Grasshopper is a virtual phone system for small businesses founded in 2003. It provides local and toll-free numbers with call forwarding, voicemail, and basic SMS features. Unlike true VoIP platforms, Grasshopper routes calls through your existing cell carrier. You’ll still need an active mobile plan to use Grasshopper’s platform.
Grasshopper plans start at $14 per month. That might seem like a great deal as you’re shopping around for a business phone system. However, Grasshopper doesn’t offer integrations, collaboration features, or connections to AI tools.
The bottom line: Grasshopper is a good option if you’re a solopreneur who wants a second phone line. It falls apart when you try to scale your operations with a team.
In this article, we’ll cover everything you need to know about Grasshopper. We’ll break down its key features, pricing plans, and general customer sentiment.
How does Grasshopper work?
Grasshopper routes your calls through your existing carrier network. While it does offer VoIP and WiFi calling, it primarily uses your carrier network to make and receive calls and send texts.
Unlike modern platforms that assign numbers to users, Grasshopper uses an extension system. Your team shares a number, and Grasshopper assigns individual extensions to each team member. This works fine for one or two users but becomes confusing as your team grows.
Grasshopper does offer desktop and mobile apps. You can access its platform on Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android devices. Unfortunately, Grasshopper doesn’t offer a web app to teams, so you can’t use every possible device. As a result, tablets and iPads aren’t supported.
You can use landline phone systems with Grasshopper. This is available through a Grasshopper feature called Calling Card. You have to register your landline phone by contacting Grasshopper support and turning this feature on.
How to get a Grasshopper phone number
Grasshopper offers three phone number options for teams:
- Local numbers. Pick numbers with a local area code in the US and Canada. Texting pictures, videos, and other multimedia and group texting are available for local numbers only.
- Toll-free numbers. North American toll-free only.
- Ported numbers. Move your existing business phone number to Grasshopper.
Here are a few texting limitations with Grasshopper you should know:
- You cannot send or receive texts to or from international numbers.
- You can’t send group texts with toll-free numbers.
- You can’t use your toll-free number to send texts to Canadian numbers.
Learn more about Grasshopper toll-free numbers.
You can get a Grasshopper phone number in four steps:
- Select a Grasshopper plan. All plans are available with a seven-day free trial.
- Choose your preferred phone number — local, toll-free, or existing.
- Download the desktop and mobile apps.
- Sign in to your account.
You should know you can’t use your Grasshopper number to send texts during the free trial. You’ll have to upgrade to a paid plan. You’ll also have to register your Grasshopper number under 10DLC compliance to start texting US phone numbers.
Pros and cons of Grasshopper
Here’s a quick breakdown of Grasshopper’s key strengths and limitations:
Pros
- Unlimited voice calling in the US and Canada
- Unlimited SMS and MMS messaging
- Free seven-day trial
- Plans charge by the number of extensions, not the number of users
- Vanity, local, and toll-free numbers
- Instant text responses for missed calls
Cons
- Clunky mobile and desktop apps
- Only available in the US and Canada
- No integrations aside from Google Voice
- Not HIPAA compliant
- Limited ways to save time texting
- 30-day storage for call recordings
Scroll down to learn more about Grasshopper pros and cons. We cover them in detail in the following sections.
Grasshopper key features
Here are the features you can expect on every Grasshopper plan:
- Business call forwarding. Route calls to your personal phone or to another team member.
- Unlimited SMS and MMS messaging. Local numbers have no restrictions. However, Grasshopper toll-free numbers have significant limitations.
- Voicemail transcriptions. Record voicemails and transcribe them for every call.
- Business hour routing. Set up custom schedules so customers reach you when you’re available.
- Phone number extensions. Assign dedicated extensions to multiple team members.
- Basic analytics and reporting. Get basic call analytics with Grasshopper.
- Hold music. Keep customers occupied when you put them on hold.
- Virtual fax. Incoming faxes can be delivered as PDF attachments to your email.
- Multi-digit extensions. Get access to Grasshopper call forwarding to your team’s phone extensions.
- Free phone number porting. Bring your existing number to your Grasshopper account.
There are premium features that are only available when you upgrade to Grasshopper’s higher-tier plans, including:
- Call recording. Record calls with your customers automatically.
- AI call summaries. Summarize what was discussed in past calls.
- AI call sentiment. Tag calls based on whether they were positive, neutral, or negative.
- IVR. Phone menus for easy navigation.
- Simultaneous call handling. Route calls to available team members in the same number.
Keep in mind you won’t find any Grasshopper integrations with CRMs, Zapier, or AI tools.
Grasshopper apps: What you should know
Each Grasshopper plan comes with desktop and mobile apps compatible with Android and iOS devices. These apps let you make calls, send texts, and check call recordings from anywhere with a WiFi connection or cellular data.
Unfortunately, customers complain that its apps are buggy, difficult to navigate, and slow. Here are the issues that are frequently cited with their apps:
1. Unreliable notifications and data syncing
If your customers try to call you or they’ve sent you a text, you should immediately know about it. But Grasshopper’s call notifications are unreliable. They may not come through at all, which adds to your list of missed calls and unanswered texts.
Comment
byu/Ge0cities from discussion
inEntrepreneurRideAlong
Grasshopper also doesn’t manage your contacts reliably. Contacts are siloed in your team’s devices. When a team member updates a contact in their device, it doesn’t sync to other user devices. If you’re sharing a number, this approach is inefficient. It means you have to constantly ask your colleagues for a contact’s number or information.
2. Difficult to set up and navigate
Setting up your account in Grasshopper isn’t easy. First, you need to use a separate web portal outside of Grasshopper’s main calling and texting app. Then, you’ll need to navigate an outdated interface and complete a clunky setup process to get everything in place. Grasshopper has refreshed its apps, but it hasn’t updated its web portal in years.
Here’s a customer review that speaks to the difficulty of using Grasshopper’s web portal:
“The online settings interface is horribly non-intuitive. Doing something that should be really simple, like setting an away greeting while you are on vacation, cannot be done by yourself…” – Capterra
Another drawback for teams? Grasshopper doesn’t have a browser app that you can use. You’re forced to use devices that are compatible with the available Grasshopper apps. Plus, you can’t use tablets or iPads with its platform, which adds another layer of complexity for your team.
3. Performance issues
Grasshopper customers consistently complain about its speed and latency issues. Calls can lag and texts can take a while to deliver. It slows your team down even if you want to move quickly. Here’s a snapshot of some of the reviews around Grasshopper’s performance:
“…our previous provider (Grasshopper) which was subject to a 1–2 second delay that they wouldn’t explain” – G2
“The Grasshopper platform was slow, visually outdated, and the smartphone app had multiple glitches while in use — it was often easier to close the app and start over when attempting to make a second or third call in a row.” – G2
Grasshopper pricing and plans
There are three different Grasshopper pricing plans: True Solo, Solo Plus, and Small Business.
Here’s what they look like compared side by side:
| True Solo | Solo Plus | Small Business | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing | $14 per month | $25 per month | $55 per month |
| Number of phone numbers | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| Extensions | 1 | 3 | Unlimited |
| Number of users | 1 | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Unlimited text messaging in the US | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Unlimited phone calls in the US and Canada | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Auto-attendant | X | ✔ | ✔ |
| Simultaneous call handling | X | ✔ | ✔ |
| Call transfers | X | ✔ | ✔ |
| Call recording | X | ✔ | ✔ |
| Voicemail transcription | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Keep in mind other fees stack onto your monthly price. For example, additional extensions, international calling, and virtual receptionist fees. You need to pay a $500 deposit and have an account older than 60 days to access international calling.
How is Grasshopper’s customer service?
It’s clear that Grasshopper’s platform has several shortcomings you should consider. Unfortunately, its customer support function isn’t any better.
For context, Grasshopper is rated 3.9 out of 5 on G2. Customers complain about how difficult it is to get in touch with support and delays in support resolution. Here are a few examples:
“…After trying every possible configuration online, you have to contact support. But they make it impossible to find the number to contact support. Then, when you do finally find the number, you’re transferred or disconnected multiple times. The end result is you’ll spend an hour or more trying to change something that should take 2–3 minutes.” – Capterra
Something you should know about Grasshopper is they don’t have dedicated customer service. GoTo has a central customer service team that handles requests across all of their products. They offer 24/7 customer support, but you aren’t getting reps who only focus on Grasshopper issues.
Why past customers feel Grasshopper falls short
Grasshopper is not a platform built to grow with your business. Past customers recognize that, which is why they’ve switched away from the platform.
One of the most common complaints about Grasshopper is that its platform is stagnant. Since its acquisition by GoTo, it has released new features much more slowly than other VoIP platforms. Here’s what a past Grasshopper customer had to say after switching to Quo:
“I tried a few different VoIP products, including Grasshopper, and found the software to feel very outdated — kind of like a webpage from the late 1990s or early 2000s. I switched to Quo because the user experience is super clean and easy to use. I have all the tools I need and new features are being released all the time.” – Kelly Saunders, Founder, Chargy
Grasshopper’s platform is designed to be used by solo operators. It doesn’t have collaboration features that help your team stay in sync. You can only assign action items outside its platform. Without third-party integrations, your conversations remain siloed from your CRM platform too. As your team grows, you’ll end up spending much more with Grasshopper because it doesn’t provide additional phone numbers by default. And problems like contact sync issues and notification failures can cause real problems for your team as you scale.
Who is Grasshopper best for?
Grasshopper is best for new solopreneurs who only need basic business phone numbers and extensions. Looking for third-party integrations, an AI voice agent, advanced texting, and collaboration features? In that case, Grasshopper isn’t right for you.
Here’s an evaluation table to help you decide whether Grasshopper is a good fit:
| Good Fit | Not a Good Fit |
|---|---|
| Solo operators who need one number with call forwarding | Multiple team members looking for dedicated numbers |
| Teams that don’t use CRMs | Anyone who integrates with a CRM |
| Businesses that won’t outgrow 4 numbers | Healthcare teams |
| Budget-constrained small businesses that prioritize cost over capability | Teams that want to save time texting via automation or scheduled messages |
| Teams that need an integrated AI voice agent | |
| Teams that use Claude/ChatGPT |
Get a better phone system with a Grasshopper alternative
At its core, Grasshopper is a virtual second phone number app for solo operators. It’s not a business phone system for growing teams.
For teams that need a business phone to manage their communications at scale, you should look at Grasshopper alternatives.
The best Grasshopper alternative for small and fast-growing teams is Quo. We offer a modern business phone platform designed for your team to manage customer conversations at scale. We’re rated the #1 business phone in customer satisfaction on G2.
Don’t just take our word for it. Here is what actual past Grasshopper customers said after they switched to Quo:
See how Quo stacks up to other business phone systems. Get a full breakdown of popular Grasshopper alternatives.
FAQs
The main complaints about Grasshopper are that it’s slow, its interface is outdated, and it’s hard to use. Customers also complain that its customer service is poor and it doesn’t release new features consistently. Finally, users complain that its existing features are limited and it isn’t a great experience for teams.
Grasshopper falls behind more modern small business phone solutions like Quo. For comparison, Quo offers international texting, SMS automations, and integrations on every plan. Keep in mind that for healthcare teams, Grasshopper isn’t HIPAA compliant.
Grasshopper is owned by GoTo Connect, which reports 99.99% uptime for customers. But reliability isn’t just about uptime. Users have reported issues with call quality, like echoes, dropped calls, and latency. These problems can hurt the quality of day-to-day communications.
While Grasshopper offers VoIP calling in its platform, it’s not a true VoIP service. It uses your existing carrier network to place calls.
Yes, Grasshopper offers a free seven-day trial to businesses. However, the trial ends early if you exceed its calling limits, which only include 50 minutes of call time. The trial doesn’t offer Grasshopper’s premium features or ability to text numbers.
Grasshopper has a free trial, but it doesn’t offer a free plan. Grasshopper’s pricing starts at $14 per month.
Yes, you can bring your existing number to Grasshopper. You can initiate the porting process in the Grasshopper admin portal. Make sure to have all the information about your existing number, including carrier and account number. Local numbers take 7–10 days to become active. Toll-free numbers take 3–5 days to become active.
