	You might be using an unsupported or outdated browser. To get the best possible experience please use the latest version of Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Microsoft Edge to view this website.

advisor
Business
Best UCaaS Providers

Advertiser Disclosure Updated: Mar 30, 2024, 1:55pm

Best UCaaS Providers Of 2024

Katherine HaanContributor

Katherine Haan is a small business owner with nearly two decades of experience helping other business owners increase their incomes.

Kelly MainStaff Reviewer

Kelly Main is a Marketing Editor and Writer specializing in digital marketing, online advertising and web design and development. Before joining the team, she was a Content Producer at Fit Small Business where she served as an editor and strategist covering small business marketing content. She is a former Google Tech Entrepreneur and she holds an MSc in International Marketing from Edinburgh Napier University. Additionally, she is a Columnist at Inc. Magazine.

Katherine Haan,

Katherine HaanContributor

Katherine Haan is a small business owner with nearly two decades of experience helping other business owners increase their incomes.

Kelly Main

Kelly MainStaff Reviewer

Contributor, Staff Reviewer

Rob WattsManaging Editor, SMB

With over a decade of editorial experience, Rob Watts breaks down complex topics for small businesses that want to grow and succeed. His work has been featured in outlets such as Keypoint Intelligence, FitSmallBusiness and PCMag.

Reviewed

Rob Watts

Rob WattsManaging Editor, SMB

Managing Editor, SMB

Reviewed

Updated: Mar 30, 2024, 1:55pm

Editorial Note: We earn a commission from partner links on Forbes Advisor. Commissions do not affect our editors' opinions or evaluations.

Unified communications as a service (UCaaS) is a rapidly growing category of cloud-based communications solutions, including voice-over-internet-protocol (VoIP), videoconferencing and instant messaging. UCaaS solutions are often delivered as a subscription service with monthly or annual payments. This delivery model provides many benefits for businesses, including lower upfront costs, increased flexibility and scalability. UCaaS solutions are becoming the communications platform of choice for businesses of all sizes.

Best Of

Show Summary

Featured Partners

RingCentral

$20 per user, per month (paid annually)

Yes

RingCentral

On RingCentral's Website

Zoom Phone

Starts at $10 per user, per month

Yes

Zoom Phone

On Zoom's Website

Nextiva

$18.95 per user, per month

Yes

Nextiva

On Nextiva's Website

The Best UCaaS Providers of 2024

Nextiva: Best for businesses with multiple locations
RingCentral: Best for businesses with high call volume
Zoom: Best for videoconferencing
Vonage: Best for global companies
8×8: Best for scalable solutions

Best for Businesses With High Call Volume

RingCentral

Price

Free; $20 per user, per month

(when paid annually), for paid plans

Call recording

Yes

Desktop app

Yes

On RingCentral's Website

Free; $20 per user, per month

(when paid annually), for paid plans

Yes

Editor's Take

RingCentral is a top provider of UCaaS. It offers a wide range of features, including VoIP, videoconferencing and instant messaging, depending on the plan you choose. It’s an excellent choice for businesses with high call volume, as it offers unlimited calls within the U.S. and Canada.

It also has a number of features that are designed to improve business productivity, such as voice mail-to-text and team messaging. RingCentral integrates with popular business applications, such as Microsoft 365, Google Workspace and Slack. With its 24/7 customer support, RingCentral is a solid choice for businesses of all sizes.

Learn more: Read our full RingCentral review.

Who should use it:

Businesses with high call volume.

Pros & Cons

Business SMS
Toll-free minutes
Voice mail-to-email
Unlimited meetings
Advanced analytics

No video meetings with Essentials plan
Only offers 24/7 support on Standard plan or higher

Best for Businesses With Multiple Locations

Nextiva

Starting price

$17.95 per user, per month

Call recording

Yes

Desktop app

Yes

On Nextiva's Website

$17.95 per user, per month

Yes

Editor's Take

Nextiva is a leading UCaaS provider that offers businesses a comprehensive suite of voice, video and messaging solutions. Its cloud-based platform delivers all the features and benefits of traditional communications solutions but with the added flexibility and scalability of the cloud.

Nextiva’s solutions are ideal for businesses with multiple locations as they allow businesses to connect all their employees easily, no matter where they are. It also offers a number of features that are designed to help businesses increase their sales and service productivity, including call recording, call pop, voice mail transcription and customer journey analytics.

Who should use it:

Businesses with multiple locations.

Read more:

Read our full Nextiva review.

Pros & Cons

Unlimited voice and video calling
Auto attendant
Unlimited internet fax
Toll-free numbers

Free trial only available on its Essential plan
Not as many integrations as its competition

Best for Videoconferencing

Zoom

Price

Free; $13.33 per month per license

Call recording

Yes

Desktop app

Yes

Read Forbes' Review

Free; $13.33 per month per license

Yes

Editor's Take

Zoom’s network of solutions was built to put video first, with secure HD video and audio, calendar integration, built-in collaboration tools and a simplified user experience. Zoom Chat is the glue holding its unified communications platforms together, providing instant messaging (IM), scheduling or jumping into ad hoc meetings and phone calls, file sharing and task tracking.

With Zoom Phone, you may make and receive calls from your desktop computer, laptop, tablet or phone. You can also convert any call to video. Use Zoom Webinar to connect with huge audiences from all around the world and from any device. Increase the number of people up to 50,000 without sacrificing audio and video quality. Reach internal and external audiences with a customizable setup, registration and live streaming.

Learn more: Read our full Zoom review.

Who should use it:

Businesses that need a comprehensive videoconferencing solution.

Pros & Cons

It’s user-friendly
The video and audio quality are excellent if your connection is good
It offers free meetings for up to 100 participants

Optional add-ons can add up
You need a strong internet connection for Zoom to work properly

Best for Global Companies

Vonage

Price

$13.99 per month, per line

(bulk discounts available)

Call recording

Yes

Desktop app

Yes

On Vonage's Website

$13.99 per month, per line

(bulk discounts available)

Yes

Editor's Take

Vonage is a UCaaS provider with features such as unlimited calls and SMS, a mobile and desktop app, unlimited team messaging and unlimited meetings for up to 100 participants. You can choose to keep your existing phone number. Vonage also offers 24/7 U.S.-based service and tech support.

Some of the most popular add-on features include toll-free numbers, call recording and visual voice mail. With Vonage Support PLUS, you’ll also get personalized, friendly remote support for IT and tech issues.

Learn more: Read our full Vonage review.

Who should use it:

Vonage is a good choice for global businesses of all sizes that need a comprehensive UCaaS solution with robust features.

Pros & Cons

Unlimited calls and SMS
Local Direct Inbound Dialing (DID) numbers display local numbers from over 96 countries
Unlimited team messaging
Business phone systems and hardware available for purchase
Large number of add-ons and integrations available

Only supported in 40 countries
Global calling plans only allow long-distance calls to 52 countries

Best for Scalable Solutions

8×8

Price

$28

per user, per month

Call recording

Yes

Desktop app

Yes

Read Forbes' Review

$28

per user, per month

Yes

Editor's Take

8×8 provides UCaaS that is scalable for businesses of all sizes. The service includes unlimited international and local calls, as well as toll-free numbers, and provides a consistent user experience across mobile and desktop devices. Employees can easily search for and contact colleagues via the corporate directory and can communicate with clients and customers via multiple channels.

The service integrates with leading CRM systems, productivity tools and data security standards. 8×8 has been rated by The Tolly Group as better than Skype for Business, Google Hangouts and RingCentral. The service is also flexible and scalable to support the growth of businesses, with features that can be added on demand.

Who should use it:

Businesses of all sizes that are looking for a cloud-based UCaaS solution with features such as unlimited international and local calls, toll-free numbers and HD videoconferencing.

Read more:

Read our full 8×8 Review.

Pros & Cons

Affordable and straightforward pricing
Free 30-day trial
Integrates with CRMs such as Salesforce, Zendesk and NetSuite
Choose from business communications or contact center
Uptime guarantee

When screen sharing, the image and video quality can be lower than normal
Set up time can be significant
Business SMS/MMS only available with the X2 plan

Forbes Advisor Ratings

Company	Forbes Advisor Rating	Price	Call recording	Desktop app	Learn More CTA text	Learn more CTA below text
Nextiva	4.5	$23.95 per user, per month	Yes	Yes	Learn More	On Nextiva's Website
RingCentral	4.5	Free; 20 per user, per month (when paid annually) for paid plans	Yes	Yes	Learn More	On RingCentral's Website
Zoom	4.4	Free; $15.99 per month, per license	Yes	Yes	Learn More	Read Forbes' Review
Vonage	4.2	$13.99 per month, per line (bulk discounts available)	Yes	Yes	Learn More	On Vonage's Website
8x8	4.1	$28 per user, per month	Yes	Yes	Learn More	Read Forbes' Review

Methodology

To identify the best UCaaS providers, we looked at a number of factors. These include features, pricing, scalability, customer support and ratings. We also looked at reviews of each company to get a sense of what real users think of the service:

Pricing: To compare pricing, we looked at the cost of basic service for each company. This includes features such as unlimited calls and SMS, as well as a mobile and desktop app.
Scalability: We looked at the ability of each UCaaS provider to support businesses of all sizes. The service should be able to scale up or down as needed, without sacrificing features or quality.
Customer support: We considered the availability of customer support, as well as the quality of support, for each UCaaS provider. The service should have 24/7/365 customer support, with knowledgeable and friendly staff.
Ratings: We analyzed ratings from independent sources, such as The Tolly Group, to get a sense of each UCaaS provider’s reputation. Plus, we considered real customer reviews.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is UCaaS?

UCaaS stands for “unified communications as a service.” It’s a cloud-based communications platform that includes features, such as VoIP, videoconferencing and instant messaging. UCaaS providers offer a variety of plans and pricing models, so businesses can choose the right solution for their needs.

How much does UCaaS cost?

The cost of UCaaS depends on the features and services you need. Basic plans typically start at around $20 per user, per month, but can vary depending on the provider.

What are the benefits of UCaaS?

UCaaS can improve communication and collaboration within a business. It can also save money by eliminating the need for multiple communications platforms and services. UCaaS is also scalable and flexible, so it can grow with your business.

What is the process for migrating to UCaaS?

The steps involved when you want your business to begin using UCaaS include defining your business goals, assessing what your current situation is and making sure that your employees are prepared to make the move with you. You want to get the most out of this new form of communication system, so ensure that you have the proper bandwidth to put it into place and having everything you need installed to begin using UCaaS will make the transition that much smoother.

How can a UCaaS platform be accessed?

Because it uses multiple forms of messaging, such as instant, voice and conference, UCaaS solutions are available on most devices, including smartphones, landline phones, laptops, desktop computers and tablets.

Next Up in Business

Information provided on Forbes Advisor is for educational purposes only. Your financial situation is unique and the products and services we review may not be right for your circumstances. We do not offer financial advice, advisory or brokerage services, nor do we recommend or advise individuals or to buy or sell particular stocks or securities. Performance information may have changed since the time of publication. Past performance is not indicative of future results.

Forbes Advisor adheres to strict editorial integrity standards. To the best of our knowledge, all content is accurate as of the date posted, though offers contained herein may no longer be available. The opinions expressed are the author’s alone and have not been provided, approved, or otherwise endorsed by our partners.

Katherine Haan

Contributor

Katherine Haan is a small business owner with nearly two decades of experience helping other business owners increase their incomes.

Kelly Main

Staff Reviewer

Was this article helpful?

The Forbes Advisor editorial team is independent and objective. To help support our reporting work, and to continue our ability to provide this content for free to our readers, we receive compensation from the companies that advertise on the Forbes Advisor site. This compensation comes from two main sources. First, we provide paid placements to advertisers to present their offers. The compensation we receive for those placements affects how and where advertisers’ offers appear on the site. This site does not include all companies or products available within the market. Second, we also include links to advertisers’ offers in some of our articles; these “affiliate links” may generate income for our site when you click on them. The compensation we receive from advertisers does not influence the recommendations or advice our editorial team provides in our articles or otherwise impact any of the editorial content on Forbes Advisor. While we work hard to provide accurate and up to date information that we think you will find relevant, Forbes Advisor does not and cannot guarantee that any information provided is complete and makes no representations or warranties in connection thereto, nor to the accuracy or applicability thereof. Here is a list of our partners who offer products that we have affiliate links for.

lorem

Are you sure you want to rest your choices?