Getting a business phone number is one of the first steps when setting up a new business or preparing for an expansion. A dedicated business line provides a way for customers to contact you and helps your company appear more professional and established.
Finding the right phone number provider can be challenging, especially if you’re looking for free or low-cost options. Ideally, you’ll want to look for a provider with a variety of number types, useful call features, and an easy setup process.
We evaluated dozens of voice-over-internet-protocol (VoIP) systems and selected six of the market’s best free business phone number providers. Here are our top recommendations:
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In this article…
Phone.com: Best for call management features
Pros
Cons
Our Rating: 3.85/5
Phone.com is a hosted private branch exchange (PBX) system that allows businesses to combine metered and unmetered call plans based on their call volume requirements. All plans include a variety of VoIP features and video conferencing functionalities. Upgrading to higher tiers includes video meeting tools and a larger participant capacity. Besides its bundled plans, Phone.com’s a la carte services let you add premium features, such as live receptionist and international dialing. Another notable feature is the variety of phone number types offered—local, toll-free, vanity, and international numbers. Discounts are available if you buy numbers in bulk.
Grasshopper: Best for phone number sharing
Pros
Cons
Our Rating: 4.28/5
Grasshopper is a VoIP phone service offering local, toll-free, and vanity numbers within the U.S. Once you sign up, you can choose from its selection of local, toll-free, and vanity numbers without extra charges. All plans are all-inclusive, meaning you get the same number of features regardless of your purchase plan.
A provider like Grasshopper works best for businesses wanting to take advantage of professional features, such as automated greetings, voice studio, and live receptionist services. This helps small businesses project an image of a larger company while efficiently managing incoming calls and improving the overall caller experience.
CallHippo: Best for globally expanding businesses
Pros
Cons
Our Rating: 4.24/5
Shared inbox: This feature allows teams to use a single inbox to collectively access and manage all customer communications.
Global Connect: Whenever you want to call an international number, this feature will inform you about the recipient’s country, time zone, and validity.
Smart Switch: Allow agents to switch between multiple telephony providers or choose an alternative network for better call connectivity.
Gamification: Enhance agent engagement and motivation using game-like elements, such as rewards, leaderboards, and challenges.
Outboard dialer: Use this feature to automate your outbound dialing process and minimize idle time.
Basic: Free for SMS/MMS, call mute, voicemail, and click-to-dial
Starter: $25/user/month for one free business number, 1,000 local minutes, business hours, analytics, and shared inbox
Professional: $40/user/month for unlimited minutes, IVR, custom greetings, and after-call work
Ultimate: $55/user/month for call blocking, integrations, call barging, and conference calling
CallHippo provides a large pool of local and toll-free phone numbers in more than 70 countries, making it a perfect choice for companies wanting to expand their market overseas. With an international number, you can establish a local presence in another country without the cost of having a physical office.
If you’re looking for a cheap phone number for business, CallHippo charges as low as $6 per month without setup fees. You can choose a specific area code based on the location of your target customers. You can get your number in less than three minutes, allowing you to get set up quickly and start making calls. Additional costs apply if you want to purchase multiple numbers.
Despite CallHippo’s feature-rich offerings, budget-conscious businesses may find its monthly plans expensive, ranging from $25 to $55 per user. If you’re looking to cut costs for your phone needs, consider Google Voice, which has a free version for solo users, as well as a low-cost business plan starting at just $10 per user, monthly.
CallHippo is a virtual phone system equipped with basic call center features for improving agent productivity and tracking team performance. Like Google Voice, CallHippo is one of the few VoIP solutions offering a free plan for low-level VoIP users on a budget.
A free business number is included on all paid CallHippo plans, along with a wealth of call features, such as call recording, intelligent reports, and custom greetings. Besides its business phone system, CallHippo offers additional services, such as a predictive dialer and WhatsApp Business, perfect for outbound sales campaigns.
Sideline: Best for text marketing
Pros
Cons
Our Rating: 3.91/5
Custom caller ID: Personalize your caller ID to differentiate your second number.
Group messaging: Start a group conversation with up to 10 participants.
Branded messages: This lets you add an image, link, or company logo to your text messages.
Auto-reply: This feature will automatically respond with a text message to the number you missed a call from.
Custom voicemail: Record up to three voicemail greetings or use the text-to-speech feature to generate a personalized greeting.
Standard: $14.49/user/month for unlimited calls and SMS, one phone number, group messaging, and voicemail
Enterprise: $14.49/line/month for all Standard features, international calling, and auto-attendant
Sideline is an excellent choice for businesses that primarily use text messaging to connect with their clients and partners. There are no messaging caps, so you can send unlimited SMS, MMS, and group messages from your desktop or mobile phone.
Sideline takes advantage of VoIP and cellular service to help you make calls and send text messages. Texting over Wi-Fi is free, while data is consumed if you use your carrier’s plan.
Features include a wide variety of text marketing tools, such as branded messages, auto-reply, MMS, and custom signature. Companies running bulk SMS campaigns will find this particularly useful for sending alerts, coupons, promotions, and product announcements. The Sideline app is exceptionally user-friendly for mobile users, making it easy to customize SMS settings.
One major drawback of Sideline is it can be restrictive for businesses seeking broader communication capabilities aside from calling and text messaging. If you’re looking for a phone number provider that supports faxing and video conferencing, choose Phone.com. At almost the same monthly fee, you get access to voice calls, conversational text messaging, video meetings, and online fax.
Sideline is a business communications app that lets you set up a second phone number to separate your work calls and texts from your personal number. It works with your existing carrier network instead of VoIP to deliver excellent call quality and reliability. On top of your second phone number, Sideline delivers a wealth of features, such as group messaging, SMS/MMS, custom voicemail, and call announcement.
There are only two types of Sideline plans to choose from, and both are priced similarly at $14.49 per month. The Standard plan is for individual users who simply need a second phone number, while the Enterprise plan is for companies managing multiple numbers. Subscriptions can be billed monthly, quarterly, and annually.
Google Voice: Best for individual users
Pros
Cons
Our Rating: 4.42/5
Google Voice offers a local phone number for calling, voicemail, and text messaging. The service is available to Google account users in the U.S. and a few select countries, including France, Germany, and Italy.
There are two options when signing up for a Google Voice account: personal and business. Signing up with your personal Google account gives you free access to Google Voice. However, purchasing a Google Workspace account includes professional call features and the ability to support an unlimited number of users.
Callcentric: Best for custom call plans
Pros
Cons
Our Rating: 2.63/5
Call treatments: Set up rules for handling incoming calls, including forwarding calls to another Callcentric number and forcing anonymous calls to voicemails.
Anonymous call rejection: If you receive a call with an “Anonymous” caller ID, Callcentric gives you the option to direct the call to voicemail or play an error message.
Call return: Dialing the *69 feature code lets you call back the last person who called you.
External caller ID: When making an outbound call, you can use a different number that is not on your Callcentric account.
Call hunting: Have incoming calls ring up to eight numbers to avoid callers getting busy signals.
Inbound Calling
Dollar Unlimited: $1/month for unlimited minutes within select U.S. regions
Pay per Minute: $1.95/month within the U.S. and Canada (with an additional $0.015/minute for incoming minutes and a $3.95 setup fee)
Toll-Free: $3.95/month for unlimited call minutes within the U.S. and Canada (with a $3.95 setup fee)
Personal Unlimited: $5.95/month for unlimited call minutes within the U.S. and Canada (with a $5.95 setup fee)
Office Unlimited: $8.95/month for unlimited minutes within the U.S. and Canada (with $8.95 setup fee)
Service Provider Unlimited: $19.95/month for unlimited minutes within the U.S. and Canada (with a $19.95 setup fee)
International Unlimited: Rate varies by country
Callcentric is a strong contender for the best provider of free phone numbers for businesses due to its relatively cheap call rates and customization options. While most providers force users to pay for bundled plans, Callcentric provides the freedom to choose which inbound and outbound call service suits your calling patterns.
This provider offers diverse independent packages for incoming and outgoing call plans. Outbound plans include eight distinct services, each varying in minute allowances. Options include unlimited in-network calling, pay-per-minute, unlimited calls, and metered rates ranging from 120 to 2,500 minutes. On the other hand, inbound plans provide metered calls and unlimited incoming minutes but differ in phone number types.
Businesses dealing with fluctuating call volumes will appreciate Callcentric’s customizable VoIP calling services. However, its extensive flexibility can be overwhelming for those new to internet calling. If you prefer a bare-bones phone number provider, Sideline is the best option for you. The pricing structure only comprises two options—Standard and Enterprise—making it easy to choose the plan that fits your needs.
Callcentric is an internet phone service offering low-cost plans for both domestic and international calling. Its unique selling point is it sells inbound and outbound services separately to give customers the flexibility to configure their phone service based on their specific requirements.
Monthly fees start as low as $1, making it one of the cheapest VoIP solutions on the market. Phone numbers for business and personal use are available in the U.S. and Canada. Despite its cheap rates, Callcentric intends to make its service useful by providing over 50 basic call features, including auto-attendant, call forwarding, and four-way calling.
While Callcentric has a noticeably dated website, it contains an extensive library of user guides tailored for various devices. So if you’re wondering how to get a free business phone number, Callcentric offers a step-by-step process to help you set everything up quickly.
Types of business phone numbers
There are different options available for setting up a business phone number catering to specific needs and preferences. The type of phone number you choose will determine the level of service you offer and how customers will perceive your brand. To help you find the right option, we shared the five common types of business phone numbers below:
Local number
Local phone numbers start with a three-digit area code representing a specific region or city. These numbers are tied to a specific geographic location, making it easy for customers to recognize and trust the number. Setting up local numbers is quick, easy, and more affordable than other options.
Businesses use local numbers to establish a sense of familiarity among their target market. Local numbers create an impression that a business operates within the local community. Larger companies even purchase multiple local phone numbers for every country they serve.
Toll-free number
Toll-free numbers are commonly identified by one of the following three-digit codes: 800, 833, 844, 855, 866, 877, and 888. Dialing these numbers allows customers to call a company at no cost, which helps in boosting sales inquiries over the phone. Since they’re easy to remember, toll-free numbers are often used in marketing campaigns.
Another highlight benefit of toll-free numbers is that they help businesses project an image of a trustworthy national brand or a larger organization. This is partly due to the assumption that only big businesses can afford toll-free numbers. This is no longer the case since many VoIP providers now offer affordable toll-free number options.
Vanity number
A vanity number is a customizable phone number that uses a memorable sequence of letters and numbers. An example is a plumbing service’s vanity number—877-PLUMBER—which translates to 877-758-6237.
Vanity numbers should be easy to recall so customers can quickly associate the numbers with your product or service. Personalized numbers leave a lasting impression and strengthen your brand visibility.
Virtual phone number
Virtual phone numbers are referred to as direct inward dialing (DID) numbers, available in both local and toll-free options. Since they operate entirely online, virtual numbers are not tied to a specific phone line. Users can route calls to any device, whether via landline or an internet-connected smartphone.
The mobility of virtual numbers benefits remote employees needing constant communication access from anywhere. For solopreneurs and business owners, virtual phone numbers serve as a secondary number to separate business and personal communications.
International number
International numbers allow businesses to build a local presence in global markets by providing customers with a local number to call. This is ideal for companies that don’t have a physical office or a team operating in their target region. With an international number, customers can directly contact your business without paying for long-distance charges.
While international numbers are typically priced higher, they offer invaluable benefits to companies seeking to establish credibility and improve client accessibility across borders.
Why do you need a business phone number?
Having a dedicated business phone number is standard practice for setting up a new business or expanding to a new location. Aside from providing customers with a way to reach you, it offers a wealth of benefits to companies wanting to build credibility and streamline call management.
If you’re an employee or a business owner, a business phone number serves as a second phone number to keep your work and personal communications separate. This lets you easily recognize calls intended for work, so you know which calls to answer during business hours and which ones to leave after hours.
Providers of business phone numbers include additional voice features on top of the second phone number. For example, VoIP platforms provide call management tools like greetings, auto-attendant, and hold music. When a customer calls, they will be greeted with a custom message instead of hearing a normal dial tone. This projects professionalism to your business, which helps in instilling trust among customers.
Choosing the best free business phone number provider
Having a free phone number provides budget-conscious businesses with a dedicated phone line without incurring additional costs. With so many options available, taking a closer look at each provider will help you make a more informed decision that meets your requirements.
Google Voice stands out for its free-forever version and low-cost plans—a perfect choice for individual business users with no plans of scaling soon. Small teams wanting to share phone line responsibility will realize greater cost-savings with Grasshopper since it offers multiple phone numbers at a fixed monthly rate.
If you want to expand your global reach, CallHippo provides phone numbers in up to 70 countries. But if you simply need a phone number for your SMS campaigns, Sideline is an excellent choice. Phone.com can also be a great option if you prioritize call management features, while Callcentric might be a better fit for small businesses with seasonal call volumes.
For those willing to invest in a robust business phone system, check out our top recommendations for the best VoIP for small businesses.
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