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Small business phone systems: published prices side by side

The short answer

Small business phone systems list entry plans at $10 to $20 per user a month: $10 for Google Voice (teams also need Workspace), $15 for Quo and Nextiva, $19.95 for Ooma and $20 for RingCentral. Paying monthly can cost more. Compare the monthly price, the texting limit and what answering costs, since a phone system on its own mostly routes calls.

Most phone systems look the same until you check three things: how the headline price is billed, how many texts you get and what you pay for someone to answer. Here’s what each company publishes.

Updated November 5, 2026. CoveDesk is one of the services on this page; other companies’ prices and features are from their own websites, linked below.

Published prices

Entry plan and next plan, per user a month
SystemEntry planNext planBilling and contract
Google VoiceStarter $10Standard $20Teams also need Google Workspace, from $7 per user with a one-year commitment.
QuoStarter $15 annual, $19 monthlyBusiness $23 annual, $33 monthlyBilled annually or monthly. Cancelled plans run to the end of the billing cycle.
NextivaCore $15Engage $25Its annual small business pricing needs a 12-month or longer term.
Ooma OfficeEssentials $19.95Pro $24.95“No Contract Necessary”. One-time $29.95 activation fee, taxes and fees extra.
RingCentral RingEXCore $20 annual, $30 monthlyAdvanced $25 annual, $35 monthlyCore includes 25 texts per user a month, Advanced 100.

We left out Dialpad because its page doesn’t say whether prices are annual or monthly, and Vonage and Phone.com because we couldn’t open their pricing pages.

What three users cost

Three users on the entry plan, per month, before taxes and fees
SystemThree usersHow that’s worked out
Quo$45 annual, $57 monthly$15 or $19 × 3
Nextiva$45$15 × 3, on its listed Core price
Google VoiceAt least $51$10 × 3, plus Workspace at $7 × 3
Ooma Office$59.85$19.95 × 3, plus $29.95 once
RingCentral RingEX$60 annual, $90 monthly$20 or $30 × 3

Who answers when you can’t?

A phone system routes calls, and an unanswered call usually ends in a menu or voicemail. Some of these companies sell call answering as well, usually priced separately:

  • RingCentral: a receptionist add-on, listed as starting at $39.
  • Quo: an answering agent with 10 calls included on every plan, then paid tiers from $25 a month for 40 calls.
  • Ooma: an answering service from $14.99 per account a month. Its other receptionist product is “Contact Sales”.
  • Nextiva: a usage-priced agent from $99 a month, or $1.50 per conversation.
  • Google Voice: none listed. Unanswered calls go to voicemail.

If what you really need is someone to pick up, you may not need to change your phone system at all. Compare phone answering services.

How to choose

  1. Count your people. One person doesn’t need ring groups, and five do.
  2. Check the monthly price if you don’t want to pay a year up front.
  3. Count your texts. A plan with 25 texts per user a month runs out quickly if you text every customer.
  4. Check your area’s coverage and try the app from a job site.
  5. Ask about moving your number before you sign, in both directions.

Common questions

What’s the best phone system for a small business?
It depends on your team. A solo owner may be fine with a standalone Google Voice plan. A small crew sharing a number may prefer a system built for sharing, such as Quo. We make a phone answering service rather than a phone system, so compare these on your own needs.
How much does a small business phone system cost?
Published entry prices run from $10 to $20 per user a month on the systems here, usually on annual billing. Monthly billing costs more, and activation fees and taxes can apply.
Do I need a VoIP phone system?
Every system here runs over the internet, and most work from a cell phone app. You don’t need desk phones unless you want them.
Can I keep my number if I switch?
Usually. Quo says switching is free and Ooma lists free number transfer. Ask for the details before you cancel your current service.
Does a business phone system answer calls for me?
Mostly not. It gives you the number, the routing and the voicemail, and someone still has to pick up. Some companies sell call answering as an add-on, usually priced separately. If you’re the one on the job when it rings, look at who picks up, as well as what the number costs.

Sources

What this page says about other companies comes from their own websites, read on November 5, 2026:

Prices and terms change, so check each company’s website before you buy. Company names are the trademarks of their owners and are used only to identify their services; none of them is affiliated with or endorses CoveDesk. Spotted something out of date? Tell us and we’ll fix it.

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