In short
The best VoIP phone system depends on your business, not on a league table. Judge each platform on its licensing model, where people take calls, call centre depth, Microsoft 365 fit, CRM integration and whether it works with the kit you already have. 3CX, Teams Phone, Webex Calling and Forever UC each suit different organisations.
Get a quote for a VoIP phone system
Tell us roughly how many users or sites you have and we will reply by email with options and a quote.
There is no single best VoIP phone system
Search for the best business VoIP phone system and you will find plenty of top-ten lists. They rarely help, because the right system for a ten-person accountancy practice is different from the right one for a contact centre or a school. What matters is how well a platform matches the way your people already work.
That is why Forever Systems supplies several platforms rather than one. We can compare them on your requirements, and recommend the one that fits, with the reasons.
The criteria that matter
These are the questions we use to narrow the choice. Score each platform you are considering against them:
| Criterion | Why it matters | What to ask |
|---|---|---|
| Licensing model | Per-user licences grow with headcount; a per-system licence such as 3CX's grows with simultaneous calls | How many users, shared phones and simultaneous calls do we have? |
| Where people take calls | Desk phones, mobile apps, laptops or inside Teams or Webex | Who needs a desk phone, and who works on the move or from home? |
| Call centre depth | Hunt groups suit small teams; queues, wallboards and supervisor tools suit busy ones | How many calls wait at once, and do we need live reporting? |
| Microsoft 365 fit | If staff live in Teams, calling inside Teams avoids a second app | Do we use Teams all day, and which licences do we hold? |
| CRM and integrations | Screen pops and call logging save time for sales and support | Which CRM do we use, and is there a native integration? |
| Existing kit | Re-using compatible phones, a PBX or a Cisco estate can shape the choice | What handsets, phone system and network do we already have? |
| Recording and compliance | Some sectors must record or keep call records | Must we record calls, and for how long are recordings kept? |
| Several sites | One system across offices and home workers simplifies routing | How many sites, and should they share reception and groups? |
Our VoIP phone system features page shows which features come with which tier, and VoIP phone system cost explains the licensing models.
Not sure which licence fits? Ask us
Tell us what you need and we will recommend the right licence for your organisation, with a quote.
How the platforms we supply fit
This is a fit guide, not a ranking. Each platform is the right answer for some organisations:
| Platform | Licensing | Where people take calls | Call centre depth | Microsoft 365 fit | CRM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3CX | One flat annual licence per system, by edition and simultaneous calls | Web, Windows, iOS and Android apps, and supported desk phones | Queues and wallboards on SMB Free, PRO and AI; AI adds skill-based routing | Presence sync on PRO and AI; Teams Direct Routing integration on AI from 16 SC | Native CRM integration on PRO and AI |
| Teams Phone | Per user, added to Microsoft 365 | The Teams app and Teams certified devices | Auto attendants and call queues; more with Teams Premium and certified contact centres | Native | Dynamics 365 and connectors |
| Forever Teams | Teams Phone licensing plus our Direct Routing service | The Teams app on iOS, Android, Windows and Mac; desk phones optional | As Teams Phone | Native, keeping your existing numbers | As Teams Phone |
| Forever UC | Per user, Standard, Plus or Contact | Apps on iOS, Android, Windows and Mac; desk phones optional | Call queue in Standard; live contact centre reports in Contact | Separate app | Ask us for your CRM |
| Webex Calling | Per user, Professional or Standard, plus Workspace | The Webex App and Cisco devices | Call queues; Webex Calling Customer Assist and Webex Contact Center add more | Teams integration on Professional (User) and Standard | Webex integrations, checked per CRM |
BT Cloud Voice, supplied by our sister company Forever Communications, is covered on cloudvoice.cloud. For a hosted-platform comparison, see our sister site's guide to the best cloud phone system providers.
Common situations and where to start
These are situations we see often, and the platform we would usually look at first. Your own requirements may point elsewhere, which is why we compare more than one:
| Your situation | Usually start with | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Everyone works in Microsoft Teams all day | Teams Phone or Forever Teams | Calls in the app people already use |
| A busy reception plus sales or support queues | 3CX PRO or AI | Queues, wallboards, recording and CRM screen pops in one system |
| Staff mostly on mobiles and laptops | Forever UC | App-first, with desk phones as an option |
| A Cisco network and Webex meetings | Webex Calling | Cisco devices and the Webex App, managed in Control Hub |
| A phone system you want to keep, plus Teams users | Dstny's Direct Routing service or SIP trunks | Teams users join your existing PBX with nothing installed on site |
| Many light users and a few busy lines | 3CX | Licensed by simultaneous calls rather than per user |
Is a VoIP phone system the right fit for you?
We will check it against your systems and requirements and recommend the right option.
Mistakes to avoid when choosing
- Choosing on the headline licence alone: calls, numbers, handsets and set-up can change the picture, so compare the total. See VoIP phone system cost
- Buying features nobody will use: start from your call flows, then pick the tier
- Forgetting shared phones and special lines: reception phones, meeting rooms, alarms and door entry all need a plan
- Ignoring the network: the best platform still sounds poor on a congested connection. See VoIP requirements
- Leaving security to later: strong admin passwords, MFA and limits on international and premium dialling belong in the set-up. See VoIP security
If you are a small business
For small teams, the best VoIP phone system is usually the simplest one that covers your calls today and the next step you can see coming. App-first teams often suit Forever UC; Microsoft 365 users often suit Teams Phone or Forever Teams; very small teams that want 3CX can start with SMB Free or Basic. Our guide to a VoIP phone system for small business goes through those options.
Questions to put to any provider
- Which platform would you recommend for us, and why? A provider with one platform can only offer that one.
- How are users, shared phones and calls licensed and charged?
- Can we keep our numbers, and how is the port planned?
- Which of our current phones and headsets will work?
- What does our network need before go-live?
- Who sets up our call flows, and who trains our receptionists and supervisors?
- How do we request changes after go-live?
Comparing suppliers as well as platforms? Forever Group's main site has more on choosing between VoIP providers.
How we help you choose
Tell us about your users, sites, devices, call handling and Microsoft 365 use. We can compare the platforms that fit, explain the trade-offs and price them on the same basis, so you can choose with confidence. Contact us to start.
How Forever Systems helps you choose a VoIP phone system
We supply and support several VoIP platforms, so we can recommend the one that fits how your team takes calls rather than fitting your business around one product.
- Platform advice across hosted 3CX, Microsoft Teams Phone, Webex Calling, Forever UC and Forever Teams, with SIP trunks for phone systems you already own
- A requirements check of your broadband, network and routers before anything goes live
- Numbers and porting: we can help you keep your existing business numbers and plan the move away from analogue and ISDN lines
- Handsets and headsets that suit each platform, bought outright or, in some cases, included in your monthly rental, with the options confirmed at quote
- Set-up and changes: call flows, users and devices configured for you, and help with moves, adds and changes afterwards
- For BT Cloud Voice, see our sister site cloudvoice.cloud, and for hosted and cloud platforms in depth, cloudphone.cloud
We work with businesses, schools, charities and public sector organisations.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best VoIP phone system in the UK?
There is no single best system. 3CX, Microsoft Teams Phone, Webex Calling, Forever UC and Forever Teams each suit different organisations. The best fit depends on your licensing preference, where people take calls, call centre needs, Microsoft 365 use, CRM and existing kit.
What should I look for in a business VoIP phone system?
Look at the licensing model, the apps and devices people will use, call routing and queue features, recording and reporting, Microsoft 365 and CRM integration, support for several sites, and whether your current phones and numbers can move across.
Which VoIP phone system is best for a small business?
It depends on the team. Forever UC suits app-first teams, Teams Phone or Forever Teams suit Microsoft 365 users, and 3CX SMB Free (up to 10 users) or Basic suits very small teams wanting 3CX. We can compare them for you.
Is Microsoft Teams a good VoIP phone system?
It can be an excellent fit for organisations that already use Teams all day, because calls sit in the same app as chat and meetings. It needs a Teams Phone licence and a PSTN route. Busy queues can add Teams Premium for the Queues app, and regulated teams can add certified compliance recording.
Can we keep our existing desk phones?
Sometimes. 3CX publishes a supported phones list, Teams works with Teams certified phones and with compatible SIP phones through SIP Gateway, and Webex Calling uses Cisco devices. We check your handsets before recommending replacements.
Still have a question about a VoIP phone system?
Ask us and a member of our team will reply by email.
More VoIP phone system guides
Teams VoIPCalls to landlines and mobiles in Microsoft Teams: licences, PSTN routes and devices.
3CX VoIP3CX as a VoIP PBX: where it runs, the editions, licensing and SIP trunks.
Webex VoIPIs Webex a VoIP service? Webex Calling licences, devices and PSTN options.