Talkroute vs Grasshopper: Which is better?

Last Updated on April 14, 2025 by Ewen Finser

If you want to manage business communications effectively, you need to choose the right phone system. 

Talkroute and Grasshopper are two popular business VOIP solutions. Each offers its own pros and cons depending on your business needs.

In this guide, we’ll explore some of the main differences, similarities, and key features of both platforms. 

Talkroute and Grasshopper 101

Talkroute is designed for businesses of all sizes, which is reflected in its features and price plans. Its main focus is on ease of setup, customization, and affordability. It relies on PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network) lines to make calls. It also has desktop and mobile apps.

Grasshopper is more geared towards small businesses and entrepreneurs who want to maintain a professional image without paying for complex equipment. It offers business VOIP features like virtual phone numbers, call forwarding, and voicemail transcription to help businesses manage communications efficiently.

Main Differences between Talkroute and Grasshopper

Pricing model

Talkroute offers fairly straightforward pricing, starting at $19 per month for its ‘Basic’ plan. This includes a single number and mailbox, unlimited calling, call forwarding/routing and video meetings. There are three other pricing tiers. ‘Pro’ plans start at $59 per month for 10 users. This includes advanced features like submenus. Whatever pricing tier you choose, additional users cost $5 each.

Grasshopper has three main plans. The ‘True Solo’ tier costs $19 per month per user if you pay monthly. It includes a single number with voicemail, plus call forwarding to a single number. Other plans like ‘Small Business’ ($70 per month) include different features like unlimited users and extensions, as well as four virtual phone numbers.

Features and Functionality

One of Talkroute’s key features is ease of setup, as since it uses traditional telephone lines you can use your existing telephony equipment. It also includes useful features like customizable voicemail greetings, text-to-email to receive business SMS direct to your inbox, and unlimited storage.

Grasshopper does also offer some advanced VOIP features like voicemail transcription, virtual fax, and call screening. However it doesn’t currently support video conferencing. 

Integration

Talkroute is designed for straightforward call management, so doesn’t offer many integration options. It does, however, work well with Zapier.

Grasshopper offers slightly better integrations, given it supports call forwarding to Google Voice and Skype. It also works with Zapier.

International Calling

If you check the fine print of Talkroute’s T&C’s, you’ll see that ‘unlimited calling’ only applies to the US and Canada. While you can receive international calls to virtual numbers, the platform has no feature to make outbound ones.

Grasshopper users can also receive international calls. They can also place them, provided they contact support to enable the feature and pay a $500 deposit. After that, they’re billed at Grasshopper’s international rates. Not all countries can be dialled.

User interface

Talkroute has received praise in online reviews for its ease of use, given that it’s easy to use existing telephone equipment with the platform. Its desktop and mobile apps are also very intuitive.

Grasshopper’s apps have also been praised for being user-friendly. However, advanced features like international calling have to be set up manually.

Similarities between Talkroute and Grasshopper

Both platforms offer mobile and desktop apps that companies can install on business devices to manage calls and communications.

Talkroute and Grasshopper offer some degree of customization, though Talkroute is known for being more flexible.

Both Talkroute and Grasshopper’s lowest-cost pricing plans start at $19 per month for one user and include basic VOIP features like a single virtual phone number and voice mailbox. 

Both platforms offer toll-free and ‘vanity’ numbers to allow customers to dial your business cost-free.

Main features of Talkroute

Dashboard 

Talkroute’s main interface is designed to be intuitive, so is fairly simple to navigate. Users can manage their phone system via the central dashboard. From here, you can access features like call routing, voicemail management, and business SMS. Despite using PSTN lines, the platform does offer desktop and mobile apps, so can be used by remote workers.

Call management features

Call routing/forwarding

Since Talkroute works over regular telephone infrastructure, users can forward calls to any number whether it’s virtual, a cell, or even a satellite phone. The platform also supports routing calls to devices in a specific order, allowing users to fine tune how calls reach the team.

Video meetings

Talkroute users can host or join video meetings with up to 100 participants. Tha platform also supports screen sharing and collaborating via a virtual whiteboard. The company plans to support recordings of video meetings in the future.

Voicemail management

Talkroute offers multiple ways to manage voicemails. This can be done through the desktop or mobile apps. Users can also load voicemails in the online dashboard or use text-to-email to have messages sent to their inbox.

Scalability

Talkroute’s ‘Basic’, ‘Plus’, and ‘Pro’ plans support 1, 3, and 10 users respectively. It then charges a flat fee of $5 per month, per additional user regardless of pricing tier.  This makes it ideal for businesses that need to add more personnel and features. 

Main features of Grasshopper

Dashboard

Like Talkroute, Grasshopper offers a very user-friendly interface. The main dashboard supports easy switching between calls, texts, and voicemails. Users can also deploy the mobile and desktop apps to use more advanced features like call forwarding and virtual fax.

Call management features

Virtual phone numbers

Like Talkroute, Grasshopper offers both toll-free and vanity numbers. This makes it easy for customers to remember how to contact your business and maintain a professional image.

Call forwarding/transfers

Grasshopper users can forward calls to different numbers and transfer calls between extensions to maximize call uptake.

Voicemail transcription

Grasshopper supports converting voicemails to text. You can read these using the mobile app for iOS or Android. 

Scalability

Talkroute vs Grasshopper – Pricing

Feature	Talkroute	Grasshopper
Basic Plan	$19/month (1 user, unlimited minutes)	True Solo: $19/month (1 user, limited features)
Mid-tier Plan	Plus: $39/month (3 users, additional features)	Solo Plus: $32/month (3 extensions, more features)
Advanced Plan	Pro: $59/month (10 users, advanced features)	Small Business: $70/month (5 numbers, unlimited extensions)
Enterprise Plan	Custom pricing for large businesses	Not explicitly offered, but Enterprise features available upon request

The above prices assume that users are paying monthly. Grasshopper offers a 20% discount to users who are willing to pay upfront for an annual subscription. For instance, the ‘Basic’ pricing tier works out at $15 per month when billed annually.

Grasshopper’s ‘Solo’ and ‘Small business’ plans support unlimited users. Talkroute charges $5 per user, per month regardless of pricing tier.

Talkroute vs Grasshopper – Customer Support

Talkroute offers 24/7 support by email. Users can also call the helpline or use support chat from 09:00 – 19:00 CST (Mon – Fri) and 10:00 – 17:00 CST (Sat). 

Grasshopper has a 24/7 sales line but its website doesn’t provide a dedicated support number or chat feature. Online reviews show that users that did get through to customer support sometimes had trouble resolving their issues e.g. slow response time.

Talkroute vs Grasshopper – Pros and Cons

Talkroute pros

• Ease of Use: Talkroute consistently receives online praise for its easy-to-use interface. Its dashboard is particularly intuitive for managing call forwarding and voicemails.
• Flexibility: Talkroute’s pricing plans are easy to understand and it uses a flat fee structure to add more users. It’s ideal for businesses of all sizes.
• Reasonable pricing: With plans starting at just $19 per month for one user, Talkroute won’t break the bank. Users can also use their existing telephone equipment without buying special VOIP apparatus.

Talkroute cons

• Fewer integrations: Compared to competitors, Talkroute has relatively few integrations with software like CRM platforms. It simply focuses on providing a reliable business telephone service. 
• Regional restrictions: While Talkroute can receive international calls, users can only place calls to numbers in the US & Canada through the platform. 

Grasshopper pros

• Advanced features: While Talkroute offers voice-to-text, Grasshopper users can view voicemail transcriptions directly within the app. The platform also supports other advanced features like virtual fax.
• No per-user fees: Users with slightly larger businesses can sign up for a pricing plan e.g. ‘Small Business’ that supports unlimited users.
• Some integration options: Grasshopper supports call forwarding to third-party apps like Google Voice. It also works with certain platforms like Zapier.

Grasshopper cons

• Pricing complexity: Pricing for Grasshopper varies, depending on whether you pay monthly or annually. It’s also hard to determine pricing as the relevant page doesn’t load on Grasshopper’s website.
• Customer service issues: From reading multiple online reviews, we’ve noted issues with difficulty contacting Grasshopper customer support. The main site’s support page doesn’t automatically offer a support service number or live chat feature. There are also reports of slow response times.

Talkroute vs Grasshopper – Which is better?

Both Talkroute and Grasshopper are excellent choices when it comes to business phone systems. When it comes to choosing between them, you need to think about your organization’s specific needs. 

If you need a robust business telephone setup that prioritizes ease of use and scalability, Talkroute might be the better choice. Its pricing model is straightforward, and its features meet the needs of most SMEs. 

If your business requires more advanced features like in-app voicemail transcription, virtual faxes, and integration with other software tools, Grasshopper might be the more suitable platform. 

FAQ

Answer: Talkroute offers a more straightforward pricing model. Grasshopper has more plans plus different rates if you pay annually or monthly. Talkroute also operates over traditional PSTN lines, whereas Grasshopper is a full VOIP solution.

Question: Which platform offers international calls?

Answer: Both Talkroute and Grasshopper users can receive international calls, however, Talkroute doesn’t support making them. Grasshopper users can enable international calls after 60 days by contacting support and paying a $500 fee.

Question: Which platform is better for a small business?

Answer: Either Talkroute or Grasshopper are ideal for SMEs. Talkroute offers an easier setup, as the dashboard is intuitive and you can use existing telephone equipment. However, Grasshopper offers more advanced features.

Question: Can I integrate Talkroute/Grasshopper with third-party tools?

Answer: Talkroute is primarily designed for ease of use, so doesn’t play well with other software. Grasshopper supports call forwarding to Google Voice and Skype numbers, though Skype is due to be shut down on 05/05/2025.

Question: How can I cancel my existing Talkroute/Grasshopper subscription?

Answer: Talkroute users pay monthly and can cancel their subscriptions at any time by logging into the ‘Account’ section of their Talkroute profile. Grasshopper requires users to contact support to cancel a subscription and receive a CSR (customer service record).