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The best softphone app is RingCentral, because it offers comprehensive 24/7 customer support, scalable features like call barges and ring groups, and a bounty of third-party services to integrate with the top VoIP provider.
It’s obviously not the only solution on the block, though, which is why we’ve researched some of the best to give you all the information you need to make the right decision for your team’s communication needs.
In this guide, you’ll learn about all the features, pricing, pros, and cons of the best softphone apps from top VoIP providers. You can also use our free comparison tool – which takes less than a minute – to find out which ones are best for you.
| Price from The typical lowest starting price. The lowest price available for your business will depend on your needs. | Best app for | Pros | Cons | Free Trial | Domestic Calls Included? | International Calls Included? | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BEST OVERALL  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| RingCentral | 8×8 | Zoom Phone | Vonage | Counterpath Bria | ZoiPer | GoTo Connect | Line2 | Ooma |
| $4.95/user/month | $49.95 one-time cost | |||||||
| Overall softphone functionality | Streamlining Communications | Value for money | Training features | Team collaboration | Security | Managing large call volumes | Starting out with a VoIP phone | Customer Service Teams |
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| 15 days | 30 days | None | 14 days | Free plan | Free plan | Free demo only | 30-day money back guarantee | None |
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| | | | | | | Yes – but not on first plan | | |
VoIP Softphones vs Hardphones: What's the Difference?
A VoIP softphone is a software-based phone that lets you make and receive calls over the internet, instead of using a traditional physical landline phone. You can use a softphone app on your smartphone or a desktop computer, making them a great fit for any business that offers customer service, sales, or support. They’re also the optimal choice for small businesses and start-ups as they’re more feature-rich, flexible, and affordable than alternatives.
Hardphones, on the other hand, are physical, hardware-based IP phones that resemble traditional desk phones. Like softphones, they run on IP technology, allowing users to access sophisticated calling features. They also charge users monthly subscription fees, instead of per-minute-rates charged by landline services. Hardphones offer marginally better connectivity and call qualities, making them ideal for businesses handling large volumes of calls.
Best Softphone Apps For 2024
Alongside these provider softphone platforms, we’ve also listed several other standalone apps that can be used regardless of which VoIP service you use. We’re confident that you’ll find the right solution for your requirements – whether you’re a solo entrepreneur, head of a sales team, or part of a large enterprise. Here are Tech.co’s top picks:
- RingCentral Office – Best overall softphone app for businesses
- 8×8 Softphone App – best for sales teams
- Zoom – Best value for money
- Vonage – Best for training features
- Counterpath Bria Teams – Best for team collaboration
- Zoiper 5 PRO – Best for businesses handling sensitive data
- GoToConnect – Best for businesses with large call volumes
- Line2 – Best starter phone
- Ooma – Best ease of use
After collating dozens of hours of research, we put together this article to highlight the best softphone apps for businesses. We’ve checked which options are best for features like cost, customizability, and security.
Expert Tip
If you’re committed to expanding your customer base, pairing your VoIP system with a CRM package is a no-brainer. Not only does the integration make it easy to share data across apps seamlessly, but it also lets you personalize each customer touch point to keep your client base happy.
1. RingCentral Office
- Best overall softphone app for business
- Price from $20 per user, per month
The RingCentral softphone application is the best choice for most businesses because it offers the best customer support, is incredibly easy to set up, and has strong external connectivity – ensuring it will work alongside your existing software and infrastructure. Its impressive capabilities don’t break the bank either, with the provider’s packages starting at $20 per month, making it a great option for most small businesses.
In fact, we had the chance to test out RingCentral ourselves, finding the platform particularly easy to setup thanks to third party integrations with Google and Microsoft, allowing you to quickly migrate contacts and calendars over in an instant. Plus, the AI transcription features make it great for businesses that need to track that kind of data over time.
Pros:
- Affordable pricing plans
- Dual functionality with phone and video
- Makes it easier to handle lots of incoming calls
Cons:
- Learning curve for beginners
- Only the more expensive plans include
- CRM integrations
RingCentral’s softphone app operates on web, desktop, or mobile (Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android). It also provides a seamless, high-quality experience, whether you need it for video or audio call softphone functionality. The app is free, but you’ll need to sign up to RingCentral Office to use it.
When we placed a call, the pop-up dial-pad made it easy to interact with the interface. Source: Tech.co testing
RingCentral Office features
RingCentral competes with the best video conferencing platforms on the market.
The app is bound to improve your team’s communication and collaboration, and is worthy of the top spot on this list. With a 4.5-star average customer rating across the App Store and the Google Play Store, it seems most users would agree with us.
RingCentral lets you switch devices during a call, as well as access files and add guest users – all of which are super useful and make the overall call experience smoother. There are voicemail-to-text and voicemail-to-email options, and you can even listen to your voicemails inside your web browser.
RingCentral also has a vast range of CRM integrations that will let you streamline your calls, and ensure all your data and information is being pulled through to the right places. Specifically, RingCentral offers more than 96 CRM integrations and syncs seamlessly with helpdesk options like Salesforce, Zendesk, HubSpot, and Freshdesk. However, unlike 8×8 which offers CRM integrations in its cheapest package, RingCentral users wanting the capability will need to upgrade to its middle-tier package, which costs $25 per month.
Find out if this is the right provider for your business by using our free comparison tool, which will match you to a softphone app based on your answers to a few quick questions about your business.
RingCentral Office pricing
RingCentral Office is available in three plans: Core, Advanced, and Ultra. The prices discussed below are based on two to 20 users when paid annually.
- RingCentral Core – ($20 per user, per month) RingCentral’s cheapest tier supports up to 20 lines, and includes unlimited calls within the US/CA, voicemail-to-text transcription, messaging, document sharing, and 25 SMSs per month. Due to the plan’s line and SMS limits and lack of analytics, it’s ideal for small businesses running relatively simple operations.
- RingCentral Advanced – ($25 per user, per month) This plan includes everything in Core, with additional calling features like call barge, call whisper, call queues, and call monitoring. The plan increases it’s business SMS limit to 100 per user per month too, making it a great option for small to midsize businesses looking to expand, but potentially too basic for enterprise-level businesses with large quantities of data.
- RingCentral Premium – ($35 per user, per month) This tier will grant you access to RingCentral’s business analytics platform, plus unlimited storage, device-level analytics and alerts, and other advanced features and reporting functions enterprises need, such as end-to-end encryption for video meetings. Business SMS is 200 per user per month. Due to this tier’s extensive feature offering, it’s a great fit for companies that require advanced calling and growth tools like customer service businesses.
Learn more about the provider’s cost in our RingCentral pricing guide.
What's new for RingCentral?
In a July 2024 update, RingCentral added a new feature dubbed Call Answered Elsewhere. Now, when a person answers an incoming call that is ringing multiple endpoints and coworkers at the same time, other persons see “Answered Elsewhere.”
Who should use RingCentral?
- Businesses that make regular video calls
- Small business after great value packages
- Businesses that require 24/7 customer support
Who shouldn’t use RingCentral?
- Businesses that want CRM integrations on the cheapest-tier
- Businesses regularly make charged calls
2. 8×8 Work
- Best for sales teams
- Price: Custom
8×8 is an industry-leading VoIP system and our best pick for sales teams, due to its powerful sales, collaboration, and security features. However, you’ll have to fork out for one of its pricier packages to unlock advanced calling features like call whispering and barging, making it slightly less cost-effective than apps like Vonage that offer these capabilities in their entry-level tier.
Pros:
- Great telephone system features
- Easy to use and set up, even for beginners
- All-in-one platform for calls, video meetings, and messaging
Cons:
- No spam call prevention features
- Only the more expensive plans include training features
- Prices from $24 per month
- Scalable packages
- No free plan
8×8 Work features
8×8 team messenger and web conferencing features make it easy for teams to communicate from afar. The provider even lets users share files seamlessly through chat messages with its document-sharing feature – a capability that leading providers like Zoom and DialPad are currently missing.
8×8 is particularly good for managing high volumes of inbound calls thanks to features like a virtual receptionist, a call queue function, and the ability to create ring groups. The call queue is particularly important because it allows you to keep inbound callers on hold even when an agent isn’t available.
The provider is ideal for growing businesses that need to upskill staff quickly, too. From call recording and monitoring, 8×8 offers several training features, and its customer support service provides a lifeline to users getting to grips with the service too.
8×8 isn’t perfect though. The provider’s entry price is higher than RingCentral, making it slightly less appropriate for businesses looking for a budget softphone app. Read more about the softphone in our full 8×8 pricing and features guide.
An active call commencing in 8×8. Image: Tech.co testing
8×8 Work works on iOS, Android, Windows, and Mac. However, this is not a standalone softphone and is only available to those with a paid 8×8 X Series subscription or a free 8×8 Express trial.
8×8 pricing
8×8 offers five different pricing plans: the X2, X4, X6, X7, and X8. They do not offer publicly available pricing for each, so you’ll have to reach out to 8×8 to find out how much it will cost your company.
- 8×8 X2 – This plan includes features like voicemail transcription, single sign-on, and call activity analytics, unlimited calling in 14 countries, and unlimited calling within the US and Canada. International calls come at a premium, however, making it a better fit for businesses only making domestic calls.
- 8×8 X4 – This tier offers robust analytics along with unlimited calls to 48 countries and includes even more communication features than the X2 plan such as call barge and call whisper. X4 is a great fit for most global businesses, but those in need of enhanced growth features will be better off upgrading to a pricier tier.
- 8×8 X6 – This plan lets you access call activity analytics, superior analytics, contact center reporting and analytics, and single sign-on.
- 8×8 X7 – This package adds omnichannel routing of voice, chat, emails, SMS, social media, and messaging applications.
- 8×8 X8 – This plan includes features like an autodialer, quality management, and speech analytics.
Plan X8 and above are designed for businesses that lean heavily on VoIP systems like call centers but will likely exceed the budgets of most small firms with mid-range VoIP needs.
What's new for 8x8?
In a summer 2024 update, 8×8 added a new integration that can help businesses. You’ll now be able to integrate 8×8 Contact Center with Microsoft Teams, so you can coordinate meetings more efficiently with your team.
Who should use 8×8?
- Businesses making high volumes of internal calls
- Sales and customer service businesses
- Businesses that regularly onboard and train staff
Who shouldn’t
use 8×8?
- Small businesses with limited VoIP needs
- Businesses making lots of international calls
3. Zoom
- Best value for money
- Price: $10 per month
Zoom saw a meteoric rise during the pandemic thanks to its notable ease of use and affordability, making it the go-to option for video chats. It boasts an incredible 3.3 trillion meeting minutes each year.
Zoom has been adding to its business offerings over the past few years, and Zoom Phone represents an excellent VoIP option with a solid softphone app. In fact, Zoom Phone was considered the best value option in our VoIP research thanks to its low starting price and flexible pricing options.
Pros
- Very low starting price ($10/user/month)
- Excellent for managing high numbers of incoming calls (spam prevention, hold music, etc.)
- Low-cost training features, perfect for growing teams
- Vastly improved security features make it an option for teams working with sensitive data
Cons
- Limited number of CRM and Helpdesk integrations
- No email support available and you don't get much help with onboarding
- It's missing outbound call features sales teams tend to need
- Pricing starts at $10/user/month
- Unlimited plan from $15/user/month
- Select plan ($20/user/month) with unlimited calling to 40+ countries
Zoom features
In addition to a low starting price, all of its plans offer an array of inbound communication features, including voicemail-to-text, ring groups, call queues, and spam prevention. This makes Zoom one of the most cost-effective solutions for efficiently managing inbound calls – these features will ensure that your communication workflow is well-organized and running smoothly.
As for the actual app, Zoom is notorious for its easy-to-use interfaces. With high ratings across the App Store and the Play Store, there’s a good reason why Zoom is near the top of this list.
However, unlike advanced softphones like 8×8, the app doesn’t offer advanced calling features like predict dialing, custom call lists, and autodialer. Its security profile lags far behind its competition, with Zoom missing out key features like multi-factor authentication, user permissions, and strict password rules. This makes the app unsuitable for businesses handling sensitive business data, like those in healthcare.
Zoom doesn’t offer any onboarding support either, which may be a drawback for users getting started with the software for the first time.
It was easy to leave voicemails with Zoom Phone and I could even leave a note alongside the message. Source: Tech.co testing
Zoom pricing
Zoom Phone has three pricing plans: the Metered, Unlimited, and Global Select.
- Zoom Metered – ($10 per user, per month) Zoom’s entry-level tier includes unlimited metered domestic and international calls, multiple device access, and domestic SMS services. This pay-as-you-go package is ideal for solo intruders and small businesses making the occasional international call. However, as its name suggests Zoom Metered charges extra for outbound calls so don’t be fooled by its low monthly cost.
- Zoom Unlimited – ($15 per user, per month) This plan contains everything in Zoom’s Metered package with unlimited regional calling and the option for users to pay extra for unlimited calling to 19 countries, rather than charging them for each outbound call. This makes the plan best suited to businesses making large numbers of global calls.
- Zoom Pro Global Select – ($20 per user, per month) This tier includes everything in Zoom Unlimited with Unlimited Regional Calling in one of the 48 Countries and Territories, with additional direct dial number features. This makes it a great fit for larger businesses making regular international calls.
You may have noticed that Zoom Phone is one of the cheapest on this list. In fact, it’s easily the best value, undercutting many providers on price while still providing a lot of features. Counterpath Bria Teams is the only noteworthy softphone app that’s more affordable, and it doesn’t have nearly as many features. Simply put, if value for money is important to you, Zoom Phone is a no-brainer.
Learn more about how much the softphone app costs in this Zoom pricing guide.
What's new for Zoom Phone?
In an August 2024 update, Zoom Phone made it possible to enable and disable emojis and attachments in Zoom Phone SMS. This means you can make your business communication a bit more professional or open the door to a fun time with your team.
Who should use Zoom?
- Businesses with basic softphone needs
- Startups with smaller budgets
- Businesses already using Zoom for video conferencing
Who shouldn’t use Zoom?
- Businesses handling sensitive data
- Businesses using Zoom for the first time
- Larger businesses with advanced VoIP needs
4. Vonage
- Excellent training features
- Price from: $13.99 per user, per month
Vonage is another quality VoIP system with a solid list of features, including call barge, voicemail to text, spam prevention, and the ability to expand user limits. These capabilities make Vonage almost as scalable as industry leaders like RingCentral and 8×8, which is why our researchers decided it’s a great option for businesses with evolving needs.
Our testers also found Vonage to be the best software for onboarding new employees, and it stands out more generally for staff training features thanks to well-crafted tools for handling inbound calls, from call transcripts to call recording.
Pros
- Great central hub for collaborating, with team messaging on all plans
- Great training and management features on, perfect for sales and customer service teams
- Lots of big-name integrations means minimal changes for your team
Cons
- Analytics features are quite primitive, making it difficult to get actionable insights
- Lots of features include additional fees, so it's hard to get a good gauge of your final price
- Mobile: $13.99/user/month
- Premium: $20.99/user/month
- Advanced: $27.99/user/month
Vonage features
Retailers will find Vonage useful: upskilling employees is important for retail businesses, which often have lower-skilled workforces, some of which will be young or working part-time. Plus, retail teams deal with a higher-than-average number of inbound calls when compared to other industries, so Vonage’s wealth of features for dealing with incoming customer calls will be incredibly useful.
Vonage offers great communication features, including video chat options and unlimited SMS messages. Vonage is also another good candidate for switchers, since it allows a fast-scaling business to thrive once it has outgrown its previous softphone provider.
One area that Vonage falls short, however, is in reporting and analytics. The softphone app doesn’t offer advanced analytics in any of its packages, making it less useful than apps like RingCentral and 8×8 for businesses keen on using metrics to monitor their call performance.
Learn more about the app’s capabilities in our Vonage review.
The team messaging functionality in Vonage is quite comprehensive. Source: Vonage
Vonage pricing
Vonage offers three plans: Mobile, Premium, and Advanced.
- Vonage Mobile – ($13.99 per user, per month) Vonage’s entry-level plan includes core functionality like unlimited domestic calls, voicemail, spam prevention, call queue, caller ID, video calls, SMS messaging, transcripts, recording, and analytics. Mobile doesn’t include video options or integrations though, making it a poor choice for businesses looking for an all-in-one communication platform.
- Vonage Premium – ($20.99 per user, per month) This plan adds custom greetings, a virtual receptionist, unlimited meetings for up to 100 people, CRM integrations, and ring groups. Currently Vonage’s most popular plan, Premium is a safe option for businesses looking for a versatile inbound and outbound communication tool
- Vonage Advanced – ($27.99 per month) Vonage Advanced comes with everything in Premium with additional on-demand call recording, visual voicemail, and call group features, making it ideal for larger businesses with advanced calling needs.
Who should use Vonage?
- Retail and sales businesses
- Remote teams after a one-size-fits-all communication platform
- Businesses in need of a low-cost entry-level plan
Who shouldn’t use Vonage?
- Growing businesses that require advanced analytics
- Businesses that want advanced security features like multi-factor authentication and strict password rules
5. Counterpath Bria Teams
- Best for collaboration tools
- Price: $4.95 per user, per month
Counterpath Bria Teams is a carrier-grade SIP softphone application for Windows, Mac, and iOS/Android devices. It includes a range of features specifically designed for business users, and can be deployed within an enterprise environment.
Counterpath Bria is also the most affordable service on this list – even if you opt for the higher tier plan, which includes web conferencing.
Pros:
- Most affordable option available
- High-quality audio and video
- Excellent battery efficiency
Cons:
- Limited messaging features
- Not very customizable
- Solo plans from $2.85/user/month
- Business plans from $4.95/user/month
Counterpath Bria Teams features
Naturally, Counterpath Bria’s tiny price tag comes with some trade-offs. While it offers a suite of basic features including team messaging, meeting recording, transfer and forward functionality, and HD voice and video calls, it’s missing a number of advanced capabilities.
Notably, it lacks sophisticated calling features like call barge, call monitoring, and customizable call routing, ruling it out from being used by mid-sized businesses handling large call volumes.
However, if you’re working with a tight budget and want a unified communications platform that eliminates the need to switch between different apps or tools, you can’t do much better than Counterpath Bria Teams. With one of its higher-tier plans, you’ll be able to consolidate all of your communication channels in one accessible platform.
If the standard offering doesn’t quite live up to your initial expectations, this softphone application can also be customized with several add-ons, such as screen share or contact management. This gives businesses willing to spend a few extra a useful way to boost their functionality.
Counterpath Bria’s softphone app is compatible for iPhone, iPad, and Android. Source: Counterpath Bria
Counterpath Bria Teams pricing
Counterpath Bria offers a lot of pricing plans, but only two of them are aimed at small businesses.
- Counterpath Bria Solo – ($2.95 per user per month) This plan offers standard audio and video features and HD audio and video support, with support for up to three devices. This plan is ideal for single users like traveling business people.
- Counterpath Bria Teams – ($4.95 per user per month) This tier offers basic business phone functionality and beyond, with team messaging features, and call analytics, making it perfect for businesses looking for an effective, yet simple softphone solution.
If you’re looking for the best free softphone, Bria is worth considering: The Bria Solo Free plan costs nothing, and delivers standard audio and video calls for one device.
Who should use Counterpath Bria?
- Small businesses looking for a capable, free softphone app
- Solo entrepreneurs with basic softphone needs
- Professionals who travel a lot
Who shouldn’t use Counterpath Bria?
- Businesses that handle very sensitive data
- Mid-size businesses after advanced calling features
6. Zoiper 5 PRO
- Best for businesses handling sensitive data
- Price: $49.95 one-time cost
The Zoiper 5 PRO softphone application replaces the now discontinued Zoiper 3, Zoiper Classic, and Zoiper Web apps. It comes as a free version for non-commercial calls on iOS or Android, or businesses can pay a flat rate free of $49.95 for Zoiper 5 PRO – a fully-fledged VoIP package complete with custom branding so you can put your business’s logo and name.
Somewhat surprisingly, Zopier’s security features outperform every other VoIP softphone on this list. The provider offers end-to-end military-grade encryption with standardized TLS, SRTP, and ZRTP protocols, making it an excellent option for businesses handling sensitive internal or customer data.
Pros:
- Military-grade encryption
- Advanced audio features
- No monthly cost (one-time fee)
Cons:
- Big cost up front
- Outdated interface
- One time fee of $49.95
- No free plan
- No recurring costs
Upgrading to Zoiper 5 PRO enables functionality on Windows or Mac as well as iOS/Android devices, provides military-grade encryption for added security, and grants access to a unified communications functionality.
We must admit, however, that the interface is a bit outdated, especially compared to more modern solutions like Zoom and RingCentral. What’s more, there are a limited number of CRM integrations available compared to the top providers on our list, and with no API to connect up CRM platforms Zoiper doesn’t integrate with, you’ll be much more limited in your quest to pull all your customer data together around the same platform.
These factors will inevitably be turn-offs for businesses after an ultra-streamlined and intuitive platform but from a security standpoint, it’s still one of the best free softphones you can buy.
The Zoiper 5 PRO interface when making a call. Image: Zoiper
Zoiper 5 PRO features
Zopier 5 PRO offers a number of useful features including advanced audio features, auto answer, a Click 2 Dial CRM integration, and end-to-end military-grade encryption.
Unique to this list, Zoiper is a one-time purchase, after which you can place free calls between Zoiper users, and benefit from no recurring monthly fees. Zoiper 5 PRO also works with Asterisk, Freeswitch, Cisco CallManager, 3CX, Elastix, and most other modern SIP-based PBXs.
Zoiper 5 PRO pricing
Zoiper offers its service for a one-time fee, giving you access to everything forever without a monthly bill. You can expect to pay $49.95 once for Zoiper 5 PRO. This one-time fee makes Zoiper 5 PRO an incredibly great value app, especially for businesses keen to keep long-term overheads low.
Who should use Zoiper 5 PRO?
- Businesses that want to avoid recurring payments
- Businesses handling sensitive company data
- Businesses that can do without the bells and whistles of pricier packages
Who shouldn’t use Zoiper 5 PRO?
- Businesses that need advanced calling features
- Businesses that want a one-size-fits-all communication solution
- Growing businesses that require a scalable softphone
7. GoTo Connect
- Best for businesses with high call volumes
- Price: From $26 per user per month
GoTo Connect is the phone system arm of the GoTo brand, offering a wide range of communication tools for businesses around the world. Our researchers found that GoTo sets itself apart because of its great security tools, a high customer satisfaction rating, and ability to easily manage large volumes of calls.
Pros:
- Low-cost solution for managing inbound calls
- Easily consolidate all communication channels into one place
- Integrates with Slack, MS Teams, and Outlook
Cons:
- Limited number of CRM integrations
- Prices from $27/user/month
- No free plan
- No enterprise version
GoTo Connect features
GoTo Connect’s team messaging features and intuitive softphone app interface make it easy to connect with your team. This means the software is better suited for rapidly expanding teams than most of the others we tested.
Another benefit of choosing GoTo Connect is the vast array of integrations it comes with. Salesforce, Slack, Google Workplace, and Windows 365 are all supported, as well as GoTo Meeting and other apps in the GoTo brand family. This makes it a good option for teams that contain remote workers, who will benefit from a communications solution that doesn’t require a complex, multi-step setup process and is ready to slot in seamlessly alongside other software tools already in use.
The GoTo Connect app interface is simple for all users. Source: GoTo Connect
GoTo Connect pricing
GoTo Connect offers three different plans. We discuss them below:
- Phone System ($26 per month) – A plan with unlimited users, customizable auto attendants, call routing, and integrations with Salesforce.
- Complete CX ($34 per month)- This plan unlocks contact center functionality, as well as real-time analytics, AI chat analysis, and advanced features like Barge and Whisper.
- Contact Center ($80 per month) – This plan provides workforce management integrations to keep track of bigger teams and flexible, customizable API access.
Who should use GoTo?
- Remote of fully-remote businesses
- Businesses already using GoTo business solutions
- Businesses looking to expand in the future
Who shouldn’t use GoTo?
- Businesses that require specific external integrations
- Businesses looking for rock-bottom entry prices
Pros:
- Mobile office with business-grade features
- Competitive pricing plans
- Easy to use interface
Cons:
- No VoIP provider flexibility
- Complicated login process
- $15.99 when billed monthly
- $13.75 when billed monthly
- No free plan
Line2 features
Line2 represents one of the more affordable options on the list, particularly given everything you get with the plan. Even the higher tier plan is more affordable than half the options on this list, and it offers some serious heft as far as analytics, call quality, and telephone features are concerned. You can even set up a vanity number – an easy-to-remember custom phone number associated with specific words, phrases or numeric patterns.
As part of the Line2 Pro Plan service, the softphone application provides an ideal solution for mobile workers who want to enjoy the full benefits of a VoIP service when they’re away from their desks or are out in the field. However, although Line2 will let you create ring groups and manage a call queue, there aren’t many additional inbound communications features available. If you’re expecting large volumes of inbound calls from customers, we’d recommend a provider like GoTo Connect or RingCentral.
The Line2 interface is a bit basic but it gets the job done. Source: Line2
Line2 pricing
Line2 offers one one-price plan, with a discount for yearly billing. Billed monthly, Line2 costs $9.99 per month, though it costs just $7.99 per month when billed annually. Either way, you’ll get access to unlimited SMS and calls within the US and Canada, call blocking, call screening, voicemail transcriptions and recordings, call forwarding, and caller ID.
Who should use Line2?
- Businesses looking to keep costs low
- Businesses that want to set up a vanity number
Who shouldn’t use Line2?
- Businesses that need advanced inbound communication features
- Growing businesses that require a scalable solution
9. Ooma
- Best for ease of use
- Price from: $19.95 per user, per month
How your team will actually interact with a softphone app will go a long way in deciding whether or not you picked the right service. In that case, Ooma delivers big time, providing the best customer experience across our research. We found it easy to use across the board, offering an intuitive interface and a speedy set up time that the company insists will take less than 20 minutes.
On top of that, Ooma offers some of the best customer service in our research, with 24/7 coverage for phone and live chat. There’s also a robust knowledge center and user forum that allows users to solve their own problems. It lacks a bit in security, with no HIPAA compliance available, but still, for more basic VoIP needs, Ooma is a top choice.
Pros
- Free number transfer, so canceling your existing service is super easy
- Multi-level virtual receptionist, great for businesses fielding lots of incoming calls
- Easy DIY installation, so you can get going really quickly
- 24/7 support, which is nice to have in the back pocket
Cons
- Pricier high-tier plans without the features to justify the cost
- Scores poorly for security, so there are better options for businesses handling sensitive data
- Few third-party integrations, which will make it harder to slot into your business infrastructure
- Starts from $19.95/user/month
- Pro plan: $24.99/user/month
- Pro Plus plan: $29.95/user/month
- Enterprise-level plans available starting from $19.99/user/month
Ooma features
Ooma isn’t known for being particularly feature-rich, which lends itself to being easy to use, even for beginners. Still, the platform obviously offers a wide range of features to handle basic calls and video meetings, including call logs for valuable business analytics and a virtual receptionist to guide your callers to where they’re trying to go.
We did find that the audio quality on Ooma is a bit lacking, particularly when it comes to the voicemail functionality. Fortunately, the business phone service also offers automatic transcription, and it was perfectly accurate, even when it came to punctuation. All that to say, a bit of fuzzy dialogue won’t be a dealbreaker if you’re trying to save a bit of money.
We find the Ooma directory to be a simple and intuitive spot to house all the important numbers for our business. Source: Tech.co testing
Ooma pricing
Ooma offers three paid plan options for most businesses: Essentials, Pro, and Pro Plus.
- Ooma Essentials – $19.95 per user, per month
- Ooma Pro – $24.95 per user, per month
- Ooma Pro Plus – $29.95 per user, per month
Ooma also offers three enterprise-level plans that can get you started for larger businesses.
- Ooma Enterprise Standard – $19.99 per user, per month
- Ooma Enterprise Enhanced – $27.99 per user, per month
- Ooma Call Center – $49.99 per user, per month
What's new for Ooma?
August 2024: Announced in an August press release, Ooma now integrates with Intuit QuickBooks, allowing inbound and outbound calls to instantly present customer information from the accounting platform.
Who should use Ooma
- Small and growing businesses
- Businesses with novice users that need assistance
Who shouldn’t use Ooma?
- Businesses that need robust security
- Businesses that need to be HIPAA compliant
What’s the Best Softphone App for iPhone and Android?
The best softphone app for iPhone and Android is RingCentral because it allows you to access plentiful features, low costs, and a vast number of integrations, no matter what device you use.
Again, RingCentral isn’t the only softphone app that works on the iPhone and Android. You might need a different set of features, a lower price point, or some different integrations that one of the other providers on this list. Every single provider on this list has an Android and iPhone app, so there’s no need to check on your equipment ahead of time.
Here’s a quick look at the interfaces you’ll get from RingCentral, 8×8, and Vonage (our top three picks).
You can also view the ratings and reviews on the App Store and the Google Play Store to further verify that the softphone apps are still maintained and functional, and that the features you need are included on the mobile and desktop versions. They’re all free to download, so if the VoIP service offers a free plan or free trial, you can use this to test out the mobile app.
Don’t forget to compare softphone providers to see how much it will cost your business.
How We Research VoIP Software and Softphone Apps
Tech.co’s in-house research team compared all of the top VoIP software providers against each other. To do this, we broke down all of the core categories that matter most to consumers. We settled on seven main areas of investigation:
- Price – What is the overall cost to the business, given the price and the value offered?
- Features – What can the platform do?
- External connections – Does the platform integrate with any existing communication infrastructure?
- Customer support – How does the provider offer assistance should something goes wrong?
- Security – How secure is your data on the platform?
- Scalability – Can the software keep up with a fast-growing company?
- Customer score – How have other users rated the platform?
Once each provider was tested and researched, we gave them a 5-star rating for each area listed above, as well as an overall 5-star rating that factored in all seven research categories. In the end, RingCentral took the lead, with 8×8 and Vonage close behind.
You can also learn more about our in-depth research process to find out how we rate and rank these softphone apps and VoIP providers.
How to Choose a VoIP Softphone App
Each business needs something slightly different out of a softphone. So, before investing in a new app it’s important to make the following considerations.
- Prioritize must-have features – Whether you plan to do with your VoIP softphone, businesses should be keenly aware of what VoIP features they need before selecting an app. Do you need AI time-saving features? Do you need advanced calling features like call screening and call transfer? These are all questions to ask yourself before choosing an app.
- Consider integrations – If you’re planning to integrate your VoIP softphone apps with existing business systems, you’ll need to make sure the products are compatible first. It’s also worth considering what extra integrations your business may benefit from in the future, to ensure the app will keep up with your needs in the long-term.
- Be mindful of extra costs – Most softphone apps have a straightforward pricing structure. However, it’s common for providers to charge extras for services like international calls and number porting. To avoid getting caught out by surprise bills, we’d recommend doing your homework before signing the dotted line.
- Research customer support options – Whether you’re new to VoIP softphones or well-versed in the technology, chances are you’ll require technical support at some point. To make sure you’re able to resolve issues fast, you should assess how regularly support is offered, and via what channels.
- Review security measures – VoIP security is a top concern for businesses in 2024. To ensure sensitive data is safeguarded, you should check for advanced features like end-to-end encryption, multi-factor authentication, and use permissions.
Verdict: What Is the Best Softphone App?
RingCentral Office is the best softphone app for businesses on the market today because it has a robust feature catalog, high scalability, and vast set of possible integrations, which means it will work well with your existing software.
You’ve made it this far, which means you’re definitely in need of a softphone app to improve communication at your business. RingCentral isn’t the only worthwhile option. If you want to take the next step towards signing up, you can fill out our free survey and get matched with the best softphone app provider for your business’s needs.
If you click on, sign up to a service through, or make a purchase through the links on our site, or use our quotes tool to receive custom pricing for your business needs, we may earn a referral fee from the supplier(s) of the technology you’re interested in. This helps Tech.co to provide free information and reviews, and carries no additional cost to you. Most importantly, it doesn’t affect our editorial impartiality. Ratings and rankings on Tech.co cannot be bought. Our reviews are based on objective research analysis. Rare exceptions to this will be marked clearly as a ‘sponsored’ table column, or explained by a full advertising disclosure on the page, in place of this one. Click to return to top of page