The Best Business Phone Lines

If you want to bridge the gap between yourself, your team, business partners, and clients, then choosing the best business phone line is a must. We found 8×8, RingCentral, and Vonage to be the best business phone line suppliers for US businesses in 2024, with Ooma and Google Voice being appealing alternatives for less investment. Each small business phone system offers a way to streamline external and internal communication, with varying specialties and costs per month.

Below we directly compare each business phone’s positives and potential downsides, so you can learn exactly which sort of business phone line is for you. But if you want to know exactly which option is best for your enterprise and how much it will cost you right away, we suggest filling out our free quote comparison tool to get quick answers.

The Best Business Phone Lines in 2024

We recommend that you invest in VoIP phone lines rather than landlines because they are cheaper, flexible, and have significantly more features. Here are our five best business VoIP suppliers  for US businesses, according to our research:

1. 8×8: Best Business Phone Line Supplier Overall

8×8 is our best overall business phone line supplier because it has the most extensive collection of communication tools for both inbound and outbound comms, including ring groups, external video calling, and call-flow designer. To maximize your time for client calls, you can even add an auto-dialer or a more intelligent interactive voice response (IVR) for an extra cost, making it the best choice for sales teams.

Why is 8×8 a top business telephone provider?

8×8’s strengths are evident in several key areas:

Extensive international calling: 8×8 offers some of the best calling allowances for international businesses, with unlimited calling to 14 countries on its base X2 plan and expanding to 48 countries in higher tiers. That’s better than RingCentral, for instance, which only provides unlimited calls within the US and Canada (international calls have varying rates, none of which are unlimited).

Unified communications: 8×8 integrates voice, video, messaging, and contact center solutions into a single platform, which is an all-in-one approach not all business phone lines can offer for your team’s communication needs. Granted, other platforms do this too, including RingCentral and Vonage which both made our top options on this page. However…..

Advanced security and compliance: 8×8 emphasizes security with features like TLS/SRTP encryption and compliance with various industry standards, ensuring secure communications. RingCentral also offers robust security measures, though some advanced features may be reserved for higher-tier plans. Vonage provides standard security features but may not offer the same level of compliance certifications as 8×8.

Strong customer service: You can quickly contact the 8×8 helpdesk via a user forum, online knowledge base articles, live chat, email, or phone. Most useful is that its phone line and live chat are 24/7, so you can call them around the clock whenever an issue arises.

Any reasons why 8×8 won’t be for you?

While 8×8 offers numerous advantages, it may not be the ideal fit for every business:

Pricing considerations: 8×8’s plans may be priced higher than some competitors, which could be a concern for budget-conscious small businesses. 8×8’s pricing is private too, meaning you won’t know exactly what you can expect for your business needs as they evolve. From what we know about its UK pricing, its X4 plan is around £36 per user which equates to around $45 per user, per month.

While still fairly costly, RingCentral offers more transparent and potentially more affordable pricing options by comparison since the highest price you’ll pay for its core offering is $35.

Integration limitations: 8×8 provides a range of integrations but may not match the extensive options available with RingCentral, which offers over 300 integrations. Vonage also offers a variety of integrations, though the depth and ease of integration can vary depending on what tools you need.

2. RingCentral: Best Business Phone Line for Customer Service Teams

RingCentral stands out as a premier choice for customer service teams seeking a robust business phone system. Namely, its comprehensive suite of inbound communication features, including customizable greetings, virtual receptionists, ring groups, and call queues, allows businesses to efficiently manage customer interactions with a suite of different tools.

Why is RingCentral a top business telephone provider?

RingCentral’s strengths lie in its extensive feature set and adaptability:

Comprehensive inbound features: RingCentral has customizable greetings, virtual receptionists, advanced call management options like ring groups and call queues, and useful training features like monitor, whisper and barge functionalities. 8×8 has similar features accessible on its X4 plan, with RingCentral training features accessible on its Advanced plan for $25 per user, per month.

Unified communications platform: Beyond voice services, RingCentral integrates team messaging and video conferencing, providing a centralized hub for all internal communication needs. We found most of the platform incredibly easy to use during our testing, too, with joining calls, listening to voicemails, and sending files via messaging easily achieved. However, we did find it annoying that call transcripts are only downloadable while still inside a call.

The likes of 8×8 also offer unified communications with similar tools but do improve RingCentral’s offering a little. That includes audio and video conferencing for up to 500 users on all plans, whereas RingCentral is limited to 100 on its Core and Advanced plans and 200 on its Ultra plan.

Scalability: Catering to businesses of all sizes, RingCentral’s scalable solutions ensure that as your business grows, your communication tools can adapt accordingly. It has a relatively affordable starting price of $20 per user per month and its transparent pricing should mean you can plan for any upgrades when you need more advanced tools.

8×8 is also scalable but may require more complex configurations for larger enterprises since it has more plans and custom, quote-based pricing that isn’t publicly available.

Extensive integrations: RingCentral offers over 300 integrations, including CRM systems like Salesforce and Zendesk plus workspaces such as Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace. There is also API support for custom integrations. This is a much greater number than 8×8, with support for around 60 third-party applications, so if you want to integrate specific tools with your business phone, RingCentral might be the choice for you.

Any Reasons Why RingCentral Won’t Be for Your Business?

While RingCentral excels in many areas, it may not be the perfect fit for every business:

Cost considerations: Even if it’s pretty good value in our books, with prices starting at $20 per user per month and potentially reaching well above $35 per user per month if you require any add-ons, RingCentral’s pricing may be higher than some alternatives you can find out there. Budget-conscious small businesses may want to consider alternatives for this reason.

3. Vonage: Best Business Phone Line for Small Businesses

Vonage is our best phone line provider for small businesses, due to its flexible communication solutions and extensive integrations that should allow it to fit into any growing team’s workflow. Its extensive feature set and adaptability make it a strong contender for businesses seeking a reliable business phone line.

Why is Vonage a top business telephone provider?

Vonage’s strengths are evident in several key areas:

Comprehensive feature set: Vonage offers over 50 standard features, including call routing, voicemail transcription, and team messaging. Outbound communication tools, such as set caller ID, external video calling, and custom call lists should help teams reach their leads and customers to boost relationships. We also think its automated help desk makes it a great choice for industries handling customer queries, such as lawyers.

Integration capabilities: Vonage integrates with various CRM and business applications, enhancing workflow efficiency. While RingCentral offers a broader range of integrations, Vonage’s options should be more than sufficient for many businesses. 8×8 also provides integrations but may not match the depth offered by Vonage.

Relatively affordable: Compared to RingCentral and 8×8, Vonage is one of the cheaper business phone lines around at the time of writing, too. As the below image shows, you can currently get its cheapest plan for just $14 per line, per month and receive unlimited domestic calling minutes, instead of the usual price of $20 per line, per month. RingCentral’s cheapest plan is $20 per user, while 8×8 keeps its prices private but is around a similar level as well as we are aware. It’s worth noting that Vonage’s price will increase eventually however, as this is only a time-limited promotion.

Any reasons why Vonage won’t be for your business?

While Vonage offers numerous advantages, it may not be the ideal fit for every business:

Advanced feature limitations: For businesses requiring advanced features like extensive analytics or international calling, Vonage’s offerings may be less comprehensive compared to our two favorite options, RingCentral and 8×8.

Integration depth: Even if they are more extensive than some other phone lines out there, businesses relying heavily on specific integrations may find RingCentral’s broader range more accommodating. We recommend checking the list of possible integrations for each phone line provider to see if they have what you are looking for.

4. Ooma: Best business phone line for helping customers

Ooma offers a tailored solution for small businesses, particularly those focused on delivering excellent customer service to their customers and clients. With a clean interface, competitive pricing, and robust support options, Ooma provides a simplified yet effective business phone line solution. However, businesses requiring advanced integrations or compliance with stringent security standards might find other providers more suitable.

Why is Ooma a top business telephone provider?

While 8×8 and RingCentral are business phone line providers operating with established businesses in mind, Ooma follows Vonage in offering a more streamlined package better suited to smaller businesses. Here are some ways it impressed us:

User-friendly interface: During our testing of the Ooma platform, we found that it is designed with ease of use in mind. Tasks like setting up a virtual receptionist or transferring calls are intuitive, making it accessible for teams without dedicated IT staff. We would prefer if we could add colleagues to a call directly, but sending a link to them isn’t a huge workaround. Comparatively, RingCentral’s interface is also user-friendly but offers more advanced customization options that might overwhelm smaller teams; with Ooma almost every task is straightforward.

Competitive pricing for core features: Ooma starts at $19.95 per user per month, offering features like a mobile app, virtual receptionist, and call management tools (ring groups, voicemail, toll-free numbers, etc.) and 24/7 live support as part of its lowest cost plan.

We’d say RingCentral is still better value, since it is only slightly more expensive at $20 per user but includes more integrations and analytics. However, Ooma provides a budget-friendly option for businesses that only need essential communication tools if RingCentral is too overwhelming.

Vonage, while similarly priced outside of its current discount, often charges extra for features like virtual numbers, which Ooma includes so Ooma could be a better choice in this regard. Still, Vonage does allow for integrations on its first tier, unlike Ooma.

Effective call management: Ooma includes tools like Call Flip (to switch calls between devices) and Call Park (to hold and transfer calls across users). These features are standard across all plans, while 8×8 offers similar functionality at higher-tier plans. In this sense, we’d say Ooma’s tools cater specifically to small teams handling customer queries efficiently.

Any reasons why Ooma won’t be for you?

Limited compliance and security features: Ooma is not HIPAA-compliant by default, which makes it unsuitable for healthcare providers or companies otherwise managing sensitive data. In contrast, RingCentral and 8×8 offer HIPAA compliance out of the box, making them better choices for industries with stringent security needs.

Lack of advanced integrations: As alluded to, businesses requiring seamless integration with CRM systems like Salesforce or Zendesk may find Ooma limiting. While these integrations are available at higher-tier plans like Ooma Pro Plus, the likes of Vonage and RingCentral provide more robust and customizable options at similar pricing levels.

Less scalability for growing enterprises: Ooma’s features cater primarily to small businesses. Larger organizations needing advanced analytics, multi-location call routing, or extensive management tools may find RingCentral or 8×8 better equipped to handle their scalability requirements. So even if Ooma is a good deal for your finances now, it may be a pain – financially or logistically – to transfer systems down the line.

5. Google Voice: Best VoIP for Small Teams in the Google Ecosystem

Google Voice is a straightforward and budget-friendly business phone line, ideal for teams already utilizing Google Workspace. Its seamless integration with Google apps, robust security features, and low entry cost make it an attractive option for small businesses and startups.

We found it easy to use too, if a little unremarkable compared to other providers. That extends into its lack of advanced features (and therefore scalability) compared to competitors like RingCentral, Ooma, and 8×8, making it less suitable for larger or more complex operations.

Why is Google Voice a top business telephone provider?

Budget-friendly pricing: Google Voice starts at just $10 per user per month, offering essential VoIP capabilities like voicemail transcription, call forwarding, and SMS. This pricing is significantly lower than any other option on this page, including Ooma or Vonage’s discounted option.

Google Voice lacks many advanced features included in Ooma’s plans, however, such as call queuing and a virtual receptionist, and even more (such as training features like call whisper or monitoring tools) compared to RingCentral and 8×8, so whether this is suited to your business depends on your calling needs.

Strong security features: With features like multi-factor authentication, user permissions, and compliance with major standards like HIPAA and ISO certifications, Google Voice is one of the top business lines for security. We’d say it’s much better than Ooma in particular, which lacks basic safeguards like enforced password rules. RingCentral and 8×8 also offer robust security measures, but Google Voice is particularly attractive for professional services businesses handling sensitive data across the world, given Google’s global standing.

Seamless integration with Google Workspace: As mentioned previously, and as you may expect, we found Google Voice integrates effortlessly with Google Workspace apps such as Gmail, Calendar, and Meet during our testing, streamlining communication and collaboration should you already use these tools. Consequently, Voice is a natural fit for teams already using Google’s ecosystem.

Excellent international calling rates
Google Voice provides free calls to the US from any country and highly competitive rates for international calls, such as $0.01 per minute to the UK or Mexico. While Ooma includes free calls to Mexico, RingCentral and 8×8’s international rates can be higher, making Google Voice the more cost-effective choice for businesses with global clients.

Any reasons why Google Voice won’t be for you?

Limited scalability and features: Google Voice lacks advanced calling features like call monitoring, analytics, and team management tools, which are available with RingCentral, 8×8, and Ooma. Businesses needing complex call routing or training tools may find Google Voice insufficient in this sense.

Dependence on Google Workspace: Google Voice is only available to Google Workspace customers, which adds an additional cost of $6 to $18 per user per month. This restriction doesn’t apply to any other competitors on this page.

This dependency also means that while you have streamlined integration with Google tools, you don’t have integration with any third-party tools. By comparison, RingCentral has over 200 integrations, and 8×8 offers plenty of advanced CRM and helpdesk connections.

Limited customer support options: While Google Voice offers 24/7 support, it lacks live chat and dedicated phone lines, relying instead on online help forums and email. Ooma, on the other hand, excels with live chat and phone support, while RingCentral provides a broader range of customer service options, too.

What Is a Business Phone Line?

A business phone line refers to a telephone system, either landline (as you probably know already) or VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol), designed for business use. Unlike traditional landlines, modern systems use the internet, enabling advanced features like multiple simultaneous calls, call forwarding, and voice or video conferencing.

Types of business phone line

There are three main types of business phone lines: Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN), and Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP).

• Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN): The original landline technology, PSTN transmits analog voice over copper wires. Despite modernization, its core functionality has remained unchanged since its invention in the 1800s.
• Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN): Introduced in the 1980s, ISDN digitized landlines, enabling simultaneous voice and data transmission over PSTN wires. It offers clearer calls and faster data transfer compared to PSTN.
• Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP): VoIP transmits calls over the Internet, replacing traditional phone lines. It supports advanced features like conferencing and call forwarding, eliminates physical limitations, and scales easily with business growth, making it the most efficient and flexible option.

Landline Phone Lines vs. VoIP Phone Lines

Now that we’ve defined what a business phone line is and its different types, let’s go in-depth on the difference between landlines and VoIP lines, focusing on three key categories: price, functionality, and mobility.

How Did We Compare the Best Business Phone Lines?