Grasshopper is hard to beat on one thing: its Solo Plus plan is a flat $25 a month on annual billing, or $32 monthly, and that covers unlimited users. Put 1 person or 8 people on it and the price does not move. So before you switch, be honest about why you are looking, because for a lot of small teams Grasshopper is still the cheapest option in this comparison.
Where it falls short is in a few specific places: call summaries that only cover recorded calls, no CRM integrations on the pricing page, extra numbers at $9 to $10 a month each, taxes and surcharges on top of the price, and international calling that is billed per minute. This guide takes each of those gaps and names the alternative that fixes it, with the real monthly cost at 1, 3, 5 and 10 people. I pulled every price from each company’s own pricing page or pricing data on 22 September 2026. I run Ecommerce Paradise and a high-ticket store of my own, and when a buyer is about to spend $4,000, the phone system is part of the sale.
Want the Bill to Be the Bill?
Talkroute says it does not add telecom taxes, USF or regulatory fees on top of its price. Plus is $39 a month for 3 users with 2 numbers.
What Grasshopper Costs Today
To compare anything fairly, you need Grasshopper’s real numbers first. It has three plans, and all of them are priced per account rather than per person:
| Plan | Annual billing | Monthly billing | Users | Numbers | Extensions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| True Solo | $14 a month ($168 a year) | $18 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Solo Plus | $25 a month ($300 a year) | $32 | Unlimited | 1 | 3 |
| Small Business | $55 a month ($660 a year) | $70 | Unlimited | 4 | Unlimited |
Every plan has unlimited calling minutes, texting listed as unlimited, the mobile and desktop apps, voicemail transcription, virtual fax, business hours and 24/7 support. Call recording, a phone menu, simultaneous call handling, call summaries and AI call sentiment start on Solo Plus. Texting needs registration, which costs $19.50 one time and $1.50 a month. Extra numbers are $10 a month each on monthly billing or $9 on annual. There is a 7-day free trial with no credit card.
I go through every line of this, including the year-one cost, in my Grasshopper pricing breakdown. If you want the full verdict on the product, my Grasshopper review covers it.
Five Gaps in Grasshopper’s Plans
- Summaries only cover recorded calls. Grasshopper describes Call Summaries as “a quick recap of recorded calls with the key points from the conversation”. If you do not record a call, there is no recap. Dialpad, RingCentral and Quo Business summarise every call.
- No CRM integrations listed. Grasshopper’s plan comparison covers calling, texting, voicemail and fax, but lists no HubSpot, Salesforce or other CRM connection.
- Extra numbers add up. At $9 to $10 a month each, a store running three brands on separate numbers adds $18 to $20 a month to the plan price.
- Taxes come on top. Grasshopper’s FAQ says all accounts are subject to federal, state and local taxes, so your bill is higher than the plan price.
- International calls cost extra. Grasshopper’s FAQ says international calls are not included and are billed per minute, and the feature has to be turned on by support.
There is also a smaller one. True Solo, the $14 plan, has no call recording and no phone menu, and it can only forward to a single number. If you are on True Solo and outgrowing it, the fix may just be Solo Plus rather than a new provider.
Quick Answer: What to Switch To
| If your problem is | Switch to | From |
|---|---|---|
| Taxes on top, or paying for several numbers | Talkroute | $19 a month for 1 user, taxes included |
| No CRM integration, or you work abroad | Quo | $15 per user a month annual ($23 on Business for CRM integrations) |
| You want a summary of every call | Dialpad | $15 per user a month annual |
| You want AI notes from a large, established provider | RingCentral | $20 per user a month annual |
| You plan to grow into a contact center | Nextiva | $15 per user a month, 12-month term |
| You run a real sales team on the phone | Aircall | $30 per licence a month annual, 3 minimum |
Monthly Cost at 1, 3, 5 and 10 People
This is the table that decides most switches. Grasshopper and Talkroute price per plan, and everyone else prices per user, so the gap changes a lot with team size. Prices are per month on annual billing, with month-to-month in brackets, using each provider’s entry plan. Talkroute only publishes month-to-month prices. Taxes and carrier fees are not included, except on Talkroute, which says its price already includes them.
| Provider (entry plan) | 1 person | 3 people | 5 people | 10 people |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grasshopper Solo Plus | $25 ($32) | $25 ($32) | $25 ($32) | $25 ($32) |
| Talkroute Basic, Plus or Pro | $19 | $29 | $39 | $59 |
| Quo Starter | $15 ($19) | $45 ($57) | $75 ($95) | $150 ($190) |
| Dialpad Standard | $15 ($27) | $45 ($81) | $75 ($135) | $150 ($270) |
| RingCentral Core | $20 ($30) | $60 ($90) | $100 ($150) | $200 ($300) |
| Nextiva Core | $15 ($23) | $45 ($69) | $75 ($115) | $150 ($230) |
| Aircall Essentials | $90 ($160) | $90 ($160) | $150 ($200) | $300 ($400) |
A few notes on how I worked these out. Grasshopper’s 1-person figure uses Solo Plus so the features match. True Solo is $14 annual or $18 monthly if you do not need recording or a menu. Talkroute’s figures use the cheapest way to cover each team: Basic plus extra users at $5 each for 3 and 5 people, and Pro at $59 for 10, since Pro includes 10 users. Basic has no phone menu, so if you need one, Talkroute Plus is $39 for 3 users and $49 for 5. Solo Plus also includes only 3 extensions, so if every person needs their own extension, add $3 a month each on annual billing or $5 monthly, or move to Small Business for unlimited extensions. Aircall needs at least 3 licences on annual billing and 4 on monthly, which is why its small-team numbers look high.
The takeaway is simple. Every per-user provider costs more than Solo Plus as soon as you add a second person, and from 3 people up nothing on this list beats Solo Plus on annual billing. The one exception is Talkroute at small sizes: Basic with extra users is $24 for 2 people and $29 for 3, month to month with taxes included, though without recording or a phone menu. That beats Solo Plus at $32 month to month, and at 2 people it even edges the $25 annual price. So the only good reasons to leave are features, numbers or international use, not the headline price.
1. Talkroute: Best if Taxes and Extra Numbers Are the Problem
Talkroute is the closest thing to Grasshopper on this list, because it also prices per plan instead of per person. Basic is $19 a month for 1 user, Plus is $39 for 3 users and Pro is $59 for 10 users. Extra users, numbers and mailboxes are $5 a month each.
Two things make it a real Grasshopper alternative. First, Talkroute says outright that it does not add separate charges for telecom taxes, the Universal Service Fund or other regulatory fees. Grasshopper’s plan price is before tax, so on a like-for-like bill the gap is smaller than the headline suggests. Second, numbers are cheaper. Plus includes 2 numbers and Pro includes 3, and each extra one is $5 a month against $9 to $10 at Grasshopper.
That matters if you run more than one store. A single owner running three brands on Grasshopper Solo Plus pays $25 plus 2 extra numbers at $9, so $43 a month on annual billing, or $32 plus 2 at $10, so $52, month to month. On Talkroute Plus the same three numbers cost $39 plus one extra number at $5, so $44 month to month, with taxes already included and 3 users thrown in.
The trade-offs are real. Call recording is on Pro only, texting is capped at 500, 2,000 or 5,000 messages a month depending on the plan, and Talkroute only officially supports the US and Canada. There are no call summaries on the phone plans themselves. My Talkroute vs Grasshopper comparison runs the maths at every team size. The Talkroute pricing guide has the full plan detail.
2. Quo: Best for CRM Integrations and Owners Who Travel
Quo, formerly OpenPhone, is where I would look if the missing CRM connection is what bothers you. Its Business plan, $23 per user a month on annual billing or $33 monthly, includes HubSpot and Salesforce integrations, automatic call recording, phone menus, call transfers and AI summaries and transcripts on all calls.
Quo also suits store owners who live outside the US. Its pricing page says you can call US and Canadian numbers from any country without extra charges, subject to its fair use policy. If you run your store from Thailand or Portugal and call American customers every day, that is exactly the setup you want.
Messaging within the US and Canada is unlimited on every plan, subject to fair use, with a $19.50 one-time registration fee and $1.50 to $3 a month in carrier fees. Extra numbers are $5 a month.
The catch is the per-user price. Starter is $15 annual or $19 monthly, but it only has manual call recording and no phone menu. Most Grasshopper users would need Business, and 3 people on Business is $69 a month on annual billing against $25 for Grasshopper Solo Plus. My Quo vs Grasshopper comparison goes deeper. The Quo pricing guide breaks down each plan.
Want the Whole Store Built for You?
Our done-for-you builds launch with the phone system, call routing and follow-up process already set up, because in high-ticket the phone is where the sale closes.
3. Dialpad: Best for a Summary of Every Call
If the recorded-calls-only summaries are the reason you are leaving, Dialpad is the cheapest fix for a solo owner. Standard is $15 per user a month on annual billing or $27 monthly, with no seat minimum. Real-time call transcription and AI Recaps, which give you a summary and action items after a call, are part of the phone system rather than an add-on.
For a high-ticket seller that is useful. A $4,000 order often takes three or four calls, and a written recap of each one means you do not lose what the buyer said about delivery dates or colour choices.
Dialpad also offers local numbers in more than 50 countries and unlimited calling within your own country plus the US and Canada, so it is the other good option if you run the business from abroad. There is a 14-day free trial.
Where it loses to Grasshopper: texting is US and Canada only and Dialpad charges per SMS, the Pro plan at $25 annual or $35 monthly needs at least 3 seats, and from 2 people up it costs more than Solo Plus. My Dialpad pricing guide covers every plan. For the full verdict, read my Dialpad review.
4. RingCentral: Best for AI Notes From an Established Provider
RingCentral Core is $20 per user a month on annual billing or $30 monthly. Its pricing page ticks “AI Assistant for Phone” on every tier, including Core, which transcribes calls and takes real-time notes that sync to your call history. Core also has unlimited US and Canada calling and 100 toll-free minutes.
I would only pick it over Grasshopper if you want a large platform you can grow into. Core caps texting at 25 messages per user a month, call recording on Core is on demand rather than automatic, and CRM integrations are not included on Core. RingCentral also lists federal, E911 and state fees that may apply, so it has the same tax-on-top issue as Grasshopper, and a higher bill from 2 users up.
5. Nextiva: A $15 Entry Price With Strings Attached
Nextiva Core is $15 per user a month, but only on a 12-month minimum term. Month to month it is $23. It includes calling within the US and Canada, voicemail transcription, and free porting of your existing number.
Look closely before you move. Core includes 100 texts per user a month, and call recording, a toll-free number and CRM integrations are all add-ons. AI call notes and summaries are only on Scale at $75 per user. Matching what Grasshopper Solo Plus includes would mean paying for add-ons whose prices Nextiva does not publish. Nextiva makes more sense for a business that expects to need its contact center products later. My Nextiva review has the details.
6. Aircall: Best for a Team That Lives on the Phone
Aircall is a different category. Essentials is $30 per licence a month on annual billing or $40 monthly, and Professional is $50 or $70. There is a minimum of 3 licences on annual billing and 4 on monthly, so the smallest bill is $90 a month.
For that you get call and voicemail transcription on every plan, 4,000 outbound texts per user a month with unlimited inbound, and a long list of integrations and add-ons. AI call summaries are a $9 per licence add-on on Essentials and included on Professional, which also adds a power dialer and Salesforce CTI.
A solo store owner does not need this. A store with 3 or more people selling by phone all day probably does, and at that point Grasshopper’s simplicity starts to hold you back. The Aircall pricing guide explains the minimums and add-ons.
Features Side by Side
| Provider | Call summaries | CRM integrations | Extra number | Taxes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grasshopper | Recorded calls, Solo Plus and up | None listed | $9 to $10 a month | On top |
| Talkroute | AI Receptionist calls only | Zapier, webhooks, API | $5 a month | Included |
| Quo | All calls on Business and up | HubSpot, Salesforce on Business | $5 a month | On top |
| Dialpad | AI Recaps included | See its pricing page | Not published | Not stated |
| RingCentral | AI notes on all tiers | Not on Core | Not published | Fees may apply |
| Nextiva | Scale only | Add-on | Not published | Not stated |
| Aircall | $9 add-on, or Professional | Yes, Salesforce CTI on Professional | $6 a month | Not stated |
When You Should Stay With Grasshopper
I mean this seriously: a lot of people researching Grasshopper alternatives should not switch. Stay if any of these describe you:
- You have 3 to 10 people answering the phone. Solo Plus at $25 a month annual covers all of them, with recording and a phone menu. Quo Business, which has both, is $23 per person on annual billing. Solo Plus includes 3 extensions, and extra ones are $3 a month each on annual billing.
- You record your sales calls anyway. Then the recorded-calls-only summaries are not really a limitation.
- You sell only in the US. International per-minute billing never touches you.
- You need 4 numbers. Small Business at $55 a month annual includes 4 numbers and unlimited extensions for unlimited users.
If you are on True Solo and only missing recording or a menu, upgrade to Solo Plus. Grasshopper says upgrades take effect immediately, while downgrades apply from the next billing cycle.
How to Leave Grasshopper Without Losing Your Number
Your number is almost always the most valuable part of the account, because it is on your website, your Google listing and every supplier application you have filed. You are allowed to take it with you. The FCC’s guide to number porting explains your right to keep your number when you switch providers.
Grasshopper’s port-out guide lays out how it works. Your new provider runs the port, and Grasshopper does not control, approve or speed it up. Only paid accounts with no outstanding balance can port out, and numbers on a free trial cannot, but there is no waiting period.
Start by asking Grasshopper Support for your Customer Service Record. Grasshopper says it can take up to 72 hours to arrive and includes your PIN if one is needed. Give it to your new provider, and make sure the details on your letter of authorization match it.
Your number stays active on Grasshopper until the port completes, so you do not lose calls in the meantime. Grasshopper does not send a notification when it finishes, so your new provider confirms it. Porting out also does not cancel your Grasshopper account. Contact support afterwards to remove the number or close the account, because it stays active until you do.
Plan for texting too. Grasshopper removes your texting registration automatically when the number ports out, so your new provider needs your number registered for business texting through the A2P 10DLC system run by The Campaign Registry, and approval is not instant. Twilio’s A2P 10DLC documentation is the clearest explanation of how it works. Start registration as soon as the port is underway so texting is not down for long.
Finally, compare bills after tax, not plan prices. Grasshopper and Quo add taxes at checkout, and RingCentral lists a federal Universal Service Fund recovery fee, which relates to programs run by the Universal Service Administrative Company, plus E911 and state and local fees that may apply. Talkroute is the only one here that says its price includes them.
How I Would Choose
Team of 3 to 10, US only, happy recording sales calls: stay on Grasshopper Solo Plus.
Solo owner who wants a recap of every call: Dialpad Standard at $15 a month annual.
Owner running the store from abroad: Quo or Dialpad, depending on whether texting or call summaries matter more.
Several brands on separate numbers, US only: Talkroute, for $5 numbers and a tax-inclusive bill.
Sales team that needs the CRM to log every call: Quo Business, or Aircall Professional once you have 3 or more full-time callers.
Whatever you choose, the business line matters most when you start applying to suppliers, because brands check that they are dealing with a real business. I explain what they look for in how to get a business phone number suppliers will accept. The full outreach process is in my step-by-step supplier guide.
Suppliers will also want to see a registered company and an EIN, which my business formation guide walks through. If you have not chosen a niche yet, start with the high-ticket niches list.
And if the business model itself is new to you, read what high-ticket dropshipping actually is before you spend money on a phone system.
Get a Written Recap of Every Sales Call
Dialpad Standard includes real-time transcription and AI Recaps from $15 per user a month on annual billing, with no seat minimum and a 14-day trial.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best alternative to Grasshopper?
It depends on the gap. For a tax-inclusive bill and cheaper extra numbers, Talkroute. For CRM integrations and calling the US from abroad, Quo. For a summary of every call as a solo owner, Dialpad Standard.
Is there a cheaper alternative to Grasshopper?
Only in narrow cases. For 1 person who needs more than True Solo, Quo Starter, Dialpad Standard and Nextiva Core (on a 12-month term) start at $15 per user a month on annual billing, against $25 for Solo Plus. True Solo at $14 is still the cheapest if you do not need recording or a phone menu. From 3 people up on annual billing, Solo Plus with unlimited users beats every alternative here. Talkroute Basic with extra users is cheaper at 2 people, and cheaper at 3 if you compare month to month, but without recording or a menu.
Does Grasshopper have AI call summaries?
Grasshopper lists Call Summaries on Solo Plus and Small Business, and describes them as a recap of recorded calls. Calls you do not record are not summarised. Dialpad, Quo Business and RingCentral summarise or take notes on calls without that limit.
Does Grasshopper integrate with a CRM?
Grasshopper’s plan comparison lists no CRM integrations. If you need calls logged in your CRM, Quo Business lists HubSpot and Salesforce integrations, and Aircall Professional includes Salesforce CTI.
Can I keep my Grasshopper number if I switch?
Yes, if you are on a paid plan with no outstanding balance. Ask Grasshopper Support for your Customer Service Record, which can take up to 72 hours, and give it to your new provider, who runs the port. Porting out does not close your Grasshopper account, so contact support to cancel once the move is done.
Is Grasshopper good for international calling?
Not really. Grasshopper’s FAQ says international calls are not included and are billed per minute, and the feature has to be enabled by support. Quo lets you call US and Canadian numbers from any country at no extra charge, subject to fair use, and Dialpad offers local numbers in more than 50 countries.
Related Articles
- Grasshopper Pricing 2026
- Grasshopper Review 2026
- How to Set Up Grasshopper
- Talkroute vs Grasshopper 2026
- Quo vs Grasshopper
- Phone.com vs Grasshopper
- Talkroute Alternatives 2026
- Dialpad Alternatives 2026
Trevor Fenner is an ecommerce entrepreneur and the founder of Ecommerce Paradise, a platform focused on helping entrepreneurs build and scale profitable high-ticket ecommerce and dropshipping businesses. With over a decade of hands-on experience, Trevor specializes in high-ticket dropshipping strategy, niche and product selection, supplier recruiting and onboarding, Google & Bing Shopping ads, ecommerce SEO, and systems-driven automation and scaling. Through Ecommerce Paradise, he provides free education via in-depth guides like How to Start High-Ticket Dropshipping, advanced training through the High-Ticket Dropshipping Masterclass, and fully done-for-you turnkey ecommerce services for entrepreneurs who want a faster, more hands-off path to growth. Trevor is known for emphasizing sustainable, real-world ecommerce models over hype-driven tactics, helping store owners build scalable, sellable, and location-independent brands.
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