Looking to get a business phone number so you can call and text anywhere with an internet connection?
This guide walks you through how to get a VoIP number and find the best virtual number provider for your team. It also explains what makes VoIP phone systems so effective for growing businesses — and highlights some of the top providers to help you choose.
What is a VoIP number?
A VoIP number is a virtual phone number that lets you make and receive calls over the internet instead of traditional phone lines. Unlike regular numbers tied to a physical landline or SIM card, VoIP numbers work through an app. This means you can use the same number across multiple devices simultaneously — your computer, smartphone, or desk phone can all ring at once.
When you make a call with Voice over Internet Protocol technology, your voice is transformed into digital data packets. These are transmitted over the internet to the recipient. This allows for features that aren’t possible with a physical landline or traditional cell phone, like automatic call transcriptions and call groups.
Here’s what you need to get started:
- A stable internet connection: WiFi is most commonly used for calling and texting with VoIP numbers. The FCC recommends 0.5 Mbps download speed for a single VoIP call.
- Equipment: You can use your phone, tablet, or computer’s built-in microphone and speakers for phone calls. A Bluetooth headset offers a hands-free alternative.
- A VoIP phone number app: Choose a virtual phone system that has the features your business needs to support customers. You may look for shared numbers, call routing, and texting auto-replies to start.
How to get a VoIP number in 3 steps
Here’s how to get a VoIP number in three simple steps:
- Create an account with Quo, formerly OpenPhone.
- Choose your city or area code or a toll-free phone number — you can select a specific phone number in virtually any city or state in the US or Canada.
Virtual phone number look-up
- After you complete the signup process, you can start calling through Quo.
Watch below to see how easy it is to set up an account:
Types of VoIP numbers available
The type of VoIP number you choose will impact how customers perceive your business and how easily they can reach you. You can get a local, toll-free, vanity, or international VoIP number. With a provider like Quo, you can even have multiple types of numbers on the same plan.
| Phone number type | Description | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Local number | Phone number with an area code tied to a specific city or region | Increases the likelihood of calls being answered |
| Toll-free number | Number with 888, 877, or other toll-free prefix | Covers the customer’s cost of calling |
| Vanity number | Number that spells a word or phrase, like 1-800-CONTACTS | Memorable; creates the image of a larger company |
| International number | Local number in a country outside the US or Canada | Builds credibility with international customers |
Wondering if you can keep your existing number? Most VoIP providers, including Quo, let you port your number to their platform. This means you can switch to VoIP without losing the number your customers already know — whether it’s local, toll-free, or vanity.
5 Key reasons you should get a VoIP number
Learning how to get a VoIP number is one of the best moves you can make for how your business communicates with customers.
Once you decide to switch to a VoIP phone number, you can take advantage of these five benefits.
1. Easy to get started
Setting up a VoIP phone number is a lot simpler than setting up a traditional landline phone or cell phone service. You don’t have to worry about sitting on hold with customer service or visiting a store to activate your number — you can set up a number and start calling customers in 20 minutes or less.
2. Flexibility to work from anywhere
With a VoIP service provider, you can work from anywhere as long as you have a solid internet connection. Plus, you can use your number from any mobile device or computer so you can take work with you on the go.
3. Cost-effective plans that fit in your budget
Monthly costs for VoIP phones are less than a desk phone or traditional cell carrier. While the average cell phone bill costs $141 per month, the best VoIP services offer plans starting at $15 per user per month — and they’ll take care of all the system upkeep for you.
Some VoIP providers offer additional scalability, so you only pay more when you’re ready for new features. Quo offers transparent pricing, for example, which lets you upgrade your plan to access the features your business needs as it scales.
4. Quickly adjust your phone settings
When you want to update your VoIP number settings — whether you’re setting up ring groups, call forwarding, or something else — you can do so in just a few taps without needing to memorize any dial codes.
Giving teammates access to your phone system is just as simple. Pay a small monthly per-user fee and send an email invite, and they’re all set.
5. Choose your preferred area code
When you get a cell phone or landline number, you can only get an area code based on your physical location. With VoIP numbers, you can use any area code your provider supports.
With Quo, you can get a local phone number from almost anywhere in the US or Canada — like 628 for San Francisco or 306 for Saskatoon.
Quo also supports toll-free numbers, so you can build an international and local presence while reaping the benefits of VoIP.
3 Things to do after getting a business VoIP number
Once you’ve signed up for an account, you can reference these three items as a checklist after getting started:
1. Assign numbers to teammates
Once you’re set up, you can invite your team members to your workspace. You can assign a brand-new number — or a shared number, which allows teammates to make and receive calls and texts with the same phone number.
2. Add additional numbers to your account
Once you have access to your business phone system, you can purchase additional numbers as needed. For example, you can add a telephone number for every teammate or create dedicated phone lines for internal departments, such as sales and customer support.
With Quo, you get one number free for every user. Additional numbers are available for $5 each per month.
Already own a business phone number? You can port existing numbers to your VoIP provider. This is ideal if you don’t want to confuse your existing customers.
With Quo, number porting is always 100% free.
3. Set up business hours and call routing
The last step to VoIP installation is customizing your number to enable the settings, integrations, and workflows you need.
For example, when setting up advanced features in Quo, you may want to:
- Enable business hours so customers hear an away voicemail greeting that lets them know you’re off for the day.
- Customize your outgoing caller ID so customers recognize your phone number and feel more comfortable answering your calls.
- Configure your phone menu so customers can route themselves to the right person or department like ‘Press one for Sales.’
- Add Quo’s AI agent, Sona, to your call flow to automatically answer inbound calls after hours, take messages, collect caller info, and respond to common questions.
5 Best VoIP number providers
Not all VoIP number providers offer the same features, pricing, or flexibility. To help you choose the right fit, we’ve rounded up five of the best options for small businesses, including what each one does well and where it may fall short.
1. Quo: Best for small and growing businesses
Pricing: Quo’s pricing starts at $15 per user per month
Quo is a VoIP phone service built for small and growing businesses. It provides local US Canadian numbers, and North American toll-free numbers. Plus, you’ll get access to unlimited calling and texting to the US and Canada. It also works on phones, tablets, and computers using WiFi or data, whether your team is at home, in the office, or on the go.
Here’s what a few Quo customers have to say:
- “Quo gives us clear visibility into both individual and team performance, which allows us to coach more effectively and make data-informed improvements.” — Hayley Tiger, Care Works
- “We’re so confident in saying, ‘Hey everybody, just get on Quo. Save yourself the time, save yourself the hassle.” — Carter Smith, Pink’s Windows
- “The AI feature of transcribing calls, creating a summary and to do list, is next level amazing.” — Joannie Bates, Keller Williams
Need more than one person managing calls and texts? With Quo, you can set up shared numbers so your team can call and text from the same phone number. That way, anyone available can reply, preventing customers from slipping through the cracks.
You’ll also get access to Quo’s texting automations, which will help you save time. Schedule messages to send during your customer’s business hours, set up auto-replies so they always get a response when you’re unavailable, and use snippets to keep replies consistent and professional.
Plus, Quo’s AI features make it even easier for your team to quickly get context on customer conversations. After every call, Quo generates a call transcript and summary so your team can easily keep records of each conversation.
If you’re looking to get a VoIP number through a provider that’s flexible, easy to manage, and built for the way small businesses actually work, Quo is the right choice. You can try out Quo for yourself by signing up for a seven-day free trial.
2. RingCentral: Best provider with desk phone rental options
Pricing: RingCentral’s pricing starts at $20 per user per month
RingCentral was established in 1999, making it one of the oldest VoIP platforms running. It supports unlimited calls within the US and Canada and works with a wide range of desk phones, making it helpful if your team still prefers using a traditional office setup.
Here’s what a few past customers had to say:
- “The interface can sometimes feel a bit overwhelming at first — especially with so many features packed in — and it took me a while to get comfortable navigating everything.” — Veronica M. on G2
- “Occasionally, call quality can fluctuate depending on network conditions, and updates sometimes change the layout in ways that take time to get used to.” — Shannon V. on G2
While RingCentral supports texting, its base plan only includes 25 text messages per user each month. If your customers prefer to text instead of call, you could run out quickly and end up paying $0.0085 per outbound SMS message.
RingCentral also provides toll-free numbers, but the base plan only includes 100 toll-free minutes per month. Go over that, and you’ll start racking up an extra $0.039 per minute.
3. Nextiva: Best for brands that use Microsoft products
Pricing: Nextiva’s pricing starts at $30 per user per month.
Nextiva offers a full suite of business tools and now positions itself as a customer experience platform, which means VoIP isn’t its main focus anymore. That’s why you’ll need to upgrade your plan just to unlock call recording and most integrations. Keep in mind the base plan only includes 100 messages per user each month, which may not be enough if your customers prefer to text.
Here’s what a few past customers had to say:
- “It can sometimes feel a bit overwhelming with the number of features. Some advanced settings aren’t as intuitive as the basics, so it takes a little trial and error to figure them out … it could be faster when switching between certain functions.” — Dexter F. on G2
- “I began experiencing intermittent connection issues; incoming calls not ringing, and other times the call would go directly to my voicemail with no notification.” — JJ K. on G2
You’ll need to upgrade to the Engage plan to access toll-free numbers, which costs $25 per user per month and only includes 2,000 toll-free minutes. If you go over that limit, you’ll have to pay an extra $0.025 per minute.
4. Dialpad: Best for contact centers
Pricing: Dialpad’s pricing starts at $15 per user per month
Dialpad is a virtual phone system that supports unlimited calling in the US, Canada, and your home country on all plans. It also lets you buy international numbers, making it a solid choice if your team handles a high volume of inbound and outbound calls from customers across the globe.
Here’s what a few past customers had to say:
- “I want its user interface to be more intuitive. Currently, it’s a bit clunky and tends to complicate navigation.” — Becky S. on G2
- “If you’re unfamiliar with VOIP products and/or Dialpad specifically, it could be a bit complicated to get things running.” — Kirk M. on G2
Need support for multiple office locations? Dialpad lets you set up separate offices, which is helpful for contact centers with physical branches in different regions.
But if you want to send international SMS or buy additional numbers, you’ll need to upgrade to the Pro plan, which costs $25 per user per month. You’ll also need to upgrade if you want to automate repetitive tasks using tools like Zapier.
Another thing to keep in mind? Dialpad’s interface can feel clunky and a bit outdated, which may slow your team down.
5. Google Voice: Best for Google Workspace users
Pricing: Google Voice’s pricing starts at $10 per month for an individual plan.
Google Voice is a cloud-based VoIP provider that provides virtual phone numbers that support calling and texting. It’s a convenient option if your team already uses Google apps like Meet and Calendar.
Here’s what a few past customers had to say:
- “It’s just old and clunky and doesn’t deliver on anything that improves my workflow.” — G2 user
- “I had consistent dropped calls when traveling even local travel in my city. Also, the call would often never connect.” — G2 user
While it covers the basics, Google Voice comes with limitations. It doesn’t support toll-free numbers, so you can’t offer a nationwide presence. You’re also limited to sending texts to US numbers, making it difficult to reach customers outside the country.
You’ll need a Google Workspace subscription to use every plan for business, except the solo plan. Workspace adds at least $7 per user per month on top of your phone service.
Need features like scheduled texts, auto-replies, or saved snippets? Google Voice doesn’t offer texting automations, which will slow down your team’s workflow.
6 Key features to look for when getting a VoIP number
Your VoIP phone system provides perks beyond the convenience of a VoIP number alone.
Here are six features all the best VoIP apps offer:
- Shared numbers: Shared numbers allow your team members to collaborate on VoIP calls and texts. Each member of the number can be notified of incoming calls, view notes on shared contacts, and tag coworkers to get the context they need. With Quo, you can also see who’s typing in a text conversation so you never accidentally double-text a client.
- Call recordings and AI: Choosing a business phone system that supports unlimited call recording ensures you can keep a record of all client conversations. This can come in handy for quality assurance, training, interviews, legal disputes, and more.
- Phone menus: Phone menus, also known as IVR or auto-attendants, let callers route themselves to the best person or department. Whenever a caller dials in, they’ll hear options like “Press one for customer support” or “Press two for sales” so they can reach the right team member and get their questions answered.
- Integrations: Connecting your VoIP phone system to the tools you already use can save hours, letting you focus on critical tasks. Instead of endlessly hopping from one platform to the next, you can integrate your phone system with Slack, Zapier, Make, email, CRM integrations like HubSpot, and other popular business tools.
- Business hours: Setting business hours for your VoIP numbers helps establish a solid work-life balance. When you and your team aren’t at work, your VoIP system will send incoming calls straight to voicemail.
- SMS and MMS: Your provider’s VoIP texting feature should support both SMS and MMS. That way, you can send multimedia messages or add extra delight with a fun GIF. You may also want to look into an auto-reply feature, which can set expectations for response times and ensure customers always feel heard. Don’t want to send a text right away? Type out your message and schedule it for the future — always in your customer’s time zone — so you catch them when they’re awake. When you schedule texts on Quo, you automatically cancel scheduled messages if your contact texts you first. And don’t forget to look for business text message templates so you can templatize common responses and stop typing the same messages over and over again.
Get more from your VoIP number with Quo
Getting a VoIP number is a simple process. First, choose the right provider for your needs. Then, claim your first number by completing the online signup process.
Once you have a VoIP number with Quo, you can start exploring all the helpful features our business phone system has to offer. From shared numbers, international calls at affordable rates, AI call summaries and transcriptions, and the Quo API, there’s a good reason why we’re rated the #1 business phone solution on G2.
Sign up for a free seven-day trial of Quo.
Frequently asked questions about VoIP numbers
You can get a free VoIP number for personal use by signing up for a Google Voice account. However, this wasn’t built for business use, and trying to get around this limitation could get your account suspended.
If you own a company or manage a small team, it’s best to pay for a VoIP number specifically designed for small business use. This includes numbers provided by Quo. All new users on your account get one free local US, Canadian, or toll-free number.
Pricing varies based on your VoIP phone system and the type of phone number you need. For local and toll-free numbers, you can expect to pay $15-$25 per month. Vanity numbers can cost up to $50 per month.
You can continue using an existing business phone number on your VoIP system by completing your provider’s VoIP number porting process. Keep in mind that not all VoIP providers support toll-free number porting, but Quo does.
To port your number to Quo, just complete a port request form, and we’ll take care of the rest.
You can typically use your existing business number on your VoIP system within five to seven days for US numbers and 10 to 12 days for Canadian numbers.
All you need for a VoIP phone system is an existing device and an internet connection. You don’t need to purchase any additional hardware — you just need your regular phone or computer, the Quo mobile app, and a WiFi signal.
Getting a local number with VoIP is a simple process with a provider like Quo. Here’s how to get one in three easy steps:
1. Sign up for a Quo account. You can get started with a seven-day free trial.
2. Select a local number with a familiar area code to represent your business. This will help you look trustworthy to customers and encourage them to pick up the phone.
3. Pick your plan and configure your settings. You’ll be ready to rumble in 15 minutes or less.
Keep in mind you can also port existing phone numbers for free.
There are so many VoIP providers because different businesses need different features to serve their customers. Some focus on advanced call center features, while others, like Quo, focus on flexibility and collaboration.
Start with the basics: call quality, texting limits, and customer support team. You should also check how easy it is to share numbers with your team, automate simple tasks, and scale as your business grows. For example, Quo includes shared numbers, call routing options, third-party integrations, mobile phone apps for Android and iOS, and unlimited calling and texting to the US and Canada — all in one plan.
