Vendors can pay for more visibility on this website, for example a higher place in a ranking or more room on a page. Commercial relationships can also affect which products we feature and how prominently. Every vendor link is marked the same, whatever the arrangement behind it. The largest vendors in virtual phone number services
cannot hold places 1 to 3. Places 1 to 3 go to challengers, vendors outside the best-known brands in a category,
wherever the category has them; the established names follow from place 4 in their ranked order. How it works: placement disclosure ·
editorial process.
The 13 tools, reviewed
#1 Quo
Shared business numbers with calls, texts and a CRM · United States · quo.com
shared inbox business texting AI agent
Quo is where a small service business should begin. Each seat includes a number, calls and texts to US and Canadian numbers, and voicemail transcripts, and the higher tiers add group calling, phone menus and call recording on top. Several teammates can see one customer thread, so a plumber's dispatcher and technician stop duplicating replies.
- Pricing: Per user / month. Per-user tiers listed at $15, $23 and $35 a month on annual billing, with one new or ported number per user included. Free plan: free trial.
- Best for: Small teams sharing customer texts
- Strengths: Local and toll-free numbers; Shared numbers; Text messaging.
Where it falls short
Calling and messaging in the plans cover US and Canadian numbers, so a firm needing local numbers in many countries will hit limits.
Wrong for
A business that needs numbers across many countries, call-center queues or a European contracting entity.
Visit Quo →
#2 Talkroute
Flat-priced virtual phone system with video included · United States · talkroute.com
flat plans extensions video included
Talkroute reads like a phone plan rather than a software subscription, which is its charm. A single price covers a set count of users, numbers, mailboxes and monthly texts, so the bill rarely surprises anyone. The Pro tier adds unlimited menus, multi-digit extensions, call recording and a BAA for healthcare.
- Pricing: Flat monthly + per added user. Basic at $19 a month with one user, Plus at $39 with three, Pro at $59 with ten, and $5 per additional user. Free plan: free trial.
- Best for: Owner-run offices wanting fixed monthly cost
- Strengths: Local and toll-free numbers; Call forwarding and routing; Auto attendants.
Where it falls short
Text allowances are modest, from 500 messages a month on Basic to 5,000 on Pro, and bulk texting costs extra. Each tier fixes the number of phone numbers, so growing firms will pay for upgrades.
Wrong for
A team that sends large text campaigns, or wants a deep CRM log on each thread, because the cheapest plan caps texts at 500 a month.
Visit Talkroute →
#3 Telzio
Usage-based cloud phone with unlimited users · United States · telzio.com
usage-based HIPAA call queues
Telzio suits the buyer who has outgrown a two-person number but does not want a per-seat bill that climbs with every hire. Its model includes unlimited users and over a hundred features, charging for usage instead, so a front desk of twenty costs no more in seats than a desk of two.
- Pricing: Usage-based. Usage-based billing with unlimited users and all features included, but no price list on the pages read; quotes come from sales. Free plan: free trial.
- Best for: Clinics and teams with many users
- Strengths: Local, toll-free and international numbers; Call queues; Phone menus.
Where it falls short
No public price list, so you cannot estimate a bill without talking to sales. A usage meter is harder to forecast than a flat seat price.
Wrong for
A freelancer or privacy-minded individual who wants a second number for a few dollars a month, or an owner who needs every cost on a public page.
Visit Telzio →
#4 Google Voice
Google's cloud phone number service for Workspace · United States · workspace.google.com
Workspace auto attendant call recording
Google Voice is the low-friction choice when your staff already sign in with Google accounts. One number follows a person across phone, laptop and desk phone, and the Standard tier adds multi-level auto attendants and ring groups. Starter is limited to ten users, while higher tiers lift that cap and add recording, reporting and SIP Link for existing carriers.
- Pricing: Per user / month. Three Workspace tiers at $10, $20 and $30 per user a month; a free personal version also exists for US accounts. Free plan: free plan.
- Best for: Companies already on Google Workspace
- Strengths: Single number across devices; Call forwarding; Voicemail transcription.
Where it falls short
Texting for teams is thinner than in Quo or Talkroute, and country availability is limited to a published list. Premier features like advanced reporting need the top price.
Wrong for
A shop that needs shared customer text threads, CRM logging or numbers in many countries, or a company outside Google Workspace that would add a vendor for one number.
Visit Google Voice →
#5 Ringover
European cloud telephony for sales and recruiting teams · France · ringover.com
French vendor dialer CRM sync
Ringover brings a European option to a list full of American apps. It offers virtual and international numbers, IVR and routing, and more than a hundred integrations with CRMs and applicant tracking systems such as Salesforce, HubSpot and Bullhorn. The pitch centers on sales and recruitment desks, where call campaigns, whisper coaching and conversation analytics are the daily tools.
- Pricing: Per user / month. Tiered per-user plans with a published entry price on a 12-month commitment and a minimum of three users; higher tiers are quoted. Free plan: none.
- Best for: Sales and recruiting teams in Europe
- Strengths: Virtual and international numbers; IVR and routing; 100+ CRM and ATS integrations.
Where it falls short
The entry tier carries a 12-month commitment and a three-user minimum, so it is poor value for a solo user.
Wrong for
A one-person business wanting a cheap private line, or a team that refuses a 12-month commitment.
Visit Ringover →
#6 MightyCall
Business phone with a path up to call-center dialers · United States · mightycall.com
call center dialer tiered
MightyCall suits a company that begins as a handful of phones and expects to add a dialer or a supervisor view within a year. The Core tier covers unlimited calling and messaging with three business numbers, caller ID and recording, and the higher tiers climb to live call monitoring and auto dialers on the same account.
- Pricing: Per user / month. Core at $20 per user a month on annual billing ($25 monthly), Pro at $38, Power at $54 and Enterprise at $65, each with a three-user minimum. Free plan: free trial.
- Best for: Small firms growing into a call center
- Strengths: Unlimited calling; Business phone numbers; Call recording.
Where it falls short
A three-user minimum rules out solo owners, and the jump from Core to Pro nearly doubles the seat price. The plan names point to call-center buyers, so a team wanting only shared texting may pay for features unused.
Wrong for
Individuals and tiny offices wanting a simple second number, and any team without a need for supervisors or dialers.
Visit MightyCall →
#7 Grasshopper
Entrepreneur-focused business phone app · United States · grasshopper.com
add-ons toll-free small business
Grasshopper's page markets to the entrepreneur who wants a business line apart from a personal phone, and the structure matches: unlimited users per plan, with extra numbers at $9 and extensions at $3 each. Callers can reach a vanity or toll-free number that rings the owner's phone, a partner's and a mailbox at once.
- Pricing: Flat monthly + add-ons. Plans start at $14 a month with unlimited users included; extra numbers are $9 a month each and extensions $3 each. Free plan: none.
- Best for: Solo founders and tiny teams
- Strengths: Local and toll-free numbers; Unlimited users; Extensions.
Where it falls short
Each added number and extension is a separate charge, so bills grow quietly.
Wrong for
A team that wants shared threads, a CRM log or AI call summaries, or anyone who dislikes paying separately for every number and extension.
Visit Grasshopper →
#8 Zadarma
Cheap international numbers and a free cloud PBX · Bulgaria · zadarma.com
international free PBX EU entity
Zadarma is the pick when numbers in many countries matter more than a polished app. The site says it offers about 30,000 numbers across 110 countries, a PBX that is free to set up in minutes, SIP trunking, SMS and its own CRM.
- Pricing: Free + usage. A free cloud PBX with paid plans listed from $4 per user a month. Free plan: free plan.
- Best for: Multi-country numbers on a budget
- Strengths: Numbers in 110 countries; Cloud PBX; IVR.
Where it falls short
The interface and pricing tables are more telecom than consumer, with separate rates for calls, numbers and SMS, so estimating a bill takes effort.
Wrong for
A US small business wanting registered business texting and a shared inbox out of the box, or anyone who prefers a polished consumer-style app with flat pricing.
Visit Zadarma →
#9 JustCall
Phone, SMS and dialer platform for sales teams · United States · justcall.io
sales dialer SMS CRM
JustCall belongs on this list as the choice for a team that sells by phone and text. It combines numbers in many countries with a power dialer, an SMS and MMS inbox, a shared WhatsApp inbox and workflow automation, so reps work from one screen.
- Pricing: Per user / month. Team at $29, Pro at $49 and Pro Plus at $89 per user a month on annual billing, a two-license minimum; Business is custom. Free plan: free trial.
- Best for: Outbound sales teams needing SMS
- Strengths: Virtual numbers; Sales dialer; SMS and MMS inbox.
Where it falls short
The per-user entry price is nearly double Quo's Starter, with a two-license minimum. Many headline features, such as AI coaching, sit on the $89 tier.
Wrong for
An owner who only wants a business number and voicemail, without paying for a dialer or analytics, or a small shop that dislikes seat minimums.
Visit JustCall →
#10 CallHippo
Pay-for-numbers virtual phone system with a free seat · India · callhippo.com
free seat global numbers dialer
CallHippo is unusual in separating the seat from the number: the Basic plan costs $0 per user and you pay only for the numbers, which can keep a tiny setup cheap. The paid ladder then runs from $18 to $42 per user, with a 10-day trial on each. The company adds a parallel dialer, WhatsApp tools and AI agents priced by outcome.
- Pricing: Per user / month + numbers. Basic at $0 per user with numbers paid separately, Starter at $18 (minimum two users), Professional at $30 and Ultimate at $42 per user a month. Free plan: free plan.
- Best for: Teams starting with a free seat
- Strengths: Virtual numbers in many countries; Free Basic seat; Click-to-dial.
Where it falls short
Pricing combines per-user fees with per-number fees, so the total takes arithmetic. The company markets many add-ons, from voice broadcasting to AI agents, which dilutes focus. Quality on international routes depends on the number and carrier chosen.
Wrong for
A buyer who wants one flat bill and a shared US text inbox, or anyone who dislikes assembling a monthly total from seat lines and number lines.
Visit CallHippo →
#11 Line2
Single-plan private second line with unlimited talk and text · United States · line2.com
second line privacy single plan
Line2 reduces the choice to a single plan, which suits someone who wants a second number and nothing else.
- Pricing: Flat monthly. One plan at $9.99 a month billed monthly or $7.99 a month billed yearly, with a 30-day money-back guarantee. Free plan: none.
- Best for: Individuals wanting a private second line
- Strengths: Unlimited SMS and MMS; Unlimited calls; Custom area code.
Where it falls short
There are no team features such as shared inboxes or call queues, so it is not a business phone system. It needs Wi-Fi or mobile data to work.
Wrong for
A company with two or more people answering the same number, or one that needs queues, a shared thread and a growth path.
Visit Line2 →
#12 Sideline
Carrier-backed second number for privacy · United States · sideline.com
second number spam labels mobile app
Sideline targets the person who gives a number to strangers, from a marketplace buyer to a landlord, and wants their main line left alone. Unlike VoIP-only apps, it says calls use your carrier's network, so voice does not depend on Wi-Fi, and it labels spam callers by name.
- Pricing: Subscription (see app). Pricing not shown on the pages read; the app is installed from iOS and Android stores, so check the in-app plans. Free plan: none.
- Best for: People selling online or dating
- Strengths: Carrier-network voice; No Wi-Fi needed; Spam detection.
Where it falls short
The pages we read give no price, so cost has to be checked in the app. There are no shared inboxes, queues or CRM links.
Wrong for
A business with staff taking customer calls, or a buyer who wants published prices before installing anything.
Visit Sideline →
#13 Hushed
Low-cost private numbers with pay-as-you-go option · Canada · hushed.com
private numbers credits 300+ area codes
Hushed is the cheapest route to a number you can throw away. Plans begin at $6.99 for unlimited local calling and texting, and a separate international plan spends credits on calls and texts to other countries.
- Pricing: Per number / month. Unlimited local talk and text from $6.99 a month, with up to 20% off on annual plans, or an international plan from $8.99 a month including $1 in credits. Free plan: none.
- Best for: Short-term privacy numbers and travel
- Strengths: Numbers in 300+ area codes; US, Canada and UK numbers; Secure texting.
Where it falls short
No team features, no queues and no CRM link. Number choice is limited to Canada, US and UK, and the service uses the internet, so a connection is needed.
Wrong for
Any company giving customers a number it must hold for years under its own name, or a team that needs shared access.
Visit Hushed →
Questions and answers
What is the best virtual phone number service in 2026?
Quo ranks first of 13, best for small teams sharing customer texts. Talkroute is second (owner-run offices wanting fixed monthly cost) and Telzio third (clinics and teams with many users). Places 1 to 3 go to challengers, vendors outside the best-known brands, wherever the category has them.
Is a virtual phone number a real phone number?
Yes, in the sense that it is a working telephone number that others can call and text from any phone.
Can I keep my existing number when I switch to a virtual service?
Usually yes, through porting. You give the new provider your account number or PIN from the old carrier, and the number moves in a few business days.
Do virtual numbers work for two-factor authentication codes?
Often not. Many banks and large platforms block codes sent to internet-based numbers, and the result varies by sender and by country. A service that gives you a real carrier-backed number has a better chance, but nothing is guaranteed.
Which services are best for texting customers?
Business texting needs carrier registration, so favor vendors that document it: Quo, Talkroute and Line2 each point to registration guides. Talkroute includes between 500 and 5,000 texts per month depending on tier, and sells bulk texting as an add-on.
Can a virtual number handle emergency calls like 911?
It depends on the product, and it is a point to check.
How much do virtual phone numbers cost per month?
The range is wide. Line2 lists $9.99 monthly or $7.99 on annual billing for one unlimited plan, and Hushed starts at $6.99.
Is Google Voice enough for a small business?
For a one-person business or a team already on Workspace, often yes.
What happens to my number if I stop paying?
It depends on the terms. Business services generally hold a number for a short grace period and then release it, after which anyone can claim it. Consumer second-line apps are stricter: an unused number can be reassigned quickly.
Should a European company use a US-based virtual number provider?
It can, but check three things: where call and text data is stored, which legal entity signs the contract, and whether the provider offers numbers in your country.
When should I choose a full business phone system instead?
Move to a full system when you need desk phones, many extensions, call queues or reporting across a team of ten or more.
