Call Me Maybe: The 7 Best VoIP Providers Compared
Internet telephony is indispensable in the professional world. Here we introduce you to seven VoIP providers for your business.
- What is VoIP telephony?
- Why you should rely on VoIP
- 7 VoIP providers compared
- 1. inopla
- 2. satellite
- 3. CLINQ
- 6. Placetel
- 7. Aircall
- Factors for selecting a VoIP provider
- Conclusion
There are people for whom making phone calls is a real torture. I count myself among them. While telecommunications can thankfully be reduced to a minimum in private, it's often different in the business world. Complex inquiries and loud complaints are part of everyday life. If the technology then fails, it's not only nerve-wracking but can also cost you customers and sales in the worst case.
For this reason, you should pay close attention to the system for Internet telephony you rely on. To make it easier for you to choose the right provider, we compare sevenVoIP toolsfor you.
What is VoIP telephony?
VoIP telephony, also known as IP telephony, is a technology that allows you to make phone calls via the Internet. In contrast to a conventional analogue telephone connection, VoIP converts speech signals into digital data packets and then sends them over the Internet to the recipients.
VoIP uses a number of technologies and protocols to enable real-time voice transmission, including codecs that compress and decode voice data, network protocols for data transmission and Quality of Service (QoS) mechanisms for monitoring and controlling network quality. In comparison to traditional telephone systems, VoIP can offer cost savings, improved mobility and flexibility, the integration of voice and data services, and easy management and maintenance.
VoIP solutions can be deployed in the cloud or on-site, and used with various devices such as desktop computers, laptops, smartphones and IP phones. However, it's important to take suitable security measures as VoIP also carries data protection and data security concerns.
Why you should rely on VoIP
Unlike conventional telephony,VoIPis not transported over an analogue network, but over the Internet protocol (IP). This has some advantages over the traditional telephone system:
Improved communication and increased productivity: VoIP offers businesses a wealth of advantages, including improved communication and increased productivity. This is because telephone conferences with multiple participants can be easily set up. Joining the discussion usually works much faster, as you can also simply send the invitation as a link by email, instead of having to type in phone numbers.Long-winded.
Extended functions: Many VoIP tools offer additional functions such as screen sharing and audio or video conferences. This makes telephone conferences even more flexible.
Cost saving: VoIP works over the Internet. For this reason, the purchase and operation of a VoIP tool is usually cheaper than operating a conventional telephone system.
7 VoIP providers compared
Next, we'll take a look at seven VoIP providers by comparison. We'll take a look at the price, features, user-friendliness, voice quality and reliability of the respective tools.
inopla
satellite
sipgate
3CX
Placetel
AircallNote: This ranking is based on the status of 12.04.2024.
1. inopla
inopla is a cloud telephony solution that enables flexible and location-independent communication. As a German network operator, inopla ports existing numbers and switches on new ones if necessary. Specifically for medium-sized companies, inopla offers over 200 functions, including a cloud telephone system, a virtual ACD for customer hotlines and call centers, telephony in Microsoft Teams and an AI-VoiceBot. Important functions include queue management, an individual announcement mixer and holiday routings. In addition, the telephone system integrates seamlessly into existing workflows and offers extensive statistics and reports for monitoring and controlling internal communication processes. inopla also stands out for its excellent support and GDPR-compliant data processing.
inopla prices
Prices for inopla start at €4.95 per month and user. This price includes all basic functions. The support is included and expansion options can be booked individually. More about the prices of inoplaand the corresponding user reviews you can find on the product profile on OMR Reviews.
inopla alternatives
On OMR Reviews you can find an overview of the inopla alternativesand can choose the appropriate VoIP system for you with the help of verified reviews and experience reports.
2. satellite
satellite also enables IP telephony. The special feature here is that it is a fully mobile app. With this, you can make unabated calls on the go and abroad without having to worry about a separate telephone connection or provider.
In satellite both common numbers for the entire team and individual telephone numbers can be assigned. Moreover, private and business calls can easily remain separate. In addition, the application offers a Do Not Disturb function for the time outside business hours.
satellite prices
You can test satellite for 14 days free of charge. After that, the subscription ends without automatically renewing. If you decide to continue using satellite, the tool will cost you 24.99 € monthly. This includes ten team members, a team number and a business mobile number per member. Each member receives 100 free minutes for making phone calls. In addition, you can take out an all-net flat rate for frequent callers for 4.99 € per member per month.
More about the prices of satelliteand the corresponding user reviews you can find on the product profile on OMR Reviews.
satellite Alternatives
On OMR Reviews you can find an overview of the satellite alternativesand can choose the appropriate VoIP system for you with the help of verified reviews and experience reports.
3. CLINQ
CLINQ is a softphone tool that targets businesses and small organizations and is characterized by a particularly modern UI. The application can be used with any VoIP provider that provides SIP access data, for example Placetel or sipgate. This is why is not strictly speaking a stand-alone VoIP provider.
This tool aims to make your calls more efficient, which is why we mention it here. In addition to the desktop versions for macOS, Windows and Linux, two mobile apps for Android and iOS are currently in development.
In order for calls to run particularly efficiently, CLINQ offers a function with which you can take notes during the conversation, which can then be retrieved again in the next customer conversation. You can also organize a callback list for missed calls by Drag-and-Drop. An AI prediction also shows how many calls you can expect per day. In addition, CLINQ can also be used as an extension in Google Chrome.
CLINQ prices
Currently, there are CLINQ in a free and a paid version. The free version includes features such as integration into the telephone systems of providers such as sipgate, placetel or easybell. You can also synchronize contacts from other applications like Microsoft or Google. In the paid version of CLINQ Pro, a CRM integration for example Hubspot and AI statistics of the last 14 days are included for 9.95 € monthly.
More about the prices of CLINQand the corresponding user reviews you can find on the product profile on OMR Reviews.
CLINQ alternatives
On OMR Reviews you will find an overview of CLINQ alternativesand can select the suitable VoIP system for you with the help of verified reviews and experience reports.
4. sipgate
sipgate is a large provider of different VoIP tools that allow users to make and receive calls over the Internet. In addition to the core product sipgate, the company also sells the tools CLINQ and satellite, about which you will find information further down.
The software sipgate offers in addition to an intuitive interface a number of useful additional functions. These include among other things the possibility to automatically reject or forward anonymous calls to voicemails, receive web faxes or block specific call destinations in expensive regions. Furthermore, sipgate can be integrated into other software such asHubSpot CRM, Microsoft Teamsor Pipedrive. sipgate also places great importance on security: only encryption methods such as TLS and SRTP are used for IP telephony.
sipgate prices
sipgate exists in three price variants: In the smallest package ' business S ' the tool costs 12.95 € per user per month. This includes among other things a Softphone function, landline and mobile as well as two different apps each for the admin as well as the users. In the variant ' business L ' sipgate costs you 17.95 € monthly per user.
Additional functions are for example a waiting loop and a landline flat rate in all German networks. In the ' business XL ' package for 22.95 € monthly per user, this flat rate extends to all EU networks.
More about the sipgate pricesand the corresponding user ratings can be found on the product profile on OMR Reviews.
sipgate alternatives
On OMR Reviews you can find an overview of the sipgate alternativesand can choose the suitable VoIP system for you with the help of verified reviews and experience reports.
5. 3CX
3CX is a powerful and versatile VoIP-telephone system that enables companies around the world to set up uncomplicated professional communication solutions. It features a range of features that enable efficient working, easy management and user-friendliness for all employees. These include the ability to hold video conferences, answer inquiries via WhatsApp, Facebook or SMS, or set up call queues.
3CX can be operated on dedicated hosters or in a private cloud as an on-premise solution. Moreover, the tool can be integrated into other applications, for example Microsoft Teams, Zoho CRM or Mongodb.
3CX prices
The prices for 3CX depend mainly on how many users want to use the tool, which of the four price packages you book, and whether you want the solution to be hosted or managed by yourself. For example, if you opt for a hosted solution for 10 team members, the following prices apply: The ' Startup Free ' version of 3CX is free. The package includes features such as video conferences with up to 25 participants and WhatsApp integration.
For 175 € per year, the ' Startup Pro ' package offers additional functions such as call waiting loops and voicemail-to-text. The ' Dedicated Pro ' variant for 295 € per year offers Microsoft 365 and CRM integrations, SMS and MMS in addition. In the ' Dedicated Enterprise ' package for 330 € per year, video conferences with up to 250 participants and call recordings are also included.
More about the 3CX pricesand the corresponding user ratings can be found on the product profile on OMR Reviews.
3CX Alternatives
On OMR Reviews you will find an overview of 3CX alternativesand can select the suitable VoIP system for you with the help of verified reviews and experience reports.
6. Placetel
Placetel is a cloud-based VoIP provider for professional internet telephony. In addition, you will find solutions for messaging, online meetings and mobile communications in the tool. In addition to the software, Placetel also offers the suitable hardware directly - for example IP telephones, headsets or conference systems.
Among the basic features of the VoIP provider are call control, voicemail responses or skill-based routing, with which you can redirect incoming calls to those employees who have the best knowledge for the respective concern. In order to make communication in your own team more efficient,Placetel also includes its own messenger and functions for virtual meetings.
Placetel prices
Placetel is available in three price variants. In the cheapest edition the tool costs 4.90 € per month and extension. This includes the basic functions for operating the cloud telephone system and a free number porting. For an additional fee, the solution can also be integrated into applications such as Microsoft Teams.
The next larger ' Professional Complete ' variant costs 12.90 € per month and offers a flat rate to all German networks in addition to the basic functions. For 16.90 € per month, the Webex package also includes the above-mentioned functions for messaging, online video meetings with up to 1,000 participants and file sharing.
More about the prices of Placeteland the corresponding user reviews can be found on the product profile on OMR Reviews.
Placetel Alternatives
On OMR Reviews you can find an overview of the Placetel alternativesand can choose the proper VoIP system for you with the help of verified reviews and experience reports.
7. Aircall
Aircall is a cloud-based telephone system that is primarily aimed at call centers, support and sales teams. The aim of the tool is to help companies get in contact with customers professionally and efficiently. It offers various functions such as automated call distribution, setting up conference calls, call forwarding and more.
The solution has a user-friendly interface, so that all employees can easily access all features of Aircall and apply them immediately. Moreover, Aircall has a mobile app, which allows users to access their account from anywhere. Other features are the call recording and analysis and support ticket systems. This allows you to track the history of your customer conversations and evaluate their performance results.
Aircall prices
Aircall is currently available in three price variants. In the cost-effective Essentials version, the tool costs 30 € per user per month, you have to register at least 3 users. This package includes among other things 1,000 free minutes for outgoing, domestic calls per user and integration into more than 100 other applications.
In the Professional version for 50 € per month, there are complex data analyses, live call monitoring and advanced support functions such as waiting loops with callback. Finally, Aircall offers a Custom solution with individual pricing and custom-tailored service.
More about the Aircall pricesand the corresponding user reviews can be found on the product profile on OMR Reviews.
Aircall Alternatives
On OMR Reviews you will find an overview of the Aircall alternativesand can select the suitable VoIP system for you with the help of verified reviews and experience reports.
Factors for selecting a VoIP provider
When you are looking for the best VoIP provider, it is important that you take into account all the factors that are relevant to you. These include, among others:
Costs: This not only refers to the acquisition and subscription costs for the tool itself. You should also pay attention to the costs that the telephony itself causes. For example, some VoIP providers include flat rates to mobile and fixed networks, and others do not.
Technical requirements: It is also important that you review the technical requirements of the VoIP provider to ensure that your devices and network connections are compatible. These requirements include the Internet speed, the type of network connection and the required software. In addition, you should see how well the solution integrates into your existing IT infrastructure.
Voice quality: Definitely check beforehand how the sound quality is for calls. This has a significant impact on the positive user experience. Luckily, most of the tools presented here can be tested for their voice quality for free.
Number of users: For how many people do you need a telephone connection? Some VoIP providers offer a bulk discount and flexibility with accounts here.
Security: Data protection should always be your top priority. Therefore, always pay attention to which security features are provided and which procedures are used to encrypt connections when choosing the right VoIP provider.
Customer service: If there are hitches at one point or another, you need to be able to count on fast support. Therefore, check what level of customer service the provider offers.
Conclusion
When selecting the best VoIP provider, you have to consider a large number of important functions and criteria. These include the quality and reliability of the providers, the operating and provisioning costs, customer service and technical requirements. Although all of the providers mentioned above offer similar functions at first glance, it's important to remember that every company has different requirements. Therefore, you should not only consider the costs, but also the quality of the services and customer service. Only then does VoIP make sense as an alternative to the traditional telephone system.
Nils ist SEO-Texter bei OMR Reviews und darüber hinaus ein echter Content-Suchti. Egal, ob Grafik, Foto, Video oder Audio – wenn es um digitale Medien geht, ist Nils immer ganz vorne mit dabei. Vor seinem Wechsel zu OMR war er fast 5 Jahre lang als Content-Manager und -Creator in einem Immobilienunternehmen tätig und hat zudem eine klassische Ausbildung als Werbetexter.
