Quick answer: Our top pick is OpenPhone (Quo), followed by Phone.com and Grasshopper. Entry prices start near $10/mo. All 5 are compared below on price, strengths and the key trade-off of each, so you can match one to your needs.
The shortlist below is ordered for real-world value, not marketing budget. This guide rounds up the 5 tools we'd actually recommend for this job, with what each does best, what it costs, and who should pick it.
We looked at where each tool genuinely earns its keep for this use case, what the entry tier really costs, and who walks away happy. Pricing reflects public plans at the time of writing.
~$10/user/mo US/Canada Metered, ~$15/user/mo US/Canada Unlimited, ~$20/user/mo Global Select
zoom-users
The picks, ranked
1. OpenPhone (Quo) Virtual Phone
Lightweight business phone and virtual number app (rebranded Quo) with shared numbers, team inboxes and AI call notes, popular with startups and SMBs. A strong default when startups is the priority.
Why it's on this list: A clean, startup-friendly business phone with shared numbers and a built-in AI agent (Sona). Made for startups and small teams wanting a simple shared business number with light AI.
Standout features:
AI call summaries and transcripts on Business+
Sona AI voice agent that answers calls 24/7 (1,000 automation credits/mo per plan)
Standout strength: Shared numbers and team inboxes built in.
Worth knowing: Each user gets one number; additional numbers cost $5/month each.
Affordable VoIP for very small businesses with a choice of per-user or limited-minute plans and a wide set of included calling features. A strong default when small-business is the priority.
Why it's on this list: Budget VoIP packing 50+ voice features and unlimited minutes for small teams. Built for very small businesses on a tight budget wanting standard calling features.
Standout features:
Voicemail transcription, call recording and CRM integration on Pro
Affordable VoIP for very small businesses with 50+ standard voice features
Standout strength: Low cost for very small businesses.
Worth knowing: Unlimited minutes included across Basic, Plus and Pro tiers.
Pricing: ~$22.50/user/mo Basic, ~$33.33/user/mo Plus (annual); Pro tier higher
Virtual phone system with flat account-based pricing (no per-user fees), aimed at solopreneurs and small teams wanting a business line on their cell. A strong default when solopreneurs is the priority.
Why it's on this list: Flat account pricing with no per-user fees and unlimited users. Built for solopreneurs and small teams wanting a simple business line on their existing phone.
Standout features:
Business number added to an existing cell phone via mobile and desktop apps
Extensions, custom greetings and call forwarding
Standout strength: No per-user fees; unlimited users at no extra cost.
Worth knowing: Pricing is flat per account, not per user (unlimited users at no extra cost).
Pricing: Flat account pricing ~$14-55/mo depending on numbers/extensions (no per-user fee)
Virtual phone system and light call center for small businesses, with auto attendant, call routing and an optional predictive dialer. It stands out for small-business without a heavy setup cost.
Why it's on this list: A budget virtual phone with multi-level IVR and API even on the base plan. A natural fit for small businesses wanting an affordable virtual phone with light call-center features.
Standout features:
Auto attendant and call routing for small teams
Live call monitoring on Pro
Standout strength: API and call queues available on the base tier.
Worth knowing: Preview and progressive dialers only on the Power plan.
Cloud phone tightly integrated into the Zoom Workplace suite, letting teams move between calls, meetings and chat in one app. A strong default when zoom-users is the priority.
Why it's on this list: A phone system that lives natively inside the Zoom Workplace app teams already use. Built for organizations already standardized on Zoom for meetings and chat.
Standout features:
AI Companion call summaries and voicemail task extraction
100+ integrations including Salesforce, HubSpot, Zoho and Zapier
Standout strength: Global Select offers unlimited domestic calling in one of 48 countries.
Worth knowing: 100+ integrations including Salesforce, HubSpot, Zoho.
Pricing: ~$10/user/mo US/Canada Metered, ~$15/user/mo US/Canada Unlimited, ~$20/user/mo Global Select
Work backwards from the one job you most need done. Match it to the entry whose ‘why it's on this list’ lines up, sanity-check the pricing against your budget, then shortlist two and trial them on the same real task. Whichever clears your workflow with the least friction is your pick.
FAQ
What is the best option in this list?
OpenPhone (Quo) is our default recommendation here; that said, a lower pick can be the smarter buy if its strengths map more closely to your job.
Are there free options?
These are mostly paid tools; most offer a trial or money-back window, so check each entry's pricing line above before you buy.
How were these tools chosen?
Each pick is judged on fit for the specific job in this guide — its real strengths, pricing and who it suits — using features and facts drawn from independent reviews and the vendors' own documentation, cited in Sources below.
How often is this guide updated?
We revisit pricing and rankings regularly as vendors change plans and ship features.
Sources
The features, strengths and facts cited for each pick above are drawn from these independent reviews and vendor pages: