VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol)

Top 8 VoIP Alternatives & Competitors in 2024

Are you looking for the best VoIP alternative? You’ve come to the right place. This in-depth blog will take you through the top 8 VoIP options and alternatives that will help you find your next business phone provider.

We will consider wide-ranging parameters, from the top features and pricing to the pros and cons of each software, so that you can make an informed choice and get the most bang for your buck. Without wasting any more time, let’s jump right in.

Top 8 VoIP Alternatives & Options to VoIP – Choose the Best Call Center Software for Your Business

  1. JustCall
  2. Nextiva
  3. Google Voice
  4. Skype
  5. WhatsApp
  6. Spoke
  7. TextRequest
  8. ZipWhip

1. JustCall

JustCall is one of the top business phone systems in the market. JustCall offers a range of contact center software features such as calling, messaging, calendar, automation, AI, and others. Along with delivering an array of incredible business phone capabilities, JustCall also integrates with solutions like Salesforce, Zoho, HubSpot, and Zapier to help you build a thriving customer engagement ecosystem.

JustCall dialer

Top Features of JustCall

  • Call queues – Route calls to the right agent using IVR, skill-based routing, and caller information to ensure customers reach the right agent and are not kept waiting.
  • Monitor, whisper, or barge – Monitor live agent calls or guide them in real-time with call whispering. At the same time, you can hop on to live calls and speak with the customers directly using the call barging feature.
  • Chrome extension & mobile app- Access the call center software from anywhere on your laptop with the chrome extension and/or on your mobile phone with the app.
  • Conversation intelligence-Gain an unfair advantage over competitors with in-depth real-time and historical conversational insights. This intelligence helps you train your agents in real-time and capture the voice of customers to make well-informed business decisions.
  • Real-time dashboard – Monitor agents’ performance using real-time dashboards and performance analytics.
  • Sales and support automation – Save time on manual tasks with automated sales and support workflows. For sales teams, the automated sales dialer takes over dialing time and connects agents to answered calls only. Automated call distribution, auto attendant and a range of support capabilities help agents focus on resolving customer queries than performing manual tasks.
  • SMS & MMS capabilities- Send bulk SMS and MMS to customers for a more engaging experience. Build streamlined work flows with SMS automation and SMS bots.
  • Call recordingRecord and monitor agent calls to improve quality and performance.

JustCall: Real Reviews from Trusted Sources and a Video Review

Choosing the best business phone systems VoIP for your business is not a cakewalk. On a simple search, you’ll find hundreds of VoIP alternatives claiming to be number one in the market, providing top-notch services. 

You can pick the VoIP protocol that meets your expectations among hundreds of VoIP business telephone systems in the market only if you have relevant information.

Based on hundreds of thousands of reviews left by real JustCall users on multiple platforms, it is safe to say that they are delighted with its top-notch customer service, basic VoIP services like voicemail, call queues, notifications, etc., and advanced features like IVR, real-time call monitoring, automation, and so on.

According to an ocean of customer reviews, some of the pros and cons of JustCall are as follows:

JustCall Pros

  • Easy to implement and use
  • JustCall supports 100+ extraordinary integrations, including Zapier, Zoho, Zendesk, Freshdesk, Slack, etc.
  • More affordable than other VoIP competitors in the market, with more features delivered at a lower cost
  • Incredible onboarding and training service
  • Easy to track customer conversation progress with call recording and dialogue tracking features
  • Responsive and helpful support team

JustCall Cons

  • Reporting views could use more breakdowns
  • Some features could be complex to implement in-house and may need help from the support team

JustCall Star Ratings

Based on user reviews on trusted platforms, JustCall’s star ratings are:

  • Trustpilot– 4.1/5
  • G2– 4.3/5
  • Capterra– 4.1/5
  • TrustRadius– 8.1/10
  • GetVoIP– 4.5/5

JustCall Pricing Plans

  • Essentials – $19 per user/month
  • Team – $29 per user/month
  • Pro – $49 per user/month
  • Business – On request

We also offer new JustCall iQ pricing plans with AI capabilities.

justcall-ai-product-pricing 

Why Use JustCall as an Alternative to VoIP?

  • Easy to setup and use.
  • The business phone system of choice for businesses across industries.
  • Access to quality support with a customer-centric approach. JustCall’s support is known to implement on-demand features for customers at a swift pace.

JustCall is Best-suited for:

JustCall is ideal for enterprises of all sizes (small, mid, and large) and is perfect for a business looking to implement an all-in-one customer communication platform.

2.  Nextiva 

Nextiva offers phone calling, unlimited internet fax, and various features such as Nextiva customer relationship manager (CRM), which can be purchased as an add-on per user. This feature is also included in upper-tier plans, task management tools, and professionally recorded greetings. Additionally, you get unlimited one-to-one video calling in the lowest-tier Essentials plan.

Nextiva Receptionist Dashboard

Top Features of Nextiva

  • Professional greetings: Nextiva records your greeting and uploads the recording to your account.
  • NextOS Analytics: You can gain invaluable insights into employee activity, customer experience, etc., thanks to customizable dashboards, wallboards, and reports. 
  • Nextiva CRM: You can easily keep customer data in front of your agents with Nextiva’s built-in CRM. From customer journey mapping to real-time data, Nextiva’s CRM goes beyond the less detailed contact databases offered by other VoIP services.

Feedback on Nextiva from Real-World Users

Nextiva Pros Nextiva Cons
24/7 phone, chat, and email support available with all plans Offers fewer integrations than other VoIP providers
Access to unlimited internet fax & on-hold music with all subscriptions Doesn’t offer international phone numbers or unlimited global calling
Comes with built-in task management and customer relationship management (CRM) tools Essentials plan has fewer features than other entry-tier packages

Nextiva Star Ratings

Based on user reviews on trusted platforms, Nextiva’s star ratings are:

  • Trustpilot– 3.2/5
  • G2– 4.4/5
  • Capterra– 4.1/5
  • TrustRadius– 7.7/10
  • GetVoIP– 4.6/5

Nextiva Pricing Plans

  • Essential: $30.95 per user, per month 
  • Professional: $35.95 per user, per month 
  • Enterprise: $45.95 per user, per month 
  • Ultimate: $75.95 per user, per month 

 Why Use Nextiva As An Alternative to VoIP?

With Nextiva, you can:

  • Route calls to the right department, thanks to the auto-attendant feature.
  • Get voicemails straight into your email and read them on the go.
  • Forward your calls whenever and wherever you want.
  • Collaborate with your team using HD-quality video conferencing.
  • Send and receive faxes as required.

Nextiva is Best-suited for:

Nextiva is a great option for companies who want plans with professionally recorded greetings, toll-free minutes, and built-in customer relationship management (CRM) tools.

3.  Google Voice 

Founded in 2009, Google Voice is a voice-over-Internet protocol (VoIP) phone service. This service allows you to:

  • Make and receive phone calls
  • Send text messages
  • Forward calls from one number to another

In simpler terms, you can easily manage all communication from your phone.

Google Voice Mobile App

Top Features of Google Voice

  • Free Google phone number
  • Unlimited free calls and text over WiFi
  • Free voice record and calls download
  • Block spam calls with Google Voice
  • Google Voice Do Not Disturb Mode

 Feedback on Google Voice from Real-World Users

Google Voice Pros Google Voice Cons
Google Voice calls come directly to the mobile phone and computer Sometimes, there’s a problem with voice vibration
Allows for direct client contact, without a receptionist or assistant taking calls and relaying messages Voicemail transcripts are not accurate sometimes
Voicemail ensures that the user gets the client’s messages promptly when they’re not available Interface changes often
Integrates well across Google products such as Gmail Purchasing international calls is difficult

 

Google Voice Star Ratings

Based on user reviews on trusted platforms, Google Voice’s star ratings are:

  • Trustpilot– 3.6/5
  • G2– 4.1/5
  • Capterra– 4.5/5
  • TrustRadius– 7.7/10
  • GetVoIP– 4.4/5

Google Voice Pricing Plans

  • Starter: $10 per user/per month
  • Standard: $20 per user/per month
  • Premier: $30 per user/per month

Why Use Google Voice As An Alternative to VoIP?

  • Google Voice easily fits into the suite of Google products and business tools

Google is Voice Best-suited for:

It is best suited for solopreneurs who want to protect the privacy of their personal telephone numbers and give a more professional appearance. It is not recommended for companies with more than 5-10 employees that need multiple extensions and telephone numbers.

4.  Skype 

Skype is one of the popular alternatives to VoIP, especially if your use case revolves around meetings and demos. With this tool, you can do the following:

  • Leverage messaging, video, and voice messages.
  • Place video and phone calls through the app from smartphones, laptops, and desktops.
  • Chat via instant messaging.
  • Enjoy 10 GB of file storage within the app.
  • Share your screen and files with anyone in your chat.

The primary reason behind Skype’s popularity is that calls via Skype are free. Only calls to landlines/cellular networks are charged. This tool also comes with a built-in translator, which translates phone calls in real-time.

Skype Windows Voice Call

Top Features of Skype

  • Audio and HD video calling
  • Smart messaging
  • Screen sharing
  • Call recording and Live subtitles
  • Call phones
  • Private conversations

Feedback on Skype from Real-World Users

Skype Pros Skype Cons
Since everyone is fairly familiar with the software, it’s easy to introduce in a company setting Connectivity issues as it freezes sometimes
The ability to chat with people from other countries Lacks new features
It is an easy to use software; you can master all the available features  Sometimes, there is a lagging problem
Like all Microsoft products, it can be used across devices; the end-to-end encryption is a good feature Sometimes, new updates create conflict with old users

 

Skype Star Ratings

Based on user reviews on trusted platforms, Skype’s star ratings are:

  • Trustpilot– 1.6/5
  • G2– 4.3/5
  • Capterra– 4.2/5
  • TrustRadius– 7.6/10
  • GetVoIP– 4.5/5

Skype Pricing Plans

Skype is available for free

Why Use Skype As An Alternative to VoIP?

Skype allows you to make and receive calls. You can also chat and share files within your team, making it a perfect communication tool. However, you won’t get access to features such as voice answering features, auto attendants, call routing, or call forwarding to serve your customers.

Skype is Best-suited for:

Skype is a great product to have as an individual or as a business.

5.  WhatsApp 

Another popular messaging and communication app on the block is WhatsApp. Like Skype, you can chat with people across the globe using WhatsApp. Unknown to many, WhatsApp is a VoIP option, employing VoIP technology for its voice and video calls.

WhatsApp desktop chat Interface

Top Features of WhatsApp

  • Activity Dashboard
  • Alerts/Notifications
  • Audio Calls
  • Batch Communications
  • Canned Responses
  • Chat/Messaging
  • File Sharing
  • Mobile Access
  • Multi-Channel Communication
  • On-Demand Communications
  • Personalization
  • Third-Party Integrations
  • Video Conferencing
  • Video Support

 Feedback on WhatsApp from Real-World Users

WhatsApp Pros WhatsApp Cons
It is available free of cost There is no way to reorder your contact list
It helps to establish informal international business communications  The network is sometimes poor, so the call keeps disconnecting 
It is easy to use; plus, from typing to text to speech, the app is the best in the market Doesn’t work without the internet
You can easily communicate with your customers and send high-quality videos  

 

WhatsApp Star Ratings

Based on user reviews on trusted platforms, WhatsApp’s star ratings are:

  • Trustpilot– 1.7/5
  • G2– NA
  • Capterra– 4.7/5
  • TrustRadius– 8.2/10
  • GetVoIP– NA

WhatsApp Pricing Plans

WhatsApp is available free of cost.

Why Use WhatsApp As An Alternative to VoIP?

With WhatsApp, you can:

  • Easily connect with customers and respond to their inquiries within the app via the chat feature
  • Use quick replies and automated messages to streamline the communication and accelerate your responses

WhatsApp is Best-suited for:

The WhatsApp Business App is free to download and is best suited for small business owners. To use WhatsApp for larger businesses, go on over to Business API where you can send messages with images, videos, and GIFs. If you want to quickly and easily communicate with your customers, WhatsApp works perfectly.

6.  Spoke 

If you are looking to increase your business outcome and want to democratize contact center conversations across your organization, Spoke should be on your list. By leveraging this platform, you can convert your mobile phone into a full-fledged business phone system. In terms of benefits, you can:

Spoke Phone System

Top Features of Spoke

  • Access Controls/Permissions
  • Alerts/Notifications
  • Auto-Dialer
  • Automatic Call Distribution
  • Call Center Management
  • Call Disposition
  • Call List Management
  • Call Logging
  • Call Monitoring
  • Call Recording
  • Call Reporting
  • Call Routing
  • Call Tracking
  • Call Transfer
  • Chat/Messaging

Feedback on Spoke from Real-World Users

Spoke Pros Spoke Cons
Easy to set up and the support is fantastic The cost is steep for the features
Great for small and large businesses as you can add several numbers Setting the work hours can be confusing
User-friendly and simple interface; updates are great – they listen to what the customers want and make the improvements with them in mind Bluetooth compatibility can be better
Platform works well  

 

Spoke Star Ratings

Based on user reviews on trusted platforms, Spoke’s star ratings are:

  • Trustpilot– NA
  • G2– 3.3/5
  • Capterra– 4.7/5
  • TrustRadius– NA
  • GetVoIP– NA

Spoke Pricing Plans

Pricing starts from $15/month; Spoke provides mix-and-match licensing, which allows you to buy the right license type based on your specific needs.

Why Use Spoke As An Alternative to VoIP?

  • Instead of buying new phones for your employees and boosting costs, you can simply use their smartphones as the business phone.
  • Spoke is AI-powered so you can customize the program to cater to your business needs.
  • Spoke is modern, customizable, and easy to use, giving functionality and mobility for a much more flexible office.

Spoke is Best-suited for:

Spoke is ideal for companies with 50 to 10,000 employees.

7.  TextRequest 

Text Request is similar to WhatsApp. It empowers businesses to:

  • Ignite customer engagement-from sending customers reminders to simply keeping in touch with them.
  • Leverage plug-and-play messaging solutions for everyday communication problems.
  • Cut through the noise and connect with customers anytime, anywhere.
  • Scale operations easily–from one person handling a few conversations to thousands of employees sending millions of messages.
  • Use custom solutions built on the API.

Text Request Dashboard

Top Features of TextRequest

  • Unlimited users
  • Unlimited group messaging
  • Picture messaging
  • Message forwarding
  • Autoresponders
  • Saved responses
  • Unlimited chat history
  • Landline texting

 Feedback on TextRequest from Real-World Users

TextRequest Pros TextRequest Cons
Great tool for a mid-sized company and a large contact base The inability to block a number
The ability to let multiple users access and reply to all conversations is incredibly helpful and allows users to make sure all questions and needs are answered Setup can be tricky
Constant additions to features to make the user experience better Sometimes, upgrades cause functionality issues
Super easy to text multiple people with both pictures and texts The pricing is steep

TextRequest Star Ratings

Based on user reviews on trusted platforms, TextRequest’s star ratings are:

  • Trustpilot– 4.5/5
  • G2– 4.5/5
  • Capterra– 4.5/5
  • TrustRadius– NA
  • GetVoIP– NA

TextRequest Pricing Plans

  • Basic – Starts at $49/month for 1,000 texts
  • Starter – Starts at $119/month for 2,500 texts and $0.04 for each additional text sent
  • Corporate – Starts at $249/month with 6,500 texts and $0.03 for each additional text
  • Enterprise – Starts at $499/month with 20,000 included texts and $0.02 for each one after that

Why TextRequest As An Alternative to VoIP

  • TextRequest is an excellent communication platform, which enables you to communicate with your employees and ensure everyone is on the same page at all times.

TextRequest Best-suited for:

TextRequest is best-suited for organizations that need an enhanced way of connecting with customers and employees via texting. 

8.  ZipWhip 

ZipWhip is another text messaging-only platform that is perfect if you wish to convert your existing business phone number into an SMS-ready phone number. How will this help? Basically, when your customers text your business, the message will pop up on your mobile/desktop.

To make things easier, you can leverage ready-made templates, schedule message delivery for the future, and set auto-replies. All in all, if you want to text a customer using your existing landline, VoIP, or toll-free phone number, ZipWhip can turn out to be a beneficial investment.

ZipWhip Dashboard

Top Features of ZipWhip

With ZipWhip, you can send the following type of messages:

  • Alerts and reminders of upcoming appointments
  • Billing reminders
  • Marketing and promotions
  • Recruiting
  • Service and support
  • 2-Way Messaging
  • Contact Management
  • Mass Texting
  • Message Personalization
  • MMS
  • Mobile Keywords
  • Reporting/Analytics
  • Scheduled Messaging

Feedback on ZipWhip from Real-World Users

ZipWhip Pros ZipWhip Cons
Great connectivity and enhanced customer experience Customer support can be better
Customers love the reminders and updates they receive Since the company is located in the Pacific time zone, users have to wait to get access to the support center
Customers also love the ability to send the company a text at the brand’s service telephone number  
The ability to look back into the history of texts is super helpful  

ZipWhip Star Ratings

Based on user reviews on trusted platforms, ZipWhip’s star ratings are:

Trustpilot– 2.9/5
G2– NA
Capterra– 4.6/5
TrustRadius– 8.2/10
GetVoIP– NA

ZipWhip Pricing Plans

  • Starter – $19 per month
  • Unlimited – $49 per month
  • Premium – $99 per month
  • Commercial – Contact ZipWhip directly for pricing details

Why Use ZipWhip As An Alternative to VoIP?

  • ZipWhip allows agents to use the same number but have separately logged messages and communication history
  • It also helps manage multiple users on the same phone number better than VoIP and easily integrates with Zoho CRM 

ZipWhip is Best-suited for:

The ZipWhip solution is perfectly suited for businesses of all sizes-from small businesses to large-scale enterprises.

Factors We Used to Evaluate These Alternatives to VoIP

Given below are the factors that have been taken into consideration to make the comprehensive list of the top eight alternatives to VoIP in the market:

1.Budget-friendliness

We used the pricing plans, level of affordability, features offered in relation to the price, customer reviews about the value for money, etc., to curate this list.

2.Suitability

The platform’s flexibility and suitability for enterprises of all sizes and scopes also influenced this list.

3.Features offered

The range of features offered by the VoIP software influenced our list. It includes simple VoIP features like call recording, queuing, conferencing, messaging, international calling, etc., and advanced features like reporting, analytics, AI, integrations, IVR, CRM, etc.

4. Brand value

Brand value and reputability of the platform, including the number of users and reviews, influenced our list.

5.Customer service

The availability and readiness of a dedicated customer service team to solve user problems are among the most important factors we used to evaluate alternatives to VoIP.

On a Final Note…

All things considered, it goes without saying that selecting the right kind of VoIP phone service requires plenty of hard work, time, and effort. You need to understand the major competitors in the market, weigh each platform’s pros and cons, consider your business needs and use cases, and stick to a budget. 

Take a cue from the list above, and make sure to do your homework. You can always read more authentic customer reviews online on websites such as G2, Capterra, TrustRadius, and Trustpilot. You’ll also need to set up demos. Plus, you should aim to use the product first-hand via a free trial. Once you’ve done the above, you can shortlist the top 2 selections and speak to your team about which platform to opt for; a little effort, in the beginning, goes a long way.

 

 

With a foundational role at Saas Labs, Anand has been a key player in establishing the Product Management function and spearheading the launch of our Conversation Intelligence solution. His expertise in AI innovation guides both the strategic direction of the products and a team committed to excellence.

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