2013's Best VoIP Providers

Many VoIP phone services offer several packages so that you can choose the one that best suits your lifestyle and budget. Average prices range from $9.88/month for a 250 minute plan from Phone.com to $19.99/month for a plan with unlimited minutes from ITP. When considering the price of VoIP services, you'll need to think about how many minutes you use on a regular month, and how much you'll need to pay in overage fees or supplemental charges such as directory assistance or international calls. In order to help you stay within your budget, we've compared the prices of the residential and business VoIP plans offered by the top VoIP providers so that you can make an informed decision.

Business VoIP plans offer a range of professional features that don't come standard with most residential packages, such as personalized auto-attendants and advanced call handling rules. If you're contemplating using VoIP for business, make sure to choose a plan that will meet both the budgetary and practical needs of your expanding operation. We've tested the top business VoIP providers to determine which ones offer a truly professional experience.

Perhaps the most important thing to consider when looking for the best VoIP provider is the call quality that you can expect from your service. We tested the call quality of the leading VoIP providers by making and receiving calls from landlines, cell phones and other VoIP phones, and recorded our findings so that you can determine which VoIP services offer the best call quality without having to test each one yourself.

In addition to pricing that is significantly lower than that of a traditional phone line, the best VoIP services offer a plethora of added features that enhance the user experience. We compared the features offered by the best VoIP service providers, from standard features such as Caller ID to unique offerings like scheduled alarm clocks. If you already know what features you need, our comparison chart will help you determine which VoIP provider offers those services. If you're still undecided, take a look at which extra features are being offered so that you can establish decide which ones will be the most useful for you.

In an ideal world, once you install a VoIP phone system, you shouldn't need regular customer support. Still, it's important to know whether you'll be able to receive assistance in the unlikely event that you encounter technical problems or need help with billing or reconfiguring your setting. We compared all aspects of the customer service teams of the best VoIP providers, including phone support, email responses, online Knowledgebases and chat support to determine which VoIP phone companies truly offer reliable support. We also tested response times, courteousness and ease of use so that you'll know in advance exactly what to expect when you need assistance.

Whether you're technically-minded or new to the world of VoIP, you'll want a service that makes it easy to find the right plan and to customize the account as you desire. Phone.com, for example, makes it easy to set up your auto-attendant and to customize your VoIP greetings for both business plans and personal use. Nextiva, on the other hand, requires that files be uploaded in a very specific format, which can be difficult for users with basic technical knowledge. We've tested the registration and account setup of the leading VoIP providers and recorded our findings.