The Best Business Cell Phone Plans

RingCentral’s Advanced plan is the best cell phone plan for businesses. Its VoIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol), app-based phone system comes with unlimited inbound and outbound call minutes, and team messaging and video-conferencing tools.

Our list only features VoIP providers rather than traditional cellular providers like T-Mobile and AT&T. VoIP plans are generally cheaper per user than cellular plans and often come with features most cellular plans don’t have, like call routing and virtual receptionists, turning your employees’ cell phones into a professional phone system.

If you’re a small business looking to save on phone costs, we highly recommend checking out our guide to the best small business phone system providers. Alternatively, get expert recommendations specially made for your team with our free quote tool.

The Best Business Cell Phone Plans: At a Glance

While a traditional business cell phone plan may suit an on-the-go salesman working in an area with poor internet connectivity, teams working in offices in cities and towns will benefit from the range of additional features VoIP platforms make available. Here’s our top five

1. RingCentral Advanced: Best for Streamlining Communications

RingCentral is a cloud-based communication platform. Its Advanced plan excels in streamlining communications for a large number of users, thanks to its extensive call management features, which include AI-powered call and voicemail transcriptions.

What makes RingCentral Advanced a good choice for businesses?

RingCentral Advanced offers unlimited inbound and outbound call minutes within the US and Canada, making it a great cell phone plan for businesses with a large number of employees. You can also choose between toll-free and localized numbers, or a combination of both, and the app-based format of RingCentral means employees don’t have to change their SIM card.

We found the call quality on RingCentral to be generally very good when we tested it, and the interface to be easily navigable thanks to clear signposting and icons.

RingCentral’s key selling point is the extensive call management features it offers, which include call recording, and AI-powered call transcription and summaries, so no vital information ever slips through the cracks. While the transcription results weren’t always perfect when we tested this feature, we found them accurate enough to be easily understandable.

The Advanced plan can also improve your customer’s overall call experience, thanks to features like customizable call greetings, menus, and routing. This ensures customers are never left hanging, and get quickly sent to the appropriate team or department.

Lastly, RingCentral’s Advanced plan can help streamline your internal communications, thanks to features like team messaging and video conferencing for up to 100 participants. You’ll also be able to send e-fax, and access files easily thanks to integrations with Dropbox and Google Drive.

Are there any downsides to RingCentral Advanced?

At $25 per user, per month, when paying annually, RingCentral Advanced can be too expensive for some small businesses. A cheaper alternative is Zoom Unlimited, at $15 per user per month, although it’s missing features such as e-fax and integration with file storage platforms.

Businesses that don’t require extensive call management tools can also consider Google Voice. With pricing starting at $10 per user, per month, it’s one of the cheapest phone plans on the market and is a good option for businesses that already use Google Workspace products.

2. Zoom Regional Unlimited: Best for Small Businesses with High Call Volumes

At $15 per user, per month, the Zoom Regional Unlimited phone plan is the cheapest option on this list. Despite its low price, it still offers users unlimited inbound and outbound calls, making it a great option for small businesses with a high call volume.

What makes Zoom Regional Unlimited a good choice for businesses?

Besides its low price, the Zoom Regional Unlimited phone plan offers call management features that are on par with industry giant RingCentral. These include call routing, menus, and virtual receptionists, as well as customizable greetings and call routing.

Like RingCentral, Zoom also offers call recording, and voicemail transcription, as well as AI-powered summaries, which are quickly becoming an industry norm. We were also impressed by Zoom’s voicemail prioritization tool, which helps push important communications to the top of the list.

When it comes to the Zoom app, we were particularly impressed by its clean interface when we tested the platform. The use of muted colors and rounded icons made it easy on the eyes.

We also liked how easy it was to take notes during video calls. Zoom is, after all, primarily known as a video-meeting app, and it allows users to access various note-taking templates directly from the video call interface. This feature makes collaborative work an internal communication much simpler for remote and hybrid teams.

Are there any downsides to Zoom Regional Unlimited?

Zoom Regional Unlimited integrates with a limited number of third-party platforms. Unlike RingCentral, for example, it doesn’t connect with file storage platforms like Google Drive or Dropbox. There’s also no tool for sending e-faxes, so businesses that require this are better off using RingCentral.

Lastly, we were quite unimpressed by Zoom’s reporting features. It doesn’t offer data charts and graphs for easy visualization, making it hard to quickly see when calls and what type of calls were made.

3. 8×8 Work: Best for Medium to Large Businesses

8×8 Work is a great option for medium to large businesses that need to make calls internationally since it’s the only provider that offers unlimited outbound call minutes to over 47 countries.

What makes 8×8 Work a good choice for businesses?

Besides offering unlimited call minutes to over 47 countries, 8×8 also offers businesses the option of using either localized or toll-free numbers, making it suitable for conducting client meetings as well as contacting customers.

It’s also the only provider to have a video and call conferencing capacity of 500 users (RingCentral’s limit is 100). Along with the unlimited call minutes across various regions, this makes 8×8 a great tool for large businesses with overseas employees.

When it comes to call management, 8×8 offers great functionality, with tools like customized virtual receptionists and call routing. Calls can be quickly routed to suitable agents thanks to customizable caller filters and away-from-desk settings.

8×8 Work is a particularly great phone plan for businesses that communicate via text since it allows for high-volume promotional messaging via SMS, and comes with team messaging and file sharing for internal communications.

Are there any downsides to 8×8 Work?

The main downside to 8×8 Work is the lack of clarity around pricing. In an industry where transparent pricing is the norm, 8×8’s custom pricing model will naturally put some businesses off.

8×8 now also only offers solutions for large businesses, doing away with its tiered plans. For small businesses looking for a simple cell phone plan, we recommend Zoom.

Lastly, although 8×8 Work comes with advanced call management and communication features, it’s missing call and voicemail screening. For businesses that require this feature, but still need a provider fit for a large business, we recommend Ringcentral.

4. GoTo Connect Phone System: Best for Unifying Communication Channels

The GoTo Connect Phone System plan is great for businesses looking for a unified network for internal communications, thanks to features like call routing and ring groups, which can help colleagues reach the right person in different offices, as well as extensive team chat and video conferencing tools.

What makes GoTo Connect a good choice for businesses?

GoTo Connect’s Phone System plan intercommunication tools extend beyond team messaging channels and internal call routing. Businesses also get access to a “paging” system, where colleagues can communicate over a two-way speakerphone, and an “intercom” tool, which plays voice messages on speakerphone (this can be disabled when users are set to do-not-disturb).

This makes GoTo Connect a particularly good option for healthcare clinics or warehouses, where quick communication is necessary. The GoTo Connect app also integrates with popular healthcare sector calendar apps, such as Curve Dental, and Solutionreach.

Video conferencing user limits are also quite generous with GoTo Connect, allowing for 250 attendees, more than RingCentral’s 100, but still only half of 8×8’s 500-user capacity.

When it comes to handling external calls from clients and customers, GoTo Connect Phone System, like its competitors, equips businesses with tools like customized virtual receptionist greetings, and call queues.

Unfortunately, unlike RingCentral and Zoom, GoTo Connect doesn’t offer AI-powered call and voicemail summaries, however, voicemail recordings can also be sent directly to your email, so they don’t get lost.

Are there any downsides to GoTo Connect?

GoTo Connect Phone System is the only phone plan on our list that doesn’t offer unlimited outbound call minutes. Instead, you get 1,000 free outbound minutes shared across all users, and extra minutes incur a charge. For unlimited call minutes, we recommend RingCentral Advanced.

To make up for its limited outbound call minutes, GoTo Connect Phone System offers international calling to 50 countries, much like 8×8, at no extra cost, but these still count towards your total call minutes.

5. Nextiva Engage: Best for Setting Up Omnichannel Customer Support

In recent years, Nextiva has pivoted to being an omnichannel customer experience platform, with its $40 per user per month Engage plan offering the best value for small businesses.

What makes Nextiva Engage a good choice for businesses?

At $40 per user, per month, Nextiva Engage is the priciest phone plan on our list, but it’s worth it for businesses with a customer service team.

Nextiva Enage offers unlimited inbound and outbound call minutes and SMS messaging, and has a high number of channels for engaging with customers. These include a web chat and live chatbot, which you can integrate into your business’s website, a tool not offered by competitors.

You can also integrate the Nextiva phone app with social media messaging apps like Facebook Messenger, Instagram DM, and WhatsApp. All conversations are held in the same inbox on the Nextiva app, removing the need to switch between channels constantly.

When it comes to call management, Nextiva equips your team with all the tools necessary for handling high call volumes. These include a virtual receptionist with customizable greetings and call routing, call queues, and voicemail transcription. However, Nextiva doesn’t offer call and voicemail summaries, unlike RingCentral and Zoom.

Are there any downsides to Nextiva Engage?

The biggest downside to using Nextiva Engage as your business cell phone plan is the price. At $40 per user, per month, it’s almost double what competitors cost.

This can be worth it if you’re looking for a phone plan for your customer service team, but if you just need a basic VoIP phone system, RingCentral, or Zoom offer more than enough tools.

Another downside to Nextiva Engage is that, although it’s geared towards customer service teams, it’s missing some key training tools, such as call monitoring and call whisper. You can get access to these with 8×8, RingCentral, and GoTo Connect.

VoIP vs Cellular Phone Plans: What’s the Difference?

VoIP and cellular are two different technologies for communicating over the phone.

We’ve exclusively recommended VoIP phone plans over traditional business cellular plans offered by the likes of Verizon, because they’re generally cheaper and have more business-centric features, like call menus.

We’ll explain what sets these two technologies apart below:

VoIP

VoIP stands for Voice over Internet Protocol and allows for voice (phone calls) to be transmitted over the Internet.

Modern VoIP phone system providers offer apps that you can download onto your smartphone or desktop, and they’ll work as long as you have access to Wifi or 4G connectivity (if you’re using a phone app).

They also provide businesses with toll-free or localized phone numbers.

Nowadays, most VoIP providers offer more than just phone call technology, incorporating video calling, team messaging, and integrations with third-party software such as calendar apps and CRM systems.

Cellular

Cellular phone plans are offered by traditional mobile carriers, like AT&T and T-Mobile. They used the carrier’s cellular network to connect phone calls, send SMS messages, and connect phones to broadband (3G/4G/5G network).

Like VoIP plans, business cellular plans often provide businesses with their desired number of toll-free or localized numbers.

Most cellular phone plans include set limits for phone call minutes, SMS messages sends, and broadband data usage, although nowadays, unlimited plans are the norm, especially when it comes to broadband.

What cellular phone plans don’t provide, which VoIP plans do, is integrated access to internal team messaging, or outbound messaging on other platforms, like social media. They’re purely for making calls.

The Benefits of Using a VoIP Phone Plan

There are several benefits to using a VoIP plan over a cellular plan:

• You’re able to use the same number on different devices since employees use an app to make calls, not need to switch SIM cards.
• There’s no need to invest in separate work cell phones since employees can download the VoIP app onto their existing phone or computer
• You’ll generally pay less for VoIP than for a business cellular phone plan, with prices averaging $25 per user per month for unlimited calls on VoIP, compared to $90 for one cellular phone line with unlimited minutes.
• VoIP is easier to call up or down compared to cellular business phone plans, since VoIP costs less on average, and isn’t contract-based like cellular plans.

The downsides of using a VoIP phone plan

There are a few downsides to using a VoIP phone plan over a cellular phone plan.

The main issue is that your call quality is dependent on your internet connection, so if you have a poor connection, the quality will be bad.

VoIP phone plans are also not the best option for making calls on the go if your employees have the VoIP app installed on their personal phones. This is because they’ll be using their personal cellular broadband data allowance to connect to the internet.

This won’t be an issue for most US businesses, but if your staff needs to make calls on the go, or frequently travel through remote or rural areas, a cellular phone plan is a better option.

How to Choose a VoIP Phone Plan

Here’s what to consider when choosing a VoIP phone plan:

Price

While VoIP phone plans are generally more affordable than cellular business phone plans, most charge per user, per month, so costs can add up.

If you’re worried about price, we recommend choosing a cheap provider like Zoom or Google Voice, both of which have plans that start at $10 per user per month.

Another way to lower costs is to pay for a full year upfront, instead of paying month to month, since most providers offer discounts if you do this.

Call quality

To make sure you’re choosing a provider with good call quality, look at their uptime guarantee. This essentially is the service provider’s promise to keep their services accessible for a certain amount of time. Good uptime guarantees for VoIP providers are ones above 99.9%.

Since VoIP runs over the internet, investing in a strong and reliable internet connection before setting up your VoIP system will reduce your chances of experiencing poor call quality.

Call minutes

Most VoIP phone system providers offer plans with unlimited inbound and outbound call minutes. However, sometimes the cheapest plans have call limits, so make sure you select a plan that matches your usage.

Additionally, if you make a lot of international calls, we recommend using a provider that offers these at no extra cost, such as 8×8.

Additional features

The main selling point of VoIP phone systems is that they offer additional features on top of allowing you to make calls. Before choosing a plan and provider, it’s important to consider what additional features are must-haves, and what features are nice-to-haves.

Here are some VoIP use case examples:

• You need to communicate internally: Choose a VoIP system with team messaging and video calling at the minimum. Integration with calendar apps and file-sharing platforms is a useful addition.
• You receive calls from customers: Choose a VoIP system with a virtual receptionist, call routing, and call queues at the minimum. Useful additional include voicemail transcription and call screening.
• You operate a customer service team: In addition to call management tools like virtual receptionists and call routing, you’ll need, at the minimum, two training tools, such as call recording or call monitoring.

How Did We Compare the Best Business Cell Phone Plans?