Utilising your personal phone number to manage business calls can be very inconvenient and invade your privacy. Additionally, it doesn't scale as you add more employees.
To obtain a unique phone number for their company, many new and established business owners use virtual business phone number apps.
You can use the same number on laptops, mobile devices, desktop handsets, and other devices with a virtual business phone number. Calls can be answered, forwarded, voicemails can be left, and employees can use the same number.
Without any technical expertise, you can quickly and simply set up a virtual business phone number. All you need to do to get going is download the app to your phone or computer.
We'll discuss our top picks for the best virtual business phone number apps for small businesses in this article (including both free and limitless options).
When Do You Need a Virtual Business Phone Number?
Offering customers a quick way to contact you will help you expand your business, whether you run a small business website or an eCommerce store.
Nowadays, the majority of businesses have a website, so customers need several ways to contact them.
Even though business email, live chat, and text messages (SMS) are all effective communication tools, nothing compares to the personal human connection of speaking with a live person.
Typically, companies think that having a landline number suffices. But they quickly learn how inefficient traditional landlines are at handling calls and delivering a better customer experience.
Additionally, you should avoid using your personal phone number for business purposes.
A virtual business phone number app can be useful in this situation. You receive the following advantages over conventional landline and mobile phone numbers.
- You can use it on various devices, including your laptop computer, current desk phone, personal cell phone with mobile apps, and others. With an internet connection, you can manage calls from any location rather than just using a physical phone line.
- Multiple employees may concurrently utilise the same number. Additionally, you may provide each member of the team their own phone number or an extension.
- The app can be used to control all business communication features, including caller id, caller routing, call recording, waiting, ringtones, vacation responses, and business hours.
- The icing on the cake is cheaper local and international calls, voicemail, text messaging, video conferencing, and call to email transcription.
In light of this, let's examine some of the top virtual business phone applications available.
1. Nextiva
The leading supplier of virtual business phone numbers is Nextiva. Using their app on your desktop or laptop computer, smartphone, tablet, desk phone, or other mobile device, they make it incredibly simple to manage your virtual phone number.
Even better, you can use Nextiva and your local phone number to get VoIP HD voice calling. You can obtain virtual business phone numbers from them for various regions as well.
In order to strengthen your local presence and better entice business owners and your target customers, you can obtain local area code phone numbers for various US states.
Call forwarding/routing, auto attendant, receptionist, voicemail transcription, voicemail to email, call queuing, unlimited calls, and call analytics are just a few of the robust telephony features that come with each Nextiva plan.
For your business line, Nextiva also lets you purchase vanity phone numbers, and they have a time-saving auto dialer feature.
You can receive all incoming business calls on your personal mobile device because their virtual phone system app is compatible with both Android and iPhone (iOS) devices.
Additionally, Nextiva has CRM integrations with programmes like HubSpot and Salesforce, as well as with Google Workspace, Microsoft Teams, and other programmes.
You can also use Nextiva to convert your Avaya private branch exchange (PBX) system into a potent cloud-based phone system with SIP trunking for call centres and enterprise businesses.
Pricing: Starting at $18.95 a month for each user.
2. Ooma Office Phone
Another well-known business VoIP phone provider, Ooma, offers inexpensive 1-800 toll-free numbers. Any Ooma office plan can have a toll-free virtual phone number added. You can choose a new free business phone number, but by default they will pre-select a toll-free number for you.
Many cutting-edge features that you would anticipate from a VOIP service are included with the Ooma Office platform, including a virtual receptionist, extension dialling, music-on-hold, sophisticated mobile phone apps, ring groups, and more.
The setup is incredibly simple and only takes a few minutes to complete.
Pricing: Their plan, which includes 35+ business phone features and a free toll-free number, starts at $19.95 per month.
3. Grasshopper
For new companies and small businesses, Grasshopper offers simple virtual phone number services. It includes a mobile app that enables you to control your business phone system from any location and on any device.
They give customers the option of choosing from virtual business numbers, vanity numbers, local numbers for various locations, and 800 and 833 toll-free numbers.
With the same device, you can never miss a call while keeping work and personal calls separate. Call forwarding, call transfer, voice mail, business texting, business VoIP and WiFi calling, automated greeting, and other features are all included in the Grasshopper feature set.
Grasshopper is frequently used by small business owners to receive incoming calls on their personal phone plans.
Pricing: For 1 number and 3 extensions, prices start at $26 per month.
4. Google Voice (Free)
Google Voice is the best choice if you're looking for a free virtual business phone app. You can integrate G Suite with all of your existing Google Apps for business if you already use G Suite.
The personal plan allows individuals and solopreneurs to obtain a virtual phone number and make unrestricted calls throughout the United States and Canada.
However, many of the business phone features offered by their business plan, such as auto-attendant, desk phone support, etc., are not accessible with the personal plan.
Pricing: Free for personal use. Pro plans start from $10 per user/per month.
5. Phone.com
Another excellent choice for purchasing a virtual business phone system is Phone.com. For start-ups, solopreneurs, and small businesses, they provide reasonably priced business phone services.
Additionally, they offer lower call rates to Canada and a few European nations by counting those minutes as local call minutes. You get mobile apps, call forwarding/routing, a virtual assistant, IVR menus, text messaging, online fax, and more in terms of features.
They provide pay-per-minute plans that let you pay less based on how much you use the service. However, as your company's needs expand, it could easily become very expensive.
Pricing: Monthly pay-per-minute plans begin at $12.99. Plans with unlimited extensions start at $29.99 per month.
6. eVoice
Popular VoIP provider and business phone service eVoice has international reach, especially in the United Kingdom. They provide local numbers for various regions, virtual phone numbers, toll-free numbers, and business phone systems.
Their plans include conference calling, an outbound calling app, call management tools, and more. For the UK, EU, Canada, USA, and a number of other nations, you can order custom phone numbers.
You can pick from a variety of plans. Each has a different set of call minutes and number of users you can add. Based on your location and the number you are forwarding to, call forwarding rates vary.
Pricing: One user's monthly fee is £7.50.
7. Freshdesk Contact Center
Previously known as Freshcaller, Freshdesk Contact Centre is a provider of user-friendly virtual business phone apps. They provide reasonably priced plans to suit all budgets, including a pay per minute plan with unlimited agents, which is appropriate for small and developing businesses.
You have a variety of options, including vanity numbers, toll-free numbers, existing numbers, virtual numbers to hide local numbers, and international and toll-free numbers.
All the typical features you require are present, including call management tools, business hours, mobile apps, shared lines, call waiting, SIP connections, and more. If you can't port your local number or the local carrier offers cheaper call rates, some plans let you continue using them.
Pricing: $19 per agent per month or Pay Per Minute.
What is the Best Virtual Phone Number App?
The market's top virtual business phone number app, in our opinion, is Nextiva.
You can deliver first-rate customer support from anywhere with Nextiva because it's incredibly simple to set up and use on any device, including desktops, laptops, smartphones, tablets, and desk phones.
Additionally, it provides all the essential features your company requires, such as call forwarding and routing, an auto attendant, virtual voicemail, voicemail transcription, one-click conference calling, and more.
Ooma and Grasshopper are also fantastic choices if you're looking for an alternative, and both made our list of the top 3 providers.
Note:
In addition, we researched a wide range of other virtual phone number applications not covered in this article, including RingCentral, 88, and others. But because we don't want to compel indecision, we decided it wasn't best to include them.
We sincerely hope that this article assisted you in locating the top virtual business phone app for your company. Additionally, you might be interested in reading our instructions on how to obtain a free business email address and our recommendations of the top email marketing solutions for small businesses.
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