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How to set up a business phone number

To get a business phone number you usually sign up with a business phone or VoIP service, which gives you a number that rings on an app, a desk phone or your existing cell phone. That keeps business calls separate from your personal number and lets several people answer the same line. Video conferencing and team chat tools can sit alongside it for internal calls, but a dedicated phone service is what gives customers a number to call.

By Bill Belcamino · Page updated September 23, 2026 · Our methodologyResearched and fact-checked by the HelpCompare team

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Bottom line up frontby Bill Belcamino, founder of HelpCompare

Editorial assessment

Bottom line up front: How do I get a business phone number, and what will it cost?

You sign up with a business phone or VoIP service, and we can't quote a price, because that's a category HelpCompare doesn't track yet and we won't guess.

The tools we do price, like Zoom from $14.16/mo per user billed annually or Microsoft Teams Essentials from $4/user/mo, handle internal calls but may not give customers a number to dial, so ask whether numbers are included or an add-on. If you're keeping an existing number, the port is the risky step. Ports usually get rejected on paperwork: the account number, any port-out PIN and the name and address on the request have to match your current carrier's records exactly, so pull a recent bill and get those details from the carrier before you start. Keep the old line live until the new provider confirms the port is done, and put the account in the company's name, not an employee's, so the number stays when people leave.

My read of the verified data on this page, checked against vendor sources on September 23, 2026. Disagree or spot an error? Tell Bill

How to get a business phone number, step by step

Decide whether you want a new number or to move (port) an existing one.
Choose a local, toll-free or mobile-style number based on where your customers are.
Pick a business phone service and set up users on the app or desk phones.
Set business hours, voicemail and where calls go when nobody answers.
Add the number to your website, invoices and online listings.
Test incoming calls, transfers and voicemail from an outside phone.

The software this job takes

Which categories a job needs is Editorial assessment; the tools, prices and dates are Verified data.

None of the core software for this job is in a category we track yet. Below are related categories we do cover, which often help with part of the job.

Often added

Video Conferencing Software

Video conferencing runs meetings, webinars and recordings online.

Tool	Entry price (as published)	Billing unit	Example: team of 10	Free plan	Verified
Zoom	From $14.16/mo	Per user per month, billed annually	$141.60/mo$14.16 × 10 users (per user per month, billed annually)	Yes40 minutes per meeting, 100 participants	Sep 5, 2026Vendor pricing
Google Meet	From $7/user/mo	Per user	$70/mo$7 × 10 users	Yes60 minutes	Aug 4, 2026Vendor pricing
Microsoft Teams	From $4/user/mo (Teams Essentials)	Per user	$40/mo$4 × 10 users	YesYes — 60-minute group meeting cap	Sep 12, 2026Vendor pricing
GoToMeeting	From $12/mo	Per organizer per month, billed annually	$120/mo$12 × 10 users (per organizer per month, billed annually)	NoNo free plan, free trial only (no payment details needed)	Sep 5, 2026Vendor pricing
Webex	From $12/mo	Per user per month, billed annually	$120/mo$12 × 10 users (per user per month, billed annually)	Yes40 minutes	Aug 22, 2026Vendor pricing

Compare all Video Conferencing pricing →Head to head:Google Meet vs Microsoft Teams Zoom vs GoToMeeting Zoom vs Microsoft Teams Zoom vs Webex Zoom vs Google Meet10 switching guides Build a decision brief for these →

Often added

Team Chat & Communication Software

Team chat keeps quick questions and updates out of email.

Tool	Entry price (as published)	Billing unit	Example: team of 10	Free plan	Verified
Slack	From $7.25/seat/mo	Per seat	$72.50/mo$7.25 × 10 seats	YesYes — 90-day message history	Sep 12, 2026Vendor pricing
Microsoft Teams	From $4/user/mo (Teams Essentials)	Per user	$40/mo$4 × 10 users	YesYes — 60-minute group meeting cap	Sep 12, 2026Vendor pricing

Compare all Team Communication pricing →Head to head:Slack vs Microsoft Teams2 switching guides Build a decision brief for these →

Not covered on HelpCompare yet

This job usually also needs business phone / VoIP. We don’t track that category yet, so we have no verified prices to show for it. We would rather say so than guess. The guidance on this page still covers what to look for.

What to look for

Editorial assessment

Number porting Check whether you can move an existing number in and take it with you if you leave. Customers already know your number.
Call routing Look for ring groups, hours-based routing and a simple menu. This decides whether customers reach the right person or voicemail.
Apps and devices Check that the service works on the phones and computers your team actually uses. Keeping business and personal calls apart on one cell phone is often the main reason to buy.
Texting If customers text you, check whether business texting is included and whether it needs registration. Check what applies where you operate.
Emergency calling Check how emergency calls work on the service and how locations are recorded. Internet-based phones can handle this differently from a landline.
Pricing per user Check whether the service charges per user and whether extra numbers or calling minutes cost more. Count everyone who needs to answer calls.

Common mistakes to avoid

Using a personal mobile number If the business grows or someone leaves, the number goes with them. A business number stays with the company.
Skipping routing setup A line that only rings one person sends many calls to voicemail. Set up hours, groups and a fallback.
Assuming meeting tools cover it Video conferencing and team chat handle internal calls, but may not give customers a number to call. Check whether phone numbers are included or a separate add-on.
Not checking porting before switching Canceling an old line before the port completes can lose the number. Port first, then cancel.

What to settle before you buy

How many people need to make or answer business calls?
Do you need to keep an existing number?
Local, toll-free or both, and in which countries?
Should calls ring on cell phones, computers, desk phones or a mix?
Who answers outside business hours, and what should callers hear?
Do customers need to text you as well as call?

Ready to take it to whoever signs off?Turn your shortlist into a one-page decision brief with verified prices, or price the whole job for your team size.

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Frequently asked questions

How do I set up a business phone number?

Sign up with a business phone or VoIP service, choose or port a number, install the app for each person who answers, and set hours, voicemail and routing. Test it from an outside line before you publish the number.

What is VoIP for small business?

VoIP means your phone calls run over the internet instead of a traditional phone line. For a small business it usually means a phone number that rings on apps and desk phones, with routing and voicemail managed online.

Can I get a business phone number app on my own cell phone?

Yes, many business phone services offer an app that adds a second, business number to your existing cell phone. Check that calls and texts are clearly separated and that the number stays with the business.

How much does a business phone system for a small business cost?

It depends on the number of users, numbers and calling needs. Check each provider's current pricing page for the plan that matches your team. To see the related tools we track, open the finder for this job.

How we built this page

We start from the job, not the product. The phrasings people search for this job (for example “business phone number app”) come from our research into how small and mid-size teams describe it. Which software categories the job takes is our editorial judgment. Every tool, entry price, billing unit and date comes from HelpCompare’s open dataset, recorded from each vendor’s own pricing page; nothing is estimated, and where a vendor publishes no price we say so. We take no affiliate commissions and publish no scores of our own. See our methodology or download the data from Open Data.

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Source links on this site are checked every month; last check October 4, 2026. How sources are checked.

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How to set up a business phone number

Bottom line up front: How do I get a business phone number, and what will it cost?

How to get a business phone number, step by step

The software this job takes

Video Conferencing Software

Team Chat & Communication Software

Not covered on HelpCompare yet

What to look for

Common mistakes to avoid

What to settle before you buy

Frequently asked questions

How do I set up a business phone number?

What is VoIP for small business?

Can I get a business phone number app on my own cell phone?

How much does a business phone system for a small business cost?

How we built this page

More jobs in Customers

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Bill Belcamino