Best Virtual Phone Services for Small Businesses
Comparing the best virtual phone services for small businesses? This guide covers top options — Grasshopper, Google Voice, Phone.com, MightyCall, and UniTel Voice — with pricing, features, and what to look for before you choose.
Bizee Editorial Staff
Editorial Team
Introduction
The best virtual phone services for small businesses include Grasshopper, Google Voice, Phone.com, MightyCall, and UniTel Voice. Each pairs a professional business number with call routing, voicemail, and mobile access — so you can stop using your personal cell for business calls without buying expensive hardware.
What a virtual phone service actually does
A virtual phone service gives your business a dedicated phone number that routes calls through the internet instead of a physical phone line. You answer on your existing smartphone, laptop, or tablet — no desk phone required. Most plans include a local or toll-free number, call forwarding, voicemail transcription, and an auto-attendant that greets callers professionally.
The practical difference from just using your cell number is separation. Business calls come in on a separate line, get logged separately, and can be routed to different team members or departments. That separation matters more than most people realize — it keeps your personal number private, makes your business look more established, and gives you call data you can actually use.
What to look for before you choose
Before picking a virtual phone service, figure out what your business actually needs. A solo founder answering their own calls has different requirements than a 10-person team with a shared inbox and multiple extensions. The features that matter most depend on how your business handles inbound communication.
- Number of users — some plans charge per user, others offer unlimited seats at a flat rate
- Call routing and extensions — useful if multiple people need to receive calls under one business number
- Voicemail transcription — converts voicemails to text so you can read them without listening
- Mobile app quality — you'll use this daily, so it needs to work reliably on iOS and Android
- Integrations — check whether the service connects to tools you already use, like CRMs or project management platforms
- Pricing structure — monthly flat rate vs. per-minute billing matters a lot if your call volume is unpredictable
The 5 best virtual phone services for small businesses
These 5 services consistently rank as the strongest options for small businesses. They differ in price, feature depth, and the type of business they suit best — so the right pick depends on your situation, not just the lowest monthly rate.
Grasshopper
Grasshopper is built for solo founders and small teams who want a professional business number without managing a complex phone system. Plans start around $14 per month (billed annually) and include unlimited calling in the US and Canada, voicemail transcription, and a mobile and desktop app. You can add extensions for team members and set custom greetings. It doesn't offer video calling or deep CRM integrations, but for straightforward voice communication it's one of the cleaner options available.
Google Voice
Google Voice is the most affordable option on this list, with business plans starting at $10 per user per month — but it requires a Google Workspace subscription, which starts at $6 per user per month. That means your real starting cost is closer to $16 per user. It integrates tightly with Gmail, Google Calendar, and Google Meet, which makes it a natural fit if your business already runs on Google's tools. The trade-off is limited customization and no toll-free number support on lower-tier plans.
Phone.com
Phone.com offers one of the more flexible pricing structures — plans start around $12 per month for a single user and scale up with features like video conferencing, call recording, and CRM integrations. It supports both local and toll-free numbers and includes a full auto-attendant on all plans. Phone.com works well for businesses that want more control over call flows without paying enterprise-level prices. The interface takes a little time to learn, but the feature depth is worth it for growing teams.
MightyCall
MightyCall is designed specifically for small businesses and includes features that larger platforms often reserve for higher tiers — things like call queues, activity tracking, and a visual call flow editor. Plans start around $15 per month for 2 users. It also supports business texting, which is useful if your customers prefer SMS over calls. MightyCall doesn't have the brand recognition of Google Voice or Grasshopper, but its small-business focus shows in the feature set and the support experience.
UniTel Voice
UniTel Voice is a strong pick for startups and solo founders who want a toll-free or local number with a full virtual phone system at a low entry price — plans start around $9.99 per month. It includes an auto-attendant, call forwarding, voicemail, and extensions. UniTel Voice also integrates with tools like Monday.com, which makes it useful if your team manages work through a project platform. Setup is straightforward and the mobile app covers the basics well.
How to get started with a virtual phone service
Getting set up with a virtual phone service takes less time than most people expect. Most providers let you pick a number, create an account, and start receiving calls the same day. The steps below apply to most of the services on this list.
- Choose a provider based on your team size, budget, and the features you actually need — not just the lowest price
- Pick your number type: local numbers build community trust; toll-free numbers signal a more established business
- Set up your auto-attendant greeting and call routing before you go live — first impressions matter
- Download the mobile app and test call forwarding to make sure calls reach you reliably
- If you're porting an existing business number, check the provider's porting timeline — it can take 5–10 business days
One thing worth knowing upfront: most providers offer a free trial or a money-back window. Use it. The difference between a service that works for your call volume and one that doesn't usually shows up in the first two weeks of real use, not in a feature comparison chart.
FAQ
Google Voice is the lowest-cost option, with business plans starting at $10 per user per month. But it requires a Google Workspace subscription, which starts at $6 per user per month — so your real entry cost is around $16 per user. UniTel Voice starts at $9.99 per month as a flat rate, which can be cheaper for a single user who doesn't already use Google Workspace.
A virtual phone service keeps your personal number private, gives your business a more professional appearance, and lets you route calls to the right person without a physical phone system. You also get call logs, voicemail transcription, and the ability to answer from any device. For most small businesses, the cost is far lower than a traditional phone system — and the setup takes hours, not weeks.
Pick a provider, choose a local or toll-free number, create an account, and set up call forwarding to your existing phone. Most providers walk you through this in under 30 minutes. If you want to port an existing number, plan for 5–10 business days for the transfer to complete. You don't need any special hardware — your smartphone handles everything.
Yes. UniTel Voice supports integration with Monday.com, which lets you log calls and manage communication activity alongside your project workflows. This makes it a practical choice for small teams that already use Monday.com to track work. Check UniTel Voice's current integration documentation for setup steps, as integration availability can change with platform updates.
Yes, for most business owners. Using your personal number means clients have direct access to your private line, you have no call logs or voicemail transcription, and you can't route calls to anyone else. A virtual phone service fixes all three. It also makes your business look more established — a toll-free or local business number signals that you're running a real operation, not a side project.
Most virtual phone services include voicemail as part of their base plan. Grasshopper and Google Voice both offer voicemail transcription — your messages get converted to text and sent to your email or app. MightyCall and Phone.com also include voicemail with transcription on standard plans. If voicemail management is a priority, look for a service that transcribes messages and sends them as email or SMS notifications so you don't miss anything.
