- Grasshopper Alternatives at a Glance
- Grasshopper vs Google Voice
- How to Switch Without Losing Your Number
Q: What is the best alternative to Grasshopper for a small business?
A: It depends on why you’re leaving. Quo (formerly OpenPhone) suits small teams that text a lot, Google Voice is the low-cost option for Workspace users, RingCentral fits businesses that need desk phones, and a provider with live receptionist backup suits owners who can’t let calls go to voicemail.
Grasshopper built its business phone service around solopreneurs who wanted a second number on their cell instead of using your personal phone for business. If you’re comparing Grasshopper alternatives for a small business virtual phone system, your reasons for leaving are probably specific.
Costs climb as you add numbers, business texting registration can stall, and native CRM integrations are limited. None of that applies to everyone, and Grasshopper still wins in a few places.
The audience for these services is large. The SBA counts 36,207,130 U.S. small businesses, and the U.S. Census Bureau reports that nonemployer firms grew about 2.7% a year from 2012 to 2023, compared with 1.1% for employer firms.
Seven alternatives are compared on the same six fields: best for, price at one and five users, texting, auto attendant, live-answer option, and trade-offs.
Why Business Owners Look for a Grasshopper Alternative
People leave Grasshopper for a few specific reasons, and naming yours first shortens the list. For a wider category view, see Alliance’s roundup of the best business phone number apps.
Grasshopper still does several things well. It offers a 7-day free trial with no credit card, unlimited users on one number from Solo Plus, and a May 2026 update that added call recording, AI transcripts, and summaries in the mobile app.
If your needs are one number, a few people answering, and light texting, those strengths may outweigh its limits.
What Grasshopper costs in 2026
Grasshopper pricing starts at $14 a month billed annually, according to its pricing page. The individual tier prices come from September 2026 comparison articles, so confirm them on Grasshopper’s page before you buy.
True Solo is $14 a month on annual billing ($18 monthly) for one user and one number. Solo Plus is $25 ($32 monthly) with unlimited users on one number and three extensions, and Small Business is $55 ($70 monthly) with four numbers.
For one user who needs a second number, True Solo’s $14 is the lowest entry price, though Google Voice Starter is $10 for one user on a personal Gmail account, with no Workspace required. Solo Plus also puts unlimited users on one number for $25, which is less than five seats on Quo, Nextiva, or Google Voice Starter.
Texting registration and receptionist add-ons carry separate fees, so the real Grasshopper pricing depends on what you turn on.
The texting problem for sole proprietors (10DLC and the EIN requirement)
U.S. carriers require businesses that text customers to register with The Campaign Registry, a requirement known as 10DLC registration. Grasshopper’s registration needs an active EIN, and the legal business name and tax ID must match exactly or the application is rejected automatically.
Grasshopper’s support page says each submission is charged, whether or not it’s approved, and that campaign vetting can take 10 to 30 business days. That’s a carrier rule, so any provider that offers U.S. business texting has to handle it, and the difference is how much help you get.
Some providers walk you through registration, and others leave most of it to you.
Ask any provider you’re considering how it handles sole proprietors, what it charges, and how long approval takes. If you don’t have an EIN and texting matters, get one before you switch.
The IRS issues EINs at no charge, and online applicants receive one as soon as the application is approved.
Integrations, reach, and compliance limits
Comparison articles commonly list no native CRM integration or API, coverage limited to the U.S. and Canada, and no HIPAA compliance as Grasshopper’s limits. Weigh each against your own needs, since a solo consultant may never touch any of them.
Read More: Top 20 VoIP Features of a Virtual Phone Plan
The 7 Best Grasshopper Alternatives for Small Business
Each of these Grasshopper phone alternatives follows the same order: a verdict against Grasshopper, who it fits, price, texting, auto attendant, live-answer option, and trade-offs. Prices are per user per month on annual billing unless noted.
Whether your team texts customers daily and whether anyone needs a desk phone will narrow the seven quickly.
Grasshopper Alternatives at a Glance
The table compares Grasshopper with six of the alternatives on the same fields, and Alliance Virtual Phone, the seventh, has its own entry after it. The 1-user price is per month on annual billing, the 5-user price is the monthly total, and the criteria are explained in our overview of virtual phone number providers.
RingCentral and Dialpad figures are Forbes Advisor starting prices from April 2026, and the rest come from vendor pricing pages and a September 2026 comparison. Confirm current rates before buying.
At five users, Quo Starter and Nextiva Core each run $75 a month, Google Voice Starter runs $50 plus a Workspace plan, and Grasshopper Solo Plus covers unlimited users on one number for $25.
eVoice vs Grasshopper also comes up in searches. eVoice is an older provider whose current plans couldn’t be confirmed, so check its site directly before comparing it.
Quo (formerly OpenPhone)
Choose Quo over Grasshopper if your team texts customers from shared numbers. In the OpenPhone vs Grasshopper comparison, Quo charges per user and Grasshopper charges per number.
Starter is $15 a user ($19 monthly), and each plan includes one number per user. U.S. and Canadian texting is unlimited under fair usage, with Campaign Registry registration, a $19.50 one-time review fee, and $1.50 to $3 a month.
Phone menus (IVR) appear to sit on the higher tiers, so confirm that before you buy, and no live-answer option is listed. Additional numbers are $5 a month each.
If you’re a sole proprietor, ask Quo whether registration works with your tax ID type before you pay the review fee. Quo fits best when two or three people share one customer-facing number and need to see each other’s conversations.
It fits worst when you only need a number and a voicemail greeting, because you’d pay for tools you don’t use. The trade-off is cost, since five users on Starter run $75 a month.
RingCentral
Choose RingCentral over Grasshopper if you need desk phones, video meetings, and a larger feature set. That’s usually the deciding factor in Grasshopper vs RingCentral.
Forbes Advisor lists a starting price of $30 per user a month (April 2026), so five users run about $150. Forbes also reports 25 to 200 texts per user a month depending on the plan, and RingCentral lists an AI Receptionist add-on from $39.
Confirm which tier includes an auto attendant. RingCentral’s pricing page also lists a Business SMS Booster add-on at $25, and its FAQ says SMS isn’t available during the free trial.
That means you can’t test texting before you commit, so check the caps against your real monthly volume. RingCentral suits businesses that expect to grow into video meetings and desk phones, and it’s more system than a solo owner needs.
The trade-off is that text caps and per-user pricing add up quickly for a small team.
Nextiva
Choose Nextiva over Grasshopper if customer-service features matter more than a low entry price. Core is $15 a user on annual billing ($23 monthly), so five users run $75 a month.
Core includes 100 texts per user a month, and you should confirm that your tier includes an auto attendant. An AI receptionist is sold as an add-on, and annual pricing requires a 12-month term.
Engage is $25 a user on annual billing ($50 monthly) with 500 texts per user a month, and Scale is $75 with unlimited texting. Annual pricing is limited to businesses with 1 to 100 employees.
That ladder works for a growing team, but the jump from Core to Engage adds $10 per user on annual billing. The trade-off is the Core text allowance, which falls short for businesses that message customers daily.
Dialpad
Choose Dialpad over Grasshopper if AI call transcription and summaries are the draw. For teams that review calls, that settles Grasshopper vs Dialpad.
Forbes Advisor lists a starting price of $27 per user a month, or about $135 for five users, with 250 texts per user a month. Dialpad’s AI agents, sold separately and paid for with conversation credits, are the closest it comes to a live-answer option.
Confirm which tier includes an auto attendant, since Dialpad’s pricing page sends buyers to sales for plan details. Its pricing page lists four plans (Resolve, Support, Sell, and Connect) and sells AI agents through a pool of credits, billed only when the AI completes a task such as scheduling or routing.
AI Transcription, AI Recaps, and sentiment analysis appear among its features, but the page doesn’t say which plans include them. Ask for a written quote that lists the features you need, so you’re comparing like with like.
The trade-off is less price clarity than the other options.
Google Voice
Choose Google Voice over Grasshopper if your team already runs on Google Workspace and cost comes first.
Starter is $10 per user a month for up to 10 users, Standard is $20 with auto attendants and unlimited users, and Premier is $30. Starter lists unlimited U.S. texting, and there’s no live-answer option.
Standard adds auto attendants and ring groups, and a September 2026 comparison reports that Premier adds automatic recording and transcription. Starter can also be bought as a standalone single-user plan or added to a Workspace plan for up to 10 users.
Number porting terms vary, so check Google’s current rules before you move a number there. The trade-off is that the standalone plans cover one user on a personal Gmail account, so adding a second person means paying for Workspace on top of Voice.
MightyCall
Choose MightyCall over Grasshopper if a small team needs IVR menus and shared texting. For most buyers comparing Grasshopper vs MightyCall, that’s the deciding feature.
Core is $20 per user a month billed annually with a three-user minimum, so five users run $100. Texting is unlimited under fair use and requires Campaign Registry registration.
Plans run Core at $20, Pro at $38, and Power at $54 per user a month on annual billing, with an Enterprise tier at $65 and a five-user minimum. MightyCall’s pricing page offers a monthly toggle and says annual plans save up to 20%.
No live-answer option is listed, and the three-user minimum rules out a solo owner. IVR is available, though the pricing page doesn’t say which tier includes each menu level.
Alliance Virtual Phone
Choose Alliance Virtual Phone over Grasshopper if you want a local or toll-free number with a live person available behind it, plus a business address through a Virtual Office from the same provider. These are sold as separate services that work together.
The standard price is $30 a month for a number, and one number supports unlimited users, so five users still cost $30. Porting in is free, calls include unlimited minutes in most cases, and the plan comes with an auto attendant, more than 50 features, and iOS and Android apps.
Live Receptionist plans, from $125 a month, include a business number and the Virtual Phone system, and Virtual Phone can be added to any Virtual Office plan. International calls may carry per-minute fees, counted in 30-second increments, and calls of five seconds or less aren’t counted.
Live Receptionist hours are 8am to 9pm ET on weekdays and 9am to 7pm ET on Saturdays.
A local number can carry an area code that matches your registered location or core market, and a toll-free number is available for a national presence.
Business texting is available after 10DLC registration, including for sole proprietors without an EIN.
It suits those who want one provider for the number, the answering, and the address, and who don’t need CRM integrations. The trade-off is that it isn’t a desk-phone or contact-center platform.
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Grasshopper vs Google Voice: Which Fits a Small Business?
Is Google Voice better than Grasshopper? In the Grasshopper vs Google Voice comparison, Voice costs less for a solo owner on Gmail or a team already on Workspace, and Grasshopper is simpler for a team that doesn’t want Workspace.
The Google Voice vs Grasshopper decision comes down to a few differences:
- Price: Voice starts at $10 per user a month, while Grasshopper starts at $14 for one user or $25 for unlimited users on one number.
- Requirement: One user can buy Voice on a personal Gmail account without Workspace, teams need a paid Workspace plan, and Grasshopper stands on its own.
- Texting: Voice Starter lists unlimited U.S. texting, while Grasshopper texting needs EIN-based registration.
- Auto attendant: Voice includes it from Standard ($20), and Grasshopper includes IVR from Solo Plus.
- Users: Voice Starter allows up to 10 users on a Workspace plan, Standard lists no user cap, and Solo Plus allows unlimited users on one number.
If five people share one number, Grasshopper Solo Plus costs less than five Voice Starter seats. If each person needs a separate line, Voice usually costs less per line, and our guide to Google Voice alternatives for business covers where it falls short.
Before choosing, count your users and check whether Workspace is already paid for. The cheapest plan on paper stops being cheapest if you add a Workspace subscription only to use it.
How to Switch Without Losing Your Number
VoIP is now the default for business lines, so leaving Grasshopper doesn’t mean leaving VoIP. The FCC counted 63.4 million interconnected VoIP subscriptions against 15.0 million switched access lines as of June 30, 2025, and about 84% of business wireline voice connections were VoIP.
Keeping your number is routine when you port it, which means moving it from one carrier to another. It goes smoothly when you take the steps in order.
- Don’t cancel Grasshopper first. Keep the account active until the port completes.
- Gather your account number or PIN and a recent bill.
- Submit the port request with your new provider.
- Run both services until the number moves, then update listings and call forwarding.
- Register texting with the new provider, and plan for the vetting window.
FCC rules require simple ports, usually a single line, to be processed in one business day, while ports involving more than one line or more complex changes can take longer. Ask your new provider for its port-in timeline, and don’t schedule a campaign launch for the day you submit.
Pick a low-traffic day for the cutover, and test inbound calls, outbound calls, and a text before you tell customers.
Mismatched names, addresses, or account numbers are a common reason for rejection, so copy them from your latest bill. The account also needs to be in good standing, so clear any pending orders first.
Toll-free and vanity numbers port too, and our guide to getting a vanity phone number explains the options. If you’re starting fresh instead, here’s how to get a business phone number.
When You Need a Person to Answer, Not Just a Number
A typical Grasshopper alternative routes unanswered calls to voicemail or an AI agent, and some owners need a person. That’s the live-answer question, and it’s separate from which phone system you choose.
Start by counting the calls you can’t take in a typical week and what each one is worth. A missed call from a returning customer costs less than a missed call from a new client who is comparing three firms.
Then decide what the caller needs: a message taken, an appointment booked, or a question answered. AI receptionists tend to handle structured requests, and a person handles anything that needs judgment.
Options fall into three groups: receptionists built into the phone service, outside answering services, and a Live Receptionist paired with your number.
Compare them on what a missed call costs you. For a consultant or attorney in meetings, a person who answers by name can matter more than a lower monthly price.
Cost is the other variable. Grasshopper’s receptionist add-on starts at $95 a month, according to a September 2026 comparison, so price it before you assume the bundled option is cheaper. Our live receptionist calculator shows what live answering would cost for your call volume.
Our guides to answering services for small business and live receptionist vs answering service cover the trade-offs.
NEXT STEPS: Add a Live Receptionist
Choosing Among Grasshopper Alternatives by the Reason You’re Leaving
Quo or MightyCall fits texting-heavy teams, RingCentral fits desk phones, Dialpad or Nextiva fits AI call review and customer-service features, and Google Voice fits Workspace teams watching cost.
Staying with Grasshopper is reasonable if unlimited users on one number is what you need. If you want a local or toll-free number, a person who answers, and a business address from one provider, an Alliance Live Receptionist plan paired with a Virtual Office covers that.
Virtual Phone alone is $30 a month for a number with unlimited users, and Live Receptionist plans start at $125 a month for 50 minutes, with the number included and no setup fee.
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Before you commit, confirm the tier price, the text allowance, and the registration fee on the vendor’s live pricing page. Then port your number, keeping the old account active until the move completes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is better than Grasshopper for a small business?
How much does Grasshopper cost a month?
Can a sole proprietor text on Grasshopper?
Can I port my number out of Grasshopper?
Is Google Voice better than Grasshopper?
Further Reading
