VoIP 
For anyone who’s running a growing team, Zoom Phone is a go-to, low-cost VoIP platform thanks to its simplicity and ease of use. In fact, it has reached 7 million paid user seats, according to a 2024 Zoom report. However, simplicity isn’t the be-all and end-all for businesses. Some teams encounter limitations with SMS, customization, or CRM integrations. That’s where this list of Zoom Phone alternatives comes in.
As their communication needs become more complex, many small businesses and IT leaders start looking for platforms with more advanced capabilities. This guide compares the top Zoom Phone competitors and explains why Nextiva stands out as the best overall solution.
What Makes Zoom Phone Appealing?
Zoom Phone’s biggest advantage is convenience. For companies already using Zoom Meetings or Webinars, it’s easy to add voice calling to the mix. The UI is clean and billing is streamlined, making it ideal for smaller teams or startups looking to upgrade their calling platforms.
Here’s why Zoom Phone is a popular choice:
- Built-in integration with Zoom Meetings – If your company already leverages Zoom for video calls or conferencing, using the Phone module is easy. Your team doesn’t have to learn a new interface, which speeds up adoption and minimizes friction.
- Easy onboarding – IT managers and business owners alike appreciate the communication platform’s no-fuss setup. For admins, the process of assigning numbers and managing users is streamlined, while end users get a straightforward and intuitive app experience, which is helpful for those who aren’t too well-versed with technology.
- Core phone system features – Out of the box, Zoom Phone includes call forwarding, voicemail, call transfer, direct dialing, and a softphone app that works across devices.
- Popular integrations – Zoom Phone plays well with Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace, allowing for easy calendar syncing, seamless contact access, and simplified user authentication for Android and Apple devices.
- Unlimited calling in some plans – Many businesses are drawn to the bundled U.S. domestic calling plans, with optional international plans that make the service appealing to global teams.
All in all, Zoom Phone is a fast on-ramp to VoIP for teams that value speed and simplicity, especially those already deep in the Zoom ecosystem. However, that same simplicity can become a bottleneck as your business grows. Once you need richer analytics, omnichannel support, or deeper CRM integration, Zoom Phone starts to show its limits.
Why Businesses Seek a Better Solution
At first glance, Zoom Phone is a fast, accessible service for basic telephony capabilities. But as your business communication needs mature — especially across departments like sales, support, and operations — Zoom Phone’s limitations can start to feel more like roadblocks.
In conversations across support forums, Reddit threads, and customer reviews, recurring frustrations surface around scalability, missing features, and the cost of add-ons.
These are the most common reasons companies start considering Zoom Phone alternatives:
- Less feature-rich – While Zoom Phone supports basic SMS, it lacks more advanced features that are essential for marketing teams, customer service agents, and appointment-based businesses.
- Limited team collaboration – Unlike other platforms that allow multiple teammates to manage calls with a shared inbox or number, Zoom Phone doesn’t support SMS on shared lines at all. You also need to purchase extra phone numbers.
- Add-on overload – Zoom Phone appears affordable upfront, but many essential features, such as call analytics (ZOOM Sessions) and call queue dashboards, are locked behind higher-tier plans or require additional purchases.
- CRM integration gaps – While Zoom boasts integrations with Salesforce and HubSpot across all plans, it’s quite limited in terms of connectivity to third-party platforms. Smaller teams looking for broader integration libraries may run into challenges if their tools fall outside the current software integrations Zoom Phone has.
- Clunky interface and weak support – Some users report that Zoom Phone’s settings are hard to navigate, and live support can be difficult to access.
- Scalability problems – With shared numbers supporting only limited simultaneous calls and no advanced call routing unless you upgrade, Zoom Phone could present challenges for growing teams or busy contact centers.
- Requires consistently strong Internet connection – Users report dropped calls or missed connections, and lags and delays are frequent when the Internet connection is spotty.
If your business depends on seamless communication across teams or with customers, Zoom Phone may start to feel limited as your needs evolve. While it was built to complement Zoom Meetings, it’s not meant to be an all-in-one business phone system. Once you’re juggling CRM tools, SMS requirements, and inbound queues, it may be worth exploring other service providers that support you as you scale.
Top 5 Zoom Phone Alternatives
Here are five of the most reliable Zoom Phone competitors for small businesses handling mass callers, sales teams, and contact centers in 2025.
1. Nextiva
Think of Nextiva as a major upgrade to your phone system. Built from day one as a unified communication solutions platform, Nextiva goes beyond your standard VoIP phone solution with CRM integrations, omnichannel messaging, cloud-based AI tools, and real-time analytics.
Key features:
- Unlimited calling in the U.S. and Canada
- Built-in SMS and MMS (via Nextiva Engage)
- Integrations with HubSpot, Microsoft Teams, Salesforce, Zoho, Zendesk, and more
- Voicemail transcription and call recording
- Shared lines and call groups for seamless collaboration
- AI call summaries, real-time analytics, and agent assist
- Reliable uptime with 99.999% availability
- 24/7 customer support from U.S.-based teams
Comparison to Zoom Phone:
- Zoom Phone makes you choose between features, functionality, and pricing.
- Nextiva includes powerful tools by default, with faster support and smoother onboarding. No add-on fatigue here.
Best for: Businesses scaling fast and needing voice, CRM, messaging, and analytics in one phone system
2. OpenPhone
OpenPhone caters to startups and remote teams that rely more on Slack and email than call centers. It’s fast and flexible and makes texting a first-class experience. You can easily collaborate with teammates on the same phone number, reply to texts like you would in an email thread, and add internal comments without disrupting customer conversations.
Key features:
- Collaborative inboxes for shared phone numbers
- Auto-replies and scheduled SMS
- Snippets for saved replies to common questions
- Integrations with HubSpot and Salesforce
- AI call tagging and search
Comparison to other platforms:
- Lacks comprehensive omnichannel support
- Lacks call queueing and deeper contact center software features
Best for: Startups and solo founders who rely heavily on messaging apps for customer communication
3. RingCentral
RingCentral excels in hybrid or office-heavy environments. One of the most mature players in the UCaaS space, RingCentral offers enterprise-grade infrastructure. It’s built for scale and customization.
Key features:
- Support for desk phones (Avaya, Cisco, Poly)
- Flexible SMS/MMS limits
- Detailed call analytics and admin controls
- Video meeting and video conference features
- Free trial without a sales call
Comparison to other platforms:
- Interface can be overwhelming
- Learning curve is steep for non-technical teams
Best for: Hybrid teams and enterprises that want full control
4. Dialpad
Dialpad’s claim to fame is voice intelligence. Its real-time transcription, sentiment analysis, and coaching tools are perfect for teams focused on performance, training, and conversion rates. Dialpad’s integrations with Salesforce and Google Workspace make it a natural fit for sales or CX teams.
Key features:
- Live call transcription with sentiment analysis
- AI coaching tools
- Salesforce and Google Workspace integrations
- Inbound and outbound call routing
Comparison to other platforms:
- MMS support is limited to the U.S. and Canada only
- Contact center upgrades can get expensive
Best for: Contact centers that prioritize coaching and call quality assurance
5. JustCall
JustCall is purpose-built for outbound campaigns and international teams (especially for those working with international calls). It’s got one of the best power dialers, along with global phone numbers, SMS automation, and native CRM integrations.
Key features:
- International numbers in 70+ countries
- Power dialer and SMS workflows
- 500 SMS segments per license (Team plan)
- CRM integrations (e.g., Zoho, Salesforce, and Pipedrive)
- Slack notifications for missed calls
Comparison to other platforms:
- Lacks deep omnichannel or voice AI features
- Best features require top-tier plans
Best for: Sales teams doing international outreach
Why Growing Businesses Choose Nextiva
Zoom Phone is a solid entry-level option. But as your business needs evolve, missing features, workarounds, and pricey add-ons can become hurdles. If your priorities include better service, improved scalability, or comprehensive contact center analytics, consider exploring more robust solutions like Nextiva, one of the best Zoom Phone alternatives.
Nextiva is designed to eliminate the frustrations that come with juggling multiple tools or paying for basic features. Businesses consistently choose Nextiva because it delivers real value without feature fatigue.
Core tools like SMS, CRM integration, call recording, and analytics are built-in, not upsold. Scalability is never an issue since Nextiva can handle thousands of calls with advanced routing, shared numbers, and call groups, all without compromising quality.
On the customer-facing side, Nextiva empowers your team to deliver a more seamless experience. Whether you’re answering a call, sending a follow-up SMS, or resolving a case via email or chat, all channels live in one streamlined platform. And if you need help along the way, U.S.-based onboarding and support teams are available 24/7 to keep your systems running smoothly.
Whether you’re running a contact center or just need a better VoIP solution for your small business, Nextiva delivers. It gives you the unified, AI-powered, and truly scalable business phone system you need.
Ready to upgrade your business communications? Explore Nextiva’s solutions today.
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