The 7 Best Business VoIP Providers in the UK 2024

Person using VoIP system on a smartphone

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Our research found that the best VoIP provider in the UK is 8×8. It is a comprehensive solution that offers a broad range of impressive features, unlimited minutes, an extensive range of software integrations, and robust security measures. It is best suited for expanding businesses because its plans are scalable, meaning they can grow alongside the business. RingCentral is our second-best UK VoIP service, offering lower-cost packages, but with fewer features.

The 7 best business VoIP providers in the UK

These are the providers we recommend based on our research. Use our comparison tool to find the best service for your business.

  1. 8×8Best all-round business VoIP provider in the UK
  2. RingCentral Best for customer service teams
  3. VonageBest for small businesses
  4. GoToConnectBest for startups
  5. bOnlineBest for desk phone compatibility
  6. DialpadBest for conversational AI
  7. NuacomBest for customer satisfaction

On 5 September 2023, BT OpenReach stopped selling WLR products because all UK landlines will be phased out in 2025, making it crucial for businesses to switch to a VoIP phone system. We have selected seven of the top UK VoIP providers that could fit seamlessly into your business communication.

Read on to find out what each of these providers do best, worst, and what they cost.

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8×8

RingCentral

Vonage

GoToConnect

bOnline

Dialpad Talk

Nuacom

4.7
4.5
4.4
4.2
3.9
3.8
3.5
Pricing

Bespoke

Pricing

£12.99 – £33.99 per month

Pricing

£10 – £25 per user, per month

Pricing

£10 – £21 per user, per month

Pricing

£7 – £15.50

Pricing

£12 per user, per month – bespoke

Pricing

£14.99 per user, per month – bespoke

Domestic minutes

Unlimited

Domestic minutes

100 – 4,000 per user (depending on pricing plan)

Domestic minutes

0 – unlimited (depending on pricing plan)

Domestic minutes

Unlimited

Domestic minutes

100 – unlimited outbound (depending on pricing plan), unlimited inbound

Domestic minutes

Unlimited

Domestic minutes

Unlimited

International minutes

Unlimited to up to 48 countries

International minutes

Upgrade available for unlimited EMEA calling

International minutes

Upgrade available

International minutes

0 – unlimited to 50+ countries (depending on plan)

International minutes

Not included

International minutes

Not included

International minutes

Not included

Free Trial
Free Trial
Free Trial
Free Trial
Free Trial
Free Trial
Free Trial

What is a VoIP system?

VoIP stands for ‘Voice over Internet Protocol,' which means the phone connection operates over Wi-Fi and not via physical phone lines.

VoIP systems can be used on laptops, desktop computers, tablets, or smartphones. It can also be used with office phones, and the best office phones are usually compatible with major VoIP systems. If portability is a priority, tablets and smartphones can also make VoIP calls.

A Wi-Fi connection will ensure your calls are cheaper, long distance calls are clearer, and it will offer more reliability than a standard phone line. Some providers also offer HD voice quality, which means they can sound clearer than standard phone calls.

VoIP phone systems enable much cheaper domestic calls, and low price-per-minute international calls, too.

Soon it will be necessary for all businesses to be online due to the Big Switch Off in 2025, when all UK landlines will officially be turned off.

Our Research

There are a lot of VoIP providers on the market – more than you could reasonably cover in weeks of researching. We've done the legwork for you and picked out the most noteworthy options. By focusing on specific features and information, like pricing and customer reviews, we're able to determine the best provider for your business.

1. 8×8 – Best all-round business VoIP provider in the UK

8x8 logo
8x8
4.7
Pricing Bespoke
Why is 8x8 the best all-round VoIP provider?

We found that 8x8 is the best overall VoIP system for UK businesses. Scoring incredibly well across several categories, its standout range of features, strong security, reliable customer support and scalability options see it earn an overall score of 4.7/5 – our highest rating.

Strengths

Offers the best variety of features, with super generous video and call conferencing

Excellent 24/7 customer support - better than GoTo and Nuacom's offering

Lots of security features, including encryption and compliance certifications

Best capacity to scale up out of all competitors

Weaknesses

Can become expensive, with prices reaching as high as £135 per user, per month

No spam prevention, while this is offered by GoTo and Vonage

Overall customer satisfaction score is lower than other providers

8×8 is a global VoIP provider, with data centres in 35 different countries. Its customer support teams are also available 24/7 from various international locations. Its global coverage will be excellent for teams that deal with international clients or have employees across the globe.

8×8 VoIP Pricing

Since our last update, 8×8 no longer publicly lists its pricing, so you'll have to contact its sales team directly for a quote. From what we do know about its pricing, affordability is not 8×8's forte. We scored it a 2.5/5 for price in our analysis, placing it as one of the most expensive phone systems on the market. That being said, 8×8 is bursting with more standout features than its competitors.

It is worth noting that it does offer five pricing tiers for different-sized operations, the latter three are best suited to larger call centres. As of February 2023, 8×8 no longer offers the Express plan, which was its cheapest option. The lowest tier is now its X2 package.

Check out our full-length 8×8 review for more information.

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8×8 X2

8×8 X4

8×8 X6

8×8 X7

8×8 X8

Price

£19 per user, per month

Price

£36 per user, per month

Price

£85 per user, per month

Price

£105 per user, per month

Price

£135 per user, per month

8×8 VoIP Features

From the X2 plan upwards, we like that 8×8 provides all of the most important features for productive comms with customers and clients. This includes unlimited minutes and local numbers to ring groups, call queues, visual voicemail, auto-attendant, business SMS, and team messaging.

This is why we rated 8×8 a stellar 4.6/5 for features, the highest rank in this category, outshining GoToConnect, Nuacom, and bOnline, whose features are comparatively limited.

It’s also worth noting that 8×8 can integrate with a solid range of CRM systems: Salesforce, Copper, Freshdesk, Hubspot, MS Dynamics, Pipedrive, Zendesk, Zoho, 1CRM, Bullhorn, Copper, and Sugar. Integrating with one of these is a great way to develop a great customer experience strategy.

8×8’s security features also impressed us, ensuring users have multiple compliance certifications, multi-factor authentication, password rules, and TLS/SRTP encryption. While we awarded it a perfect 5/5 for this category, it does fall short in the department of spam prevention, where GoTo and Vonage excel.

If you choose to invest in 8×8 now, you can avoid switching providers later down the line because its plans have the capacity to grow with your business, earning it a 4.9/5 for scalability.

We gave 8×8 another perfect 5/5 for customer support. It has a user forum and a knowledge base to explore, a 24/7 live chat function, and a phone line for urgent matters. Email support is also available for your queries that aren't time sensitive.

Despite offering numerous customer support options, it achieved lower overall scores on consumer review websites with an average rating of 3.5/5 when compared with 4.6/5 and 4.5/5 for Nuacom and bOnline, respectively.

X2X4X6X7X8
Unlimited domestic minutes
Unlimited international minutes✓ To 14 countries✓ To 48 countries✓ To 48 countries✓ To 48 countries✓ To 48 countries
Local numbers
Ring group
Call queues
Video callingUp to 500 peopleUp to 500 peopleUp to 500 peopleUp to 500 peopleUp to 500 people
Call conferencing
CRM conferencing
CRM integration99.999% Uptime SLA
Onboarding supportCustomer Success Managers, likely at an extra charge
Live customer support24/7 live chat and phone line

One of our favourite features of 8×8 is that it's one of the most generous VoIP providers when it comes to call conferencing and video meetings, with a capacity for a whopping 500 people to join in at once. This is ideal if you often hold company-wide meetings, or you’re looking to scale your business at pace.

What's new for 8x8? November 2023

  • A Microsoft Teams plug-in allows agents to take calls without leaving the Teams app.

2. RingCentral – Best business VoIP provider for customer service teams

RingCentral logo
RingCentral
4.5
Pricing £12.99 – £33.99
Why is RingCentral best for customer service teams?

We awarded RingCentral 4.5/5 overall, making it a close second to 8x8. An excellent option for customer service teams specifically, its customer support availability and scalability are second to none. 

Strengths

Excellent customer support, tied with 8x8 for the best score

Offers an excellent range of ready-made integrations

Comes with a great range of features, second only to 8x8

Tied with 8x8 for the best scalability score

Weaknesses

Doesn't offer great value for money, scoring 2.3/5 in our cost analysis

Overall customer review score of 3.5/5

No first-party desktop phones

RingCentral has coverage in 24 countries and data centres across the globe, making it a suitable provider for global and UK-based teams. While RingCentral does provide a UK help number and has an office in West London, its not confirmed whether this is where its call centre is also based. This provider came out on top in our reviews of the best VoIP for Healthcare.

RingCentral VoIP Pricing

At first glance, RingCentral is an affordable option and is cheaper than 8×8. However, it receives a lower score for pricing (2.3/5) because it offers less value for your money. As you’ll see in our analysis below, the majority of RingCentral’s standout features are only available with its premium packages.

While other providers offer unlimited minutes right from the off, 8×8 has limited minutes on its entry-level plans. If you want a system that is great value for money, GoToConnect and bOnline offer more cost-effective plans.

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RingCentral Essentials

RingCentral Standard

RingCentral Premium

RingCentral Ultimate

Price

£12.99

Price

£19.99

Price

£24.99

Price

£29.99

Pricing correct as of December 2023

RingCentral VoIP Features

RingCentral's great range of features accommodate numerous incoming calls, including a virtual receptionist, local toll-free numbers, customisable greetings, and hold music on all of its plans. With this broad range of features, we gave it a 4.3/5 for this category.

When you upgrade to a Premium or Ultimate plan, you can set up ring groups and call queues that will help organise your callers with ease. We found that RingCentral's external video calling and SMS features can also enhance your team's accessibility to customers.

A really important factor for small businesses looking to upscale their operations is whether a provider can grow with you. RingCentral’s scalability is on par with 8×8, scoring a near-perfect 4.9/5 in our research, offering team messaging, task management, and software integrations (on Premium and Ultimate), helping streamline your internal and external communications.

We believe that RingCentral excels with its customer support, earning a perfect score of 5/5. It has 24/7 live support, a knowledge hub, a user forum, as well as phone and email support. Its 99.999% uptime SLA guarantee means your system will stay connected and your customers will be able to get hold of you.

Training is critical in the world of customer service – your team’s phone manner is all important. RingCentral comes with features that can help with this, including call transcripts, call recording, call monitoring, call whisper, and call barge. It is worth noting that these are not included in RingCentral’s cheapest packages, so you’ll have to pay a little more for the full range of training and monitoring tools.

It’s worth mentioning that RingCentral comes with ready-made integrations with helpdesk, workspace, email, conferencing, and messaging platforms. It'll make it easy to manage customer data and unify your comms. Once again, most of this is only included with RingCentral’s Premium and Ultimate plans.

We think RingCentral is hot on 8×8’s heels in many aspects, with a breadth of features that come closer to 8×8 than any other provider. It just falls short of matching it, missing benefits like unlimited domestic minutes, and features that include custom call lists. Plus, ready-made integrations are available on fewer of its plans. However, it does match 8×8’s shining customer support offering and provides just as much scope to easily scale your business. It also matches 8×8's relatively moderate score on consumer review websites, with an average rating of 3.5/5, compared with Nuacom and bOnline's higher respective scores of 4.6/5 and 4.5/5.

For more details on features, read our RingCentral review.

RingCentral’s key features for businesses

EssentialsStandardPremiumUltimate
Unlimited domestic minutes 0 inbound, 100 outbound* 250 inbound, 750 outbound* 1,000 inbound, 2,000 outbound* 2,000 inbound, 4,000 outbound*
International minutes
Local numbers
Ring group
Call queues
Video callingUp to 100 peopleUp to 200 peopleUp to 200 people
Call conferencing
CRM integration
Uptime guarantee99.999% Uptime SLA99.999% Uptime SLA99.999% Uptime SLA99.999% Uptime SLA
Onboarding support
Live customer support24/7 live chat and phone line24/7 live chat and phone line24/7 live chat and phone line24/7 live chat and phone line

*inclusive minutes per account, per month

One thing to be aware of is that RingCentral’s Essentials plan only provides VoIP system essentials, but not a lot more. RingCentral’s higher tier packages have video conferencing, CRM integrations, and generous inclusive minutes.

That said, once you do have access to CRM integrations, you’ll almost definitely be able to link RingCentral with your system of choice – it can integrate with 97 different CRM apps!

What's new for RingCentral? November 2023

  • It's now possible to test the audio quality of your calls without having to place a ‘test' call to a colleague.
  • RingCentral now integrates with Microsoft Teams. You can share voicemail transcriptions and call recordings and manage call queues without leaving Teams.

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3. Vonage – Best VoIP provider for small businesses

Vonage logo
Vonage
4.4
Pricing £10 - £25
Why is Vonage best for small businesses?

Vonage is our top choice for small businesses. It offers excellent value for money (beaten only by GoToConnect), with plenty of features, such as video conferencing and team messaging, even on their cheapest plans. Unlimited domestic minutes only kick in on the Professional and Ultimate plans but these packages are still affordably priced.

Strengths

Great value for money, with affordable pricing plans

Easy to scale, scoring our second highest score and beating GoTo Connect, Nuacom, and Dialpad

One of the only providers with a spam prevention feature

Weaknesses

Less generous features than 8x8, RingCentral, and Dialpad, lacking a power dialer, an auto-dialer, and an predictive dialing

Weaker security features, doesn't offer multi-factor authentication or password rules

Weaker external connections than 8x8 and Ring Central (as it doesn't offer email integration or analytics)

Vonage is another global VoIP provider, with data centres in the US, Singapore, Sydney, Frankfurt, and Dublin. International data centres can be a plus for global teams, but if you deal with sensitive data, you may feel more comfortable signing up with a provider that is based in the UK or EU and subject to data protection laws. It also has a globally distributed network of offices, including one based in London. It is not clear whether it has a London-based call centre.

Vonage VoIP Pricing

Vonage’s value for money is its key strength, earning a score of 4.3/5 for pricing. With prices ranging from £10 to £25 per user, per month, Vonage’s monthly fees are incredibly low for such a comprehensive system. It gives users unified communications features, including video conferencing and team messaging, which are available on all plans. Another reason why it's a fantastic option for small businesses with tight budgets.

Read our Vonage review for more.

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Vonage Express

Vonage Core

Vonage Pro

Vonage Max

Price

£10

Price

£18

Price

£20

Price

£25

Pricing correct as of December 2023

Vonage VoIP Features

With unlimited users and unlimited inbound and outbound domestic minutes, we like that Vonage allows you to get up and running with fewer limitations on the amount of calls placed via your system. This feature is available on all plans at no extra cost, so even smaller budgets can benefit.

Small businesses are often looking to grow, so it’s important to choose a provider that can grow alongside you. Vonage excelled in our scalability comparison, scoring 4.5/5 on this front. The ring group, call queue, and call routing features on Vonage’s advanced plans will help your team handle the growing volumes of calls, while call recording, monitoring, and analytics will help you train new staff and ensure the quality of your business’s comms is top-notch.

Vonage offers a decent amount of customer support options, including a user forum, a knowledge base, live chat, email, and phone support. For immediate support, it's best to use the live chat function, which is available between 8am to 6pm from Monday to Friday, or on Saturdays from 9am until 5.30pm. Finally, Vonage’s 99.999% uptime guarantee means it’s unlikely that your income stream will be unexpectedly affected by downtime, which is a huge plus.

As we've mentioned, Vonage offers great value for money. In this respect, it almost beats all of the VoIP providers on this list. The exceptions are bOnline, which offers a very similar level of value for money (bOnline is cheaper than Vonage, but also less robust); and GoTo, which offers the best bang for your buck.

Vonage is quite popular with its users, earning a high overall score of 4/5 on consumer review sites.

Read our in-depth analysis of the best phone systems for small businesses.

Vonage’s key features for businesses

SelectProfessionalUltimate
Unlimited domestic minutes To domestic landlines
International minutes
Local numbers
Ring group
Call queues
Video calling
Call conferencingUp to 3 people free, up to 30 at an additional costUp to 3 people free, up to 30 at an additional costUp to 3 people free, up to 30 at an additional cost
CRM integrationAt an additional costAt an additional costAt an additional cost
Uptime guarantee99.999%99.999%99.999%
Onboarding supportAt an additional costAt an additional costAt an additional cost
Live customer supportLive chat and phone lineLive chat and phone lineLive chat and phone line

One of our gripes with Vonage's plans is that many key features require an additional cost. This isn’t ideal when other VoIP providers include things like CRM integration and onboarding support for free. That said, Vonage’s monthly fees are already cheap enough that paying extra on top shouldn’t break too far into your budget.

▶ Read more: What are the exact benefits of VoIP technology? Read about it in our dedicated article!

4. GoToConnect – Best business VoIP provider for startups

GoTo logo
GoTo
4.2
Pricing £10 – £21
Why is GoTo best for startups?

GoToConnect, is our top choice for startups. When starting a business, it’s vital to optimise value for money. GoToConnect was our top scorer in this category, earning 4.5/5 – a great choice for helpful features like unlimited domestic minutes and multiple communications channels for a small price tag.

Strengths

Offers the best value for money out there

Great reputation among customers, with an average review score of 4.4

International calling to over 50 countries

Weaknesses

Fewer ready-made integrations than the other providers (except Dialpad)

No 24/7 customer support or live chat, unlike 8x8 and Ring Central

Slightly lower uptime guarantee of 99.996%, lower than Ring Central, 8x8, and Vonage

US-based GoTo is operated out of Boston, Massachusetts yet has a global network of data servers. Rather than by location, servers are assigned based on traffic and availability. Data is stored in the US, so it may not be handled according to EU or UK regulations.

GoTo relies mainly on its online knowledge hub and virtual assistant for customer support, which can be reached from anywhere in the world. If you value being able to speak to a local customer support agent, this may not be the provider for you.

GoToConnect VoIP Pricing

If bang for your buck is what you’re after, GoToConnect might be the right choice. Earning a top score of 4.5/5 in our pricing analysis, GoTo offers the best value for money of all the VoIP providers on this list.

Check out our in-depth GoToConnect review.

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GoTo Basic

GoTo Standard

Price

£10

Price

£21

Pricing correct as of December 2023

GoToConnect VoIP Features

GoTo's Connect system includes unlimited domestic inbound and outbound minutes on all plans. With its Standard plan, GoTo includes free international calling to and from 50+ countries, while still providing solid, unified communication features for collaboration across the board.

As your customer base grows, you’ll need a VoIP system that can help you communicate with potential customers and clients as professionally as possible. With GoToConnect, you can set up a virtual receptionist, customisable on-hold music, recorded greetings, and voicemail. This will give callers a polished experience when they get in touch.

We like that you can set up local numbers so that customers don’t have to pay to phone you. All of these features are available on GoTo’s cheapest package, which is great for budget-conscious new businesses.

You likely won’t stay the size of a startup forever. Fortunately, GoToConnect offers an unlimited user limit and call management features that ensure the system is scalable. This is why we gave it a scalability score of 4.4/5 in our analysis.

GoTo is let down by its customer support, only earning a 3.4/5 in this category. Its support team can be reached by email or phone and agents are available around the clock to answer queries. However, there are several steps to go through before the support number is available and they do not offer live chat. It seems GoTo encourages the use of its knowledge hub, which can be accessed at your convenience. When compared with 8×8 and RingCentral, which both offer live chat, GoTo could offer more straightforward support options to quickly squash any system issues.

Our research found that GoToConnect makes it easier to scale than if you chose Nuacom, Dialpad, or bOnline. Its strongest advantage is the fact that it offers better value for money than all of the providers on this page.

As mentioned, GoToConnect didn't fare so well when we compared integrations. Only Dialpad has a smaller range of ready-made integrations than GoToConnect – the other providers on this page all come ready to integrate with a larger range of software. It's also worth noting that GoToConnect's set of features isn't as comprehensive as those you'd get with 8×8, RingCentral, Dialpad, or Vonage.

When compared with its competitors, GoToConnect does well, with an average customer review score of 4.4, better than 8×8, RingCentral, and Vonage.

GoToConnect’s key features for businesses

BasicStandardPremium
Unlimited domestic minutes
International minutes To 50+ countries To 50+ countries
Local numbers
Ring group
Call queues
Video callingUp to 4 peopleUp to 150 peopleUp to 250 people
Call conferencing
CRM integration
Uptime guarantee99.996%99.996%99.996%
Onboarding support
Live customer supportPhone linePhone linePhone line

The first thing you might notice here is that even GoToConnect’s cheapest plan comes with the vast majority of the features we know to be the most important for businesses, proving it is great value for money. However, it doesn't include international minutes, but these are unlikely to be integral to the operations of a UK startup.

That said, there are a few other weaknesses to pluck out from our key features analysis. GoToConnect provides free CRM integration, but it can only integrate with Salesforce or Zoho. When compared with RingCentral, which can integrate with 97 different CRM systems, GoToConnect comes off as a little stingy.

Finally, it’s worth noting that GoToConnect’s video conferencing platform will only allow up to four participants per call on the Basic plan. This will be enough for you if your team is no larger than this, but you may need to upgrade to the Standard plan for larger, video-based meetings.

What's new for GoToConnect? November 2023

  • It's now possible to quickly locate contacts by using a top search bar, wherever you are in the app.
  • You can also make the app your own and streamline operations by editing the keyboard shortcuts to your preference.

5. bOnline – Best business VoIP provider for desk phone compatibility

bOnline logo
bOnline
3.9
Pricing £7 – £15.50
Why is bOnline best for desk phone compatibility?

We found that bOnline is compatible with the biggest variety of third-party desk phone manufacturers. All the VoIP systems we analysed are compatible with one to four desk phone brands – except for bOnline, which is compatible with seven: Panasonic, Yealink, Poly, Aastra, Alcatel, AudioCodes, and Htek.

Strengths

Good option for small businesses, offering great value for money beaten only by GoTo Connect

Excellent reputation among customers, with an average review score of 4.5, beaten only by Nuacom

Can also provide business fibre broadband, and web design services

Weaknesses

Offers fewer features than all the other providers, except Nuacom. It's missing spam prevention, an auto-dialer, and custom call lists

CRM integration costs £5 extra on the cheaper plans

Lacks security features, like user permissions, multi-factor authentication, and compliance certificates

bOnline is aimed at UK-based small businesses. It has earned an ‘excellent' rating on Trustpilot partly due to its helpful customer service based out of its offices in Surrey. While its team may be UK-based, its data is not. With ‘geographically dispersed' servers, we can't be 100% certain of the locations. Therefore, if your company deals with sensitive or personal data, you may feel more confident dealing with a provider that stations its servers in the UK or EU.

bOnline VoIP Pricing

One of our favourite things about bOnline is its pricing, earning a good score of 4.3/5 in our cost analysis. Ranging from just £7 to £15.50 per user, per month, it’s one of the cheapest VoIP providers you’ll come across. With unlimited minutes available on most plans, as well as free Yealink T31P desk phones on the Unlimited & Video package, bOnline offers excellent value for money.

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bOnline Starter

bOnline Unlimited Calling

bOnline Unlimited Calling

Price

£7

Price

£13.95

Price

£15.50

Pricing correct as of December 2023

bOnline VoIP Features

With a bOnline system, we found that you'll have a high chance of avoiding extra spending as it is compatible with seven desk phone providers, whereas the average provider is compatible with an average of four. If you already have desk phones in use, it’s important to choose a system (like bOnline) that can neatly slot into your existing setup. Otherwise, you may have to purchase brand new phones. It's important to note that Cisco is not included on bOnline’s list of compatible phone brands. So, if you already have Cisco phones on your premises, bOnline may not be your best choice.

Unfortunately, bOnline scores rather low in terms of scalability. It lacks some key features for management purposes, such as call monitoring functions and transcription, so it may not be the best fit for expanding teams or startups looking to grow.

Due to a lack of compliance certifications and multi-factor authentication, we gave bOnline a 1/5 for security, which is the lowest on the board.

You can reach bOnline's customer support via phone line and live chat, but there is no email or 14/7 availability, which brings its score down to 3/5. However, it does provide a 99.999% uptime guarantee, which means that it's unlikely your operations will come to a halt due to a lost connection.

Among its competitors, bOnline stood out to us when it comes to price, offering as much bang for your buck as Vonage (bOnline offers fewer features, but it is also cheaper). Here it's beaten only by GoToConnect, the best VoIP provider for value for money.

Despite its shortcomings, bOnline boasts an excellent reputation among existing customers, with an average rating of 4.5/5 on consumer review sites – the second-highest score in our research, beaten only by Nuacom.

bOnline’s key features for businesses

StarterUnlimited CallingUnlimited & Video
Unlimited domestic minutesUnlimited inbound, 100 outbound*
International minutes
Local numbers
Ring group
Call queues
Video calling
Call conferencing
CRM integrationAvailable for £5 extra per monthAvailable for £5 extra per month
Uptime guarantee99.9%99.9%99.9%
Onboarding support
Live customer supportLive chat and phone lineLive chat and phone lineLive chat and phone line

*Inclusive minutes per user, per month

bOnline’s cheapest package, Starter, is really basic, offering very few key features we’d recommend for businesses.

This plan should only suit you if you’re a one-man operation, have a pretty small customer base, and are just looking to set up a professional phone number. If you run a larger business, you’ll find much more value in bOnline’s other plans.

Take note: bOnline charges £5 per month for CRM integration on its Pay As You Go and Unlimited Calling plans. This is a pain as other providers include ready-made CRM integrations in their packages. However, these two bOnline plans are pretty cheap to start with, so an extra fiver shouldn’t eat into your budget. Helpfully, bOnline can integrate with 11 different CRM systems, including Salesforce, MS Dynamics, and Hubspot.

6. Dialpad – Best business VoIP provider for conversational AI

Dialpad
3.8
Pricing £12 – bespoke
Why is Dialpad best for conversational AI?

Dialpad’s standout feature is conversational AI. Dialpad Ai accurately transcribes phone calls in real-time, flags whether or not the conversation is negative or positive, automates post-call summaries, including highlights and action items, and enables you to create tips and advice that appear on screen when certain keywords or phrases are spoken on a call.

Strengths

Great customer support, including a user forum, knowledge base, and live chat

Offers the best range of features after 8x8 and RingCentral

Great customer reputation, with an average review score of 4.4

Ring group functionality available on the cheapest plan

Weaknesses

Fewest ready-made integrations with other systems

Not very easy to upscale, scoring 3.3/5 in our scalability analysis

Only one local number per user

Uptime guarantee only included with most expensive plan

Dialpad has headquarters in California with a London-based office, and servers that are spread across the globe, making it a suitable provider for internationally dispersed teams. However, if keeping your customer data under stricter privacy laws, you may want to consider a UK/EU-based company.

Similar to GoTo, Dialpad does provide a wealth of online help articles and gives customers the option to submit a ticket or engage in live chat for support.

Dialpad VoIP Pricing

We found that Dialpad’s pricing reflected the featured offered, so it scores a reasonable 4/5 in our pricing analysis. Starting at £12 per user, per month, Dialpad is certainly affordable, but its plans don’t offer quite as much value for money as GoTo, Vonage, or bOnline. You should also take note of the fact that its Enterprise plan comes with custom pricing – this will be worked out on a case-by-case basis, so you'll need to contact the provider directly for a tailored quote.

Read our full Dialpad review for more information.

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Dialpad Standard

Dialpad Pro

Dialpad Enterprise

Price

£12

Price

£20

Price

Bespoke

Pricing correct as of December 2023

Dialpad VoIP Features

Our research highlighted that Dialpad offers standout features that can streamline your workflow, such as the use of conversational AI. This feature is most helpful for businesses with sales teams, call centres, or contact centres because the tool helps your team quickly make sense of high volumes of calls, with instant visibility over outcomes, the next steps, and access to in-the-moment coaching. Dialpad includes unlimited outbound and inbound call minutes, which is a huge plus.

When choosing a VoIP system for your business, we recommend choosing a system that can accommodate your business's growth. Dialpad only scores a 3.3/5 for scalability, meaning it lacks some key features for larger teams, such as call monitoring or integrations with other software systems. There is a call centre add-on that may mitigate some of these shortcomings.

Dialpad can be reached via phone, live chat, and it has a knowledge hub, which earned it a solid 4.5/5 for customer support. It doesn't offer email support. If this is something you require, consider 8×8 or RingCentral, which can be contacted via email.

We noticed Dialpad has the fewest ready-made integrations of all the providers on this list, meaning there isn't seamless integration with other software. It's also not as easy to scale as 8×8, RingCentral, Vonage, GoToConnect, or Nuacom. This means you may outgrow your plan when your business expands.

However, we like that Dialpad offers a great selection of customer support channels, earning a customer support score of 4.5/5. This is only beaten only by 8×8 and RingCentral. Its variety of features is solid and, once again, 8×8 and RingCentral are the only VoIP providers that offer a comprehensive array of features. Dialpad finally one ups the giants when it comes to price and customer satisfaction – Dialpad's prices are cheaper, and its average customer review score (4.4/5) is higher than 8×8's and RingCentral's (both 3.5).

Dialpad’s key features for businesses

StandardProEnterprise
Unlimited domestic minutes
International minutes
Local numbersOne per userOne per userOne per user
Ring group
Call queues
Video calling
Call conferencing
CRM integration
Uptime guarantee100%
Onboarding supportAt an additional costAt an additional costAt an additional cost
Live customer supportLive chat24/7 live chat and phone line24/7 live chat and phone line

Dialpad’s Pro and Enterprise plans provide a lot of the important features needed by businesses, such as call queues, CRM integration and an uptime guarantee (on its Enterprise plan). Alongside GoToConnect and Nuacom, Dialpad is one of the only providers we analysed that offers ring group functionality on its cheapest plan, which is plus for users.

However, there are limitations worth highlighting. Firstly, ready-made CRM system integration is only available with Salesforce, Zendesk, and Hubspot, which is something to be aware of if you use another system for your customer relationship management. That said, the software does have an open API, so you may be able to create your own integration with a CRM system of your choice.

While it's a necessary feature for larger businesses, it’s a little disappointing that the uptime guarantee is only included on Dialpad’s Enterprise plan. With a 100% guarantee, you can rest easy in the knowledge that your system should never go down. It’s a shame this excellent promise isn’t replicated for Standard and Pro users.

Finally, Dialpad only enables you to set up one local number per system user. If you’d like your integral team members to be contactable on a variety of numbers, this is not possible with Dialpad. If this is a priority, you should look at RingCentral or 8×8.

What's new for Dialpad? November 2023

  • Dialpad introduced Custom Ai Playbooks to track adherence to sales methodologies. Dialpad's custom AI can provide automatic suggestions and phrases during a call, understand if this was carried out, check the task off the list, or notify managers if the action was not completed. Given that various teams follow different protocol, this is taken into consideration with the ‘custom' element of the feature.
  • You can now receive read receipts on SMS messages to ensure successful delivery.
  • Dialpad introduced ‘Custom Customer Context', which gives a CRM-style overview of customer info during active calls. This enhances the customer experience by reducing redundant and repetitive communication with agents.

7. Nuacom – Best business VoIP provider for customer satisfaction

Nuacom logo
Nuacom
3.5
Pricing £14.99 – bespoke
Why is Nuacom best for customer satisfaction?

User reviews can tell you the truth about a product or service, without the sugar-coating. In terms of customer satisfaction, Nuacom knocks it out of the park with the highest score yet of 4.6/5. This means users just like you had a positive experience with this phone system.

Strengths

Boasts the best customer review score on this page

Set up ring groups and call queues on the cheapest plan

Unlimited domestic minutes on all plans

Weaknesses

Least generous range of features on this page

No unified communications tools, like video chat or messaging

Not great for scalability or ready-made integrations

Nuacom scores an extremely solid 4.9/5 Trustpilot rating, thanks to its excellent Ireland-based customer support team. It's a cloud-based system, which means its data is stored in various locations rather than in one geographic area. If your businesses works with sensitive or private data and want it protected by UK or EU law, this may not be an ideal choice.

Nuacom VoIP Pricing

As of August 2023, Nuacom's pricing is no longer public, so you'll need to contact them for an accurate quote. 

In our cost analysis, Nuacom was not our top VoIP provider out there for value for money. When Nuacom's prices were public, its Unlimited plan started at £14.99 per user, per month, making it the most expensive entry-level VoIP package we looked at. The price then jumped to £29.99 per user, per month on the Call Centre plan, which is quite a big leap to take for growing businesses that want to move onto the advanced packages. That said, Nuacom is still cheaper overall than 8×8 and RingCentral, so it earned an above average score of 3.8/5.

Check out our in-depth Nuacom review.

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Nuacom Unlimited

Nuacom Call Centre

Nuacom Enterprise

Price

£14.99

Price

£29.99

Price

Bespoke

Nuacom VoIP Features

We like that Nuacom provides unlimited inbound and outbound domestic minutes on all of its plans. With Unlimited, its entry-level plan, you’d expect nothing less.

If you're looking to upscale your business, your phone system needs to follow suit. Nuacom receives an above average score (3.8/5) for its scalability. It lacks security features such as compliance certifications, multi-factor authentication, and secure password rules, which are important for larger teams that need to protect business and customer data.

In terms of customer support, Nuacom can be reached via email, phone, or live chat, and it has a user forum and knowledge hub.

Overall, Nuacom only provides users with a fairly average system. With 3.8/5 for scalability, it is easier to scale than Dialpad and bOnline, but not as easy to scale as 8×8, RingCentral, Vonage, or GoToConnect.

We scored Nuacom a rather humble 3.2/5 for features as it has a minimal offering when compared with the other top VoIP providers on this list. It lacks any collaboration features, so it can't be used for in-house communication. This is a pretty hefty limitation and means you'll have to rely on another system for this.

Of all the UK VoIP providers we analysed, Nuacom has the best overall review score from its customers. Its average user ratings across software review sites G2, Capterra, Trustpilot, and TrustRadius is a phenomenal 4.6/5.

Nuacom’s key features for businesses

UnlimitedCall centreEnterprise
Unlimited domestic minutes
International minutes
Local numbers
Ring group
Call queuesOptional
Video calling
Call conferencing
CRM integrationOptional
Uptime guaranteeOptionalOptionalOptional
Onboarding support15-minute session15-minute session15-minute session
Live customer supportLive chat and phone lineLive chat and phone lineLive chat and phone line

With Nuacom, you can set up ring groups and call queues even on the cheapest plan, which is generous considering that most VoIP providers only offer these features with their advanced plans (GoTo is the only other provider on this list that makes these features available straight away).

On the flipside, one downfall for Nuacom is that it doesn’t come with any video conferencing capability. In fact, it doesn’t provide any unified communications features, with no sign of team messaging or document sharing tools either. Nuacom may be all about the VoIP phone technology but, nowadays, it’s reasonable for you to expect a comprehensive collaboration platform from your VoIP provider, so you don’t have to pay more to sign up to additional systems. It seems Nuacom is a little behind on this front.

It’s also interesting that Nuacom’s uptime guarantees are optional. We presume they’re add-ons that you can pay extra for, or negotiate to be included in your package.

Top-rated VoIP providers in London

While not essential, using a London-based VoIP provider can be beneficial if your HQ, operations, and customers are based in or around the UK's capital. You may benefit from improved call quality and shared business hours with customers, meaning you can offer more convenient customer service. You'll also be safe in the knowledge that your VoIP provider is 100% compliant with UK regulations when it comes to data protection.

Based on our research, here are some of the best London-based VoIP providers and their selling points:

  • Gamma One of the largest VoIP providers in the UK with a big presence in London. Offers hosted PBX solutions, SIP trunking, mobile integration, and cloud UC.
  • Voipfone This provider is popular for its low-cost VoIP lines and call plans.
  • Voipstudio Another provider that offers virtual PBX hosted in London with SIP trunking, number porting, and no long-term contracts.
  • TalkTalk This well-known telecom provider offers VoIP solutions for London-based businesses bundled with broadband.

If you want to maintain your 020 area code, it’s good to know that a VoIP provider can issue you with a 020 area code even if it is not located in London. This is a huge plus if you are taking calls from various locations but want to maintain the legitimacy of a London number.

Luckily, all of the providers on our list have a London office despite some of them having an international presence.

How did we find the best business VoIP providers in the UK?

We researched the top seven providers to determine the best VoIP system in the UK. We rigorously tested each provider against a number of criteria that are deemed essential when purchasing the ideal VoIP system. This includes:

  • Pricing  a significant factor when choosing a product is whether it’s good value for money. Cheaper isn't always better, so we take a comprehensive view of factors. This includes the price itself, whether a free plan is available, and whether or not the best features are available across all plans.
  • Features  in this category, we take an in-depth look at the product to gain an insight into what it actually provides and what you can actually do with the product.
  • External connections  it’s important to know whether a provider can seamlessly integrate into your existing business communications infrastructure.
  • Customer support  network connectivity can be a troublesome element to business operations, so we want to know what options are available to get you back on track when something goes wrong.
  • Security options  confidentiality is critical for both your clients and your business, so we looked into which internal security features were provided and how secure each provider is.
  • Scalability  when your business grows, you want your software to accommodate this. Scalability takes into account the ease of upscaling your plan with your provider so that you don't have to make a switch later down the line.
  • Customer score  taking stock of what existing customers really think of the product, we looked at average scores across G2, Capterra, Trustpilot, and Trust Radius.
The best VoIP providers in the UK: the verdict

OUr research shows that 8×8 is currently the best UK VoIP provider. 8×8 offers unbeatable security measures and its customer support channels score higher than any provider. Its impressive range of features includes everything you need for efficient communication with your customers and clients, such as unlimited minutes, local numbers, ring groups, call queues, and excellent CRM integrations. Although it's a bit more expensive that other providers on this list, we believe it's worth the investment for its range of high-quality features.

While 8×8 takes the top spot and is our no. 1 recommendation, if external connections are a top priority, you may want to also consider RingCentral. Coming in close second, RingCentral ties with 8×8 in many categories and is our top pick for customer service teams and for businesses that require external connections.

FAQs

Why is everyone switching to VoIP?
The main reasons people are switching to a VoIP provider are:

  • Increased scalability: As your business grows, new VoIP ports can be easily bought and installed with zero interruption to your business' operations
  • Cost savings: VoIP can save your business a lot of money on phone calls, especially if you make them frequently, with some even making inter-site communication entirely free
  • Easier long-distance calling: If you run a business with multiple sites or home workers who are frequently on the phone, VoIP will ensure easy communication as long as there is a Wi-Fi connection

Despite its numerous advantages, many are switching to VoIP now in time for the “The Big Switch Off” in 2025, when UK landlines will officially be phased out.

How do I get a free VoIP number in the UK?
Some VoIP providers will offer the first number as a free offer, only charging for additional numbers past that. Otherwise, there are services like Google Voice or FreedomPop that offer free VoIP services, though these may be rudimentary due to the lack of cost.

It's free to sign up to some major VoIP providers and, once you're signed up, many provide unlimited VoIP calling to other VoIP numbers or domestic numbers. bOnline, for example, offers a 30-day free trial and is one of the cheapest providers for a paid plan. While Number People is a Wales-based VoIP provider that advertises totally free VoIP phone numbers with paid add-on features.

Can you use a VoIP system on a smartphone?
Yes, all of the providers in our list offer the functionality to operate using a ‘softphone' app on your Google, Android or Apple device.
Will VoIP work if the internet is down?
This will depend on the provider, but typically VoIP services still work if the internet fails. There are a couple of different redundancies that can be built into a VoIP system, such as resorting to conventional phone lines or having the calls rerouted through cell phones.

As VoIP relies on an internet connection, a spotty connection is the main disadvantage when it comes to using your VoIP phone. There can also be noticeable latency and spotty moments on calls when compared with conventional phone lines, which can be exacerbated by a poor internet connection.

Is VoIP as good as a landline?
While there's no definitive winner, it's a very close race. Landlines can be slightly more reliable, especially in locations with a weaker Wi-Fi presence, but VoIP phones win when it comes to scalability, cost, and long-distance calls.
Is it worth switching to VoIP?
While every company has different needs, it's worth switching to VoIP for the long-term. While the initial investment might be costly, the money you can save over time should prove VoIP is a worthy investment.

Additionally, it will soon become a mandatory switch. UK landlines will officially be phased out in 2025. It's best to make the switch now while demand is lower, and prices are fairer.

Can I keep my phone number if I switch to VoIP?
Yes! In almost every case, you should be able to port your phone number when you switch to VoIP.
Written by:
Julia Watts author headshot photo
Specialising in business software, Julia writes jargon-busting guides about VoIP, fleet management, dash cams, fuel cards, and more. Having spent almost a decade writing for entrepreneurs and reviewing business solutions, she loves helping exciting ventures – big or small – to flourish.
Reviewed by:
James thinks all businesses can improve if they use the right technology. At Expert Market, he utilises his 4+ years experience as a researcher to offer specialised advice on a wide range of categories from CRM to Fleet Management.