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If you’re wondering how iPlum compares to Talkroute, we’ll break down everything you need to know in the sections below.
That said, one of the most important things you need to know from the get-go is that Talkroute is relatively expensive compared to iPlum.
The platform, for instance, offers call recording at $59 per user per month. iPlum, by comparison, gives you call recording and one year of archiving at $19 per user per month.
And you won’t get Talkroute’s auto-attendant unless you’re on the Plus plan, which goes for $39 per user per month. iPlum, on the other hand, offers a phone tree with extensions and auto attendants for as low as $8.99 per month in the Standard plan.
We’ll walk you through more nuances in a short while.
But first.
Table of Contents
1. iPlum vs. Talkroute—What Do Users Say?
2. iPlum vs. Talkroute—Feature Comparison
3. iPlum vs. Talkroute—Pricing
4. How Does iPlum’s Pricing Compare to Talkroute?
5. How to Port Your Talkroute Number Into iPlum
6. iPlum vs. Talkroute—Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
7. Why Choose iPlum Over Talkroute?
iPlum vs. Talkroute—What Do Users Say?
It helps to hear from users before choosing a business phone system.
And, in this section, we’ve pulled together reviews from Talkroute and iPlum customers so you can have a glimpse of what to expect.
Talkroute Reviews
Talkroute gets credit for ease of use and basic remote access. On the flip side, users report frustrating issues including dropped calls, limited texting, and poor customer support. Some also mention voicemail limitations, caller ID problems, and missing features like fax.
❌ Frequent call drops
“Drops multiple calls daily… from various devices… unresolved since March.” — Tylor P., G2
❌ Serious texting issues
“Currently having serious issues with texting… not able to send texts.” — Robyn C., G2
❌ Confusing setup process
“Setting up for the phone lines is unnecessarily confusing… and I’m pretty tech savvy.” — Megan E., Capterra
❌ Voicemail fills up quickly
“The voicemail box gets full very quickly.” — Lacey S., Capterra
❌ Poor customer support
“Very unresponsive help desk … ‘service’ is lacking!” — Andrew P., Capterra
❌ Caller ID limitations
“No way to know if it’s a business or personal call until I pick up.” — Jake T., Capterra
❌ No fax or international support
“I wish Talkroute supported faxing and international calling.” — Jeremy S., Capterra
✔ Easy to use
“Talkroute’s simplicity and ease of use are what I love most.” — Boshir U., G2
✔ Good for remote access
“We now have the freedom to answer customer calls wherever we are.” — Travis T., G2
iPlum Reviews
iPlum stands out for its secure texting, HIPAA compliance, and consistent call quality. Customers also appreciate how easy it is to separate business and personal calls, port their numbers, and get quick help from support.
✔ HIPAA-compliant voicemail and texting
“iPlum works so well for clients to leave messages securely… I plan to be a long-time customer.” — E.W., Trustpilot
✔ Reliable and clear call quality
“I’ve never had a dropped call… connection stays strong whether I’m on Wi-Fi or mobile data.” — J.A., Trustpilot
✔ Great for client boundaries
“Really helps me separate my personal and professional life… clients know it’s HIPAA compliant.” — Elizabeth Patterson, Trustpilot
✔ Quick and helpful customer service
“Contacted support on the weekend… fast, efficient and got my number right away.” — Anonymous, Trustpilot
✔ Smooth number porting
“Transferred my number from another provider… staff really cared about my success.” — Reli Shor, Trustpilot
✔ Professional texting without app installs
“Text messages are safe… clients feel connected, and it’s easy to manage.” — Dannel M Doyle, Trustpilot
✔ Good Skype alternative
“Support responded in 10 minutes and walked me through porting my number from Skype.” — David Campbell, Trustpilot
⚠️ Text activation wait
“Took a few days to register for texting, but iPlum was upfront about that.” — Linden Alexander, Trustpilot
iPlum vs. Talkroute—Feature Comparison
In the sections below, we’ll compare how iPlum and Talkroute stack up across calling, texting, security, voicemail, and more.
We’ll start with a comparison table.
1. Dual-Mode Calling
If you’re in business, you need a phone system that works wherever you are, whether on the road, in the office, or a rural area. Below, we’ll look at how Talkroute and iPlum handle calling when your Wi-Fi connection isn’t strong.
Talkroute
Talkroute is a VoIP service provider. It allows you to make phone calls over Wi-Fi or data. And as long as the internet connection holds up, Talkroute works as expected. However, when the internet is weak or down, calls can lag, distort, or fail.
iPlum
iPlum, in comparison, allows you to make and receive calls over the internet or using your mobile carrier’s voice network. You can switch based on your location or signal strength. So, if Wi-Fi is weak, you can still make and receive calls.
With iPlum, you get a more reliable experience during busy hours or travel. It also reduces missed calls and voice dropouts when working in areas with poor coverage.
2. HIPAA Compliance with Secure Messaging
If you handle sensitive client information, you need a phone system that protects health records, legal data, or financial conversations. Let’s compare how Talkroute and iPlum meet HIPAA requirements for secure business communication.
Talkroute
Talkroute is HIPAA compliant. However, the platform doesn’t offer a signed Business Associate Agreement (BAA) unless you upgrade to the $59/month Pro plan. For starters, a BAA is critical for meeting HIPAA requirements when handling protected health information. Without it, your business risks compliance violations and legal exposure. And at $59 per user per month, that’s a steep price for a feature so essential.
Talkroute also states that “account restrictions are available upon request” to support compliance. That means you have to manually ask for limited access controls or logging features, neither of which is built in by default.
iPlum
iPlum meets HIPAA standards through built-in encryption, audit trails, and signed BAAs. You can send and receive secure text and voicemail messages that adhere to HIPAA and HITECH regulations.
Notably, iPlum’s HIPAA compliance pricing starts at $14.99 with the Professional plan, compared to Talkroute’s $59/month Pro plan. That’s 75% cheaper.
On top of that, iPlum offers a free account for your clients to secure two-way messaging. We’ll tell you more about this account in the sections below. Talkroute doesn’t have such a feature.
3. Texting with Encryption, Scheduling, and Automation
Text messaging should be at the core of your business phone system capabilities. Let’s compare how Talkroute and iPlum perform here.
Talkroute
Talkroute comes with standard SMS and MMS features. It allows you to send and receive messages through the app using a U.S. or Canadian number.
However, the platform’s Basic plan limits you to just 500 outbound text messages per month. The cap creates a bottleneck for growing practices, busy service providers, or anyone who relies heavily on texting.
And, once you reach the limit, communication stalls unless you upgrade or purchase
add-ons. The Basic plan costs $19 per month. So, there’s that also.
iPlum
iPlum, like Talkroute, supports encrypted SMS and MMS. In addition, it pushes the envelope with automated replies and message templates.
You can schedule texts for future delivery and set up canned responses to handle missed calls or routine questions.
In addition, iPlum allows you to archive texts for up to a year, making it easy to pull past conversations if need be. The one-year archiving, by extension, gives you the flexibility to handle higher volumes of messages without losing track.
4. Secure Two-way Messaging for Clients
Text messaging may not be the ideal channel to use when you need to exchange sensitive information, like lab results, legal updates, or insurance details.
You're better off, therefore, with a business phone system that offers a secure, private infrastructure to message clients.
Here's how Talkroute and iPlum compare.
Talkroute
While Talkroute allows basic texting through SMS and MMS, it doesn't offer any secure alternative for private messages.
There's no encrypted chat, secure message portal, or a water-tight feature to protect sensitive communication. You're stuck using plain-text SMS, and that can be a not-so-good option for client-facing conversations.
iPlum
iPlum gives your clients a free iPlum account they can use for secure messaging. These messages don't go through regular SMS or MMS.
Instead, they use a private, encrypted channel built into the iPlum system. The setup creates a protected environment for sharing sensitive updates without risking exposure.
And, unlike standard texting, secure channel messages between iPlum users don't require TCR registration, which is a carrier-mandated process for outbound SMS/MMS. With iPlum, you get encrypted, bidirectional messaging with full privacy controls, while your clients get a simple, no-cost way to reach you securely.
5. International Use and Global Number Options
Your phone system should work internationally. That way, you can travel, serve global clients, or run a remote operation without a communication breakdown.
Let’s break down how Talkroute and iPlum handle international communication.
Talkroute
Talkroute offers local numbers in the U.S. and Canada. It allows you to make and receive calls within these regions using the app. You also get routing and voicemail features to manage calls.
However, Talkroute does not support outbound international calling. You can’t call numbers outside the U.S. or Canada.
So, if you travel, you’ll need to exit the platform and use your carrier’s dialer, which means higher rates and no access to Talkroute features.
iPlum
iPlum, on the other hand, works in over 200 countries and offers U.S., Canadian, and international numbers. The app is available in 23 languages, making it easier for multilingual teams and global users to navigate and communicate.
Beyond international coverage, iPlum provides toll-free 800 numbers with prefixes like 888, 877, 866, 855, 844, and 833.
You can also select a vanity number such as 1‑877‑GET‑HOME to align with your brand. These numbers project trust and professionalism while giving clients a cost-free way to reach you.
For comparison, Talkroute offers vanity and toll-free numbers at a starting price of $19 per month compared to iPlum’s $8.99.
6. Auto-Attendant with Mobile Admin Tools
In addition to greeting your customers professionally, a phone system worth your attention should allow you to route them to the correct department automatically.
And you should be able to set all this up in a few steps. Here’s how Talkroute and iPlum compare.
Talkroute
Talkroute has interactive voice response (IVR) menus, also known as auto-attendants. With these, you can create custom greetings and route callers to specific extensions or voicemail boxes.
However, IVR is only available on the Plus plan, which costs $39 per month per user. And if you want a multi-level auto attendant, you need to upgrade to the Pro plan, which costs $59 per month.
iPlum
iPlum offers phone trees with auto-attendants and extensions starting in the Standard plan at just $8.99 per month.
Compared to Talkroute, iPlum’s pricing is far more accessible. Talkroute charges $39 per month for basic IVR and $59 for multi-level menus.
Therefore, iPlum gives you similar functionality at up to 85% less.
For small businesses or solo professionals, this pricing difference is crucial. You get a professional call experience without spending enterprise-level fees just to route a few calls.
iPlum’s phone tree is quite robust.
It allows you to set up auto-attendants, create extensions, and add custom greetings. In addition, callers can press 1 for sales, 2 for billing, or 3 for voicemail, bringing in a sense of professionalism.
And the beauty of it is that you can update your greeting, change routing rules, or set after-hours right inside the iPlum app.
Other unique iPlum features include:
- Business Hours with Do-Not-Disturb
- Business address book
- Text to Email
- Block Spam Numbers
- Advanced Password Policy
iPlum vs. TextNow—Pricing
Let’s now see how iPlum and TextNow package their texting and calling solutions.
How Much Does iPlum Cost?
iPlum costs $8.99 to $19.99 per user per month, depending on your plan, as follows
Standard Plan – $8.99 per user per month
Includes mobile app calling and texting in the U.S. and Canada, voicemail, auto-replies, business hours, and phone tree.
Professional – $14.99 per user per month
This plan builds upon the Standard plan, offering web-based calling and texting, secure encrypted texting, voicemail transcription, group and broadcast messaging, text archiving, and HIPAA compliance with a Business Associate Agreement (BAA) for healthcare.
Premium – $19.99 per user per month
Offers everything in the Professional plan, plus call recording and compliance features for finance, insurance, legal, sales, and support sectors.
How Much Does TextNow Cost?
TextNow offers a free plan and paid passes starting at $0.99, depending on usage needs as follows.
Free Plan
Includes unlimited talk and text, plus free data access for select apps like maps, email, and rideshare. Requires SIM card activation.
Hour Pass – $0.99
Includes 60 minutes of unlimited talk, text, and data with 300MB of high-speed data, then unlimited 2G speeds. Includes free roaming in Canada and Mexico.
Day Pass – $4.99
Covers 24 hours of unlimited talk, text, and 2GB of high-speed data. Falls back to unlimited 2G speeds afterwards. It includes roaming in Canada and Mexico.
Month Pass – $39.99
The plan includes a full month of unlimited talk, text, and 10GB of high-speed data. Reverts to 2G thereafter. No ads and offers free roaming in Canada and Mexico.
How Does iPlum’s Pricing Compare to Talkroute?
iPlum offers full-featured plans starting at just $8.99 per user per month, less than half the cost of Talkroute’s $19 monthly Basic plan.
The Professional plan costs $14.99 and comes with secure texting, voicemail transcription, message archiving, and HIPAA compliance, features that Talkroute restricts to its $59 per month Pro plan.
At the top tier, iPlum’s Premium plan is $19.99, which still costs 66% less than Talkroute’s equivalent.
If you’re comparing value per dollar, iPlum delivers more features at a fraction of the cost.
How to Port Your Talkroute Number Into iPlum
You can port your Talkroute number in a few steps, as explained in the video below.
Port Your Talkroute Number Into iPlum
iPlum vs. Talkroute—Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How Much Does Talkroute Cost?
Talkroute starts at $19 per month, but key features like IVR and HIPAA support require higher plans. iPlum, Standard plan, in comparison, costs $8.99, while offering more features compared to Talkroute.
Why Is My iPlum Account Blocked?
Your iPlum account may be blocked for several reasons, including expired plans, travel, card issues, or email change. You can always reactivate your account by paying a one-time fee.
Can I Receive Calls on iPlum?
Yes. iPlum lets you receive incoming calls using your Wi-Fi and mobile voice network. That way, you get stronger reliability even in low-signal or travel situations.
Why Choose iPlum Over Talkroute?
Yes, Talkroute is a capable phone system with standard texting and calling features and a simple setup.
However, it becomes expensive fast. For instance, essential tools like call recording, HIPAA compliance, or multi-level auto-attendants are locked behind higher-tier plans costing up to $59 per month.
iPlum, on the other hand, offers those same features plus secure texting, international reach, and encrypted client messaging for as little as $8.99 to $19.99 per user per month.
Besides better pricing, you also get more flexibility and compliance tools designed for healthcare, finance, and legal professionals, as well as other regulated industries.
Click the link below to get started.
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.
