Best VoIP services: 6 options for modern businesses

At the heart of every modern business is a flexible and agile communication system. Businesses are now opting for the best VoIP services to meet the challenges of the remote and hybrid world. If you’re a small business or startup looking for the top brands, here are 6 of the best VoIP services.

By now, everyone knows that VoIP is a superior option when compared to PBX. Cloud PBX offers several advantages, encouraging businesses to move from on-premise PBX to hosted PBX.

But before we get to the top-ranking VoIP services, you should know what to look for.

Best VoIP services: What to look for?

Pricing

While VoIP is certainly cost-effective, the service you choose should have affordable plans that suit your requirements. You shouldn’t have to choose a premium plan for standard features. Plus, look for VoIP services that offer a free trial period – that’s an excellent way of finding the right option for your business.

Functionality

The VoIP service you select should have business tools to help optimise your communication. Features like auto-attendant and group broadcast will improve your customer engagement. It’s also important to not pay for features that you may not need. For example, if your team doesn’t do video conferencing frequently, there’s no need to opt for it.

Call quality

Even if you get the best VoIP service, the call quality will depend on your internet connection. Data and voice transmission can be interrupted if your office, home or worksite has a weak connection. The other factor is the congestion in the network. If you use public WiFi frequently, this will be a problem.

Customer support

Some popular providers will force you to go to online forums to seek help. This will be a tedious and ineffective process. The brand you choose should have dedicated customer support accessible through multiple channels.

The best VoIP services for 2022

Based on the factors listed above, here are the top-ranking VoIP services for small businesses, medium enterprises, freelancers, independent creatives and sole traders.

Chalkboard

Are you looking for an affordable, agile and flexible modern phone system for your business? Chalkboard is your answer. It gives you a second number for work, which will make your business look professional and help you separate work and personal calls. Your team members can also share their numbers, which will help them collaborate better.

Chalkboard also has auto-reply to send pre-written messages for calls you might miss. Group broadcast makes it easy to send promotional texts to groups of consumers. The advanced messaging takes conversational marketing to the next level.

Google Voice

What makes Google Voice one of the best VoIP services is the fact that it’s free. Plus, like almost all Google products, it’s easy to use. But it’s designed for all Google Workspace users and therefore, comes with limited business tools.

You get call forwarding and voicemail with Google Voice. The app also allows number porting. But it doesn’t offer mass texting, which will limit your marketing efforts and force you to choose a service specifically for that. Also, its customer support is unreliable.

Grasshopper

One of the earliest entrants into the sector, Grasshopper is another name in our list of the best VoIP services. The app comes with SMS capability, voicemail and call routing. You can also port your current number or choose from vanity, toll-free or local numbers.

You can customise your greetings and decide when you would like to accept or direct calls. But Grasshopper has limited business tools and is likely to prove expensive for small businesses.

Line2

If what you want are basic tools, Line2 is another name you should consider. It’s easy to use and an affordable choice in our list of the best VoIP service providers. You get call screening, call greeting, hold music, caller ID and call forwarding.

Line2 doesn’t have contact organisation or auto-reply, which are features that will really help small businesses. Portability is another problem with the service. If you want to use your phone as a marketing tool, this isn’t the option for you.

Skype

Synonymous with video calling, Skype also helps participants exchange data in real-time. This makes for easier collaboration and deliberation. The basic offering is free and lets you connect with any user who has the app.

But it’s important to note that Skype is essentially a video conferencing app and not a communication app for businesses. It doesn’t offer mass texting or any of the other tools you might need.

Microsoft Teams

If your business uses Microsoft for all your digital needs, this is another name worth considering. Microsoft Teams makes it easier for participants to join meetings and access documents. You can easily respond to conversations and share files.

It should be noted that Microsoft Teams is a collaboration tool for internal communication. It’s not the ideal VoIP service you need if you want to communicate with consumers since it doesn’t have any marketing tools.

Chalkboard: A small business alternative to other VoIP services

Among the best VoIP services out there, Chalkboard is the only one designed for communication, collaboration and marketing, specifically for small businesses. You get the best of all worlds at an affordable fee.

Download Chalkboard. It's the best VoIP service available for your small business needs.