Top Nextiva Alternatives

Last Updated on April 14, 2025 by Ewen Finser

Anyone who’s spent any time in the corporate world knows that effective communication is crucial for success.

Nextiva is a popular choice to help businesses ensure this but it may not be the best choice for every organization. Maybe you’re looking for something simpler and more cost effective, or maybe you need additional AI tools to keep your business running smoothly. 

I’ve explored some of the top alternatives to Nextiva to help you make the best choice for effective business communications.

Why not Nextiva?

Make no mistake – I’ve had clients who have deployed Nextiva and have nothing but good things to say. The platform offers extra features beyond basic business telephony like social media management. These include built-in CRM software, as well as excellent integration with platforms like Microsoft Teams and Salesforce.

If you need these kinds of features, it offers relatively good value for money. Still, if you need a more basic business phone system Nextiva is costlier than other business VOIP alternatives. It is also quite limited when it comes to business SMS: Nextiva’s ‘Core’ and ‘Engage’ limit text messages to 100 and 250 messages per user, per month respectively.

Comparing Nextiva Alternatives

Provider	Key Features	Target Audience	Pricing
Talkroute	Flexible call routing, voicemail transcription, integrations with Google Calendar and Slack	Small businesses and entrepreneurs but scalable	$19 per month for ‘Basic’ plan. Additional users are $5 each (take 20% off your first year)
RingCentral	Video conferencing, team messaging, advanced call management	Medium to large businesses	Plans start at $20/user/month (paid annually)
Grasshopper	Virtual phone numbers, call management features	Small businesses and startups	Plans start at $15/user/month (paid annually)
8×8	Contact center services, video conferencing, unlimited calls to 14 countries	Large enterprises	Custom pricing for businesses
Ooma	Cost-effective, clear audio, secure end-to-end encryption	Small to medium businesses	Plans start at around $19.95/user/month
Vonage	Scalable cloud communication, video conferencing	Medium to large businesses	Plans start at $19.95/user/month
Dialpad	AI-powered call analytics, real-time transcription	Businesses seeking innovative solutions	Plans start at $15/user/month (paid annually)
Zoom Phone	Easy onboarding, good app integration, business SMS	Businesses focusing on customer support	Metered plans are $10/user/month. Outgoing calls extra.

Top Nextiva Alternatives

In no particular order, these are the best competitors to Nextiva:

RingCentral

This platform is an extremely popular business VOIP solution. Its most popular ‘Advanced’ plan starts as $25 per user, per month. Subscribers benefit from extra features like video conferencing (with up to one year of cloud video recording), as well as unlimited domestic calling (US & Canada). RingCentral also integrates well with third-party CRMS like HubSpot and ZenDesk.

Grasshopper

This business VOIP platform is one of my favorites for small businesses, as prices begin at $15 a month for the ‘True Solo’ plan. Its desktop and mobile apps are simple to set up, plus its plans include all the features you’d expect to find for a business VOIP solution. These include business texting, call forwarding, call transfers, and even virtual fax!

TalkRoute

Like Grasshopper, this extremely flexible virtual phone system offers plans suitable for small businesses and entrepreneurs. Prices begin at $19 per month for Talkroute’s ‘Basic Plan’ for one user. This includes unlimited calls to the US & Canada, 500 text messages per month, call forwarding/routing and toll-free number registration. It’s also very scalable, as no matter what pricing plan you choose, additional users cost $5 per month each. 

8×8

This platform is aimed more at larger organizations, given that it offers features beyond basic VOIP calling like video conferencing (for up to 500 participants), call analytics, and contact center services. Call quality is excellent and it integrates well with popular platforms like Slack, Teams, and HubSpot. 

Unlimited calls are supported to 14 different countries, plus it boasts an AI-powered communications suite. However, if you want to know how much this will cost your organization you’ll need to contact 8×8’s sales team, as this information isn’t listed on their website. 

Ooma

This is a solid choice for businesses on a budget, as its VOIP ‘Essentials’ package starts at less than $20 per month, per user. For this, you’ll get a free toll-free number, a virtual receptionist and crisp HD audio. Subscriptions also include unlimited calls to the US, Canada, Mexico and Puerto Rico. It also uses end-to-end encryption to secure VOIP calls. My only complaint is that in the past clients have had difficulty getting through to Ooma’s customer support line to resolve issues. 

Vonage

Like 8×8 and Ooma, Vonage offers top-class call quality. Of all the business VOIP Platforms I’ve used, Vonage’s ‘Admin Portal’ interface is also one of the easiest to navigate. 

The platform offers multiple ‘Business Communications’ plans. The lowest-cost ‘Mobile’ tier works out at $13.99 per month, per line if you pay annually. For this you’ll benefit from unlimited domestic calls, voicemail and business SMS. If you want more advanced features like on-demand call recording or support for VOIP desk phones, you’ll need to pay extra.

Dialpad

This VOIP platform offers very flexible software, in that it can handle voice calls, messages, and meetings from one place. Its standard plan costs $27 per user, per month though you can reduce this to $15 by paying annually. It includes unlimited domestic calls, AI-powered call and voicemail transcriptions, and unlimited AI meetings for up to 150 participants. Other features like Internet fax are available only as paid add-ons. 

Zoom Phone

Given the rise of Zoom meetings during the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s likely you and all your colleagues know how to use it already. This means you’ll only have to spend minimal time training workers up on Zoom’s cloud VOIP services.

Metered calling plans start at $10 per user, per month. This includes domestic business SMS/MMS and a US & Canada number. On this plan, you’ll need to purchase credit to make outbound calls though, so you may prefer to pay an extra $5 per user for an ‘unlimited plan’. The one annoyance I experienced was you have to meet certain payment thresholds to qualify for support. For instance, you need to spend at least $200 per month to have a live voice or video call with a support agent. 

Choosing the right Nextiva alternative

If you’re considering other VOIP platforms than Nextiva, you need to consider several factors:

Features

Your chosen platform should meet your business needs, so if you need advanced call management features like advanced queueing and voicemail transcription, check that your provider supports it. Check through the available plans carefully, as there’s also no point in paying for features that your business will never use.

Scalability

As your business grows, you need a VOIP solution that can scale with it. Most VOIP providers offer different plans to accommodate more users and customizable features. Speak to your chosen provider’s support team about this to be sure they can keep up.

Integration

If you’re already using apps like CRM software, you need to be sure they work well with your business VOIP platform. Even if a provider’s website says that it plays nicely with your particular software, make sure you also search for independent online reviews. That way you’ll see impartial opinions about just how easy it is to integrate third-party programs with the VOIP platform.

Support

I can’t emphasize strongly enough what a difference good support can make, particularly when initially setting up your business VOIP system. First check your provider’s T&C’s carefully to find out the exact level of support offered: is it telephone or by chat/email? If ‘live’ support is offered, is it 24/7? 

Trials

I’ve had mixed experiences with VOIP trials, as there can be a huge difference between how a platform handles a few test calls and data versus its real-world performance. Still, the best providers will offer a 7 or 14-day free trial to at least let you get to grips with the interface and check how nicely it plays with third-party apps.

Cost

As they say, money isn’t everything but it helps! Paying more can make sense if a provider has virtual phone features that your organization definitely needs. Even if you have your heart set on a particular VOIP platform, do a thorough analysis of all its pricing plans to make sure you’ve selected the one that balances essential features with value for money.

When to choose Nextiva 

If you’re already using Nextiva or are seriously considering it for your business communications, I’d encourage you to carry on in these scenarios:

You need unified communications

If your organization needs more than just basic business phone call handling, Nextiva can be a good choice as it includes features like video conferencing, project management tools, and team messaging. These may be overkill for some SMEs but can be useful as your business grows. 

You need advanced contact center features

Again, these kinds of features aren’t always useful to small businesses or solopreneurs. However, if you need advanced business VOIP functions like AI-powered IVR or skills-based call routing, then Nextiva is probably a better choice than more basic offerings like Grasshopper.

You need ultra-reliable calls and support

When going through Nextiva alternatives, I’ve mentioned one or two platforms like Zoom where it’s sometimes difficult to get support right away. This is one area where Nextiva really shines, as the website claims it strives for 99.999% uptime. There are also multiple support channels, including 24/7 phone support.

You want brand management and analytics

Nextiva has a ‘social marketing suite’ for organizations to boost their online brand reputation. These support features like real-time monitoring of customer feedback across various channels. They can also help organizations collate data into useful analytics. 

As we’ve learned, Nextiva is a robust communications platform with some very powerful features. However, you may find one of the listed alternatives better meets your organization’s needs.

SME’s may prefer a more cost-effective option like Talkroute or Ooma. If you have limited manpower, you can also harness Dialpad’s AI features to manage and analyze calls for you.

Whatever platform you choose, make sure to consider factors like cost, scalability, and integration first. If a VOIP provider offers a free trial, register for this to test out the platform before you buy.