Phone systems are quoted per user per month, and a lobby phone costs less than a full seat.
Count lobby phones apart from full user seats, because they are priced differently.
Compare the per-user rate only after you know which features you will turn on.
Each range below is the published premium price, widened by that vendor's confidence band. State tax is not included, because it depends on where you are. Prices as published by each provider. Data as of 2026-10-04.
A TechEstimate is a range. A written proposal is the number you can hold a provider to.
These phone systems are alphabetical. This is not a quality ranking.
TechlyScore ranks them for your setup when you compare in real time.
123NET: $21 to $39 per user/month. 8x8: $26 to $30 per user/month. Aircall: $35 to $45 per user/month. AireSpring: $24 to $46 per user/month. Allworx (Windstream): $18 to $32 per user/month. AT&T Office@Hand: $26 to $34 per user/month. Avaya Cloud Office: $22 to $28 per user/month. BCM One: $19 to $35 per user/month.
More providers are in the same table. The list stays alphabetical.
The first invoice can add fees that the ad price skipped.
Ask for the all-in total. If they will not say it, that is the answer.
Upload your bill if you have one. Or adjust your sliders if you are starting fresh.
You could pay less. You could also pay about the same and save the research time.
The next step on this page is to upload your bill.
It is quoted per user per month and varies with the features you need. A common-area phone in a lobby costs much less than a full user seat. Count the two separately when you compare.
Regulatory recovery fees, E911 fees, and state and local telecom taxes are the usual additions. Some providers add a percentage-based cost recovery charge of their own. None of these are optional, so ask for them up front.
No. Most systems work from a laptop and a mobile app. Desk phones make sense for a reception area, a warehouse, or anyone who takes calls all day. You can mix both on the same account.
Sometimes. Activation, number porting, and professional setup are the common one-off charges. They are negotiable more often than the monthly rate, especially if you are signing a term.
Start by counting seats you are paying for and nobody uses. Then check whether people on full seats need them, or whether a cheaper tier covers what they do. Renewal time is when you have leverage.
Related: voip-vs-landline-for-business, is-voip-good-for-small-business, cheapest-business-phone-service. Glossary: voip, pbx. How to buy.
Data as of 2026-10-04.