9 Cheapest VoIP Phone Services: Which Is the Best Value? (2024)

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Our latest research shows that Google Voice and Zoom Phone are the cheapest VoIP phone services in 2024, with plans starting from as low as $10 per user per month. Google Voice has better security features and a tidy interface, but Zoom Phone has better call management tools, so it really depends on what your company’s priorities are when choosing from two of the best business VoIP providers.

There are other options out there, too. with advanced AI-powered features and packages starting from $15 per user, per month, Dialpad is an excellent option for startups, while Ooma’s low downtime and top-notch customer service options make it one of the most reliable VoIP providers we tested. Read on to learn more about why these providers are among the best cheap VoIP services around.

To save you the time and hassle of shopping around, this guide covers eight of the cheapest options on the market, focusing on starting price, overall value for money, and ability to scale over time. Alternatively, if it’s quick quotes you’re after, check out our free VoIP quotes calculator for prices tailored to your business.

Best Cheap VoIP Services in 2024

On this page:

• Best Cheap VoIP Phone Services
• How Do I Switch VoIP Providers?
• Are There Any Free VoIP Providers?
• Research Methodology
• Verdict: Choosing a Cheap VoIP Service
• Cheapest VoIP Phone Service FAQs

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1. Google Voice – Cheapest VoIP System Overall

• Prices from: $10/user/month

Of the top VoIP providers, we found that Google Voice delivers the cheapest VoIP phone service for businesses in 2024, with plans starting from $10 per user per month. However, there is an important caveat to bear in mind: customers must be subscribed to Google Workspace to use the platform, which costs a minimum of $6 extra per month.

Paying a little bit extra a month for Google Workspace will likely pay dividends, though. Google Workspace gives businesses access to a variety of platforms, allowing for a seamless switch between Google’s VoIP service and its web conferencing solution. Even with the Workspace integration, businesses can get started with Google Voice for as little as $16 per month, which is only marginally cheaper than our next cheapest service, RingCentral.

Google Voice’s entry-level Starter plan offers most features you would expect from a top cloud phone system, too. This plan allows for up to 10 users and domestic locations, businesses can make and receive domestic and international calls, personalize voicemail greetings, search voicemail transcripts like emails, and block unwanted callers.

Google Voice can be used on a laptop or desktop as well as on a mobile device. Source: voice.google.com

Its simple usability helped it secure a solid customer score of 4.4/5. Aside from its obvious name recognition and ease of use, the system really comes into its own with a strong set of security features. Google Voice encrypts all consumer information and stores it in world-class data centers for safekeeping. When compared with services like Vonage, which only ranks 3/5 for security, Google’s commitment to security is pretty extensive.

However, as the cheapest VoIP provider, there are a few drawbacks. While it offers strong security features, we found that the rest of its feature package is lacking. The system even bypasses basic communication and management tools like call queue, call barge, and call recording, making it a poor choice for quite a few businesses. Unless you have fairly basic VoIP needs, we’d recommend you go for well-rounded systems like Ring Central or Dialpad as they offer a much broader array of telephony features.

What’s more, since Google Voice has fairly limited VoIP capabilities and poor integration options, it’s not able to grow alongside businesses as their needs evolve. This makes it much less scalable than most other VoIP providers on this list.

You can read our full Google Voice review to learn more about why it’s our favorite cheap VoIP service.

Google Voice pricing

Google Voice is available to businesses at three different price points. We break them down in our table below:

What we like

• Great value software package
• World-class data security
• User-friendly interface

What we don’t like

• System isn’t very scalable
• Minimal integration support
• Starter plan limits number of users

2. Zoom Phone – the best value provider

• Prices from: $10/user/month

Zoom Phone is the joint-cheapest VoIP phone service we’ve found, with its most affordable plan retailing at $10 per user, per month. For this price, the most impressive thing is the number of inbound communications tools available, which make the platform excellent value for small and medium-sized teams on a budget that still want heavy-duty features.

For instance, even on Zoom Phone’s cheapest plan, you’ll be able to do things like make ring groups, which aren’t on RingCentral’s cheapest plan. There’s also spam prevention, which providers like 8×8 don’t offer at all, on any plans. This makes Zoom Phone a good option for customer service and retail teams, who will typically receive more calls than the average sales team, but make less outgoing ones.

What’s also impressive is that Zoom Phone’s cheapest plan includes features like call recording and call whisper, which can be useful for training staff and improving their on-phone manner, whatever industry you’re in.

Zoom has also greatly improved its security compliance in recent years, particularly when it comes to end users – password rules are now enforced and you can use multi-factor authentication, whatever plan you’re on. However, we’d still opt for Google Voice if security is your main priority.

Tech.co’s Conor Cawley makes a call using Zoom Phone. Image: Tech. co

One area where Zoom Phone can’t keep up with the premier VoIP providers like RingCentral is integrations. While Zoom Phone’s free plan integrates with widely-used Outlook, Salesforce, Gmail, and Teams, that’s pretty much it.

That won’t be good news for businesses using a CRM (aside from Salesforce) or a work comms platform that needs a VoIP solution that syncs with their existing software.

The provider is also missing a couple of team management features that often come in handy, namely a task manager and a document-sharing function, which can reduce the time you’d otherwise spend flicking between apps. But if it’s pure communication functionality you’re after and you don’t have much of a budget, this is just as good of an option as Google Voice.

Check out our Zoom Phone review for more information.

Zoom Phone pricing

Zoom Phone has three plans on offer, and it’s not just the $10 per user, per month Metered plan that’s excellent value for money. In fact, all Zoom plans are relatively cheap when compared to similar plans offered by the likes of 8×8 and Vonage.

What we like

• Low-cost solution for high amounts of inbound calls
• Excellent video-calling capabilities and related features
• Huge range of team management features like call monitoring

What we don’t like

• Missing some key outbound call features competitors include
• Smaller range of integration than RingCentral, 8×8, Google Voice, etc.
• No hands-on onboarding support available

3. Dialpad – Great for Startups

• Prices from: $15/user/month

Dialpad is the second cheapest VoIP phone service we researched, with its cheapest plan priced at $15 per user, per month. This affordable price point makes it perfect for startups and smaller businesses that need to stay connected while keeping overheads low.

Dialpad offers a range of powerful collaboration tools needed to lift your business off the ground, including ring group capabilities and instant messaging features. This makes inbound communication a breeze, and lets businesses manage all communication from a centralized platform.

The provider also has a number porting tool so that businesses can use their existing phone number. For the modest price you’ll be paying for the service, this is a pretty impressive toolkit, as most other feature-rich options we researched cost at least an extra $5 per user, per month.

The provider recently launched an AI coaching hub for early adopters, which makes it easier for managers to track performance, streamline the onboarding process, and improve customer experiences (see below).

Dialpad’s AI Coaching Hub feature is a great way to monitor your team’s performance and identify coaching opportunities. Source: dialpad.com

Unfortunately, DialPad’s low monthly fees mean there are a few downsides. Unlike Net2Phone, international calls aren’t included in the system’s startup costs, which means that businesses making calls outside the US will be subject to additional fees. It receives a score of 3.3/5 for scalability because it lacks call monitoring, call flow designer, and an Uptime guarantee on plans below the Enterprise tier, which means it isn’t able to grow well with businesses. Due to the costs this is likely to incur businesses down the line, we think Dialpad’s overall value for money isn’t as strong as Net2Phone or Zoom.

DialPad’s training features leave a lot to be desired too, making it less suitable for businesses that onboard regularly.

Dialpad pricing

Dialpad offers three main pricing plans: Standard, Pro, and Enterprise. See how they compare below:

What we like

• Low-cost solution for managing high call volumes
• All-in-one platform for calls, video meetings, and messaging
• Sophisticated AI features

What we don’t like

• Lacks advanced training features
• No CRM integrations on Standard plan
• Uptime guarantee only promised on Enterprise plan

4. Ooma – Great Customer Experience

• Prices from: $19.95/user/month

With a decent range of business features, and round-the-clock customer support, Ooma is a simple yet practical VoIP solution. Businesses can access ring groups, customizable call routing, and virtual receptionist features on the Basic plan, which is a great low-cost option for teams managing calls among different departments.

Our independent research saw us compare telephone services against hundreds of data points, and we found that Ooma is the most reliable VoIP provider. With an impressive customer rating of 4.4/5 from clients, because of its excellent user experience and support options, the system is clearly a favorite among businesses.

Ooma Call Analytics Feature allows the administrator to visualize calling metrics, source: ooma.com

However, there are some limitations with the service. If you’re serious about data security, Ooma’s features probably won’t cut the mustard. All plans lack basic security tools, like multi-factor authentication and user permissions. Ooma doesn’t display any compliance certifications on its site either. Ooma’s upfront costs are slightly higher than with other VoIP systems too, and if you want to unlock extra capabilities like CRM you’ll have to fork out for the provider’s priciest plan.

Ooma pricing

Ooma offers three distinct plans: Office Essentials, Office Pro, and Office Pro Plus. Learn more about them in our comparison table below:

What we like

• Dual functionality with phone and video
• Can easily scale into enterprise solution
• Great customer support features

What we don’t like

• Higher upfront costs than other services
• No multi-factor authentication
• CRM integrations restricted to highest pricing plan

5. Vonage –Best Training Features

• Price: from $19.99/user/month

With an overall score of 4.4/5, Vonage is one of the best business telephone systems our researchers reviewed. It offers users excellent sales and customer service features and solid security tools for the monthly price of $19.99 per user, per month. Vonage is a great system for teams on a budget. The system also has a high score for scalability, meaning it can grow easily alongside your business.

Users won’t have to spend more to gain access to a decent set of features because its entry-level Mobile plan offers voicemail, spam prevention, hold music, and toll-free numbers. The software also provides interactive guided and video tutorials to all of its users, making the learning curve manageable.

Vonage’s Team Messages feature lets you send off one-to-one and group messages, and make video calls. Source: Vonage

Despite Vonage’s list of strengths, it’s unable to beat contenders like 8×8 and RingCentral because the system doesn’t receive high scores across all benchmarks. For instance, it’s received fairly basic reviews from businesses on sites like TrustRadius and TrustPilot, and it lacks basic security features like multi-factor authentication. Basic calling and training features aren’t included in its base price either, which can ramp up the provider’s startup costs which are already higher than competitors like Ooma and DialPad.

Vonage pricing

Vonage offers three pricing plans: Mobile, Premium, and Advanced. See how they compare below:

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Read our guide to the best Vonage alternatives to see how the VoIP service compares.

What we like

• Brings all your communication into one place
• Great for training staff
• 24/7 customer support

What we don’t like

• Higher startup costs than some of its rivals
• No multi-factor authentication
• Certain call management and training features cost extra

6. RingCentral – Best for Supercharging Customer Service

• Price: from $20/user/month

We’re massive fans of RingCentral at Tech.co. In fact, after analyzing and cataloging the leading VoIP providers, we found that it provides the best VoIP softphone app and one of the best internet phone services on the market, second only to Ooma.

It receives a 5/5 for help and support and scalability thanks to its onboarding support and the multiple ways to contact customer service. It is a great option for small businesses looking for a comprehensive solution that can grow alongside your business. However, while RingCentral’s plans are affordable, basic capabilities like external interactions and international calls come at a premium, preventing it from appearing any higher on our list.

RingCentral pricing

RingCentral offers three pricing plans: Core, Advanced, and Ultra. Learn about the prices and features below:

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What we like

• Affordable pricing plans
• Dual functionality with phone and video
• Makes it easier to handle lots of incoming calls

What we don’t like

• User permissions restricted to expensive pricing plans
• Only the pricier plans include CRM integrations

7. GoTo Connect – Great for Managing Large Call Volumes

• Pricing: from $27/month/user

GoTo Connect is another safe bet for businesses in need of a budget-friendly VoIP solution. Businesses are able to access a raft of useful calling features for $27 per month with its Basic plan, like number porting, call forwarding, and unlimited extensions, but global businesses are better off upgrading to its Standard plan, as it includes international calls to 50+ countries.

Our research shows that it also offers top-tier security features, including multi-factor authentication, end-to-end encryption (E2EE), and user permissions on all its plans. GoTo Connect is far more secure than most other VoIP providers – except for Google Voice, which is the most secure system we tested.

However, GoTo Connect’s features aren’t as competitive as others on the list. For instance, the service lacks basic functions like call transcription, call monitoring, predictive dialing, and custom call lists, and it offers the worst external connections out of any other VoIP service we reviewed. Therefore, just like Net2Phone, its shortage of standard VoIP features make it less suited to large businesses than RingCentral and 8×8.

GoTo Connect pricing

GoTo Connect offers two plans: GoTo Connect Basic and GoTo Connect Standard. Scroll down to learn more.

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What we like

• Great solution for managing inbound calls
• Scalable packages that can grow with your business
• Integrates with Slack, MS Teams, and Outlook

What we don’t like

• Limited number of CRM integrations
• High starting price

8. 8×8 – Best for Streamlining Communications

• Prices: from $24/user/month

Our research ranks 8×8 as second for business and security features, with plans that start from $24 per user, per month.

We found that 8×8 is the best VoIP option for streamlining communications because it combines a variety of channels in one platform, letting users connect via voice calls, video conferences, instant messaging features, and more. The solution is extremely scalable too, making it a great option for businesses hoping to expand in the future.

However, the provider’s affordable Express plan is no longer available, driving its entry price up to $24 per month. This isn’t as affordable as other providers like RingCentral or Google Voice, but if you’re after a multi-level communication platform that’s highly scalable, 8×8 is a great option.

The dial pad and contact profile screen in 8×8. All in all, the interface is very tidy. Image: Tech.co

8×8’s expansive tool kit aside, the system has only been able to achieve a value score of 2.5/5 because basic features like analytics and call transcription are reserved for users with premium plans, unlike with systems like Ooma. The provider’s higher tiers cost as much as $140 per user, per month, pushing the system’s average price far above most of its rivals.

If your business is growing and you’re preparing to scale up your VoIP solution, 8×8 offers varying pricing plans. Its value offering improves over time too as it’s advanced features provide businesses with the best RoI. If you’re after advanced capabilities like training features, quality management, and omnichannel support, however, you’ll need to upgrade to one of 8×8’s priciest tiers.

8×8 pricing

8×8 offers two main VoIP plans: X2, and X4. To learn more about the provider’s VoIP packages, read our guide to 8×8’s prices and features, or check out our comparison table below.

Editor’s Note:8×8 recently removed the prices on their plans that we’ve included in the table below. Now, you’ll have to contact sales if you want an exact quote. However, we’ve left the pricing up on our page to give you a sense of the step changes.

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What we like

• Great telephone system features
• Easy to use and setup, even for beginners
• All-in-one platform for calls, video meetings, and messaging

What we don’t like

• No spam call prevention features
• Only the more expensive plans include training features

9. Net2Phone –Great for International Use

Pricing from: $23.99/user/month

With Net2Phone’s cheapest plan for teams of 25-99 weighing in at $24.99 per user, per month, the system’s price point is marginally steeper than its rivals. However, after reviewing the provider’s full package, our researchers awarded the system a value score of 4.5/5, making it one of the best value VoIP systems on this list, and a great choice for international businesses.

While Net2Phone may not be the cheapest VoIP phone service we reviewed, its entry-level package includes free desk phones and unlimited domestic and international calls to over 40 countries. Since these benefits typically cost VoIP customers a premium –with providers like Google Voice charging as much as $2.50 per minute for calls to certain territories – Net2Phone is more likely to save businesses money in the long term.

View your monthly call data with Net2phone’s VoIP analytics feature. Source: net2phone.com

The service isn’t perfect though. Net2Phone ranks poorly on scalability, coming in seventh place behind providers like RingCentral, 8×8, and Vonage. This means that while the provider’s system is great value overall, it’s lack of basic web conferencing, analytics, and external communication integrations make it less suitable for growing businesses.

Net2Phone’s feature set is pretty limited too. While the plans offer basic VoIP functions like call voicemail, call forwarding, and business SMSs, it foregoes standard external coms, call management, training, and conversation features. Net2Phone offers very limited integration options too, making the system less suited for larger enterprises and those with specific business call requirements.

Net2Phone pricing

Net2Phone offers three packages for small businesses: Office, Pro, and Power. The price of these plans depends on the size of the teams, with larger teams receiveing a slightly lower price per user. The prices of the plans below are for teams of 25-99 people.

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What we like

• Affordable pricing plans
• Domestic and international calls to 40+ countries
• 24/7 support

What we don’t like

• Lacks training features
• Limited number of integrations

How Do I Switch VoIP Providers?

If you aren’t happy with your current VoIP provider, it might be sensible to switch to another service that better suits your needs. After you’ve decided which VoIP provider you’d like to switch to, notify your current VoIP provider and decide on a service end date. Once your contract comes to an end, you should be able to get your new VoIP service up and running on the same day that you sign up.

If you want to keep your current number, there shouldn’t be any noticeable disruption to your phone service. However, we do advise that you port your number ahead of time because the process typically costs extra and takes at least one business day to complete.

New to VoIP? Learn more about the benefits of VoIP.

Are There Any Free VoIP Providers?

For businesses looking to scale back on costs, there are a couple of free VoIP services on the market. Zoom is probably the go-to option, as it’s easy to use and you can host calls that last up to 40 minutes.

However, most businesses looking for a VoIP solution will want Zoom’s PBX solution, which you can buy as a standalone product (Zoom Phone) or as part of the Zoom One Business plan. It’s got outbound and inbound call features that will suit sales and service teams, rather than the free video calling software, which will only be suitable for very small teams or freelancers.

Google Voice can be used for free providing you’re only calling numbers in the US, but this is only suitable for personal use, which is why we didn’t include it in the earlier section. Of course, you can also use Google Meet to make calls over the Internet if you have a Google Workspace subscription, but that costs $6 per user, per month.

Tech.co’s Jack Turner and Isobel O’Sullivan testing Zoom. Image: Tech.co

A few VoIP companies, such as Dialpad, RingCentral, and GoTo Connect offer free trials, which means you can work out whether the software is actually worth purchasing without spending anything.

As a general rule of thumb, free VoIP systems normally offer limited business features and have strict user caps. This means they won’t fit the needs of most businesses.

How We Compared the Cheapest VoIP Phone Services

At Tech.co, we take our impartial research and analysis seriously, so you can have confidence that we’re giving you the clear, useful recommendations.

The process of reviewing a range of software or services as broad and ever-evolving as the VoIP industry starts with a market research project, to identify the key platforms and what they really do for businesses. After narrowing down our pool of providers, we look more closely at things like layouts, features and end-user security options, among other areas of inquiry.

We repeat this process regularly to ensure we’re providing up-to-date information. Throughout the past few years, we’ve continuously refined our VoIP system testing methodology, which now scores each product in seven main categories of investigation and 16 subcategories. This covers everything from the communication features, team management tools and customer support options to the product’s pricing and true value for money.

Learn more about how we test products here.

Cheapest VoIP Phone Service FAQs