Our reviewers evaluate products and services based on unbiased research. Top Consumer Reviews may earn money when you click on a link. Learn more about our process.

The 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.

Tuesday, March 19th

2024 VoIP Service Reviews

Ooma Review Top Consumer Reviews Best-In-Class Blue Ribbon Award 5 Star Rating

Ooma

5 Star Rating Top Consumer Reviews Best-In-Class Blue Ribbon Award

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 Review 4.5 Star Rating

Voiply

4.5 Star Rating

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 Review 4 Star Rating

1-VoIP

4 Star Rating

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 Review 3 Star Rating

AXvoice

3 Star Rating

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 Review 2.5 Star Rating

Lingo

2.5 Star Rating

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 Review 2.5 Star Rating

Vonage

2.5 Star Rating

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 Review 2 Star Rating

Phone Power

2 Star Rating

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 Review 1 Star Rating

Via:Talk

1 Star Rating

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 Review 1 Star Rating

VOIPo

1 Star Rating

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 Review 1 Star Rating

Call Centric

1 Star Rating

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.

Compare the Best Reviews

Continued from above...

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.

The Best VoIP Services Compare VoIP Services Compare VoIP Service Reviews What are the best VoIP Services Best VoIP Service Reviews

VoIP Service FAQ

Voice over Internet Protocol or "VoIP" is a technology that allows phones to make and receive calls digitally over the Internet, without the use of the typical analog phone jacks installed in homes and businesses prior to the era of the Internet. The result is cheaper phone service than with analog phone systems because the "line" is simply whatever Internet connection you currently have. Calls are routed independently through the distributed nature of the Internet rather than through a large phone company. You also get a number of features with VoIP phones that analog phones simply don't provide.
The quality of a VoIP phone call depends on your Internet connection. If you have a slow Internet connection and a poor-quality phone, modem, and router, you'll experience about the same call quality as with a basic analog phone connection. However, if you have a good connection and choose a VoIP vendor that provides high-quality phone and Internet hardware, your calls will be much better than with analog phone systems.
The best VoIP services and phones provide high-quality audio and video calling, call waiting, call forwarding, outbound and inbound faxing, inexpensive international calling. Great VoIP services will also include an app for your mobile phone as well as for your Mac or PC, advanced conference calling features, anonymous call rejection, call blocking via allow and block lists, and on-hold music. You should also look for free shipping of hardware, monthly billing with no contracts, and high-quality, responsive, 24/7 customer support.
The least expensive VoIP services cost under $10 per month in service fees for residential use. Business VoIP services can cost considerably more depending on the number and types of features they offer. Taxes and fees pertaining to your locality also apply. Look for a VoIP service that doesn't charge a high amount for the hardware. Services that provide free calling or free hardware do exist, but are somewhat rare. Avoid contracts whenever possible so you have the option of switching to a new service on your own terms.
Contracts do exist for some VoIP services and systems. Typically, these are non-residential business-class systems that are built, operated, and serviced specifically for small, medium, and large businesses. Residential contract VoIP does exist but is usually not worth the trouble in the event that another service provider comes along that provides better service and lower cost.
One weakness of VoIP phones is that, unlike analog phone systems, when the power goes out, your Internet service typically will also be deactivated. This is due to the fact that VoIP phones rely on Internet routers and modems that are connected to electrical outlets the same way a lamp or TV is connected to power. There is no electrical power coming from a battery or through the cable Internet wires to the phone. On the contrary, analog phone lines receive electricity from the same jack and wire that connect to the phone, so when the local power grid fails, the phone company still delivers backup power to the telephone. That is why it is important to have a backup phone or mobile phone in the event of a power outage, in case you need to call emergency services.
You do not always need a computer to use VoIP systems. VoIP phones are standalone devices that receive their signal from your Wi-Fi router or are plugged directly into your Internet modem. Sometimes you'll want to chain your VoIP phone through your computer to use certain computer-related features, but it's not a requirement for most VoIP phones. To use the "softphone" application some VoIP vendors offer, you will need to install it on your computer and then turn on your computer each time you need to use it.
Yes, most VoIP plans will include the ability to port your existing numbers to their service. Many will do it for free. However, be aware that some providers will apply a fee per line for doing so. It can also take up to four weeks for a number to be ported from one phone system to another. You may be given a temporary phone number to use while the transfer completes.
The Best Reviews of VoIP Services