If you search for a virtual phone number for business, you get a wall of providers that all promise the same thing: a real-looking business number, with no extra phone and no desk line. Under that promise the services are quite different. Some are built for one person with a cell phone, some for a team sharing one number, and some for sending texts or taking calls from other countries.
I have been in ecommerce for 15+ years. At Ecommerce Paradise I see the same pattern again and again. In every high-ticket dropshipping store, the owner starts with a personal cell number, then realizes buyers and suppliers want a business line. A virtual number fixes that in an afternoon, for roughly the price of a lunch.
Below are seven providers I would consider, with prices checked on their public pages in October 2026 and hedged where pages were unclear. I explain who each one fits and where it falls short. I am writing from plan details, help centers and public documentation, not from claims of having tested every call quality myself.
Disclosure: I may earn a commission if you sign up through my 800.com link, at no extra cost to you. It is the only provider here I earn from, and I still ranked it where I think it fits.
| Provider | Best for | Starting price (verify before buying) | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quo (formerly OpenPhone) | Solo owners and small teams who live in an app | $15 per user per month billed annually, $19 monthly | Price is per user, and texting needs registration |
| 800.com | Toll-free or local numbers with forwarding and tracking | $19 a month billed yearly, $23 monthly (Startup) | Startup is 250 minutes and 1 user |
| Grasshopper | Teams that want one flat price | From $14 a month billed annually | Tiers cap numbers and extensions |
| Google Voice | The cheapest test of a second line | Free for personal use, paid plans from $10 a month | US only, personal plan is not for business use |
| Talkroute | Predictable pricing with taxes included | $19 a month (Basic) | Users and numbers are capped per plan |
| Phone.com | A traditional per-user small business system | From about $18 per user per month | Per-user pricing adds up |
| CallHippo | Numbers in many countries and outbound sales | Paid plans from about $18 per user per month | Add-ons can double the bill |
Get a Business Number That Looks Like a Real Company
Choose a toll-free, local or vanity number and forward it to the phone you already carry. 800.com lists plans from $19 a month billed yearly, a 30-day money-back guarantee and no long-term contract.
What a Virtual Phone Number for Business Is
A virtual phone number for business is a phone number that is not tied to a SIM card or a physical line. It lives in the cloud, and calls to it are routed to an app, a cell phone, a laptop or a few devices at once. You can pick an area code or a toll-free number and use it without buying a second phone.
The FCC describes this kind of service as VoIP, which uses the internet instead of the traditional phone network. Its VoIP consumer guide also notes that customers can choose area codes different from where they live. That is why a store owner in one state can show a number from another.
Most virtual number services add business features on top: a custom greeting, business hours, voicemail transcription, call forwarding and texting. Those extras are often what a store really needs, because the number alone does not make you look like a business.
How I Ranked These Providers
I looked at five things that matter to a store owner. Those are fit for a one-person or small team setup, honest total cost (not just the headline price), how easy it is to get a number, texting and registration, and what happens when you want to grow or leave.
I am not claiming a lab test. I used the public pricing pages, vendor help centers and my own earlier guides on this site, and I note where a price or limit was unclear. Plans change often in this category, so confirm any number on the vendor’s page before you pay.
The 7 Best Virtual Phone Number Services for Business
1. Quo: Best for Solo Owners and Small Teams Who Live in an App
Quo, formerly OpenPhone, is a business phone app built around shared numbers and a clean inbox. Its pricing page lists Starter at $15 per user per month billed annually or $19 monthly, Business at $23 annually or $33 monthly, and Scale at $35 annually or $47 monthly. Each user gets one new or ported number, local or toll-free, with unlimited calling and messaging to US and Canadian numbers.
The costs people miss are texting registration and extra numbers. Quo lists a one-time $19.50 Campaign Registry fee plus $1.50 to $3 a month for messaging compliance, and extra numbers at $5 a month on annual billing. I go through the whole plan ladder in my Quo pricing guide. The full write-up is in my Quo review.
It is a great fit if you want the number in an app on your phone and laptop. It is a weaker fit if you want a flat price for a big team, because the cost scales per user.
2. 800.com: Best for Toll-Free or Local Numbers With Forwarding and Tracking
800.com is a business phone service built around number choice. Its plans page lists Startup at $19 a month billed yearly ($23 monthly) with 250 minutes, 1 number, 1 user and 120 SMS. Small Business is $49 yearly ($59 monthly) with unlimited minutes, 3 numbers, unlimited users and 500 SMS. The page also says there is a 30-day money-back guarantee and no long-term contract.
It supports toll-free codes (800, 888, 877, 866, 855, 844 and 833), local numbers, vanity numbers and Canadian numbers, with call forwarding, call recording, tracking and a business greeting listed on the features page. The 800.com plans page lists add-ons that charge per use, such as call transcription and enhanced caller ID, plus extra numbers at $15 each.
Where it is not the best choice: Startup is one user and 250 minutes, and it is a calling and texting service, not a full contact center. 800.com’s help center lists support hours as 9 AM to 6 PM Eastern on weekdays, and says its service supports calls originating from the US and Canada, so check before you rely on it for international callers. My longer take is in my 800.com review.
3. Grasshopper: Best When You Want One Flat Price for a Team
Grasshopper prices per account rather than per person, which is its main advantage. Its pricing page shows plans starting at $14 a month billed annually and says there is a 7-day trial with no credit card. In my pricing guide, True Solo, Solo Plus and Small Business run $14, $25 and $55 a month on annual billing at the time of writing.
The higher plans allow unlimited users, with 1 number on Solo Plus and 4 on Small Business, and all plans include unlimited minutes and texting. Texting registration and extra numbers are billed separately, so read my Grasshopper pricing guide before you commit.
It suits a team that wants one shared number and does not want to pay per seat. It is less appealing as a solo number, because True Solo has no call recording or phone menu.
4. Google Voice: Best for the Cheapest Test of a Second Line
Google Voice is where many owners start. Google’s help page says the free plan is for personal consumer use and includes voicemail transcription and unlimited domestic calls and US texts. It also lists paid Voice Starter at $10 a month and Voice Standard at $20 a month, with Workspace add-ons for teams.
The detail that matters for a store is that the free plan is for personal use, so read Google’s subscription types page before using it for sales. Another help page says international locations outside the home country are not available on any of the three tiers, so it is a US setup.
It is fine for testing whether you like having a second number. For a store that wants a toll-free number, routing rules or a real greeting, I would move to one of the others.
5. Talkroute: Best for Predictable Pricing With Taxes Included
Talkroute sells plans rather than seats. Its pricing page lists Basic at $19 a month (1 user, 1 number, 500 texts), Plus at $39 (3 users, 2 numbers, 2,000 texts) and Pro at $59 (10 users, 3 numbers, 5,000 texts). It lists unlimited US and Canada calling and a 7-day free trial.
The page also says it uses no hidden fees, with taxes already included in the advertised price. That is unusual in this category, where taxes and carrier fees often arrive on top. My Talkroute review goes through the details.
The limit is that users and numbers are capped per plan, and extra ones cost $5 a month each. It is a good fit for a small team that wants a steady bill.
6. Phone.com: Best for a Traditional Per-User Small Business System
Phone.com is a long-standing small business phone provider with Basic, Plus and Pro tiers. Its pricing page says the Basic plan starts at $18 a month per user, with a 17 percent saving on annual billing, a 30-day money-back guarantee and 24/7 support. My Phone.com review lists higher-tier features such as more international minutes and CRM integrations.
I could not read every tier’s details on the live page, so check which plan includes the minutes and features you need. It suits a team that wants a conventional per-user system, and it is less suited to someone who wants the lowest possible solo price.
7. CallHippo: Best for Numbers in Many Countries and Outbound Sales
CallHippo is the one I would look at if you want numbers in other countries or you do outbound calling. Its pricing page lists a free Basic plan on a pay-per-number model and paid plans from Starter at $18 per user per month, with a 10-day free trial. My CallHippo review covers the international side and the CRM integrations.
The warning is add-ons. Its own pricing page lists separate add-ons such as an AI voice agent, SMS services and branded calling, and my review found AI transcription adds to the bill, so the real monthly cost can be well above the entry price. It is a good fit for a store with international buyers, and a heavier setup than most solo owners need.
What a Virtual Number Really Costs
The headline price is rarely the whole bill. Plan on four extras: texting registration, extra numbers, taxes and fees, and any per-use add-ons. Quo and Grasshopper charge a registration fee for texting from local numbers, 800.com charges per use for add-ons such as call transcription, and Talkroute says its price already includes taxes.
Registration is the one most people do not see coming. Carriers require businesses that send texts from a local number to register through The Campaign Registry, and 800.com’s help center says approval typically takes 7 to 15 business days for a local number. If texting matters, start the registration early. You will need an EIN for it, so my business formation checklist shows what to set up first.
For a single owner, a realistic all-in cost for a good virtual number is somewhere around $15 to $25 a month once the extras are counted. For a small team, expect more, and watch whether the provider charges per seat or per account.
Virtual Number, Second SIM or Forwarding?
A virtual number is not your only way to separate business and personal calls. A dual-SIM or eSIM phone gives you two real numbers on one device, and Apple’s support page says iPhone Dual SIM lets you have two active numbers that you can label “Business” and “Personal.”
That works for one person, but it ties the number to your phone and does not give you a shared inbox, a greeting or routing for a team. I cover the options in my guide on how to get a second phone number for your business, and the virtual route is usually the best one if you plan to grow.
What a High-Ticket Store Should Look For
For a store selling expensive products, I would care about four things more than the extras. A number that does not look like a personal mobile, a greeting that names the company, business hours with voicemail outside them, and call forwarding so you can answer from wherever you are.
Those same four things matter when you apply to suppliers. Many dealer applications ask for a business phone number, and a reviewer will often call it. My guide on how to get a business phone number suppliers will accept shows what they look for. My supplier guide covers the rest of the application.
If you are choosing between a toll-free and a local number, see my comparison of toll-free vs local numbers for an ecommerce store. And if toll-free is your preference, my list of the best toll-free number services compares the options.
Worried a Phone Service Will Be Another Thing to Manage?
Setup is a number, a greeting and a forwarding rule. Start on the $19 Startup plan (billed yearly), upgrade to Small Business for unlimited minutes and 3 numbers if you outgrow it, and use the 30-day money-back guarantee if it is not for you.
Keeping Your Existing Number
If you already have a number customers know, you may not want a new one. The FCC says you can keep your number when you switch providers through number porting, that your old provider cannot refuse the transfer even if you owe a balance, and that fees may apply.
Not every provider ports every type of number the same way. 800.com’s help center says toll-free numbers can be ported in and lists a porting form, so ask about a local or mobile number before you plan around it. Whatever you choose, wait until the port completes before cancelling the old service.
Reliability and 911: What to Check
A virtual number depends on your internet connection and a provider’s cloud. The FCC’s VoIP guide says some VoIP services do not work in a power outage and that 911 calls over VoIP are handled differently than on a regular line. Those are worth knowing before you cancel a landline.
For a store line, I would keep a cell phone as the forwarding target, so calls still reach you if your internet fails. For emergency calls, use your cell phone, not the business app.
Which Should You Choose
If you want an app and a clean inbox, Quo is the one I would start with. If number choice and call tracking matter, especially toll-free, look at 800.com. If you have a team and want one flat price, check Grasshopper or Talkroute.
If you only want to test a second line for free, try Google Voice with its personal-use limits in mind. If you need numbers in other countries, look at CallHippo. If you want a classic per-user system, look at Phone.com or at Dialpad, which I cover in my Dialpad review.
The Verdict
For most high-ticket store owners, the best virtual phone number for business is the one that lets you answer calls professionally from your own phone without thinking about it. Any of the seven can do that, so the choice comes down to number type, price per user, texting and where your buyers are.
I would pick 800.com when a toll-free number is the point, and Quo when a modern app is the point. Either way, use the trial or money-back window to make a test call, check the greeting, and confirm that texting registration will not block you.
Ready to Give Your Store a Real Business Line?
Pick a toll-free or local number, forward calls to your cell and add a business greeting. Plans start at $19 a month billed yearly, with no long-term contract.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best virtual phone number for business?
There is no single winner. Quo suits app-first solo owners, 800.com suits toll-free and local number choice, Grasshopper suits flat-price teams, and CallHippo suits international numbers. Match the provider to your number type and team size.
Is a virtual phone number legal and real?
Yes. It is a real phone number delivered over the internet, a service the FCC describes as VoIP. The caller sees an ordinary number, and calls route to your app or phone.
Can I get a virtual number for free?
Google Voice has a free plan for personal consumer use, per Google’s help page. For a business, a paid plan with a business greeting and routing is a better fit, and plans start around $15 to $19 a month.
Can I keep my existing number?
Usually yes, through porting. The FCC says you can keep your number when changing providers, though fees may apply. Ask the provider which number types it supports before you buy.
Do virtual numbers work for texting?
Yes, but business texting from a local number requires registration through The Campaign Registry, which can take one to three weeks. Check each provider’s registration fees before you rely on texting.
Would You Rather Have the Whole Store Built for You?
My team builds the store, supplier setup and tools for you, so the phone line is one piece that is handled. If you want guidance on running it yourself, my coaching is built for that. You can also start with my beginner guide.
Related Articles
If you found this useful, these guides go deeper on related topics:
- How to Get a Second Phone Number for Your Business in 2026
- Toll-Free vs Local Number for an Ecommerce Store: Which Should You Use? (2026)
- Best Small Business Phone Systems in 2026: Complete Buying Guide
- Best Toll-Free Number Services in 2026: 7 Providers Compared
- High-Ticket Niches List
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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