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Compare All Small Business Phone Systems
GoTo Connect
GoTo Connect
GoToConnect (formerly Jive) delivers a cloud-based unified communication solution to organizations of all sizes across the U.S. GoToConnect includes integrated products for business VoIP, video conferencing and contact center whic...Read more
Comm-unity
Comm-unity
Comm-unity by NetFortris (formerly Fonality) is a cloud-based communication and collaboration business phone system that caters to all business sizes. Comm-unity scales easily as your business grows, always works when you need it,...Read more
RingCentral MVP
RingCentral MVP
RingCentral MVP is a cloud-based business communications solution that offers tools for Messaging, Video and Phone. Core features of the solution include conferencing, auto-recording and unlimited long-distance and local calling. ...Read more
MiCloud Connect
MiCloud Connect
MiCloud Connect (formerly ShoreTel) is a cloud-based VoIP phone system that offers collaboration and conferencing tools to enable information flow within the organization. The solution enables system administrators to manage use...Read more
Slingshot VoIP
Slingshot VoIP
SlingShot VoIP provides robust PBX and telephony functionality for small businesses needing an affordable, feature-rich option. Companies can use whichever hardware they prefer, minimizing upfront and implementation costs....Read more
Software pricing tips
Read our Small Business VoIP and Phone Systems Buyers GuideSubscription models
- Per employee/per month: This model allows you to pay a monthly fee for each of your employees.
- Per user/per month: Users pay a monthly fee for users—normally administrative users—rather than all employees.
Perpetual license
- This involves paying an upfront sum for the license to own the software and use it indefinitely.
- This is the more traditional model and is most common with on-premise applications and with larger businesses.
Rated best value for money
Vonage Business Communications
Vonage Business Communications
Vonage Business Solutions is a cloud-based communications solution suitable for small and midsize companies. The solution offers a business phone system that enables businesses to connect their VoIP phone system to internet-enable...Read more
UNIVERGE 3C
UNIVERGE 3C
UNIVERGE 3C is a flexible software-based IP-PBX. In addition to features such as auto attendants and call recording, it offers advanced unified communications capabilities so that users can harness multiple modes of communication....Read more
Avaya IP Office
Avaya IP Office
Avaya IP Office is an IP-PBX with unified communications capabilities designed for small-to-medium-sized businesses with up to 2,000 employees. It's also available in an edition that provides additional features for call centers....Read more
Huawei eSpace Contact Center
Huawei eSpace Contact Center
Huawei eSpace is a unified communications (UC) solution that can support up to 50,000 users at multiple sites, and offers UC features and secure virtual private network (VPN) connections on mobile devices....Read more
Ooma Office
Ooma Office
Ooma Office is a cloud-based voice + video solution suitable for businesses of all sizes. The platform includes a full suite of business phone features designed to deliver a flawless communications experience and advance team coll...Read more
NetVanta 7100
NetVanta 7100
ADTRAN's NetVanta 7100 is a hybrid IP PBX and IP router that offers both voice and data networking. It's available in 30- or 100-user versions, which include a full range of features like call queueing pre-licensed for each user....Read more
MiVoice Business
MiVoice Business
"Mitel MiVoice offers a range of unified communications (UC) platforms designed for both small business and large enterprise needs. MiVoice offers virtualization options and supports both cloud-based and on-premise deployment. ...Read more
XMission Hosted PBX
XMission Hosted PBX
XMission Hosted PBX is a cloud-based business phone system that offers SIP trunking services for businesses seeking a single-vendor VoIP solution. It features auto attendants and hunt groups and integrates with Microsoft Outlook....Read more
Popular Small Business VoIP and Phone Systems Comparisons
Buyers Guide
Last Updated: March 11, 2022What is VoIP phone software?
Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phone systems allow users to make voice calls over the Internet. It converts callers' voices to digital signals that travel over the internet, allowing people to make calls from their computers.
Features include Do Not Disturb status updates, voicemail to email transcription, bandwidth utilization, and call routing, recording, and conferencing.
Here's what we'll cover:
Common reasons small businesses shop for a new phone system
Many small businesses contact us every day, looking for advice as they search for a new phone system. Some are new businesses just getting started, while others are looking to replace an old or problematic system. The most common reasons they have are that they're:
- Wanting to switch to VoIP
- Relocating or adding new offices
- Unhappy with current call quality
- Looking for more features, such as an IVR
- Needing a system that's more user-friendly
While there's a long list of reasons, there's an even longer list of systems and features addressing these common challenges. However, we find most small businesses require one or more of these core phone system capabilities:
| Feature | Function | Benefit |
| PBX | The central component of every multi-line phone system, the PBX acts as the switchboard, transferring and routing calls. It's also the component that lets users put callers on hold and have conference calls. It integrates most of the other features listed here. | Provides commonly used functions that allow many phone extensions to share lines and work together as one system. |
| Auto attendant | An Auto attendant greets inbound calls with basic information such as the the business's name, location, and hours, and also lets callers choose how their call will be connected. They often begin something like this: Thank you for calling Software Advice. Please choose from the following menu options... | Answers and directs inbound calls. Helps small businesses present a larger, more professional image. |
| IVR | The Interactive Voice Response feature is similar to, but more advanced than, Auto attendant. IVRs allow customers to access account information, schedule and make payments and complete other transactions requiring deeper interaction all without requiring an employee's time. | Automates many basic call transactions, freeing employees from some repetitive and time-consuming tasks. |
| CTI | Computer-Telephone Integration is a broad term for a collection of functions offered primarily with VoIP systems. CTI allows customer-specific information from the company's database to be automatically displayed on a computer whenever that customer is on the line. | Streamlines call processing, saves employees from having to repeatedly look up basic information when customers call. |
| FMFM | Find Me Follow Me is a feature that makes sure important calls get through to the right person, even if the right person isn't at their desk. FMFM lets users program a sequence of alternate numbers, including external and mobile numbers, to dial in case their desk phone rings and is unanswered. | Ensures important calls are always answered. Valuable in sales-focused industries, where missing a call can mean missing a sale. |
| Softphone | Many VoIP systems include software telephones, or "softphones." These are programs that run on office computers and, when used with a headset, allow calls to be made and received directly from the computer. | Reduces equipment costs by letting offices purchase fewer desk phones. |
| Voicemail-to-email | Another feature common to VoIP systems, this is an automated transcription service. When callers leave voicemail, this service transcribes the audio to written text and sends it as an email. | Saves time listening to voicemail messages. |
| Conferencing | Some PBX systems only allow for three-way calling, whereas others offer true conference calling with dedicated dial-in numbers. | Facilitates internal and external collaboration. |
Key considerations for small businesses
System complexity: Some businesses we speak with tell us they're replacing their existing phone system because it's too complicated and not user-friendly. Buying an overly complex system can be as bad as buying one that has too few features. Apart from paying for features that won't be used, advanced systems can present usability issues.
So before you begin shopping, start with a clear assessment of exactly which functions you need. Don't get caught up in a more-functions-is-necessarily-better mindset when comparing systems. Also, take advantage of the trials and demos offered by some companies to get a firsthand feel for exactly how user-friendly a system is.
VoIP or analog: Telephony technology is split between digital phone systems, which send voice calls over the Internet (Voice over IP, or VoIP), and older analog phone systems, which use traditional phone services. Though VoIP phones can call analog phones and vice versa, and there are hybrid systems that contain components of both, it's best for a business that's looking to start from scratch to choose one or the other. The vast majority of businesses are choosing VoIP.
But VoIP requires a reliable broadband Internet connection. So for businesses that don't have access to broadband, an analog system may be the only option. If you're unclear on how the two systems differ, this Guide to VoIP compares them in easy-to-understand language.
On-premise or hosted PBX: This isn't a choice all businesses will face. Small analog phone systems usually come with a simple hardware PBX that's kept on-site. And medium and large businesses often want the control of an on-site PBX, but they also have the IT budgets needed to maintain them.
Aside from these cases, most businesses should consider using an off-site or "hosted" PBX. It is an option on many small business VoIP systems and offered by many ITSPs. The big benefit with a hosted PBX is it can offer more advanced phone system functions, such as auto-attendants and IVRs, without the expense of purchasing and managing an on-site hardware PBX.
Lines and extensions: With an analog phone system you might, for example, pay your telco for two or four lines to allow your business to have that many simultaneous phone calls. For that to work, you'd need a two- or four-line analog business phone system, which are some of the most common analog systems on the market.
With VoIP systems, extensions can be added by simply connecting the office's internal computer network.
Hardware and special-use requirements: Businesses in certain industries or with unique workplace environments will have specific phone system requirements. Identifying which features are needed will help focus the search for the right phone system for your small business.
There are, for example, industry-specific systems for hotels, call centers, and hospitals. Though most small businesses will not be looking for specialized industry systems, they often do have special hardware requirements. Some need wireless handsets that can operate outdoors or a long distance away from a base station. Others don't use handsets, but instead require wireless headsets with long battery life. Knowing what is needed before you begin will make the selection process easier.