The Most Reliable IP Phones and VoIP Providers

The most reliable internet protocol (IP) desk phone is Polycom VVX because its hardware is crafted to an extremely high standard, and its user base appears to be consistently satisfied with its performance. 

However, if you’re after a dependable business telephone system and don’t require a desk phone set up, we would recommend looking at voice-over-internet protocol (VoIP) software providers. It can be used on a range of technology, typically guarantees an uptime of 99.99%, and offers a heap more features than your traditional IP hardphone.

We know from our research that Ooma is the most reliable VoIP system on the market because it boasts the highest customer score and offers stellar help and support options. If you’re looking for a feature-rich package with equally strong customer support, 8×8 is also a safe bet. 

We understand that a lot rides on you finding the right communication tool for your business. So, to help you make the best decision possible, we’ll also break down the differences between ‘hardphones’ and ‘softphones’, and explore what reliability means in the context of IP telephone systems. 

To whittle down your options a little faster, you can also receive personalized quotes in minutes by using our free VoIP comparison tool.

In this guide:

• IP Phones vs VoIP Systems – What’s the Difference?
• Most Reliable IP Phones 
• Most Reliable VoIP Providers
• What Makes an IP Phone System Reliable?
• How Did We Choose the Most Reliable VoIP Software?
• Next Steps: Choosing a Reliable Phone System 
• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

VoIP Hardphone vs Softphone – What’s the Difference?

VoIP telephone systems can use either traditional ‘hardphones’ or ‘softphones’, depending on the needs of the users. While both phones rely on internet-protocol technology there are actually notable differences between the two. 

For starters, IP phones, or hardphones, are physical desk phones that connect to the IP network of a business. Since the devices are stationary, they bear a lot of resemblance to traditional business phone systems.

IP hardphones are useful for companies that only require one or two phone lines or are used to a conventional setup. However, they lack advanced calling features and only have small touch screen displays — making them much less flexible than IP softphones.

VoIP systems, or softphones, on the other hand, is software that can be used on a wide range of devices, including smartphones, laptops, or even desk phones (if necessary). Aside from offering basic calling functionalities, VoIP systems also include many extra features, like web conferencing, live chat, and even customer relationship management (CRM) integrations.

Since softphones don’t require hardware, they’re much more cost-effective and easier to scale with the needs of your business. Softphone providers can also generally guarantee users 99.9% uptime. In our opinion, this makes them much more flexible and reliable than IP hardphones.

The Most Reliable IP Phones

Hardphones may lack the extra trimmings that come with VoIP softphones, but they’re still a sturdy solution for businesses fond of traditional telephone setups. Based on overall performance metrics and customer reviews, here are three of the most reliable IP hardphones:

• Polycom VVX 601– Most reliable VoIP hardphone
• Cisco 7841 – Best value VoIP hardphone
• Ooma DP-T – Best hardphone for working from home

Polycom VVX 601

• Best for – Most reliable VoIP phone
• Pricing – from $199

If you’re after a fail-safe VoIP hardphone, Polycom VVX 601 should be at the top of your list. Combining a 4.3-inch color touchscreen, 16 lines keys, and video capabilities with crystal clear sound quality with state-of-the-art IP features, this model will be a substantial upgrade from a traditional landline. In fact, our research suggests that the VXX is one of the strongest deskphones on the market.

Crucially, for businesses looking for a dependable telephony system, Polycom VVX 601 is very reliable too. Securing an average rating of 4.4/5 in its Google reviews, the model is clearly popular among its userbase. Should any downtime occur, Polycom’s flexible help and support options are designed to get you back up and running quickly.

However, with full Polycom VVX packages costing upwards of $300, its price tag is a little steeper than its competition. Also, while its feature set is impressive, its web conferencing function is fairly limited and it still misses out on useful VoIP features available with VoIP softphones such as business SMSs, call reporting and analytics, and virtual receptionists.

Cisco 7841

• Best for – Best value VoIP phone
• Pricing – From $88

For businesses that only require a basic hardphone setup, Cisco’s 7841 model is another dependable option. Featuring a hi-res grayscale display, 4-line keys, and a full-range speakerphone, the model may not be as flashy as Polycom’s, but it’s more than enough for businesses with basic VoIP needs.

What’s more, with prices starting at $88 per model, the Cisco’s 7841 is actually the best value IP phone our research team surveyed. This makes the model a great choice for smaller businesses, or those looking to keep costs down.

Cisco 7841 doesn’t sacrifice quality for affordability though. The model performs well across all key verticals, making it a solid all-rounder. Cisco is also one of the most respected names in the business telephone industry, so if you opt for this VoIP hardphone you know you’ll be in safe hands.

While this hardphone is a solid VoIP solution, if your business requires slightly more advanced calling features or video calls frequently, Cisco’s 7841 model might be too stripped back to meet your needs.

If you don’t require physical deskphones, VoIP technology is a cheaper and more flexible way to make business calls. To find out what VoIP services fall within your budget, use our tailored comparison tool to receive free quotes in minutes.

Ooma DP1-T

• Best for – Working from home
• Pricing – From $90

Ooma’s DP1-T model is another dependable VoIP phone that’s not going to break the bank. Retailing at $90 per device, the product is much cheaper than other business phones we’ve reviewed. And with 32 programmable speed dials, a speakerphone with a Do Not Disturb mode, conferencing capabilities, and call hold and transfer tools, Ooma DP1-T doesn’t skimp on features either.

The phone relies on the Telo service from VoIP provider Ooma. Not only does this allow users to make calls through their home’s internet connection, but it also means the device is completely wireless, making it a great solution for remote teams.

The desk phone ranks well for reliability too. All of Ooma’s hardphones are durable and the provider’s customer support options received an impressive 4.5/5 in our research. Ooma does charge an extra $99 for its Telo device, however, so if you’re looking to keep start-up costs down, it might make more sense to pay for a monthly softphone.

The Most Reliable VoIP Providers

IP desk phones are a great alternative to traditional landlines. However, if your business doesn’t require a stationary setup, VoIP softphones offer loads more features and are just, if not more, reliable than hardphones.

As long as they’re connected to a high-speed internet connection, it’s actually very unlikely a system outage or any downtime will occur with VoIP software packages. If you’re discontent with your current service, or you’re not keen on taking any chances, here are software providers that deliver consistently high customer experiences:

• Ooma — Most reliable VoIP phone overall
• DialPad — Best for startups
• Nextiva — Best for professional services

Or, if you’re interested in exploring other solutions, here’s our breakdown of the top VoIP providers on the market.

Ooma

• Best for: Most reliable VoIP softphone
• Pricing: $19.95 per user/month

For businesses looking for a reliable softphone service, Ooma is a fail-safe option. Just like with its desk phone options, its help and support team are on call 24/7 to tend to requests, both on the phone and online.

Crucially, customers are happy with the service too. According to our research, which compiles feedback from major customer review sites like Trust Pilot, Ooma’s softphone service received an impressive customer score of 4.4/5. This suggests that businesses are even more satisfied with the service that they are with leading solutions like RingCentral and 8×8.

Compared to Ooma’s deskphones, the provider’s software packages offer lots more useful features. For instance, even Ooma’s cheapest plan, Ooma Office, offers over 50 features including hold music, ring groups, and a virtual receptionist. If you’d like to unlock more advanced web conferencing and calling features, however, you’d need to opt for Ooma’s next plan up, Ooma Office Pro.

We break down Ooma’s pricing plans in greater detail below:

Ooma Pricing 

Ooma offers four main pricing plans: Office Essentials, Office Pro, and Office Pro Plus.

• Ooma Essentials – The provider’s cheapest plan will cost businesses $19.95 per user, per month. With unlimited domestic minutes and no user limit, this isn’t a bad price for a VoIP package. However, its toolkit is quite limited compared to other Ooma packages.
• Ooma Pro – This plan costs $24.95 per user, per month, and includes everything in the Essentials tier, with additional web conferencing, analytics, voicemail, and calling features.
• Ooma Pro Plus – Finally, Ooma Pro Plus is Ooma’s most comprehensive plan for small businesses. It contains everything in the Pro plan, with additional CRM integrations, call queuing, and hotdesking tools.

To find out more about Ooma’s VoIP package check out our table below.

Dialpad

• Best for – Best for startups
• Pricing – $15 per user/month

Dialpad is another reputable VoIP provider with a promising offering. Combining intuitive design with high-tech features, it’s a great pick for small businesses and startups looking for a slick telephony solution. With monthly prices starting at $15 per user and our researchers awarding it a value score of 4/5, Dialpad is more affordable than most other VoIP services we’ve tested.

And for businesses concerned about reliability, the provider guarantees a very impressive 100% uptime, which is somewhat of a rarity in the VoIP market. Dialpad also has consistently high user ratings on Trustpilot and GetApp, and achieved a solid 4.4/5 customer satisfaction score in our own research, proving that the service is very popular among its customer base.

Even Dialpads cheapest plans contain advanced artificial intelligence (Ai) powered features and unlimited video calling, with its mid-tier plan offering 24/7 phone and live chat customer support options. This means businesses don’t need to fork out to receive high-quality VoIP software. If you’re interested in learning more about Dialpads packages, we break down its main pricing tiers below:

DialPad Pricing

• Dialpad Standard – Dialpad’s ‘Standard’ plan is available to businesses for $15 per user per month, and offers unlimited domestic calling SMS and MMS, Ai-powered call and voicemail transcriptions, Unlimited video meetings, and third-party integrations with Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace.
• Dialpad Pro – Dialpad’s mid-tier ‘Pro’ plan costs businesses $25 per user, per month. In addition to everything featured in the Standard plan, the package provides global SMS capabilities, local number support in over 70 countries, a wealth of CRM integrations, and 24/7 live support.
• Dialpad Enterprise – Designed for slightly larger businesses, Dialpad’s Enterprise plan guarantees 100% call uptime, is available to unlimited office locations, and comes with a priority live support agent. Prices for this plan are tailored and available on request.

The prices listed above require annual billing. To find out more about Dialpad’s plans you can refer to our table below.

Nextiva

• Best for – Best for professional services
• Pricing – $18.95 per user/month

Next up we have Nextiva, which is a VoIP telephone system that can be relied upon by businesses. With a guaranteed uptime of 99.999%, Nextiva prides itself on its world-class network security and reliability. The provider even boasts carrier-grade data sectors and eight points of presence to ensure call downtime is kept to a minimum.

However, should service slow down, Nextiva also provides businesses with real-time network status updates so they can stay informed about line performance.  Receiving a score of 4.2/5 from our in-house team, Nextiva’s customer support is solid as well. However, they fall slightly short of Ooma’s and DialPad’s options, which both earned scores of 4.4/5.

Unfortunately, while Nextiva offers unlimited voice calling and web conferencing, its feature set is also more limited than many of its competitors. Below we lay out the provider’s main plans and discuss which features are in each:

Nextiva Pricing

• Nextiva Essential – Costing $29.95 per user when paid monthly, or $18.95 per month when paid annually, Nextiva’s lowest tier plan is fairly cost-effective and offers unlimited voice and video calling, voicemail features and Google and Outlook integrations.
• Nextiva Professional – Nextiva’s Professional package is $30.95 per user per month, or $22.95 with annual billing. The plan contains everything in Essential, with additional screen sharing, auto attendant, and mobile and desktop SMS tools.
• Nextiva Enterprise – Costing businesses $40.95 per user when paid monthly, or $32.95 per month when paid annually, Nextiva’s Enterprise plan contains everything in its Professional package. It also offers call and video recording, transcription, single sign-on features, and Microsoft Teams integrations.

Check out the table below for a deeper look into Nextiva’s plans.

What Makes an IP Phone or a VoIP System Reliable?

We’ve thrown around the term ‘reliability’ a lot in this guide, but what exactly does it mean in the context of IP phones? 

When we talk about reliable IP hardphones and softphones, we’re essentially referring to how likely they are to perform well. This could refer to their percentage of uptime, ability to handle a large number of calls or the consistency of their audio quality.

Reliable IP phones are able to save businesses the time, money and hassle associated with dropped lines or system failures. However, with most VoIP providers offering fairly solid services and hardware, the reliability of VoIP technology essentially comes down to the strength of your internet connection. 

If your internet is down, you won’t be able to use your business phones, whether it’s an IP phone or VoIP software. Similarly, if you suffer from a slow network, you may experience delayed or choppy audio as a result. 

Therefore, in addition to finding a trusted IP phone, we recommend testing the strength of your connection to ensure it’s strong enough to manage the capacity of calls your business makes and receives. If it’s not, then it might be time to rethink your broadband provider. 

How Did We Choose the Most Reliable VoIP Software?

Frequently Asked Questions