The 5 best small business phone systems

Based on our in-depth research, bOnline’s Unlimited Calling package is the best business phone system for small businesses. It’s great value for money, with unlimited domestic minutes and some solid call management features. If this is your first VoIP provider, it’s definitely the way to go.

With the Big Switch Off fast approaching in January 2027, it’s time for all businesses to leave traditional landlines in the past and move to a digital business phone system. Generally speaking, this consists of a desk phone (if you need it), and a VoIP app.

Of course, every business will have unique needs and pain points, and so we’ve put together a comprehensive list of the best business phone systems and what their USPs are. Check out our roundup below to find out which will be best for you.

The best small business phone systems: comparison table

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BEST OVERALL
Provider bOnline Unlimited Calling	Provider RingCentral Standard	Provider Dialpad Pro	Provider Google Voice Standard	Provider GoTo Connect, Phone System
Pricing from £13.95 + VAT per month (currently running a 6-month promo for £9.95 + VAT per user, on a 12-month contract)	Pricing from £19.99 per user, per month	Pricing from £20 per user, per month	Pricing from $16 per user, per month (Google Voice is only priced in US dollars)	Pricing from Quote-based
Inbound communication features: Call recording Call monitoring Call queues	Inbound communication features: Voicemail-to-email Call recording Call monitoring	Inbound communication features: Call queues 24/7 agent support Supports up to 10 office locations	Inbound communication features: Google AI helps to block spam calls Transcribes voicemails to texts automatically Call forwarding	Inbound communication features: Unlimited call routing Auto attendants Ring groups
Outbound communication features: Unlimited UK minutes per user	Outbound communication features: 750 minutes of domestic outbound comms Call conferencing	Outbound communication features: CRM integrations (Salesforce, Zendesk, HubSpot, Zoho & more) Multiple phone numbers per account	Outbound communication features: Free calls to anywhere in the US Free calls between Google Voice numbers	Outbound communication features: SMS functionality CRM compatibility with Salesforce, Zoho, and Zendesk
Get Quotes	Get Quotes	Get Quotes	Get Quotes	Get Quotes

1.  bOnline Unlimited Calling: our top choice

bOnline

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• Starting price from: £7, per user, per month

• Unlimited Calling plan is good for startups doing lots of cold calling
• Great for new businesses who need lots of features for a small cost
• Low cost starter plan is solid option for micro-businesses

Summary bOnline is a UK-based telecommunications company that specializes in providing solutions specifically with a small business marketplace in mind. With a focus in low-cost, easy solutions, bOnline make the claim to be "the most awarded business VoIP phone for UK businesses with 1-5 employees".

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How much does it cost?

Unlimited Calling does exactly what it says on the tin at a bargain price. But this does come at the cost of some advanced extras, like call flip (with which you can transfer a live call without having to put any of the parties on hold). But overall, bOnline offers the best value for money on this list, especially for new businesses.

What are the pros?

bOnline Unlimited Calling is great value for money, and doesn’t sacrifice the core functions you want from a virtual landline. For the budget price you still get:

• HD voice quality
• Call recording on demand
• Call reporting
• Out of hours management
• Desk phone compatibility

The speedy two-minute setup is great for microbusinesses who don’t want the headache of a complicated VoIP installation. You just need to choose your number (or transfer your current number), download the app, and start making calls.

What are the cons?

• bOnline is compatible with Yealink phones only. If you already have non-Yealink phones that you want to use, look at GoTo Connect instead.
• the Unlimited Calling plan is missing multi-factor authentication. If having the highest level of security is a priority for you, we’d recommend taking a look at Google Voice.

The bOnline dashboard lets you view your sales representatives track records when it comes to making, missing, and receiving calls.

☎️ Which handsets should I get?

As bOnline’s Unlimited Calling plan is a budget-friendly starter option, you’re probably best off providing your team with simple Yealink UH34 headsets. A solid low-cost option for customer service teams, they cost just £35 plus VAT.

If you do want the reliability of a traditional desk phone, go with the Yealink T31P SIP Desk Phone, an entry-level device you can pick up for just £47 plus VAT.

2. RingCentral Standard: best for all-in-one comms

RingCentral

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• Starting price from: £12.99, per user, per month

• A range of plans that can suit a wide variety of businesses of different sizes
• Good for growing businesses that need streamlined internal communications
• Great for customer-service focused businesses

Summary Based in California, RingCentral provides cloud-based communication and collaboration products and services, including a cloud-based business phone system. Founded in 1999, it has grown to now serve over 400,000 customers worldwide and is available in 46 countries.

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How much does it cost?

RingCentral’s Standard plan is one of the cheaper plans in this roundup. However, you are limited to 250 inbound minutes and 750 outbound minutes per month.

Aside from GoTo Connect, RingCentral Standard is the only package on this list that doesn’t come with unlimited minutes.

What are the pros?

RingCentral’s Standard plan combines core calling features with a wide range of different internal communication methods, like:

• A native team chat
  
• Video conferencing
  
• Integration with popular business messaging platforms like WhatsApp and Facebook Chat

RingCentral is a great choice for keeping all these different communication channels under one roof. Combining call features with internal messaging means your staff can collaborate effortlessly, and provide excellent customer service to your customer base, reducing their call waiting time. You’ll also benefit from RingCentral’s new AI Assistant to further improve your workflow.

What are the cons?

• The limited minutes might be a dealbreaker. Alternatively, bOnline Unlimited Calling provides unlimited domestic calling for a similar monthly price per user.
• There is no built-in SMS function (take a look at GoTo Connect instead if you need this).

RingCentral’s unified RingEX Business Phone System software. Source: ringcentral.com

☎️ Which handsets should I get?

RingCentral has its own certified phones that integrate with the system without any compatibility headaches. From these, we’d recommend the Yealink T33G as an entry-level VoIP handset featuring a colour screen and HD voice. You can purchase one outright for £81.

If you want to move up to something slightly more advanced, you can pick up the Yealink T43U for £119. This has dual USB ports for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth dongles, and uses an OPUS codec, which guarantees higher sound quality.

3. Dialpad Pro: best for managing high call volumes

Dialpad

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• Starting price from: £12, per user, per month

• Good for small businesses who need help managing high call volumes
• Compatibility with four types of desk phone
• Can integrate with Salesforce, Hubspot, and Zendesk

Summary Dialpad is aimed at both small and large companies, and is using communications AI to provide unified products. They have a global reach, with 11 offices around the world, and serve 30,000 customers including big names like Xero.

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How much does it cost?

Dialpad is one of the more expensive options on this list, especially if you elect to pay monthly, but it’s extremely feature-rich and comes with unlimited domestic minutes, so you do get your money’s worth. It just might price out smaller businesses.

What are the pros?

Dialpad Pro is the strongest system on this list for call management, featuring everything you’ll need to stay on top of incoming calls, including:

• Call queues
• Call blocking
• Ring groups
• Call forwarding
• Call flip

It also provides an impressive range of communication channels, including call conferencing, team messaging, SMS, and video conferencing. But do keep in mind that you’re maxed out at 10 users on your video calls, so if you have a large staff, bOnline Unlimited will have you better covered.

What are the cons?

• While it can support integrations with some big-name CRM and helpdesk solutions (Salesforce, Zendesk, Hubspot and ServiceNow) you won’t be able to connect with some more obscure CRM and Helpdesk platforms on the Pro plan. RingCentral can integrate with a wider range of more niche systems.
• Dialpad Pro does not come with the reassurance of an uptime guarantee. You’ll need to upgrade to the Enterprise plan to get a 100% guarantee.

☎️ Which handsets should I get?

Dialpad supports a wide range of select phones from Obihai, Polycom, and Yealink, which you can purchase directly from Dialpad.

We would suggest using the Yealink T33G as a low-cost starter phone (if you shop around, you can find these for £40 to £70), or the Poly OBi Edition VVX range (these generally fall within the £100 to £200 mark) if you want something more advanced.

4. Google Voice Standard: best for Google Workspace users

Google Voice

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• Starting price from: $10, per user, per month (Google Voice pricing is only provided in US dollars)

• A low-cost option for Google Workspace users
• Solid spam prevention tools
• Free calls to the US

Summary Google Voice is a VoIP solution provided by Google that was previously only available in the US. Now businesses in the UK can access Google Voice as a paid add-on to Google Workspace.

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How much does it cost?

Google Voice is only available to Google Workspace customers. If you don’t already have it, a Workspace account costs:

• Business Starter: £5.90 per user, per month
• Business Standard: £11.80 per user, per month
• Business Plus: £18.40 per user, per month

You can currently get 50% off any plan for three months.

Just keep in mind that these prices are billed annually, and charged in addition to the cost of Google Voice, so if you choose this system, there will be two separate charges to cover.

What are the pros?

Google Workspace users can easily sign up to Google Voice, making things pretty simple for those already in the Google ecosystem. A big benefit of using it as your business phone system is that you get unlimited domestic calls, and you can call the US for free from any country.

Another standout feature is the highly effective spam filtering. If your team suffers from nuisance cold calls, Google Voice is a great defence against them.

What are the cons?

• Google Voice Standard is not totally adept at handling large volumes of calls, as it doesn’t come with call queues.
• Standard can only integrate with a limited number of CRM systems. It’s a simple solution for Workspace users, but a more sophisticated operation would do better with Dialpad Pro.

Google Voice is an easy option for those already using Google Workspace. Source: voice.google.com

☎️ Which handsets should I get?

Something to be aware of is that Google Voice is only compatible with a select number of Poly handsets.

The desk phones and ATAs you can use with Google Voice are:

• Poly ATA 400 and 402
• Poly Edge B10, B20, and B30
• Poly OBi 300 and 302
• Poly VVX OBi Edition 150, 250, 350, and 450

If you just need a cheap and basic option to get started with, the Poly Edge B10 has a bargain basement price (you can usually find them for around £30).

If you’re willing to splash out on more professional-grade equipment, the Poly VVX range will be more your speed. Just be aware that you’ll be spending hundreds of pounds per handset.

5. GoTo Connect Phone System: best for international businesses

GoTo Connect

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• Starting price from: Quote-based

• Good for medium-sized businesses to unify their communications
• Helps communication between businesses in different locations
• Compatible with over five brands of desk phone

Summary Based in Boston, Massachusetts, GoTo is a software as a service company that launched its cloud-based phone system and customer engagement software GoTo Connect in 2022.

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How much does it cost?

GoTo Connect doesn’t publicly list its prices. Instead, it offers bespoke quotes based on your business’s needs.

What are the pros?

One of GoTo Connect’s biggest bonuses is the ability to make and receive calls to and from over 50 countries for free. It’s a pretty standout feature, especially if you need a call centre phone system (just make sure it’s included with your package).

It also combines a great range of call management features, such as call routing and ring groups, with the most comprehensive range of business communication tools on this roundup, including:

• Team messaging
• Video conferencing
• Call conferencing
• SMS
• E-fax

You’ll also benefit from the range of AI-powered features GoTo Connect has launched, including support from its AI-assistant GoPilot, as well as AI generated text-to-speech.

What are the cons?

• With GoTo Connect, is CRM integration is limited to a handful of systems. RingCentral is a better option if you need to integrate with a more niche CRM brand.
• GoTo Connect does not come with unlimited free minutes — you’ll get 1,000 free minutes per month, to be shared between all users.

GoTo Connect software and range of desk phones can help you streamline communications. 

☎️ Which handsets should I get?

If  you already have desk phones, there’s a good chance you’ll be able to integrate them with your GoTo Connect phone system. Just make sure you check its website to see if your phone is compatible, or ask GoTo directly for help with this.

If you don’t already have a phone, we’d recommend going with the Cisco IP range. The Cisco IP 7841 is an affordable, easy-to-use, four-line handset aimed at moderately active business users. They can fluctuate in price, so shop around to find yourself the best deal. You should be able to pick one up for less than £100.

Read more: Our essential guide to business telephone and mobile numbers in the UK

Buying guide: how to choose a phone system for your small business

You can’t just choose any business phone provider. Different businesses have different needs, from basic softphone apps to full suites of premium handsets and software. Here are the top seven factors you should consider before opening your wallet:

1. Usage

Essentially, think about how often you or your staff will actually use your phone system. Consider your business’s size, call volume, and growth plans before choosing a provider.

2. Needs

Work out how many users you’ll need to add to your plan. Almost all business phone systems are priced per user, so there’s no point paying for staff members who’ll never need to pick up the phone.

3. Software integration

Some providers will be limited to specific (or sometimes no) CRM and helpdesk integrations. If your business is heavily reliant on using Salesforce, for example, make sure you pick a system that it can seamlessly connect with.

4. Customer support

Reliable, and accessible, support can be critical for an SME. You should keep a particular eye out for those that provide live chat or phone support, and especially those that offer 24/7 assistance.

5. Try before you buy

Many business phone system providers offer a free trial, or at least a demo, of their software and hardware. I’d always recommend a test drive. Let your employees try it for themselves and get their honest feedback.

6. Scalability

Don’t just think about what you need right now, but think about what you might need in the future. If you forecast that you’ll be expanding your team, or you’ll be receiving higher volumes of calls, go for a system that won’t require major cost-intensive upgrades.

7. An uptime guarantee

This refers to your Service Level Agreement (SLA) with your VoIP provider, that ensures that your service will be operational for a specific period of time. “Three nines” is the industry standard: 99.9%. Not all plans have uptime guarantee’s though, so be vigilant when choosing your provider.

Our methodology: how we test business phone systems

Our dedicated research team has conducted exhaustive research to bring you our top five business phone systems. First, they conducted an in-depth communication survey to truly understand small business’s pain points and specific needs.

Using this information, we were able to identify eight important criteria on which to analyse, test, and compare a variety of business telephone systems, forming the basis of our new ranking system and ensuring we’re giving the most accurate and helpful recommendations possible.

Our testing criteria:

• Call management features: how well the software manages incoming calls.
• Software integrations: your phone system software will almost certainly be used in tandem with other tech and third-party applications. We assess how many other platforms and apps the system is compatible with.
• Communication channels: your business phone system should offer more than just voice calls. We rate each one on how many other communication methods it provides, such as video conferencing and SMS messaging.
• Training features: how well the system can help train your employees, based on features such as call recording and monitoring.
• Hardware integrations: we assess the number of compatible hardware brands that can be used with the business phone system.
• Customer support: the range and accessibility of the help and support options provided by the phone system provider.
• Security options: what security measures are in place to protect your calls and data.
• Pricing: how much does the VoIP system cost? We assess the pricing structures and value for money offered by the system.

In summary

bOnline Unlimited Calling is our number one small business phone system thanks to its unmatched affordability, which comes without sacrificing any core calling features. It also has a speedy setup time that’s great for less-tech-savvy businesses.

It won’t be the best option for every business, though. For example, if your business is more advanced and you make a lot of international calls, you’ll get more out of the higher-priced GoTo Connect. It’s critical to find a business phone system that can fulfill the demands of your specific business.