6 Best Grasshopper Alternatives in 2023
This article is part of a larger series onVoIP.
Grasshopper is a virtual phone system offering budget-friendly phone services, such as conference calling, phone numbers, and unlimited extensions. However, companies interested in the best Grasshopper alternatives are looking for built-in video conferencing, unlimited international calling, and advanced collaboration tools, which Grasshopper lacks.
Based on our research, these are the top Grasshopper competitors worth considering as your nextvoice-over-internet-protocol (VoIP)solution:
- RingCentral:Best overall Grasshopper alternative with robust call management features
- Phone.com:Top Grasshopper competitor for budget-friendly, mix-and-match plans
- Nextiva:Excellent alternative for businesses needing high-volume, toll-free minutes
- eVoice:Best for small teams looking to establish legitimacy for international expansion
- Vonage:Excellent for growing businesses looking for reliable artificial intelligence (AI) and analytics capabilities
- Google Voice:Top alternative to Grasshopper for Google users needing a simple but comprehensive phone system
Grasshopper & Best Alternatives at a Glance
Grasshopper & Best Alternatives |
Monthly Starting Price (per User) |
Key Features |
Customer Support Channels |
FSB Rating |
---|---|---|---|---|
|
$31 |
|
|
4.01 out of 5 |
|
$30 |
|
|
4.21 out of 5 |
|
$14.99 |
|
|
4.18 out of 5 |
|
$30.95 |
|
|
4.17 out of 5 |
|
$14 |
|
|
4.09 out of 5 |
|
$19.99 |
|
|
4.06out of 5 |
|
$10* |
|
|
3.96 out of 5 |
*Google Voice offers a free personal plan with limited features
Take our quiz to determine which Grasshopper alternative is best for your business needs.
Which Grasshopper alternative is right for you?
Our expertGrasshopper reviewis used as a guide by small businesses when deciding if Grasshopper is suitable for you.
RingCentral: Best Overall Grasshopper Competitor
What We Like
- Multi-level auto-attendant and IVR (interactive voice response) in base plan
- Over 200 third-party integrations
- 99.999% uptime service level agreement (SLA)
Where It Falls Behind
- User feedback indicates slow customer support
- Limited report customization
- Trial is limited to a maximum of five users
How It Compares to Grasshopper
- RingCentral offers advanced calling capabilities, while Grasshopper has basic calling solutions
- RingCentral offers a longer free trial period, which is 14 days, while Grasshopper only offers seven
- Both services are very easy to use and intuitive
RingCentral is one of thebest business phone systems在市场上,是我们的蚱蜢alternative, thanks to its extensive call management capabilities. Users access advanced calling features like enterprise-grade encryption, multi-level IVR, and robocall protection. Improve agent performance with call monitoring capabilities, such as call whisper, barge, and takeover—all of which aren’t offered by Grasshopper.
RingCentral has built-in video conferencing, which Grasshopper lacks. Its HD video conferencing allows up to 200 video participants, and its large meeting add-on lets users host unlimited online conferences with up to 500 attendees. However, if you’re looking for a platform with no video meeting time limits, consider Phone.com. Its plans are also more budget-friendly, starting at only $14.99 per user, monthly.
RingCentral Monthly Pricing at a Glance (per User)
- Core:$30 for unlimited domestic calling, messaging, IVR, and HD conferencing
- Advanced:$35 for auto-call recording, call management and handling, and internet fax
- Ultra:$45 for unlimited video, whiteboards, messaging, file sharing, and file and recording storage
RingCentral Features
- Call management:RingCentral offers various call management features, including automatic call distribution (ACD) and IVR, call recording and tracking, and call queues. These capabilities allow you to customize your call schedule, prevent spam and unwanted calls, and efficiently manage your incoming traffic to the proper destination.
- Unmetered business calls and messages:All RingCentral subscriptions include unlimited calling and messages within the U.S. and Canada. Send and receive SMS (short message service) with up to 1,000 characters to and from RingCentral extensions or 10-digit local numbers.
- Team Huddle:This feature is designed for those spontaneous moments you need to meet with colleagues. Much like a water cooler or discussion table, the team huddle feature lets you start audio and video meetings where participants can come and go as they please.
For more information, check out our fullRingCentral review. Our in-depthRingCentral vs Grasshoppercompares these two providers across several categories.
Phone.com: Best Grasshopper Alternative Offering Budget-friendly, Mix & Match Plans
What We Like
- A la carte features and mix-and-match plans
- Base plan comes with 50 standard voice features
- 视频会议的计划
Where It Falls Behind
- Limited video functionality on mobile devices
- No internal messaging capabilities
- Lacks call analytics in base plan
How It Compares to Grasshopper
- Unlike Grasshopper, Phone.com does not offer free trials
- Grasshopper does not have video conferencing, while Phone.com offers it with a 100-participant cap
- Neither Phone.com nor Grasshopper has an auto-dialer
Phone.com tops this list when it comes to best value-for-money packages with mix-and-match user plans. By allowing subscribers to choose specific plans for each user, businesses ensure each team member gets exactly the features they need. For example, you can assign two team members to the metered plan while the other three get the Pro plan’s unlimited minutes and call recording bundles.
Standard features are included in all plans, such as fax from phone, SMS text messaging, and voice tagging. Add premium, optional capabilities like additional minute bundles, extra phone numbers for $4.99 monthly, and call recording for as low as $7.99 monthly.
While Phone.com offers a variety of optional features, these are available as add-ons. For solopreneurs, especially Google users wanting a simple, all-in platform, Google Voice is your best option. This VoIP platform offers a secure virtual phone number to make and receive calls and messages. It also seamlessly integrates with other Google apps, giving you access to file sharing and video conferencing through Google Drive and Google Meet.
Phone.com Monthly Pricing at a Glance (per User)*
- Basic users:$14.99 for one phone number per account, 500 pooled minutes, 1,000 pooled texts, video conferencing for up to 10 participants, and mobile and web applications
- Plus users:$19.99 for one phone number per user, unlimited minutes, conversational texts, voicemail transcription, and 25 video conferencing participants
- Pro users:$29.99 for call recording, analysis, 100 video conferencing participants with livestreaming
*All plans include a 30-day money-back guarantee. Annual billing and volume-based discounts are available.
Phone.com Features
- Live receptionist:Never miss a call with U.S.-based professional live receptionists who set appointments and meetings on your behalf. In addition to professional, custom greetings, attendants screen incoming calls to ensure only business-related calls are answered or forwarded.
- 电话号码选择:Phone.com offers different phone numbers in every plan, including local, toll-free, and vanity numbers. The basic plan gives you one number per account, while higher plans offer one per user. In addition to local numbers, global numbers are available starting at $4.99 monthly.
- HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act)-compliant:Phone.com Plus and Pro plans are HIPAA-compliant and offer Business Associate Agreements (BAAs) when required. Its video conferencing features are secure, and Phone.com has an automated text responder telling patients to contact you through different channels to discuss medical information.
Want to know more about Phone.com? Take time to read ourPhone.com reviewto learn what it offers.
Nextiva: Best Grasshopper Alternative for Businesses Needing High-volume, Toll-free Minutes
What We Like
- All plans come with visual voicemail
- Includes up to 12,500 toll-free minutes
- Free number porting
Where It Falls Behind
- 视频和语音会议re limited to 45 minutes per meeting
- Call recording unlocks in the highest plan
- Doesn't offer international phone numbers
How It Compares to Grasshopper
- Grasshopper offers multiple types of phone numbers: local, toll-free, and vanity; Nextiva only has local and toll-free numbers
- Nextiva offers multi-level auto-attendant; Grasshopper only has auto-attendant features
- Both offer business messaging, but only Nextiva has team messaging features
Nextiva is on our list of top Grasshopper alternatives, offering the best value for call centers looking for toll-free minutes. Its entry-level plan comes with 1,500 minutes, and up to 12,500 minutes under Nextiva’s Enterprise plan. Each plan comes with a free local and toll-free number. Toll-free numbers and inclusive minutes are great for establishing legitimacy, expanding markets, and tracking advertising.
Nextiva is on our list ofbest call management softwareand features robustunified communication (UC)features. It integrates phone calls, team chats, texts, emails, file sharing, video meetings, andcustomer relationship management (CRM) systems. However, while it has excellent UC features, its video meetings are only up to 45 minutes. Phone.com is the better option because all plans have unlimited meeting duration.
Nextiva Monthly Pricing at a Glance (per User)*
- Essential:$30.95 for unlimited voice and video calling, voicemail, unlimited internet fax, and up to 1,500 toll-free minutes
- Professional:$35.95 for unlimited conference calls for up to 40 participants, multi-level auto-attendant, unmetered video conferencing, and up to 3,000 toll-free minutes
- Enterprise:$45.95 for unlimited participants on voice and video conferencing and video recording, voicemail transcriptions, call recording, and up to 12,500 toll-free minutes
*Pricing is based on one to four users with monthly payments. Annual billing discounts are available with contract 12-, 24-, or 36-month contract terms.
Nextiva Features
- Cospace:This application facilitates team messaging and collaboration through features such as video conferencing, screen sharing, and task management. Remote and hybrid teams stay connected through group chats that keep teams organized and files and conversations centralized.
- Conversational AI:Nextiva’s artificial intelligence (AI) enables your agents to focus on priority conversations with custom routing. AI allows callers to speak in their natural language for better articulation and efficient data gathering.
- Auto-attendant:With auto-attendants, callers can navigate to their desired department or extension by responding to prerecorded prompts. It routes inbound calls but is primarily based on keypad input, not voice or speech inputs.
If you are considering adopting this VoIP platform in your business communications, check out ourNextiva review对其优缺点和定价选项。
eVoice: Best Grasshopper Competitor for International Expansion
What We Like
- Offers phone number options, including local, toll-free, vanity, and international numbers
- Sequential or simultaneous ring
- Custom greetings
Where It Falls Behind
- Interface is reportedly clunky
- Slow customer support
- Free trial requires credit card details
How It Compares to Grasshopper
- Grasshopper offers unlimited texting, which eVoice does not
- eVoice’s trial is 30 days, much longer than Grasshopper’s 7-day trial
- Both offer live receptionist services, but only Grasshopper has IVR
eVoice is our recommendation for growing businesses looking for international numbers and international call forwarding. It offers low, per-minute rates for outbound international calls to hundreds of countries. With global call forwarding, your business establishes itself as a local company thriving in a global marketplace.
All eVoice plans come with standard features that include call forwarding, virtual answering service, advanced call routing, and voicemail. Create custom greetings and manage call screening and call queues from the web and mobile portals. eVoice plans with over 1,000 minutes come with inbound faxing and access to VIP support.
While eVoice is a virtual phone service offering standard phone number options, such as local, toll-free, vanity, and international numbers, it doesn’t have unlimited SMS features. If your company frequently uses business messaging, consider RingCentral. It has unlimited domestic calling and texting in the U.S. and Canada and is one of ourbest VoIP softphone providers.
eVoice Monthly Pricing at a Glance (per User)*
- Elite Monthly:$14 for one user, 30,000 calling minutes, three local or toll-free numbers, and unlimited extensions
- Elite 6 Monthly:$13 for six users and 18 local or toll-free numbers
- Elite 10 Monthly:$10 for 10 users and 30 local or toll-free numbers
- Elite 11 Monthly:$13.50 for 11 users and 33 local or toll-free numbers
*Additional minutes are charged at 3.9 cents per minute. Users can upgrade or downgrade plans at any time.
eVoice Features
- Visual voicemail:eVoice offers advanced voicemail features that convert voicemail messages to audio files, transcribe voicemail to text, and alert users of an incoming voicemail message. When you’re unavailable to respond, forward the email to another person for prompt action.
- Sequential ring:这个特性允许您选择您的首选receiver for a call. Incoming calls will ring phone numbers based on your preselected order. Sequential ring will reach all devices and continue to ring until the call is answered. This is particularly useful for sales teams as multiple numbers can be added to the list—ensuring leads are never left waiting.
- After-hours greetings:Give your customers a unique greeting even when you’ve closed for the day. The after-hours voicemail option allows the caller to leave you a voicemail so you can get back to them promptly.
Is eVoice on your list of possible VoIP providers? Check out our in-deptheVoice reviewfor more on its features, pricing, and customer service.
Vonage: Best for Businesses Needing Robust AI & Analytics Solutions
What We Like
- Plans are customizable
- Calendar app integration for meeting scheduling
- All plans include more than 50 phone features
Where It Falls Behind
- No annual discounts
- Requires a one-year contract and lacks an annual billing discount
- Only offers 20 third-party integrations
How It Compares to Grasshopper
- Vonage lacks live receptionists; Grasshopper offers this feature via Ruby Receptionists
- Grasshopper includes all its VoIP features in all plans, while Vonage unlocks select features on higher tiers
- Both providers offer visual voicemail
Vonage is our top choice among Grasshopper alternatives, thanks to its advanced use of smart technology, particularly conversational AI for voice-enabled customer self-service. Vonage’s AI-driven speech recognition and analytics technology is added to customer conversations for natural language understanding and intelligent identification of customer needs. Use the intuitive AI design studio app for easy setup and application management.
While Vonage offers essential call routing and management features like call recording and call groups, it does not have HD video. Users will need to add HD voice. RingCentral provides HD audio and video if you’re looking for HD built-in video conferencing. In terms of capacity, Vonage’s virtual video meetings only accommodate 25 attendees, while RingCentral’s solution supports up to 200 participants.
Vonage Monthly Pricing at a Glance (per Line)*
- Basic:$19.99 for mobile and desktop apps, unlimited calls and SMS, and unlimited team messaging
- Premium:$29.99 for unlimited meetings for up to 100 people, multi-level auto-attendant,CRM integration, and IP desk phone capability
- Advanced:$39.99 for on-demand call recording, call group, and visual voicemail
*Pricing is based on one user, paid monthly. Vonage has a minimum one-year contract.
Vonage Features
- Receptionist console:这个面板允许您的团队来管理大型call volumes easily. This is an add-on tool that enables you to assign the service to any user extension, which will be able to handle up to 50 simultaneous calls. If you need more extensions for the console, multiple add-ons are available for purchase.
- Vonage boomerang:Move and direct incoming calls from specific numbers straight to your Vonage line. This feature automatically connects calls from your boomerang contact, and all phone charges will be applied to your Vonage account.
- App center:This houses high-value CRM and business applications that make it easier to tailor your phone system to your unique business needs. Vonage makes it easy to search for compatible tools for your system, including productivity features for more efficient workstreams.
Read ourVonage reviewto determine if its features and price points make it the best choice for your small business. Our review includes user feedback from popular third-party review sites.
Google Voice: Best for Google Users Needing a Simple & Complete Phone System
What We Like
- Low-cost, entry-level plan
- Integrates with Google Workspace app
- Multi-level auto-attendant
Where It Falls Behind
- Only 13 countries for global coverage
- Basic call management features
- Free version is only available to the U.S.
How It Compares to Grasshopper
- Grasshopper offers a free trial, which Google Voice does not
- Both offer unlimited domestic calling and text messaging
- Grasshopper offers three types of numbers: local, toll-free, and vanity; Google Voice only has local numbers
Among the Grasshopper phone competitors, businesses wanting a simple solution are suited for Google Voice. It seamlessly integrates with Google Workspace apps like Google Calendar and Gmail. It’s a user-friendly, budget-friendly provider offering access to Google’s extensive productivity apps with a free personal plan option. Google Voice is ideal for solopreneurs and freelancers looking for essential VoIP features like SMS, voicemail, and voice calls.
Google Voice is straightforward, making it an excellent solution for professionals needing a virtual phone number to separate their business and personal calls. Its higher plans are suited for small teams that want to expand their calling solutions to include basic business phone features like voicemail and an auto-attendant.
However, if you’re a growing business looking for a full suite of phone solutions that are more advanced than Google Voice or apps similar to Grasshopper offers, consider Nextiva. It’s one of our top picks forbest VoIP services for home officeproviders offering all-in-one home office phone and video conferencing solutions.
Google Voice Monthly Pricing at a Glance (per User)
- Personal:Free for one user, unlimited calls to the U.S., and unlimited texts within the U.S.
- Starter:$10 for up to 10 users, unlimited domestic calling and texting, voicemail transcription, and call forwarding
- Standard:$16 for unlimited users, regional and domestic locations, multi-level auto-attendant, and ring groups
- Premier:$24 for advanced reporting and on-demand call recording
Google Voice Features
- Spam call detection:Google Voice’s spam detection automatically displays a red text warning that reads “suspected spam caller” when a suspicious incoming call is made to your phone number. You will then choose to confirm whether or not the call is spam. If you tag the call as spam, any succeeding calls or messages from the number are sent to the spam folder.
- Call recording:Review, generate insights, or validate agent performance using recordings of customer calls. This feature allows you to archive and document conversations for team training or addressing disputes.
- Multi-level auto-attendant:Set up an automated menu to transfer calls to the proper departments or extensions. Record and play messages of menu and submenus that will route callers based on their responses. Google Voice uses text-to-speech technology and also allows users to upload their own audio files.
Considering Google Voice as your potential phone system? Check out ourGoogle Voice reviewfor more information.
How We Evaluated the Best Grasshopper Alternatives
To assess the top VoIP phone services comparable to Grasshopper, we considered crucial factors such as pricing, general and advanced features, ease of use, and customer support. Our expert opinion also came into play in terms of the platform’s value for money and popularity in the evaluation.
Learn how we evaluated the best Grasshopper alternatives by clicking on the tabs below:
20% of Overall Score
To determine the platform’s affordability, our team considered the cost of the provider’s base-level and second-tier plans. It was awarded more points if it offered annual and volume discounts. Another element we looked at was whether the provider has a forever-free plan that benefits solopreneurs, startups, and small teams.
20% of Overall Score
Some general features we looked at were whether there’s unlimited calling in the U.S. and Canada, video and audio conferencing, and a mobile app. Considering the importance of constant uptime and connectivity, we included the SLA guarantees in our assessment, with those offering 99.999% or above uptime generating more points.
25%的总分
Our priority niche features include international calling, international numbers, and the IVR system. Grasshopper competitors with robust third-party integrations were given higher points
10% of Overall Score
When we looked at the alternatives to Grasshopper, our team evaluated ease of use by determining the expertise required to set up and operate the phone system. We also assessed if Grasshopper competitors have an intuitive interface.
10% of Overall Score
We consider a variety of customer communication channels a critical part of the evaluation. Grasshopper phone alternatives with multiple avenues, like email, phone, and live chat support, received more points. We also looked at the operational hours, particularly if they’re available 24/7.
15% of Overall Score
The expert score is based on our evaluation of each provider’s standout features, value for money, and ease of use. We evaluated verified user ratings in third-party review sites to gauge the platform’s popularity.
Bottom Line
Grasshopper’s plans include call management features, such as transfers and voicemail, with a flat rate for phone numbers and extensions. After carefully reviewing these Grasshopper alternatives, we found that RingCentral is the best overall because of its advanced call management capabilities. It offers enterprise-grade solutions, including extensive integrations and multi-level auto-attendants, that will improve a small business’ operational efficiency.
RingCentral also has a feature-rich video conferencing solution and leverages AI capabilities through live transcription and advanced meeting insights. If you want to try one of the alternatives to the Grasshopper phone system, check out RingCentral and sign up for its 14-day free trial today.