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• Best Business Cell Phone Plans

Best Business Cell Phone Plans Of 2024

Updated: Mar 17, 2024, 11:08am

Business cell phone plans are an important consideration for any team. LinkedIn reports that 57% of sales professionals saw an increase in calls to customers in 2020. Ensuring that all of your staff can pick up the phone no matter where they are can make a huge difference in your overall sales.

If you want phone calls on the go, you have several options at your disposal. For one, you could go with a business-centric plan from one of the major United States wireless carriers. Alternatively, you could use one of the leading voice-over-internet-protocol (VoIP) platforms and stay connected via a mobile app. Forbes Advisor ranked the best mobile options on the market to help you figure out which is best for your brand.

• Best VoIP Service
• Best Free VoIP Phone Service
• Best VoIP Cell Phone Service
• Best Conference Calling Services
• Best Call Center Software

The Best 5 Business Cell Phone Plans of 2024

Why you can trust forbes advisor small business.

RingCentral

Verizon Wireless

Google voice, at&t wireless, forbes advisor ratings, methodology, considerations for choosing the best business cell phone plan, frequently asked questions (faqs), next up in business.

Featured Partners

$20 per user, per month (paid annually)

On RingCentral's Website

Starts at $10 per user, per month

On Zoom's Website

$18.95 per user, per month

On Nextiva's Website

• RingCentral: Best VoIP business mobile plan
• Verizon Wireless: Best traditional wireless carrier
• Google Voice: Best mobile solution for sole proprietors and freelancers
• AT&T Wireless: Best for mobile security
• T-Mobile: Best for novel features

The Forbes Advisor Small Business team is committed to bringing you unbiased rankings and information with full editorial independence. We use product data, strategic methodologies and expert insights to inform all of our content and guide you in making the best decisions for your business journey.

We reviewed the leading mobile phone providers in the market using a detailed system to determine the five best cell phone services for small businesses. Pricing was an essential consideration when putting together our list as were the features that each provider offered. We also took into consideration real users’ experiences with the cell phone providers to come up with our final rankings. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.

Best Overall Business Cell Phone Plan

Starting price

$24.99 per user, per month

Free hardware available

International coverage

RingCentral is a far cry from your traditional business cell phone plan. It does not offer a wireless network or devices for your team. Instead, this VoIP service offers a monthly (or annual) subscription to software you can use from a computer, tablet or smartphone via an app. In most cases, subscribing to RingCentral and having your team log in to the app via their accounts is a lot more affordable than going with one of the big wireless carriers. Therefore, it is our top overall pick for business cell phone plans.

Regardless of which plan you choose, all versions of RingCentral come standard with the following:

• Unlimited calls within the United States and Canada
• Unlimited business short message service (SMS)
• Team member messaging
• Voicemail to text
• Document sharing
• Toll-free numbers

Service plan costs vary depending on how many people you employ. Pricing for two to 20 users on an annual basis is as follows:

• Essentials: $24.99 per user, per month with unlimited domestic calling, SMS, document sharing and voicemail-to-text functionality
• Standard: $27.99 per user, per month with unlimited fax, video calling for up to 100 people, the ability to adopt a number in more than 100 countries and more
• Premium: $39.99 per user, per month with automatic call recording, third-party software integrations and more
• Ultimate: $54.99 per user, per month with advanced status reports, alerts and unlimited online file storage

RingCentral’s plans offer features that aren’t available through larger carriers. The fact that RingCentral offers toll-free numbers is helpful in commanding a more professional business presence, and features like video calling and faxing are nice bonuses. RingCentral also has an intuitive, modern interface that closely resembles your smartphone’s default phone and texting apps. Once it is installed, you can think of the app as a business phone that lives in your personal phone.

The only downside with RingCentral as a business cell phone plan is it requires a fair amount of trust. On one end, you will need to consider whether or not you can count on your team members to keep company information secure if the app is installed on their personal devices. Additionally, your staff may not feel comfortable with having their work phone installed onto their smartphones.

While the lines between work and home continue to blur, thanks in large part to apps like Slack and Zoom, you might want to evaluate your company culture before moving forward. It’s also worth noting that all of RingCentral’s features can be used on a PC or Mac.

Learn more: Read our full RingCentral review .

Who should use it:

RingCentral’s pricing and features make it a good fit for businesses of every size.

• Free 15-day trial
• Very affordable monthly plans
• Able to customize service by business size and industry
• Available across multiple devices
• Possible to video conference with up to 200 people
• Must upgrade for 24/7 customer support and, even then, it apparently leaves a lot to be desired
• Plans get inexplicably more expensive for sole proprietors
• Can only rent phones with multi-year contracts

Best for Traditional Plans and VoIP Features

Plans as low as $30 per month, per line

Verizon is one of the largest carriers in operation, with coverage and services spanning from coast to coast and beyond. The company makes our list as it provides solid cell phone plans for small and large businesses alike. You can choose from one of several subscription options according to what works best for your company.

Flexible Business Wireless Plans

The Flexible Business Wireless Plan offers unlimited domestic talk and text, unlimited international messaging and a mobile hot spot. It also comes with a shareable data pool for your phones, tablets and other devices. You can even gain access to corporate email services.

What makes this plan “flexible” is that you get to choose the amount of data you want to add to your smartphone, tablet or both. The pricing plans vary according to the amount of data you need for your device. Use a handy calculator to determine how much smartphone or tablet data you’ll need to get an idea of your expected monthly price.

Business Unlimited Plans

These Verizon business phone subscriptions provide companies with unlimited talk, text and data through three tier levels: Start. 2.0, Plus 2.0 and Pro 2.0:

• Business Unlimited Start 5G: As low as $30 per month when you add five or more lines. Includes unlimited talk, text and data; 5G nationwide/4G LTE and call filter
• Business Unlimited Plus 5G: As low as $40 per month with five or more lines; it includes everything in Start plus 5G Ultra Wideband, 100 GB Premium network access and an unlimited mobile hotspot. The tier also offers Business Mobile Secure, which protects your smartphones against potential security threats.
• Business Unlimited Pro 5G: As low as $45 per month when you buy five or more lines; offers unlimited Premium Network Access and a 50% discount on Business Unlimited Pro tablet plans

The monthly plan price fluctuates according to the number of smartphone lines you buy. Although Verizon offers generous price discounts with each tier, smaller businesses might find the pricing plans a bit expensive, even excessive if they don’t need five or more lines.

Verizon lets you bring your own device (BYOD) to the service and even offers discount deals for doing so. However, not every device is compatible, and the brand recommends confirming compatibility before making the switch. Verizon often offers free phones or generous credit, between $200 and $1,000, toward purchasing a new phone.

Like many service providers, Verizon tends to automate customer support to the point where some customers struggle to speak with an actual human. Because it can be hard to talk to anyone, customers often find Verizon’s customer service somewhat lacking. To make up for this, Verizon offers a feature in which an agent will call you when one is available if you don’t feel like waiting on hold.

Verizon represents a more traditional phone plan structure, one with its service easily accessible across the country and via different locations worldwide. As such, even pricing and customer service issues are but minor deterrents. You’re still getting a big carrier plan with coverage in most of the United States and a wide range of service plans and devices to suit your needs.

Verizon works well for small to large businesses with a healthy budget.

Learn more:

Read our full Verizon Wireless review .

• Nationwide coverage
• Offers mobile VPN with certain plans
• Data, calls and texting available to use while in Canada and Mexico
• Ability to mix and match plans
• Could be overkill for smaller organizations
• Plans can get expensive

Best for Sole Proprietors and Freelancers

Plans starting at $10 per month, per user

Google Voice is an ideal choice for those who need an extra business phone number but might not be able to afford a complex and pricey service plan. Google Voice is a popular virtual phone service that offers call forwarding, voice and text messaging and voicemail options. Best of all, there is a version of the system that is entirely free to use as long as you have a Google Account.

Google Voice is popular for offering an impressive set of functionality in its free tier. As long as you have a personal Google Account, you can adopt a local number with nearly any area code in the United States. You can make unlimited domestic calls and texts across the U.S. and Canada from your phone or computer.

Because Google Voice is a free service, it can be especially useful to a small, cash-strapped business that wants to be able to make and receive calls without committing to pricier service plans offered by AT&T or T-Mobile. Though an existing number is required, once you link it to Google Voice, you’re able to communicate using virtually any device. If your business needs more than what the freeware offers, you can sign up for one of Google Voice’s subscription plans:

• Business Starter: $10 per user, per month; recommended for entrepreneurs or small businesses with 10 people or less
• Business Standard: $20 per user, per month; works for businesses of any size
• Business Premier: $30 per user, per month; aimed at larger, international companies

Once you upgrade, you can enjoy features such as unlimited domestic calling and text, voicemail transcripts, a “do not disturb” feature linked to your Google Calendar working hours, use and activity reports and 24-hour technical support. Upgrade to Standard or Premier for additional perks, including desk-phone compatibility, auto attendants and eDiscovery for calls, text messages and voicemail.

Overall, Google Voice offers businesses several benefits at either no cost or through very affordable service plans. Even if there are downsides, with the amount of free features, Google Voice is a beneficial service.

Learn more: Read our full Google Voice review .

Google Voice works best for organizations, small and large, that want a business cell phone plan that streamlines their contacts across multiple devices.

• Free version available
• 14-day trial for paid features
• Highly scalable, with service options for businesses of every size and budget
• Get a local number
• Unlimited calling and SMS
• Need an existing phone number to forward calls
• Must have internet/Wi-Fi connection to use

Best for Mobile Security

$30 per line, per month

We chose AT&T Wireless as it offers flexible cell phone plan options with plenty of added perks. With AT&T, your company has access to nationwide coverage and a range of plans that come standard with unlimited talk, text and data.

In addition to domestic coverage, AT&T provides unlimited talk and text from the United States to Canada or Mexico with no roaming fees. Some plan options even extend service options from the U.S. to up to 120 countries. It is crucial to note that some features are only available through devices compatible with AT&T’s service.

You can choose between one of several business-related subscription plans, priced per month and per smartphone line. AT&T’s best per-line pricing options come with six or more lines.

Unlimited Your Way

AT&T provides unlimited business service plans that let you choose only what you need for team members. There are three tiers available; you can purchase between one and 10 lines with these plans (per the Unlimited Your Way plan group), with per-month pricing fluctuating according to your decision.

• Business Unlimited Starter: Begins at $30 per month, per line with five or more lines and includes unlimited domestic talk, text and data, and unlimited talk and text to Canada and Mexico; offers access to AT&T’s 5G and 5G+ services on compatible devices where available and standard streaming and mobile security
• Business Unlimited Performance: Begins at $35 per month, paid per line with five or more lines. It includes everything in Starter, plus advanced mobile security and high-definition streams; each line has access to 30 GB of hotspot data.
• Business Unlimited Elite: Begins at $45 per month and per line for five or more lines; this plan adds AT&T Business Fast Track, which gives higher priority to your data usage, letting things run smoothly during times of high congestion; the plan gives you 100 GB of hotspot data

AT&T Mobile Select (Pooled)

Perhaps one device needs 5 GB per month while another only needs 2 GB. Pooling data means that each team member only uses a specific amount and your business only pays for exactly what it needs. In addition to pooled data, this plan provides unlimited talk and text. Customers will also get access to Stream Saver, which conserves data when users stream content.

Depending on your device or location, AT&T also offers its Call Protect Basic service. Plans start at $35 per month for 1 GB and increase according to your intended data pool.

AT&T Business 4GB

This plan option gives your business access to 4 GB of data per line, plus unlimited talk and text. Pricing isn’t as straightforward as it could be. The most affordable plan costs $50 per month, per line, when you buy at least three lines; the service option maxing out at 10 lines. Please note that this price is only guaranteed when you agree to sign up for autopay. This knocks $25 off the price per smartphone line with a service commitment.

AT&T’s Security Features

AT&T offers protection against increasingly common annoyances such as spam and fraud calls, including the ability to block suspicious phone numbers outright. For an additional service charge, AT&T provides its Secure Wi-Fi VPN service through AT&T Mobile Security Plus. The most basic version of this is available free with every plan and includes device security and breach reports. The add-on costs $3.99 per month and comes with a serious upgrade on secure mobile features:

• Secure Wi-Fi VPN
• Personal ID monitor
• Safe browsing
• Wi-Fi alerts
• Theft alerts (Android devices only)

If you’re looking for free hardware, AT&T Wireless does offer discounts and deals from time to time, including free phones or generous discounts towards the purchase of a qualifying phone.

AT&T’s business cell phone plans are impressive. Unfortunately, when things get congested, your service quality can drop substantially thanks to data caps and slowed coverage. AT&T often forces customers to upgrade to higher tiers to avoid slowdowns. The company’s plans can also get very expensive when you account for optional add-ons and devices.

AT&T Wireless is one of the larger service carriers, and so it can guarantee coverage and high-quality service to almost all of its customers. That said, its service fees could prove to be too expensive for smaller businesses with very tight budgets.

AT&T is best for mid to large-size companies with specific data needs and a desire for greater security when communicating or transferring information.

• Provides highly customizable business cell phone plans
• No roaming fees for Canada and Mexico
• Offers stellar mobile security add-ons
• No overage charges
• Data speeds drop when service gets very busy
• Add-ons and premium tiers can make the service pricey

Best for Novel and Unique Features

$25 per line, per month

T-Mobile is the third of the three biggest U.S. wireless carriers, after merging with Sprint in 2020. While it has all the standard functionality of the other business cell service providers, what makes it stand apart are its unique and novel bonuses that come with select plans. For instance, some plans come with Microsoft 365 and unlimited in-flight Wi-Fi.

T-Mobile offers limited and unlimited talk and text service in Canada and Mexico and standard 5G in its business packages. Additionally, all levels of T-Mobile’s business cell phone service come with its scam shield module, which identifies and warns you about known scam callers on your caller ID.

You get to choose from one of four service plans available for businesses, each priced per month and per line:

• Business Unlimited Select: Available for as low as $25 per month, per line when you purchase at least six lines; comes with 50 GB of premium data and 5 GB of hotspot data, limited talk and text to Mexico and Canada and unlimited standard definition streaming
• Business Unlimited Advanced: Available for as low as $30 per month, per line when you purchase at least six lines; includes one hour of free in-flight Wi-Fi,100 GB of premium data and a 40 GB hotspot plus unlimited talk, text and data in Canada and Mexico, as well as 5 GB of high-speed data at no extra cost; provides unlimited high definition streaming; includes two basic Microsoft 365 Business licenses
• Business Unlimited Ultimate: Available for as low as $40 per month, per line when you purchase at least six lines; unlimited access to premium data and 100 GB for your hotspot as well as unlimited in-flight Wi-Fi; get unlimited video streaming with quality up to 4K UHD
• Business Unlimited Ultimate+ for iPhone: Available for as low as $50 per month, per line when you purchase at least six lines; unlimited access to premium data and 200 GB for your hotspot as well as unlimited in-flight Wi-Fi; get unlimited video streaming with quality up to 4K UHD and Apple Business Essentials and AppleCare+

As mentioned, T-Mobile’s smartphone pricing will change depending on how many lines you choose to buy. You will be charged $60 per month for the most basic option if you only buy a single line. For this reason, smaller companies with tight budget constraints might find T-Mobile’s pricing to be too expensive, especially if they only need a few lines.

But for more mobile businesses that have employees constantly on the go, there are some really great perks. Offering access to unlimited in-flight Wi-Fi and unlimited talk, text and data to employees in Mexico and Canada could become a great selling point for your own brand.

Like most major carriers, there are a lot of customers competing for data priority. While T-Mobile offers access to this “premium data,” you have to pay a lot more out of pocket to ensure that your service doesn’t stagnate when things get particularly busy.

T-Mobile typically has multiple deals concerning phones, including free devices or credit up to a few hundred dollars towards buying a new smartphone. Like many such deals with carriers, they come with specific contract requirements, so it’s best to ask about the details before signing up.

T-Mobile seems best for businesses with team members who are constantly on the go and can therefore better appreciate perks related to international travel and flights.

• Reliable 5G network
• Service plans offer unlimited talk, text and data in Canada and Mexico
• Optional perks such as in-flight Wi-Fi and Microsoft 365
• Plans are expensive for six or fewer lines
• Bonus features only available in advanced plans

When putting this ranking together, we considered several vital components. Forbes Advisor researched the industry and analyzed multiple companies and plans. Then, we scored these providers across four categories of features using 13 different metrics that were weighted to favor features that small business owners find valuable in a cell phone service provider. The following are some of the metrics that we used to rank the providers that made our list.

Our main concern when it came to pricing was if the service is affordable, especially for small businesses, especially for the entry-level plan. Then, we looked at the costs and variety of plans available from each provider and what kind of value that each upgrade brought to users. Pricing accounted for 30% of our weighted scoring.

Key Features

We broke features into two distinct categories: general features and additional features. For general features, we looked at the offerings from each cell phone service provider that we considered to be common ones that every customer needs. Some of these general features include unlimited domestic calling and texting, international calling, conference calling and if any necessary hardware came free with the service. We weighted features at 45% of our total score.

Additional Features

For additional features, this included aspects of cell phone service that some users would consider to be nice to have, such as an automated attendant, mobile hot spot access and mobile security. For both kinds of features, we gave more weight to those that came with the service automatically as opposed to those that were add-ons that users had to pay additionally for. We weighted features at 15% of our total score.

Expert Analysis

Finally, based on our market research and the categories listed above, our experts also ranked additional criteria from customer reviews using metrics that included ease of use, popularity, value for the money and any stand-out features, such as offering international texting plans, mobile VPNs, free in-flight Wi-Fi, video calling and access to free local phone numbers. Altogether, these criteria make up 10% of the total score.

When selecting the best business cell phone plan for your company, there are a few factors to keep in mind. At the moment, for example, there are only three mainstream nationwide carriers. These larger carriers have pricing plans that might be too expensive for smaller businesses. Google Voice and RingCentral could work as much more affordable alternatives. We listed a few specific considerations in the sections below.

Smartphone Lines and Pricing

It’s a good idea to consider the number of lines your business needs, not to mention monthly or annual costs. Service providers will often offer a lower per-line price, but you’ll have to buy several lines to get the discount. It might be more affordable in the end to buy one or two lines rather than buy extra lines your company doesn’t need or can’t afford.

Free Phones and Purchase Credits

While the top carriers often allow you to BYOD, it might be possible to get at least one new phone for your business. If not a free phone, it’s common to provide you with substantial credit worth up to $1,000 towards the purchase of a brand-new smartphone.

A common caveat is this generosity gets tied to a long-term contract commitment. Do the month-to-month, and even year-to-year, math and decide what you’re willing to agree to in exchange for free or heavily discounted hardware. If all else fails, check to see if you can bring your existing devices with you to the new service provider. Some providers will let you do this at little to no extra charge.

International Perks or Availability

Many business cell phone plans focus on domestic features. Yet, if your brand is global, you’ll likely want to work with a company that offers talk, text and data options beyond American borders. Will data caps or a lack of in-flight Wi-Fi inhibit your ability to share information or communicate adequately? If you need worldwide service and support, it might be better to go with a much larger and more reliable carrier.

How ‘Unlimited’ Is Unlimited?

When a phone service says that an offer is unlimited, it is rare that an asterisk does not accompany the promise. Not all unlimited pricing plans are the same. Often, when things get congested, you may find that your service quality drops significantly. So, you learn that while your service option may be technically unlimited, there’s no such promise about the quality.

Some providers offer tiers that guarantee high-quality service no matter what. It’s best to read between the lines of the fine print to see what type of unlimited service you are getting offered.

Who has the best business cell phone plan for small businesses?

We selected RingCentral as our top choice due to its affordable payment plan structure when compared to other telephone companies.

What cell phone companies are offering free phones?

AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile are among the most popular brands known to offer a free phone when switching to their service. Brands often have such deals periodically, so it is good to stay updated about potential offers.

What is the average cost of small business cell phone plans?

Your final cost will depend entirely on the service package and the number of lines you have on your plan. With that in mind, smaller businesses can expect to pay anywhere from $29 and $69 per smartphone line, per month. That does not include any additional hardware costs. Be sure to research and compare brands to find the price that works best for your business.

Who has the best unlimited talk, text and data plans?

We recommend RingCentral, Verizon and AT&T Wireless. Verizon and AT&T offer more comprehensive unlimited plans. Meanwhile, RingCentral’s options are generally more affordable.

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For nearly a decade, Toni Matthews-El has published business topics ranging from cloud communication software to best steps for establishing your own LLC. In addition to Forbes Advisor, she's published articles for Medical News Today, US News and World Report.

Cassie is a deputy editor collaborating with teams around the world while living in the beautiful hills of Kentucky. Focusing on bringing growth to small businesses, she is passionate about economic development and has held positions on the boards of directors of two non-profit organizations seeking to revitalize her former railroad town. Prior to joining the team at Forbes Advisor, Cassie was a content operations manager and copywriting manager.

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The best business phone plans: Reliable 5G for work

When I started writing for ZDNet 15 years ago , mobile phones were being used by 74% of the US population, but only 14% of those people were using these basic phones to access the internet. The latest data shows that 97% of Americans own a mobile phone, with 85% of those being smartphones that access the internet multiple times a day.

Smartphones and wireless cellular services are now essential for businesses to compete in today's market and broad coverage is an expectation. After T-Mobile's recent acquisition of Sprint, the US market is dominated by Verizon, T-Mobile, and AT&T. Each of these carriers offers various plan options for businesses of all sizes.

5G continues to roll out across the US, but reliable LTE service is still essential to getting work done. The pricing for business service is competitive, and as someone who has been in the industry for decades, it is amazing to see the reasonable pricing for such fast service that reaches across the nation.

Verizon phone plans for businesses

Verizon Wireless has the most subscribers in the US and is popular with businesses. Three Business Unlimited plans make it easy to find the perfect option for your business. All three  Business Unlimited plans  from Verizon include unlimited talk, text, and data. Support for 5G, mobile hotspot, and tablet use differentiate the three plans. Pricing is also for five or more lines, targeted for business and not for family usage.

Business Unlimited Start

$30 per line per month.

While there are no limits on minutes, texts, or data, in times of congestion data may be slower with this Start plan. Nationwide 5G, low-band spectrum 5G, is supported with the Start plan and a compatible smartphone.

Tablet, smartwatch, and hotspot options are available for additional costs on the Business Unlimited Start plan. The price also includes $5 per month savings for paper-free billing and auto pay.

Pros  

• Nationwide 5G coverage
• Able to add additional devices (watches, tablets) to the account
• No support for mmWave, high-band, 5G
• Data speeds slowed down during times of congestion

Business Unlimited Plus

$40 per line per month.

For $10 more per line per month, Verizon adds 100GB of premium network access, 5G UWB (mmWave) support, and unlimited mobile hotspot service. In addition, Verizon's Business Mobile Secure is included at no additional cost. This enhanced security bundle includes lookout mobile endpoint secure, mobile device management, Wi-Fi protection, and tech support.

• Nationwide 5G coverage, including mmWave spectrum
• Enhanced security bundle included
• Unlimited mobile hotspot service
• 100GB limit during high usage time periods

Business Unlimited Pro

$50 per line per month.

The highest level Verizon Business Unlimited plan provides twice the amount of premium network access, 120GB, along with 50% off on Business Unlimited Pro tablet plans.

This plan may be perfect for businesses using connected tablets out in the field and smartphones that are using data throughout the day away from Wi-Fi service.

• Nationwide 5G coverage with mmWave support
• 50% cost savings on tablet plans
• $50 price per line higher than other tiers

T-Mobile phone plans for businesses

After the purchase of Sprint, T-Mobile is now the second largest (in terms of subscriber count) carrier in the US. While T-Mobile has long been known for its consumer-friendly cellular plans, it also has one of the most extensive  libraries of business offerings  for small companies, large companies, and government agencies. Its new  Business Unlimited plans  are presented below, but other options require  direct discussions  between businesses and T-Mobile.

Business Unlimited Select

$25 to $60 per line per month.

Business Unlimited Select plans are designed for small business customers who need 1 to 12 lines of service. A one line plan is the most expensive, at $60 per month. Two lines are priced at $45 per line per month, four lines are $30 per line per month, and six or more lines are just $25 per line per month.

These plans include 5G network support, 5GB of high-speed mobile hotspot data, as well as unlimited calling/texting/data in Mexico and Canada.

• Very affordable small business plan
• Unlimited service in Mexico and Canada
• Unlimited streaming is limited to SD content
• Included data in Canada and Mexico is 128kbps speed

Business Unlimited Advanced

$30 to $70 per line per month.

If the employees of your small business travel by airplane and need Microsoft apps, then you should consider the T-Mobile Business Unlimited Advanced plan. This service plan includes 40GB of high-speed hotspot data, Microsoft 365, one hour of Gogo in-flight Wi-Fi, and 5GB of high-speed data in Canada and Mexico.

• Affordable per line price point
• Microsoft 365 productivity service included
• One hour of in-flight Wi-Fi service
• 40GB of high-speed hotspot
• 100GB of premium data

Business Unlimited Ultimate

$40 to $85 per line per month.

For small businesses that want it all at reasonable per line prices, the new Business Unlimited Ultimate plan is for you. In addition to the unlimited talk, text, and data (with 5G included) small businesses also get unlimited premium data, 100GB of mobile hotspot, and Microsoft 365.

Streaming content is provided with unlimited 4K UHD quality, WiFi on your flight is unlimited, and data in 210 countries is twice as fast (256kbps) as the other T-Mobile small business plans.

• Unlimited premium data
• Unlimited WiFi on your flight
• Microsoft 365 services included
• 5GB of high speed data in Canada and Mexico

AT&T phone plans for businesses

After T-Mobile added Sprint subscribers to its total subscriber base, AT&T dropped to third in total subscriber count. However, AT&T is also well established as an enterprise service provider with  four enterprise options  available to customers. AT&T also serves as the backbone for the  FirstNet network  optimized for first responders.

Unlimited Your Way for Business

Starting at $30 per month.

The Unlimited Your Way for Business plans allow up to 10 devices per plan group and are designed for small to medium-sized businesses. The more lines you add, up to 10 lines, the less expensive the starting price is for AT&T Business Unlimited Starter, Business Unlimited Performance, and Business Unlimited Elite. For 10 lines, the starting price is $30, $35, and $40 per line per month, respectively. For just a single line, these prices are $65, $75, and $85 per line per month, respectively.

Hotspot data allotments, priority data transmission, and higher definition streaming are features that improve as you move from the Starter tier to the Elite tier of service. Select the number of lines on the Unlimited Your Way website to view pricing for your company.

• Price per line decreases with additional lines
• Multiple tiers of service are offered
• Limited to 10 lines of service
• Priority data transmission restrictions
• Hotspot data limits

AT&T Mobility Select - Pooled

Starting at $35 per month.

Unlimited calls and text messages in the US, unlimited calls to Mexico and Canada, and unlimited texting from the US to more than 120 countries are included in the  AT&T Mobility Select - Pooled  plan service. Data is served up to each employee from a single shared pool for each business account.

Plans start at $35 per month, but potential customers need to contact AT&T to discuss specific details and plan pricing.

• Affordable plan pricing
• Unlimited calls to Mexico and Canada
• Shared pool requires management to allocate

AT&T Mobile Share Plus for Business

Starting at $50 per month.

The AT&T Mobile Share Plus for Business plan supports from one to 25 smartphone lines with various monthly data caps, ranging from 3GB to 120GB per phone. Pricing per phone starts at $50 per month for 3GB and goes up to $615 for one phone with 120GB of data.

Shareable data, rollover data, unlimited talk and text, mobile hotspot service, and international talk, text, and data are provided with these plans.

• Support for up to 25 lines of service
• Rollover data support
• Mobile hotspot service included
• Data caps allocated by service option

AT&T Business 4GB

Unlimited talk, text, and 4GB of data per line are provided with the AT&T Business 4GB  plan. Hotspot data and standard mobile security services are also provided with the plan. Pricing for smartphones starts at $50 per month, but further pricing requires consultation with an AT&T representative.

AT&T Business 4GB is available for tablets for $20 per month and for wearables for $10 per month. AT&T advertises this plan as best for small businesses.

• Unlimited talk and text
• Controlled pricing per each phone
• Service options for tablets and wearables
• 4GB data limit per each line

MVNO options for businesses

While the three major carriers offer focused business plans, there are also a few MVNOs that offer attractive per line plans that may work well for small businesses. MVNOs (mobile virtual network operators) are companies that use establish wireless carrier infrastructure to provide no or minimal contract options for customers. The MVNOs do not openly advertise which wireless carrier infrastructure they are using, but as soon as you insert a SIM into your phone, you can see which carrier is connected to which MVNO. MVNOs are optimized for consumers looking for phone service with no contracts and prepaid options, but these same elements may help small businesses control costs and adjust to market demands.

US Mobile for business

$9 per line and $2 per gb per month.

Most MVNOs offer attractive per line prices with each account limited to five or six lines. US Mobile is one MVNO that actually provides shared data plans for companies of any size. Enter the number of lines you need and the amount of shared data to view your total monthly payment. 

A couple of examples include 50 lines with 100GB of data for $674 per month or 30 lines with 50GB of data for $385 per month. We had the opportunity to test out the two available US Mobile SIM cards and found the service to be fast and reliable.

• Specific service offering for businesses
• Scalable to your business size and line needs
• Competitive $9 per line base fee
• Verizon and T-Mobile serve as network providers
• Data price per GB may be higher than unlimited plans

Mint Mobile

$30 per month per line.

Mint Mobile is one of the most popular MVNOs thanks in large part to advertising by one of its owners, Ryan Reynolds. While there are no specific business plans, three/six/twelve month plans for individual phones are available starting as low as $30 per month for unlimited talk, text, and data.

T-Mobile provides the network for Mint Mobile's service so you will need GSM handsets for the service.

• Unlimited talk, text, and data plan options
• Flexibility for less expensive data limit plans
• No specific business service plans
• Limited to T-Mobile coverage area
• Three available contract period options

Cricket Wireless

Starting at $25 per line per month.

Cricket Wireless is an established MVNO, service provided by AT&T, that has retail stores around the country so you can get support and establish service in person if you desire. One to five lines can be setup for each account with measured data or unlimited data. Mobile hotspot data can also be added to each line.

4G LTE and 5G data is provided, along with international support, cloud storage, and more.

• Established, trusted MVNO
• Physical retail stores around the country
• Unlimited and measured data plan options
• No long term contract required
• Service coverage area limited to AT&T network
• Five line limit per account

What steps should a new business take to establish wireless service?

While this buying guide provides current pricing and service options from the three primary US wireless carriers and MVNOs, specific pricing for your business requires a conversation with the carrier to fully define your company needs, available service discounts, and contract lengths.

One of the first things to figure out is where you will need service geographically in the US as all three carriers have slightly different coverage maps. Your geographic operating area may remove one, or more, carriers from your viable candidate list. 

The next step is to determine how many lines of service you will need and then the data needs of those lines. Calling and text messages are unlimited in all cases, but data speed and amount of data will drive your costs.

Most carriers also offer additional incentives and services, such as hotspot, in-flight coverage, Microsoft 365, and more. Make sure to account for the value of these incentives in your decision-making process.

What are the disadvantages of a MVNO?

Most MVNOs are focused on the consumer market so business plan offerings for more than six lines of service are rare. Pricing can be very competitive and with no contracts these MVNOs may be attractive to businesses just getting started that do not want to lock in long-term contracts.

Account management may require more time from businesses given the consumer focus of MVNOs. MVNOs are also subject to the infrastructure provided by the big three US carriers, but there are several established MVNOs with solid reputation and a record of high-quality service and support.

What is the best business phone plan?

We analyzed reliability, coverage, and price to compile a list of the best phone plans for your business which includes: Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile.

Does the choice of my smartphone model limit wireless service?

In the past, the US wireless market was split into GSM and CDMA service technologies with two carriers supporting each of these technologies. Modern smartphones support LTE and 5G service without CDMA technology your choice of smartphone is not as limited.

The most popular smartphones in the US, Apple iPhones and Samsung Galaxy phones, support all wireless technologies in the US wireless market so there are no limits on using these phones with any US carrier. If you purchase these phones directly from Samsung and Apple, then you can choose to purchase unlocked models.

Some phones are sold in a locked state so they can only be used on one specific carrier. This may be changing soon and there are processes to unlock your phone from your carrier if you decide to switch carriers. There used to be incentives for purchasing locked phones, but in today's world purchasing unlocked phones gives you the most flexibility for choosing your service provider.

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The best small business cell phone plans

Just as one shoe size can’t fit all, there’s no single cell phone plan that will suit every small company. But there are numerous high-quality plans that are worth considering as they strive to meet the needs of different types of businesses. To settle on the best cell phone plan for your business, you first want to figure out what kind of plan best fits your company.

How to choose a plan

Big four basics.

Business owners generally buy and pay for employee cell phones or plans or both when workers spend at least some part of their time off-site. With employees, you may want to track hours and data. In that case, to streamline operation and collaboration, a specialized business cell phone plan might be optimal. Today, more American businesses are accommodating work-at-home schedules that avoid meetings and travel, but note that quarantines and shelter-in-place orders will not last forever, so it’s a good idea to take the entire spectrum of your business activities into account.

There are numerous factors to reflect on when choosing a cell phone plan for your small company. Here are some major issues you’ll want to consider.

Business design: Is your proposed plan built for businesses and scaled for business customers? If you’re a solopreneur or an extremely small company with just a handful of employees, you may be able to get away with a personal friends-and-family-type plan, as opposed to a bona fide business plan. But once you have more than a couple of employees, start to think bigger about scalabilities such as multiple lines, unlimited options on talk, text, and data, data-only plans for companies that don’t need talk or text, and discounts for more lines or devices.

Network coverage: Consider sound quality, data speeds, coverage, and overall dependability. Make sure the plan you choose has good coverage in the area where your employees are located or are traveling. If your employees travel internationally, choose from plans that have good rates for the target countries. Also, don’t forget about airline coverage and in-flight texting services.

Security:  Some cell phone business plans offer virtual private networks, encryption, and other features to protect your company’s data. That could be quite valuable, as it relieves you of having to research, choose, and pay for additional services.

Hardware: If you need to supply employees with handsets, consider the kinds of phones offered with the plans you’re considering, or whether employees prefer to use their own smartphones.

Hot spot: Some business environments just don’t have usable Wi-Fi, but you can use a cell phone signal to connect a wireless device to the internet with a mobile hotspot. For multiple device connections, look for a dedicated hotspot with a fast, stable, secure connection, as well as other services like call forwarding, voicemail, call hold, analytics, and call queuing.

Data: Business plans should be generous with data, but unlimited is best — unless you really do not need data to conduct business.

Customer service: Count on problems arising, and when they do, you or your employees will want someone reliable to call before customers and clients get restless.

Price: Price is always a factor, and sometimes the cheapest plans offer just the service and features you’re looking for. But for something as critical as your business communications, do not buy on price alone.

Just in case you’re also looking for the best all-around mobile cellular deals, have a look at our survey of the  best cell phone plans of 2020 and our report on the best prepaid cell phone plans . Meantime, below are some of the business-oriented plans available now.

AT&T offers several variations of its Mobility Rate Plans — Mobile Share Plus, Mobile Select Priority Pooled, and Business Unlimited Elite, plus several in between — tailored to your budget for $50, $55, and $85 per line per month. Designed for small- to medium-sized businesses, the Elite plan offers unlimited data, talk, and text for up to 10 devices. The Pooled plan gives employees a data allowance alongside pooled data within a single account. The Plus plan lets you share data across up to 10 or up to 25 business devices. All plans feature unlimited domestic talk and text and unlimited talk from the U.S. to Mexico and Canada, plus unlimited texts from the U.S. to over 120 countries, along with high definition video streaming. The Elite and Pooled plans also feature 5G . Data speeds may slow down with congestion past certain data points.

Verizon markets the Plan for Business, Business Unlimited, the New Verizon Plan, and the Flexible Business Plan specifically for small companies. The Plan for Business starts at $175 per month for up to 25 lines, with data plans ranging from 25GB to 200GB for various prices and topping out at $1,000 per month. All plans include carryover data, safety mode, calling to and from Mexico and Canada, use of your device in Mexico and Canada, and data boost costing $15 per 1GB. With all business plans, you can turn your device into an internet hotspot and send unlimited messages to more than 200 countries worldwide. Additional smartphones cost $15 per month.

Simple Choice for Business by T-Mobile costs $50 per line per month up to $110 per month for up to five lines. You can add $10 per line per month for 6 to 12 lines and up to 2GB of 4G LTE Data. You can call and text from any Wi-Fi connection, as your unused LTE data (up to 20GB) rolls forward for 12 months. The plan features unlimited calling and texting to and from Mexico and Canada, plus you get up to 5GB of data at 4G LTE speeds. If you’re looking for a more streamlined option, T-Mobile Essentials only costs $30 per month per line for four lines. It offers unlimited 3G mobile hotspot data, unlimited talk, text, 2G data in Mexico and Canada, and unlimited texting and flat-rate calling at 20 cents per minute in over 210 countries. An additional 10GB of high-speed 4G LTE mobile hotspot data will cost you $10 a month. For a more robust plan, the Magenta for Business plan is available for two, four, eight, and 12 lines for $60, $40, and $30 per month per line, respectively. It features 5G service, 3GB of 4G LTE hotspot data, plus unlimited 3G data, in-flight texting and data, unlimited data and texting in over 210 countries, and unlimited talk, text, and data in Canada and Mexico. The included Digits program eliminates the need for separate work and personal phones, allowing you to access up to five numbers on one device and use one number across several devices.

RingCentral

RingCentral is a VoIP system that functions extremely well in an office setting. It supports unlimited calling and conferencing toll-free numbers and a customizable caller ID. Functionality is its primary priority; It supports useful features, like texting, online meetings, and faxing. When you use RingCentral, incoming calls go through the same call-routing system as your office phones. It helps make your office number into a portable communication system. You can call, text, and fax from your business number on any mobile device. The service could be used by two users to 1000 and offers four levels: Essentials, Standard, Premium, and Ultimate for $20, $25, $35, and $50, each with a free trial.

Cricket Wireless

Cricket Wireless is a highly-rated and widely-used prepaid wireless service that prides itself on its affordability. It typically costs users from $30 to $60 per month. With Cricket Wireless, users can build their own custom phone plans. If you prefer a more basic plan with talk and text and no data, that’s manageable. You can build off that basic plan by adding data (2GB, 5GB, or unlimited), unlimited talk and text, picture messages, a mobile hotspot, and SD quality video streaming. If you often travel or need international coverage, that’s also manageable. You can add coverage for Canada and Mexico and unlimited text to 37 countries, HD Voice, and Wi-Fi calling from a compatible phone. Data-only plans of 20GB and 40GB are available for $35 and $50 per month, respectively, with Mexico and Canada coverage in the mix.

Republic Wireless

Consider Republic Wireless for your business if you don’t exactly need a phone network, but you do use a significant amount of Wi-Fi. This plan functions more like a virtual network than other cellular providers. The vendor relies on T-Mobile and Sprint networks when Wi-Fi is unavailable. The base plan is incredibly affordable, starting at $15 a month or $150 a year for unlimited talk and text. At this level, Republic Wireless charges $5 per gigabyte of data, up to 15GB. Fortunately, Republic won’t let a person’s bill skyrocket if they start to use too much data; Instead, the company disables data before you stretch past your limit. Using their data plan, users can also opt to make their smartphone a hotspot. One feature we enjoy about Republic is their Extend Home service. This feature allows people to connect their cell phones with their home phone to access contacts, receive calls, or make calls from one direct number using either of their phones.

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We’ve collected the models that still give you great performance, good cameras, the right connectivity, and often a desirable design and brand name too — all for less money than you may expect. Cheap phones in 2024 will surprise you with their strong performance, making them more than capable of playing the latest games; plus they have batteries that will last you at least a day.

Choosing the best phone in 2024 can be quite daunting, as there are so many excellent options available. Whether you are an iPhone fan, an Android user, or open to any smartphone, finding the perfect one may seem like an insurmountable challenge. But don't worry, we're here to help!

Below, we have compiled a list of our top picks for the best phones you can currently buy. We believe that there's something for everyone on this list, and we're confident that you'll find a phone that suits your preferences perfectly.

Tablets may not be the hot new thing in 2024, but they're still excellent machines for streaming movies, playing games, or getting work done on the go. And while it seems like the best iPads dominate most of the tablet market, there are still plenty of excellent Android tablet options for consideration if you don't want to be locked in Apple's walled garden.

Whether you want an ultra-premium and superpowerful option, or something more affordable and compact, the Android tablet market has something for everyone. No matter your budget or spec preferences, here are the best Android tablets you can buy in 2024.

The Top Small Business Cell Phone Plans

Find out more about the best small business cell phone plans with customer rating, pricing information and frequently asked questions.

Updated on December 21st, 2023

The SMB Guide is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more

4.5 out of 5 overall

• Widest U.S. coverage.
• 5G coverage
• Solid network coverage.
• No overages.
• Access to 20M WiFi hotspots.
• Unlimited talk and text.

Business cell phone plans are offered by phone carriers to help small businesses have affordable access to a reliable phone network. Businesses are often eligible for discounts when they add more numbers or opt for additional monthly features.

Best Small Business Phone Systems

Get information on the top business phone systems, including pricing, reviews, and FAQs.

Dec 21, 2023

Why We Chose Verizon, AT&T, and Xfinity Mobile:

Verizon is one of the largest network providers in the United States . With plans for as little as four employees, Verizon offers phone packages suitable for small and large teams. All of Verizon's phone bundles include great unlimited features, including unlimited calling, texting, and data while in Canada and Mexico.

Verizon is ideal for businesses that plan on supplying their employees with handsets . The network provider offers nearly 100 different iOS and Android phones and tablets for teams that are constantly on the go.

All of AT&T's plans offer great unlimited features , including unlimited data and calling in Canada and Mexico, as well as unlimited international texting, domestic calling, and free domestic roaming. AT&T's Business Unlimited Plan comes in three variations: Starter, Performance, and Elite. With all three plans, users also have access to 5G network.

Xfinity Mobile offers a large variety of plans for businesses to choose from , with prices ranging between $30.00 and $240.00 per line. Thanks to its multi-line pricing system, businesses pay less as more lines are added to their plan. Xfinity Mobile also offers 4G LTE and 5G network access, making it great for employees who are always on the move.

Things to Consider When Evaluating Small Business Cell Phone Plans:

• Carefully consider the contract as most plans require business owners to sign up for extended contract periods of one to two years.
• Check coverage and compare it to where your employees live and travel. Some cell companies offer better coverage in rural areas, others offer much less expensive international plans.
• Keeping up with the latest in phone technology could be important to your business, so see how often the contract entitles you to new phones.

Best Business Cell Phone Plans:

How to Choose a Business Cell Phone Plan:

1. look at your business's communication needs..

Every business's communication needs will vary. For example, construction companies will require a smartphone with excellent data access for teams that are on the move and working on different sites, while call center teams will only require wireless services and ordinary phones.

International Phone Plans

See our list of top international phone plans, which includes ranking and frequently asked questions.

Sep 19, 2023

Carrier Strengths:

2. Choose a plan designed for businesses.

Look for plans with multiple lines and unlimited talk, text, or data options. In addition, your plan should be tailored to fit your specific business. If you won't require talk options, look into business text and email plans.

3. Make good network coverage a priority.

Your plan should have excellent coverage in your area, especially if your business requires strong talk capabilities. Consider sound quality, speed, and network coverage. More importantly, your network coverage should be reliable in urban and remote areas.

Best Network Coverage:

T-Mobile provides the widest network coverage, making it the best fit for businesses that operate in urban areas. Since acquiring Sprint's network in 2020, T-Mobile's network coverage has grown exponentially, narrowly surpassing Verizon's coverage in the U.S.

4. Look for strong security features.

Instead of paying for a separate network security service, look into network providers that include VPNs and encryption with their cell phone plans. Your business's private information is a top priority and with so many open networks, you'll want to ensure your and customer's information is secure.

Best Security Features:

5. Purchase hardware.

You can either ask employees to use their own smartphones or you can supply them with hardware. This option should only be considered if your business has off-site teams. Look into the hardware and handsets on offer and compare the plans that offer data and hardware bundles.

Common Cell Phone Plan Offers:

• Reduced costs as the number of lines and devices increase.
• Multiple lines and devices free of charge.
• International coverage.
• Data-only plans.
• Unlimited options for talk, data, and/or text.

More Related Articles:

• Best call tracking software .
• Small business VoIP providers .
• Top business phone systems .

Who has the best small business cell phone plans?

• Xfinity Mobile .
• RingCentral .
• Cricket Wireless .
• Metro PCS .

What is the average cost of small business cell phone plans?

The cheapest business cell phone plans are usually in the $15.00 to $30.00 per month range, while a complete business cell phone package could cost $60.00 or more per line per month.

What carrier has the best small business smartphone plans?

In terms of cost, Republic Wireless has some of the best cheap business phone plans for smartphones. However, Verizon has the best data coverage and features, meaning you can use your smartphone to access emails and business documents almost anywhere.

Who are the best business phone providers?

What is the best business cell phone plan for companies with less than 10 employees.

It really depends on what features your employees need on their phones, but most businesses with 10 employees or less can find an affordable plan that suits them.

How do I know what the best cell phone plan for my small business is?

The best way to find the best small business mobile phone plans is to do a small business cell phone plan comparison. Compare current offers from several providers to find out who can give you the best deal.

Wirefly helps you save on cell phones and plans by offering innovative comparison tools so consumers can make educated choices. Start saving today with Wirefly!

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Compare the Best Business Cell Phone Plans of 2024

Find and compare the best business cell phone plans at Wirefly. To compare business cell phone plans, simply enter the amount of phone lines, minutes, data, and messages that your organization, needs, and Wirefly will analyze existing business plans on the market from major and minor carriers (both contract and no contract) to find the best plans for your business. Then it's up to you to sort by price, feature, or another criteria to choose the plan you want. Click on the plan name to learn more, or click the Buy Now button to select that plan.

Select the amount of total data you need for the entire plan.

For example, if you need 2 lines with 1 GB of data each, you would select 2 GB of data with the data slider below.

What is the Best Business Cell Phone Plan

There's no clear cut winner when it comes to choosing the best business cell phone plan. Instead, it depends on the specific needs of you and your business. The "Big 4" major carriers which include T-Mobile, Verizon, AT&T, and Sprint, all offer business cell phone plans. Typically, these plans will include unlimited talk and text for every line on the plan, and either a set amount of data per line per month, or a shared data pool that is used by all of the users of that plan each month. Just enter the number of lines, minutes, messages, and data you need in the tool above to see which business cell phone plans will work best for you and your business. You can also compare consumer cell phone plans with Wirefly.

Types of Business Cell Phone Plans

If your company depends on cell phone usage for most or all of its communication needs, then it's a big benefit to have a business wireless plan that suits your organization's needs. You can look up different carriers and plan types with our comparison service and see how much you could save compared to your company's current business wireless plan. There are three types of business wireless plans:

• Shared data plans for small businesses
• Unlimited data plans for business
• Medium to large sized business plans

What Business Wireless Plan Is Best For Your Company?

When choosing the right plan for your business, you should consider how many employees will be on the plan and what types of services you want to include. Most carriers factor these three things into your plan:

• Talk - Minutes
• Text - Text Messaging
• Data - Data Usage in MB or GB

If you are looking for actual business phone service for your office building, check out our business VoIP provider comparison .

Compare Business Cell Phone Carriers

AT&T is one of the larger wireless providers and has multiple types of business cell phone plans. Learn more about AT&T Business .

Verizon Wireless offers individual plans, family sharing plans for small businesses, and larger enterprise business cell phone plans. Learn more about Verizon Business .

Sprint sells a few different type of business cell phone plans including a new plan for small businesses (less than 10 employees) called the Sprint Business Share Plus Plans. Learn more about Sprint Business .

T-Mobile, which calls itself the "uncarrier", boasts plans for business users that are very flexible and offer unlimited data. Learn more about T-Mobile Business .

If you are looking for a cell phone plan with a different number of lines for your company's employees, you can adjust the amount of lines needed in the tool, or check out the following pages:

• Business Cell Phone Plans with 2 Lines
• Business Cell Phone Plans with 3 Lines
• Business Cell Phone Plans with 4 Lines
• Business Cell Phone Plans with 5 Lines
• Business Cell Phone Plans with 6 Lines
• Business Cell Phone Plans with 7 Lines
• Business Cell Phone Plans with 8 Lines
• Business Cell Phone Plans with 9 Lines
• Business Cell Phone Plans with 10 Lines
• Business Cell Phone Plans with 11 Lines
• Business Cell Phone Plans with 12 Lines
• Business Cell Phone Plans with 13 Lines
• Business Cell Phone Plans with 14 Lines
• Business Cell Phone Plans with 15 Lines
• Business Cell Phone Plans with 16 Lines
• Business Cell Phone Plans with 17 Lines
• Business Cell Phone Plans with 18 Lines
• Business Cell Phone Plans with 19 Lines
• Business Cell Phone Plans with 20 Lines
• Business Cell Phone Plans with 21 Lines
• Business Cell Phone Plans with 22 Lines
• Business Cell Phone Plans with 23 Lines
• Business Cell Phone Plans with 24 Lines
• Business Cell Phone Plans with 25 Lines

Wirefly offers great deals on a large selection of smartphones, cell phones, tablets, mobile hotspots, and other wireless devices for the nation's most popular carriers. Use Wirefly’s innovative cell phone and plan comparison tools to ensure you are getting the best deal on the market. Shop with confidence knowing that Wirefly wants to help you find the best prices on cell phones, cell phone plans, TV, and Internet service.

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The Best Small-Business Phone Systems

Data as of 12/6/22. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

We are committed to sharing unbiased reviews. Some of the links on our site are from our partners who compensate us. Read our editorial guidelines and advertising disclosure .

Did you know that you don’t have to go through a provider to find the best small-business phone system? Too often, small-business owners get roped into choosing a system based on what a provider offers, or you might be subject to other limitations that don’t put you and your customers first. Business.org looks at small-business telephone systems based on the needs of your unique business—whether it’s a home-based operation, a service-based business, or a startup that relies on remote workers.

We looked at the most important things you need to make your business a success: price, features, service and reliability, ease of use, flexibility, and more. Then we identified what types of phone systems are the best match for different types of businesses. We even made provider recommendations so you can make your choice based on what fits your business best.

Our pick for best overall is definitely the Panasonic 2-Handset Landline Telephone for its smartphone syncing and baby monitor. 

Compare the best small-business phone systems

Types of small-business phone systems

It’s easy to think a phone is a phone is a phone. But in today’s technological communications landscape, it’s likely that even Alexander Graham Bell would be overwhelmed. To help cut through some of the clutter, here’s a breakdown of the most common types of small-business phone systems.

Traditional

This is the one our friend Alexander would be most familiar with. Traditional phone systems use a phone jack (that’s usually in the wall) to connect the phone to a phone service, and the phone sits on your desk ready for action. In small business, traditional phone systems are also called PBX (private branch exchange) phone systems.

PBX phone hardware can come with single or multiple lines and typically use a customary handset. Most also have options to add a headset. And if you get hosted PBX, you’ll have the same flexibility as VoIP. If you want a hosted or virtual PBX phone system, make sure you pick the right hardware. It doesn’t work with an analog phone line, as it needs to connect to the phone provider using an IP (Internet Protocol) network.

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Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phone systems are the most common telephone systems used in business today. VoIP systems share a lot of features with traditional PBX phone systems, but they come in at a lot cheaper prices. VoIP refers to the way calls are made—using a high-speed internet connection instead of a conventional phone line. You can also use a business VoIP system with customary hardware or opt to answer calls using computers, which saves you the cost and hassle of installing phones.

Even though VoIP phone systems can be a good choice for any business, they’re our favorite for smaller businesses because of how flexible they are. With IP phones, it’s easy to add new users and expand features as your business grows. It’s also easy to downsize, if needed. And the overall cost for smaller operations is more affordable with VoIP service.

Compare the best VoIP providers

Data as of 12/06/22. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change. *With annual billing **With contract

Virtual sounds like something from the future, but it’s actually an updated version of traditional PBX systems. A virtual phone system uses cloud technology and works well with mobile phones. That makes it ideal for businesses that need to keep employees connected to customers on the go.

But virtual doesn’t mean “mobile only.” You can have a cloud-based phone system that works with traditional handsets, computers, or mobile phones. Because virtual phone systems are so versatile, it’s important to have a clear picture of what you need—and what you don’t. Small-business owners can get dazzled by the features and flexibility and end up taking on more than they need in a virtual phone system.

For a full-service business phone solution that also provides reliable services for your growing business, RingCentral is a great option.

The best small-business phone systems

We’ve grouped the best phone system solutions for small businesses based on business needs. Our top picks are below.

Best for home-based small business

Running a small business from your home comes with unique challenges. You often end up balancing household and family needs with the demands of your business. But the right phone system can help with the balancing act. These home office phones are packed with features for your business plus extras that make working from home easier. Things like cordless phones, noise reduction, cell phone sync, speakerphones, and conferencing make it easier for you to juggle the demands of a home-based business without missing a call.

Best phone systems for home-based small businesses

Best for small businesses on a budget

Making your dreams a reality takes a lot of blood, sweat, tears—and money. We know that many small businesses have to watch every penny. But being budget-conscious doesn’t mean you have to skimp on quality or features. We like these small-business phone system solutions because they deliver reliable performance without draining your business bank account or sacrificing a reputable brand name. Both of our top picks come in under $100 per phone.

Best budget phone systems

Best for customer service and sales businesses

Reputation is everything when you’re running a small business, so you need a phone system that helps you take care of customers quickly, smoothly, and dependably. You may need hands-free operation, multi-line phones, and a digital answering system to keep your customers happy instead of frustrated. We’ve picked the phone systems below because of their multiple features designed to support a customer service or sales environment.

Best phone systems for customer service and sales

Best for expanding your small business

When your small business is growing, it can be hard to scale equipment and services to meet fluctuating needs. Whether you currently have one employee or ten, being able to move quickly when your business changes is crucial to successful expansion. That’s why the phone systems we recommend for expanding businesses work for both small and medium-sized businesses. Best of all, they can expand with your business. We looked for systems that are adaptable, compatible, and—most of all—affordable.

Best phone systems for growing businesses

Best for small businesses with remote workers

These days you don’t even need a dedicated office to operate a small business. Many businesses and startups rely on remote workers. This can mean that you bring on the best employees no matter where they live—or that your team is on the go and needs to stay connected during and between client meetings. You may also be dealing with some workers that use desk phones and others that use mobile phones. We’ve found the best communications tools to make collaborating easier no matter how your remote office works.

Best conference phone systems

The takeaway

You are a business owner, and that means you’re the master of your own destiny. You should also be the master of your phone system. Don’t let a provider dictate (and limit) your small-business phone system options. Find the phone that works for you and then match it with a provider. We’ve put our research and expertise to work for you to save you the headache of sorting through all the options. Use this guide to help navigate the phone system waters—and once you’ve found what you like, we’re here to help you figure out the best business VoIP providers too.

Small Business Phone Systems FAQ

That will depend upon the office environment and the type of work being done. We recommend the Polycom Soundstation2 Expandable Conference Phone for remote offices and the Mitel 5330e IP Phone for those in sales. 

In order to install a business phone system, you first need to figure out which system you want to use. 

For a company of 10 or fewer employees, you might consider using a KSU-less system. For a medium sized business, a KSU system is best. For a large business of over 75 employees, you will want a PBX system. A VoIP system uses internet connection to make calls both internationally or domestically. Generally, the VoIP provider will give you the equipment at a monthly fee and manage the complicated tech stuff. 

Each is installed uniquely but your provider will be able to guide you on that. 

How do you choose the right business phone system?

When we choose the right business phone system, we look at what a provider offers and which limitations we might encounter. We also look at price, service and reliability, ease of use and flexibility. Especially if you are a small business, you need flexibility to sort your work base, amount of customers and what features you might need as you grow. 

Can Skype For Business replace a business phone system?

Skype For Business could have replaced a business phone system, but it was discontinued in July 2021. 

Methodology

To find the best business phone systems, we considered  pricing plans, customization, and ease of use. We also looked at customer support and what the customers actually thought about the service.

At Business.org, our research is meant to offer general product and service recommendations. We don't guarantee that our suggestions will work best for each individual or business, so consider your unique needs when choosing products and services.

• Invoca, “ Call Intelligence Index ʼ16 .” Accessed December 6, 2022.

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Disclaimer: The information featured in this article is based on our best estimates of pricing, package details, contract stipulations, and service available at the time of writing. All information is subject to change. Pricing will vary based on various factors, including, but not limited to, the customer’s location, package chosen, added features and equipment, the purchaser’s credit score, etc. For the most accurate information, please ask your customer service representative. Clarify all fees and contract details before signing a contract or finalizing your purchase.

Our mission is to help consumers make informed purchase decisions. While we strive to keep our reviews as unbiased as possible, we do receive affiliate compensation through some of our links. This can affect which services appear on our site and where we rank them. Our affiliate compensation allows us to maintain an ad-free website and provide a free service to our readers. For more information, please see our  Privacy Policy Page . |

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8 Best Business Phone Services of 2024

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• Best overall and best business phone service: Nextiva
• Best advanced features for growing companies: RingCentral
• Best for teams that prefer traditional desk phones: Ooma
• Best for global contact centers: 8x8
• Best for sales teams: Dialpad
• Best for low-volume calling: Zoom Phone
• Best for custom in-app calling solutions: Vonage
• Best for text-heavy business communications: OpenPhone

The best business phone services are packed with communication features that go beyond basic calling capabilities. From video conferencing to team chat, texting and automation, teams get everything they need, plus the flexibility to support remote and hybrid work environments.

For this buyer’s guide, I picked Nextiva as the overall top business phone service because it’s the best value for features and reliability. It’s versatile enough to support teams of all sizes in any work environment, and it delivers all the phone and communication tools you need under one roof.

Top business phone services comparison

Nextiva: Best overall and best business phone service

Lots of business phone systems shine for a particular use case or industry, but it’s rare to find one that’s so well-rounded and suited to fit nearly every situation, yet that’s exactly what Nextiva does.

Nextiva works for traditional office environments, hybrid teams and fully remote staff; you can even use it to set up a virtual call center. And, it works just as well whether you have five or 50 users.

From an admin standpoint, the initial setup and deployment of Nextiva is about as easy as it gets. You can onboard users in just a few clicks, and they can start using Nextiva from their existing computers and smartphones, so there’s no need to buy new or expensive phones.

As a user, you’ll have access to all the necessities plus powerful extras available from a sleek dashboard. You can field an incoming call while simultaneously messaging your team members and even pulling up a fax on the same screen.

It would be nice to have call recording and voicemail transcription available on lower-tier plans; also, you’ll need to upgrade for most integrations, including Salesforce, HubSpot and Zendesk. But overall, these minor flaws can be overlooked — Nextiva is a great deal no matter which way you slice it.

Recent updates to Nextiva

• Tons of usability upgrades for NextivaONE and NextOS.
• Caller ID verification on every inbound call.
• Set location and timezone of business contacts.
• Bulk import settings for admins when setting user preferences.
• Essential : Starts at $28.95 per user per month billed annually.
• Professional : Starts at $32.95 per user per month billed annually.
• Enterprise : Starts at $42.95 per user per month billed annually.
• Free trial available? Yes, Nextiva offers a free demo.

The Essential plan is more than enough for most small teams, but you’ll need to upgrade to access features like screen sharing, multi-level auto attendant, SMS/MMS and call recording.

Pros and cons

Who is Nextiva best for?

Nextiva is best for remote and hybrid teams that need to make outbound calls, handle incoming calls and collaborate internally from a single source of truth. It’s a complete unified communications as a service system that works really well for smaller businesses or teams of up to 100 users.

RingCentral: Best advanced features for growing companies

RingCentral is one of the most powerful business phone systems on the market. When you compare it side-by-side with Nextiva, it’s a close call, but most smaller teams won’t take advantage of RingCentral’s advanced capabilities.

As an all-in-one unified communications platform, RingCentral has everything you need to handle calls at scale while keeping your team connected.

The phone system comes with a multi-level auto attendant and IVR, AI-powered background noise cancellation, call queues, call recording, visual voicemail and shared lines — all on the entry-level plan. Plus, each user gets their own dedicated number, and you can choose between a local or toll-free option.

RingCentral’s team collaboration tools are just advanced. You’re getting unlimited video conferencing, AI meeting insights, live transcriptions, whiteboarding, collaborative notes and breakout rooms.

If you move up beyond the basic tier, you’ll unlock even more advanced capabilities, including live call monitoring, whisper and barge. There are plenty of add-ons and options to support advanced sales needs, like RingSense for Sales, which is the platform’s AI-powered sales intelligence suite.

Recent updates to RingCentral

• Real-time agent guidance for RingCX.
• AI-powered coaching, scoring and insights with RingSense for Sales.
• New events platform that supports virtual, hybrid and on-site events for up to 100,000 people.
• Core : Starts at $20 per user per month billed annually.
• Advanced : Starts at $35 per user per month billed annually.
• Ultra : Starts at $45 per user per month billed annually.
• Free trial available? Yes, a 14-days free trial is available.

Annual billing saves you up to 33% compared to RingCentral’s month-to-month prices. Also, volume discounts are available for teams with at least 100 users.

Who is RingCentral best for?

RingCentral is best for larger teams, typically between 100-999 users. Its base phone system plans are built to scale, and you can add features. Most businesses that use RingCentral never outgrow it.

Ooma: Best for teams that prefer traditional desk phones

Ooma is a solid business phone system that works best when it’s deployed in traditional office environments, especially if your team likes desk phones over smartphones and computers. Everything about Ooma is built to support the needs of small businesses; it’s easy to use, and Ooma comes with plenty of features that won’t make your head spin.

Ooma makes it a seamless transition for businesses that want to switch from a landline to a VoIP phone system. You can even keep your existing phones, and Ooma will work with plug-and-play adaptors.

If you do want to purchase new phones, no problem — all of Ooma’s hardware is pre-configured out of the box, so there’s no complex setup or need for IT support.

The calling features are somewhat limited compared to other phone systems on the market, but for small teams that just want a phone that works well, Ooma is sufficient.

Plus, Ooma comes with the tools you need to handle in-office communication, like intercom, overhead paging, a company directory, extension dialing and transfers.

Recent updates to Ooma

• New integration with Clio for legal practice management.
• New design and facelift to the Ooma desktop app.
• New feature to support “one-to-many messaging” for Ooma Office Pro Plus users.

Ooma’s three pricing plans don’t require contracts.

• Essentials : Starts at $19.95 per user per month.
• Pro : Starts at $24.95 per user per month.
• Pro Plus : Starts at $29.95 per user per month.
• Free trial available? No, Ooma does offer a 30-day money-back guarantee.

The Essentials plan does not include text messaging, video conferencing, call recording, voicemail transcription and even the Ooma desktop app, so you’ll need to start at the Pro tier to unlock those features.

If you want access to team chat, hot desking, CRM integrations and advanced call management tools, opt for Ooma’s Pro Plus plan.

Who is Ooma best for?

Ooma is best for smaller businesses where the entire company is based in a single office or one location. It’s the best option if your team prefers using traditional desk phones for inbound and outbound calling.

8x8: Best for global contact centers

8×8 is an enterprise-grade business phone system that’s packed with advanced features. Its unlimited calling to 14 countries is by far its most noteworthy standout, as no other system on my list offers anything close to this at the entry-level plan tier. For global teams that make lots of calls to even more locations, just upgrade one plan tier to access unlimited calling to 48 countries.

Plus, 8×8 supports audio and video conferences with up to 500 active participants. To put that into perspective, other plans limit you to just 25 participants or 100 participants on the first tier. And some cap your conferences at 200 users — even at the “enterprise” level.

You’re also getting team chat, SMS/MMS messaging and all the features you’d expect from a powerhouse business phone system.

Hot desking, multi-level auto attendant, presence detection, call queues, live streaming via YouTube, interactive meetings, unlimited internet fax and CRM integrations — these are all entry-level plan features. Managers will even have access to live monitoring, whisper and barge, which are almost never included as base plan features.

Recent updates to 8×8

• AI-powered meeting summaries and action items after calls.
• New integrations with Cognigy and MoEngage.
• Ability to send SMS and WhatsApp messages directly from CRMs.
• New call queues and ring groups for contact centers.

Pricing for 8×8 is not available online, so you will need to request a quote and a demo from the company’s sales team. There are five plans to choose from: two unified communications packages and three contact center plans.

Who is 8×8 best for?

8×8 is best for large organizations and contact centers that make and handle a high-volume of international calls. It also works really well for hosting large-sized meetings with hundreds of active participants.

Dialpad: Best for sales teams

Dialpad delivers unlimited calling, texting and team collaboration under one roof. Similar to other tools on my list, it’s great for inbound call handling, outbound dialing and team meetings.

But Dialpad really stands out for the way it’s integrating AI into nearly every feature. While AI is starting to creep into the way all business phone systems are powered, Dialpad is definitely leading the pack.

Real-time AI-generated transcripts are available on every plan, which is a nice perk for such a low entry-level price. As you upgrade your plan tier, you start to access even more AI capabilities, including advanced automation.

While these features can be useful for any business, they’re really helpful for high-volume outbound sales teams. Although more expensive than its base business communications platform, Dialpad sales-specific contact center packages with a price that’s easily justified when you consider what you’re getting.

You can access power dialers, AI-generated notes, live AI agent assistance, local number dialing, advanced coaching capabilities and much more. These features ensure your sales reps are more informed and close more deals, while spending less time on mundane admin tasks.

Recent updates to Dialpad

• Ability to set bulk holiday hours.
• CSAT scores for outbound calling if you have the add-on.
• A deep Siri integration for Apple users.

Here are the base pricing options for Dialpad’s business communication platform:

• Standard : Starts at $15 per user per month.
• Pro : Starts at $25 per user per month.
• Enterprise : Custom quote.

The low rates are somewhat deceiving, as you’ll need to upgrade to access advanced features. And even some basic features, like internet fax, cost extra.

So if you’re going to spend more money, it’s worth upgrading to Dialpad’s Sales Contact Center; those plans start at $60 per user per month.

Who is Dialpad best for?

Dialpad is best for high-volume calling, especially for outbound sales teams. If your business wants access to the latest and greatest AI and automation features, Dialpad has what you’re looking for.

Zoom Phone: Best for low-volume calling

All the business phone systems on my list offer unlimited calling; Zoom Phone offers this too, but you can also opt for metered rates if you’re a low-volume user. This is a great way to save money if the average user spends just eight minutes or less on outbound calls each day.

What’s also cool about Zoom Phone is the ability to mix and match plan types. For example, let’s say you need a phone system to accommodate 25 users, but just five of them make lots of calls, while the others barely touch the phone. You can easily set up your system so those five users are on an unlimited calling plan, and your low-volume users pay less for metered billing.

Zoom Phone falls on the more basic end of the spectrum compared to some of its advanced competitors, though you still have access to plenty of great features from a reliable provider. I especially like the ability to seamlessly transition a voice call into a Zoom meeting.

All plans come with call recording, hot desking and Salesforce integrations, which are normally reserved for mid-level plans or higher.

Recent updates to Zoom Phone

• Advanced IVR speech recognition settings.
• Improved call logs for both Zoom Phone and Contact Center.
• New Bullhorn CRM integration.
• Voicemail transcription in additional languages.
• US and Canada Metered : Starts at $10 per user per month.
• US and Canada Unlimited : Starts at $15 per user per month.
• Global Select : Custom pricing.
• Free trial available? No.

If you’re on the unlimited plan, you can add on international calling to 19 countries for just $10 per month. The Global Select plan gives you access to unlimited calling in one region from a list of 48 countries, which is nice if the majority of your team or customers is based internationally.

Who is Zoom Phone best for?

Zoom Phone is a great value for users who don’t spend a lot of time on the phone. It can also be appealing for international calling capabilities in select regions.

Vonage: Best for custom in-app calling solutions

Vonage has a basic unified communications system, which is fine for just one or two people who want to add a business line to their existing smartphone. You’ll get unlimited calling, SMS/MMS messaging, voicemail and a virtual receptionist — plus the ability to handle calls from your smartphone or desktop computer.

But these plans are pretty limited, and you’ll need to upgrade to access team collaboration features. Once you reach that price point, you get a much better, fully-featured phone system for either the same rate or less.

While its standard phone system pales in comparison to others, its standalone communication APIs are a great way to add calling capabilities to other software.

Let’s say you want to set up a virtual video meeting or appointment option from your website or mobile app — you can do this with the Vonage Video API. Or, maybe you want to add global calling capabilities built into your website or mobile app — Vonage’s Voice API has you covered.

You’ll need development resources to handle these things for you. But in the world of business communications, you can essentially build anything you want with the Vonage APIs.

The platform even makes it possible to verify and validate users worldwide. For example, you could send a text or voice verification code to users when they sign up or try to log into your financial app or healthcare app.

Recent updates to Vonage

• New virtual assistant applet.
• Menu enhancements for admins.
• Option for admins to report problems from the audit log.
• Supervisor call barging.
• Infrastructure refresh for Asia-Pacific region.
• New conversion analyzer feature.
• Mobile : Starts at $19.99 per line per month billed annually.
• Premium : Starts at $29.99 per line per month billed annually.
• Advanced : Starts at $39.99 per line per month billed annually.

You’ll need to start at the Premium tier to unlock basic team collaboration features. Call groups, visual voicemail and calling recording aren’t available until you reach the Advanced level.

Pricing for Vonage’s communication APIs is based on usage, starting at $0.0043 per minute.

Who is Vonage best for?

Vonage is good for two different scenarios. Its base phone system works for entrepreneurs or small teams that just need a basic business phone line. But Vonage’s communication APIs are its shining star, and these are best for businesses that want to embed custom calling capabilities into a website or app.

OpenPhone: Best for text-heavy business communications

OpenPhone is one of the more unique business phone systems on this list. While OpenPhone comes with basic call-handling capabilities, it’s really more of a business texting platform than anything else.

Sure, you can use it to dial outbound and receive as many calls as you want — unlimited. You’re also getting call recording, voicemail transcripts and the option to choose between a local or toll-free number. But in terms of calling capabilities, that’s really where it ends.

OpenPhone shines for its unlimited texting throughout the U.S. and Canada. You can set up AI-powered message replies, auto-responses and even scheduled messages at scale.

These work really well for outbound text campaigns or just any business that would rather text with their customers instead of call them. From appointment reminders to promo codes, there are tons of ways you can leverage this platform.

One really cool feature of OpenPhone is its unique ability for multiple team members to collaborate on the same text thread. This ensures your customers get a prompt response, they’re always being helped, and they’ll never know that they’re actually texting with more than one person.

The biggest drawback of OpenPhone is the calling capabilities aren’t really scalable. Even basic features, like the ability to put someone on hold or transfer a call, aren’t available on the entry-level plan.

Recent updates to OpenPhone

• AI contact creation suggestions.
• Automatic audio greeting with no option to leave a voicemail.
• Ability to forward calls during and after business hours.
• New Zapier Zap for marking conversions as done.
• Starter : Starts at $15 per user per month.
• Business : Starts at $23 per user per month.
• Enterprise : Custom pricing.
• Free trial available? Yes, a 7-days free trial is available.

There’s also a one-time fee of $19 to set up texting and an ongoing fee that ranges between $1.50 and $3 per month for texting.

Each plan comes with one phone number per user, and additional lines can be purchased for just $5 per month.

The entry-level Starter plan is capped at 10 users, so you’ll need to upgrade to a Business plan once you exceed that limit.

Who is OpenPhone best for?

OpenPhone is best for small teams that want to handle the majority of customer communication via texting instead of calling. If you’re handling a high volume of inbound or outbound calls, OpenPhone won’t work for you.

Methodology

I looked at dozens of business phone services before narrowing down the top eight providers. Then each of these top picks were evaluated based on the same criteria, including cost, features, collaboration and customer service.

While basic phone systems are fine for some use cases, I gave extra points to systems that came with more advanced capabilities.

• Standard and advanced features : Things like unlimited calling, voicemail, video conferencing and texting are all basic features. Others, like multi-level IVRs, AI-powered automation and call summaries, are a bit more advanced.
• Customer support : 24/7 phone and live chat support should be the standard, but it’s not. Beyond support hours and channels, I also assessed how helpful each provider’s customer service team is and if they actually solve problems quickly.
• Third-party integrations : You should be able to seamlessly integrate your business phone system with tools like CRM software, ERP software, fax systems, cloud storage and help desks.
• Security and privacy : You shouldn’t have to worry about your calls, messages or data being intercepted. The best business phone providers have multiple servers and data centers worldwide and perform regular audits on them. They also have high-level encryption, redundancy architecture, advanced account management tools and multi-factor authentication.
• Uptime percentage : Does the provider have an uptime guarantee or SLA? Any technical flaws or infrastructure issues could lead to unplanned outages or downtime.
• Demo or free trial : You should be able to test the system before buying it or committing to a contract.
• Overall cost : I assessed all the various fees, including cost per user, installation costs, differences between paying monthly or annually, discounts, optional hardware and more.

What you need to know about business phone services

How much does a business phone cost per month.

Business phone services powered by VoIP technology typically start at $10 to $25 per user per month. For more advanced features, expect to pay somewhere in the $20 to $40 range per user each month. On-premise PBX phone systems can cost anywhere from $500 to $1,500 per user to set up, plus an ongoing monthly fee of $20 to $50 per user.

What’s the benefit of a business phone system?

Modern business phone systems come with more than just the ability to make and receive calls. Most of these providers offer a unified communications suite, which gives you calling, texting, video conferencing and team collaboration tools all included in the same package.

What hardware do you need for a business phone system?

VoIP business phone systems don’t require any additional hardware. As long as you have a stable internet connection, the system can work using smartphones and computers to handle all incoming and outgoing calls. If you prefer to have traditional desk phones, you can purchase VoIP-enabled phones or just get an adapter to convert your existing phones into IP phones.

Do you need a separate phone for your business?

You can use a personal phone number as your business phone, but it’s not very professional. Aside from small side gigs, you should really have a separate line for your business activity. Even for solopreneurs, a business phone line is affordable and makes it easy to separate personal calls from business calls while maintaining a professional appearance with your clients.

Shopping tips from an expert

When you’re shopping around for a business phone system, it’s easy to get distracted by all the features and capabilities available from each provider. But narrow your focus on what you actually need right now — not what you might need in a year or two; otherwise, you’ll end up overpaying for a phone system that’s packed with features you’ll never use.

Take care of your most urgent needs right away. You can always upgrade or add extra features down the road.

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• Nextiva vs RingCentral (2024): Which One is Best for Your Business?
• RingCentral vs Dialpad: Compare VoIP solutions
• Ooma vs RingCentral: Compare VoIP solutions
• 10 VoIP features that can benefit your small business
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Conference phones

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VoIP desk phones

• Supports multiple business phone numbers and conferencing
• Wireless desk phone connectivity (Wi-Fi or DECT) available
• Optional Power over Ethernet (PoE) and Bluetooth add-ons
• Great for working from home and in the office

Desktop apps

• Free download for Windows or macOS
• Simply sign in to use your business phone line
• One-click audio and video conferencing
• Integrates with Salesforce CRM, Microsoft Dynamics, and more

Work from anywhere.

Our award-winning business phone services work over any internet connection, unlike traditional landlines. Team members can take calls on their mobile phones and desk phones. Easy setup — no IT staff needed.

Keep the apps you love.

Connect your VoIP phone system with popular business applications: Microsoft Outlook, Google Workspace, Salesforce, Microsoft Teams, and many more.

What makes Nextiva's business phone service better than others?

The answer is clear: Nextiva provides the best overall value for business owners. We guide you through every aspect of your phone system for your company. Our 99.999% uptime has you covered around the clock. If you ever have a question, our customer support is ready to help you 24/7. Plus, you'll save up to 60% over analog phone service.

Over 900,000 users trust Nextiva's phone service. Here's why:

Amazing service®.

24/7 support from real people. Browse our help center to learn more about small business VoIP. Or call, chat, or submit a ticket.

Reliable network

We provide outstanding network uptime and security. Eight highly redundant points of presence power our VoIP service.

Superb call quality

Worried about choppy audio? Our VoIP phone system provides voice calls in crystal-clear HD quality. It just works.

Easy phone setup

Choose any local number or toll-free number and download our mobile and desktop apps. Team members place calls right away.

Don’t just take our word for it.

Nextiva just, honestly, took Phat Scooters to the next level for customer service.”

All your business communications solutions in one place — phone, video, chat, contact management, and team collaboration. It doesn't get easier than Nextiva.

Small business phone service FAQs

How do i set up a business phone system.

Unlike some business phone services, there’s practically no technical setup you have to do to configure Nextiva. Out of the box, it works — and if you have a mobile device or computer (bet you do!), just sign in with your username and password to begin calling.

Business owners choose Nextiva because it’s so easy to use Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) service:

• Test your network and internet connection
• Choose optional VoIP desk phones
• Pick a business phone number
• Create usernames and passwords
• Test your new business phone lines
• When ready, adjust your incoming call flows, call waiting, voicemail, and international calling rules.

We've tested everything and hand-picked a catalog of high-quality desk phones and hardware.

Our basic small business VoIP plan starts at $18.95 per month. It has all the features a growing business needs — business text messaging, local and toll-free numbers, voicemail transcription, 99.999% uptime, and more.

Can I move my phone numbers to Nextiva?

Yes, it's easy to transfer phone numbers to Nextiva through a process known as porting. Porting lets you assign your number to a VoIP service provider like Nextiva.

You can transfer any number you use, including:

• Landline numbers
• Wireless/cell phone numbers
• Virtual numbers (Google Voice, TextNow, etc.)
• VoIP phone numbers
• Toll-free numbers

Nextiva handles everything related to moving your phone numbers over. Our porting team will inform you of the port-in date. From there, you can begin placing and receiving unlimited calls through Nextiva's cloud phone system.

Transferring business phone numbers will take approximately 2–4 weeks, depending on the previous carrier. In the meantime, you can use temporary phone numbers.

Watch this short video to see how to transfer your phone numbers to Nextiva:

How reliable is a VoIP phone system?

The short answer is business phone services are very reliable, so long as you don’t have a power outage.

You might also want to consider other factors like:

• Uptime — the percentage of time that a provider is online and is functioning. Nextiva provides customers with 99.999% uptime. This means service may not be available for about six minutes a year.
• Security — Call encryption is a newer enhancement to VoIP. Through TLS and SRTP, data exchanged between SIP phones and the cloud PBX are encrypted upon request.
• HD call quality — With twice the audio bandwidth, everyone can hear a wider range of sound in every business call.
• Enterprise-grade redundancy — Ensure that your calls stay online even through network interruptions using call forwarding, call queues, and automatic fail-over.

How do I get a toll-free number for my business?

Many businesses prefer to use a toll-free phone number instead of a local number to handle inbound phone calls.

Most business phone service providers (Nextiva included) offer different types of phone numbers:

• Local phone numbers — These numbers are based in certain geographic areas, also known as rate centers or area codes.
• Toll-free numbers — Phone numbers that begin with 800, 888, 866, 877, 855, 844, and 833 allow anyone to call it without toll charges or add-on fees from a landline.
• Vanity numbers — These numbers are memorable numbers like 1-800-FLOWERS. In most cases, it's best to purchase first and port them into your business phone system provider.

The upside of using a toll-free number is that team members can dial out with a shared caller ID on behalf of the company. Incoming calls go through an auto attendant to ensure they reach live agents.

Does Nextiva sell or lease VoIP phones?

Yes, we do both! Nextiva lets you buy or rent many top-rated VoIP phones and headsets that work perfectly with your phone system .

We offer many VoIP devices to purchase or lease, including desk phones, cordless phones, conference phones, and analog adapters.

The best part is that we pre-configure the devices so that you can use them instantly.

Can I use a phone answering service with Nextiva?

Yes, you can direct calls to your after-hours answering service with Nextiva. Incoming calls are routed by a third-party answering service that enables people to work from home with its audio conferencing and VoIP solutions.

Nextiva supports employees working remotely and in the office as one of the top unified communications solutions. Here are some essential features included with its business phone system:

• Virtual Phone System — Manage your company’s phone system over the internet while keeping your staff connected. No on-premises hardware needed.
• Conference Calling — Connect multiple people over a phone line to participate in a conference call, so you can hold essential meetings even when people are working remotely.
• Call Queues — Handle more calls and answer them efficiently with call queuing. Let callers hear on-hold music or announcements until the next available agent can answer their call. This way, calls aren’t dropped and employees can work efficiently.
• Video Calling — You don’t need a cell phone or desk phone when you can manage calls directly from the app on your computer.
• Advanced Features — As your business grows, so do your business communication needs. Take advantage of robust call analytics, business text messaging, hold music, multi-level auto attendants, call recording, call forwarding, custom caller ID , and more. For more scalability, set up an inbound call center for your customer support or sales team.

Here’s a primer on how VoIP phone service helps small businesses grow.

When you get a small business phone service, you'll want to know a few things about Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP). You should be keen on exactly what your VoIP service includes.

You’ll also want to be mindful of the advantages of cloud phone systems for small businesses and enterprises.

Differences between business phone services and business phone systems

While they may sound similar, a small business phone system and a business phone service are actually two different but related aspects of business communications. All companies, small and large, need phone service to communicate with customers, vendors, suppliers, and employees. A business phone system provides a business phone number and helps you stay connected with all the right people through unified communication functionality.

Benefits of VoIP phone service for small businesses

Small business phone service comes full of benefits to allow your business to grow. Switching to a cloud-based phone service can save up to 60% of your phone bill. Traditional phone service is vulnerable to outages, while a business phone service has considerably better uptimes and is resistant to risks like bad weather. Call quality and security both maintain integrity in the eyes of your customers.

When is the best time to upgrade to VoIP service?

Nextiva delivers a VoIP phone service solution designed to provide small businesses with the tools they need to manage their voice communications. It includes the ability to scale through fully integrated business communications that allows you to plug in tools to improve customer management and employee productivity.

The best time to switch to business VoIP is before you buy on-premises telephone equipment, or get locked into lengthy maintenance agreements. Why? VoIP can save businesses over 60% versus their local telephone provider — and you get all the advanced calling features the pros have.

Nextiva’s award-winning VoIP phone system uses the internet rather than analog landlines, making setup turnkey and allowing users to seamlessly switch between desk phones or mobile devices to communicate with each other and with customers.

Nextiva provides small businesses with the ability to increase productivity by making everything available all in one tool, from business SMS to chat and from video conferencing to customer experience tools . The top business phone service for small businesses includes:

• Complete phone service that includes mobile and desktop apps, voicemail, toll-free numbers, number porting, and online faxing
• More than phone service. Nextiva delivers chat, audio and video meetings, auto-attendant, texts
• A highly reliable network that delivers 99.999% uptime through Tier-1 providers with strong failover redundancy
• Certified VoIP phone hardware guaranteed to work out of the box
• Guided online account setup or live with customer support team member
• Amazing Service®️ delivered by real people, not bots.
• Scalable features are easy to use, easy to add and work instantly. As your business grows, you can use add-ons to manage your sales pipeline, helpdesk, contact center, call recordings, and auto-attendants

You've made it. See why we're the best business phone service since 2006.

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Learn more about Nextiva’s business phone service.

How phat scooters uses nextiva to create the best customer experience every time., the top four reasons why businesses choose nextiva., the complete communication system for growing your small business..

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Tailored exactly to your business (we do our research).

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Our product team will personally answer your questions.

Quick and simple

Personalized, specific, clear, and to the point – you’re busy!

Nextiva has developed a solution for the future: One platform, one workspace, zero friction.

Tomas Gorny, Founder and CEO of Nextiva

"We love Nextiva's reliability and features like auto attendant, IVR and call routing. It gives us the appearance of a bigger more polished business."

We'd like to know you better so we can serve you better..

We'll give you an intro to the perfect solution that fits your business. Get started on your journey to fearless growth.

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Your personalized demo. What to expect:

• Expect specifics. Tailored exactly to your business (we do our research).
• Expect experts. Our product team will personally answer your questions.
• Expect quickness. Personalized, specific, clear, and to the point - you’re busy!

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Company Cell Phone Pros, Cons and Considerations

For some companies, providing a company-owned cell phone can be a wonderful investment; for others, not so much. What works for one company may not work for another. Evaluating the pros and cons can help your company make an informed decision on what’s best for your specific team. 

What Are Work Phones?

Work phones, at their most basic definition, are phones used for work-related activities. For the purpose of this article however the discussion will be limited to basic cell phones and smartphones only.

There are two options when it comes to providing your employees with work cell phones: the company cell phone plan and the cell phone reimbursement policy. Each  comes with its own fair share of pros and cons, which will be explored further below.

Company Cell Phone Plan

The first option is the company cell phone plan. This plan provides every employee with a company-owned cell phone or smartphone. Through the carrier an employer can purchase a business plan and add the  lines they need. Different plans allow for more or fewer lines, as well as data allocations for mobile internet access. Bigger companies may need a business unlimited plan . 

Employers can also install any apps, contacts, or other important information needed for work. It is important to note however that employers are often expected to provide full support if devices are accidentally damaged.

Popular Articles

Cell-phone reimbursement policy.

A cell-phone reimbursement policy is a second possible avenue to explore, and potentially a more sensible one. With 96% of Americans owning a cell phone as of 2019 , it is reasonable to assume that your employees have their own phones. A reimbursement policy helps compensate employees for using their personal phones for work purposes, rather than adding the full expense of purchasing a new device and plan for every employee.

However, discrepancies could arise between individual employees’ phone plans. While one employee may be paying for an unlimited phone plan, another could be budgeting for a carrier’s lowest priced option. A third employee could be on a family plan. Employers would have to figure out what plans they can reimburse, how much they can reimburse for each plan, and so forth. 

Pros of Work Phones

Below are the pros associated with work phones:

Working remotely  - Company-owned cell phones enable employees to work remotely. This is useful for companies with work-from-home privileges, for employees who need to be on-call, or for life’s unexpected events — such as the COVID-19 pandemic .

Compatibility - Providing your employees with a work phone puts everyone on the same software and hardware,  enabling compatibility among devices.

Round the clock access - Employees that need to be on-call could benefit from having a company cell phone. A phone preloaded with the right software and contacts gives employees 24/7 access to everything they may need. 

Hiring tactic - Offering your employees cell phones could be an incentive for people to apply to your company, especially those facing socio-economic barriers to purchasing their own phone. 

Monitoring - Company work phones allow employers to monitor their employees’ cell phone usage through security and protection products . While this may help catch or reduce employee time theft, it may also present the biggest con — lack of privacy. 

Cost savings - The more lines you have on a plan, the more money you can save. This is one major pro associated with having a cell phone company plan. Reimbursing employees for business use of their personal cell phones may cost a lot more than the former option. 

Cons of Work Phones

Below are the cons associated with work phones: 

Carrying multiple phones - Since the vast majority of Americans today already have a cell phone, receiving a second phone for work could become a nuisance. People don’t usually want to carry around two phones all of the time — and those same people may be hesitant to cancel their personal phone plan. 

Privacy - Perhaps the biggest con is that employees may not be so keen about storing all of their personal information on a work phone. Concerns over privacy may lead to employees carrying around two phones instead. 

More work for IT - Any problems that arise with work phones must be dealt with by your IT department. In other words, the company is expected to maintain them, not the employees. 

Upgrade costs - Cell phone technology changes rapidly. What’s deemed a fast and reliable phone today may not be so four years from now. Employers providing cell phones to their employees should expect to upgrade them every 2 years or so. 

Employees taking advantage - Company cell phones provided for work-related activities only may be taken advantage of by employees. These risks would need to be curtailed by effective company cell phone policy. 

Expenses - For companies still in their start-up phase offering a cell phone to every employee may be too expensive. Especially when factoring in costs that’ll occur later down the road, new companies with tight profit margins may be better off waiting.  

Importance of Creating a Company Cell Phone Policy

If you decide to give out company-owned cell phones, you’ll want to establish a company cell phone policy and protocol. Creating clear expectations for employees can help diminish any risks associated with the use of work phones. Lastly, make sure to craft a policy that works with your company’s needs. 

The above content is provided for information purposes only. All information included herein is subject to change without notice. Verizon is not responsible for any direct or indirect damages, arising from or related to use of or reliance on the above content.

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"Cleverly hidden spyware" —

Shopping app temu is “dangerous malware,” spying on your texts, lawsuit claims, temu "surprised" by the lawsuit, plans to "vigorously defend" itself..

Ashley Belanger - Jun 27, 2024 5:35 pm UTC

Temu—the Chinese shopping app that has rapidly grown so popular in the US that even Amazon is reportedly trying to copy it—is "dangerous malware" that's secretly monetizing a broad swath of unauthorized user data, Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin alleged in a lawsuit filed Tuesday.

Griffin cited research and media reports exposing Temu's allegedly nefarious design, which "purposely" allows Temu to "gain unrestricted access to a user's phone operating system, including, but not limited to, a user's camera, specific location, contacts, text messages, documents, and other applications."

"Temu is designed to make this expansive access undetected, even by sophisticated users," Griffin's complaint said. "Once installed, Temu can recompile itself and change properties, including overriding the data privacy settings users believe they have in place."

Griffin fears that Temu is capable of accessing virtually all data on a person's phone, exposing both users and non-users to extreme privacy and security risks. It appears that anyone texting or emailing someone with the shopping app installed risks Temu accessing private data, Griffin's suit claimed, which Temu then allegedly monetizes by selling it to third parties, "profiting at the direct expense" of users' privacy rights.

"Compounding" risks is the possibility that Temu's Chinese owners, PDD Holdings, are legally obligated to share data with the Chinese government, the lawsuit said, due to Chinese "laws that mandate secret cooperation with China's intelligence apparatus regardless of any data protection guarantees existing in the United States."

Griffin's suit cited an extensive forensic investigation into Temu by Grizzly Research—which analyzes publicly traded companies to inform investors—last September. In their report, Grizzly Research alleged that PDD Holdings is a “fraudulent company” and that “Temu is cleverly hidden spyware that poses an urgent security threat to United States national interests.”

As Griffin sees it, Temu baits users with misleading promises of discounted, quality goods, angling to get access to as much user data as possible by adding addictive features that keep users logged in, like spinning a wheel for deals. Meanwhile hundreds of complaints to the Better Business Bureau showed that Temu's goods are actually low-quality, Griffin alleged, apparently supporting his claim that Temu's end goal isn't to be the world's biggest shopping platform but to steal data.

Investigators agreed, the lawsuit said, concluding “we strongly suspect that Temu is already, or intends to, illegally sell stolen data from Western country customers to sustain a business model that is otherwise doomed for failure."

Seeking an injunction to stop Temu from allegedly spying on users, Griffin is hoping a jury will find that Temu's alleged practices violated the Arkansas Deceptive Trade Practices Act (ADTPA) and the Arkansas Personal Information Protection Act. If Temu loses, it could be on the hook for $10,000 per violation of the ADTPA and ordered to disgorge profits from data sales and deceptive sales on the app.

Temu “surprised” by lawsuit

The company that owns Temu, PDD Holdings, was founded in 2015 by a former Google employee, Colin Huang. It was originally based in China, but after security concerns were raised, the company relocated its "principal executive offices" to Ireland, Griffin's complaint said. This, Griffin suggested, was intended to distance the company from debate over national security risks posed by China, but because the majority of its business operations remain in China, risks allegedly remain.

PDD Holdings' relocation came amid heightened scrutiny of Pinduoduo, the Chinese app on which Temu's shopping platform is based. Last year, Pinduoduo came under fire for privacy and security risks that got the app suspended from Google Play as suspected malware. Experts said Pinduoduo took security and privacy risks "to the next level," the lawsuit said. And "around the same time," Apple's App Store also flagged Temu's data privacy terms as misleading, further heightening scrutiny of two of PDD Holdings' biggest apps, the complaint noted.

Researchers found that Pinduoduo "was programmed to bypass users’ cell phone security in order to monitor activities on other apps, check notifications, read private messages, and change settings," the lawsuit said. "It also could spy on competitors by tracking activity on other shopping apps and getting information from them," as well as "run in the background and prevent itself from being uninstalled." The motivation behind the malicious design was apparently "to boost sales."

According to Griffin, the same concerns that got Pinduoduo suspended last year remain today for Temu users, but the App Store and Google Play have allegedly failed to take action to prevent unauthorized access to user data. Within a year of Temu's launch, the "same software engineers and product managers who developed Pinduoduo" allegedly "were transitioned to working on the Temu app."

Google and Apple did not immediately respond to Ars' request for comment.

A Temu spokesperson provided a statement to Ars, discrediting Grizzly Research's investigation and confirming that the company was "surprised and disappointed by the Arkansas Attorney General's Office for filing the lawsuit without any independent fact-finding."

"The allegations in the lawsuit are based on misinformation circulated online, primarily from a short-seller, and are totally unfounded," Temu's spokesperson said. "We categorically deny the allegations and will vigorously defend ourselves."

While Temu plans to defend against claims, the company also seems to potentially be open to making changes based on criticism lobbed in Griffin's complaint.

"We understand that as a new company with an innovative supply chain model, some may misunderstand us at first glance and not welcome us," Temu's spokesperson said. "We are committed to the long-term and believe that scrutiny will ultimately benefit our development. We are confident that our actions and contributions to the community will speak for themselves over time."

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