The Top 7 Small Business Phone Systems in Canada

The best phone system for small business in Canada is RingCentral’s Advanced plan. Our extensive research and product testing revealed that this plan offers everything a small business needs to maintain communication without breaking the bank. For just $35 per month, you’ll get brilliant external connections and a scalable VoIP system that can grow alongside your business.

With hybrid and remote working here to stay, it’s never been more important to find the right VoIP phone system to give your employees flexibility around location. To help you out, we’ll outline seven systems that impressed us during our testing process and explain which type of business they’ll suit best

Short on time? No problem – simply use our free comparison tool to get tailored quotes for your needs, making it quick and easy to switch systems today.

What Is a Small Business Phone System?

Phone systems for small businesses are telecommunications solutions that enable you to make and receive business calls. However, with the rise of remote working, you'll likely need to transfer and forward calls to your employees' cell phones. That's where VoIP systems can help.

VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) systems conduct calls using the Internet, while PBX systems (private branch exchange) rely on traditional telephone lines.

This page will focus on VoIP systems, which are more advanced and hands-off than PBX systems. It leverages your internet connection for making calls, allowing flexible pay-as-you-go options with minimal upfront investment and easy setup. These systems often come equipped with ‘softphone’ apps suitable for Android or iOS mobile phones, as well as other devices like iPads.

The Top 7 Small Business Phone Systems

We researched and tested seven different business phone systems, critically evaluating each one in their suitability for small businesses. This allowed us to handpick seven of the best phone systems for small businesses in Canada:

Want to find out what makes them so great? Read on for our reviews of each of these small business office phone systems, including prices, features, and more.

1. RingCentral Advanced – Best for External Connections

What kind of small business features does RingCentral Advanced offer?

• Software integrations: in the Advanced and Ultra subscriptions, you can sync your phone system with over 90 CRM platforms, with key helpdesk integrations like Salesforce and Zendesk, analytics, and other platforms like Slack, WhatsApp, and Facebook. This makes your customer service muscle stronger, and allows you to instantly draw on customer-specific data to provide a frustration-free experience.
• Customer support: RingCentral provides multiple customer support channels, including live chat, a phone line, and email support. It also includes onboarding support to help you set up your system. Plus, it has a 99.9% uptime guarantee to ensure your system won’t experience downtime frequently.
• Features: Managing growing call volumes is much easier with plenty of inbound communication tools, such as ring groups, voice-to-text, and spam prevention features. You’ll also be equipped with advanced tools like call barge, call whisper, and call monitoring to help you supervise calls and train your team. RingCentral also offers outstanding add-ons, such as RingCentral Webinar, RingCentral Contact Center, and RingCentral Engage Digital to boost your team’s capabilities.
• Scalability: RingCentral has an impressive offer for scalability, equipping you with all the right tools – call queue, ring groups, web conferencing tools, internal live chat, and pretty much all the management features you could ever need as a small business! It also includes multi-factor authentication, password rules, compliance certifications and encryption, which will help shield your operation as you continue to scale up.

How does RingCentral Advanced compare to other VoIP providers for small businesses?

In our research, we gave RingCentral a remarkable score of 4.3/5 for External Connections, the highest in this category among all providers. We also gave it an impressive rating of 4.9/5 for scalability, standing shoulder to shoulder with 8×8 (4.9/5) as the top VoIP system for growing your business.

However, we gave RingCentral a lower Pricing score (3.5/5) than Dialpad, Google Voice, GoTo, and Net2Phone.

What do users think of RingCentral?

We know how important users’ experiences and insights are in choosing your VoIP provider. That’s why we’ve scoured the most trusted review sites, including G2, Capterra, TrustRadius, and Trustpilot, to find out what customers have to say about RingCentral. Tallying user ratings, RingCentral got an aggregated customer score of 3.5/5. Here’s a helpful user review:

2. 8×8 X2 – Best for Scalability

Since July 2023, 8×8 is no longer transparent with its pricing so you'll need to contact the provider directly for a quote. 

What kind of small business features does 8×8 X2 offer?

• Features: 8×8 X2 is packed with features, including call queue, voicemail-to-text, call forwarding and flip, team messaging, and document sharing. It also includes an AI-powered virtual assistant to automate the routing of call traffic. Most impressively, its call and video conferences can host up to 500 participants per meeting.
• Software integrations: integrable with CRM, Helpdesk, Web Conferencing, external and internal live chats, email, and more, starting at the X2 subscription. This makes 8×8 a powerful tool your team can leverage to personalise customer experience and work quickly by avoiding having to hop back and forth between different communication channels.
• Customer support: 8×8 provides 24/7 live chat and phone line support, so you can reach its team any time you experience a problem. It also issues a 99.9% uptime service-level agreement to guarantee minimal downtime for your system. Plus, you can ask for onboarding support through 8×8’s Customer Success Managers – but it’s unclear whether this comes at an additional cost.
• Scalability: 8×8 X2 allows you to sync your internal communications, as it’s compatible with platforms like Slack, Telegram, and Teams, so you and your team can work remotely. It’s also equipped with call queue, ring groups, analytics, customisable call routing, and call recording, all of which allows you to handle large numbers of callers, and gather data to optimise your small business mojo.

How does 8×8 X2 compare to other VoIP providers for small businesses?

We highly rate 8×8, giving it 4.7/5 overall in our research: slightly ahead of RingCentral.

Although we’ve given 8×8 a 2.5/5 for its pricing, placing it far behind Google Voice and GoTo's 5/5 rating in this category, you can consider the extra couple of dollars you’re putting down on the table a worthy investment, thanks to 8×8’s broad range of features. Nevertheless, we have awarded 8×8 a stellar 5/5 rating for its generous customer support and security, which is unrivalled by all other providers featured here.

What do users think of 8×8?

Rounding up user reviews, 8×8 received an aggregated customer score of 3.5/5 across G2, Capterra, TrustRadius, and Trustpilot. Here’s what one user in Canada had to say:

3. Dialpad – Best Conversational AI

What kind of small business features does Dialpad Pro offer?

• Features: Dialpad’s Pro plan comes with an impressive list of inbound communication features, including spam prevention, call queue, and ring groups. Best of all, it has a unique conversational AI that provides your support and sales agents with real-time customized suggestions to improve customer interaction.
• Customer support: Dialpad Pro also offers 24/7 live chat and phone lines so you can contact its customer support team anytime, on any day. You can also request onboarding support to help you set up your system, but this comes at an additional cost.
• Scalability: with access to call queue, ring groups, and a variety of management features like call recording, analytics, and call transcripts, Dialpad Pro offers a good range of tools you can rely on to build up your business. You can also use internal live chat and web conferencing to slash costs, as you can keep your operation remote. However, its security measures do miss out on multi-factor authentication and password rules, making it less secure than other providers like Google Voice and 8×8.

How does Dialpad Pro compare to other VoIP providers for small businesses?

In our product testing, we awarded Dialpad an overall 4.6/5 rating.

However, it only supports three CRM integrations compared to RingCentral's 96+. On the flipside, we loved its customer support options, including 24/7 live chat support on its Pro and Enterprise plan, awarding it a great 4/5 rating for customer support, ranking above other providers like GoToConnect, Net2Phone, and Google Voice in this category.

What do users think of Dialpad?

Our researchers analyzed Dialpad’s user reviews, and found it earnt an excellent 4.4/5 average customer score across G2, Capterra, Trustpilot, and TrustRadius. Let’s hear one of these reviews:

4. Ooma Office Pro – Best for Affordability

What kind of small business features does Ooma Office Pro offer?

• Customer support: Ooma Office Pro offers 24/7 live chat and a phone line, so help is available whenever you need it. Moreover, it provides a 99.9% uptime guarantee to ensure your system is always working with minimal downtime.
• Scalability: Ooma Office Pro enables you to add an unlimited number of users to the system, and comes with a solid list of inbound communication features to handle growing call numbers, including ring groups, a virtual receptionist, and customisable greetings and hold music. However, it doesn’t come with a call queue feature.

How does Ooma Office Pro compare to other VoIP providers for small businesses?

In our testing, we gave Ooma an overall 4.4/5 and a perfect 5/5 for price.

Although Ooma's price score is very impressive, keep in mind this stellar 5/5 score is equalled by Dialpad Pro, Google Voice, and Net2Phone. Scoring a very poor 1/5 for security in our research, Ooma Office Pro doesn't offer multi-factor authentication, password rules, and user permission. If security is your main concern as a small business, we'd recommend looking at Google Voice standard or 8×8 X2.

What do users think of Ooma?

Ooma garnered an outstanding 4.4/5 average customer score from G2, Capterra, Trustpilot, and TrustRadius. Check out what one user had to say:

5. Google Voice Standard – Best for Google Users

What kind of small business features does Google Voice Standard offer?

• Security: Google Voice has an unmatched security system, with complete and updated compliance certificates for various information security and data privacy laws. Besides, its system is reinforced with multi-factor authentication, strict password rules, and user permissions to protect against hacks and phishing.
• Customer support: Google Voice Standard comes with 24/7 phone line support, so you can call any time you encounter a system issue. Plus, it has a 99.9% uptime guarantee to ensure that there’ll be minimal downtime while your system is operating.

How does Google Voice Standard compare to other VoIP providers for small businesses?

We gave Google Voice an overall score of 3.2/4 in our testing, the lowest score of any system we tested.

While it’s a great option for Google users, its limited offer of features gives it a 2.6/5 rating in this category. In terms of features, it lags far behind others like RingCentral (4.2/5) and 8×8 (4.8/5). However, we found that Google Voice excels in its security offerings, including encryption and multi-factor authentication. No other provider equals Google Voice in security, except for 8×8.

What do users think of Google Voice?

Combining user ratings from G2, Capterra, TrustRadius, and Trustpilot, Google Voice received a high overall customer score of 4.4 /5. Take a look at this user review:

6. Net2Phone Office – Best for International Calling

What kind of small business features does Net2Phone Office offer?

• Customer support: On the Office plan, you can reach Net2Phone through various customer support channels, such as email, live chat, and phone lines (but note that these aren’t open 24/7). It even offers free onboarding support to help you set up your system. Plus, it has an uptime guarantee wherein Net2Phone can provide reimbursements if you experience service interruptions lasting 30 minutes or more.
• Scalability: our researchers gave Net2Phone a 4.1/5 for scalability thanks to a rich offer of customer support (only misses out on 24/7 live support), call queue, ring groups, and a low user limit of 6 users. Keep in mind it doesn't score higher because it misses out on important management features like call monitoring, call-flow designer, and analytics and reporting.

How does Net2Phone compare to other VoIP providers for small businesses?

We scored Net2Phone a stellar 5/5 for price in our research. However, 8×8, Ooma, and Google Voice also occupy the top spot for pricing.

On the other hand, we gave Net2Phone a measly 1.5/5 for external connections because of the limited menu of systems you can sync it with. It also scores a 2.9/5 for features and security, placing it behind others like Dialpad Pro, RingCentral Premium, and 8×8 X2.

What do users think of Net2Phone?

Averaging user reviews from G2, Capterra, Trustpilot, and TrustRadius, Net2Phone got an outstanding total score of 4.7/5. Read one of the reviews below:

7. GoToConnect Standard – Best for Value for Money

What kind of small business features does GoToConnect Standard offer?

• Scalability: with an unlimited user limit, ring group, call queue, analytics, call recording, and customisable call routing, GoToConnect Standard gives you the features that will help you piece together the bricks of your scaling small business. What’s more, GoToConnect also gives you access to internal live chat and web conferencing, which can help keep your business working remotely and cost-effectively.
• Security: GoToConnect also provides robust security features, including TLS/SRTP encryption and user permissions, so you can protect sensitive information. Moreover, it has compliance certificates for various information security and data privacy laws.

How does GoToConnect Standard compare to other VoIP providers for small businesses?

After testing different VoIP systems, we gave GoToConnect a 4.2/5 overall rating.

Although its customer support score of 3.4/5 lags a bit behind that of RingCentral, the features you can access for what you pay for your Standard subscription give you greater value for your money than those systems would. For example, GoToConnect also gives you free international calling to 50+ countries, making it a great softphone option for businesses who need this sort of offering.

What do users think of GoTo Connect?

GoToConnect got a high average customer score of 4.4/5 across G2, Capterra, Trustpilot, and TrustRadius. Hear what one user had to say:

Can a Cell Phone Be Used as a Business Phone?

Today’s technology allows your cell phone to work as a business desk phone – the majority of VoIP systems come with an app you can download to use your cell phone as a business phone. With a VoIP software app installed, your cell phone can perform like a desk phone at full capacity, with inbound and outbound communication tools including call queues and ring groups, a set caller ID, and an autodialer.

Moreover, VoIP apps boast management and conversation features, as well as various integrations with other apps which is especially handy for remote teams or solo-entrepreneurs who need to stay connected on the go.

How Much Does a Small Business Phone System Cost?

A small business phone system doesn’t need to cost you a fortune! Depending on what you’re looking for and the anatomy of your small business, a VoIP phone system can cost anywhere from $10 per user, per month up to $39.95 per user, per month.

There are a few extra considerations that you should keep in mind about cost:

1. Monthly vs. Annual contract: Often, signing up for a longer contract lowers the monthly price of your telephone system. If you're after a more flexible arrangement, you could find that your monthly rate is a few dollars higher.
2. Number of lines and users: Another consideration is the size of your business, as some providers will base your fees on the number of lines or users you require.
3. Scalability: If you anticipate that your business will expand or reduce in size in the next few months or years, you should consider costs beyond just the monthly/annual fees. Ensure that the provider you choose is scalable so that you don't incur fees for switching providers as well as indirect costs like downtime and staff training when switching providers.

How To Choose the Right Phone System for Your Small Business

Our researchers surveyed real small businesses and found out that money, scalability, and compatibility with their existing software infrastructure are the most important factors they'd consider when choosing a business phone system. Let's explore these factors in more detail:

• Money: as is the case for a lot of things in small business, money can be an inevitable pain point. Therefore, it’s important to prioritise options that charge low up-front monthly fees, offer inclusive domestic minutes, provide multiple communication channels (so you don’t have to pay extra to get these from other providers), and provide solid customer support, so you can avoid losing money during a potential phone downtime.
• Compatibility with your software infrastructure: when you’re entering the VoIP-verse, the last thing you want to do is spend aeons switching back and forth between all the software platforms you use to run your small business. Therefore, choosing a provider that’s like a Swiss army knife when it comes to integrations is key. Look out for ready-made integrations with things like CRM, workspace software, email, web conferencing, internal messaging, and external messaging platforms.
• Scalability: as a small business, you can be burdened by extra costs in the long term if you outgrow an important software system and are forced to upgrade to a different provider. Therefore, you’ll need a VoIP system that can grow as fast as your small business can. Key indicators for this will be providers that let you onboard an unlimited number of users, and come with call queues, ring groups, a good array of management features, and things that allow you to run your operation remotely, like internal messaging and video conferencing. Security will also be key here as this shields your business from risks as you expand.

What Are the Features of a Small Business Phone?

These are the five most important features that can help your small business scale, run smoothly, and communicate easily:

1. Effortless call transfer and routing

Running a small business often means juggling multiple tasks. A user-friendly call transfer option is invaluable, enabling you or your office manager to transfer calls with a simple click. Make sure your chosen phone system offers this feature without the need for an IT team's assistance.

2. Cloud-based flexibility and mobile compatibility

Go for a cloud-based phone system for small businesses that offers flexibility and compatibility with mobile devices. With such a system, you can make and receive calls from anywhere, thanks to mobile and desktop apps. Also, automatic software updates make management a breeze, empowering you to add new users or hires without external help.

3. Seamless mobile call forwarding

For those on the move, a reliable call-forwarding service is essential. Look for VoIP providers that allow easy setup of forwarding to cell phone numbers or colleagues' lines. Missed calls can be automatically directed to other team members or departments, ensuring crucial calls are never missed, even when someone is out of the office.

3. Keep your existing business number

Maintaining continuity is vital for establishing a reputable brand image. Choose a phone system that allows smooth porting of your existing business number, so your customers and suppliers won't need to update their contact lists, saving them time and reducing hassle for your business.

5. Customisable caller ID

With this feature, you can display the specific caller ID you prefer when reaching out to prospects or customers. Customising your appearance when making calls boosts utility and flexibility, setting the right tone from the outset of each interaction.

What Are the Different Types of Phone Systems?

A traditional PBX system uses the landline to make and receive calls, while a VoIP system uses the internet.

VoIP phone systems

VoIP phone systems work by transmitting phone audio over the internet, which means they can be accessed from anywhere. Most come with an app that your team can download onto a device of their choice, and use to make calls and access the system features – meaning you don't even need to buy desk phones if you're on a budget. If you do choose to, though, you should look for IP phones: these are VoIP-compatible desk phones.

PBX phone systems

A PBX phone system turns your traditional phone system into a multi-line system by giving you the option of adding extensions that lead to each phone. Once a call comes in, the PBX auto attendant directs the caller to the right extension number, freeing up the phone line for another call to come in.
The features of a landline PBX phone system are basic compared to those available with VoIP – which is one of the reasons why we recommend VoIP instead.

Can I Integrate a Small Business Phone System With My Existing CRM or Help Desk Software?