team and your clients.
2. Saves on Cost
In contrast, the cost of installing and maintaining modern systems is generally much lower than for traditional landlines. VoIP systems take advantage of your existing internet, thus negating the need for expensive hardware and long-term contracts.
3. Scalability for Growth
The growth of your business requires the same kind of communication tools. Modern systems easily accommodate adding or removing users, lines, and features. This way, you can scale without great investment or interruption.
4. Mobility and Flexibility
Modern phone systems also offer mobile apps and cloud-based solutions to allow your team to be anywhere while keeping in touch. This makes your business run smoothly regardless of where your employees are.
5. Better Customer Experience
The features of call routing, on-hold messaging, and CRM integrations enable you to give a more professional and personalized experience to your customers, thereby increasing their satisfaction and loyalty.
6. Future-Proof Technology
Upgrading ensures your business stays competitive with the latest communication technologies. You’ll be better equipped to adapt to new trends and integrate emerging tools that enhance productivity and collaboration.
Conclusion
In conclusion, finding the best office phone systems for your small business is all about finding the right balance between functionality, cost, and ease of use.
Whether you choose a traditional landline, a flexible VoIP system, or a virtual phone system, it is important to consider how each option meets the specific needs of your team and customers.
A modern phone system can boost communication, enhance customer experiences, and grow your business as you expand. So take your time, do the research, and make an informed decision—your business deserves a phone system that helps it thrive.
FAQs
1. How much does a business phone system cost?
The cost of a business phone system depends on the type of phone system you opt for. Generally, traditional landlines are the most expensive, but VoIP and virtual systems offer relatively cheaper plans, starting at around $10 to $30 per user per month. The more advanced the system, the more expensive it gets, for example, if it has video conferencing or CRM integration.
2. Which are the features that need to be looked for in a business phone system?
When selecting the best phone system, do consider features such as the availability of call forwarding, voicemail-to-email, call recording, conference calling, as well as mobile app support. In addition, you may be looking for integrations with customer relationship management tools or other business apps.
3. Are VoIP systems secure?
Yes, VoIP systems can be secure if the right measures are taken. Many VoIP providers have encryption, secure call routing, and firewalls protecting your data. You need to make sure that the provider you choose has very good security protocols and also ensures software updates to prevent possible vulnerabilities.
4. Can I switch phone systems as my business grows?
Absolutely! Modern phone systems, especially VoIP and virtual systems, are very scalable. You can easily add new lines, users, or features as your business grows, ensuring your phone system grows with you.
5. Do I need a landline phone if I use a VoIP system?
No, you don’t need a landline if you are using a VoIP system. VoIP systems make use of your internet connection to make calls. So, there is no need for a traditional phone line. However, you will need reliable internet and, in some cases, additional equipment like a VoIP phone or an adapter to connect standard phones.
