TL;DR / Key Takeaways
- Quo (formerly OpenPhone) is the most complete all-rounder from $15 a user billed yearly.
- Grasshopper prices per account, so several users can share one $25 plan.
- KrispCall is cheapest per user at $12 billed yearly and includes UK numbers.
- US business texting needs A2P 10DLC registration: about $19.50 one-time plus a monthly fee.
- A 3-person team pays roughly $25 to $90 a month.
Short answer: for a solo founder or small team in the US and Canada, Quo (formerly OpenPhone) is the most complete all-rounder from $15 a user a month billed yearly, with unlimited calling and texting and an AI agent that answers calls. Grasshopper prices per account, not per user, so a whole team shares one $25 plan. KrispCall is cheapest per user ($12) and includes UK numbers. Nextiva and RingCentral suit growing teams that want AI summaries and more seats. Updated October 30, 2026.
How we checked: plans, included minutes and texts, AI features and fees come from each provider's own pricing and help pages, read October 30, 2026, in US dollars before taxes. Some pages show monthly-billing prices only in the browser; where we could not read a figure we say so. The 3-person table is our arithmetic.
Business phone systems at a glance
| Provider | Cheapest plan (billed yearly / monthly) | Calling and texting | AI on the cheapest plan | Trial |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quo | Starter $15 / $19 per user | Unlimited US and Canada calls and texts (fair use) | Sona AI agent answers 10 calls a month | 7 days |
| Grasshopper | True Solo $14 per account; Solo Plus $25 (unlimited users) | Unlimited calls and texts | Call summaries not on True Solo | 7 days, no card |
| KrispCall | Starter $12 / $15 per user | 200 minutes each way, 100 SMS | Transcripts and summaries from Advance | No trial; 14-day refund |
| CallHippo | Starter $18 per user (billing basis not stated) | 1,000 US and Canada minutes, 100 SMS | Transcription from Professional | 10 days |
| Nextiva | NEXT Core $15 / $23 per user | Unlimited voice and video, 100 texts | 50 transcriptions and 50 summaries | Demo only |
| Dialpad | Standard $15 per user (likely yearly) | Not verified | AI Recaps and transcription | 14 days |
| RingCentral | Core $20 / $30 per user (1 to 5 users) | Unlimited domestic, 25 SMS | AI Virtual Assistant | 14 days |
| Google Voice | Starter $10 per user plus a Workspace plan | Unlimited US calls and texts | Gemini notes from Standard | Workspace trial |
| Aircall | Essentials $30 per licence, minimum 3 users | Unlimited US and Canada calls | 50 minutes of AI voice agents | Not stated |
What a 3-person team pays each month
| Provider and plan | 3 users, billed yearly (our math) |
|---|---|
| Grasshopper Solo Plus (per account) | $25 |
| Google Voice Starter | $30, plus Workspace |
| KrispCall Starter | $36 |
| Quo Starter | $45 |
| Nextiva Core | $45 |
| Dialpad Standard | $45 |
| CallHippo Starter | $54 |
| RingCentral Core | $60 |
| Aircall Essentials | $90 |
Quo (formerly OpenPhone)
Quo gives each user a number with unlimited US and Canada calling and texting, shared numbers for small teams, and Sona, an AI agent that answers calls, on every plan (10 calls a month included, more on paid credit tiers). Call summaries and transcripts start on Business ($23 billed yearly). It offers only US, Canadian and North American toll-free numbers; international calling is a paid add-on.
Grasshopper
Grasshopper is the classic virtual number for small businesses and is priced per account: True Solo ($14 billed yearly) is one user, while Solo Plus ($25) and Small Business ($55, 4 numbers) allow unlimited users. Calls and texts are unlimited. AI call summaries and sentiment are not on True Solo, and a virtual receptionist is an add-on. International calling must be enabled and needs an account older than 60 days.
KrispCall, CallHippo and Nextiva
- KrispCall: the cheapest per user ($12 billed yearly) and includes a free US, Canadian or UK number; Starter caps calling at 200 minutes each way and 100 texts, and is limited to 5 users.
- CallHippo: built for sales calling, with 1,000 US and Canada minutes on Starter, unlimited from Professional, and an AI voice agent add-on at $45 an agent a month.
- Nextiva: unlimited voice and video with AI transcription, summaries and answer assist on every plan (50 each on Core, 200 on Engage, unlimited on Scale).
Enjoying this? Get one like it in your inbox each morning.
one email a day · unsubscribe in two clicks · no third-party tracking
Which one to choose
- Solo founder or small team in the US and Canada: Quo.
- Several people sharing one business line on a tight budget: Grasshopper Solo Plus.
- Lowest cost per user, or you need a UK number: KrispCall.
- Outbound sales calling: CallHippo.
- Growing team that wants AI summaries on every plan: Nextiva.
- International local numbers in many countries: Dialpad (50+ countries).
Want an AI to answer the phone for you? See our AI voice agent platforms comparison.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best alternative to Grasshopper?
Quo (formerly OpenPhone) for a more modern all-rounder with an AI call-answering agent, from $15 a user a month billed yearly; KrispCall for the lowest per-user price ($12) and UK numbers; Nextiva or RingCentral for growing teams. Grasshopper itself stays cheapest for several users sharing one line, because it prices per account.
What are the best OpenPhone alternatives?
OpenPhone is now called Quo. Alternatives are Grasshopper (priced per account), KrispCall (from $12 a user), Nextiva (AI summaries on every plan), CallHippo (sales calling) and Dialpad (international numbers in 50+ countries).
How much does a virtual business phone number cost?
From about $12 to $20 a user a month billed yearly for the main providers, or $14 to $25 a month for a whole account on Grasshopper. Add US texting registration, about $19.50 one-time plus $1.50 to $3 a month.
Do I need to register to send business texts?
Yes, in the US. Carriers require A2P 10DLC registration for business texting; Quo, Grasshopper and KrispCall list about $19.50 one-time plus a monthly fee, and unregistered texts can be blocked.