When you first launch a business, it’s possible to manage contacts with your personal phone number. But doing so is neither scalable nor professional. As your team and your business expand, the need for a business phone number becomes more obvious. That’s where a virtual phone number comes in handy. Instead of paying expensive bills for both your employees’ phones, your office phone, and your personal number, you can just opt for a virtual business number. For a reasonable monthly fee, virtual phones route calls to your cell phone, your home number or a VoIP phone number. So you can take business calls anytime, anywhere.
Grasshopper is the perfect solution for solopreneurs and teams no bigger than 15 people. It has the best 800 number service for small businesses, letting you choose from 800, 888, 877, 844, 866, or 833 numbers. Available on any mobile device, it gives you the ability to tend to your clients wherever your business takes you. Read Review
- ⦿Unified messaging
- ⦿Fixed pricing
- ⦿Abundance of business phone numbers
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Phone.com is a budget-friendly VoIP option with versatile plans for those who look for affordable yet feature-packed virtual business phone solutions. We loved the fact that Phone.com covers more platforms than other providers and that it offers both domestic and international virtual phone numbers. On top of that, 24/7 customer support makes the user experience smooth and hassle-free, as someone will always be at your disposal in case you encounter any difficulty. Read Review
- ⦿Multiple implementation options
- ⦿HD conference calling with 100 participants
- ⦿Pay-per-minute and unlimited pricing plans
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eVoice is another US virtual phone number provider that tailors to businesses of all sizes by providing advanced tools for proper communication without requiring users to set up additional equipment. It offers local, national, and international numbers and enables you to forward calls you can’t take to other employees. In addition to video conferencing and screen sharing features, a 24/7 virtual receptionist is on hand to ensure you never miss another call. Read Review
- ⦿Advanced call routing
- ⦿eReceptionist
- ⦿Video conferencing
8x8 offers an advanced set of call-handling features that satisfy the needs of small business owners wanting to set up a call center. In addition to a heap of features for communication with customers, this service also has plenty of options for team communication. The 8x8 system operates on any internet-connected device, as well as your existing traditional phones. Read Review
- ⦿Unlimited calling to 48 countries with top-tier plan
- ⦿Desk phones for sale
- ⦿Conference calling
RingCentral is another robust solution that brings more than just a virtual phone number to the table. It is a cloud-based PBX that provides state-of-the-art features like video voicemail, video conferencing, and screen sharing. These features allow you to communicate with your customers in a unique and personal way, and help you bring remote teams together. Read Review
- ⦿Directory listings
- ⦿Video voicemail
- ⦿International numbers
Line2 is an excellent all-in-one solution for small teams. Its long list of features includes everything from call answering with a pre-recorded auto-attendant message to merged calling and voicemail transcriptions. The provider also makes it easy to pick the ideal virtual phone number by giving you toll-free and vanity options while ensuring all your calls are routed to the right place. Read Review
- ⦿Excellent call-management features
- ⦿Unlimited SMS and MMS messaging
- ⦿Toll-free and vanity numbers
The Nextiva service tops other providers since it delivers a CRM system for the price of a virtual phone service. Call quality, system reliability and its array of features are all top of the line. The company also provides non-stop exceptional customer care across different communication channels. This provider is great for scaling - as your number of users goes up, your monthly user fee will go down. Read Review
- ⦿Very reliable with 99.9% uptime
- ⦿More than 40 call-management features
- ⦿Sales and service CRM features
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Sonetel is one of Sweden’s fastest-growing tech companies, and its virtual phone number solution is efficient, easy to implement, and very affordable. You can get a virtual phone number for free, with global call forwarding, voice responses, call queues, and much more. Apart from providing phone numbers, Sonetel lets you implement live-chat support features on your website or your business’s Facebook page. Read Review
- ⦿Free phone number if you use widget
- ⦿Offers live-chat and team-communication features
- ⦿Free call taking via mobile app
CallHippo offers virtual local phone numbers from more than 50 countries. It lets you add multiple users and make calls to receivers all around the world. Its features include call recording and forwarding, workflow automation, and detailed call analytics. CallHippo's pricing plans start at $16/user/month, and its service is best suited for small businesses and outbound calling teams. Read Review
- ⦿Four subscription options
- ⦿Exceptional customer service
- ⦿Easy to set up
iPlum is a virtual number provider that offers a multi-functional mobile app. You don’t only get to use this number to place calls and text messages, but you may also enjoy a number of useful features, including auto-text, out-of-the-office messages, voicemail transcription, and more. Read Review
- ⦿Unlimited credits starting at $8.99
- ⦿Toll-free number
- ⦿Call recording and voicemail transcripts
Freshdesk Contact Center (formerly known as Freshcaller) is among the best toll-free number providers out there. You can choose one of the available numbers or even create a customized vanity phone number. This system has the most robust call-center features for handling calls and monitoring employees’ work and productivity. Since it’s only available on softphones, you won’t have to invest in additional equipment. Freshdesk also has a free version with a few standard features. Read Review
- ⦿Freshdesk integrations
- ⦿Powerful call-center solutions
- ⦿Free plan with limited features
As one of the industry's leaders, VirtualPBX strikes a good balance between affordability and functionality. Thanks to its wide range of features such as unlimited minutes, auto-attendant, and customized greetings, this cloud-based VoIP solution can help a company of any size streamline and enhance its internal and external business communication. Try VirtualPBX risk-free with a 15-day money-back guarantee. Read Review
- ⦿Competitive prices
- ⦿Simple setup
- ⦿Multiple integrations
As an all-in-one virtual receptionist system, MightyCall aggregates customer queries coming from phone calls, social media channels, and emails into one queue. It processes calls made and received via vanity, local, and toll-free numbers and lets its users organize client data in a highly efficient way. We recommend this provider's virtual phone services to small and mid-sized business owners on the hunt for an affordable way to improve their internal and external communication. Read Review
- ⦿Team collaboration features
- ⦿Visual voicemail and voicemail transcription
- ⦿Scalable solution
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Vonage is a one-stop shop for all of your virtual phone needs: Set up everything you need, from hardware to API, for a very affordable price. This solution is available for desktop and browser, and has the best virtual phone number app on this list. Vonage has more than 50+ features you can use for your calls and integrates beautifully with CRMs, productivity tools, and other communication software your business might be using. Read Review
- ⦿14-day trial
- ⦿More than 50 call features
- ⦿Competitive prices for hardware
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Why You Need a Virtual Phone Line
Even if your business is still in its initial stage and you’re working with only a few customers, it’s not too early to think about an online business number.
But why would you get a virtual phone number?
First of all, it looks more professional to potential clients. Secondly, it will give you the chance to connect with prospects from any device that’s convenient for you at the moment. If you’re in the office, you can pick up the call on your desk phone. If you are in your car on your way to a meeting, you can answer via mobile. You even have the option to pick up from your desktop computer, and to the caller, it won’t make any difference. The person calling your virtual phone number will dial your business phone number and you’ll answer it professionally regardless of your location.
The advantages of this solution multiply as your business grows. Your employees don’t have to be in the office to answer in-house calls. Moreover, you can use the software to route calls to the team member who can best address a caller’s concerns.
You can use this system to gain the trust of international customers by letting them contact you via local number. Another great feature of virtual phone numbers is the possibility of recording the conversations your staff has with customers or prospects. The list goes on and on.
Keep in mind, though, that going with an unreliable provider can cost you business. If the calls aren’t getting through to you and your team, prospects will lose interest and go with your competitors. Even if the calls reach you but keep getting interrupted, customers will get annoyed and probably hang up.
Our Criteria for Evaluating Virtual Phone Services for Small Businesses
Price
As a small business owner, you want to keep track of where every dollar goes. That’s why it’s important to find the right virtual phone service providers that will fit in your budget. The following list includes companies that charge per minute, and companies with monthly plans. The ideal provider will not require you to pay for features you aren’t using, but will allow you to add them as your business grows.
Selection of Phone Numbers
When you set up a virtual phone system, you need to choose a business phone number. Depending on your current professional needs and scaling plans, you’ll want a local or a national toll-free number. Some entrepreneurs target foreign markets with their products and services so they’ll need an international number.
Call-Management Features
You won’t be able to answer all the questions your clients have. That’s why you have a team. But does the software allow call transfers to qualified co-workers? On a busy day, you’ll get more calls than you can handle. Is there a call queuing feature? Some business owners want to be able to monitor their workers and provide feedback. Can you use the online phone system to record calls?
Automated Attendant
As your business grows, the number of incoming calls will grow too. Routing them according to callers’ needs is important as it streamlines your customer care. Clients will be happy to get straight to the point. And your employees will be more efficient too. It’s a win-win. So we checked to see if a small business virtual phone system offers a voice menu system commonly known as an auto-attendant.
Multiline Management
When you start your own company, there are a million things you need to get done. Regardless of your profession, many of them take you out of the office. Since business calls keep pouring in when you are on the go, you want to receive the calls via virtual numbers on your personal phone. Needless to say, carrying two phones around is impractical and out-dated. Bearing this in mind, we assessed the virtual business phone service providers on how well they split your personal and professional communication on a single device.
Call Quality
If you want to communicate a sense of professionalism to your potential clients, you’ll need a business number. No arguing there. But what good is having a business phone number if the connection is bad? We always take call quality into consideration when doing our virtual phone system reviews.
Customer Service
When you ditch the traditional landlines for a cloud-based PBX, you’re bound to have some questions about your new virtual business phone system. Trained technical support over the phone is a very welcome feature. After you set up the system you will have some questions about the new environment. So it’s helpful when a company offers explanatory articles on its website, and - even better - hands-on support from customer care agents. Bearing these requirements in mind, we evaluated the providers based on the availability and quality of customer support.
10 Best Virtual Phone Number Services for Small Businesses
- Grasshopper
- Phone.com
- eVoice
- 8x8
- RingCentral
Line2
- Nextiva
- Sonetel
- CallHippo
iPlum

Reviews of Virtual Phone Services for Small Businesses
Grasshopper Review
GOOD
EXCELLENT
FAIR
- ⦿ Voicemail transcription
- ⦿ Business contacts
- ⦿ Custom greetings
Phone.com Review
EXCELLENT
EXCELLENT
EXCELLENT
- ⦿ CRM integration
- ⦿ Call analytics
- ⦿ E011 service
eVoice Review
EXCELLENT
VERY GOOD
EXCELLENT
- ⦿ Audio/video conferencing
- ⦿ Live receptionist
- ⦿ Call queuing
8x8 Review
EXCELLENT
GOOD
EXCELLENT
- ⦿ HD audio and video meetings with screen sharing
- ⦿ Analytics and call quality reporting
- ⦿ Post call surveys
RingCentral Review
EXCELLENT
GOOD
EXCELLENT
- ⦿ National and local business directory listings
- ⦿ Video voicemail
- ⦿ Professional implementation
Line2 Review
EXCELLENT
GOOD
EXCELLENT
- ⦿ Toll-free and vanity numbers
- ⦿ Voicemail transcription
- ⦿ Inbound call handling
Nextiva Review
EXCELLENT
EXCELLENT
EXCELLENT
- ⦿ CRM system
- ⦿ User and team performance reports
- ⦿ Unlimited conference calls
Sonetel Review
EXCELLENT
GOOD
GOOD
- ⦿ Call forwarding to any type of phone
- ⦿ Robust mobile app
- ⦿ Free minutes/calling discounts with paid plans
CallHippo Review
EXCELLENT
GOOD
EXCELLENT
- ⦿ Local numbers in 50+ countries
- ⦿ Multiple integration options
- ⦿ Smart call forwarding
iPlum Review
EXCELLENT
EXCELLENT
EXCELLENT
- ⦿ Interactive Voice Response (IVR)
- ⦿ Auto-text reply
- ⦿ Call recording
Freshdesk Contact Center (Formerly Freshcaller) Review
EXCELLENT
FAIR
GOOD
- ⦿ Multi-level interactive voice response system
- ⦿ Wait queue
- ⦿ Custom greetings
VirtualPBX Review
GOOD
EXCELLENT
GOOD
- ⦿ Automatic call distribution queues
- ⦿ External storage
- ⦿ Multiple integrations
MightyCall Review
EXCELLENT
GOOD
GOOD
- ⦿ VIP and blacklist call routing
- ⦿ Voicemail transcription
- ⦿ Scalable solution
Vonage Review
EXCELLENT
EXCELLENT
VERY GOOD
- ⦿ AI-powered assistant
- ⦿ Unlimited calls, SMS, and team messaging on basic plan
- ⦿ Company-wide and on-demand voicemail recording
A virtual phone number is a telephone number without a phone line directly associated with it. Instead of being connected to one specific telephone line, a virtual number is programmed to forward incoming calls to one of the pre-set telephone lines that the client chooses, be it fixed, mobile or VoIP. Virtual phone numbers are also known as access numbers since they can work as a gateway between traditional calls and VoIP.
Getting a virtual telephone number is a pretty straightforward procedure. You can start by signing up with a service provider. Then you select a country and a phone number that customers will dial to reach your small business. And you’re good to go. You’ll be able to receive calls on your mobile phone, laptop, tablet, home phone - wherever you are, as long as you have an internet connection or cellular phone line.
VoIP stands for Voice over Internet Protocol. Although often used as a synonym for virtual phone numbers, VoIP numbers actually differ from them. While the former use private data centers to route calls over existing land and cell phone lines, VoIP numbers use public internet for routing calls. Both solutions are less expensive than some traditional phone services and they enable you to take and make calls on the go. VoIP numbers are less reliable as they depend on the strength of your internet connection.
The first step to getting a VoIP number is checking your internet connection. It needs to be stable for your calls to be clear. If your internet connection isn’t strong, calls won’t be able to go through to your devices. Meeting this requirement is imperative. The following steps are similar to getting a virtual phone number. You need to sign up for a VoIP plan with a vendor. You can consult our list of best online phone service providers to find one that fits your needs. The final step is choosing foreign or domestic phone numbers that clients will use to get in touch with your business.
The best free virtual number provider at the moment is Google Voice. It trumps the competition since it gives US users a permanently free virtual phone number. You need a Google account to sign up for the service. Once you register, you will type in the city you want your number to look like it's coming from and select one of the available numbers.
The answer to this question depends on your business needs. The best virtual phone number company for a business employing about 150 workers and getting hundreds of calls each day will most likely be too expensive and overly complicated for a team of 10 people. If your business falls into the first category, we recommend checking out 8x8 and Freshcaller. You can set up a call center using the services these companies provide. If, on the other hand, you identify with the second category, Grasshopper, Line2 or Google Voice business are a better fit. These three companies give users a virtual phone number and a neat set of features that will make your small business seem more professional without the unnecessary functionalities.