The Best Virtual Phone Number Apps in 2025

The best virtual phone number apps will be crucial to businesses from 2027, when the Big Switch Off of UK landlines will force many to find alternatives.

Our latest testing and research of leading Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) platforms found clear and sometimes surprising differences between their web, desktop and mobile experiences, with RingCentral picking up the title of best overall for its user experience across all three apps.

In this guide, you’ll see how each of our top five virtual phone apps stacks up on receptionist tools, real-time coaching, browser-based management and international calling, with concise pros and cons and UK-specific issues. We’ll show you where each app shines, where it falls short and exactly who should choose which.

The 5 Best Virtual Phone Number Apps

Here are our five best virtual phone number apps based on our research and testing, with the plans best suited to medium-sized businesses featured in the table below.

In the scorecards and the reviews below, we detail each provider in-depth, with full scoring, but these are the plans that will suit most businesses in the UK.

1. RingCentral: Best Virtual Phone App For Most Businesses

What do we think of RingCentral’s web, desktop and mobile apps?

RingCentral’s apps feel mature and tightly unified. The desktop app is the standout for receptionist/supervisor workflows (with pop-outs and compact mode), the web app gives you full softphone calling without installs and the mobile app is reliable for on-the-go calling with seamless device hand-off.

Web app (browser)

Runs as a true softphone in the browser via WebRTC. That means you can place/receive PSTN calls without installing a client, which is handy for locked-down work devices with administrative controls. RingCentral also offers a Chrome extension for click-to-call and quick access.

In practice, this reaches near-parity with desktop for everyday calling and messaging and was the smoothest we used (although it’s worth stating that all providers on this page support browser calling).

RingCentral is also strong on admin and analytics from the browser. Admins manage users and call flows in the Admin Portal, with live BI dashboards in the Analytics Portal; all useful when you want to check KPIs without leaving the web.

Recently, in April 2025, Voicemail Screening (listen as callers leave a message, then pick up) was rolled into the desktop/web app, which is somewhat rare in UCaaS suites and genuinely useful for small reception teams.

Desktop app (Windows/macOS)

A heads-up display (HUD), with a limit of 100, puts frequent extensions at your fingertips, numbering 500+ in 2025, which is far more than rivals like GoTo Connect, Vonage and Dialpad. It also supports call actions (transfer, park, monitor) from a single panel.

It’s a more fully fleshed-out option for receptionists and team leads than the others, since only 8×8 Work has a front desk console (and even that is a distinct module for higher tiers rather than an integrated HUD).

The new layout adds pop-out windows and a compact mode, so you can dock call controls while multitasking. Against 8×8 Work, RingCentral’s HUD and pop-outs make the desktop app better suited to receptionist and switchboard use.

Call flip and device switch work cleanly here too, moving a live call between desk phone, desktop and mobile without dropping it, which we don’t see implemented as smoothly across every rival.

Mobile apps (iOS/Android)

Solid day-to-day dialler with transfer, park and call flip, plus visual voicemail and team chat. Flipping a live call from mobile to desktop (or back) is a single action.

One limitation to note: call monitoring/HUD actions are desktop-only, so supervisors will still prefer the desktop for coaching/barge workflows.

Where does RingCentral fall short compared with other virtual phone apps?

• Outbound diallers require a separate contact centre: If you need predictive/auto-dialling and lead lists, you’ll have to step up to RingCX/Engage Voice rather than RingCentral’s core UC plans.
  • Alternatives: 8×8 Contact Center includes predictive/progressive diallers; Dialpad Sell offers a built-in power dialler with AI coaching.
• Receptionist throughput isn’t the highest: RingCentral’s integrated HUD is superb for multitasking, allowing you to simultaneously monitor up to 100 user extensions’ real-time presence status, and handle up to six calls on the desktop or web app, up to two calls on the mobile app, and up to 10 calls on a desktop phone.
  • Alternatives: But if your front desk regularly juggles many simultaneous calls, Vonage’s Receptionist Console handles up to 50 concurrent calls (versus up to 10 with 8×8 Frontdesk).
• Supervisor/coach tooling is desktop/web-first: Live listen/whisper/barge and HUD management are driven from the desktop/web experience. Teams wanting on-phone supervisor dashboards won’t find them here (nor on most rivals).
  • Alternatives: GoTo Connect exposes basic monitoring via star codes from phones, but still keeps dashboards on web/desktop.
• Some advanced analytics come as add-ons: Deeper, customizable analytics (e.g. Business Analytics Pro) are separate. If you want wallboard-style views baked into the browser at lower tiers, GoTo Connect’s supervisor/wallboard tools and 8×8 Work Analytics are strong.

2. 8×8 Work: Best For International Calling and Admin Analytics

The prices above may no longer be accurate as 8×8’s prices are now bespoke.

What do we think of 8×8 Work’s web, desktop and mobile apps?

8×8’s apps are dependable and admin-friendly. The web app is a true softphone in the browser with handy click-to-call tools, the desktop app adds a capable Frontdesk console for receptionists, and the mobile app covers the essentials, with smooth call hand-off.

Web app (browser)

8×8 Work for Web runs as a WebRTC softphone, so users can place/receive calls without installing a client, just like RingCentral and all other providers on this page. The 8×8 Web Dialer browser extension highlights numbers for click-to-call and can place calls from the web app directly.

Analytics for 8×8 Work provides live/historic dashboards (including quality/device health and queues) straight from the browser, so supervisors who don’t want to leave the web don’t have to.

Desktop app (Windows/macOS)

8×8’s Frontdesk console (inside the desktop app) lets operators manage up to 10 concurrent calls, see presence, and perform quick transfers or send to voicemail. It’s simple, fast and far better than a basic dialler.

By comparison, RingCentral’s in-app HUD adds pop-out/compact layouts for multitasking, also for up to 10 concurrent calls, while Vonage’s Receptionist Console supports up to 50 concurrent calls, which is a useful distinction if you run a very busy front desk.

Everyday call control is solid, too. Warm/blind transfer, Call Park (park to an orbit, resume from any device) and practical device switching are all first-class. 8×8’s flip/switch flow is usually done via Call Park or the app’s “call using” selector. It works cleanly when moving between desk phone, desktop and mobile, which is comparable in outcome to RingCentral’s Call Flip.

Mobile apps (iOS/Android)

8×8 Work’s mobile app offers on-the-go calling without compromises. Transfer, Call Park and retrieve, visual voicemail and team chat are all there. Active calls can be flipped to a desktop or a desk phone when you sit back down. If your supervisors need monitoring/barge, they’ll still prefer desktop tooling, which is standard across most suites.

8×8 Work SMS sending is supported for the US, Canada and Australia only. You can receive SMS from global numbers, but sending from UK 8×8 Work numbers isn’t supported. If in-app business SMS from UK numbers is essential, note that RingCentral also lacks UK SMS.

Where does 8×8 fall short compared with other virtual phone apps?

• Front-desk concurrency is modest: 8×8 Frontdesk caps at around 10 concurrent calls, which can bottleneck very busy reception teams.
  • Alternatives: Vonage supports up to 50 concurrent calls. RingCentral HUD favours large extension oversight with pop-outs/compact layouts.
• Advanced outbound/AI coaching are add-ons: Predictive/auto diallers sit in 8×8 Contact Center and richer analytics/coaching (e.g. Conversation IQ) are licensed add-ons.
  • Alternatives: Dialpad builds Live Coach/Real-Time Assist into its CC/Sell products. RingCentral offers diallers through RingCX/Engage SKUs.
• Supervisor dashboards are browser/desktop-centric: Live analytics and queue views shine on web and desktop. Managers expecting native mobile dashboards will need to adjust (same story across most rivals).
  • Alternatives: GoTo Connect also emphasizes browser wallboards for supervisors.

3. GoTo Connect: Best For Browser-Based Management and Value For Money

The prices above may no longer be accurate as GoTo Connect’s prices are now custom.

What do we think of GoTo Connect’s web, desktop and mobile apps?

GoTo Connect’s virtual phone apps are clean and straightforward. The web and desktop apps are where the platform really shines (drag-and-drop dial plans, supervisor dashboards, wallboards and an Attendant Console), while the mobile app covers day-to-day calling and meetings but omits several supervisor and admin tools you might expect if you’re coming from desktop.

Web app (browser)

GoTo Connect runs as a full softphone in the browser and adds click-to-dial via a Chrome extension, which is handy if your team spends its time in CRMs or G-Suite tabs. In practice, that’s a match to RingCentral’s WebRTC and Chrome tooling, as other providers don’t have extensions available, and the upshot is fewer installs and quick adoption on managed devices.

Supervisor dashboard and wallboards surface live queues, agent states and alerts, while Contact Center analytics provide historic reports, all without opening a desktop client. 8×8 offers comparable web analytics but, notably, GoTo Connect’s wallboard widgets make the “at-a-glance” view particularly quick to stand up.

Admins also get the visual dial plan editor in the web UI, which is still a differentiator at this price point (RingCentral and Vonage require more form-based steps).

Desktop app (Windows/macOS)

For receptionists, the Attendant Console (add-on) centralises presence, queues and drag-and-drop transfers inside the desktop experience. It’s simpler than RingCentral’s HUD pop-outs and not as capacity-obsessed as Vonage’s 50-call Receptionist Console, but it’s easy to teach and fast to operate for most SMB switchboards.

Call monitoring (listen, whisper and barge) is supported from the app/desk phone, which keeps GoTo Connect competitive with RingCentral and 8×8 for coaching. The workflow is intentionally straightforward (e.g. feature code *17 or supervisor tools), but it’s still a desktop-first task.

Mobile apps (iOS/Android)

The mobile app handles placing and receiving calls, transfers, meetings, voicemail, and team messaging reliably. However, it does not expose the Supervisor dashboard or wallboards, which remain desktop and web only.

If you need to watch live queues or KPI tiles on the go, RingCentral and 8×8 also push you back to desktop or web for those views, so this isn’t a unique omission, just one to plan around.

GoTo Connect’s own guidance points also point you to the desktop app for monitoring and coaching (listen, whisper and barge). That mirrors what we typically see elsewhere (Dialpad’s best coaching experience is also desktop-centred), but it’s worth flagging if supervisors are frequently away from a laptop.

Analytics and the visual dial plan editor are also absent on mobile, so you’ll configure routes and pull reports from the browser or desktop. This is common across providers but it’s a practical distinction, if you were hoping to tweak IVRs or check historical reports from a phone.

Where does GoTo Connect fall short compared with other virtual phone apps?

• Integration catalogue is thinner than RingCentral’s: GoTo’s marketplace covers essentials but not the same breadth. Teams with many niche tools may prefer RingCentral’s larger gallery.
• Mobile app omits supervisor dashboards/wallboards: Live queue and KPI tiles are web or desktop features, so on-the-go supervisors won’t get full dashboards on their mobile.
  • Alternatives: Dialpad and 8×8 likewise centre rich dashboards on the browser.
• Receptionist tooling favours simplicity over scale: The Attendant Console is easy to use, but not built for extreme concurrent-call loads.
  • Alternatives: Vonage’s console (50 concurrent calls) for high-volume desks. RingCentral HUD for flexible multi-window oversight.

4. Vonage: Best For High Volume Reception and Switchboard Teams

What do we think of Vonage’s web, desktop and mobile apps?

Vonage’s apps are practical and receptionist-friendly. The web app gives you a no-install softphone with admin/reporting at hand, the desktop app stands out for its Receptionist Console that can juggle unusually high call volumes and the mobile app covers core calling with clean call flip between devices.

Web app (browser)

Like the other providers, Vonage offers a true in-browser softphone (VBC Web app login) so users can place/receive calls without installing a client.

For everyday handling, Vonage layers in Visual Call Park so users can see parked calls and retrieve them from a Call Dashboard inside the desktop or mobile app thereafter. RingCentral and 8×8 also support call park but Vonage’s visual call dashboard is a clear, operator-friendly touch we don’t always see surfaced as its own UI.

Admins get browser-based reporting, such as “All Calls” statistics, plus account-wide analytics, which puts Vonage in the same “check KPIs from the web” camp as RingCentral’s Analytics portal and 8×8’s Work Analytics dashboards.

Desktop app (Windows/macOS)

The headline for busy front desks is Vonage’s Receptionist Console add-on. A single receptionist extension can handle up to 50 concurrent calls from within the desktop app, with real-time visibility and quick actions.

That’s well above 8×8 Frontdesk’s documented 10 concurrent calls ceiling, and a different approach to RingCentral’s HUD, which focuses on monitoring up to 100 extensions with pop-out/compact layouts for supervisors and receptionists.

Elsewhere, everyday controls (warm/blind transfer, parking, directory search) are straightforward, and the aforementioned Call Dashboard/Visual Park streamlines retrieving and reassigning callers.

Mobile apps (iOS/Android)

The VBC mobile app covers the essentials, allowing users to make/receive calls, join meetings, team messaging and call flip to move a live call between mobile and desktop/desk phone with a tap. That hand-off experience is on par with RingCentral’s and Dialpad’s device switching, so hybrid workers won’t feel short-changed moving between devices.

Where does Vonage fall short compared with other virtual phone apps?

• High-capacity receptionist tooling is an add-on: The excellent Receptionist Console (up to 50 concurrent calls) is priced as an add-on.
  • Alternatives: RingCentral includes an integrated HUD for reception/supervisors. 8×8 bundles Frontdesk for lighter switchboards.
• AI coaching/transcription isn’t a core focus in VBC: If you’re prioritising real-time coaching and AI prompts during calls, Dialpad’s desktop/web experience leads here. RingCentral and 8×8 offer analytics options via separate modules.
• Integration breadth skews to the majors: VBC covers key CRMs via Vonage Integration Suites (VGIS), including Salesforce, HubSpot, Dynamics and Zendesk, but if you need a long tail of niche apps, RingCentral lists 500+ gallery integrations.

5. Dialpad: Best For Real-Time AI Coaching and Call Insights

What do we think of Dialpad’s web, desktop and mobile apps?

Dialpad’s strengths live in the desktop and web apps, where its AI, supervisor controls (listen, whisper and barge) and live dashboards are easy to use. The mobile app is solid for everyday calling and meetings and supports quick call flip between devices, but supervisors and admins will still need the browser or desktop for monitoring, dashboards and configuration.

Web app (browser)

Dialpad offers a true web softphone in Chrome, so agents can place and receive calls and message without installing the desktop client. Functionally, that’s on a par with RingCentral, 8×8 and GoTo Connect’s WebRTC calling.

However, in practice, it’s arguably more advanced since Dialpad has recently created a Progressive Web App, which functions just like an app but in-browser (this is only for Chrome users at present). You can see this in the image below.

Supervisors get live contact-centre dashboards in the browser that surface active calls, agent status and more. You can also customise or full-screen them for wallboard views. GoTo Connect also emphasises browser wallboards, while RingCentral and 8×8 pair strong browser analytics with heavier receptionist tooling on desktop.

Dialpad’s differentiator is AI that shows real-time transcripts and Live Coach/Real-Time Assist cards during calls, which is useful for new agents and compliance-sensitive teams.

Desktop app (Windows/macOS)

Call monitoring is first-class and simple to drive, allowing supervisors to listen, whisper, barge or take over from the desktop UI. This is comparable in capability to RingCentral and 8×8, but Dialpad ties it tightly to its AI transcript and coaching panels for context mid-call.

RingCentral and other providers also have AI features implemented, including transcripts. However, the AI coaching remains a USP for Dialpad.

Call flipping between devices is seamless, too, so you can move a live call from desktop to mobile (or a desk phone) and back without the caller noticing. That’s on a par with RingCentral and GoTo Connect’s hand-off experiences.

Mobile apps (iOS/Android)

The mobile app handles the core daily tasks (placing and receiving calls, transfers, meetings), and supports call flip, so hybrid workers can keep conversations going on the move.

However, supervisor tools, like listen, whisper and barge, are initiated from the desktop or web supervisor views, not from mobile. If your team leads coach live calls, they’ll need a laptop or browser tab open.

Real-time dashboards/wallboards are browser or desktop app experiences. Supervisors can’t view or manage those dashboards natively in the mobile app, so they’ll monitor KPIs from the web. This is similar to 8×8 and GoTo, where the richest supervisor views also live in the browser.

Admin configuration, from user provisioning to contact-centre settings and analytics, also lives in the web admin portal. You won’t set up routing, rules or analytics from the mobile app, and that’s consistent with the other providers, but it’s worth planning for.

Where does Dialpad fall short compared with other virtual phone apps?

• Reception/switchboard depth is lighter: Dialpad doesn’t offer a heavy-duty receptionist console comparable to Vonage’s 50-call add-on or 8×8’s Frontdesk. If your front desk manages many simultaneous calls, those tools scale better.
• Supervisor tools and dashboards live on desktop/web: Live listen, whisper and barge, wallboards, and admin configuration are driven from the browser or desktop, not the mobile app.
  • Alternatives: GoTo and 8×8 follow the same pattern. If you need quick on-phone monitoring, GoTo Connect supports star-code monitoring but still lacks full mobile dashboards.
• Integration breadth is good, but not the widest: Dialpad’s marketplace covers popular CRMs/help desks, but teams needing lots of niche add-ons may appreciate RingCentral’s 500+ gallery.

How Did We Compare the Best Virtual Phone Number Apps?