7 Best Business Phone Systems in 2026 (Compared on AI, Integrations & Price)

Key Takeaways

• Allo is best for small sales teams of 1–20 users because it's the only system on this list that bundles AI call summaries, CRM sync for both mobile and desktop calls, and an AI receptionist into a single flat price — no add-ons required.
• RingCentral is best for established companies with 50+ employees who need a battle-tested cloud business phone system with 500+ integrations and global number coverage in 100 countries.
• Dialpad is best for SMB teams of 10–200 users on a budget who still want AI-powered call summaries included from day one, without the steep add-on fees most legacy providers charge.

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Here's a question worth asking before you sign another annual contract: does your phone system actually know who called, what was discussed, and what happens next — or does it just connect two numbers and leave the rest to you?

The bar for a good business phone system has moved. Crystal-clear call quality is table stakes. What separates a genuinely useful cloud business phone system from an expensive dialing widget is how well it handles everything around the call: does it transcribe automatically? Does it push summaries to your CRM — not just a log entry, but the actual transcript and key points? Does it work equally well on your laptop and your iPhone? And can you afford it without a procurement team?

In this guide, we compared seven of the most popular internet business phone systems on exactly those dimensions — AI features, integration depth, mobile experience, and pricing that scales. Whether you're a sales manager frustrated by manual CRM updates, a founder trying to keep overhead lean, or an ops lead evaluating a hosted business phone system for a growing team, this breakdown gives you a straight read on which solution fits your situation.

The seven systems we reviewed: Allo, RingCentral, Google Voice, Nextiva, Quo, Dialpad, and Aircall.

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Allo — Best for Small Sales Teams Who Want AI Without the Add-Ons

What is Allo?

Allo launched in 2024 out of Paris with a clear thesis: business phone systems shouldn't force sales teams to choose between mobility and intelligence. Most virtual business phone systems were either desktop-first tools dressed up for mobile, or legacy PBX systems with AI awkwardly bolted on after the fact. Allo set out to build the opposite: a mobile-native, AI-first phone system designed from the ground up for the way small sales teams actually work. With offices in the US, France, and Argentina, it's grown quickly by targeting the gap legacy providers leave open: teams under 50 users who still need enterprise-grade CRM sync.

Why Allo is a good choice

The standout feature is integration depth. Most business phone systems log a call to your CRM. Allo logs the call, the recording, the full transcript, and the AI-generated summary — and it does this for both mobile and desktop calls. That distinction matters: plenty of cloud phone systems sync desktop calls to HubSpot or Salesforce just fine, but break down the moment a rep takes a call on their iPhone. Allo's HubSpot integration is rated 5/5 on the HubSpot Marketplace with over 200 installs, which is a meaningful signal when most competitors sit between 1.2 and 3.5.

The AI receptionist handles inbound calls, qualifies callers, and routes them intelligently — no extra monthly charge. The AI also lets users ask questions across their call history, essentially turning past conversations into a searchable knowledge base.

The main limitation is that Allo doesn't have a power dialer yet, so it's not the right fit for high-volume outbound teams running hundreds of cold calls per day. It's also not designed for enterprises with complex multi-department workflows. But for a small sales team that wants to spend less time on admin and more time selling, the value-to-price ratio is hard to match. No add-ons. No hidden fees.

Allo Pricing

• Starter — $25/month (1 user max): Unlimited calls, a local phone number, AI summaries, IVR.
• Business — $45/user/month: Everything in Starter plus CRM integrations, unlimited AI answering service, SMS, and international calls.

Allo offers a 7-day free trial.

Demo Video of Allo

RingCentral — Best for Larger Teams That Need a Battle-Tested Cloud Phone System

What is RingCentral?

RingCentral has been in the business phone system space since 1999, which makes it one of the oldest players still actively competing. It's not a scrappy startup — it's infrastructure. The company built its reputation on reliability, broad integration support, and global coverage, and it still dominates enterprise shortlists because of those three things. RingCentral is a safe, proven choice — especially for teams that need a hosted business phone system with a long track record and an enormous user community to tap into when things go wrong.

Why RingCentral is a good choice

The integration catalog is genuinely impressive: over 500 native integrations including Salesforce, HubSpot, Microsoft Teams, Google Workspace, and Pipedrive. If your team uses a niche CRM or a custom workflow tool, there's a reasonable chance RingCentral already connects to it. The AI assistant (AVA) handles call summaries, email drafts, and an AI receptionist — and most base AI features are included in the Core plan.

The friction comes at the edges. RingCentral is legacy software, and it shows. The interface can feel overwhelming for small teams. Support response times on Trustpilot reviews are notably poor (2.1/5), especially for SMBs who don't get priority access. The AI Receptionist costs extra from $59/month for 100 minutes, and Conversation Intelligence runs $60/user/month on top of your base plan — numbers that add up fast for small teams. Cancellation is notoriously difficult (phone-only, long wait times). If you're considering switching away from RingCentral, take a look at our full breakdown of the best RingCentral alternatives in 2026.

RingCentral Pricing

• Core — $30/user/month: Unlimited domestic calling, call recordings, video meetings.
• Advanced — $35/user/month: Adds CRM integrations and advanced reporting.
• Ultra — $45/user/month: Unlimited storage, webinars, device analytics.

Note: The AI Receptionist ($39+/month) and Conversation Intelligence ($60/user/month) are billed as separate add-ons.

Demo Video of RingCentral

Google Voice — Best for Google Workspace Users Who Need a Simple Virtual Business Phone Number

What is Google Voice?

Google Voice has been around since 2009 and remains one of the most popular phone systems—mostly because the consumer version is free.

For business use, it's a stripped-down cloud phone system that lives inside the Google Workspace ecosystem. Its appeal is straightforward: if your team already runs on Gmail, Google Meet, and Google Calendar, adding a business phone number through Voice feels seamless and costs almost nothing. There's no steep learning curve, no long setup process, and no surprises on your bill.

Why Google Voice is a good choice

The value proposition for very small teams or solo operators is clear. At $10/user/month (with a Google Workspace subscription), you get unlimited domestic calling in the US and Canada, voicemail transcription, and a clean mobile app. It's genuinely one of the easiest internet business phone systems to get started with, and the Google brand offers a level of reliability and trust that smaller providers can't match.

The limitations are significant for anyone with serious business communication needs, though. Google Voice has zero native CRM integrations — no HubSpot, no Salesforce, no Pipedrive. AI features are limited to spam blocking and voicemail transcription. The system only supports US and Canadian numbers. Call recording requires the Standard plan at $20/user/month, and even then it's on-demand rather than automatic. If you're evaluating Google Voice for a sales team, you'll likely hit a wall pretty quickly. Our comparison of Google Voice alternatives for business covers where other platforms pick up the slack.

Google Voice Pricing

• Starter — $10/user/month: Up to 10 users, unlimited domestic calling (US/Canada), voicemail transcription. Requires a Google Workspace subscription.
• Standard — $20/user/month: Unlimited users, on-demand call recording, call routing.
• Premier — $30/user/month: Automatic call recording, advanced BigQuery reporting.

A separate Google Workspace subscription is required for business use (from $6/user/month).

Demo Video of Google Voice

Nextiva — Best for US-Based Mid-Market Teams That Want Voice, Video, and Chat in One Platform

What is Nextiva?

Nextiva was founded in 2008 in Scottsdale, Arizona by Tomas Gorny, a Polish immigrant whose stated mission was to give every business — regardless of size — the communication infrastructure of a Fortune 500 company. That ambition shaped a product that went broad rather than deep: Nextiva bundles voice, video conferencing, team chat, SMS, WhatsApp, Instagram messaging, and even a lightweight CRM into a single platform. It's a full unified communications platform (UCaaS), not just a cloud-based business phone system. That scope makes it attractive for mid-market companies that want one vendor to consolidate multiple communication tools.

Why Nextiva is a good choice

Nextiva's UCaaS approach means fewer tools, fewer logins, and one support team. The platform is strong on reliability and collaboration features: detailed analytics, physical phone support, and a solid mobile app with a 4.7/5 App Store rating. AI features exist — voicemail transcription, real-time transcription, emotion scoring, and an AI IVR — but the deployment model is worth examining carefully. Most of those features are locked behind the Power Suite CX plan at $75/user/month, which is a significant jump from the Core plan's $23/user/month entry price. The AI receptionist is billed at $99/month per 100 interactions.

Nextiva is also US-only for local phone numbers, which limits international teams. SMS registration can take several weeks, which frustrates teams that need to start texting quickly. For a team that genuinely needs UCaaS, Nextiva is a strong contender. But if your primary need is AI-powered calling and CRM sync rather than unified communications, the pricing structure doesn't scale well. See how it compares in our guide to the top Nextiva alternatives.

Nextiva Pricing

• Core — $23/user/month: Phone number, SMS, video meetings, call routing, team chat.
• Engage — $50/user/month: Advanced reporting, web chat, toll-free number.
• Power Suite CX — $75/user/month: AI transcription & summarization, intelligent routing (up to 100 agents).

The AI Receptionist (XBert) is billed separately at $99/month per 100 interactions.

Demo Video of Nextiva

Nextiva demo videos are only available behind a form on their website.

Quo — Best for Small US/Canada Teams That Want a Modern Phone System

What is Quo?

Quo (formerly OpenPhone) was started in 2018 by Mahyar Raissi and Daryna Kulya to solve a problem they'd lived firsthand: business owners routing calls through personal numbers. The product's philosophy from day one was simplicity — make it easy for a two-person startup to look and operate like an established company. Quo has since grown into a broader phone system for small teams, with a built-in lightweight CRM, shared inboxes, team threads, and an AI answering service called Sona.

Why Quo is a good choice

Quo's standout feature is its collaboration-first design. A shared inbox where team members can see, tag, and comment on calls and messages makes it genuinely easy for small teams to stay aligned without a dedicated CRM. The UI is consistently praised for being clean and intuitive — it doesn't feel like you need an IT department to configure it. Sona, the AI answering service, handles inbound calls intelligently, and the Business plan includes AI call summaries and transcripts in 34 languages.

The main constraint is geography: Quo only supports US and Canadian numbers. If your team needs local numbers in Europe, Asia, or Latin America, you'll need to look elsewhere. Cold calling is also restricted — Quo has been known to flag and suspend accounts it suspects of outbound spam, which can be a problem for sales-heavy teams. CRM integration depth is decent but HubSpot reviews on the marketplace sit at 3.3/5, which suggests the sync doesn't go as deep as some alternatives. If you've already tested it and want to compare, here's our list of the top Quo alternatives in 2026.

Quo Pricing

• Starter — $19/user/month: Local number, unlimited US/Canada calling and messaging, voicemail transcripts, 10 free Sona AI calls/month.
• Business — $33/user/month: AI call summaries and transcripts, HubSpot & Salesforce integrations, group calling, analytics.
• Scale — $47/user/month: Dedicated onboarding, priority support, inbound phone support.

Quo offers a 7-day free trial.

International calling is available as an add-on.

Demo Video of Quo

Dialpad — Best for SMBs That Want AI-Powered Calls Without an Extra Add-On Bill

What is Dialpad?

Dialpad has an interesting origin story: its founder, Craig Walker, previously built GrandCentral — a VoIP product Google acquired and turned into Google Voice. Walker started Dialpad in 2011, initially inside Google as an entrepreneur in residence. What sets Dialpad apart today is that it built its own AI model back in 2018 — years before most business phone systems started treating AI as more than a buzzword. That head start is reflected in the product: AI call summaries, live coaching, call scoring, and a support agent are all included in the base plan, with no separate AI subscription required.

Why Dialpad is a good choice

The AI-inclusive pricing is genuinely differentiated. At $27/user/month, you get call summaries, live coaching, and a CRM integration — functionality that would cost significantly more on RingCentral or Nextiva once you factor in add-ons. Dialpad also supports 50+ countries for local numbers and integrates with Salesforce, HubSpot, Microsoft Dynamics, Zoho, and Copper. The tool is generally praised for ease of use, and the mobile app gets 4.6/5 on the App Store.

The downsides are real, though. Call quality inconsistencies appear in reviews more often than they should for a primary business phone system. Support response times draw regular criticism. The SMS approval process is reportedly slow and bumpy. And while Dialpad's AI features are solid for summarization and coaching, it doesn't offer the same integration depth as Allo or Aircall in terms of syncing full transcripts to CRM records. If you're comparing options, our guide to Dialpad alternatives is worth a read.

Dialpad Pricing

• Standard — $27/user/month: Unlimited calling (your country + US/Canada), local number, call recording, CRM integrations, AI call summaries — up to 3 departments.
• Pro — $35/user/month: Adds SSO, phone support, up to 25 departments.

Separate products for contact centers (Support) and sales teams (Sell) are priced independently.

Demo Video of Dialpad

Aircall — Best for Mid-Sized Sales Teams That Need Deep Salesforce and HubSpot Integrations

What is Aircall?

Aircall started in Paris in 2014 as a direct challenge to hardware-heavy, slow-to-configure phone systems. A few months in, the founding team recognized something important: the value of a business phone system isn't just in the call — it's in what happens after. That insight drove Aircall to prioritize CRM integrations above almost everything else. By 2025, the company surpassed $175 million in ARR, cementing its place as one of the most recognized cloud business phone systems in the sales stack. It's a brand name that shows up in enterprise shortlists and feels safe to choose for a Sales VP who needs to justify their decision to a CFO.

Why Aircall is a good option

Aircall's integration with Salesforce is particularly strong — it's one of the few systems with a dedicated advanced Salesforce integration that goes beyond basic logging. HubSpot, Pipedrive, Attio, Microsoft Dynamics, and HighLevel are all supported. The platform covers 38 countries for local numbers, unlimited US/Canada calling and SMS, and includes AI transcription and summaries in the base plan. Call monitoring features (listen, whisper, barge) make it popular with sales managers who coach reps on live calls.

There are real trade-offs for smaller teams, though. The 3-license minimum means you're spending at least $120/month before you've placed a single call. AI features are limited to English and French, which is a notable gap for international teams. Several former Aircall customers have noted that once your team falls below 50 users, support becomes minimal, and the platform shifts its attention to enterprise accounts. Add-ons — AI Voice Agent at $0.49/minute, WhatsApp at $10/user/month, Analytics+ at $15/user/month — can quickly push the effective cost well above the sticker price. For teams exploring alternatives, check out our roundup of the best Aircall alternatives.

Aircall Pricing

• Essentials — $40/license/month (minimum 3 licenses): Local number, unlimited US & Canada calls, IVR, call recording, SMS/MMS, AI transcription & summaries.
• Professional — $70/license/month: Advanced analytics, power dialer, voicemail drop, unlimited call recordings.

Aircall offers a 7-day free trial.

AI Voice Agent, WhatsApp, and Analytics+ are billed as add-ons.

Demo Video of Aircall

Which Business Phone System Should You Choose?

The right cloud-based business phone system depends on where the current bottleneck in your team's workflow actually sits.

If your team is losing time to manual CRM updates and post-call admin, and you're running a lean sales team under 20 people, Allo is the most focused solution on this list. Full transcript and summary sync to your CRM, a built-in AI receptionist, and no add-ons means the price you see is the price you pay.

If you're a larger organization that needs proven infrastructure, broad integration coverage, and numbers across 100 countries, RingCentral is the mature choice — just go in with eyes open about the add-on pricing for AI features and the reputation for complex cancellations.

For teams that want AI call summaries without a separate AI subscription, Dialpad offers the best value at its price point. For teams deep in the Google Workspace ecosystem with minimal CRM needs, Google Voice is the simplest and cheapest starting point. And for mid-sized sales teams where Salesforce sync is non-negotiable, Aircall remains one of the strongest options — provided the per-license minimum fits your headcount.

Every system on this list offers a free trial. Start with the one that maps most directly to your team's biggest pain point, and test the CRM integration on day one — that's where most business phone systems either prove their worth or fall apart.

Want to see how Allo handles CRM sync, AI summaries, and mobile calls — all in one place?

Try Allo free for 7 days →

Frequently Asked Questions About Business Phone Systems

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