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iPlum is the best Sonetel alternative if you’re looking for a second phone number that’s also HIPAA-compliant and provides global reach.
With an iPlum number, you can call, text, block spam, set business hours, route callers with an auto-attendant, and more, while ensuring secure, encrypted communication in 200+ countries.
These two aren’t the only alternatives to Sonetel, though.
We’ve handpicked five more to help you choose one that fits your needs and budget from a point of information.
Before we zoom in on these options, let’s first analyze what you get with Sonetel and what to look for in an alternative.
Table of Contents
4. What to Look for in a Sonetel Alternative?
6. Best Alternatives to Sonetel: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
7. Sonetel Alternatives: Why Choose iPlum?
Sonetel Features
While Sonetel isn’t as feature-packed as most competitors, it comes with some notable capabilities, including:
- International Numbers – You can buy local phone numbers in 60+ countries.
- Call Forwarding – Allows you to route calls to your mobile, landline, or app.
- Auto Attendant – A basic menu system to direct callers.
- Call recording – Allows you to record calls you make
Sonetel Pricing
Sonel pricing is structured as follows:
- Premium Plan: Start at $9.95 per user per month for features like a phone number, IVR, call recording, SMS-to-email, and caller ID.
- Business Plan: Starts at $29.95 per user per month for the features above, as well as call summary, follow-up email, and customer call analysis.
Sonetel has a free plan, but the tier doesn’t include a phone number, call routing, or business features.
The cost of a Sonetel phone number varies depending on the country and call volume.
Sonetel Reviews
Sonetel users have mixed reactions about the provider. Frustrating customer support and missing features are common complaints with the service.
❌ Poor customer service
“Paid for a premium package and still, 14 days later, it is not activated. Customer service only answers once per day. Not reliable for business calls.” — Wintage Room, Trustpilot
❌ Texting not available
“Good Skype replacement… hopefully they will add true texting soon.” — MDS, Trustpilot
On the flip side, some users say the service is easy to use, although the instructions can be confusing.
✔ Quick setup for calls
“Quick and easy to set up a Sonetel account. Some lack of clarity of instructions, though.” — User review, Trustpilot
What to Look for in a Sonetel Alternative?
On one hand, Sonetel offers a reasonable cross-border reach with international numbers.
However, the service doesn’t offer a wide scope of features to adequately cover the communication needs of a modern business.
That said, if you’re in for a phone system with reliable calling, texting, or compliance, you may need an alternative that goes beyond Sonetel’s capabilities.
Here are five things to consider when choosing a Sonetel alternative:
Texting Capability
Because Sonetel doesn’t support outbound SMS, you’ll want to check if the provider offers two-way texting and whether it’s secure or HIPAA-compliant, especially if you’re in healthcare.
Call Reliability
Look for a service that can allow you to make calls and receive texts even when you’re in an area with a weak internet signal. That way, your business calls and texts won’t be at the mercy of the internet or data strength.
Compliance and Security
For healthcare, finance, or legal sectors, the best alternative to Sonetel should deliver end-to-end encryption, complete with a signed BAA.
Scalability
Pick a phone system designed to grow with your needs and that has features like auto-attendants, extensions, and team management.
Customer Support
Poor customer support is a common complaint among Sonetel reviews. A good alternative, therefore, should provide reliable support channels to ensure you get help whenever you need it.
Best Sonetel Alternatives
Although alternatives to Sonetels below vary in their capabilities, we used the following criteria to narrow down the options.
- Features
- Price vs value
- User reviews
- The ability to grow with your business
- Compliance
Read on, as we zero in on the top alternatives to Sonetel for business.
Here’s a comparison table to give you a quick summary of the provider’s core functionality and price.
1. iPlum: Best Sonetel Alternative Overall
iPlum is the best Sonetel alternative for reliability, secure communication, and global reach. Unlike Sonetel, which covers about 60 countries, iPlum is available in over 200 nations for extended international calling.
On top of that, iPlum supports 23 languages, a handy feature for businesses serving multilingual clients or operating across diverse regions.
What's more, Sonetel doesn't explicitly acknowledge its HIPAA compliance or lack of it, leaving room for speculation. iPlum, in comparison, is natively HIPAA compliant for texts and calls.
Another notable downside with Sonetel is that it doesn't support SMS. The platform only allows SMS-to-email for a limited number of types in a few countries. So if your business is SMS-heavy, that can create a significant communication gap.
Key Features
- Secure second number: Allows you to add a U.S., Canadian, or toll‑free line on their mobile device for calling and texting.
- Dual-network calling: Enables you to shift between the voice network and Wi‑Fi/data, depending on which one is available for more reliable call quality
- HIPAA-compliant texting and calling: Encrypts text and voicemail, and includes a Business Associate Agreement for healthcare use.
- Advanced phone tree with an auto-attendant and extension: Allows you to route incoming calls through menus and extensions to manage flow.
- Voicemail transcription: Converts voicemail into text for easier review, saving you time.
- Group and scheduled texting: Allows you to message multiple contacts and schedule outgoing messages for future delivery.
- Call recording and archiving: Enables you to record and store calls securely, which is useful for compliance in industries such as legal and finance.
- Text archiving: Allows you to securely store messages for one year and retrieve them if needed.
Pros
- Feature-rich second business line
- App and web calling
- Supports spam blocking
- Works over Wi‑Fi or a voice carrier
- Secure for healthcare use
- Affordable plan tiers
Cons
- Doesn't provide video conferencing
iPlum Pricing
iPlum pricing is structured in three tiers as follows
- Standard Plan: Starts at $8.99 monthly per user. Includes mobile app calling, texting, voicemail, auto-text reply, business hours, phone tree, and extensions.
- Professional Plan: Starts at $14.99 monthly per user. Includes everything in the Standard plan and web calling, texting, encryption, archive, transcription, as well as healthcare compliance.
- Premium Plan: Starts at $19.99 monthly per user. Includes everything in the Profession plan alongside call recording, compliance tools (finance, legal, sales), and archive retention.
2. Google Voice: Best for Google Workspace Users
Google Voice is a worthy Sonetel alternative for businesses already using Google Workspace. The platform's second number allows you to call and send text messages in the U.S. and Canada.
You also get voicemail transcription and integration to Google apps like Calendar, Meet, and Gmail.
However, Google Voice is not HIPAA compliant unless you have a Google Workspace subscription with Vault.
And although Google Voice has features like ad hoc call recording, multi-level auto attendants, and ring groups, these features are only available in Standard or Premier plans.
Key Features
- Google Workspace integration: Syncs calling with Gmail, Calendar, and Meet to streamline communication.
- Voicemail transcription: Converts voicemails into text for easier reading and record-keeping.
- Call forwarding: Routes calls to different devices to maintain availability.
- Cross-device access: Allows users to take calls from desktop, mobile, or tablet.
- Number porting: Enables users to keep existing numbers when switching.
Pros
- Google integration
- Easy to use
- Reliable voicemail transcription
- Works on multiple devices
Cons
- No HIPAA compliance standard
- Reported as hard-to-reach customer support
- Requires Google Workspace add-ons
Google Voice Pricing
Google Voice pricing is structured in three tiers:
- Starter Plan: $10 per user per month.
- Standard Plan: $20 per user per month.
- Premier Plan: $30 per user per month.
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3. RingCentral: Best for Unified Communication
We picked RingCentral as a Sonetel alternative because of how it bundles calling, messaging, and video meetings in one platform.
The platform is reasonably robust, complete with features such as auto-attendant, call recording, and voicemail transcription.
With RingCentral, you can also run webinars and manage team messaging within the same interface.
However, RingCentral is expensive compared to competitors like iPlum. Most of its advanced features require higher-tier plans, which can make it expensive if you're looking for a cost-effective service.
So, if you need a broad communications suite that RingCentral offers, you may want to consider an alternative that can deliver reliable business calling and texting without blowing your budget.
Key Features
- Basic Auto-attendant and call routing: Directs callers to the right person or department.
- Video meetings: Hosts virtual meetings with screen sharing and collaboration tools.
- Call recording: Archives calls for training or compliance purposes.
- Analytics dashboard: Tracks usage and call performance across departments.
- SMS and MMS support: Allows businesses to send and receive texts.
- Mobile and desktop apps: Ensures communication continuity on any device.
Pros
- Scalable
- Offer video conferencing
- Supports a broad range of integrations
Cons
- Can be expensive
- Not beginner-friendly
- Slow customer support, according to reviewers
Pricing
RingCentral pricing is structured in four tiers:
- Core Plan: $30 per user per month.
- Advanced Plan: $35 per user per month.
- Ultra Plan: $45 per user per month.
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4. OpenPhone: Best for Small Teams
OpenPhone ticks the boxes for small teams and solo entrepreneurs looking for a second phone they can use on mobile and desktop.
While it may not be as feature-rich as some competitors, you get texting, calling, phone menus, and voicemail.
But, like Google Voice, OpenPhone is not HIPAA-compliant. In addition, the service's cheapest plan costs $15 per month and doesn’t include business-critical features such as an auto attendant or call forwarding.
Key Features
- Unlimited texting and calling: Allows teams to send as many texts and make calls
- Voicemail transcription and AI summaries: Converts voicemail to text and summarizes messages.
- AI receptionist: Greets and filters calls, sending only valid ones through. The feature is available as an add-on, and it's not part of the core offer.
- Shared phone numbers: Allows multiple users to use a single phone number for customer contact.
Pros
- Multi‑device access
- AI call filtering
Cons
- No HIPAA support
- Reported desktop and phone sync issues
Pricing
OpenPhone pricing is structured in two tiers:
- Starter Plan: Starts at $15 per user per month.
- Business Plan: Starts at $23 per user per month.
- Scale Plan: Starts at $33 per user per month
5. Nextiva: Best for Big Enterprises
Nextiva positions itself as a “customer experience management platform.”
Besides calling and texting, it also adds service tools like Call Pop, which shows customer details as calls come in. It also has analytics that measure response times and call trends.
Sure, these features make it a solid Sonetel alternative for enterprises that manage large sales or support teams.
However, the platform’s higher price and complexity can be overkill for smaller businesses that only want standard and texting calling features.
Nextiva, therefore, is ideal for organizations that want their phone system to double as a customer engagement and productivity tool.
Key Features
- VoIP calling: Allows calling within the United States and Canada.
- Auto-attendant: Routes callers to the right department with a menu system.
- CRM integrations: Syncs with Salesforce, HubSpot, and Zoho for customer management.
- Video conferencing: Hosts online meetings with screen sharing and recording.
- Call recording: Stores calls for review, training, or compliance needs.
Pros
- Robust analytics features
- Unified communication setup
Cons
- Expensive
- SMS limits in the Core plan
Nextiva Pricing
Nextiva pricing is structured in three tiers:
- Core Plan: $30 per user per month.
- Engage Plan: $40 per user per month
- Power Suite Plan: $60 per user per month.
6. Grasshopper: Best for Virtual Number
Grasshopper is a virtual phone system that routes calls and texts through your personal device while keeping numbers separate.
You can set business hours, forward calls, and create a basic auto-attendant.
However, Grasshopper lacks features like automatic call recording or HIPAA compliance and doesn’t scale well for larger businesses.
Like OpenPhone, it's best for solo operators or startups that want a virtual number that can do just enough to keep communications going.
Key Features
- Virtual phone numbers: Allows you to add a local, toll-free, or vanity number to your mobile phone.
- Call forwarding: Routes calls from the business line to personal devices.
- Basic Auto-attendant: Plays a greeting and routes callers through a simple menu.
- Mobile and desktop apps: Provides access to calls and texts from any device.
- Call handling rules: Allows routing by caller ID, time of day, or location.
Pros
- Offers vanity numbers
- Simple call forwarding
- Affordable for small use
Cons
- No automatic call recording
- Limited analytics
- No HIPAA compliance
Pricing
Grasshopper pricing is structured in three tiers:
- True Solo Plan: $14 per month.
- Solo Plus Plan: $25 per month.
- Small Business Plan: $55 per month.
7. Ooma: Best for Analog Phone Support
Ooma’s appeal lies in its ability to support analog phones.
So, if you’re still using traditional desk phones, you can use the service to bridge old hardware with modern VoIP features like voicemail, call forwarding, and a virtual receptionist.
Ooma offers calling in the U.S., Mexico, Canada, and Puerto Rico, and comes with a toll-free number to get started.
Although Ooma works for analog phones, business communication is rapidly moving toward mobile-first setups and cloud-based systems, which limit its long-term usability for growing organizations.
Key Features
- Calling in North America: The platform covers the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and Puerto Rico.
- Virtual receptionist: Allows you to route calls with customizable greetings and menus.
- Call forwarding: Sends calls to mobile or landline devices.
- Conference calling: Connects multiple callers in a single session.
- Analog phone support: Works with existing desk phones via Ooma’s hardware.
- Mobile app access: Allows users to make and receive calls from smartphones.
Pros
- Works with analog phones
- Easy setup process
Cons
- Limited integrations
- Few advanced features
- Scales poorly for enterprises
- Limited SMS support
Ooma Pricing
Ooma pricing is structured in two tiers:
- Essentials: $19.95 per user per month.
- Pro: $24.95 per user per month.
- Pro Plus: $29.95 per user per month.
Best Alternatives to Sonetel: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Is Sonetel HIPAA compliant?
No. Sonetel lacks HIPAA compliance, which is critical for healthcare, legal, and finance. iPlum, by comparison, provides encrypted calling and texting with a signed BAA, making it ideal for regulated industries.
Which Sonetel alternative is best for small businesses?
The best alternative should offer reliable calling, texting, compliance options, and easy scaling. iPlum services small businesses with features like auto-attendant, voicemail transcription, and secure messaging at affordable tiers.
Does Sonetel work in the U.S.?
Yes. Sonetel numbers work in the U.S., but SMS is limited. You can only receive texts as emails, and sending SMS isn’t supported.
Sonetel Alternatives: Why Choose iPlum?
Sonetel works for basic international calling.
However, the fact that it doesn’t have critical features such as SMS or a phone tree with extensions can create communication bottlenecks.
While the alternatives we covered here are unique in their own ways, iPlum boasts notable capabilities, including global reach with HIPAA-secure texting, call recording, voicemail transcription, and a robust auto-attendant, among other features.
If you’re serious about upgrading communication beyond Sonetel’s email-based SMS and missing features, iPlum is your go-to option.
Sign up today and get a second mobile business number designed for modern communication.
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.
