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iPlum is the best Phone.com alternative if you’re looking for a business phone system that includes SMS texting in its standard plan.
Despite being critical for business, Phone.com locks SMS in its higher tiers, pushing users to upgrade to access this basic feature.
With iPlum, you get text messaging in the Standard plan, along with other essential features such as a phone tree and business hours.
The best part is that iPlum offers all this at nearly half the cost of Phone.com’s basic plan.
Besides having texting in its standard plan, iPlum also boasts a wide array of features, making it a solid Phone.com competitor for businesses and professionals.
In this article, we’ll we’ll dive into how iPlum stacks against Phone.com and look at six other Phone.com alternatives should you want to broaden your options.
But first,
Phone.com Reviews: What Are Users Saying?
Phone.com user reviews show a business phone system loved for its ease of use.
However, users recount repeated frustrations with support, app performance, and missing features. Here are Phone.com customer reviews.
Limited Functionality Without Wi-Fi
The free service heavily relies on Wi-Fi, and users may experience limited functionality without it.
“Calling within the app IS HORRIBLE, and I can’t use the phone unless it’s on Wi-Fi.” — user review, G2.
Long Support Wait Times
Getting help often means long hold times and communication challenges.
“And then they put you on hold for 1+ hour. And the person was difficult to understand when I finally got through.” — Robert E., Capterra.
Unreliable Performance
The service can be glitchy or stop working entirely.
“Can be super glitchy and lately has been failing completely.” — Becky A., Capterra.
Limited Integrations
Not ideal for teams needing CRM or dialer connections.
“Lack of auto-dialers and the insanely small number of integrations.” — user review, G2
Clunky User Interface
The dashboard design causes friction for basic tasks.
“Terrible user interface. No way to resend a fax through the dashboard.” — Dawn L., Capterra
Missing Basic Features
Some expected features simply aren’t there.
“It currently does not have a Google Chrome extension.” — Jack G., Capterra.
Higher Costs at Scale
Pricing increases sharply with more users.
“Phone.com grows more expensive as your number of users increases.” — user review, G2.
On the positive side, Phone.com is good fo;
Professional Branding
Helps small businesses present a polished image.
Look professional like a big organization.” — Chassity W., Capterra.
Phone.com Features
Here are Phone.com features included in most plans:
- Calling – Allows you to make and receive calls in the U.S. and Canada.
- Texting – Enables you to send and receive SMS messages.
- Voicemail – Lets you receive voice messages with a basic inbox and playback.
- Caller ID – Shows the number of incoming calls.
- Call History – Enables you to view past calls, missed calls, and text logs.
- Call Forwarding – Lets you redirect calls to another number when unavailable.
Phone.com Pricing
Phone.com pricing is available in three tiers, structured as follows for monthly plans:
- Basic — $18/mo/user or $15/mo if billed annually- Plan does not include texting, which is critical for business.
- Plus — $27/mo/user or $22.50/mo if billed annually
- Pro — $40/mo/user or $33.33/mo if billed annually
Why Consider a Phone.com Alternative?
Based on Phone.com user reviews and our expert assessment. Some reasons to consider a Phone.com alternative include:
- Scaling Is Expensive – Adding users and accessing basic features like SMS texting quickly increases your monthly bill.
- Cluttered Dashboard – Navigation can feel unintuitive for basic tasks.
- Service Reliability Issues – Some users report inconsistent performance.
- Support Delays – Getting technical help isn’t always quick or smooth.
- Outdated Mobile App Design – The app feels behind in usability and layout.
- Missing Business-critical Features – No built-in tools for automatic replies or follow-ups.
- Advanced Tools Are Paywalled – Higher-tier plans are required for analytics and call recording.
Best Phone.com Alternatives
With that out of the way, let’s look at alternatives to Phone.com that are worth your attention.
We’ll start with a quick comparison table.
1. iPlum (Best Value)
iPlum is the best alternative to Phone.com if you want more value for your money.
Phone.com may appear feature-rich at first glance. However, many users report serious drawbacks.
From Wi-Fi-only calling issues to a lack of automation, Phone.com will slow you down as your business grows. iPlum, by comparison, offers over 50 features and more predictable pricing as you scale.
One significant difference is call quality.
Phone.com often depends on Wi-Fi; users report dropped or poor-quality calls with weak coverage. iPlum, in comparison, offers dual calling mode. You can call over Wi-Fi or your phone’s voice network, depending on what works best for you.
Customer support is another pain point.
Phone.com reviews mention long hold times and confusing service. iPlum offers responsive technical support 24/7, so help is quickly available. In addition, iPlum has an extensive help center that allows users to troubleshoot common problems easily.
Moreover, iPlum connects better with the tools you’re already using. Its REST API lets you sync communication logs with CRMs, EHRs, or internal dashboards. This improves documentation, reduces manual entry, and keeps records organized.
In addition, iPlum offers a wide range of text and call management features. These include auto text replies for missed calls, voicemail transcriptions, secure texting channels, and call recording with consent prompts. The app also supports text-to-email, fax, music on hold, number porting, phone tree, and multi-line team management..
Compliance is built in, too. iPlum meets HIPAA and HITECH standards, with encryption, access control, and full message archiving. These are essential for healthcare, finance, and legal teams, which are not standard in Phone.com’s base plans.
iPlum Pricing
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iPlum pricing is structured in three tiers as follows:
Standard Plan – $8.99/user/month
Includes mobile app calling and texting in the U.S. and Canada, voicemail, auto-replies, business hours, and phone tree.
Professional – $14.99/user/month
This plan adds to the Standard plan with web-based calling and texting, secure encrypted texting, voicemail transcription, group and broadcast messaging, text archiving, and HIPAA compliance with a BAA for healthcare.
Premium – $19.99/user/month
Offers everything in the Professional plan, plus call recording and compliance features for finance, insurance, legal, sales, and support sectors.
How to Port Your Phone.com Number to iPlum
Porting or transferring your Phone.com number is easy. Watch the video below for details.
Ready to get started? Click the link below to port your number to iPlum.
2. Nextiva
Nextiva is a decent alternative to Phone.com if you want better call handling and frequently use desk phones. It works well for office-based teams that need scheduled call routing and basic call reports.
Like Phone.com, Nextiva includes calling, texting, voicemail, and video meetings. But it has an intuitive interface and gives admins more control.
Still, it’s not the best fit for everyone. Small businesses, solo professionals, and remote teams may find the pricing too high, especially if they need call recording, texting, or CRM connections. Many of those features are only available with the more expensive plans.
That said, iPlum offers the best balance of cost, features, and ease of use.
iPlum is built for mobile-first businesses. It includes useful tools like auto-text replies, secure messaging, call recording, and API access, without needing extra hardware or complicated setup. Everything works from one simple app.
Nextiva Pricing
Nextiva pricing is available in three tiers as follows:
- Core — $30/mo/user
- Engage — $40/mo/user
- PowerSuite — $60/mo/user
3. RingCentral
RingCentral is a solid alternative to Phone.com for teams that need both calling and internal chat. It works well for businesses with remote staff or multiple locations.
Along with team messaging, RingCentral includes calling, texting, faxing, and video meetings under one account.
Compared to Phone.com, RingCentral feels more advanced. It offers AI features like voicemail transcription, meeting summaries, and automated SMS replies triggered by keywords or missed calls.
However, RingCentral may be more than a small business really needs. It’s designed for larger teams, and the pricing reflects that. Many of its key features are only available on higher-tier plans.
By comparison, iPlum focuses on the features that matter most for businesses and professionals at a much lower cost.
So, while RingCentral is suitable for large, distributed teams, iPlum remains the best alternative for businesses that want a cost-effective, mobile-ready, and easy-to-manage phone system.
RingCentral Pricing
RingCentral pricing is available in three tiers as follows:
- Core — $30/mo/user
- Advanced — $35/mo/user
- Ultra — $45/mo/user
4. Dialpad
Dialpad presents itself as an AI-powered alternative to Phone.com.
It offers a unified communications platform integrating voice calls, video conferencing, SMS/MMS, and team messaging.
One of Dialpad's distinguishing features is its AI capabilities. These include real-time transcription of calls and meetings, automated summaries, and actionable insights. In addition, Dialpad integrates with popular platforms like Google Workspace and Microsoft 365.
However, it's important to note that while Dialpad offers robust features, it may be more suited to larger organizations.
Smaller businesses or those whose primary focus is external client communication might find the platform's extensive features unnecessary for their operations.
For such businesses, iPlum could be a more appropriate choice.
It provides essential communication tools like secure texting, voicemail transcription, auto-replies, and call recording without draining your budget.
Dialpad Pricing
Dialpad pricing is available in three tiers, structured as follows:
- Standard Plan—$27/user/month
- Pro Plan—$35/user/month
- Enterprise—contact Dialpad for pricing
5. OpenPhone
OpenPhone is a worthwhile alternative to Phone.com for startups and small businesses.
It comes with unlimited calls, texts within the U.S. and Canada, and voicemail transcription.
One advantage over Phone.com is that call recording and a basic auto-attendant are standard, and you don’t have to upgrade to a higher-tier plan. That makes OpenPhone appealing to businesses on a budget keen on cutting costs while maintaining a professional image.
In addition, OpenPhone integrates with popular tools like Slack and HubSpot.
However, OpenPhone is still fairly limited. It lacks robust call routing options, advanced analytics, and true HIPAA compliance support, which growing businesses often need as they scale.
So, if you want more flexibility, security, and compliance, iPlum is the better option. With iPlum, you get all the tools you need to manage business and client communication at a more affordable rate.
OpenPhone Pricing
OpenPhone pricing is available in four tiers, structured as follows.
- Starter — $19/user/month
- Business — $33/user/month
- Scale — $47/user/month
- Sona AI Agent — $49/month available as an add-on to any plan
6. Ooma
Ooma is a top alternative to Phone.com for office-based teams.
Like most options on this list, it offers unlimited calling and texting, as well as features like a virtual receptionist and mobile app access.
Compared to Phone.com, Ooma provides a more comprehensive package at competitive pricing.
However, Ooma's offerings align more with businesses that have a physical office setup. While it does provide mobile applications, the system is optimized for desktop phone usage, which may not be ideal for fully remote teams.
But if your team or business wants a mobile-friendly phone system, iPlum has got you covered. It works on any device and includes features like secure texting, voicemail transcription, and a built-in phone tree without the hardware.
Ooma Pricing
Ooma Pricing is available in three tiers, structured as follows:
- Essentials — $19.95/user/month
- Pro — $24.95/user/month
- Pro Plus — $29.95/user/month
7. Grasshopper
Wrapping up our collection of the best Phone.com alternatives is Grasshopper, a virtual phone system for entrepreneurs and small business owners.
It offers basic features like call forwarding, business texting, voicemail transcription, and custom greetings.
Grasshopper is simpler than Phone.com, with fewer menus and less setup. Pricing is flat-rate rather than per-user, which can be appealing to solo users or small teams.
However, the simplicity comes with trade-offs. For instance, Grasshopper doesn’t support CRM integrations, advanced analytics, or automation tools. So, it may not be ideal if you want to scale or need more robust functionality.
That said, Grasshopper is still more expensive than iPlum and plays second fiddle if things like business hours, dual call reliability, and compliance are essential to your business.
Grasshopper Pricing
Grasshopper offers the pricing plans structured as follows:
- True Solo - $18/month
- Solo Plus -$32/month
- Small Business: $92/month
Top Alternatives to Phone.com: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What Should I Look for in a Phone.com Alternative?
Look for better call quality, easier setup, and features like call recording, voicemail transcription, and auto-replies. Also, check for strong mobile support and integrations that match your business tools.
Is It Hard to Switch from Phone.com to Another Provider?
Switching is usually simple. Most providers offer number porting and guided setup. Once your number is transferred, you can manage calls and messages from your new provider’s app or dashboard without significant disruption.
Which Phone.com alternative Works Best for Small Teams?
iPlum is the best Phone.com alternative for small teams. It includes secure texting, call recording, voicemail transcription, and a phone tree in one app. It’s easy to manage and built with mobile-first users in mind.
Best Phone.com Alternatives: Why Choose iPlum Over Competitors
Choosing the right Phone.com alternative depends on how your business communicates and what features you use.
While platforms like RingCentral, Dialpad, and Ooma offer strong capabilities, they tend to serve larger teams or office-based setups.
Others, like Grasshopper and OpenPhone, work better for smaller operations but often lack flexibility or depth.
That’s where iPlum bridges the gap.
It combines essential business phone features—secure texting, auto-replies, voicemail transcription, and call recording—with mobile-first reliability and built-in compliance tools.
Plus, there’s no need for extra hardware or a complex setup—everything runs through one easy-to-use app.
If you're a solo professional, small team, or service business that needs to stay responsive, organized, and secure, iPlum offers the best mix of usability, features, and long-term value.
Phone.com might check the boxes on paper, but iPlum is built for how real businesses work today. It’s the upgrade that makes business sense.
Click the link below to experience the iPlum difference.
Disclaimer: This article is intended for general informational purposes and may not reflect the most current features or capabilities of the products or companies mentioned. For the most accurate and up-to-date information, please refer to the official sources of each company.
