By Jack Ruben
KiwiPhone
Published
Updated
Buyer's guide
Best business phone app in 2026: the buyer's shortlist.
KiwiPhone is our first pick for solo owners who want a separate business number with AI answering on their iPhone. Public access currently starts with its launch list. This guide to the best business phone app compares six options by monthly cost and the work they handle when you are busy. Check that your chosen provider supports the number you need before buying. KiwiPhone publishes this guide.
Key Takeaways
Prices are in USD. ≈ marks a converted estimate; see our conversion basis.
- KiwiPhone combines a separate business number with KiwiPhone AI Receptionist. Free includes 5 AI pickups a week, with Pro priced at $14 a month; public access currently starts with the launch list.
- Quo supports shared calling with AI answering that has published usage charges. Starter costs $19 per user monthly and includes 10 Sona calls per workspace; check local-number availability before signing up.
- CircleLoop offers a ≈$6.63 pay-as-you-go plan and a ≈$19.89 Unlimited plan per user each month, before tax. Its call routing and integrations suit businesses where several people handle enquiries.
- bOnline starts at ≈$9.28 per user a month before tax, with 100 outbound landline minutes. Its ≈$18.49 Unlimited Calling plan adds eligible mobile calls, subject to fair use and the chosen contract.
- Air Landline forwards calls to an existing mobile, with its number and outbound app costing ≈$23.84 a month before tax. Phone.inc advertises a $0 incoming-call plan and $14 Pro plan per employee, with signup through a waitlist and AI answering coming soon.
Before you choose, use our free business phone checklist and call log to compare quotes against a week of your own enquiries.
what business phone app actually is (and what it is not).
A business phone app gives you a number for work and a way to manage its calls from your mobile. Customers dial that number as they would any other telephone number. The app lets you return a call with your business number showing, which helps when your personal mobile is also the phone you carry to every job.
There are different ways to connect those calls. Some services forward incoming calls through your existing mobile carrier. Others use an internet connection through Wi-Fi or mobile data. A provider can offer both routes, with an extra charge for calling through its app. Check which route the advertised plan includes before comparing monthly prices.
The work after a call matters too. A solo owner can use a saved transcript to check a customer's request before calling back. A larger business may need a shared inbox, named users and a way to pass calls between colleagues. Those features affect both the plan you need and how much setup it takes.
AI answering adds another function: software speaks with a caller while you are busy. Transcription turns speech into text after someone has answered. An automated menu asks callers to choose an option. Each solves a different problem, so ask the provider to demonstrate the exact call you want handled.
Your choice should start with an ordinary working day. Count the people answering and decide who will return each enquiry. Check that the provider can supply or transfer the number your business needs. That gives you a useful basis for choosing a plan.
How We Ranked These Business Phone Apps
We reviewed the 13 providers in our competitor research dated 14 October 2026 and checked the linked public sources. We put KiwiPhone first for its fit with a solo owner who wants a business number and AI answering on their iPhone, with the owner returning enquiries between jobs. Quo follows for shared conversations and published AI usage charges. The remaining options cover team routing, desk phones and mobile forwarding. This is an editorial shortlist from published information. KiwiPhone is our own product and currently takes public launch-list signups. A comparative call-quality trial would require separate testing. Phone.inc appears as an upcoming option because its receptionist is marked coming soon and its website takes waitlist signups.
- Monthly cost for one user: record the standard monthly price, mandatory app add-ons and tax basis. Convert prices to USD and show annual commitments separately.
- Included calling: record the outbound minutes or advertised unlimited allowance, along with destination limits.
- AI answering: record whether it is available, the included calls or minutes and the cost of additional usage.
- Team and number requirements: record minimum users, included numbers and local-number availability.
- Buying and setup: record public availability, trial length and the need for a quote or contract.
- Independent app feedback: record the App Store score and rating count from the dated CSV. Each figure comes from the linked storefront snapshot; shared-app ratings cover that app across providers.
Sources and prices checked on 14 October 2026. App ratings come from the linked storefront snapshots in that day's research. Availability, contract terms and prices can change.
All prices are shown in USD. Estimates marked ≈ use the 13 October 2026 closing exchange rate, rounded to cents for subscriptions and four decimal places for usage charges. Providers may bill in another currency. Confirm your local offer and any taxes or fees before buying.
The Best Business Phone Apps in 2026
The first option is designed for an owner who returns customer enquiries between jobs. It currently takes launch-list signups. Other entries offer shared calling, desk-phone support or forwarding to your mobile. Compare the plan details with a week of your own enquiries before choosing.
1. KiwiPhone, best for solo owners who want AI answering on their iPhone.
KiwiPhone gives one owner a separate business number on their iPhone. When you are working with a customer, KiwiPhone AI Receptionist can answer questions using information from your business website. It takes requests for you to follow up, with post-call text and tasks helping you decide what to do next.
The Free plan costs $0 and includes incoming calls with 5 AI pickups each week. Pro costs $14 a month and includes unlimited AI answering on one owned number plus unlimited domestic calls. Five weekly pickups are useful for trying the workflow; they should be considered as a weekly allowance when estimating a busy month's needs. See the KiwiPhone plans for the current offer.
A typical fit is a plumber who needs to finish a job before discussing another customer's request. KiwiPhone can capture what the caller needs and leave the owner to confirm the price and appointment. Each account serves one owner. Booking, quoting and payments remain with that owner, while the product works in English.
Check local-number availability and the plan offered to your business before joining. Public access currently starts with the launch list. We put KiwiPhone first for its fit with an owner who can return customer enquiries between jobs. Its Android app is undergoing internal testing. Published app ratings and comparative call-quality results remain future measures to assess.
Best suited for
KiwiPhone suits a solo tradesperson or hands-on service owner who can return enquiries between jobs. Join the launch list if an iPhone business number with AI answering matches the way you work.
KiwiPhone
27-second animationExample call with fictional customer details.
2. Quo, best for shared calling with a priced AI answering option.
Quo, formerly OpenPhone, combines a business phone app with shared conversations and Sona AI answering. The phone plan and AI add-on have published prices and usage allowances, which help a team estimate its monthly bill. Local-number coverage is limited, so confirm that it supports your business number before starting a trial or planning a transfer.
Starter costs $19 per user a month, or $15 a month with annual billing at $180. One new or ported number per user is included, alongside calling and messaging to eligible destinations subject to fair use. Applicable taxes and fees are added at checkout. The company offers a 7-day trial.
Each workspace includes 10 Sona calls a month. A $25 monthly AI tier supplies 40 calls, so one monthly Starter seat with that tier costs $44 before taxes and fees. The Sona allowance rules explain fallback routing and optional overage charges. Calls under 15 seconds are excluded from usage.
Business costs $33 per user monthly, with features including call transfers and AI summaries. Our CSV records 4.3 out of 5 from 232 App Store ratings for Quo; the rating comes from one storefront snapshot. Check the exact plan needed for shared calling before adding seats, because the total rises with each user.
Best suited for
Quo suits a business that wants calling and messages together in a shared workspace, where its numbers are available. It is useful when colleagues need to follow the same customer conversation across devices.
3. CircleLoop, best for small teams sharing call handling.
CircleLoop provides business calling across mobile and desktop apps, with routing tools that let several people take responsibility for enquiries. An owner can start with one user and add colleagues as work grows. The platform also offers integrations with tools such as HubSpot and Pipedrive, which can help connect calls to existing customer records.
The Pay As You Go plan costs ≈$6.63 per user monthly before tax, with eligible outbound calls from ≈$0.0398 a minute. Unlimited costs ≈$19.89 per user a month before tax. Both include one eligible business number; extra numbers start at ≈$2.65 monthly before tax. SMS is listed at ≈$0.0530 per message.
The Unlimited plan advertises calling to selected destinations, with exclusions for certain numbers and networks. Read the destination rules against the numbers you call regularly. The pricing page offers a 7-day trial and cancellation without a continuing contract term, which gives you a way to try reception on your usual routes.
Our research recorded 4.52 out of 5 from 1,006 ratings for the CircleLoop app. Call recording and voicemail-to-text support work after a conversation. The checked offer did not establish conversational AI answering, so plan who will handle calls that arrive while everyone is occupied.
Best suited for
CircleLoop suits a small team that wants to route calls and connect them with customer software. It also fits a solo owner who values flexible calling plans and expects to add staff.
4. bOnline, best for replacing a small-business landline.
bOnline offers a digital phone service with apps for mobile and desktop, plus support for compatible desk phones. Its features include call queues and routing, which help a small business move beyond a single phone on a counter. Existing business numbers can be considered for transfer during setup.
Our source research records Starter at ≈$9.28 per user a month before tax, including 100 outbound landline minutes. Unlimited Calling costs ≈$18.49 per user monthly and adds eligible landline and mobile calls, subject to fair use. Promotional pages describe different contract periods, including 12 and 24 months. Ask for the full-term price before signing.
The advertised ≈$26.45 AI For Business Calls plan analyses calls and provides transcripts with suggested follow-up actions. Someone must answer for that analysis to help. bOnline had announced an AI receptionist, with a checked page still describing it as coming soon. The research therefore leaves autonomous answering availability and its allowance unconfirmed.
The bOnline phone app scored 4.04 out of 5 from 117 App Store ratings in the dated research. A CRM add-on was listed at ≈$10.61 a month. Those extra costs matter for an owner comparing a basic calling plan with a more connected office setup. Our live pricing-page recheck was blocked, so these figures retain their CSV check date.
Best suited for
bOnline suits a business replacing its landline and wanting help setting up everyday call handling. Choose a plan after checking mobile-call inclusion and the commitment attached to its advertised price.
5. Air Landline, best for forwarding work calls to your existing mobile.
Air Landline centres on a business number that forwards calls to your mobile. That arrangement suits an owner who spends much of the day away from a desk and wants incoming calls to use their normal mobile reception. You choose an available area code and manage the service through a control panel.
The number service costs ≈$13.24 a month before tax. Its App add-on costs another ≈$10.59, bringing the two-way app calling package to ≈$23.84 before tax. The add-on shows your business number on outbound calls and advertises unlimited calling to selected destinations. It also supports several devices, including a laptop.
Air Landline's setup guidance links to PulseHD. Our 14 October research recorded an App Store score of 2.4 out of 5 from 30 ratings for PulseHD. Other providers use that app, so the score covers a wider group of customers than Air Landline subscribers.
Business hours and voicemail by email can help organise missed enquiries. The announced AI receptionist had no verified general-sale tariff in the research, so ask for a live demonstration and written price if AI answering is central to your choice. Air Landline advertises cancellation flexibility; confirm the current trial length because its published trial pages differed.
Best suited for
Air Landline suits owners who want a local number feeding into their existing mobile service. Allow for the app add-on if you regularly return calls using that business number.
6. Phone.inc, best for owners exploring caller context from their shop or CRM.
Phone.inc puts a separate business number in an app on your existing phone. Its business phone page describes greetings, business hours and transfers to colleagues, with voicemail transcripts in the same inbox. Website signup currently leads to a waitlist, so confirm access before planning a switch.
The Free plan costs $0 for one person and includes one number with unlimited incoming calls. Outbound calling requires Pro at $14 per employee each month. Pro includes 10 hours, or 600 minutes, of local calls per number monthly; further minutes incur usage charges whose rates need confirmation. Additional numbers start at $9 each per month.
Phone.inc advertises 23 integrations, including Shopify and HubSpot. The intended benefit is seeing a customer's order or CRM record as their call arrives. Its AI receptionist is coming soon, with message taking and callback tasks among the planned features. Confirm when those features will reach your account, since the Pro feature list includes AI ahead of its release.
The iPhone listing requires iOS 26.5 or later. Apple returned zero ratings in the storefront snapshot checked on 14 October 2026. Android is advertised on the pricing page. The terms also set a practical switching condition: ordinary number port-out eligibility starts after one full month as a paid subscriber.
Best suited for
Phone.inc suits owners who want customer records beside their calls and can wait for access. A shop already using Shopify can assess the order lookup with sample calls once invited.
Side-by-Side Comparison
Compare the monthly package, included usage and the action you need after a call. All prices are USD, with ≈ marking converted estimates; the notes identify tax and availability limits.
| App | Monthly price (USD) | Included calling | AI answering | App Store snapshot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| KiwiPhone | Free $0; Pro $14. Launch list. | Free incoming; Pro unlimited domestic calls | 5 pickups/week Free; unlimited on Pro | No rating claimed |
| Quo | $19/user; taxes and fees extra | Calling and messaging to eligible destinations; fair use | 10 Sona calls/month; paid tiers extra | 4.3/5 · 232 ratings |
| CircleLoop | ≈$6.63 PAYG; ≈$19.89 Unlimited, per user before tax | PAYG from ≈$0.0398/min; Unlimited has destination exclusions | Unverified in checked offer | 4.52/5 · 1,006 ratings |
| bOnline | ≈$9.28 Starter; ≈$18.49 Unlimited, per user before tax | 100 landline minutes on Starter | Receptionist availability unconfirmed | 4.04/5 · 117 ratings |
| Air Landline | ≈$23.84 before tax with app | Selected destinations included with app | Announced; price unverified | PulseHD 2.4/5 · 30 ratings; shared app |
| Phone.inc | Free $0; Pro $14/employee. Signup waitlist. | Free incoming; Pro 600 local minutes/number monthly | Coming soon; allowance unpublished | 0 ratings; iOS 26.5+ |
Which business phone app fits your use case.
| Your business | Shortlist | Why it fits | Check first |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solo tradesperson with an iPhone | KiwiPhone | AI answers routine questions and saves requests | Join the launch list |
| Owner who wants mobile forwarding | Air Landline | Incoming work calls use the existing mobile service | Add outbound app costs |
| Shop replacing a landline | bOnline | Apps and desk-phone options with call queues | Confirm contract and minutes |
| Small team using a CRM | CircleLoop | Routing and integrations support shared work | Trial your call destinations |
| Business sharing customer conversations | Quo | Local number with calling, messages and Sona | Choose seat and AI allowances |
| Shop connecting orders with customer calls | Phone.inc | Advertised Shopify and CRM caller context | Waitlist access and AI release timing |
What results look like
Worked examples using assumed figures for planning.
Worked example: an owner receives 20 enquiries in a week and is busy for 5 of them. If those 5 calls produce usable requests, the owner has 5 opportunities to follow up. Whether any becomes a paid job depends on the enquiry and the owner's response.
For another example, a $100 job with $70 in direct costs contributes $30 before overheads. That contribution would cover a subscription costing $14 a month. These figures are illustrative assumptions; they describe a calculation you can repeat with your own costs.
Track requests captured, callbacks made and jobs agreed during your own trial. Our business phone checklist includes a simple log you can download. Published customer case studies will need an agreed measurement period and permission from the business.
Frequently asked questions
How do I keep work calls separate on one iPhone?
Choose a service that supplies a business number and supports outbound calls showing that number. Check whether incoming calls arrive through an app or forward to your existing mobile.
What does a business phone app cost for one person?
The listed plans start at $0 for KiwiPhone Free at launch and ≈$6.63 before tax for CircleLoop PAYG. Compare the cost of your expected outbound calling and any AI add-on before choosing.
How can I tell whether AI will answer my calls?
Ask for a demonstration in which the owner leaves the call unanswered and the software speaks with the caller. Then check the saved request and the allowance charged for that call.
What happens when the AI allowance runs out?
Each service has its own rule. KiwiPhone preserves the owner's chance to answer; Quo uses the configured fallback route unless paid overages are enabled.
How do I move an existing business number?
Ask the new provider to confirm that your exact number can transfer, along with timing and charges. Keep the existing service active until the transfer completes; KiwiPhone's offer here is for a new separate number.
What should a small team check before buying?
Count the people who need a login and check the price of the plan that supports shared answering. KiwiPhone accounts serve one owner, while several other services here offer team features.
How can I try KiwiPhone?
Join the free launch list through the website. KiwiPhone will email you when access is ready; signing up to the list requires no payment card.
Join the free KiwiPhone launch list
Give customers a separate number for your business. KiwiPhone can answer while your hands are full. Saved requests help you decide whom to call back. The Free plan includes 5 AI pickups each week. Joining the list requires no payment card, and we will email you when access is ready. Join the free launch list to hear when you can get started.