Phone plans for small businesses look cheap on the pricing page and add up on the invoice. A $15 plan becomes $45 with three users, then more with annual versus monthly billing, extra numbers, texting registration, an AI add-on and taxes. None of that is hidden exactly, but it's spread across footnotes.
This guide explains how business phone plans are priced, shows published prices from well-known providers with the date they were checked, and walks through worked examples for a solo owner, a small team and a growing one. We don't invent prices: every named price below links to the vendor's pricing page and to our compare page, where you can see the full plan details.
The five ways phone service is priced
| Pricing model | How it works | Who uses it | Good when |
|---|---|---|---|
| Per user (per seat) | A monthly price for each person with an account, cheaper on annual billing | Quo, Google Voice, RingCentral, Dialpad, JustCall | Each person makes and takes their own calls |
| Per license with a minimum | Per-user pricing, but you pay for a minimum number of seats | Aircall (3-license minimum), JustCall (2-user minimum) | You have a team of agents |
| Flat per plan | One monthly price for the plan, with a set number of numbers and users | Grasshopper | Several people share one or two numbers |
| Per call or per minute | You pay for answered calls or minutes, often in bundles | Answering services such as Smith.ai; many AI voice add-ons | Call volume is low or uneven |
| Usage credits | A monthly plan includes credits; texts and calls draw on them | Chargezen Concierge | You want AI answering and a team without per-seat fees |
Published prices, with dates
Prices change often, so treat these as a snapshot and check the vendor's page before you buy. All are US list prices before taxes and fees.
| Provider | Published plan prices | Checked |
|---|---|---|
| Google Voice | Starter $10, Standard $20, Premier $30 per user a month; Standard and Premier also need a Google Workspace plan | October 18, 2026 |
| Quo (formerly OpenPhone) | $15, $23 or $35 per user a month billed annually ($19, $33 or $47 monthly); Sona AI agent includes 10 calls, plans from $25 a month for 40 calls | October 16, 2026 |
| Grasshopper | True Solo $14, Solo Plus $25, Small Business $55 a month billed annually; texting registration $19.50 once plus $1.50 a month | October 18, 2026 |
| RingCentral RingEX | Core $20, Advanced $25 per user a month billed annually for 1 to 5 users ($30 and $35 monthly); AI Receptionist add-on from $39 | October 18, 2026 |
| Dialpad | Connect Standard $15, Pro $25 per user a month billed annually ($27 and $35 monthly) | October 16, 2026 |
| Aircall | Essentials $30, Professional $50 per license a month billed annually, 3-license minimum; AI Voice Agents $0.49 a minute | October 16, 2026 |
| JustCall | Team $29, Pro $49, Pro Plus $89 per user a month billed annually, 2-user minimum | October 18, 2026 |
| Smith.ai | AI receptionist from a free plan for 25 calls, Pro from $150 a month for 75 calls; human receptionists from $300 a month for 30 calls | October 18, 2026 |
| Podium | Not published; priced through sales | October 18, 2026 |
| Chargezen Concierge | Starter $20 a month (20,000 credits), Pro $199 a month (199,000 credits) or $1,990 a year; texts 2¢ per message part, calls billed as used | Our own pricing |
Each of these has a full side-by-side page with features and sources: Google Voice, Quo, Grasshopper, RingCentral, Dialpad, Aircall, JustCall, Smith.ai and Podium.
Costs that aren't in the headline price
- Monthly versus annual billing: The gap can be large. RingCentral Core was $20 per user on annual billing and $30 on monthly when we checked.
- Seat minimums: A per-license price with a three-seat minimum is really three times that price.
- Extra numbers: Additional local or toll-free numbers usually cost extra each month; our compare pages list each vendor's fee.
- Texting registration: Business texting on US local numbers needs 10DLC brand and campaign registration, which carries one-time and monthly fees. See our 10DLC guide.
- AI add-ons: AI receptionists are often priced per call or per minute, on top of the phone plan.
- Usage: International calls, extra texts and toll-free minutes.
- Required bundles: Google Voice Standard and Premier also require a Google Workspace subscription.
- Taxes and regulatory fees: Phone service carries federal, state and local taxes and surcharges that vary by location.
- Hardware: Desk phones and headsets, if you use them.
Worked examples
These use the list prices above (annual billing where offered) and leave out taxes, usage and extras, so your real total will be higher. They show how the pricing models compare, not which product is best.
A solo owner
One person, one number, wants a business line on their cell. Per-user plans are cheapest here: Google Voice Starter at $10 a month, Grasshopper True Solo at $14, Quo at $15. The catch is that every call still depends on that one person. If you're often on jobs, add the cost of coverage for missed calls: an AI add-on, an answering service or an AI agent like Concierge Starter at $20 a month plus calls as used.
A team of four sharing calls
Four people on per-user plans multiply the price by four: Quo at $15 per user is $60 a month, RingCentral Core at $20 is $80, Dialpad Standard at $15 is $60, Aircall Essentials at $30 is $120, JustCall Team at $29 is $116. A flat plan like Grasshopper Solo Plus at $25 a month with unlimited users works differently: one price no matter how many people share the line. Credit-based pricing like Concierge doesn't charge per user at all; you pay for the plan and usage.
A team of ten
At ten users, per-user pricing ranges from $150 a month (Quo or Dialpad Standard) to $300 (Aircall Essentials) before add-ons. RingCentral's published per-user price applies to 1 to 5 users, so check the price for your size. At this point routing features, such as queues and ring groups, usually justify a full phone system for the people who handle calls.
How to choose a plan
- 1. Count who really needs a seat: Not everyone who might answer once a month needs a full user license.
- 2. Price the plan with your must-haves: If you need ring groups or an auto attendant, price the tier that includes them.
- 3. Decide how missed calls are covered: Voicemail, an answering service, an AI add-on or an AI agent. That cost belongs in the comparison.
- 4. Add the extras: Numbers, texting registration, usage, taxes.
- 5. Compare annual and monthly: Annual is cheaper, but only if you're sure.
- 6. Recheck in six months: Teams grow, call patterns change and providers reprice.
For what each feature does, see business phone features explained; for the testing and contract side, see how to choose a VoIP provider.
Mobile carrier business plans
AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile all sell business cell plans, often with discounts per line. They give each employee a phone and a number, but not a shared business line or shared history, so many small businesses pair them with one of the services above. Carrier prices change with promotions and line counts; check the carrier's business pricing page directly.
How Chargezen is priced, and what you get
Concierge is priced on credits, not seats, so adding teammates doesn't raise the plan price. Concierge Starter is $20 a month with 20,000 credits. Pro is $199 a month with 199,000 credits, or $1,990 a year. Texts are 2¢ per message part and calls are billed as you use them, with no per-user fees. See pricing.
- A US business number that calls and texts: Get a local or toll-free US number, search open numbers by area code on phone numbers, or bring the number you already have. Chargezen files the 10DLC or toll-free registration texting needs. See business phone number.
- AI answers every call: Concierge picks up day and night with the greeting you write, answers from the information you give it and recognizes returning callers by their number. See the AI receptionist and the phone channel.
- Teammates join or take over: When a customer needs a person, Concierge alerts your team in the Finn app and the browser, and emails or texts the teammates you pick. Listen in with your microphone off, tap Join the call, and Concierge tells the caller you're there. From the Finn app on iPhone or Mac you can transfer the call to a teammate, with a note. See phone calls.
- Calls and texts in one thread: Each customer's calls, texts and messages land in one conversation in the team inbox, so whoever picks it up sees the whole story.
To be plain about what Chargezen is not: it doesn't sell VoIP lines, desk phones or a PBX. It has no IVR or phone menu, no ring groups, no call forwarding or simultaneous ring to personal phones, no business-hours routing, no extensions and no international numbers. It offers US (+1) local and toll-free numbers only. If you need those things, buy a phone system built for them, and use Chargezen where it fits.
Related terms: 10DLC, toll-free number and AI answering service. Related guides: business phone features, how to choose a VoIP provider and AI receptionist vs answering service. Pricing for a trade? See roofers, cleaning businesses and pest control. See also how much VoIP costs and business phone system cost.
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest business phone plan?
For one person, entry per-user plans such as Google Voice Starter ($10 a month when we checked) are among the cheapest. For a team sharing one line, a flat plan or one without per-user fees can cost less. Always add the extras before comparing.
Is annual billing worth it?
If you're confident in the choice, yes. In the published prices above, annual billing was roughly 20 to 45 percent cheaper than monthly. If you're still testing, pay monthly for the first few months.
Why are there taxes on VoIP service?
Phone service in the US carries federal, state and local taxes and regulatory surcharges, and VoIP is included in many of them. The amounts depend on where you are.
Do AI receptionists cost extra?
With most phone systems, yes: they're add-ons priced per call or per minute. In Chargezen, AI answering is the product, drawn from the plan's credits, with calls billed as you use them.
