iPlum alternatives: 8 options + pricing and features

Thinking about using iPlum as your business phone? It’s a solid second phone number option for businesses. With built-in HIPAA compliance, call recording compliance, and secure texting features, it’s useful for healthcare, legal, and financial teams.  

But iPlum is just one of many VoIP phone systems on the market. It’s also not the best fit for every growing business.

This guide can help you make an informed decision by exploring the eight best iPlum alternatives on the market.

How we chose the best iPlum alternatives

We selected the best iPlum alternatives based on five factors:

1. Features:The best business phone systems offer more than just calling, texting, and voicemail. We ranked providers offering more features than the base iPlum plan.
2. Pricing: Money isn’t everything when choosing an iPlum alternative. But that doesn’t mean you have an unlimited budget. We prioritized budget-friendly competitors that offer comparable value for the price.
3. HIPAA compliance: Need a business communication platform to protect patient health information? Most of these iPlum alternatives help you maintain HIPAA compliance. 
4. Ease of use: It shouldn’t take weeks to learn how to use a virtual phone system. You can get up and running with the following alternatives without extensive onboarding.
5. Reliability: Your business phone should be able to keep up with you. We prioritized alternatives that have reliable uptime. We also reviewed platforms like G2 and Capterra to choose options that are recommended by several positive user reviews.

Why small businesses choose iPlum alternatives

If you’re looking for a basic second phone number app to make business calls and texts on your own, iPlum can do the job. But if you’re looking for a modern VoIP phone that lets you build customer relationships more efficiently, you might want to look elsewhere. Here are a few key reasons small businesses switch from iPlum:

1. Limited platform functionality: iPlum doesn’t offer a downloadable desktop app. This limits your team’s efficiency and limits customization opportunities. Plus, you can only share numbers in iPlum’s web portal, not the mobile app. That can hamper productivity for remote or field service teams on the go.
2. Essential features require an upgrade: Most business phone systems offer web calling and texting, shared numbers, and call recording on the base plan. But that’s not the case with iPlum. You’ll need to upgrade from the base plan to the Professional or Enterprise plan just to get basic features.
   
   Want voicemail transcriptions? Prepare to pay almost double per user per month. Want to make it easier for international callers to get in touch? Toll-free numbers cost extra in each plan — an extra $5 per number per month.
   
   Compared to VoIP providers offering all this on the base plan, iPlum’s pricing can add up fast.
3. Limited calling features: Want to set up conference calls or hand off callers to colleagues? iPlum doesn’t make either option easy. It offers a clunky three-way calling feature that doubles as both call transfer and group calling. The biggest drawback is that you can’t add more than three participants to iPlum calls.  
4. No third-party integrations: iPlum offers a REST API, but it only brings its calling and texting functionality into other apps. It doesn’t actually send your call and text data to the other tools in your stack. You can’t automatically log calls and texts in your CRM or send updates in Slack. And no: you won’t find integrations with tools like Zapier or Make.
5. No collaboration features: iPlum isn’t built for team collaboration. For example, you can’t message team members directly or tag them in internal threads to assign follow-up tasks. You can set up group texts, but only if you’re willing to upgrade. Even then, you can’t store these group text messages for longer than 12 months.
6. Lacks AI features: Many business phone systems integrate AI features to help teams work more efficiently. iPlum doesn’t offer any. Here’s how that slows your team down:
   1. No AI call summaries: You can’t review calls quickly, which means your team spends hours reviewing past calls. 
   2. No AI call tags: You can’t filter through calls quickly. This makes it harder to prioritize messages, organize conversations, and search for call drivers.
   3. No AI voice agents: You don’t have a cost-effective virtual receptionist to handle incoming calls 24/7. 

After reviewing this list of drawbacks, it’s clear that iPlum isn’t built to help you grow your business. Keep reading to find our recommended alternatives to iPlum.

8 Best iPlum alternatives you should consider

If you want a second number for business on your personal phone, iPlum offers a few bare-bones basics. But there are plenty of alternatives offering more effective communication tools.

With that in mind, here are eight of the best alternative phone systems to iPlum:

Provider	Starting price	HIPAA compliant	Best for
Quo, formerly OpenPhone	$15 per user per month	✓	Fast-growing small businesses that need collaboration tools
RingCentral	$20 per user per month	✓	Desk phone rentals
Nextiva	$15 per user per month	✓	Phone, text, and social media communication
Grasshopper	$14 per month	X	One-person teams running their own business
Google Voice	$10 per user per month	✓, requires upgrade	Existing Google Workspace users
Dialpad	$15 per user per month	✓	Contact center coaching
Ooma	$19.95 per user per month	✓	Legacy features like overhead paging
Aircall	$30 per user per month	✓	Outbound sales teams that need power dialers

1. Quo: The best iPlum alternative for fast-growing small businesses

Pros

• Free unlimited calling and texting in the US and Canada
• Shared numbers on every plan
• Visual drag-and-drop call flow builder
• AI features like call summaries, call tags, and AI voice agents
• 8,000+ integrations
• HIPAA-compliant business phone
• Mobile, desktop, and web apps

Cons

• No verification through two-factor authentication*

Quo is a modern business phone alternative to iPlum for startups and fast-growing small businesses. Once you sign up for an account, you can use Quo’s mobile, web, or desktop apps on the devices you already own. You can start making calls with Quo in minutes, as long as you have an internet connection.

Unlike iPlum, Quo offers shared numbers on every plan and on mobile and desktop apps.No matter where your team is, they can split responsibility for incoming calls and texts.

Managing a healthcare business and want to protect patient data? Quo offers a HIPAA-compliant VoIP system for your calls and voicemails so you can keep your patient conversations secure. 

Access third-party integrations on every plan with Quo. Share your calls and texts where your team works, including Slack and email. When you upgrade to the Business plan, you can connect Quo to CRMs like Salesforce, Jobber, and HubSpot. 

Quo also makes your team more productive and efficient with our AI-powered features:

• Generate AI-powered call summaries and transcriptions right after calls end. 
• Categorize your calls automatically with AI call tags. It uses AI to analyze your phone calls and tag them with custom labels you want to track. 
• With Sona, our 24/7 AI voice agent, you can tackle incoming calls when your team is busy or unavailable. Sona can answer questions, take messages, or transfer calls to your team in emergencies. 

Get access to dozens more calling and texting features on Quo’s platform, including:

• Call management features, like custom ring groups and multi-level auto-attendants
• Text automations, like auto-replies, scheduled texts, and pre-written text templates, also known as snippets.
• Collaboration features, like internal threads and direct messages to your team

Try Quo today by signing up for a seven-day free trial.

Key features of Quo

• Automations, like auto-replies, scheduled messages, and text templates
• SMS and MMS in the US and Canada
• BAA for HIPAA-compliant VoIP
• Multi-level auto-attendant
• Analytics dashboard
• Call recording
• Call routing
• Caller ID

Quo pricing

Pick from one of three simple Quo pricing plans. No hidden fees or added expenses.

• Starter: $15 per user per month for unlimited calls to the US and Canada, SMS and MMS support, call routing, voicemail transcripts, internal threads, SMS auto-replies, Zapier and Make integrations, and more
• Business: $23 per user per month for HIPAA compliance, CRM integrations, AI call summaries, IVR, analytics and reporting, and more
• Scale: $35 per user per month for AI call tags, priority chat and email support, dedicated onboarding, and inbound phone support

2. RingCentral: Best alternative for desk phone rentals

Pros

• Desk phone rentals

Cons

• Best AI features require upgrades or add-ons
• Limited text messages, toll-free minutes, and storage
• Shared inboxes and text templates require add-ons

RingCentral is a legacy business communications provider that offers calling, texting, and video conferencing in its platform. RingCentral was founded in the 1990s, which explains why you can rent desk phones from them. . Want more AI features than iPlum provides? Good news: you can get call transcriptions and multilingual translations on every plan. 

Unfortunately,RingCentral doesn’t  offer unlimited calling and texting. You’re limited to 100 toll-free minutes, 25 text messages, and limited storage on the base plan. Upgrading will unlock more storage, but never an unlimited amount. Even its “unlimited” storage is subject to time-based deletion policies.

RingCentral also requires you to purchase its Business SMS Booster add-on to access features like shared SMS inboxes and text templates. The add-on costs an additional $25 per month to any RingCentral plan. Want scalable toll-free minutes and texts without breaking the bank? Check out some RingCentral alternatives.

Key features of RingCentral

• Phone trees
• Business hours
• Video meetings
• Unlimited calls in the US and Canada, not including toll-free minutes
• Text templates, with an upgrade

RingCentral pricing

RingCentral’s pricing starts with three plans:

• Core: $20 per user per month for unlimited local calls in the US and Canada, 25 texts, 100 toll-free minutes, and AI video meeting transcriptions
• Advanced: $25 per user per month for 100 texts, 1,000 toll-free minutes, CRM integrations, unlimited internet fax, call management tools, and hot desking
• Ultra: $35 per user per month for 200 texts, 10,000 toll-free minutes, and unlimited storage, subject to time-based deletion policies
• Customer Engagement Bundle: Custom pricing for the Business SMS Booster, Call Queues Booster, and other features for customer support reps

Just know there are five other service options outside of these business phone plans. So if you’re looking for an all-in-one platform, RingCentral gets confusing fast.

3. Nextiva: Best alternative for omnichannel customer communication

Pros

• Social media management options
• Video conferencing

Cons

• Limited SMS messaging
• Integrations are available only as add-ons
• Toll-free numbers require an upgrade or add-on
• HIPAA-friendly plans have separate pricing

Nextiva is best known as a customer experience management platform, which means you can handle calls, texts, video, and social media. Connect your Instagram, X, and Google Business accounts to Nextiva to manage social media comments and online reviews. Like iPlum, Nextiva offers HIPAA-compliant plans, making it a viable option for your medical office phone system. 

Although Nextiva gives you access to multiple customer communication channels, there are a few drawbacks that you should be aware of.  Like RingCentral, you only get a certain number of SMS messages in each plan. The base plan limits you to sending 100 texts per user per month. 

Third-party integrations aren’t included in any plan, so you have to purchase add-ons to connect Nextiva to your other tools. Want toll-free numbers? You’ll either need an upgrade or an add-on. This combination of upgrades and add-ons can drive up your monthly phone costs quickly. Thankfully, most Nextiva alternatives are substantially more cost-effective.

Key features of Nextiva

• HIPAA compliant, with separate plans
• Social media management
• Video conferencing
• Smart call routing
• Real-time dashboards and reporting

Nextiva pricing

There are now just three Nextiva pricing plans:

• Core: $15 per user per month for unlimited voice calls, the mobile app, 100 text messages, team messaging, simple IVR, and voicemail transcriptions
• Engage: $25 per user per month for voice call recording, digital fax, 500 text messages, Microsoft Teams integration, voice analytics, and 2,000 toll-free minutes per month
• Power Suite*: $75 per user per month for skills-based routing, IVR phone menus, call transcriptions and summaries, and API integrations; up to 100 users max

*Certain features require additional setup and usage fees. AI transcription and summaries, for example, charge based on your team’s usage.

4. Grasshopper: Best alternative for solo businesses

Pros

• Unlimited calls and texts
• Multiple phone number extensions when you upgrade

Cons

• Call recording and simultaneous call handling require upgrades
• One user only on the base plan
• No third-party integrations
• Shared numbers are not available

If you’re a solo business owner, Grasshopper is a solid second phone number alternative to iPlum. The base plan offers voicemail transcription, unlimited calls and texts, and mobile and desktop apps. You can also purchase add-ons to manage your digital listings, make international calls, and get a live virtual receptionist. 

Grasshopper is great for solo businesses, but it isn’t suited to fast-growing teams. You’ll have to upgrade your plan if you want to add more than one user. There’s also no simultaneous call handling, third-party integrations, or shared numbers on the base plan. Need more numbers? Prepare to pay almost double the cost for what you’d get from other providers. If you’re looking for a platform designed for teams, consider checking out some Grasshopper alternatives.

Key features of Grasshopper

• Unlimited calls and texts in the US and Canada
• Number extensions
• Mobile and desktop apps
• Digital listings management, with an upgrade
• Simultaneous call handling, with an upgrade

Grasshopper pricing

You can pick from one of three Grasshopper pricing plans:

• True Solo: $14 per month for one user, one phone number, and one extension
• Solo Plus: $25 per month for unlimited users, one phone number, and three extensions, plus call recording and simultaneous call handling
• Small Business: $55 per month for unlimited users, four phone numbers, and unlimited extensions

Additional numbers cost $9 per number per month.

5. Google Voice: Best alternative for existing Google Workspace users

Pros

• Available with and without a Google Workspace subscription

Cons

• No third-party integrations
• Texting is only available for US customers
• No toll-free numbers
• No advanced texting features

Google Voice is an established VoIP provider with a reputable brand. It offers direct integrations with other tools in the Google ecosystem, like Calendar and Meet. It also offers on-demand call recording on the base plan. Google Voice is also one of the most accessible providers in this list. You can get started for free with a personal Gmail account to see if it’s right for you. You can upgrade to its Business offering when you need to add more team members or need to access features like HIPAA compliance.

While Google Voice might win out when you compare iPlum vs Google Voice, it still lags behind other alternatives in this list.  It doesn’t offer integrations outside the Google ecosystem, which is limiting to most growing brands. It’s also missing features you can get from other providers, like toll-free number support and advanced texting features. Perhaps most importantly, it’s mostly designed for US users. For example, texting isn’t available outside the US. With these shortcomings, you may be better off looking at other Google Voice alternatives.

Key features of Google Voice

• US texting
• Desk phone support
• Call forwarding and call transfers
• Voicemail transcriptions
• On-demand call recording

Google Voice pricing

To make calls and texts in the US for personal use, you can use Google Voice’s free plan.

If you just want basic business features for a single user, you can upgrade to Google’s Voice-only plan for $10 per month.

Are you a business requiring additional features and users? Here’s a full list of Google Voice pricing plans*:

• Starter: $10 per user per month for calls and texts in the US; for 10 users and 10 US locations max
• Standard: $20 per user per month for auto-attendants, ring groups, and on-demand call recording; for unlimited users
• Premier: $30 per user per month for automatic call recording, advanced reporting features, and unlimited international locations

*These plans require a subscription to Google Workspace, which starts at $7 per user per month.

6. Dialpad: Best alternative for contact center coaching

Pros

• AI coaching features for sales teams

Cons

• Additional numbers require an upgrade
• User minimums in more expensive plans
• International texting requires an upgrade
• Time-consuming to set up

Dialpad can help you manage larger teams with tools uniquely designed for call centers. Each plan comes with voice and video calls to help reach customers on their platform of choice. Beyond that, you can use multiple tools to help manage call quality. For example, you can use AI coaches that tell reps if they’re speaking too fast or too slow. There are also quality-of-service reports if you’re willing to upgrade your plan.

Speaking of upgrading: more expensive tiers with Dialpad require user minimums. The Pro plan requires you to purchase at least three seats. That’s an estimated cost of $75 per month. And you’ll likely need to upgrade early since Dialpad’s base plan is missing key features, like additional numbers and international texting.

Not only is Dialpad less cost-effective than iPlum, but it’s also far less straightforward to use. During testing, we found Dialpad time-consuming to set up, as it has a ton of customization options. This isn’t desirable for businesses that want an out-of-the-box phone system.

Want something more out-of-the-box? Try some Dialpad alternatives.

Key features of Dialpad

• AI coaching
• Voice and video calls
• Real-time transcripts
• Instant call summaries
• Zapier integration, with an upgrade

Dialpad pricing

Dialpad’s pricing depends on whether you choose a monthly or an annual contract. If you opt for month-to-month, you’ll nearly double your costs. There are also user minimums that increase the price of your plan.

Assuming you pay for three users with an annual contract, here’s what you can expect:

• Standard: $15 per user per month for US and Canadian calls and texts, 10-person video meetings, team messaging, and real-time analytics
• Pro: $25 per user per month for additional phone numbers, international SMS, quality of service reports, and CRM integrations; three-user minimum 
• Enterprise: Custom price for unlimited ring groups, dial by extension, 99.9% uptime; 100-user minimum

7. Ooma: Best alternative for legacy phone features

Pros

• Supports traditional office environments

Cons

• Texting requires an upgrade
• Unreliable service
• Limited collaboration features

If you’re still using legacy phone equipment and need an iPlum alternative that can accommodate it, Ooma is one of the few compatible options on this list. It offers legacy phone features that are useful for traditional office teams. For example, you can set up overhead paging or intercom systems with Ooma’s platform. It also offers greater integration capabilities than iPlum. You can get access to 10+ integrations with Ooma. 

But where Ooma falls short is with its text messaging requirements. You’ll need to upgrade to the Pro plan first, which costs $24.95 per user per month. Even after you upgrade, you only have access to 250 SMS messages per month. Just like iPlum, you can’t collaborate efficiently with your team on Ooma. There are no shared numbers to help split responsibility for incoming calls. There are also no internal threads, so you and your team members can’t communicate on the same platform. You’ll either have to use Ooma’s intercom system or tab between Ooma and a separate collaboration app.

Key features of Ooma

• Unlimited calling in the US, Canada, Mexico, and Puerto Rico

• Overhead paging and intercom support
• Analog fax machine support
• Virtual receptionists
• Music on hold

Ooma pricing

Pick from one of three Ooma Office pricing plans:

• Essentials: $19.95 per user per month for access to the mobile app, unlimited calling in Mexico, Puerto Rico, the US, and Canada, virtual receptionists, call transfer, simultaneous ring, and extension call monitoring
• Pro: $24.95 per user per month for access to the desktop app, 250 SMS messages, call recording, and video calling with a maximum of 25 participants
• Pro Plus: $29.95 per user per month for 1,000 text messages, team chat, CRM integrations, hotdesking, and call queues

8. Aircall: Best alternative for outbound sales teams

Pros

• Power dialer is available

Cons

• Three-user limit
• Storage limits
• Only one phone number per account

Aircall is an iPlum alternative designed for outbound sales teams. It lets you set up a power dialer to call a list of prospects without manually dialing numbers. It also provides international numbers, which can be useful for expanding global teams. Compared to iPlum, Aircall has many more features on its base plan. You can access voicemail transcriptions, call recordings, and toll-free numbers without upgrading.

But keep in mind that Aircall is far more expensive than iPlum. Prices start at $30 per user per month, with a three-user minimum for the Essential and Professional plans. This doesn’t include add-ons like the AI receptionist, call summaries, or the Salesforce integration. And no matter how much you upgrade, you’ll find certain key features missing from Aircall. There are no built-in text messaging features like auto-replies or scheduled texts. There are also fairly strict storage limits: call recordings and analytics are retained for six months by default. The only way to get more is to request extra or upgrade your plan.

Key features of Aircall

• Call forwarding
• Call tracking
• Power dialer
• International numbers
• Basic text messaging, with limits

Aircall pricing

Aircall pricing has three tiers:

• Essentials: $30 per user per month for unlimited calls within the US and Canada, IVR, call routing, and 4,000 outbound SMS and MMS messages per month; requires a three-user minimum
• Professional: $50 per user per month for queue callback, smart routing, Salesforce integration, and the Power Dialer; requires a three-user minimum
• Custom: Custom pricing for unlimited worldwide calls, access to APIs; requires a 25-user minimum

Get started using the top iPlum alternative: Quo

If you’re starting to expect more from your business phone system, you’re not alone. It’s one of the reasons why 90,000+ businesses have selected Quo as the best iPlum alternative. We’re the only phone system building personal customer relationships at scale. Easily support customers, close deals, and grow your business, without losing touch with each contact.

See why we’re rated #1 in customer satisfaction on G2.Try Quo for free with a seven-day free trial.

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