Having an official phone number for your business is necessary for success. Not only does it provide a quick and simple way for customers to contact you, but it also adds a sense of professionalism and credibility to your business.
An online presence is important as well and is very convenient for your business and the customers alike. However, you need to provide a personal and human connection via telephone to grow your business.
While the costs of maintaining and operating an official phone number can be expensive, there are plenty of ways to cut costs. These are a few free solutions that can help you to save some money on your communications expenses.
What You Need To Get Started
To use one of the free phone numbers or Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services, you will need a few things to get started. The good news is that there isn’t any expensive hardware required, and you probably have most of these items anyway.
Firstly, you’ll need to have a computer that accesses the internet to use these services. Along with a solid connection to the internet, you also need an established phone service.
When establishing your phone service consider these other features:
Business texting
Free texting
International calling
Unlimited calling
Visual voicemail
Personal phone number or free virtual number capabilities
Ability to block numbers
Additional lines include your cell phone or landline. Some VoIP services require additional equipment to work properly, such as software or a telephone adapter. However, these are fairly cheap and easy to install.
The Best Free Solutions For A Business Phone Number
Most of the items on this list are only free for a trial period and will require a monthly cellular service or cellular data plan to continue service. While these plans aren’t free in the strictest definition of the word, they can still be valuable in the long term.
It all depends on what you are looking for in a business phone number as each of them has various pros and cons. Keep in mind that there are plenty of high-quality options for business phone number apps in case this list doesn’t suit your specific needs.
Google Voice
Google Voice is one of the top options on this list because of how many features you get for free. Another benefit is how easy it is to start using. In fact, if you already have a Google account, the hard part is done, and you have access to your free cell phone number.
This VoIP service has been in use since 2009 and includes a wide bundle of features in its free tier. Some of these features include voicemail, call forwarding, text messaging, call block, personalized voicemail greetings, and voicemail transcription. It’s important to note that these features are only available if the device or phone is connected to the internet.
Google Voice also comes with an artificial intelligence filter that helps eliminate spam calls. It also has a screening feature that prompts callers to say their names before the call goes through to your phone. A few additional features are available with a paid subscription, but you get a vast majority of features with the free version.
The downside of Google Voice is that the mobile number provided is a local number. This means that the number won’t be a toll-free number, and there might be long-distance fees charged as a result.
FreedomPop
FreedomPop is another option near the top of this list due to the features that are unlocked for free. Unlike Google Voice, FreedomPop is not 100% free and requires a one-time activation fee of $19.99 and a separate cell phone. However, there are no more fees afterward unless you select one of their monthly plans.
FreedomPop makes our list due to the features it provides for no monthly fee: 200 minutes of talk time, 500 text messages, and 500 MB of data. While these features might not sound impressive in terms of a business phone, they are only used when you aren’t connected to a public wifi network.
This means that you could dial and receive an unlimited amount of calls each month provided that the phone remains connected to public wifi. While this option is not the best long-term solution, it helps to save a lot of money for your business early on.
eVoice
eVoice is a virtual phone service providing several beneficial features to customize to fit your specific needs. This service offers up a free local number from a list of available numbers in select area codes along with a toll-free 1-800 number.
You can use these numbers for the entire duration of the free 30-day trial. After that time, you need to purchase one of their paid plans. The cheapest plan is $12.99 a month, but it includes an auto-attendant feature that answers your calls with a professional greeting, advanced call routing, which lets you dictate where the calls are sent, and a voicemail-to-email feature that converts emails into audio files sent to your email.
The paid subscription provides up to 300 minutes of service, two extensions, and six numbers that can be assigned to different members of your team.
FreedomVoice
FreedomVoice is another service offering a free 30-day trial. What separates FreedomVoice from the other options on this list is that it allows choosing your own vanity business phone number instead of a randomly assigned local number.
However, choosing your number requires a $30 activation fee to start using it. A vanity number is helpful for clients to remember you and is worth considering, even if it isn’t strictly a free option.
Along with a personalized vanity number, FreedomVoice also comes with quality features in each plan. One of these features is the virtual receptionist providing automated call answering, caller messaging, and transferring of inbound calls.
CallCentric
CallCentric is different compared to some of the other options on this list. For starters, CallCentric requires special software or a telephone adapter to place VoIP phone calls.
Another key difference is that it doesn’t offer a free trial. However, for only one dollar a month, CallCentric allows users to select a phone number from one of the following four states: New York, New Jersey, Illinois, and Massachusetts.
One main benefit of using this service is that all calls made to and from other CallCentric customers are free. However, calls made to traditional phone services are charged by the minute or require a monthly subscription.
The lowest plan starts at $1.95 a month and provides 120 minutes for outbound calls.
Burner
Burner has a 7-day free trial and it’s rare that users decide to quit the app after the seven days pass. Users note that it, “...keeps unwanted people from getting your number but you can still keep in touch.”
With Burner, you have what’s known as a “burner number,” or a number you wouldn’t give to those you trust. The app allows you to create a number for any situation, share it with who you’d like, and then get rid of that number when it’s no longer needed. The burner number rings to your cell, but you never actually share your real number.
The app is great for Sales people, freelancers, or even for dating.
The Takeaway
There are very few things that you can get for free in the world today. Most of the options listed above are only free during the trial period, but Google Voice offers several free benefits.
FreedomPop is another quality option for very cheap but not a viable long-term option. Sooner or later, you will have to invest in a long-term solution for your business that provides more stability than a free Google app.
If you need a long term business phone number solution but want to stay organized, get a phone number app that allows you to separate business and personal life. Doing this saves you money and provides the quality and protection needed.
SOURCES
Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP)
A Simple Guide to Auto-Attendant Phone Systems
