What makes a phone system good for remote teams?

Everything runs in software: mobile and desktop apps so people can work from anywhere, plus built-in video, team messaging and texting so the whole team communicates from one place regardless of location.

Can remote staff use their own phones?

Yes. With a cloud phone system, staff install the provider's app on their own phone or laptop and make and take business calls from the company number — no separate hardware needed.

Is call quality reliable when everyone works from home?

On a decent home broadband connection, VoIP call quality is excellent. Providers also offer automatic failover to mobile, so a dropped connection doesn't mean a missed call.

Best business phone systems for remote teams

Remote teams need a phone system that follows people to whatever device they're on, with video, team messaging and texting built in. We ranked the providers we track against a distributed 30-person profile that puts capability first.

Ranked by fit with this profile only — never by what a provider pays us (see the proof). Every position is explained below. Prices and ratings are dated and sourced on each product page.

98% match
#1Zoom PhoneTop pick for this profile
Meets every requirement you set.
Est. 2-year cost $11,520 (30 seats × $480/mo × 24)US & Canada Unlimited, billed annually ($18/user/mo monthly). Bundles with Zoom Workplace Pro or Business start at $20.50/user/mo billed annually.
See offer
Why this score
- Features+45
- Budget+15
- Team size+15
- Quality+23
98% match
#2Ooma Office
Meets every requirement you set.
Est. 2-year cost $14,364 (30 seats × $598.5/mo × 24)No contract, billed monthly. Texting, video, call recording and voicemail transcription start on Pro ($24.95); call queues, CRM integration and team chat need Pro Plus ($29.95).
See offer
Why this score
- Features+45
- Budget+15
- Team size+15
- Quality+23
98% match
#3Nextiva
Meets every requirement you set.
Est. 2-year cost $10,800 (30 seats × $450/mo × 24)Billed annually; $23/user/mo month-to-month.
See offer
Why this score
- Features+45
- Budget+15
- Team size+15
- Quality+23
97% match
#43CX
Meets every requirement you set.
Est. 2-year cost $600 (flat rate × $25/mo × 24)Flat annual price per system, not per seat: 3CX Basic is $300/yr (about $25/mo) for 8 simultaneous calls, up to 40 users. PRO and AI editions cost more. A free 3CX SMB edition covers up to 10 users, hosted by 3CX; you bring your own SIP trunk.
See offer
Why this score
- Features+45
- Budget+15
- Team size+15
- Quality+22
97% match
#5Dialpad
Meets every requirement you set.
Est. 2-year cost $10,800 (30 seats × $450/mo × 24)Billed annually; $27/user/mo month-to-month.
See offer
Why this score
- Features+45
- Budget+15
- Team size+15
- Quality+22

These picks use a fixed profile

This ranking is calculated for a typical remote teams profile. Your team is different — change the seats, budget and must-have features and the ranking recalculates in real time.

Refine for your team

Frequently asked questions

What makes a phone system good for remote teams?: Everything runs in software: mobile and desktop apps so people can work from anywhere, plus built-in video, team messaging and texting so the whole team communicates from one place regardless of location.
Can remote staff use their own phones?: Yes. With a cloud phone system, staff install the provider's app on their own phone or laptop and make and take business calls from the company number — no separate hardware needed.
Is call quality reliable when everyone works from home?: On a decent home broadband connection, VoIP call quality is excellent. Providers also offer automatic failover to mobile, so a dropped connection doesn't mean a missed call.