Grasshopper has a simple pitch: It makes small businesses sound bigger and more professional. You can get started for $14 per month on the True Solo plan. It gets you a phone number, one user account, and one extension. There's a $20 discount if you sign up for the annual plan as a new user.

I was able to get a fully functional VoIP setup going in less than 10 minutes. It forwarded calls to my cell phone instead of forcing me to use specific hardware or apps. However, a mobile app is available for managing preferences on-the-go. That's a really good way to kick off a voice calling experience meant for new entrepreneurs.

Even with the base plan, Grasshopper includes all the features a small business could reasonably need. Call forwarding with options to route calls to different numbers based on time of day or caller identity. Voicemail transcription with email notifications so you can stay caught up even when you're off the grid. You even get a separate messaging component to keep your professional comms separate from all your personal texts.

So far so great, but scalability becomes a struggle once your business outgrows the basic features. For example, there's no API access, so you only have a few basic integrations to choose from. Call routing also doesn't allow for a ton of customization. But for solopreneurs or freelancers, this might be all they need out of VoIP.

Grasshopper features: Call forwarding | Voicemail transcription | Custom greetings | Virtual fax | Business texting | Auto attendant | Mobile and desktop apps

Zoom Phone makes the most sense if you're already invested in Zoom's ecosystem. Pricing starts at $10 per user per month for the Metered plan, but this option charges you for every outbound call, making it impractical for most businesses. The more realistic starting point is the US and Canada Unlimited plan at $15 per user per month, which includes unlimited domestic calling and basic features.

It integrates perfectly with Zoom Meetings. You can escalate a phone call to a video conference with one click, without forcing participants to dial into a separate bridge. It eliminates the friction professionals deal with during client calls and team meetings. I found the call quality consistently excellent, even when my internet connection was throttled.

Zoom Phone includes helpful AI features even on basic plans. Voicemail transcription happens automatically, and you get basic call analytics without paying extra. The platform even supports SMS messaging with a cap of 20 texts per month on the base plan. You can port your existing business numbers for free while keeping your existing Zoom account.

Features like unlimited cloud storage, enhanced security controls, and live phone support require upgrading to bundled plans that start at $18.32. International calling is metered regardless of your plan, which adds unpredictability to your monthly costs. The platform also lacks some telephony features that dedicated VoIP providers offer, like sophisticated call routing rules or extensive third-party integrations beyond Zoom.

Zoom Phone features: Unlimited domestic calling | Video conferencing integration | SMS messaging | Call recording | Voicemail transcription | Auto attendant | Team chat

8x8 is an enterprise communications platform, but it makes this list because of how well it integrates everything a growing startup might need into a single platform. You need a quote from their sales team to gauge current prices, but plans have typically ranged between $24 to $140 a month per user in the past.

You can expect voice calling, video conferencing, group chat, contact center management, and more. There's an analytics dashboard that lets you see how well your team is doing and if customers are satisfied. Auto-dialing and IVR are included even with the base plan, with no add-on purchases necessary.

The best part with 8x8 is the appeal for international businesses. Their mid-tier plans include unlimited calls to anywhere between 14 to 48 countries -- no per minute charges like with some competitors. You're also protected by a 99.999% uptime guarantee backed by an SLA, which insures you against dropped calls or bad connections.

Downsides mostly have to do with bloat, since there's an overwhelming amount of features that most early-stage companies will not need. Because of this, setup takes much longer and you'll probably need some kind of expert training to get your team up to speed. Also, some user reviews hint at declining customer support quality with 8x8, which can be an issue if you run into service issues or need first-time user assistance.

8x8 features: Unified communications platform | Video conferencing | Team messaging | Contact center capabiliti...