Best Hosted Business Phone Systems to Boost Telephony Communication

A Hosted Phone System, also known as a Hosted PBX or Cloud Phone System, is a modern business phone system that operates over the internet and is managed off-site by a third-party provider.

Traditional phone systems often require expensive hardware, complex setups, and constant maintenance by in-house IT teams. They also lack flexibility, especially when employees need to work remotely or when a business is growing quickly.

A Hosted Phone System solves these issues by moving the phone system to the cloud. Instead of investing in on-site equipment, businesses can use internet-connected devices (desk phones, smartphones, or computers) to make and receive calls.

The best hosted phone systems for businesses include Calilio, RingCentral, Ringover, Vonage, Ooma, Dialpad, Grasshopper, CloudTalk, GoTo Connect, and Aircall. They enable flexible calling, global connectivity, remote team collaboration, and seamless integrations, all without on-premise hardware.

Calilio is the best hosted phone system that operates over the internet and allows businesses to manage calls without relying on traditional phone lines or hardware. This business phone system is equipped with AI-driven features, including call transcription, which automatically converts spoken conversations into text for easy review and documentation.Additionally, its sentiment analysis tool detects the emotional tone of callers, enabling teams to assess customer satisfaction in real-time and respond more effectively.

Features:

1. Business hours for automatically routing calls based on your set working hours to ensure a timely response and a better customer experience.
2. Records and transcribes messages so you never miss important communication.
3. An Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system for creating customized call menus to direct callers to the right team or department.
4. Listen to live calls for real-time quality assurance and agent support.
5. Voicemail-to-email to receive voicemails as MP3s via email.
6. Power dialer to automate outbound calling.

Pricing:

RingCentral stands out as a leading hosted phone system, offering businesses a cloud-based alternative to traditional on-premise PBX hardware. This system allows businesses to make, receive, and manage calls over the internet using VoIP technology.All core telephony functions are delivered virtually through RingCentral’s secure cloud infrastructure. This eliminates the need for costly hardware, simplifies management, and ensures seamless connectivity between employees, whether they’re in the office or working remotely.

Features:

1. Online Portal Management to administer and edit essential phone functions, including setting up Ring Groups, extensions, and call routing paths with ease.
2. Virtual Presence to check team members' online, offline, or engaged status for more efficient call handling.
3. Auto-attendant to route calls to the appropriate person or department.
4. Hold options to select customizable audio, such as music, announcements, or promotions, for customers waiting in queues.
5. Conference Bridging to host large conference calls with multiple participants.

Pricing:

Ringover is a cloud-based hosted phone system that simplifies business interactions while delivering enterprise-grade features.Unlike traditional phone setups that require costly, complex hardware, Ringover operates entirely over the internet, eliminating installation fees and physical infrastructure. All system functions are managed through Ringover’s secure cloud servers, so users only need to log in via web, desktop, or mobile apps to get started.

Features:

1. Voicemail-to-email and voicemail transcription for easy message retrieval.
2. Call logs and recordings to track and review interactions.
3. Video conferencing and instant messaging for unified communication.
4. IVR and advanced call forwarding for smart call routing.
5. Call Campaigns and Power Dialer to enhance outbound calling efficiency.

Pricing:

CloudTalk is a top cloud-based phone system built to transform business communications through internet-powered calling with intelligent features tailored for sales and customer service teams. It includes advanced tools like parallel dialing and voicemail skip to boost call efficiency and significantly increase the number of live conversations.CloudTalk seamlessly integrates with popular CRM platforms and Helpdesk software, creating a unified communication environment to track performance and improve customer interactions.

Features:

1. Automatically route calls with IVR and smart call distribution to reduce wait times and manual handling.
2. Track performance with call monitoring, sentiment analysis.
3. Talk/Listen Ratio insights.
4. Record calls automatically to review customer conversations and support quality assurance.
5. Dial multiple numbers in parallel with the AI-powered Smart Dialer to boost productivity.

Pricing:

GoTo Connect is a robust hosted phone system that replaces outdated on-premise PBX setups with a flexible, cloud-based solution. Everything runs over the internet, so your team can take calls from desktops or even mobile devices.You can get a full-featured business phone system right out of the box, complete with auto-attendants, voicemail-to-email, call forwarding, conferencing, and more.

Features:

1. Unlimited business phone numbers and extensions for flexible communication options across multiple locations.
2. Number porting and automatic transfers for a smooth transition from existing phone systems.
3. Voicemail-to-email, text, or transcript for easy access and management of messages.
4. Automatic Call Routing and Queueing for seamless call handling across teams and devices.

Pricing:

Ooma’s Hosted PBX is a cloud-based business phone solution that replaces traditional landline systems with a more flexible, scalable, and cost-effective alternative. This phone system enables employees to make and receive calls from anywhere using an internet-connected desktop or mobile device, making it ideal for remote or hybrid teams.With over 50 standard features, CRM integration, video conferencing, and real-time support, Ooma unifies communication across voice, text, and video on a single platform.

Features:

1. Virtual receptionist with custom greetings, menus, and routing.
2. Voicemail-to-email and transcription for easy message access.
3. Call routing, forwarding, and queuing to manage calls efficiently.
4. Call recording for quality assurance and compliance.
5. Hot desking and find-me/follow-me to support flexible work arrangements.

Pricing:

Vonage is a leading provider of cloud-based communication solutions, offering businesses a versatile and feature-rich hosted phone system. With VoIP technology, Vonage eliminates the need for on-site PBX hardware, delivering reliable, high-quality communication entirely over the internet.What sets Vonage apart is its Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) platform. It combines voice, video, messaging, and SMS into a single interface, helping teams collaborate more effectively and serve customers more efficiently.

Features:

1. Automatically generate transcripts of conversations and meetings for documentation and review.
2. Enhance customer engagement and agent efficiency through AI virtual assistance.
3. Host video meetings with advanced collaboration tools like screen sharing, whiteboarding, and reactions.
4. Real-time analytics and reporting dashboards to monitor performance and track team productivity.
5. Enable call recording for inbound and outbound calls.

Pricing:

Aircall is a cloud-based hosted phone system that operates over the internet, eliminating the need for physical infrastructure and making it simple to set up and manage from any device. It offers advanced call management features, including call routing, call monitoring, IVR, and call queuing.With seamless integrations to popular tools like Salesforce, HubSpot, and Zendesk, it streamlines workflows and improves customer experience.

Features:

1. Record calls for training, quality assurance, and compliance purposes.
2. Set customized schedules to control when you receive calls from customers or prospects.
3. Record and upload customized voicemail messages to greet customers and prospects when you're away.
4. Host conference calls with up to five participants.
5. Set up an automated phone menu that guides callers to the right team.

Pricing:

Dialpad is a next-generation hosted phone system that leverages cloud-based VoIP technology to deliver flexible and scalable business communication.This cloud phone system enables businesses to make voice calls, conduct video meetings, and send SMS/MMS messages all through a single unified application accessible on desktops, mobile devices, or web browsers. Its virtual phone system allows for quick setup, number porting, and seamless call management, making it ideal for remote teams and growing businesses.

Features:

1. Set up auto-attendants to guide callers to the appropriate agent or department.
2. Transcribe phone calls with summaries sent post-call.
3. Call flip to switch live calls between desktop and mobile apps.
4. Business hours configuration for setting availability to receive calls based on your operating hours.

Pricing:

Grasshopper is a hosted virtual phone system designed to help small businesses and entrepreneurs manage professional communications without the need for traditional hardware.It allows users to choose from toll-free, vanity, or local business numbers, or port their existing one and manage the entire phone system through mobile or desktop apps. You can make and receive calls, send business texts, and manage voicemail from anywhere, helping you stay connected while keeping personal and work calls separate.

Features:

1. Forward calls to any phone number, so you never miss important calls.
2. Access voicemail and receive transcriptions directly via text or email.
3. Send and receive faxes virtually without a fax machine.
4. Manage how incoming calls are routed and handled.
5. Call detail records for quality assurance and training purposes.

Pricing:

To choose the right hosted phone system, focus on key factors such as ease of use, essential communication features, scalability, and compatibility with your business tools.

1. Scalability: Select a cloud-based phone system that can scale with your business. Whether you're a solo entrepreneur or a growing team, choose a provider that offers flexible user and extension management.
2. Integration Capabilities: Ensure the system integrates with your CRM, helpdesk, or other productivity tools to streamline workflows and improve client interactions.
3. Ease of Use: Look for platforms with intuitive dashboards and straightforward setup processes. This reduces training time and boosts user adoption across your team.
4. Pricing & Plan Flexibility: Evaluate plans based on features, the number of users, and whether pricing is offered on a monthly or annual basis.
5. Security & Reliability: Ensure the system adheres to industry-standard security protocols and provides high uptime guarantees, backed by responsive customer support.
6. Core Features: Prioritize essential VoIP tools, including call forwarding, voicemail, call recording, call transcript, and mobile/desktop app access.
7. Test with a Free Trial: Before you commit, take advantage of a free trial or demo to evaluate the platform’s performance, reliability, and user experience in your day-to-day workflow.

Choosing the right hosted phone system is essential for businesses to improve customer interactions, support remote teams, and scale efficiently without relying on traditional hardware. The right solution should offer scalability, reliability, and robust features such as call routing, IVR, and analytics, all while being easy to deploy and manage.