Nextiva is a reliable business phone solution offering a generous toll-free minute allowance and excellent unified communications tools. Users can maximize up to 12,500 toll-free minutes monthly, accommodating large volumes of long-distance calls. Moreover, they can collaborate with team members seamlessly through instant messaging and video conferencing. But like any software, it does have some shortfalls that could lead some to consider Nextiva alternatives.

The business phone vendor doesn’t offer vanity and international phone numbers. It also doesn’t support unlimited international calling and only natively integrates with less than 20 business apps. Its video conferencing capacity is limited to 45 minutes and 25 participants only. If you want to switch to a new provider, explore these Nextiva competitors:

  • Vonage: Best for customized voice workflows
  • GoTo Connect: Best for international calling
  • RingCentral: Best for third-party integrations
  • 8×8: Best for video meetings
  • Ooma: Best for domestic calling
  • Grasshopper: Best for virtual phone numbers
Best Nextiva Alternatives Key Features Try Nextiva Alternatives
Vonage logo.
  • Smart numbers
  • SmartWAN (Smart Wide Area Network, which prioritizes VoIP traffic to deliver high-quality voice and video communications)
  • Artificial intelligence (AI) virtual assistant
Try Vonage
gotoconnect logo
  • Unlimited international calling to 50-plus countries
  • 1,000 toll-free minutes shared across the account
  • Intercom calling
Try GoTo Connect
ringcentral logo
  • Up to 10,000 toll-free minutes
  • Receptionist console
  • Call monitoring
Try RingCentral
8x8 logo
  • Unlimited international calling to 48 countries
  • Hot desking
  • Unlimited internet fax
Try 8×8
ooma logo
  • Unlimited calling in the United States (US), Canada, Mexico, and Puerto Rico
  • Digital call deflection
  • One-to-many messaging
Try Ooma
Grasshopper logo.
  • Unlimited extensions
  • Custom greetings
  • Instant response
Try Grasshopper

Vonage: Best for customized voice workflows


Pros

  • 40+ default VoIP features
  • 99.999% uptime guarantee
  • Business inbox supports Facebook Messenger
  • Minute bundles for international calling

Cons

  • Call queue costs $14.99 a month on top of the monthly subscription fee
  • On-demand call recording is locked behind the most expensive subscription plan

Founded in 2001, Vonage offers a unified communications as a service (UCaaS) solution that supports voice, short messaging service (SMS), instant messaging, and video conferencing. Through the years, it has seen strategic acquisitions of various cutting-edge software solutions, including communications platform as a service (CPaaS) Nexmo in 2016, contact center as a service (CCaaS) NewVoiceMedia in 2018, and voice and conversational AI Over.ai in 2019. In the 2023 Frost & Sullivan report, the company was recognized as a leader that enables businesses to use a fully integrated CCaaS and UCaaS solution.

  • SmartWAN: WAN stands for wide area network, which refers to several connected networks across a specific geographical area. With Vonage’s SmartWAN, you’ll get high-quality voice, video, and messaging data as it prioritizes VoIP traffic and offers enterprise-quality bandwidth.
  • AI virtual assistant: The conversational AI uses natural language understanding (NLU) to analyze the customer’s intent and provide relevant answers or direct them to the right human agents.
  • Never Miss a Call: This includes various mobility tools, like the simultaneous ring, which alerts multiple connected devices at the same time, and call forwarding, which redirects incoming calls to preconfigured phone numbers.
  • Secondary line appearance: Add another line to an existing phone to accommodate more calls. This feature costs an additional $14.99 a month.
  • Conference call: Create a three-way call to facilitate a faster, more seamless discussion among clients and team members.

The pricing below is for monthly billing. The subscription fees are reduced to $13.99, $20.99, and $27.99 when you pay annually.

Mobile plan: $19.99/user/month

Includes:

  • Unlimited domestic calling 
  • Voicemail 
  • Number porting
  • Desktop and mobile apps 
  • Virtual receptionist 
  • SMS and multimedia messaging service (MMS)

Premium: $29.99/user/month

Includes:

  • Team messaging 
  • Video meetings for up to 200 participants 
  • Desk phone 
  • Third-party integrations 
  • Single sign-on

Advanced: $39.99/user/month

Includes:

  • Call groups 
  • On-demand call recording 
  • Visual voicemail

Vonage is one of the best Nextiva alternatives, specifically in the area of call routing, as it allows businesses to customize caller journeys based on pre-configured conditions. Its smart numbers feature work with communication application programming interfaces (APIs) to create unique voice workflows. For instance, they may be programmed to route inquiries geographically based on area code. A customer calling from a specific location will be directed to an office nearby. 

Another use case for smart numbers is checking a team member’s calendar. When a customer calls, the system automatically plays a recording stating the agent’s time of availability. Businesses may apply various functions using smart numbers, from two-factor authentication to voice transcription and text translation. Nextiva doesn’t have this capability. Thus, if you want to customize call workflows, choose Vonage as your VoIP solution.

Vonage interface showing the registered "Smart Numbers"
Create smart phone numbers to customize voice workflows. (Source: Vonage’s YouTube page)

GoTo Connect: Best for international calling


Pros

  • Toll-free minute allowance available in all subscription plans
  • Unlimited ring groups
  • End-to-end video encryption
  • 24/7 customer support

Cons

  • Lacks international phone numbers
  • Shared inbox isn’t available in the business phone solution
goto connect logo

Our Rating: 4.74/5

GoTo Connect is GoTo Technologies’ all-in-one business communication software that allows businesses to make phone calls, message team members, and conduct video meetings. Its platform has a 99.999% uptime, guaranteeing a highly reliable service. In 2022, global integrated media company TMC recognized GoTo Connect as a 2022 Unified Communications Product of the Year Award winner.

  • Call screening: Spam calls are automatically terminated, while calls from very important people (VIPs) go straight to an agent’s line without needing to key in numbers from the auto-attendant’s instructions.
  • Virtual fax: Send faxes from your mobile phone or desktop. The messages can be delivered to a fax machine or email inbox.  
  • Hot desking: This feature allows users to access their contacts, calls, messages, and preferred user interface regardless of the physical phone they use. Thus, employees can work anywhere they like. 
  • SMS: Send appointment reminders and product updates to customers via text. Automate messages and responses to avoid forgetting important communications.
  • Video meeting: Host up to 250 participants in one session. Maximize screen sharing, drawing tools, in-session chat, and other team collaboration tools to easily discuss matters with colleagues.

Phone System: Customized quote 

Includes: 

  • 1,000 toll-free minutes shared across the account 
  • International calling to 50-plus countries 
  • Unlimited auto-attendant greetings 
  • Unlimited ring groups 
  • Call recording 
  • Team messaging 
  • Video meeting for up to 250 participants

Customer Engagement: Customized quote 

Includes: 

  • AI-powered messaging assistant 
  • Shared inbox 
  • Custom surveys 
  • Webchat channel

Complete CX: Customized quote 

Includes: 

  • Intelligent call routing 
  • Skills assignment 
  • Ring strategy 
  • Call dispositions 
  • Auto-queue callback 
  • Agent dashboard

Unlike Nextiva, GoTo Connect supports international calling, so this provider made it to the top Nextiva alternatives. More than offering international calling, it doesn’t limit calls, which other providers do, charging per minute. GoTo Connect has a wide country coverage, allowing you to connect with contacts in over 50 countries, including Australia, France, Germany, Spain, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. Compared to a cellular service, this VoIP solution offers huge money savings for international calls.

While offering international calling, the platform enables businesses to handle large volumes of incoming phone calls. Manage inquiries more efficiently with smart call routing, ring groups, and call queues. Use the inbound call filters to weed out spam and robocalls that affect agent productivity.

GoTo Connect interface showing the advanced user settings and a box highlighting the option to dial international numbers
Enable dialing international numbers on GoTo Connect. (Source: GoTo Connect Support’s YouTube page)

RingCentral: Best for third-party integrations


Pros

  • 99.999% uptime guarantee
  • Access to receptionist console to manage high-volume calls
  • Offers international numbers
  • Maximum of 500 participants in video meetings

Cons

  • Entry-level plan doesn’t have unlimited internet fax
  • Doesn’t offer unlimited texting like other VoIP providers
ringcentral logo

Our Rating: 4.44/5

Since 1999, RingCentral has provided cloud-based technologies to small businesses and enterprises. It launched its cloud phone system in 2003, introducing the mobile app 10 years later in 2013. In 2015, it acquired Glip and included messaging and team collaboration tools in its phone system. In 2020, it introduced RingCentral video, allowing remote team members to meet virtually. RingCentral was recognized as a Leader in Gartner’s 2023 Magic Quadrant for UCaaS, Worldwide report.

  • Call whisper: Listen to active phone calls to evaluate agents’ performance. Coach service representatives without the customer knowing of your presence on the call.
  • Call park: Put a live call on hold and in a communal parking spot, where other team members can retrieve the call. Its difference from call hold is that any phone in the system can resume the call.
  • Unified inbox: All types of communication, from voicemails and texts to faxes, are kept in one place. With this, it’s easier to keep track of all messages.
  • Visual voicemail: View voicemails in text format. This is especially useful when you’re on the go and cannot listen to voicemails.
  • Receptionist console: See each extension’s status to know which team members are available for a call with a customer or a chat for consultation.

The pricing below is for one to five users, on a monthly billing arrangement. Save 33% by paying annually.

Core: $30/user/month 

Includes:

  • Unlimited domestic calling within the US and Canada 
  • Interactive voice response (IVR) 
  • Shared lines 
  • Video meeting for up to 100 participants 
  • Whiteboard and annotations 
  • Breakout rooms

Advanced: $35/user/month 

Includes:

  • Up to eight-digit extensions 
  • Advanced call monitoring 
  • Hot desking
  • Unlimited internet fax 
  • Custom roles and permissions 
  • Integrations with customer relationship management (CRM) and industry-specific apps

Ultra: $45/user/month

Includes:

  • Unlimited storage 
  • Device analytics and alerts

While Nextiva natively integrates with less than 20 third-party solutions, RingCentral seamlessly connects with over 300 apps, making it one of the top Nextiva alternatives. It works with various tools for collaboration and CRM, namely Slack, Microsoft Teams, Google Workspace, Salesforce, HubSpot, and Microsoft Dynamics 365. With business tools connected, you won’t have to switch apps when picking up calls and referring to customer profiles or chatting with a colleague.

On top of this, RingCentral offers access to its developer platform. With its voice, SMS, and video APIs, you’ll be able to add communication capabilities to your apps.

A GIF showing a user clicking the phone icon from the Slack chat window, selecting the "RingCentral" option, and joining a video meeting
Make RingCentral phone calls right within Slack. (Source: RingCentral)

8×8: Best for video meetings


Pros

  • Unlimited international calling
  • International numbers are available
  • 99.999% uptime service level agreement (SLA)
  • Single sign-on in all subscription plans

Cons

  • Pricing is not readily available on the website
  • Long-term storage (five-year retention) requires an extra fee
8x8 logo

Our Rating: 4.19/5

8×8 offers various cloud-based software solutions, including a business phone system, contact center, and APIs. It supports companies scaling global communications, as it provides public switched telephone network (PSTN) services in over 55 countries. In 2024, 8×8 received 38 Winter awards, including UCaaS Platform Overall Leader.

  • Ring group: Alert phone numbers, extensions, and physical phones simultaneously when a specific extension number is dialed. With this, you’ll ensure you won’t miss any calls.
  • Caller ID: The internal caller ID shows the caller’s number and name. The external caller ID displays your number and name so recipients will recognize you. You have the option to block caller ID for each user in your account.
  • IVR: Direct customers to the departments or agents they’re looking for by letting them choose among phone menu options.
  • Call barge: Managers can join a call between an agent and a customer to resolve queries faster.
  • International calling: Establish and maintain rapport with overseas contacts. 8×8 supports unmetered international calls to France, Ireland, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and 44 more countries.

X2: Custom pricing

Includes:

  • Unified mobile, desktop, and web app 
  • Multi-level auto-attendant 
  • Unlimited extension-to-extension calling 
  • Hot desking 
  • Voicemail transcription 
  • Unlimited internet fax 
  • Call and video meeting recording for 30 to 130 days

X4: Custom pricing

Includes:

  • 8×8 Frontdesk for receptionists 
  • Barge, monitor, and whisper 
  • Supervisor analytics 
  • Call activity analytics

Although Nextiva offers video conferencing, its duration and participant capacity are severely limited. It only allows 45 minutes and 25 attendees per session. 8×8 is a better option for hosting video meetings, as it accommodates up to 500 participants without meeting duration limits. Meet as many team members or clients as you need without worrying about being cut short in the middle of the discussion. 

8×8 offers various in-meeting collaboration tools, including chat, screen sharing, and polls. After the meeting, participants can immediately work on the next steps discussed, as the platform automatically generates meeting summaries and action items, thanks to AI. 8×8 offers end-to-end encryption, only granting access to participants with the shared key.

8x8 interface showing an ongoing video meeting among three participants
Conduct high-quality video meetings on 8×8. (Source: 8×8)

Ooma: Best for domestic calling


Pros

  • 50-plus standard VoIP features in all plans
  • Offers various hardware phones
  • Virtual fax and analog fax machine support
  • Toll-free number and 500 toll-free minutes

Cons

  • Limited native third-party integrations
  • Only accommodates a maximum of 100 video meeting participants

Our Rating: 4.06/5

Ooma, founded in 2003, offers communication software solutions for homes and businesses. It’s among the top VoIP vendors with their own first-party hardware. Its softphone app is equipped with valuable tools: analytics, call recording, conference bridge, and virtual fax. In 2023, PCMag recognized the provider as the best VoIP system for the tenth year in a row.

  • Call recording: Capture customer interactions and use them for training customer service representatives. The materials offer agents a glimpse of different call scenarios they can expect.
  • Virtual receptionist scheduling: Configure business hours to direct calls to the right extension or voicemail, depending on the day of the week or time of the day.
  • One-to-many messaging: Reach multiple people and get the word out faster. Ooma allows you to broadcast an SMS to a maximum of 30 people. 
  • Digital call deflection: Enable customers to move from a phone call to a text message with a simple keypress. This effectively shortens call queues.
  • Extension monitoring: See the status of other users in your phone system. A steady red light on the phone indicates that the user is on a phone call. A flashing red means the monitored extension has an incoming call. A steady green indicates the extension is available, as it’s not in an active phone conversation.

Ooma Home

Basic: $0/user/month (Only requires a one-time fee of $99.99 for Ooma Telo)

Includes:

  • Unlimited calls within the US
  • Answering machine 
  • Free number porting 
  • Free Ooma-to-Ooma calling 
  • Online call log 
  • Local phone number 
  • 911 and 911 alerts

Premier: $9.99/month

Includes:

  • Unlimited calls within the US, Canada, Puerto Rico, and Mexico
  • Call forwarding 
  • Multi-ring 
  • Custom ring patterns
  • Enhanced call waiting 
  • Three-way conference call 
  • Custom call blocking 

Ooma Office

The pricing below is for monthly billing. Annual billing is not available.

Essentials: $19.95/user/month 

Includes:

  • One toll-free number and 500 minutes of inbound calls a month
  • Call forwarding
  • Extension monitoring 
  • One conference bridge per user 
  • Virtual receptionist 
  • Virtual extensions 

Pro: $24.95/user/month

Includes:

  • Call recording 
  • Call analytics 
  • Dynamic caller ID 
  • Text messaging 
  • Video conferencing for up to 25 participants 
  • Integration with Microsoft 365 and Google 

Pro Plus: $29.95

Includes:

  • Call queues 
  • Find me, follow me 
  • Digital call deflection
  • Video conferencing for up to 100 participants 
  • Video meeting recording
  • Team chat

Ooma is among the best Nextiva alternatives for domestic calling because it goes beyond the US and Canada. It offers unlimited calls to mobile and landline phones in Mexico and Puerto Rico. The best part is that when you choose Ooma Premier, the provider’s home phone plan ideal for solopreneurs, you only pay $9.99 a month to access unlimited calling within the mentioned countries. This is a significantly cheaper rate compared to other VoIP providers listed here.

If you only need unlimited domestic calling within the US and Canada, Ooma Basic should be enough. This free VoIP service doesn’t have monthly charges when you call clients within the US and Canada. You simply pay the one-time fee for the analog telephone adapter Ooma Telo.

One smartphone showing a dial pad and another displaying a connecting phone call
Call local phone numbers in the US using Ooma’s mobile app. (Source: Ooma)

Grasshopper: Best for virtual phone numbers


Pros

  • Allows call forwarding to multiple numbers
  • Unlimited number of users starting in the Solo Plus plan
  • Call management features in all plans
  • Professionally-recorded greetings by voice actors

Cons

  • Doesn’t offer call recording
  • Lacks instant messaging and video conferencing
Grasshopper logo.

Our Rating: 3.69/5

Since 2003, Grasshopper has helped over 350,000 small businesses connect with customers. The virtual phone system is equipped with various features, including extensions, instant response, incoming call control, and simultaneous call handling. In 2020, it won in the VoIP category of Top Rated Awards by TrustRadius.

  • Instant response: Let the phone system send a text to new customers you missed answering. This ensures timely responses to clients. 
  • Custom greetings: Grasshopper lets you choose among professional voice actors to record phone greetings. It costs $75 per order.
  • Call blasting: Alert several phone lines simultaneously when a call comes through the system. Add up to 15 lines in the call blasting group.
  • Live receptionist: Let a professional human agent welcome callers and accommodate concerns. Grasshopper lets you tap expertly-trained, US-based receptionists.
  • Business texting: Offer updates to customers and confirm appointments via SMS. Grasshopper also supports MMS for local phone numbers.

The pricing below is for monthly billing. Save more than 20% by paying annually. All plans include call forwarding, call transfer, custom greetings, visual voicemail, and instant response.

True Solo: $19/one user/month

Includes:

  • One user 
  • One phone number 
  • Call forwarding to a single number

Solo Plus: $32/user/month

Includes:

  • Unlimited users 
  • One phone number 
  • Call forwarding to three numbers per extension 

Small Business: $70/user/month

Includes:

  • Unlimited users 
  • Four phone numbers
  • Call forwarding to unlimited numbers per extension

Grasshopper is among the best Nextiva alternatives, as it offers vanity numbers and affordable number offerings Nextiva lacks. Aside from local and toll-free numbers, Grasshopper allows businesses to secure customized digits that make a business memorable to customers. Its vanity number search tool is easy to use. Simply key in the letters or numbers you prefer in your digits, click the “Search” button, and the available numbers appear.

Moreover, Grasshopper has an attractive pricing for those needing multiple phone numbers. While other VoIP vendors charge phone numbers per user, Grasshopper allocates four phone numbers for unlimited users for a flat rate of $70. It’s ideal for small teams wanting to share phone numbers among team members.

A webpage showing Grasshopper's vanity number search tool
Get a vanity phone number via Grasshopper. (Source: Grasshopper)

What is Nextiva?

Nextiva is a unified communications solution equipped with voice, SMS, messaging, and video conferencing. It offers three subscription plans: Essential, Professional, and Enterprise. Essential is priced at $30.95 per user a month and features unlimited voice calling within the US and Canada, free local and toll-free numbers, up to 1,500 toll-free minutes, and unlimited internet fax. 

Professional costs $35.95 per user monthly and includes up to 3,000 toll-free minutes, a maximum of 1,000 messages sent and received per user, and advanced integrations. Enterprise’s monthly fee is $45.95 per user a month and offers access to call recording, up to 12,500 toll-free minutes, and a maximum of 2,000 messages sent and received per user. The provider offers discounts for customers availing volume users and annual billing.

Nextiva limitations

While Nextiva is an excellent unified communications solution, it comes with various drawbacks, which can be deal breakers for some businesses. Here are some of the platform’s limitations:

  • Limited video conferencing capabilities: Nextiva only allows a maximum of 45 minutes per session for up to 25 attendees. For large teams that meet to discuss matters in-depth, the platform isn’t a suitable solution.
  • Doesn’t support unlimited international calling: Nextiva charges international calls per minute. Other providers offer unmetered calls overseas, as long as they’re within the list of supported territories.
  • Lacks vanity and international phone numbers: While Nextiva provides local and toll-free numbers, it doesn’t have vanity and international phone numbers. Businesses wanting to customize their contact details and establish a presence overseas will do better with Nextiva alternatives. 
  • More expensive than competitors: Nextiva’s entry-level plan costs $30.95 per user monthly. The fee is significantly higher than what other VoIP vendors offer. Although it offers discounts for annual billing and volume users, its starting price may be beyond what businesses, especially small teams, are willing to pay for.

Choosing the right Nextiva alternative

Nextiva is a great business phone software for businesses dealing with long-distance calls given its generous toll-free minute allowance. Its team chat and video meetings facilitate collaboration among team members. However, given the limitations above, you may want to consider the top alternative VoIP solutions for small businesses:

  • If you prioritize creating customized caller journeys, choose Vonage and maximize its smart numbers feature.
  • Businesses with international clients will do better with GoTo Connect and its unlimited international calling offering. 
  • For teams wanting to connect existing business tools, RingCentral is the better choice, as it works with over 300 third-party apps.
  • 8×8 is suitable for you if you often organize long meetings. 
  • If you want a cheaper way to call local clients within the US, Canada, Mexico, and Puerto Rico, go for Ooma. 
  • Grasshopper is the best solution if you want vanity numbers and multiple phone numbers for unlimited users.

If none of these Nextiva alternatives meet your business requirements, check out our VoIP Software Guide to explore other solutions.

FAQ

Nextiva used to have its own CRM built into the business phone system. But in 2023, the provider retired the product, and it is now unavailable to new users. However, it integrates with popular CRM tools, including Salesforce and HubSpot. Nextiva alternatives like RingCentral offer robust CRM integrations.

Yes. Google Voice is a free VoIP phone system offering unlimited calls within the US, a local phone number, and voicemail. Read our top picks for free VoIP phone services.