So your iPhone’s ready for business. Great! But your calling setup might not be.
Many business owners use their iPhones for both personal and work calls. And at first, using your personal number might seem like the easiest option. But when those work phone calls start rolling in when you’re hanging out with your family or binge-watching Netflix in bed, it quickly gets in the way of your life.
That’s where an iPhone VoIP solution can help. It lets you keep your current phone and get a separate, professional work number with all the features of a business phone system.
In this guide, you’ll find information on how VoIP apps work, the advantages of using an iPhone VoIP app, and how to choose the right provider for your business.
What is iPhone VoIP, and how is it different from WiFi calling?
Phone VoIP refers to any VoIP provider that gives you the ability to call and text from your iOS device. This telephony works with an internet connection (WiFi or mobile data) instead of relying on your cell carrier. It also gives you extra features to help you run your business more smoothly.
WiFi calling is built into the iPhone and uses the internet to place calls. It can be handy when your cell signal is weak, but it’s limited. For example:
- It doesn’t give you a separate business number.
- You can’t easily share the number with your team.
- And you’re still using your personal number unless you’re juggling multiple SIMs or devices.
With VoIP, instead of relying on your carrier or your personal device, providers like Quo give you a proper business number that works on any internet-enabled device (computer included). Plus, it comes with business-ready features like:
- Voicemail and call transcripts
- Call recordings
- Texting automation
- Sona, an AI voice agent, so you never miss a call (or a customer)
Apps like FaceTime or WhatsApp may work OK for one-off calls. But for entrepreneurs and teams, using a VoIP business phone service is the way to go.
A VoIP app expands your calling capabilities and features. This makes it easy to run your business anywhere and anytime. It’s easy to add a business line to your cell phone, which you can use on any smart device and your computer.
How to use VoIP on your iPhone
Before you can start calling, you’ll need to decide on a VoIP system, like Quo. Quo is ideal for service-based growing and small businesses that need:
- US, Canadian, or toll-free numbers
- Free calling (unlimited) to US and Canadian numbers
- Unlimited texting (SMS and MMS) from mobile phones and computers
- A business VoIP app that works across iPhone and Android cell phones, tablets, and computers
Our users say getting started with Quo is a breeze. But we’re biased, so you can try it out free for yourself.
🔍Want to look at more providers? Check out our guide to the eight best VoIP apps for iPhone.
If you choose OpenPhone (🎉), here’s how to use it to make VoIP calls with your iPhone:
- Download the Quo app from the Apple store
- Create an account with Quo (formerly OpenPhone). When you sign up, you get a free, seven-day trial. This includes unlimited calling to the US or Canada, one unique number per team member, internal threads for better collaboration, voicemail transcripts, and more.
- Choose your city or area code to select your preferred phone number. You can choose between local (US or Canada) and toll-free numbers.
You’re all set to use your new virtual phone number!
What VoIP calling and texting do for your business
Still wondering if mobile VoIP is right for you? Here are some VoIP advantages you can expect:
Separate your work and personal life
The boundaries between work and personal calls can become blurred if you use your personal number for work. You’d also be opening the door to never-ending spam calls and, worst-case scenario, identity theft.
A VoIP app gives you a separate business number right on your iPhone, so you don’t have to hand out your personal number.
With a second phone number added to your iPhone, you’ll know when it’s a customer calling, and your personal life stays as it should be. Personal.
Look more professional
Customers size you up fast. If you call or text from a random number with no established business presence, it can feel less trustworthy, even if you’re great at what you do.
A VoIP app gives you a proper business number, voicemail, custom caller ID, and call routing features so every interaction feels legit. That helps you build trust, win more jobs, and stop losing leads to competitors that just seem more put-together.
Take calls from wherever work takes you
A VoIP business number works across your team’s iPhone (or Android), tablet, and computer — over WiFi or mobile data. Whether you’re at the office, in the field, or at home, you can stay connected.
For example, if you own a cleaning company, you can take customer calls between jobs, and your staff can text updates or confirm appointments from their own devices.
Unlike traditional on-site private branch exchange (PBX) systems that weigh you down with hardware, everything with VoIP operates through software, so you’re free to run things on the go.
Share the load with your team
The best VoIP service providers (like Quo 😉) give you shared numbers so your whole team can call and text from the same business number. This way, customers always get a response, even if someone’s off the clock or out sick.
And because every message, voicemail, and call recording lives in one place, anyone can pick up the conversation with full context. Customers don’t have to repeat themselves, and you stay responsive, consistent, and professional.
🏃 Going to be out of reach for a while? Using a shared number means you can stop call forwarding on iPhone. Anyone on your team can step in and answer from the same number, so the customers aren’t left hanging. The same is true for forwarding iPhone text messages.
Keep organized records of conversations
Every call, voicemail, text, and note is stored in one place, organized inside each conversation with your contacts. You can refer back to chats, listen to call recordings, or check transcripts.
This gives you a “paper” trail you can use when a customer calls back with questions or there’s a miscommunication.
Spend less than you would on a second phone line
Instead of signing up for a second phone plan or buying new devices, a VoIP app like Quo gives you a full-featured business number you can use on the devices you already own.
It’s more cost-effective than traditional options, and it’s built to scale with you. Add users, numbers, or features as your business grows, or scale things back when you don’t need them.
How to pick the best business VoIP app for your iPhone and business
When the time comes to select the best VoIP app for an iPhone (and most importantly, your business), the number of choices on the market may seem overwhelming. Here are some factors you can use to narrow down your choices:
Read user reviews
Nothing says “this is for me” quite like reviews from businesses like yours. Start your search by reading user reviews on third-party sites like G2, Trustpilot, and Reddit.
Here’s what to look for:
- Recent reviews: Software changes quickly. (For example, we just released two new features and improvements in the past week alone!) Ideally, look for reviews from the past six months to a year.
- Recurring complaints: One-off gripes are normal, but if multiple people mention dropped calls, missing features, or bad customer support, that’s a red flag. For example, reviews of Google Voice, an alternative VoIP service, frequently indicate nonexistent customer service and poor call quality.
- Similar industries and business sizes: What could be a problem for big corporate teams won’t likely be a problem for a growing, service-based business. It could even be a plus!
- Comments about hidden fees: If customers complain about hidden fees, trouble with canceling contracts, being charged without their consent, or unclear billing terms, steer clear.
Understand what you’re really paying for
As a rule of thumb, iPhone VoIP apps tend to be more cost-effective than traditional business phone systems. But the sticker price isn’t always the same as what shows up on your invoice at the end of the month.
With some providers, you might find important functionalities locked behind higher tiers, unexpected limits on calls or texts, or confusing cancellation policies.
Check that pricing scales with your team, includes the features you need, and doesn’t hide caps on calls or texts. Look for a free trial, no long-term contracts, and clear terms you can trust.
Here at Quo, our pricing plans charge per user per month (with no setup fees), so you know exactly what you’re signing up for.
Make sure you’re paying for features you actually need
Not all VoIP apps are built for growing businesses like yours. And a long feature list doesn’t mean much if the essentials aren’t there. Here are some features to look for:
- Call routing and business hours: So calls reach the right person and you don’t get interrupted after-hours.
- Call recordings and transcripts: Helpful for tracking customer issues, training your team, or reviewing what was said.
- Auto-replies and scheduled messages: Keep customers in the loop, even when you’re busy or off the clock.
- Collaboration tools: Features like shared numbers and internal threads let your team work together behind the scenes and deliver five-star customer service without missing a beat.
- Lightweight CRM tools: Store notes, customer preferences, and history right from your phone app so you always have the context you need.
- Integrations: Sync with booking tools, CRMs, or automation platforms like Zapier or Make to cut down on manual work.
- AI tools: If you’re taking lots of calls daily, AI-generated call summaries, AI call tags, and AI voice agents can take some work off your plate and help you stay organized without having to hire extra staff.
Quo: A smarter way to call and text for your business
With the right VoIP mobile app, your iPhone becomes a true business phone — one that helps you stay professional, responsive, and organized from anywhere.
Quo gives you a dedicated shared business number, unified inboxes, texting automations like auto-replies, call recordings and transcripts, a built-in CRM, and more — all from one easy-to-use app that works across your devices.
Sign up for a free trial of Quo today and experience how an upgrade to our VoIP service can transform your business for the better.
FAQs
Yes, you can use your iPhone as a VoIP phone by downloading a VoIP app like Quo. These apps let you make and receive business calls and texts over WiFi or mobile data, using a dedicated business number instead of your personal one. You can also make international calls and texts at affordable rates.
To use VoIP on your iPhone, download a VoIP app from the App Store (like Quo), create an account, and choose your business number. Once set up, you can call and text over the internet using the app.
A voice call uses your cellular network to place calls, while VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) uses the internet (WiFi or mobile data). VoIP lets you call and text through apps, often with extra business features like call routing, auto-replies, and voicemail transcriptions. Voice calls are just audio calls.
The best iPhone VoIP app depends on your business needs. Quo is a top choice for growing service-based teams looking for features like unlimited calling and texting to the US and Canada, shared numbers, auto-replies, and call and voicemail transcriptions. Other options include Google Voice, Bria, and Zoiper.
A softphone is a phone software that lets you make and receive calls and texts over the internet using a device like a smartphone, tablet or iPad, or computer. It replaces landlines and traditional phones, allowing teams to stay connected from anywhere without physical phone lines or hardware.
VoIP and PBX may both handle calls, but they work differently. VoIP is the technology that lets you make calls over the internet using an app and your mobile device, computer, or tablet. PBX is a traditional phone system that uses landlines and on-site equipment to route calls.
VoIP is easier to set up, more flexible, and includes features like texting, call analytics, and automation. PBX can still make sense for businesses with existing PBX infrastructure or those based in areas with poor internet connectivity.
