Best Business VoIP Providers in the UK
Aug 25, 2023
Best Business VoIP Providers in the UK: Top Choices Reviewed
If you're looking to switch to a VoIP phone system for your business, there are several providers to choose from in the UK market. With all UK landlines set to be phased out in 2025, it's important to find a provider that suits your business needs. Expert Market has selected seven of the top UK VoIP providers, based on their features, pricing, and customer satisfaction ratings.
The best business VoIP provider in the UK, according to Expert Market's assessment, is 8x8. This provider offers unlimited minutes, a broad range of software integrations, and watertight security measures. It's a solid all-rounder, perfectly suited to businesses looking to grow. RingCentral is a close second, offering a similar solution, but with fewer features. Other providers on the list include Vonage, GoToConnect, bOnline, Dialpad Talk, and Nuacom. Read on to find out what each provider does best, worst, and all importantly, how much they'll set you back. Alternatively, use Expert Market's handy tool to find your best-suited provider.
What is a VoIP System?
A VoIP system is a phone system that uses the internet to transmit voice calls. Instead of using traditional phone lines, VoIP systems use Wi-Fi connections to connect calls. VoIP systems can be used on various devices such as laptops, desktop computers, tablets, smartphones, and office phones.
One of the advantages of using a VoIP system is that calls are cheaper, more reliable, and can go long-distance more efficiently than traditional phone lines. Some providers also offer HD voice quality, which means the calls can sound clearer than standard phone calls.
VoIP phone systems also enable much cheaper domestic calls and low price-per-minute international calls. This makes it an attractive option for businesses that make a lot of long-distance calls.
With the "Big Switch Off" in 2025, when all UK landlines will officially be turned off, it will be necessary for all businesses to be online. VoIP systems are a great option for businesses that want to stay connected without relying on traditional phone lines.
Top 7 Best UK Business VoIP Providers
After thorough research, the following seven providers are considered the best business VoIP phone systems available in the UK for 2023:
8x8 - Best all-round business VoIP provider in the UK
RingCentral - Best business VoIP provider for customer service teams
Vonage - Best VoIP provider for small businesses
GoToConnect - Best business VoIP provider for startups
bOnline - Best business VoIP provider for desk phone compatibility
Dialpad - Best business VoIP provider for conversational AI
Nuacom - Best business VoIP provider for customer satisfaction
Each provider offers unique features, pricing, and is best suited for different types of businesses. Companies looking for a comprehensive VoIP solution can consider 8x8, while those with a focus on customer service may prefer RingCentral. Small businesses can benefit from Vonage's affordable pricing, while startups may find GoToConnect's features suitable for their needs. bOnline is recommended for those who require compatibility with desk phones, while Dialpad offers conversational AI. Finally, Nuacom is a great choice for those who prioritize customer satisfaction.
1. 8×8 – Best all-round business VoIP provider in the UK
8x8 is a global VoIP provider with data centers distributed across 35 different countries. Its customer support teams are available 24/7 from various international locations. Despite not being a UK-based company, its European headquarters are based in London. Its global coverage is excellent for teams that deal with international clients or have employees spread across the globe.
8×8 VoIP Pricing
8x8 is one of the most expensive phone systems on the market, scoring an average of 2.5/5 for price in our analysis. However, it offers five pricing tiers for different-sized operations, with the latter three being best suited to larger call centers. As of August 2023, 8x8 no longer offers its cheapest 'Express' plan. The lowest tier is now its X2 package, starting at £19 per month, per user (billed annually). The pricing tiers for 8x8 are as follows:
Package Price per user, per month X2 £19 X4 £36 X6 £85 X7 £105 X8 £135
(Pricing correct as of August 2023)
Check out our full-length 8×8 review for more information.
8×8 VoIP Features
8x8 offers the best variety of features, with super generous video and call conferencing, making it the best all-round business VoIP provider in the UK. From the X2 plan upwards, 8x8 boasts all of the most important features for productive communications with customers and clients, including unlimited minutes, local numbers, ring groups, call queues, visual voicemail, auto-attendant, business SMS, and team messaging.
8x8 is the highest-ranked provider in this category, with a score of 4.6/5 for features, outshining GoToConnect, Nuacom, and bOnline, whose features are comparatively limited.
It's also worth noting that 8x8 can integrate with a solid range of CRM systems, including Salesforce, Copper, Freshdesk, Hubspot, MS Dynamics, Pipedrive, Zendesk, Zoho, 1CRM, Bullhorn, Copper, and Sugar. Integrating with one of these is a great way to develop a great customer experience strategy.
8x8's security features are also impressive, with multiple compliance certifications, multi-factor authentication, password rules, and TLS/SRTP encryption. It scores full marks with 5/5 for security. However, 8x8 does fall short in the department of spam prevention, where GoTo and Vonage excel.
If you choose to invest in 8x8 now, you can avoid switching providers later down the line because its plans have the capacity to grow with your business, earning it a 4.9/5 for scalability.
8x8 is one of the most generous VoIP providers when it comes to call conferencing and video meetings, with a capacity for up to 500 people to join in at once. This is ideal if you often hold company-wide meetings, or you're looking to scale your business at pace.
8x8 has excellent 24/7 customer support, better than GoTo and Nuacom's offering. Its customer support includes a user forum, a knowledge base, a 24/7 live chat function, and a phone line for urgent matters. Email support is also available for your queries that aren't time-sensitive. Despite offering great customer support, it achieved lower overall scores on consumer review websites, with an average rating of 3.5/5 compared with 4.6/5 and 4.5/5 for Nuacom and bOnline, respectively.