Best Virtual Phone Number Providers in the UK

AVOXI compares the best virtual number providers in the United Kingdom by reviewing pricing, feature sets, hidden costs, strengths, weaknesses, and more. Compare the top VoIP service plans before choosing a provider!

best-uk-virtual-number-providers

Comparing the United Kingdom's Top Virtual Landline Services

If you’re in the market for a United Kingdom virtual phone number for your business, well, you’ve come to the right place! There are several use-cases for companies to use a virtual number provider, and the process of research, comparison, and implementation doesn’t have to be long and complicated. 

Maybe you’ve dealt with underwhelming or overpromising third-party number providers in the past and are now seeking a solid, dependable UK number provider to help grow your business? Or, perhaps this is your first time needing a hosted number service?

At AVOXI, we know that reliability, affordability, and exceptional call quality are important characteristics in a number provider. We want to help you find the best virtual phone software provider for your specific needs and business operation. While we believe that AVOXI offers some of the best, most cost-effective voice services in the United Kingdom, we do understand that there’s not one provider that’s a perfect match for everyone. We will be looking into the cost and value of several providers in the article. While their pricing plans and features may differ, everyone on this VoIP provider list has an established reputation in the United Kingdom market. 

In today’s review, we’ll be comparing six of the top United Kingdom virtual number providers. We’ll be answering some of the most common questions about these services, including:

  1. How to get the best call rates for your particular business case
  2. Where to get  the best UK virtual number plans for several business operation scenarios
  3. What to watch for if you want to avoid excessive admin fees or getting locked into a bad contract

Note: Prices for these providers are shown in British pounds (£) and Pence Sterling (p) from the timing of this post, except for CallHippo and AVOXI, which are shown in United States dollars ($). All totals and prices are approximate.

How Do Virtual Phone Numbers Work?

A virtual phone number, also called virtual landlines or VoIP numbers, is just like a regular landline or mobile number in the UK. But instead of being attached to a device, it's a phone number that you can use to forward calls to any other device you want. So when customers buy UK virtual numbers with AVOXI, they then log into their account and choose where calls should be forwarded, whether that be their business phone during the day and their mobile phone on certain evenings or weekends.

There are 4 common categories of virtual phone numbers available in the UK. They all work mostly the same, although differences in call charges apply - sometimes for the caller, too!

What Kind of VoIP Numbers Are Available in the UK?

Toll Free Numbers

These are the most common type of business phone number used by private companies. UK toll free numbers allow callers to connect with you without being charged for the call. Today, most toll free numbers in the UK are identified by the 0800 or 0808 dial-code. For more information: UK toll free numbers

  • Also referred to as "free call numbers"
  • No geographical limitations
  • Customers can use these numbers to call your company with zero cost to them
  • Toll Free numbers provide a more professional appearance for your business

Non-Geographic Numbers

Non-geographic numbers allow UK callers to reach your business while only being charged the same rate they would normally pay for a call made to a local landline. Non-geographic numbers are especially popular for non-profits and government organizations, with the "030" dial-code reserved exclusively for not-for-profit organizations. Other common non-geographic dial-codes include 033, 034, 037, 05, 0843, 0844, and 0845 numbers. These numbers are usually available for the same price as local business numbers in the UK. For more information: National 0330 numbers

Geographic Numbers

Geographic numbers work the same way non-geographic numbers do, but they have a dial-code associated with a local neighborhood in the UK. Geographic numbers in the UK always begin with an 01 or 02 dial-code. The most popular geographic numbers for business are from London and include the 0203, 0207, and 0208 dial-codes. These numbers are usually available for the same price as local business numbers in the UK. For more information: Geographic phone numbers

Virtual Mobile Numbers

UK virtual mobile numbers also work the same way local landlines do. The primary difference is the prefix associated with the number. When you buy a UK virtual number with texting enabled, you are probably getting a mobile dial-code. 

Best UK Virtual Number Providers Compared by Size

Business phone service pricing is very complex, and trying to calculate your expected services can be challenging when you aren’t familiar with telecom terms and pricing structures already. That’s why we’re starting this post off with some scenarios calculated for you. 

Below, you’ll find the plan details from all six providers, including what you can expect to pay on your first two invoices if you choose that provider. We created a United Kingdom virtual number comparison plan tailored for three levels of call volume that covers the common needs of entrepreneurs and small businesses, SMEs, and large enterprises.

Best Virtual Number Providers for Entrepreneurs & Small Business

First, we're comparing virtual number plans for small businesses or entrepreneurs looking for a simple, affordable service that isn't going to be a pain to deal with or beat you down with hidden admin fees. We did the math and estimated what a plan with about 300 minutes of talk time will look like from the top UK VoIP providers.

Best plan Basic ($7.99 or about £5.83) Bronze ($20 per user, 2 users minimum) Basic (49p per day or about £14 per month)
Call charges (forwarding to landline) Includes 331 minutes About $15 or £11 Includes 2,000 minutes
When forwarding to mobile Mobile rates are similar to landline. Forwarding to mobile won't have a big impact on your inclusive minutes. Mobile rates are about a penny higher than landline rates, so forwarding to a mobile device will not have a large effect on pricing. Website states 2,000 minutes when forwarding to LL or mobile numbers
Additional usage (per minute) 4.5¢ or about 3.3p About 5¢ or 3.6p 7p per minute
Setup fees None None £14.99
Free features Includes auto attendant (multilevel IVR), time and day-based routing, forwarding to multiple devices, voicemail-to-email, call transfer, call tracking and reporting, and many more. Includes 1 standard UK number per user, voicemail, soft phone, custom hold music, personalized voicemail greeting, and call logging. Includes 1 standard UK virtual number, free 24/7 support, and call forwarding.
Add-ons Purchase user licenses to unlock features like call queuing, queue callback, CRM integrations, live monitoring and more. Call Scribe: $10 per user/month, Voicemail Transcription: $1.50 per user/month, Call Tracking Insights: $25 per month, Custom Caller ID: $25 per month per number. Numbergroup offers tons of additional solutions with add-on costs, such as bulk messaging £19.99 at 3p per text, VoIP phones £56-335, a hosted PBX system, and more. One-off porting fees can each up to £35, failure to provide the correct info results in resubmission fee of £20, and cancellation will incur fee of £10.
1st invoice estimate (ex. fees) $7.99 or about £5.83 About $70 or about £51 (2 user minimum, call charges, voicemail transcription, and caller ID for one number) About £29 landline or mobile (plan + set up fee) with 1,700 unused minutes
2nd invoice estimate (ex. fees) $7.99 or about £5.83 About $70 or about £51 (2 user minimum, call charges, voicemail transcription, and caller ID for one number) About £14 (minus set up fee) landline or mobile with 1,700 unused minutes
Cancellation and Porting Policy Cancel or port out anytime. Enjoy a free month of calls when you port to AVOXI. Port out process is the responsibility of the customer and new provider. No fees to port out but cannot guarantee port out of every number. Must submit written notice 30 days in advance. If cancelling or porting your number out in the first 12 months, "Numbergroup has the right to charge the customer a disconnection fee of £99.00 for each telephone number supplied." One-time porting fee of £35 per number.
Additional notes AVOXI stands out when it comes to the amount of call forwarding and VoIP service features included at no extra cost, as well as international numbers and call forwarding rates. But since that isn't always relevant to customers of this size, we look very similar to Telecoms World and Virtual Landline for small business plans. CallHippo offers higher inbound call rates 5¢ when forwarded to UK landline and outbound rates starting at 2¢. Because they’re priced per user per month, this provider can be costly for those with a tight budget. While they have zero setup fees and skills-based routing, their add-on features could add up to over $800 a year for a small team of 2-3. Call rates are a bit pricier that others on this list, combined with the lack of robust call features for what you pay and the complex pricing structure, and gives them a weak standing. 2ppm surcharge applies for calls originating from mobile. £0.10 minimum call charge.
Recommendation Most customers of this size will get the best deal from AVOXI, Telecoms World, or Virtual Landline. We believe we're the obvious choice for customers if some percentage of your business calls are international or you want features like IVR, and advanced call forwarding rules without paying extra. CallHippo is designed for customers looking for a full VoIP phone system with their number. With a two user minimum and $20 per user for their cheapest plan, most small business users won't get the most affordable deal here. However, they're a great choice for small shops that make tons of outbound calls and would benefit from features like a power dialer. Numbergroup has a strong portfolio of telephony-enhancing solutions, but with Telecom World and Virtual Landline’s cheaper pricing, they don't make a strong choice for low call volume companies. This is not where they stand out.
Best Plan Silver (£9.99). Currently offering a promotion where you pay 99p for the first 3 months. UK Unlimited (£7.95)
Call charges (forwarding to landline) Includes 2,000 minutes Unlimited* inbound and outbound calls to any standard UK landline or mobile numbers. Fair Usage applies (up to 3,600 minutes forward to landline and 1,000 to mobile).
When forwarding to mobile Inclusive minutes vary. Unlimited inbound and outbound calls to any standard UK landline & mobile numbers. UK’s Fair Usage Policy applies.
Additional Usage (per minute) 2p per minute (landline), 6p per minute (mobile) Calls in excess of fair usage policy may be charge 1p per minute (from UK landlines) to 4p per minute (from UK mobile phones)
Setup fees None. Once-off fees apply for webinar training or setup assistance after one month of service. £20 setup fee to enable auto attendant feature
Free features Includes time- and day-of-week routing to landline and/or mobile, and call queues. Call recording and voicemail-to-email functionality included but customers are charged a rate per minute. Includes a local or national UK virtual number, local or overseas call divert, outbound calling, £5 welcome credit, and voicemail to email.
Add-ons Additional 4.25p per minute for voicemail to email and 2p per minute for recorded calls. Outbound calling app, Dial Out, is £12.99 per month and includes 1,000 minutes. Add the Office Pro Pack (time-based routing, whisper tone, simultaneous ring, and auto attendant) for £5 per month and a £20 setup fee.
1st invoice estimate (ex. fees) About £2 with 3-month offer. Regularly £12. About £7.95 or £27.95 with auto attendant setup
2nd invoice estimate (ex. fees) About £2 with 3-month offer. Regularly £12. About £7.95 (minus auto attendant setup fee)
Cancellation and Porting Policy Must submit a cancellation request. A cancellation fee of one-month's rental per sevice will apply to cancel any NGN, CLI, VoIP license or telephone lines. 30-day notice required and cancellation can only be done through logging customer portal. No refunds will be issued.
Additional notes While competitively priced long-term, small businesses and entrepreneurs with low call volume could potentially be “throwing away” unused minutes if call volume is consistently low over time. But, if your business sees ramp up quickly, it may be a good solution with their allotted minutes plus reasonable £9.99 plan after 3-month offer. Virtual Landline is a solid option for inbound and outbound calls because of its competitive rates. Its unlimited free calls within the United Kingdom provide comfort to low-volume companies who’ve been wronged by the “use it or lose it” call structure. Excellent for porting 01, 02, 03, and 0800 numbers.
Recommendation Telecoms World’s plans come with a respectable set of features, easy-to-buy UK virtual numbers, and several add-on solutions for your business needs. These services like Internet, video and phone conferencing, mobile data, and phone systems may outprice companies in the SME space. An excellent option for companies with vast in-region inbound and outbound communications, and the mobile app allows for agents to make calls away from their desk. Even small volume customers can enjoy the perks of unlimited call volume for a comfortable price.

Best Virtual Number Providers for Growing & Midsize Businesses

Next, we're comparing plans for a growing and/or midsize business looking for a comprehensive service that's easy to self-manage, but also doesn't cost a fortune. We did the math and estimated what a plan with about 1,200 minutes of talk time will look like from the top VoIP providers in the UK.

Best plan Standard ($25.99 or about £18.97) Platinum ($35), 2 user minimum Prime (82p per day or about £24 per month)
Call charges (forwarding to landline) Includes 1,500+ minutes Incoming minutes included with package (fair use allows roughly 3000 - 3,600 minutes per month per number). If forwarding to landline, add 3¢ per minute. So about $36 for 1200 minutes Includes 4,000 minutes
When forwarding to mobile Mobile rates are similar to landline, forwarding to mobile will not have a big impact on your included minutes. Mobile rates are about a penny higher than landline rates, so forwarding to a mobile device will not have a large effect on pricing. Includes 4,000 minutes
Additional usage (per minute) 3.4¢ or about 2.5p 5¢ per minute 7p per minute
Setup fees None None £24.99
Free features Auto attendant (multilevel IVR), time and day-based routing, forwarding to multiple devices, voicemail-to-email, call transfer, call tracking and reporting, and many more at no extra cost. Includes everything in Bronze and Silver, plus power dialer, 3-way calling, forwarding to multiple devices, and call transfer. Includes 1 prime UK virtual number, free 24/7 support, HD call quality, rolling monthly contract, and call forwarding.
Add-ons Purchase user licenses to unlock features like call queuing, queue callback, CRM integrations, live monitoring and more. Advanced features like live call monitoring, CRM integration, advanced call reporting, etc. available after purchasing user licenses within the platform Number Group offers tons of additional solutions with add-on costs, such as bulk messaging £19.99 at 3p per text, VoIP phones £56-335, a hosted PBX system, and more. One-off porting fees can each up to £35, failure to provide the correct info results in resubmission fee of £20, and cancellation will incur fee of £10.
1st invoice estimate (ex. fees) $25.99 or about £18.97 Total for Two User Minimum: About $121. (call plan + (call rate x 1,200 minutes) + (voicemail transcription + caller ID)) About £50 landline or mobile with 2,800 unused minutes (minus setup fee). With SMS plan, prepare to spend a total of £104 for 1,200 texts, SMS monthly rate, and call plan.
2nd invoice estimate (ex. fees) $25.99 or about £18.97 Total for Two User Minimum: About $121. (call plan + (call rate x 1,200 minutes) + (voicemail transcription + caller ID)) About £23 landline or mobile with 2,800 unused minutes (minus setup fee). With SMS plan, prepare to spend a total of £78 for 1,200 texts, SMS monthly rate, and call plan.
Cancellation and Porting Policy Cancel or port out anytime. Enjoy a free month of calls when you port to AVOXI. Port out process is the responsibility of the customer and new provider. No fees to port out but cannot guarantee port out of every number. Must submit written notice 30 days in advance to cancel. If cancelling or porting your number out in the first 12 months, "Numbergroup has the right to charge the customer a disconnection fee of £99.00 for each telephone number supplied." One-time porting fee of £35 per number.
Additional notes AVOXI is well priced for all that's received. While Virtual Landine's price is hard to compete with, AVOXI has voice coverage in 170+ countries whereas their plan is for in-region calling. Telecoms World's and Numbergroup's add-ons make this not a good fit for mid-market businesses with sizeable volume needs. You get a great selection of features with this plan, but CallHippo customers also pay a premium compared to AVOXI and Virtual Landline. Call rates alone are high. If the features play a role in your interest, AVOXI has similar features and is 2.5x less than the cost of CallHippo. Call rates are fairly expensive comparatively. The lack of robust call features may be slightly underwhelming for the price. But, if mobile solutions are important, they do offer substantial SMS mobile features: inbound number, short links, SMS keywords, simple reply service, API integration and more that midsize companies would find appealing!
Recommendation If you are only receiving calls from within the UK or you make a high volume of outbound calls to UK phone lines, then Virtual Landline is tough to beat here. However, we offer many more advanced business features than anyone else on this list, and are the obvious choice for companies managing international calls. Midsize companies may find CallHippo a bit costly for mid-range call volume with their per-user, per-month pricing structure. While you get a great selection of call features in the Platinum plan, call rates are comparatively high which will result in expensive invoices. Though Numbergroup has a strong offering of additional telephony solutions, its pricing still falls short compared to others in the midrange call volume space. SMS solutions are solid here, so they’re a great contender for businesses carrying out text-based communications.
Best Plan Silver £9.99 but currently offer a 99p offer for first 3 months UK Unlimited (£7.95)
Call charges (forwarding to landline) Includes 2,000 minutes Unlimited inbound and outbound calls to any standard UK landline & mobile numbers. UK’s Fair Usage Policy applies.
When forwarding to mobile Inclusive minutes vary. Unlimited inbound and outbound calls to any standard UK landline & mobile numbers. UK’s Fair Usage Policy applies.
Additional Usage (per minute) 2p per minute for landline, 6p per minute for mobile If you go over inclusive minutes (UK's Fair Usage Policy), than plan becomes pay-as-you-go wih 1p per minute to UK landlines and 4p per minute to UK mobile for inbound and outbound.
Setup fees None, unless requiring webinar training or setup assistance after one month of service. Add-on feature auto attendant (£20 setup fee)
Free features Includes time- and day-of-week routing to landline and/or mobile, and call queues. Call recording and voicemail-to-email functionality included but customers are charged a rate per minute. Includes UK local, london, and national numbers with free minutes, overseas call diverts, outbound calls, mobile app for outbound, £5 welcome credit, and voicemail to email.
Add-ons Telecoms World has solutions for everything from team collaboration to phone systems to direct and mobile connectivity. The outbound calling app, Dial Out, reaches £12.99 ($18.05) per month with 1,000 minutes. Call recording included with 2p per minute rate. Voicemail-to-email included with 4.25p per minute rate. Excess call rates apply. Office Pack (time-of-day routing, whisper tone, simultaneous ringing) at £3. Office Pro Pack (Office Pack + Auto Attendant) at £5. Whisper Tone (single feature) at £1. Auto Attendant (single feature) at £3.
1st invoice estimate (ex. fees) About £33 for call plan + call recording. Add £52 to the invoice total if you go with voicemail to email usage for 1,200 minutes. About £7.95 or £27.95 with auto attendant setup
2nd invoice estimate (ex. fees) About £33 for call plan + call recording or £85 when you add in voicemail to email usage costs for 1,200 minutes. Call plan price increases to £10 per month after 3-month promotion ends. About £7.95
Cancellation and Porting Policy Must submit a cancellation request. A cancellation fee of one-month's rental per sevice will apply to cancel any NGN, CLI, VoIP license or telephone lines. 30-day notice required and cancellation can only be done through logging customer portal. No refunds will be issued.
Additional notes Telecoms World is a respectable provider for companies with mid-range call volume because you’ll have an extra 2,800 minutes each month to take on more customers. Its long-term pricing is competitive and the current offer is enticing! Their virtual receptionist offering is through a third-party provider that includes a free trial. VoIP configuration devices for your desk are sold through Virtual Landline and cost between £49.95-89.95 per device.
Recommendation With its standard features and several add-on solutions available, Telecoms World is a good provider for businesses seeking mid-range call volume. Companies with cyclical call volume will appreciate the extra minutes for those months with heavy surges. Virtual Landline is a great provider for inbound and outbound communications because of its competitive rates. The unlimited number of minutes - as outlined in the UK’s Fair Usage Policy - is quite generous for midsize companies carrying out mid-range volume. Excellent for porting 01, 02, 03, and 0800 numbers.

Best Virtual Number Providers for Enterprise & Multi-Office Phone Systems

Finally, we're comparing plans for large enterprises looking for a safe, highly-reliable service that also provides the affordable call rates you should expect when managing high volumes. We estimated what a plan with about 3,000 minutes of talk time will look like from the United Kingdom's top VoIP services.

Best plan Advanced ($43.99 or about £32) Platinum ($35 per user) Prime (82p per day or about £24 per month)
Call charges (forwarding to landline) 2,694 minutes included. $7.65 or about £5.55 covers extra minutes needed for 3,000. Incoming minutes included with package (fair use allows roughly 3000 - 3,600 minutes per month per number). If forwarding to landline, add 3¢ per minute. So about $90 for 3,000 minutes Includes 4,000 minutes
When forwarding to mobile Mobile rates are similar to landline, forwarding to mobile will not have a big impact on your included minutes. Mobile rates are about a penny higher than landline rates, so forwarding to a mobile device will not have a large effect on pricing. Includes 4,000 minutes
Additional usage (per minute) About 2.5¢ or 1.8p 5¢ per minute 7p per minute
Setup fees None None £24.99
Free features Auto attendant (multilevel IVR), time and day-based routing, forwarding to multiple devices, voicemail-to-email, call transfer, call tracking and reporting, and many more at no extra cost. Includes a very strong call feature catalog, including everything from Platinum pack and below, plus advanced and custom integrations, reports, post-call surveys, IP whitelisting, a dedicated account manager, and more. Includes 1 prime UK virtual number, free 24/7 support, HD call quality, rolling monthly contract, and call forwarding.
Add-ons Purchase user licenses to unlock features like call queuing, queue callback, CRM integrations, live monitoring and more. Call Scribe: $10 per user/month, Voicemail Transcription: $1.50 per user/month, Call Tracking Insights: $25 per month, Custom Caller ID: $25 per month per number Numbergroup offers tons of additional solutions with add-on costs, such as bulk messaging £19.99 at 3p per text, VoIP phones £56-335, a hosted PBX system, and more. One-off porting fees can each up to £35, failure to provide the correct info results in resubmission fee of £20, and cancellation will incur fee of £10.
1st invoice estimate (ex. fees) $51.64 or about £38 For Two Users: About $175 (call plan +(call rate x 3,000 minutes) + (voicemail transcription + Caller ID)) About £50 landline or mobile with 1,000 unused minutes. With SMS plan, prepare to spend a total of £157 for 3,000 texts, SMS monthly rate, and call plan.
2nd invoice estimate (ex. fees) $51.64 or about £38 For Two Users: About $175 (call plan +(call rate x 3,000 minutes) + (voicemail transcription + Caller ID)) About £23 landline or mobile with 1,000 unused minutes (minus setup fee). With SMS plan, prepare to spend £130 for 3,000 texts, SMS monthly rate, and call plan.
Cancellation and Porting Policy Cancel or port out anytime. Enjoy a free month of calls when you port to AVOXI. Port out process is the responsibility of the customer and new provider. No fees to port out but cannot guarantee port out of every number. Must submit written notice 30 days in advance to cancel. If cancelling or porting your number out in the first 12 months, "Numbergroup has the right to charge the customer a disconnection fee of £99.00 for each telephone number supplied." One-time porting fee of £35 per number.
Additional notes Our pricing structure was set up to create competitive unbeatable enterprise plans. Unlike other providers on this list, you can try our service without facing cancellation costs. We'll even port your number for free if you move to another carrier. The Platinum package may get you more comprehensive features than the other two, but it doesn't get what you'd expect, like an account manager, custom reports, or free trial, from the price. CallHippo’s call rates are high, making it a more expensive provider.. Standard inbound call rates are fairly expensive, and a lack of robust call features may be disappointing to large call volume clients. If you require more minutes, consider using their landline and mobile call rate but reconsider if you’re using a premium inbound number for mobile - though still cheaper than Telecoms World. Numbergroup does offer bulk messaging service for Enterprise communication needs with several SMS capabilities.
Recommendation AVOXI is a strong provider for large and enterprise-level customers with over 2,600 included minutes. There's no cost to cancel, no setup fees, 20+ free voice features, and we'll even port your number for free if you'd like to change carriers. CallHippo is going to be a costly provider for those with high call volume. While you get a very sturdy selection of features suitable for a Platinum customer, their cost rate makes them one of the more expensive ones on this list. Consider others who offer allotted minutes and a similar feature set. Numbergroup is great for high call volume once the initial setup fee out is of the way - if you can forgive their high inbound rates. It's the only provider with a comprehensive SMS service. However, it does raise your monthly invoice by 7X as much! If largely communicating via text, the added costs could be worth it.
Best Plan Gold £19.99 but currently offer a £9.99 offer for first 3 months UK Unlimited (£7.95)
Call charges (forwarding to landline) Includes 4,000 minutes Unlimited inbound and outbound calls to any standard UK landline & mobile numbers. UK’s Fair Usage Policy applies.
When forwarding to mobile Inclusive minutes vary. Unlimited inbound and outbound calls to any standard UK landline & mobile numbers. UK’s Fair Usage Policy applies. Fair use - 3,600 minutes to landline, 1,000 minutes to mobile.
Additional Usage (per minute) 2p per minute for landline, 6p per minute for mobile If you go over inclusive minutes (UK's Fair Usage Policy), than plan becomes pay-as-you-go wih 1p per minute to UK landlines and 4p per minute to UK mobile for inbound and outbound.
Setup fees None, unless requiring webinar training or setup assistance after one month of service. Add-on feature auto attendant (£20 setup fee)
Free features Includes time- and day-of-week routing to landline and/or mobile, and call queues. Call recording and voicemail-to-email functionality included but customers are charged a rate per minute. Includes UK local, london, and national numbers with free minutes, overseas call diverts, outbound calls, mobile app for outbound, £5 welcome credit, and voicemail to email.
Add-ons Telecoms World has solutions for everything from team collaboration to phone systems to direct and mobile connectivity. The outbound calling app, Dial Out, reaches £12.99 per month with 1,000 minutes. Call recording included with 2p per minute rate. Voicemail-to-email included with 4.25p per minute rate. Excess call rates apply. Office Pack (time-of-day routing, whisper tone, simultaneous ringing) at £3. Office Pro Pack (Office Pack + Auto Attendant) at £5. Whisper Tone (single feature) at £1. Auto Attendant (single feature) at £3.
1st invoice estimate (ex. fees) About £76 for call plan + call recording. Add £131 to the invoice total if you go with voicemail to email usage for 3,000 minutes. About £7.95 or £27.95 with auto attendant setup
2nd invoice estimate (ex. fees) About £76 for call plan + call recording or £207 total when you add in voicemail to email costs for 3,000 minutes. Call plan price increases to £28 per month after 3-month promotion ends, raising the costs of call recording and voicemail to email usage. About £7.95
Cancellation and Porting Policy Must submit a cancellation request. A cancellation fee of one-month's rental per sevice will apply to cancel any NGN, CLI, VoIP license or telephone lines. 30-day notice required and cancellation can only be done through logging customer portal. No refunds will be issued.
Additional notes Telecoms World is a great provider for companies with mid-to-high call volume. Their Gold plan provides you with 1,000 extra minutes, if you require it. Long-term pricing is competitive and its 3-month offer for Gold is enticing! Excess call rates are reasonable for landline but high for mobile. While call recording and voicemail to email is a functionality within their product, they do charge a per-minute rate to use these - and voicemail to email rate is very high. Their virtual receptionist offering is through a third-party provider that includes a free trial. VoIP configuration devices for your desk are sold through Virtual Landline and cost between £49.95-89.95 per device.
Recommendation Its robust features, virtual number inventory, and several business communication solutions would make Telecoms World an ideal provider for large companies with high call volume. However, large companies expect to have call recording and voicemail to email usage included in their monthly price. Because Telecoms World charges for usage, these costs alone would cost you 10x as much on their regular call plan prices. If you're simply using it for inbound calls and nothing more, it would make a decent provider. Large companies will find Virtual Landline’s unlimited calls, as outlined in the UK’s Fair Usage Policy, generous but lacking inclusive features. Many industry-standard features have an associated cost. Excellent for porting 01, 02, 03, and 0800 numbers. Good option to consider for in-region communications without the need for robust services.

The Best UK Virtual Landline Services by Use-Case

UK Virtual Number Pricing Comparison

Included

Add-On

Not Available

Cost Rating ($ - $$$) $$ $$$
Per User Pricing Only
$ $$ $$
Number Types Offered Toll free, mobile, local, UIFN, national, TrueLocal in 170+ countries UK Toll Free, UK Local, and numbers in 50 countries UK Toll Free, UK National, UK Local UK local & toll free, and numbers in 35 countries UK Toll Free, UK Non-Geo, UK Local
Setup Fees
Standard Call Forwarding
Hunt Groups
Call Recording
Time-Based Routing
IVR
(Unlimited Menu Options)
Porting Fees
Outbound Caller ID
Voicemail Transcription
Mobile App
Phone System / PBX Users
Premium Support (24/7/365 + Dedicated Account Manager)
SIP Trunking
(Forwarding through SIP)

UK VoIP Provider Comparison

Provider Great For
AVOXI Best for midsize and large UK companies, or businesses of any size that handle international calls as well as in-country calls.
CallHippo Companies with small teams (2-4 agents) taking several calls a month from local UK numbers (rather than toll free or national).
Numbergroup Excellent for advanced SMS needs and remote teams working from home in the UK.
Telecoms World Enterprises with mid-to-high call volume seeking a collective solution for voice, phone systems, and internet services.
Virtual Landline Great VoIP service for UK companies with minimal international calling needs. Pricing and functionality is especially competitive for startups and small businesses.

AVOXI Review

AVOXI is a leading US-based provider of UK virtual numbers - toll free, local, and national numbers - for scaling businesses in need of reliable and affordable voice coverage solutions. The pricing for our six plans is in USD, but we’ve provided the GBX conversion rate for your convenience from the date of post. 

Several UK number providers on this list have significant talk time minutes, but AVOXI is the only one to offer over 8,977 minutes for a fraction of the price. We’re able to help our customers save more because of our 20+ year relationships with local vendors. Voice packages begin at $4.99 (£3) for our Classic pay-as-you-go plan, moving up until you reach our $70.99 (£51) Premium plan. There are no setup fees, no contracts, and we have competitive excess call rates.

Customers can easily forward their inbound calls via VoIP, SIP, softphone, or to another number. We provide our customers with fast-activating phone numbers that can be purchased directly from our website portal. Our feature-rich voice platform has 20+ tools and capabilities for the best and most productive conversations, providing you consistent uptime and exceptional call quality every time.

Strengths Weaknesses
Every plan includes more free business features than other providers on this list. No mobile application (but can still forward to mobile phones).
No setup fees, no add-on costs for standard features, and the most affordable call rates for midsize and high call volume companies. No SMS feature (yet!) in the UK.
Port your UK virtual numbers out anytime, or get paid when you port your numbers to AVOXI! No “unlimited” calling plans for the UK.

AVOXI's Number Plans & Pricing

Our transparent pricing tells customers exactly what they need to know: the monthly service price, number of minutes received, and the excess call rate. Compared to other mentioned providers, AVOXI is best suited for companies carrying out extremely high calls each month. We provide several plans with a generous amount of minutes at an affordable cost. 

AVOXI stands out with its top plans. Cost-per-minute rates are some of the lowest, so you get more minutes included for much less. Telecom World is the next-best affordable provider for 8,000 minutes. But with AVOXI, you’re saving almost $51 (£37)! Our shortfalls include our lack of video conferencing and integrations, as well as our SMS capabilities which are limited to US and Canada. Stay tuned though - Microsoft Integrations is coming soon!

Our virtual number solution is a simple, easy-to-use online call platform helping support our customers’ communication needs across the United Kingdom and beyond. While many providers only offer a small number of features within their plans, AVOXI includes over 20 that are free: time-based routing, auto-attendant, voicemail transcription, call forwarding, activity reporting, and many more!

Call recording is available free with your service for the first 30 days. After the free trial has expired, a monthly fee of $6.99 (£5) is added to your invoice. While we don’t offer office handsets, Internet connection, or energy services, our customers continue to use AVOXI because of our intuitive call platform and analytics, no contracts, zero setup fees, vast voice coverage, excellent call quality and uptime, plus 24/7 customer support.

AVOXI Highlighted Phone System Features

  1. Call Analytics & Reporting. Improve efficiencies, customer experience, and agent performance with free activity reporting and call analytics tools. 
  2. Number Porting. Transfer your 50+ country business numbers to AVOXI and earn a month of free calling - a limited time only!
  3. Intelligent Routing. We provide businesses with IVR, auto attendant, skill- and time-based routing, and more!
AVOXI pricing for VoIP UK numbers

CallHippo Review

CallHippo is a US-based provider of telephony services for businesses seeking virtual numbers in the United Kingdom. Customers can get started right away by signing up for their service or integrating with their G Suite account. VoIP numbers are purchased directly from their platform, with phone plans starting at $20 for Bronze, $30 for Silver, $35 for Platinum, and a customized quote for their Enterprise plan. CallHippo offers its customers an annual bill pay option with savings of up to 30%. 

Every purchase of a UK virtual phone number includes a free number with each user, call forwarding, voicemail, call queue, skill-based routing, and two-factor authentication. As you move up plans, you receive everything from the previous plan plus more.

Strengths Weaknesses
Desktop and mobile app available. Very expensive pricing for toll free numbers in the UK.
Large international inventory of numbers, not limited to the UK or Europe. Additional add-on fees for features most VoIP services include for free, like customer caller ID and voicemail transcription.
Robust business phone features available, especially in Silver plan and above. User-based phone system pricing makes them an expensive choice for companies that just need a number and standard features.

Business Phone Line Plans & Pricing

CallHippo offers its customers four plans for their United Kingdom virtual numbers, including a customizable plan for their enterprise customers. This tailor-made package includes features not offered within any other plan: integrations, custom reports, IP whitelisting, post-call survey, and more!

Even with such a robust feature set even in their Bronze package, it’s surprising that CallHippo only provides basic customer support features, such as personalized onboarding and an account manager, to their Enterprise customers. 

Out of the several providers on this list, CallHippo provides their customers with great features like number porting, international calling, SMS, and skill-based routing just to name a few within Bronze. They don’t have any allotted minutes - only an inbound call rate of 5¢ when forwarded to a UK landline. We think they make a great provider for small businesses and startups with an intimate group of agents - like 2 or 3 - because their perceived minutes and call rate, combined with a pricier inbound rate, would be too expensive for companies with any more agents than that. 

You can determine these perceived minutes with your call plan and inbound call rates. 

Ex. Bronze: $20 / $0.05 inbound rate = 400 minutes

Understanding this formula will help determine how much talk time you have within the price of your plan. CallHippo’s sweet spot for businesses are call center agents taking up to 10 calls each day. Because their perceived minuted don’t constitute for medium to large call volumes, we took the maximum minutes you would receive and divided those numbers by the intimate number of agents who can realistically take on those calls, then divided that number by the number of business days within a month that a small business or startup would be operational. In the case below, we accounted for 20 working days that exclude the weekends.

Monthly Calling
Agents 2 3
Max. Minutes 328 328
Min. Minutes 300 300
Call Center Operation Days 20 20
Max. Calls Per Agent Per Day 10 7
Min. Calls Per Agent Per Day 8 5

As shown here in the chart, companies with 2-3 agents could do well with this pricing structure if taking between 100 - 200 collective calls at most within the month. They’re very good for a low call volume team, but be aware of the additional feature costs. Several are invoiced per user, per month, which can send your bill skyrocketing. A 3-person team could spend over $800 a year just on add-on features. 

  • Call Scribe: $10 (£7) per month, per user
  • Voicemail Transcription: $1.50 (£1)per month, per user
  • Call Tracking Insight: $25 (£18) per month, per account
  • Custom Caller ID: $12 (£9) per month, per phone number

In addition to the features listed above, CallHippo offers call features like IVR, call queueing, 3-way conferencing, intelligent reports, power dialers, smart switch, and global connect within their Silver and Platinum packages. 

CallHippo's Highlighted Phone System Features

  1. Power Dialer. Call function that automatically dials outbound from an uploaded list of numbers for each campaign. 
  2. Smart Switch. Improve call connectivity by empowering agents to choose between multiple telephony providers before placing a call based on their needs.
  3. Global Connect. Improve your success by knowing when the best time to reach your global customers is. Know the exact timezone, country, date, time, and validity of the numbers you dial.
Call Hippo pricing plans for UK virtual numbers

Numbergroup Review

Numbergroup is an England-based UK virtual number provider helping businesses select UK numbers for their high call volume contact centers. It doesn’t seem like you can buy directly online, rather you’re submitting an inquiry about the plan you’re interested in getting. 

While a majority of providers list their pricing as a monthly or annual rate, Numbergroup is different as they price their products per day. To stay consistent, we went ahead and converted those numbers to a monthly rate below in the next section. Voice packages begin at 49p per day for their Basic plan, 82p per day for their Prime plan, and £1.31 per day for their Supreme plan. None of the aforementioned providers have a setup fee. The setup cost for customers using Numbergroup is £14.99, £24.99, and £39.99, respectively. 

Numbergroup is one of the more unique providers in their set of offerings. Aside from general call features like call forwarding and 24/7 free support, this provider also offers school phone systems, SMS bulk messaging, SIP trunking, and business energy. That’s right - gas and electricity rates for companies! 

Strengths Weaknesses
Day rate helps curb costs for call centers only operational during the workweek. Connection fees add cost to low pricing plans.
Best SMS platform of the providers included in this article. Expensive add-on features and business solutions.
UK customers get access to cheaper energy rates for business locations. Very few VoIP service features are included with your virtual number (advanced functions will require you use their hosted PBX as well).

Numbergroup's Plans & Pricing

Numbergroup offers its customers three pricing options for United Kingdom virtual numbers. Its packages begin with their 2,000-minute Bronze plan, followed by its 4,000-minute Prime and 6,000-minute Supreme plans. They’re one of several providers here that offers generous amounts of talk time, but they’re the only one to require a setup fee for their voice plans. 

As previously stated, Numbergroup’s pricing structure is by day - not month or year. For our purposes, we went ahead and converted the pricing to reflect a monthly rate so it’s easier to compare with the others. These prices may fluctuate depending on the calendar days within each month. We used a 30-day calendar system in our calculation. 

Where they lack in call features, Numbergroup makes up for high call volume minutes. However, their inbound call charges plus connection fee can make your invoices higher than anticipated. Mobile offerings are where this provider stands out, specifically SMS technology. Its SMS solutions are great for businesses who interact a ton with their customers via text, and it comes with several capabilities we’ll discuss below. In addition to their voice plans, Numbergroup has a variety of communication services and a business energy deal. As a customer, you get direct access to the UK’s cheapest energy rates to help cut costs. Other opportunities for enhancements include:

  • SIP Trunking
      • Quote pricing
  • School Phone Systems
      • Quote pricing with incentive
  • Bulk SMS Messaging
      • £19.99 ($28) per month with SMS rates as low as 3p ($0.039) per text
      • Capabilities: DIN (dedicated inbound number), short links, SMS keyword, surveys, mobile web pages, scheduled sends, and more
  • VoIP Phones/Handsets
      • £56.00-335.00 ($78-241) for “plug and play” access from home or office
  • Luna PBX
      • Quote price
      • Cloud-phone system to make and receive calls online.
      • App: Android and iOS
  • Wildix Platform
    • Quote price
    • Unified communication platform

Numbergroup Highlighted Phone System Features

  1. Bulk SMS Messaging. Text and grow your sales with personalized notifications to mass audiences. Tons of capabilities offered and only 3p per text. 
  2. School Phone System. A hassle-free legacy PBX integration into Numbergroup’s network with better call savings and call quality for customers.
  3. Wildix Platform. A unifying communications web-based platform for remote teams to stay connected with customers through live chat, video chat, and voice calls. Available on the app store.
Numbers Group pricing plan for UK virtual numbers

Telecoms World Review

Telecoms World is an England-based voice provider serving businesses mid-to-high call volume packages for their virtual number needs. Customers can quickly buy and activate their UK business phone number online and add call-enhancing features to strengthen their communication. 

Packages begin at £4.99 for Bronze, £9.99 for Silver, £19.99 for Gold, and  £49.99 for Platinum. Telecoms World has a current offer going on for their Silver and Gold packages, with the first being promoted for 99p per month and £9.99 per month for the latter during the first three months of service. 

Telecoms World provides its customers with robust call features like call routing, IVR (what they refer to as virtual receptionist), call queuing, and many more. Additional services are available for purchase, including analytics, conferencing, Internet, mobile, and phone systems.  

Strengths Weaknesses
A broad range of communication services under one provider. Expensive services that drive up cost.
Discounted plan rate offerings. Costly excess call rate to mobile.
Most affordable 2,000 minute plan. Add-on prices box out smaller companies with budgetary restrictions.

Telecoms World's Number Plans & Pricing

Telecoms World offers four unique virtual number plans with mid-to-high talk time for customers with a UK audience. Their lowest-tier package comes with a generous 1,000 minutes routed to a landline, but their standout plan is Silver at 99p for three months with 2,000 minutes and 2ppm (landline) and 6ppm (mobile) excess call rates. 

They’re an excellent phone system provider for companies carrying out 2,000+ minutes each month. While its offer is enticing, even their long-term pricing is pretty competitive. It’s a good provider for enterprise customers with more call volume, but Telecoms World is also beneficial for those looking to bundle several services together under one provider. Calls are capable of routing to mobile lines, but their cost per minute  is one of the highest at 6ppm.

  •  Dial Out App
      • Bronze: £4.99 per month, 250 minutes, 3ppm and 7ppm for landline and mobile after inclusive minutes
      • Silver: £9.99 pounds per month (£1.99 and 3-month offer), 500 minutes, 3ppm and 7ppm for landline and mobile after inclusive minutes
      • Gold: £12.99 per month, 1,000 minutes, 3ppm and 7ppm for landline and mobile after inclusive minutes
  • Call Analytics: 
      • Free for 3 months and £14.99 thereafter
  • Conference Call Service
      • Free for 2 months and £29.99 thereafter
  • Phone Systems
      • VoIP Phone Systems: as low as £6.99 per month
      • Cloud PBX: quote
      • Call Center Wallboard: quote
  • Connectivity/Internet
      • Business Broadband: £14.99 per month
      • Digital Broadband: £15.99 per month
      • Fiber Broadband: quote
      • Ethernet Leased Lines: £99 per month
      • Diverse Routing: quote
      • Ethernet Backup: quote
  • Mobile SIM
      • Offer: unlimited calls, texts, and data for £24.99 
      • Wide range of mobile offers for every business need: £8.25-45.99 
  • Lines & Calls
  • Business Lines & Calls
        • Voice: £16.99 per month, no inclusive minutes, 2ppm calls to landline and 7ppm for calls to mobile
        • Voice Plus: £22.99 per month, inclusive landline minutes, unlimited calls to landline and 7ppm for calls to mobile
        • Voice Max: £28.99 per month, unlimited calls to landline and mobile
        • All installations between 12-24 month contract require £50 installation fee
  • SIP Trunking
        • SIP: £4.99 per month, £25 connection fee, SIP trunk only, unlimited inbound calls, 3ppm calls to landline and 7ppm for calls to mobile
        • SIP Plus: £7.99 per month, £20.00 connection fee, SIP trunk + bundle, unlimited inbound calls, 500 inclusive landline minutes, from 5ppm UK mobile minutes
        • SIP Max: £9.99 per month, £10 connection fee, unlimited inbound calls, 1,000 inclusive UK landline minutes and 1,000 inclusive UK mobile minutes
  • Office in a Box
      • Quote price

If you’re considering several voice and call center features for your business, Telecom World is a great one to keep in mind. They offer customers additional solutions to keep your communications going strong. 

Telecoms World Phone System Highlighted Services

    1. Call Center Wallboard. Cloud-based reporting wallboard to notify agents of performance and productivity happening in real-time. 
    2. Business Mobile SIM. Eliminate bill shock with a service rep who will monitor usage and control spending with cost-effective mobile plans.
    3. SIP Trunking. Save by connecting on-prem services directly to the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) via the Internet for your inbound and outbound calls.
Telecoms World pricing plans for UK virtual numbers

Virtual Landline Review

Virtual Landline is an England-based telecom service provider that diverts incoming calls to virtual UK geographical and national numbers for businesses. It should be noted that local numbers with a 0207 or 0208 prefix do incur an additional charge of £2 per month. Virtual Landline offers its customers four unique plans: Basic at £5.95 per month, UK Unlimited at £7.95 per month, Global Standard at £8.95 per month, and 0800 Freephone at £9.95 per month. Outbound calling is available within UK Unlimited and Global Standard. 

When you purchase from this provider, your plan includes voicemail-to-email, overseas call diverts, inbound calls, and a £5 welcome credit free.

Strengths Weaknesses
Mobile app available. Add-on fees for basic VoIP service features like auto attendant and time-based routing.
Strong “unlimited” calling plans compared to other providers, includes both inbound and outbound calling in fair usage. Small coverage area outside of the UK (virtual landlines available in about 35 countries).
Known to have great customer service and are generally rated highly by small business owners. International rates for outbound calls and call forwarding are on the expensive side.

Virtual Landline Number Plans & Pricing

Virtual Landline’s UK virtual number plans begin at £5.95 per month with unlimited inbound calls to standard UK landline and mobile numbers with their Basic plan, £7.95 per month with unlimited inbound and outbound calls to any standard UK landline & mobile numbers with UK Unlimited plan, £8.95 per month with 400 minutes to any combination of UK and world destinations with Global Standard plan, and £9.95 per month with 300 minutes to any combination of UK and world destinations with 0800 Freephone plan. 

Available UK virtual numbers they support include 0300, local, 0800 as well as porting of an existing business number. 

Virtual Landline’s pricing, coupled with their talk time minutes, make this provider a solid choice for in-region, mid-call volume companies carrying out inbound and outbound conversations. The first two plans offer unlimited calling within the UK’s Fair Usage Policy. If your business places outbound calls, the UK Unlimited plans allows for that with a free app to do so effectively. 

Surprisingly, international coverage is quite small compared to others on this VoIP provider list. With a short supply of dedicated minutes and world destinations, Virtual Landline doesn’t cut it for companies making international calls. They do offer voice add-on services in addition to general office phone system features. However, all of these are considered industry-standard features and offered inclusively with other providers mentioned in this post.

  • Office Pack: £3 per month on a multi-feature bundle including time-of-day routing, whisper tone, and simultaneous ringing
  • Office Pack Pro: £5 per month on a multi-feature bundle including time-of-day routing, whisper tone, and simultaneous ringing, and auto attendant
  • Whisper Tone: £1 per month for single-feature
  • Auto Attendant: £3 per month for single-feature with £20 setup fee

Together, you could be spending approximately £143 for the year on these features alone. While not terribly priced, you could be getting them for free elsewhere. If you’re seeking VoIP-capable office devices, Virtual Landline is a good one to consider. They have several office phones that are compatible with your virtual landline number, ranging from £49.50 to £89.95. A virtual receptionist feature is another one offered but not through them. Instead, they’ve partnered with a third-party for the product, giving customers access to a free trial. 

Virtual Landline Highlighted Phone System Features

  1. Outbound Call App. This app gives business the flexibility of making calls when away from your desk and will show the virtual number as caller ID. Available for desktop and mobile devices. 
  2. The Buzz Box. Painless conversion of any handset to a Virtual Landline phone. The configuration is done in-house and delivered fully equipped.
  3. VoIP Desk Phones. VoIP office phones that can be programmed with your Virtual Landline-provided number. Choice of three with included handset features.
Virtual Landline numbers UK

Get the Most from Your UK VoIP Provider

Engaging with customers is easier with a reliable, high-quality virtual number phone service supporting you. Even if you don’t choose AVOXI, we hope this article makes it easier to navigate the complex world of telecom pricing and find the best virtual phone software  for your business.

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