11 Small business phone plans, ranked by price and features

Ready to buy a small business phone plan for your company but not sure which one to choose? 

If you’re not sure whether to choose a VoIP provider or a regular cellular carrier, we suggest VoIP as the better choice for your business. Keep reading to find out why.

11 Best business cell phone plans: In-depth analysis

These 11 business phone plans cover a range of different communication options for your team across different price points. Here’s a high-level overview before we dive into each provider in detail:

Provider	Starting price	Unlimited calling to US & Canada	Unlimited SMS, MMS to US & Canada	Shared phone numbers	Additional phone numbers
Quo	$15 per user per month	✓	✓	✓	$5 per number per month
Google Voice	$10 per month for an individual plan, $17 per user per month, including the required $7 Workspace subscription	Unlimited calls to Canada from US only	Unlimited text in US only	Requires upgrade for ring groups	Pricing not publicly available
RingCentral	$20 per user per month	✓	25 messages per user per month	✓	$4.99 per number per month
Grasshopper	$14 per month for one user and one number	✓	No MMS on toll free numbers	✓	$9 per number; $3 per extension
Ooma	$19.95 per user per month	✓ for the US, Canada, Mexico, and Puerto Rico	No texting on the base plan	✓	$9.95 per number per month
Verizon My Biz	$65 per line per month, or as low as $29 per line per month with five or more lines	✓	✓	X	Varies by tier
AT&T Business	$25 to $60 per line per month when you buy four or more lines	✓	✓	X	Varies by tier
T-Mobile	$21 per number per month when you buy six lines	✓	✓	X	Varies by tier
Nextiva	$15 per user per month	✓	100 SMS per user per month on the base plan	X	Pricing not publicly available
Comcast Business	$20 per line per month for a 36 month promotion	✓	Varies by product	X	Same per line rate
Spectrum Business	$50 per month for Business Voice, or $90 per month for Business Connect when bundled with Spectrum Business Internet	✓	Varies by product	X	Requires adding an additional user, pricing varies

Here’s how each of these 11 business cell phone plans work, along with their pros, cons, key features, and pricing. Let’s start with a phone system for small business ranked #1 for customer satisfaction on G2:

1. Quo: The best VoIP plan provider for small businesses

Pros

• Unlimited calling and texting in the US and Canada
• Shared numbers to split responsibility for incoming calls and texts
• AI features for call transcriptions, summaries, and action items
• Integrations with 9,000+ third-party apps, including HubSpot and Jobber
• Affordable per-user pricing starting at $15 per month

Cons

• No verification through two-factor authentication*

*Nearly all virtual phone numbers share this problem. Companies like Facebook, Uber, and Google rarely let you authenticate accounts through a virtual phone number.

Quo is a VoIP solution built with small business owners in mind. You don’t need special devices, internet service bundles, or data plans. All you need is a smartphone, iPhone or Android, and a WiFi connection.

Our small business phone plans start at $15 per user per month and come with free calling and texting to anyone in the US and Canada. You can also call and text from your computer with Quo using your phone number.  

Every new user on your Quo plan comes with a local US, Canadian, or toll-free number. If you need additional numbers, each one is just $5 per month. That way, you never need to worry about user or number limits and can keep scaling your phone plan as your team grows.

With Quo, you can also create shared numbers. These let you assign multiple users to a single number so they can manage conversations together. All calls, texts, and voice messages with a specific contact live in a single thread, saving you time when following up on a conversation.

Speaking of saving time, you can also use Quo to:

• Save templated snippets to quickly answer frequently asked questions.
• Schedule text messages and reach customers at a future time.
• Set up auto-replies to set expectations with customers about when they expect to hear back from you.
• Integrate with thousands of third-party tools to automate repetitive work. For example, you can send an automatic text message, like an appointment confirmation text.
• Use internal threads  to communicate with your team behind the scenes. 
• Use Tasks to assign action items and tag coworkers.
• Get AI call tags to surface common issues, service gaps, competitor mentions, and more.
• Answer every incoming call 24/7 with Sona, your AI voice agent.

See why Quo is the #1-rated small business phone solution on G2 by starting a seven-day free trial.

Key features of Quo

• Free calls and texts in the US and Canada
• Local US, Canadian, and North American toll-free numbers
• Shared phone numbers
• Group calling, also known as three-way calling, with warm transfer and hold options
• 9,000+ integrations natively and through tools like Zapier, Make, and the Quo API
• Call recordings
• Auto attendants with IVR
• Voicemail to text
• Texting automations, like auto-replies, scheduled messages, and snippets
• Sona, Quo’s AI voice agent
• Business hours

Quo pricing

Quo offers three pricing plans to meet your small business needs:

• Starter: $15 per user per month for unlimited calls in the US and Canada, voicemail transcripts, shared phone numbers, Sona credits, ChatGPT and Claude integration, and more
• Business: $23 per user per month for phone menus, AI call summaries and transcripts, group calling, and more
• Scale: $35 per user per month for AI call tags, dedicated onboarding, priority chat and email support, and inbound phone support

2. Google Voice: Best phone plans for Google Workspace users

Pros

• Unlimited calling and texting in the US
• Offers free numbers

Cons

• Lacks features for team collaboration
• No toll-free numbers
• Difficult to manage contacts

Google Voice is a VoIP service for both personal and business use. Although the personal app is free, business owners need to upgrade to a paid plan to access many of the features companies need to serve their customers.

You can use Google Voice to make unlimited calls in the US and Canada. However, text messaging is only available to US users. And if your business is located outside the US, you may not be able to purchase Google Voice at all. 

Other limitations may also push businesses to consider Google Voice alternatives.  For example, toll-free numbers aren’t available, and you can’t port them in if you have a pre-existing number.   Plus, Google Voice only integrates with other Google apps, like Calendar, Gmail, or Chat. 

Key features of Google Voice

• Call forwarding
• Android and iOS apps
• Unlimited calls in the US and Canada
• Unlimited texts in the US
• Integrations with Google Workspace apps
• On-demand and automatic call recording

Google Voice pricing

There are four tiers of Google Voice pricing:

• Starter with Voice only: $10 per month for one user, available only in the US, unlimited domestic calling and texting, three-way calling, voicemail transcription, on-demand call recording, and call transfers
• Starter: $10 per user per month* for up to 10 users, unlimited domestic calling, voicemail transcriptions, unlimited internal calling, and available in 14 countries.
• Standard: $20 per user per month* for unlimited users, call queuing for ring groups, multi-level auto attendant, and unlimited regional and domestic locations
• Premier: $30 per user per month* for advanced reporting, automatic call recording, and unlimited international locations

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

3. RingCentral: Best plans for desk phone rental options

Pros

• Low-cost desk phone rentals
• On-demand call recording on the base plan
• Support for video conferencing

Cons

• Limits on SMS
• Limits on toll-free numbers
• No true unlimited storage option

RingCentral is a digital unified communications platform, meaning it combines calls, texts, and video tools into a single plan. If you need additional landlines for your office, you can also rent desk phones.

With RingCentral’s small business suite RingEX, you get one local or toll-free number and unlimited calls in the US and Canada. However, you’re limited to just 25 texts per month, 100 pooled toll-free minutes, and limited RingCentral call recording storage.  Even if you buy RingCentral’s Ultra plan, you still won’t have unlimited storage. Call recordings will still be deleted after 90 days. Most VoIP phone providers, including Quo, offer unlimited storage on every plan.

Key features of RingCentral

• Video conferencing
• Local or toll-free numbers
• SMS and MMS support
• Voicemail to text
• Document sharing
• RingCentral AI assistant for call summaries and transcripts

RingCentral pricing

There are four tiers of RingCentral pricing:

• Core: $20 per user per month for 100 video meeting participants, 100 toll-free minutes, 25 texts per user month, on-demand call recording, desk phone rentals, and limited storage
• Advanced: $25 per user per month for 1,000 toll-free minutes, CRM integrations, 100 texts per user per month, automatic call recording, and advanced call monitoring features
• Ultra: $35 per user per month for 10,000 toll-free minutes, 200 texts per user per month, device analytics and alerts, and “unlimited” storage with time-based limits
• Customer Engagement Bundle: Custom pricing for the business SMS booster, SMS compliance management, and the call queues booster

4. Grasshopper: Best for VoIP multi-digit extensions

Pros

• Unlimited calls and texts in the US and Canada
• Virtual number extensions are available

Cons

• No Slack, Zapier, or CRM integrations
• High cost to activate international calling
• Hawaii and Alaska are considered international
• Standard features like call recording and simultaneous call handling require an upgrade
• Major texting limitations

Grasshopper is a virtual phone provider. It offers the basics at an affordable price, making it a popular choice for a small business phone plan. 

It has the baseline features you might need, like calling and texting, call forwarding, and voicemail transcription.

The base plan is for one user and includes one phone number and a single extension. But you can upgrade for more users and extensions. 

However, it has several limitations:

• You can’t send group texts unless you’re using a local phone number.
• You can’t purchase additional extensions without upgrading. Even then, you’ll have to pay $3 per extension and $9 per number. That’s nearly double the cost of some VoIP solutions.
• You can’t send international text messages. Keep in mind, with Grasshopper, Hawaii and Alaska are considered international locations.
• You can’t send MMS through Grasshopper toll-free numbers.

Key features of Grasshopper

• Call forwarding
• Virtual faxing
• Instant response auto-replies
• Virtual receptionist
• Voicemail-to-email transcriptions
• Call recording with upgrade

Grasshopper pricing

Grasshopper’s pricing plans depend on how many phone numbers and extensions you need: 

• Small Business: $55 per month for unlimited users, four phone numbers, and unlimited extensions
• 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, three extensions, call recording, IVR, and simultaneous ring

5. Ooma: Best for legacy features like analog fax and overhead paging

Pros

• Unlimited calls outside the continental US and Canada, including Mexico and Puerto Rico
• Analog fax, overhead paging, and desk phone rentals are available

Cons

• No texting on the base plan
• Desktop app requires an upgrade
• CRM integrations require two upgrades
• Limited toll-free minutes

Ooma is a legacy phone platform that serves residential and business customers. It’s primarily targeted at physical offices that need features such as analog faxing and overhead paging.

You can use Ooma’s virtual phone service to make or take calls on desk phones and mobile devices. However, you need to upgrade to unlock calling on your computer as well as access to basic features like texting, call recording, and analytics. Need to connect with third-party tools? CRM integrations are only available on their Pro Plus plan, starting at $29.95 per user per month.

Ooma also doesn’t let you text on the base business phone plan. Even if you upgrade to the Pro plan, you only get 250 pooled messages per month. The highest-tier plan caps you at 1,000 texts per month.

Key features of Ooma

• Call forwarding
• Ring groups
• Music on hold
• Virtual fax
• Video conferencing, with an upgrade
• Extension dialing for desk phones
• Call queuing

Ooma pricing

There are four tiers of Ooma pricing:

• Essentials: $19.95 per user per month for mobile apps, virtual receptionists, one free toll-free number, and unlimited calling in the US, Canada, Mexico, and Puerto Rico
• Pro: $24.95 per user per month for access to the desktop app with calling, 25-person video conferencing, and call recording
• Pro Plus: $29.95 per user per month for AI transcriptions, AI insights, CRM integrations, 1,000 texts per month, video conferencing for up to 100 participants, and team chat
• Enterprise: Custom pricing for SIP trunking, Teams integration, call center solutions, advanced analytics, and custom implementation

6. Nextiva: Best for omnichannel communication and customer service

Pros

• Unlimited voice and video calls in the US and Canada⁠
• ⁠Offers an omnichannel shared inbox⁠
• Integrations with email, social media, web forms, and other business apps⁠

Cons

• Limited SMS and MMS
• ⁠​Toll-free numbers require an upgrade, and toll-free minutes are limited⁠
• Call recording requires an upgrade⁠

Nextiva is a cloud-based contact center platform. It’s a solid option for managing customer conversations across multiple channels. The base plan includes calling, texting, and video meetings, along with a few social media and review channels. It can work for small to mid-sized teams that want more than voice consolidated in one place.

The catch is price and paywalling. Nextiva’s starter plan looks affordable‌ at first. But several features you’d expect out of the box are locked behind upgrades or add-ons. For example, texting caps out at 100 messages per user per month on the base plan. Toll-free numbers and call recording aren’t included either. They both need an upgrade.

Because the small business VoIP plans lack several key features growing teams need, you may need to upgrade shortly after signing up.

Key features of Nextiva

• Free unlimited voice and video calls in the US and Canada⁠
• Virtual fax⁠
• ⁠Smart call routing with an upgrade
• Team chat⁠
• Social media and review management⁠

Nextiva pricing

You can choose from three different Nextiva pricing plans:

• Core: $15 per user per month to access inbound and outbound voice calls, SMS/MMS up to 100 messages, voicemail transcriptions, and a simple IVR
• Engage: $25 per user per month to access call recording, a toll-free number and 2,000 toll-free minutes, 500 SMS/MMS, video meeting recording, and Microsoft Teams integration
• Scale: $75 per user per month for the inbound sales and service call center, priority and skills-based routing, supervisor dashboard, unlimited texting, up to 10,000 toll-free minutes, and automatic call distribution callback

7. Verizon My Biz Plan: Best for teams of more than five

Pros

• Unlimited calls and texts in the US and Canada
• Hotspot data has no hard monthly cap

Cons

• No shared numbers
• No third-party integrations
• No auto-replies, scheduled messages, or snippets

Verizon’s My Biz Plan, previously called Verizon Business Unlimited, is a traditional business cell phone plan. It bundles with existing Verizon services like broadband internet. If you’re getting more than five numbers, you get a discounted rate.

Every My Biz Plan plan comes with unlimited texts, calls, and data usage in the US, Canada, and Mexico. However, if more than 60% of your phone plan usage is in Canada or Mexico during a three-month period, Verizon may limit or remove your service to those countries.

You can bring your own device to save a few hundred dollars on your plan, but not every device is compatible with Verizon’s network. If you don’t have a make or model that meets Verizon’s criteria, you may need to purchase a tablet, desk phone, or mobile device straight from the company.

Verizon’s My Biz Plan also doesn’t work as a VoIP. This can hurt your team’s productivity in a few ways:

• You won’t be able to work from a dedicated desktop app.
• You can’t integrate with the tools you’re already using, like Slack or your email.
• You won’t get built-in call recording, summaries, or transcripts. 

If you want VoIP features, Verizon does offer an add-on called One Talk.

With the Verizon One Talk app, you can access VoIP calling features like simultaneous ring, group calling, and business hours. But that’s about it. It’s still not a major time-saver. For example, it doesn’t offer SMS templates to speed up sending repetitive messages. It also doesn’t let you schedule texts to go out in advance. 

Want to sync information between different tools so you’re not stuck manually entering the same information twice? OneTalk only connects with Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, or Salesforce. But it’s not clear how many tools you can connect at the same time or what other integrations they offer.

Key features of Verizon

• Unlimited texting, calling, and data use
• Access to Verizon’s 4G LTE and 5G networks
• 5 GB of 5G/4G LTE mobile hotspot data
• Call filters with spam blockers
• Available on smartphones and compatible tablets

Verizon pricing

My Biz only has one base plan. My Biz Plan pricing scales with the number of lines you add. The more lines on your account, the lower the per-line rate. Here’s what you’ll pay per line per month with Auto Pay and paperless billing:

• 1 line: $65 per month
• 2 lines: $55 per month
• 3 lines: $40 per month
• 4 lines: $34 per month
• 5+ lines: $29 per month

One Talk is a paid add-on that costs $15 per number per month in addition to these plans. Curious to learn more about Verizon One Talk? Check out our guides to Verizon One Talk alternatives and Verizon One Talk pricing and plans.

8. AT&T Business: Best for large enterprise teams with physical offices

Pros

• Unlimited calls and texts in the US and Canada
• High-speed fiber options

Cons

• No shared numbers
• No third-party integrations
• No auto-replies, scheduled messages, or snippets

AT&T sells a wide range of business phone products, including options built for businesses with existing PBX systems. They also serve those with Cisco or Microsoft Teams infrastructure and multi-line SIP setups. Most of that catalog is for larger, multi-location businesses with dedicated IT support. For small businesses, two products stand out as the actual starting point: Unlimited Your Way for Business and Office@Hand.

Unlimited Your Way for Business is AT&T’s cellular plan lineup. It gives you straightforward smartphone service, including talk, text, and data. But you don’t get a phone system with features like auto-attendants or shared numbers. The base plan unlocks unlimited talk, text, and high-speed data, plus unlimited calls to Canada, Mexico, and the US.

But with Unlimited Your Way for Business, users have complained that costs and fees add up quickly. They also complain that customer service is slow to respond — neither of which is ideal in small business settings.

If you want a full phone system rather than just cellular lines, AT&T also has Office@Hand. This cloud-based platform combines calling, texting, and video tools. AT&T built this solution on top of RingCentral. However, AT&T provides far fewer tools than the platform it’s built on.

Unfortunately, Office@Hand doesn’t have many positive reviews. Past users say the platform was hard to set up and tough to navigate intuitively. There are also complaints regarding the quality of their customer support.

Key features of AT&T Business

AT&T’s business phone plans come with different key features:

Phone for Business

• Unlimited talk and text
• High-speed data
• 5GB of hotspot data per line
• Packages for international texting to over 200 countries

Office@Hand

• Call routing
• Multi-level IVR
• Shared lines
• Automatic call recording, with an upgrade
• AI features like call transcription and CRM updates
• Limited toll-free minutes per month

AT&T Business pricing

AT&T Business provides variable pricing depending on the number of lines you need. FAT&T Business provides variable pricing depending on the number of lines you need. All plans include unlimited talk, text, and data in and between the US, Canada, and Mexico. You also get access to 5G and 5G+. They break down their pricing for four numbers: 

• Standard 3.0: $30 per line per month* for 5GB of high-speed data and 5GB of hotspot data per line
• Advanced 3.0: $25 per line per month* for unlimited high-speed data and 100GB of hotspot data per line**
• Premium 3.0: $35 per line per month* for unlimited high-speed data, 300GB of hotspot data per line, and Roam Latin America for Business**
• Ultimate 3.0: $60 per line per month* for unlimited hotspot data and 4K UHD video streaming**

*When you buy four or more lines and enroll in auto-pay.

** Price includes online-only savings of $15 per month for 36 months with a new line and the purchase of a smartphone on installment.

Here’s the breakdown of Office@Hand pricing:

• Standard: $25 per user per month for access to unlimited calling, 1,000 toll-free minutes per month, multi-level auto attendant, up to 100 video meeting participants, and 100 text messages per month
• Premium: $35 per user per month for access to automatic call recording, 10,000 toll-free minutes per month, up to 200 video meeting participants, and 200 text messages per month

9. T-Mobile: Best for large contact centers

Pros

• Both VoIP and cellular offerings are available
• Offers AI tools for coaching and call transcription

Cons

• Key features like Slack and Zapier integrations and auto-replies are locked behind more expensive tiers
• More expensive tiers require user minimums

T-Mobile is a traditional service carrier offering VoIP and cellular support. The cell plan comes with unlimited talk, text, and hotspot data. You also get international data passes with more data and unlimited talk and text in over 215 countries. 

T-Mobile has also partnered with Dialpad to provide VoIP service on top of their cell plans. Each plan adds features like conference and video calling. You also get contact center tools like live-call monitoring and coaching tools. Plus, you can connect your CRM to quickly see customer history during a call. 

But there are several Dialpad cons to consider. For example, Dialpad locks its key features like Slack and Zapier integrations behind more expensive tiers. You also have to upgrade to purchase additional numbers.

Key features of T-Mobile

• Unlimited 5G  data
• Unlimited talk and texting in the US, Canada, and Mexico
• Unlimited data for mobile hotspots
• Bring Your Own Device support
• International call and text support

T-Mobile pricing

T-Mobile’s prices depend on the number of lines on your plan. The best prices start at six phone lines per month. If your business needs 12 lines or more, you’ll need to speak with the sales team.

Here’s what T-Mobile’s Business prices look like if you’re paying for six numbers per month:

• CoreMobile: $21 per number per month* for unlimited talk and text, up to 5 GB of high-speed data in Canada and Mexico, 50 GB of premium data, 5 GB of high-speed hotspot data, and advanced caller ID
• ProMobile: $34 per number per month* for 200 GB of premium data, 200 GB of high-speed hotspot data, and Threat Protect
• SuperMobile: $42 per number per month* for unlimited premium data, 300 GB of high-speed hotspot data, T-satellite, and Nation-wide network slice

Want to pair your plan with T-Mobile’s VoIP services? You’ll pay $15 per number per month on top of your Business Unlimited plan.

10. Comcast Business: Best for businesses with international texting or roaming needs

Pros

• Voice Mobility entry tier supports as few as one line, useful for a single fax or backup line
• VoiceEdge scales up to multi-site deployments with dedicated desk phones

Cons

• No published pricing for VoiceEdge or VoiceEdge Select; requires a sales quote
• No free trial offered
• VoiceEdge and Voice Mobility lack texting
• No shared numbers or auto-reply/scheduled-texting features

Comcast has three main offerings for small businesses. First up is VoiceEdge, their cloud PBX platform. This is for businesses with more than eight employees and multiple sites. You get mobile and desktop apps, call handling features like conditional call routing, and phone menus. You can also get desk phones if you still use them.

Want the VoIP experience, but your team’s always on the move? Consider Comcast’s Voice Mobility. You get the same basic calling features, but with a mobile-first VoIP plan. You can’t rent desk phones, and everything runs through an app on your phone. You can have up to 24 lines.

Need a traditional carrier small business phone plan? Comcast sells a cellular plan called Comcast Business Mobile. This gives you unlimited talk, text, and data. You also get unlimited international talk and text in 215+ destinations. And you get 10GB of high-speed data abroad. The caveat is that you have to be a Comcast Business Internet customer.

On top of that, expect:

• A $10 one-time activation fee per line
• A $25 per line per month surcharge if you don’t maintain at least one of Comcast Business TV, Internet, or Voice products

Key features of Comcast

• Cloud-hosted PBX 
• Auto attendant
• Visual voicemail
• Audio conferencing and screen sharing
• Desktop and mobile apps
• Scales from one number to multi-site deployments

Comcast pricing

Comcast doesn’t publish pricing for Voice Mobility or VoiceEdge. You’ll have to fill out a form to request a quote. If you want more than eight lines on Voice Mobility, you also need to reach out to sales. Comcast Business Mobile plans start at $20 per line per month on a 36-month promotion. It requires a separate Comcast Business Internet subscription.

11. Spectrum Business: Best for businesses that don’t want a long-term contract

Pros

• Business Connect bundles calling, SMS, video, and team messaging in one app
• Preconfigured desk phones are available for offices still using physical handsets
• No long-term contracts on plans except Enterprise

Cons

• No shared numbers
• No third-party integrations on Spectrum Business Voice
• No texting on Spectrum Business Voice
• Toll-free numbers are add-ons with Spectrum Business Voice

Spectrum Business offers two main phone products: Business Voice and Business Connect.

Business Voice is a standard business mobile phone plan. It includes unlimited local and long-distance calling across the US, plus unlimited calls to Canada. If you serve customers in Mexico, you also get 2,000 free minutes per month. Otherwise, you get basic calling features like voicemail-to-email call logs and simultaneous ring.

One notable gap: Business Voice doesn’t include an auto attendant. You’d need to upgrade to Business Connect for a basic feature like automatic call routing. 

Business Connect with RingCentral is built on a RingCentral partnership, similar to AT&T’s Office@Hand. It’s a cloud-hosted VoIP system. You can use it from a computer, mobile, or desk phone, with a software-based “softphone” included so employees can call from any device.

Business Connect adds VoIP features like auto attendant, call recording, and video conferencing. You also get an AI assistant that can generate call summaries and capture action items. Just know that unless you bundle with Spectrum Business Internet, Business Connect pricing isn’t clear. You’ll need to get in touch with sales. 

Key features of Spectrum Business Connect

• Unlimited local and long-distance calling in the US and Canada
• 2,000 calling minutes to Mexico
• Voicemail-to-email
• Simultaneous and sequential ring
• All-in-one hosted VoIP/UCaaS option via Business Connect, including calling, SMS, video, messaging
• Preconfigured Poly desk phones available

Spectrum pricing

Spectrum Business Connect advertises a promotional price of $90 per month for one year when bundled with Spectrum Business Internet. But if you’re an existing customer and only thinking of adding Spectrum Business Connect, Spectrum states: “Switch to Spectrum Business Connect with RingCentral and get an all-in-one hosted VoIP communication solution for your business — just $20 per month for one year when bundled. Spectrum Business Internet required.”

Spectrum Business Voice starts at $50 per month. The promotional pricing starts at $30 per month. For an exact quote, reach out to Spectrum’s sales department.

Which is better? Traditional carrier vs VoIP business cell phone plans

The core technical difference comes down to how the call travels. Traditional carrier plans route calls over cellular networks or copper landlines. This is the infrastructure phone companies have used for decades. VoIP systems send calls over your existing internet connection instead. This lets providers like Quo skip the per-line hardware and network costs carriers build into their pricing.

At a practical level, the main difference shows up in:

• Scalability. VoIP lets you quickly add new numbers, users, or features from your settings. You don’t need new hardware or a technician visit. Growing when you have a traditional carrier can be more complex. Depending on your setup, they may need to send a tech to add new lines or set up new hardware.
• Affordability. VoIP runs on your existing internet connection, and you can use the smart devices you already have. Plans are also generally more cost-effective. Carrier plans bill data, minutes, and hardware separately, which adds up faster as you add people.
• Features. VoIP systems include productivity features, automations, and integrations with tools you already use. Most providers also have AI features that can save you time. Traditional carrier plans offer calling, SMS, and MMS, but not much beyond that.
• Time-to-value. VoIP setup is self-service. Sign up, get a number, and start calling from any device within minutes. Carrier plans often involve shipping hardware, provisioning lines, and waiting on installation.
• Expertise needed. VoIP is designed to be set up and managed without IT support. Traditional carrier plans, especially at the enterprise end, usually need some technical or IT help.

Explore additional cost comparison breakdowns with our calculator:

How to choose the best small business phone plan

There are enough small business phone services out there to make your head spin. What helps you narrow things down is knowing what to look for and why. Here’s a checklist of what to consider:

1. Team structure. Does your team work from one location, or are people at job sites or driving to meet with customers? A team that’s on the move needs a small business phone plan that works on the move using their individual devices. A team working from a shared office can get by with a desk-based setup.
2. Budget. Some plans charge a flat rate per person that stays predictable as you grow. Others price by the number and usage, with add-ons layered on top. So your monthly cost can look very different from the advertised price once you account for extra numbers, devices, or features.
3. Technical expertise. Some phone systems can be set up by anyone on the team in a few minutes. Getting started can be as easy as downloading an app. Others require someone in-house to manage devices, configure a PBX, or troubleshoot a connection issue. Make sure you know how a provider works before you commit.
4. Regional and international coverage. If you serve customers outside of the US, make sure calls and texts to those countries are included for free or at an affordable rate. Even if you don’t operate internationally now, choosing the wrong provider can limit your future growth.

Once you’ve settled the basics, the features that matter most are what separate one plan from another. Here’s what to look for.

6 key features to look for with a small business phone plan

Not all small business phone systems are created equal. Some seem relatively advanced on the surface, but a closer look may show you a different picture.

You should look for these six key features in every phone system you consider:

1. Shared numbers. With shared numbers, anyone with access to the number can answer calls, send text messages, and respond to customers at the same time from any device. You don’t have to carry your phone all day, knowing your customers always have a point of contact.
2. Automated texting. Third-party integrations aren’t the only automations you need in a small business phone plan. You should also be able to automate your SMS and MMS messages with time-saving tools, like auto-replies, scheduled texts, and snippets.
3. Call recording, summaries, and transcriptions. Call recordings can help teams follow up on customer requests. You can also coach your team by reviewing calls using call summaries and transcripts, generated in seconds with AI.
4. Third-party integrations. Customer conversations shouldn’t happen in a silo, so you should prioritize phone platforms that integrate with your CRM. Plus, tools like Slack, HubSpot, and Jobber let you stay connected with your team and automate repetitive tasks.
5. Internal threads and task assignments. Collaborative features are a must in a small business phone system. Look for solutions that let you tag teammates with questions and assign tasks right inside the platform.
6. Multi-device access. Small business phones should be accessible on any device from anywhere. That’s why you should prioritize plans that offer desktop, mobile, and web apps.

Quo: The only small business phone plan you need

Picking the right small business phone plan helps you build stronger relationships with your customers. And if you want your team to bring their own devices, work together with shared numbers, or work from any computer or smartphone, Quo is a sure bet. You can port your existing number for free and start calling customers within minutes of getting set up. Plus, you don’t have to guesstimate your monthly costs — everything you need to know is on our pricing page.

Don’t just take our word for it, though. Carry, a same-day delivery service based in New York, used to write manual text messages to every customer about their order status. Using their traditional service provider, Carry racked up a $935 bill — and it still lacked the tools they needed to scale.

Carry’s co-founder and COO Jason Ovryn needed a better solution. After switching to Quo and creating shared numbers and automation workflows, his entire team now saves over two hours per day.

Quo is a small business phone system built to grow as you do. Sign up for a free trial and get going in 10 minutes or less.

FAQs