VoIP providers compared, feature by feature
Most business VoIP providers advertise a similar starting price per user, and most of them offer local numbers, apps and unlimited calling in the US and Canada. The real differences sit lower down the plan table: which tier includes the auto attendant, whether call recording costs extra, how long recordings are kept, whether reports are basic or real, and how long the contract runs. This page gives you a checklist to compare VoIP providers on those points, including us.
How to compare business VoIP providers
Start with the plan you would actually need, not the cheapest one on the page. Write down the features your team uses every day, then check which tier of each provider includes all of them. The price of that tier, per user, is the number to compare.
- Auto attendant and multi-level menus: on the entry plan or only higher up.
- Call recording: included, extra per user, or limited to higher tiers.
- Recording storage: how many days, and whether you can search and export.
- Call analytics: a call log only, or dashboards with missed calls and wait times.
- Business texting, call queues and CRM integrations: which plan unlocks them.
- Contract length, cancellation terms and whether number porting costs anything.
- Emergency calling setup and what happens to calls when the internet drops.
The best known VoIP service providers, in general terms
RingCentral, Nextiva, 8x8, Dialpad and Ooma are among the providers most businesses look at. Their plan structures differ: some put advanced analytics or recording in higher tiers, some bundle contact center tools, some sell mainly through a sales team with quoted pricing, and some focus on small offices with a lighter admin console. Prices and inclusions change often, so check the current pricing pages on their sites before comparing. We do not rate other providers here, and you should be cautious with any page that does. Our longer guide, best VoIP providers for business, walks through the questions to ask in a sales call, and our RingCentral alternative page explains how our plans are built.
Where Youvoip stands on the checklist
We built our plans around one rule: the basics are on every plan. The auto attendant, call routing, voicemail to email with transcription, the mobile and desktop apps, call recording and call analytics are all on Essentials. Higher plans add scale, not basics: texting and call queues on Business, unlimited recording storage and multi-site on Ultimate, SSO and an SLA on Enterprise. There is no contract, and number porting is at no charge. That means the per-user price on our pricing page is the price you pay for the features you use.
Checklist, filled in for Youvoip Essentials
- Auto attendant, multi-level
- included
- Call routing, ring groups, hours and holidays: included
- Voicemail to email with transcription
- included
- Call recording, on demand and automatic
- included, 90 days
- Call analytics, missed calls and answer rate per user: included
- Mobile, desktop and web apps
- included
- Contract
- none, cancel any time
- Number porting
- no charge
Check each feature in detail
Compare feature pages side by side with what other providers offer: IVR system, call routing software, voicemail to email, call recording software, call analytics software and number porting. If cost is the deciding factor, read VoIP cost per user. IT teams can review VoIP security and enterprise VoIP systems.
Our pricing, for your comparison
From $19 per user per month, billed yearly, with every basic feature above included. See every plan and the seat calculator on VoIP pricing.
Questions about choosing a VoIP provider
What should I compare first between VoIP providers?
Compare the price of the tier that includes everything your team needs, not the lowest advertised price. Recording, analytics and the auto attendant are the features most often placed in higher tiers.
Are VoIP contracts common?
Some providers offer lower prices in exchange for a term contract. Youvoip has no contract, and you can cancel any time.
Can I switch VoIP providers without changing my number?
Yes. Business numbers can be ported between providers. With Youvoip, porting is at no charge and your old service keeps working until the port completes.
How do I test a provider before committing?
Ask for a hands-on look at the admin console. Youvoip has an interactive demo where you build a call menu, hear the greeting and simulate a call in your browser.
Compare with your own call flow
Create your account and set up the plan you need, or open the demo and build your menu to see how the console works.