Top 6 JustCall alternatives for small businesses in 2025

If you’re a small business owner looking for JustCall alternatives in 2025, you’re not alone. In this guide, we’ll break down what really matters for small teams when picking a phone solution, without all the confusing tech talk.

You’ll learn how to compare business phone options, see how they stack up on price and features, and get a quick match to your business needs, whether you’re a solo operator, a small team, or a home service pro.

Why small businesses look for JustCall alternatives

JustCall is packed with features for sales and support teams, but if you run a small business, you might find it does more than you need—and that can cost you money and time. Here’s why many small business owners start searching for simpler, more affordable solutions:

The price can add up fast. JustCall charges by user, and you may end up paying for features you don’t even use. For example, a small accounting firm probably doesn’t need high-volume power dialers or complex call routing—they just need reliable phone service.

It’s not always quick to set up. JustCall comes with lots of advanced options and integrations, but that means more time learning and configuring. Most small businesses want something they can set up quickly—think call forwarding, voicemail, or texting, without all the extra steps.

Too many bells and whistles can be confusing. If you’re just looking for a straightforward way to answer calls and send the occasional text, a feature-heavy system can make things harder instead of easier.

That’s why many small teams prefer JustCall alternatives that cover the essentials, don’t lock you into long contracts, and have simple, predictable pricing.

What to look for in a business phone system

Here’s a simple way to compare your options, focusing on what matters most for small businesses:

How much does it cost?

Most providers charge either per user (each person pays a set monthly fee) or a flat rate (one price covers your whole team). Some also have extra charges for usage, like additional minutes or phone numbers.

Keep an eye out for these not-so-obvious costs:

• Number porting fees: If you want to keep your existing number, some services charge to move it over.
• Extra line fees: Adding more phone numbers might cost extra.
• Overage charges: Using more minutes or texts than your plan allows could mean surprise fees.
• Regulatory fees: These cover things like emergency services and compliance.
• Other fees: Depending on the service, things like holiday coverage, bilingual reception, and CRM integrations might incur extra fees.

What features do you really need?

Most small teams want the basics:

• Call forwarding: So calls reach you or your team wherever you are.
• Voicemail: Preferably with messages sent to your email.
• Simple menu options (IVR): Like “Press 1 for sales.”

Check the details:

• Can you forward calls to multiple numbers?
• Does each line have its own voicemail?
• Can you easily set up business hour rules?

How easy is it to set up and use?

Integrations with tools like your CRM can keep customer info in one place. Look for built-in connections or at least Zapier support if you want flexibility.

• Porting your number: If you’re keeping your current number, expect the process to take from a few days to 1-3 weeks max.
• Starting fresh: New numbers are often ready immediately.
• Texting/SMS setup: Some providers require business registration for SMS.

What’s the customer support like?

Small businesses usually don’t have IT staff, so quick, friendly support is key. Look for providers with reliable, round-the-clock help and multiple ways to reach them (not just email).

The top 6 JustCall alternatives for small businesses

Here are six popular options that focus on what small businesses actually need: simplicity, fair pricing, and the right mix of features.

Upfirst – 24/7 AI answering and appointment booking

Though not an all-in-one communication platform like JustCall, Upfirst isn’t your typical phone system. It’s an AI virtual receptionist service that answers calls for you, books appointments, and takes messages 24/7. You keep your current number and just forward calls you can’t answer.

Set up is quick: tell the AI your hours, services, and FAQs. It can handle routine calls or send important ones straight to you. The customization is up to you.

• Price: Starting at $24.95 per month
• Best for: Small businesses or teams that can’t afford to miss a call, and need a simple and affordable way to make sure each call is answered
• Setup: About 30 minutes

Features:

• 24/7 AI virtual receptionist
• Easy customization and setup
• Appointment scheduling
• Spam filtering & blocking
• Multilingual capability (up to 90+ languages)
• Instant call summaries sent to you via SMS or email
• Call transfers
• Call recordings & transcriptions
• Send text messages

Rates:

• Starter: $24.95/mo for 30 calls; $1.5 per additional call; access to all features
• Premium: $59.95/mo for 90 calls; $1 per additional call; access to all features
• Pro: $159.95/mo for 300 calls; $0.75 per additional call; access to all features
• No add-on fees for features

Integrations:

• Zapier
• Google Calendar
• Outlook Calendar
• Clio

Learn more about what our customers are saying about Upfirst.

OpenPhone – Simple voice and text in one app

OpenPhone puts calls and texts together in a single app for desktop and mobile. Teams can share numbers and see all conversations in one place.

It’s designed for ease of use—no complicated features, just what you need.

• Price: Starts at $19 per user/month
• Best for: Mobile-first teams, sales teams, and startups who need unlimited calling and messaging in one place
• Key benefit: Shared numbers and easy team messaging

Features:

• Unlimited calling and message (for US and Canda)
• 1 phone number per user
• Basic call forwarding
• Voicemail transcripts
• Auto-replies and scheduled messaging
• Internal threads

Rates and fees: 

• International calling & messaging: See here for rates.
• $19.50 one-time setup rate
• Additional numbers: $5/mo
• Messaging fee: $1.5 - $3/mo

Integrations:

• Email, Slack, Zapier, and Make interations. 
• More integrations at upgraded tiers

Nextiva – Complete communications platform

Nextiva offers phone service, video meetings, and team messaging all together. It’s a good fit if your team works remotely and needs more than just phone calls.

• Price: Starts at $23 per user/month
• Best for: Remote teams needing lots of communication options
• Highlight: Built-in video and chat

Features:

• Inbound and outbound voice calling
• Business SMS messaging
• Video meetings
• Screenshare & fileshare
• Call routing
• Mobile app
• Real-time dashboard
• Call routing (up to 5)

Rates and fees:

• $23/mo per user
• Add-ons for chatbots, live chat, voice recording, and more integrations

Integrations:

• Outlook and Google contacts

CallHippo – Affordable VoIP for small international teams

CallHippo offers cloud-based phone service with international numbers and CRM integrations at wallet-friendly prices. Flexible pay-as-you-go plans are available if your usage varies.

• Price: Starts at $25 per user/month
• Best for: Startups watching their budget and international teams
• Highlight: Flexible pricing, global options

Products:

• Business phone system
• AI phone agent

Phone system features:

• Click to dial
• Whatsapp business API
• Voicemail
• Unlimited minutes
• 100 SMS
• 1 free phone number
• Basic report analytics

CallHippo AI:

• 24/7 inbound and outbound call handling
• Custom greetings
• Call recordings

Add-ons:

• Call transcription for $15 per user/mo
• CNAM (caller ID name) lets callers see your business name on incoming calls for $100 one time setup

Pricing:

• AI Core Agent: $0/mo; pay-as-you-go; 100 free minutes
• AI Pro Agent: $399/mo; up to 2,500 minutes
• Basic (business phone system): $0 per user/mo; pay-as-you-go
• Starter (business phone system): $25 per user/mo

Aircall – Great for call analytics and reporting; teams that are scaling

Aircall is all about tracking call performance. It gives you detailed reports on calls, team activity, and more—great if you want to measure sales or customer service metrics.

• Price: Starts at $40 per user/month
• Best for: Sales teams that love data
• Highlight: Advanced analytics and dashboards

Features:

• Inbound and outbound voice calling
• Business SMS messaging
• Call routing (IVR, ring groups, time & date-based routing, queueing)
• Mobile app (iOS and Android)
• Real-time dashboard and analytics
• Call recording (with pause/resume options)
• Power Dialer and Voicemail Drop (on higher plans)
• Live call monitoring, whisper coaching, and tagging
• Multi-country and toll-free phone numbers (100+ countries)
• Business hours management and queue callbacks
• AI call summaries and sentiment analysis (add-on feature)

Rates and fees:

• Essentials plan: $30 per user/month (annual billing)
• Professional plan: $50 per user/month (annual billing)
• Enterprise plan: Custom pricing (for 25+ users)

Add-ons:

• AI and conversational intelligence features
• Advanced analytics (Analytics+)
• Additional phone numbers and international calling rates may apply
• Minimum of 3 users required

Ringover – Flexible cloud phone system for customer support

Ringover combines phone calls, messaging, and internal chat. It’s built for teams that handle lots of customer conversations across different channels.

• Price: Starts at $21 per user/month
• Best for: Customer service teams juggling calls, emails, and chat
• Highlight: Unified inbox for all conversations

Features:

• Inbound and outbound voice calling
• Business SMS messaging
• Video meetings
• Screenshare & fileshare
• Call routing / IVR / forwarding
• Mobile app (iOS, Android, desktop)
• Real-time dashboard and call analytics
• Call routing (multi-level or team-based)
• Power dialer and AI features available as add-ons

Rates and fees:

• Starts at around $21–$23 per user per month for the Smart plan (billed annually)
• Business and Advanced tiers range from $44 to $54 per user per month

Add-ons available for:

• Power Dialer (~$5/user/month)
• Parallel Dialer (~$49/user/month)
• Omnichannel messaging (~$29/license/month)
• Advanced analytics, AI transcription, and call recording (priced separately)
• Optional outbound channels and additional numbers may incur extra monthly fees

Quick comparison: features and pricing

Here’s how the top JustCall competitors compare for small businesses:

Which JustCall alternative is right for you?

Every business is different, so here’s how to match your goals to the right phone system:

Need to cover calls after hours without hiring?

Upfirst gives you 24/7 AI answering, bookings, and message taking without the high price of traditional answering services. Just starting at $24.95/month, flat.

Want to call and text from one simple app?

OpenPhone lets your team handle voice and SMS together, on the go. Great for businesses that don’t want to juggle separate tools.

Have a remote or distributed team?

Nextiva brings together phone, video, and chat, so your team can work from anywhere.

Looking for the lowest upfront cost for all-in-one communications?

CallHippo offers competitive entry pricing and pay-as-you-go options, making it easy to start small and grow as you need.

Upfirst: Flat-rate AI answering, $24.95/month

Upfirst isn’t a full phone system. It works alongside your current number, acting as your AI receptionist whenever you need. It takes messages, books appointments, and answers common questions using details you provide.

Urgent calls can be forwarded right away, while routine inquiries are handled automatically; it all depends on how you'd like your calls handled. Unlike traditional answering services (which often charge by the minute), Upfirst is a simple, flat monthly fee. No surprise costs.

Set up is easy:

• Forward your current number to Upfirst
• Fill out the AI's knowledge base with details about your business and any call handling instructions
• Start getting 24/7 coverage in less than half an hour

Who is it for? Accountants, lawyers, property managers, contractors—any service business that can’t afford to miss a call.

Start your free trial and see how AI answering fits your business.

Frequently asked questions about JustCall alternatives

Can I forward just my after-hours calls to another service?

Yes! Most business phone systems let you set up call forwarding based on your business hours. You can send after-hours calls to an answering service and keep daytime calls with your team.

Will moving my business number mess up my Google listing?

No worries—porting your number means you keep the same digits, so your Google Business Profile and other listings stay accurate. Just double-check after the switch to make sure everything displays correctly.

Are there any pay-per-minute options like the old days?

Most modern phone providers use monthly per-user rates, not per-minute billing. CallHippo has some pay-as-you-go options for international calls, but for most U.S. businesses, you’ll pay a monthly flat or per-user fee.

Do any AI answering services work for medical offices?

Most AI answering services (including Upfirst) are not HIPAA compliant, so they can’t handle patient health info. If you’re a medical practice, look for specialized solutions that meet healthcare privacy standards.