Key takeaways
Understanding how to get a free business phone number is essential for budget-conscious teams and small business owners preparing for an expansion. However, finding a 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 types, helpful call features, and an easy setup process.
I evaluated several voice-over-internet-protocol (VoIP) systems and selected six of the best free business phone number apps. Here are the top recommendations:
- Grasshopper: Best overall free business phone number app
- CallHippo: Best for globally expanding businesses
- Google Voice: Best for individual users
- OpenPhone: Best for APIs and artificial intelligence
- Phone.com: Best for call management features
- Sideline: Best for text marketing campaigns
- Dedicated local, toll free, and vanity numbers
- User-friendly mobile and desktop apps
- Unlimited business text and simultaneous call handling
Featured partners
Free business phone number providers
Expert score out of 5
Starting price (per month)
Key Features
Grasshopper
4.39
$18
- Instant response
- Unlimited users at no extra cost
- Simultaneous call handling
CallHippo
4.38
$25
- Shared inbox
- Interactive voice response (IVR)
- Phone numbers for 100+ countries
Google Voice
4.25
$10
- Voicemail transcription
- Spam call filtering
- Ring groups
OpenPhone
4.18
$19
- AI message responses
- Business integrations
- Ring order
Phone.com
3.83
$18
- Metered and unmetered calls
- Up to 50 standard call features
- Video conferencing
Sideline
3.29
$14.49
- Auto-reply
- Custom caller ID
- Voicemail-to-text
Grasshopper: Best overall free business phone number app
Grasshopper
Overall Score
4.39/5
Core features
4.5/5
Integration and compatibility
4.58/5
Security and reliability
2.92/5
Pricing and value
5/5
Customer support and usability
5/5
Advanced features
4.58/5
User scores
4.17/5
Pros
- Doesn’t charge per user
- No extra fee for vanity numbers
- All-inclusive plans
- Intuitive mobile app
- Bundled toll-free numbers
Cons
- Lacks integrations and unified communication tools
- Limited call management features
Why I chose Grasshopper
Grasshopper is a VoIP phone service offering local, toll-free, and vanity numbers within the US. Traditionally, VoIP providers charge per user for virtual phone numbers. However, Grasshopper stands out with its unique approach, offering multiple phone numbers in a single plan for unlimited users. An entire team can share local or toll-free vanity numbers and extensions for a fixed monthly fee.
As you move up the Grasshopper plans, each tier includes more virtual phone numbers, starting at one and moving to four on the highest tier plan. Depending on your business’ size, upgrading is only needed if you need more extensions or phone lines. This benefits teams wanting to share call responsibility and phone numbers among extensions.
Unlike its competitors, Grasshopper doesn’t charge extra for vanity numbers when you sign up for a plan. With its flat-rate pricing, you can add unlimited users without incurring additional fees on your monthly bill. However, Grasshopper lacks advanced call management capabilities like multi-level interactive voice response (IVR) and call queues. Companies dealing with high call volumes are better off with Phone.com, which offers unlimited call minutes and a wide range of call features for managing call traffic.
- Instant response: Automatically sends a text message to new callers when you miss their call.
- Simultaneous call handling: This feature lets you accept multiple calls and directs callers to the following forwarding number when they reach a busy or unavailable line.
- Live receptionist: Add Ruby’s live receptionist services to your Grasshopper account for a minimal fee, and a professional team will answer your business calls.
- Call forwarding: Redirect incoming calls to another phone number or send them directly to voicemail.
- VoIP plus Wi-Fi calling: If you want to save your minutes or have poor call reception, activating this feature lets you make calls over the internet.
True Solo: Best for one user
- Monthly: $18/month
- Annually: $14/month
Solo Plus: Best for unlimited users
- Monthly: $32/month
- Annually: $25/month
Small Business: Best for multiple phone numbers
- Monthly: $70/month
- Annually: $55/month
CallHippo: Best for globally expanding businesses
CallHippo
Overall Score
4.38/5
Core features
5/5
Integration and compatibility
4.58/5
Security and reliability
4.17/5
Pricing and value
3.75/5
Customer support and usability
4.17/5
Advanced features
4.58/5
User scores
4.4/5
Pros
- Up to 100 integrations
- Feature-rich monthly plans
- Over 100 countries are available for phone numbers
- Call analytics and artificial intelligence
Cons
- No unlimited SMS
- IVR is only available on the highest-tier plans
Why I chose CallHippo
CallHippo is the best choice for growing businesses because all paid CallHippo plans include a free business number and a wealth of call features, such as call recording, intelligent reports, and custom greetings. If you’re looking for an affordable business phone number, you can get your number in less than three minutes, allowing you to get set up quickly and start making calls.
For example, CallHippo offers a range of local and toll-free phone numbers in over 100 countries. You can also select a specific area code corresponding to your target customers’ location, making it a perfect choice for companies expanding their overseas markets. With an international number, you can establish a local presence in another country without the cost of maintaining a physical office.
In addition to its business phone system, CallHippo provides additional services, such as a predictive dialer and WhatsApp Business, which are ideal for outbound sales campaigns. However, budget-conscious businesses may find monthly plans too expensive. If you want to save on operational costs, consider Google Voice. It has a free version for solo users and a low-cost business plan starting at just $10 per user monthly.
- Shared inbox: This feature allows teams to use a single inbox to access and manage all customer communications collectively.
- 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: Agents can 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.
- Outbound dialer: This feature will automate your outbound dialing process and minimize idle time.
Starter: Best for unlimited calling
- Monthly: $25/user/month
- Annually: $18/user/month
Professional: Best for call monitoring
- Monthly: $40/user/month
- Annually: $30/user/month
Ultimate: Best for business integrations
- Monthly: $55/user/month
- Annually: $42/user/month
Enterprise: Best for automatic dialers
Contact sales for pricing
Google Voice: Best for individual users
Google Voice
Overall Score
4.25/5
Core features
5/5
Integration and compatibility
4.17/5
Security and reliability
3.75/5
Pricing and value
4.58/5
Customer support and usability
4.58/5
Advanced features
3.33/5
User scores
4.37/5
Pros
- Free-forever personal plan
- Google Workspace integration
- Unlimited texts in the US
- 24/7 support and robust security features
Cons
- Minimal phone features
- A Google Voice number can’t be used for account verification
Why I chose Google Voice
Google Voice is the best free business phone number provider for individual users on a budget, which is why Google Voice is included in our list of the best business cell phone plans. If you are in the US or Canada, you can verify and claim your free Google Voice number using your existing number, while Google account owners can get a free business phone number upon signing up.
The personal plan is ideal for solopreneurs and freelancers because it offers a user-friendly interface and essential VoIP features, such as sending calls and texts to clients. The desktop and mobile apps are relatively easy to use and require no technical expertise, making integrating them into workflows easy.
If the Google Voice personal plan doesn’t meet your needs, consider upgrading to the business package for only $10 per user. This option offers expanded features, including multi-level auto-attendant, ring groups, and desk phone support. Additionally, Google Voice seamlessly integrates with Google Workspace apps, such as Google Meet and Calendar, providing a unified platform for business communication.
However, Google Voice may not be the best option for businesses with complex call management needs or those needing toll-free or vanity numbers. If you have higher call volumes and need a broader range of call management features, consider alternatives like Phone.com or CallHippo.
- Voicemail transcription: Have your voicemails automatically transcribed into text format and send the transcripts to your email.
- Spam call filtering: Every time Google Voice suspects a call might be spam, a warning message will display on your screen.
- Multi-level auto-attendant: Set up an automated menu that plays messages and lets callers choose options to reach a specific department or person.
- Ring groups: Setting up ring groups allows multiple users to take turns answering calls from the same Google Voice number.
Usage and activity reporting: Access voice activity across your organization and review the details of calls and texts, costs, and duration.
- Personal: Free for one user, one US phone number, call forwarding, and voicemail transcripts
Business
- Starter: Best for unlimited calls and texts
- $10/user/month
- Standard: Best for call monitoring
- $20/user/month
- Premier: Best for advanced reporting
- $30/user/month
OpenPhone: Best for APIs & artificial intelligence
OpenPhone
Overall Score
4.18/5
Core features
4.5/5
Integration and compatibility
4.17/5
Security and reliability
2.92/5
Pricing and value
4.58/5
Customer support and usability
4.17/5
Advanced features
4.58/5
User scores
4.37/5
Pros
- Unlimited shared phone numbers
- Number porting from different carriers
- OpenPhone API for workflow automation
- AI-generated message responses
Cons
- International calling and messaging is an add-on
- CRM integrations are only available on the highest-tier plans
Why I chose OpenPhone
OpenPhone is among the best free business phone number providers because of its advanced call routing, APIs, and AI features. The highest tier plans include access to shared phone numbers, making it easier to set up custom ring groups, call forwarding, and transfers based on business hours and ring orders.
The OpenPhone API also allows you to automate workflows for business owners and sales teams, such as setting up automatic replies to messages, syncing customer information with a CRM, or building integrations into your workspace. With AI, you can organize your business phone calls and create call summaries and transcripts for more efficient call monitoring. By pairing the APIs with AI, you can also generate messages to send based on specific conditions.
Although OpenPhone has unlimited calling in the United States and Canada, its international calling per minute and message rates apply. Access to international calling and messaging is also an add-on, so businesses that need to communicate with global customers should consider CallHippo, which offers international calling plans and business phone numbers.
- Call tags: The tagging feature makes organizing calls easier by allowing you to label calls based on specific categories. This process makes finding and reviewing calls for follow-ups, monitoring, and evaluation easier.
- Ring order: Maximize the potential of the shared phone number feature by organizing your team’s phone numbers in a specific order or batching them to ensure that someone is always available to respond to calls.
- User groups: Within your workspace, OpenPhone allows you to organize team members into specific groups, making collaborating or answering calls easier.
- Auto-replies: If you need to answer frequently asked questions, set up a pre-recorded messaging system that automatically replies to common customer inquiries.
- Business hours: Route calls based on a set schedule, such as your business hours, to send customers to an out-of-office message or another phone number.
Starter: Best for API access
- Monthly: $19/user/month
- Annually: $15/user/month
Business: Best for call analytics and reporting
- Monthly: $33/user/month
- Annually: $23/user/month
Scale: Best for artificial intelligence features
- Monthly: $47/user/month
- Annually: $35/user/month
Enterprise: Best for priority support
- Contact sales for pricing
Phone.com: Best for call management features
Phone.com
Overall Score
3.83/5
Core features
4.5/5
Integration and compatibility
3.33/5
Security and reliability
3.33/5
Pricing and value
2.92/5
Customer support and usability
5/5
Advanced features
4.17/5
User scores
3.53/5
Pros
- Mix and match metered and unmetered plans
- Custom local and toll-free numbers
- Offers volume discounts
- Rich a la carte features
Cons
- Vanity numbers have a one-time fee and monthly charges
- Poor integrations
Why I chose Grasshopper
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. Three user types are available, which you can mix and match to pay for only exactly what you need. Specifically, the Basic plan is a metered subscription with 500 minutes, while Plus and Pro plans support unlimited calling.
Additionally, Phone.com offers all the modern features of an enterprise-grade phone system but at a fraction of the cost, making it a budget-friendly option for growing businesses. Starting at only $18 per user, monthly, you receive up to 50 standard call features, which include call handling rules, click-to-call, greetings, hold music, and an auto-attendant. Upgrading to higher-tier plans allows you to access a broader range of VoIP features like call analytics and recording.
However, Phone.com uses a third-party service called Zapier to expand its app integrations. If you need a business phone that readily integrates with popular customer relationship management (CRM) systems, I recommend CallHippo. This provider connects with over 100 third-party apps, including Salesforce, Pipedrive, and Freshdesk.
- Scheduled routing: Route incoming calls to specific numbers, menus, greetings, or people based on the time and day they are received.
- Hold music: Choose from a large section of professional music tracks you can play while callers are on hold or in a queue.
- Dial-by-name directory: Callers can be automatically transferred to an employee by entering the first or last name of the person they want to reach.
- Queues: Route incoming calls to a specific group of users or phone numbers in order.
- Greetings: Upload audio files to play as your greetings, menus, and hold music.
Basic: Best for metered calling plans
- Monthly: $18/user/month
- Annually: $15/user/month
Plus: Best for unlimited calling
- Monthly: $27/user/month
- Annually: $22.50/user/month
Pro: Best for unified communication features
- Monthly: $40/user/month
- Annually: $33.33/user/month
Sideline: Best for text marketing campaigns
Sideline
Overall Score
3.29/5
Core features
4/5
Integration and compatibility
2.5/5
Security and reliability
1.67/5
Pricing and value
4.17/5
Customer support and usability
3.33/5
Advanced features
3.33/5
User scores
4/5
Pros
- Connects to your carrier network for improved call quality
- No charge for vanity numbers
- Wide variety of text marketing tools
- Supports bulk SMS
Cons
- VoIP numbers can’t be used for Sideline account registration
- No call recording
- Lacks unified communication tools
Why I chose Sideline
Sideline is a great option for businesses primarily using text messaging to connect with clients and partners. This provider does not have messaging limits, allowing you to send unlimited SMS, MMS, and group messages from your desktop or mobile phone. Texting over Wi-Fi is free, but data usage will apply if you use your carrier’s plan.
As a business communications app, Sideline lets you set up a second phone number, helping you keep your work calls and texts separate from your personal number. Unlike VoIP cell phone services, Sideline operates on your existing carrier network, ensuring high call quality and reliability. In addition to your second phone number, Sideline delivers many features, such as group messaging, SMS/MMS, custom voicemail, and call announcements.
The features include text marketing tools like branded messages, auto-reply, MMS, and custom signature. Businesses sending bulk SMS campaigns will find this particularly useful for sharing alerts, coupons, promotions, and product announcements. The Sideline app is very user-friendly for mobile users, allowing easy customization of SMS settings.
However, one major drawback of Sideline is that it may be limited to businesses that require broader communication capabilities beyond calling and text messaging. If you need a phone number provider that supports faxing and video conferencing, consider Phone.com, which provides access to voice calls, text messaging, video meetings, and online faxing.
- 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.
- Month-to-month: $14.49/user/month
- Bi-annual: $69.99/user
- Annual: $129.99/user
- 7-day free trial
Types of business phone numbers
Several options are available for business phone numbers catering to specific needs and preferences. The type of virtual 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, click on the tabs below to learn more about the five common types of business phone numbers:
Why do you need a business phone number?
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 many 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 quickly recognize calls intended for work, so you know which calls to answer during business hours and which ones to leave after hours.
Business phone number providers offer additional voice features alongside the second phone number. For example, VoIP platforms include call management tools like greetings, auto-attendants, and hold music. Customers will hear a custom message instead of a standard dial tone when they call. This not only enhances the professionalism of your business but also helps build trust with customers.
Choosing the best free business phone number provider
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. For those willing to invest in a robust business phone system, check out our top recommendations for the best VoIP for small businesses.
FAQs
