Featured Partners
1
RingCentral
$20 per user, per month (paid annually)
Yes
200 monthly SMS per user, 1 cent per SMS after
2
Zoom
$10 per user per month, $15 unlimited calling
U.S. and Canada
Unlimited in the U.S. and Canada
3
Dialpad
$27 per user per month
Your country, the U.S. and Canada
250 monthly SMS per user, 8 cents per SMS after
Compare the Best Grasshopper Alternatives
| Company | Forbes Advisor Rating | Superlative | Starting Monthly Price | Pros | Cons | Expert Take | Learn More |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 4.4    | Best for ease of use | $18 per user | Simple features, cost-effective, unlimited SMS | Lack of advanced features, higher-tier plans quickly escalate in price | Though it has minimal features, Grasshopper’s unlimited calling and SMS make it a good option for those seeking simplicity | On Grasshopper's Website | |
| 4.9 | Most cost-effective | $10 per user | Low cost, easy to use and set up, unlimited SMS, great for European-based companies | Expensive, steep learning curve, may include features you won’t use | For those prioritizing calling and texting with basic routing tools, Google Voice is the most cost-effective option | Read Forbes' Review | |
| 4.8 | Better for unified communications | $30 per user | Team collaboration channels, robust call routing system, real-time analytics | Above-average cost, may include features you won’t use, SMS limitations | A full unified communications platform, RingCentral is great for teams seeking to customize call routing and streamline team collaboration | On RingCentral's Website | |
| 4.8 | Better for AI features and analytics | $27 per user | Modern interface, analytics and AI on all plans, international phone numbers | Expensive for phone features, the abundance of communication channels may be overwhelming | One of the most advanced VoIP phone systems, Dialpad is a good choice for those looking to use AI for agent support and deeper customer insights | On Dialpad's Website | |
| 4.6 | Better for multichannel customer service | $25 per user | Unique communication channels, including live chat, social media, review sites | Lack of advanced features, minimal call routing capabilities, outdated interface | With unique communication channels such as social media and live chat, Nextiva is great for companies seeking not just a phone system but a contact center | Read Forbes' Review |
Most Cost-Effective
Google Voice
Starting Monthly Price
$10 per user
Communication Channels
Voice, SMS
SMS Limitations
Unlimited in the U.S.
$10 per user
Voice, SMS
Unlimited in the U.S.
Google Voice and Grasshopper are both user-friendly and low-cost phone systems. Both platforms offer unlimited calling and texting in the U.S. However, Google Voice has a few clear advantages. For one, Google Voice provides routing features that Grasshopper doesn’t—including ring groups and IVR menus to handle inbound calls. Google Voice is better if your company has multiple departments or complex inbound call-routing needs.
Grasshopper (left) and Google Voice (right) both offer user-friendly desktop dashboards.
Learn more: Read our full Grasshopper vs. Google Voice comparison.
Better for Unified Communications
RingCentral
Starting Monthly Price
$30 per user
Communication Channels
Voice, SMS, team chat, video meetings
SMS Limitations
25 to 200 monthly per user, depending on the plan
$30 per user
Voice, SMS, team chat, video meetings
25 to 200 monthly per user, depending on the plan
While Grasshopper is strictly a VoIP phone system, RingCentral is a complete unified communications (UCaaS) platform. This means that RingCentral includes a cloud phone system, team chat and feature-rich video meetings, improving internal collaboration and customer communications. Further, RingCentral offers one of the most robust cloud phone systems, with IVR menus, call queues and analytics that help you manage inbound calls and track your team’s performance.
RingCentral is a good choice if you are willing to spend extra on multichannel team collaboration and a better phone system. But if you want something simple or anticipate high SMS volumes, stick with Grasshopper or Google Voice.
While Grasshopper (left) lets you send SMS, RingCentral (right) adds team messaging capabilities.
Learn more: Read our full RingCentral review.
Better for AI Features and Analytics
Dialpad
Starting Monthly Price
$27 per user
Communication Channels
Voice, SMS, team chat, video meetings
SMS Limitations
250 monthly per user
$27 per user
Voice, SMS, team chat, video meetings
250 monthly per user
While Grasshopper’s features are some of the simplest of any VoIP platform, Dialpad’s are some of the most advanced. Grasshopper offers basic call controls such as forwarding and hold, but Dialpad includes team collaboration, call queueing, routing, AI and analytics. Each plan includes AI call transcription to give supervisors and agents a live record of call performance. Dialpad plans also have real-time analytics with customizable, visually stunning dashboards.
If you’re looking to provide supervisors and agents with AI support and detailed customer service data, Dialpad is worth the increased cost. However, if you feel these features will go to waste, go for Grasshopper.
Grasshopper (left) has a user-friendly interface, but Dialpad (right) uses AI to transcribe and summarize all calls.
Learn more: Read our full Dialpad review.
Better for Multichannel Customer Service
Nextiva
Starting Monthly Price
$25 per user
Communication Channels
Voice, SMS, team chat, video meetings, social media, review sites, live chat, email
SMS Limitations
0 to unlimited, depending on the plan
$25 per user
Voice, SMS, team chat, video meetings, social media, review sites, live chat, email
0 to unlimited, depending on the plan
Nextiva is a unique cloud phone system because of its distinctive communication channel offering. In addition to voice, you can integrate social media platforms such as X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram to make posts, interact with customers and build an online presence. You can also integrate review sites such as Yelp and Google Reviews to manage your reputation and respond to customer reviews.
Nextiva also lets you embed live chat into your website or app to interact with customers when they’re already on your page. If you’re looking to integrate your social media presence with your communication system or if you want low-cost live chat in addition to a phone system, Nextiva’s a good choice. However, this abundance of communication channels may be too much for some teams.
Grasshopper’s SMS messaging (left) vs. Nextiva’s live chat (right).
Learn more: Read our full Nextiva review.
What To Look for in a Grasshopper Alternative
Grasshopper’s main shortcomings are its meager feature offering and outdated user dashboard. Look for an alternative with call routing features such as IVR and ring groups, plus the communication channels and team collaboration features you plan to use. Perhaps most importantly, choose a plan that fits your budget.
- Call routing features: It’s important that your business phone system routes inbound calls to the correct department or user. Features such as IVR menus, ring groups and call queues help you customize call distribution.
- Low cost: While Grasshopper is cost-effective, its plans start at $18 monthly per user. Alternatives such as Google Voice offer even cheaper options if cost and simplicity are your main concerns.
- Communication channels: Grasshopper offers calling and texting, but many other VoIP systems add team collaboration channels such as video and chat. If you want your software to unify your team’s multichannel communication, consider an alternative such as RingCentral, Dialpad or Nextiva.
- User-friendly interface: Before deciding on a provider and plan, consider signing up for a free trial or browsing YouTube tutorials for your top choices. Check out each app’s dashboard and user interface, looking for one that feels modern, spacious and comfortable.
- Analytics: Analytics help supervisors monitor your users’ and company’s performance and call volumes. If you want a better view of day-to-day call activity, choose a Grasshopper alternative with real-time analytics and reports.
