The 10 Best VoIP Services
What's the Best VoIP System on the Market Today?
If there's one constant about standard cellular phone providers, it's that the bills add up. Since the early internet folks have been switching to VoIP services to lower their bills, and that still holds true today. Depending on your current cellular plans and needs, switching to a VoIP provider could potentially save you hundreds of dollars.
What is VoIP? VoIP stands for Voice over Internet Protocol. It's a fancy way of saying that instead of utilizing cellphone towers and frequencies, a VoIP connects to your home or business internet, and sends that data over the internet.
Wednesday, December 11th
2024 VoIP Service Reviews
Ooma
With a history of providing good VoIP service, Ooma has stepped up their game with an excellent range of both budget and robust VoIP options. With ever-increasing smart-home and app integrations, good customer service, and attractive discount-deals with major retailers, Ooma is our top choice for residential VoIP. If you appreciate $0 U.S. calling after an upfront cost, smart-home integrations, and the option for blackout-resistant LTE calling, Ooma is the best, most flexible VoIP service on the market, and one that we are pleased to rate as our top pick.
Voiply
While not as fancy as some premium VoIP services, Voiply's ease of use, excellent customer service, and reasonable price make it stand out from competitors. Voiply's responsiveness to customer service and basic plans make it the best budget option on our list. If you're looking for a simple, quality service, uninterested in wading through multiple confusing offers, the Voiply could be the choice for you.
1-VoIP
1-VoIP is a VoIP service offering cost-efficient alternatives to traditional phone lines. Their partnership with anti-spam service "Nomorobo”, and their convenient price ranges, makes 1-VoIP an attractive choice for customers looking for a good phone service with convenient features but few frills. Just be aware that smartphone user reviews cite frequent crashes from 1-VoIP's "softphone” app, and for business customers, some necessary services like conference calls billed as "extras” may have you looking elsewhere, in spite of the otherwise reasonable price.
AXvoice
If you're looking for budget-friendly residential VoIP or international VoIP, and don't mind a yearly contract, then AXvoice may be the VoIP service for you. When compared to competitors, a yearly prepaid plan with AXvoice could save you a chunk of change. However, don't expect more than what's on the tin: while they are well-reviewed for their low prices, slow and downright inconsistent customer service is a common complaint among business and residential customers.
Lingo
Lingo is a fast growing Atlanta-based Telecom whose VoIP plans seem specialized for international plans. As such, their low-price international plans may be the right choice for you if you have family or friends abroad. Just make sure you don't pay for any unnecessary hardware: their "VoxBox” is overpriced and unneeded, and users report surprise charges from the "ImpactConnect” app.
Vonage
Vonage, though one of the biggest VoIP services on the market, has a troubling history of exploiting its customers, as evidenced by multiple multi-million dollar settlements with state governments and the Federal Trade Commission. While Vonage offers reasonably priced domestic and international plans with standard VoIP features, customers continue to report difficulties with Vonage, in spite of a recent settlement occurring in 2022. In light of these issues and the lack of standout product features, we recommend caution if you choose Vonage as your VoIP provider.
Phone Power
Phone Power's plans aren't exactly the most powerful. With a bit of a bait-and-switch as to their actual monthly costs, and outdated extras, Phone Power is neither the best nor the worst of what's out there. While we appreciate the optional hardware and list of compatible devices, Phone Power should update their product or offerings if they want to stay competitive.
Via:Talk
With a less than stellar plan for the price, deceptive "sales”, and poor international calling plans, whatever Viatalk does, someone else does it better. Poor customer reviews cite frequent demands and charges for already returned equipment. Save yourself a headache and don't sign the two-year contract with a company as outdated and unhelpful as Viatalk.
VOIPo
With consistently poor reviews, and more reliable options at almost the same price, Voipo has no saving grace. While the budget pricing may seem attractive, you'd be much better off paying a couple dollars more per month, and using a service that actually works.
Call Centric
While at one time Callcentric may have been a good option, times have changed and its website apparently hasn't. Providing VoIP since 2005, Callcentric offers an overwhelming level of customization, which-as with most confusing menus-may not necessarily be for your benefit. As a budget service that might lead you to non-budget bills, be careful if you choose Callcentric for your residential VoIP.
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One of the main advantages that people look for in a VOIP system is cost-effectiveness. VoIP calls are transmitted over the internet, which can result in cost savings compared to traditional phone systems, especially for long-distance and international calls.
Another advantage of VoIP is flexibility. Phone users can make and receive calls from anywhere with internet connectivity, using a variety of devices such as traditional land phones, smartphones, tablets, laptops, and desktop computers. This makes VoIP ideal for users who require mobility and need to stay connected on the go.
VoIP also offers a wide range of advanced features such as call forwarding, voicemail, call waiting, caller ID, call routing, conference calling, and more. These features are sometimes included at no extra cost to your system, making VoIP a cost-effective solution for people who like these features.
What should you look for in a Residential VoIP provider? While switching to a VoIP can be a smart and budget-friendly choice, not all VoIP companies are the same. The field is rife with confusing plans, coercive marketing, and scammy business practices.
We've scoured what's there, and found both the best of the best, plus a few general tips for you to keep in mind:
- Hidden fees: Do you pay upfront or monthly? Is your plan contract, pre-pay, or at will? Does the company have a history of scammy policies like cancellation fees? Sometimes, upfront savings are used to hide a coercive customer structure, so watch out.
- Hardware and software: Do they offer you the necessary hardware for free, make you pay upfront, or "lease” it to you? In addition, do they offer a "softphone” (desktop and smartphone application for use with your plan), and does the softphone work? Also, do they protect you from spam and robocalls, and does doing so cost extra?
- Customer service: How easy is it to cancel your subscription? Would they let you do so without fuss, or force you into a series of sales pitches? In addition, are they responsive to technical difficulties, and do they support the easy installation of your product?
- International calling: what are their international calling plans? Do they offer unlimited plans or minutes? Do they let you set up a "virtual number” in a chosen country to receive calls and no cost to your callers? In addition, do they let you call all numbers in their offered countries, or just landlines?
There are a surprising amount of considerations for a VoIP system, but don't let that dissuade you. Top Consumer Reviews has found excellent companies offering top of the line VoIP systems and support, all of which offer significant savings when compared to their cellular competitors. Whatever your preference, from robust blackout-resistant services to extreme budget friendly competitors, with this guide you'll be sure to find a VoIP service that floats your boat.
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