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Our Grasshopper review analyzes the virtual phone number service that is a favorite of small businesses and startups looking to upscale their communications. But while it’s popular, it isn’t the perfect fit for everyone.
To help you decide whether Grasshopper is right for you, we’ve reviewed its features, pricing plans, and pros and cons against other leading VoIP providers we’ve researched.
Grasshopper Pricing
Grasshopper offers three pricing plans aimed at solo entrepreneurs and small businesses.
Here’s a quick breakdown of what’s on offer with each tier.
| True Solo | Solo Plus | Small Business | |
| Starting Price | $15 per month, billed annually | $25 per month, billed annually | $55 per month, billed annually |
| Users | 1 | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Unlimited Domestic Calling | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Unlimited Domestic Texting | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| International Calling | Rates apply | Rates apply | Rates apply |
| Numbers | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| Video Conferencing | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Call Recording | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Voicemail Transcription | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Grasshopper Features
The main differences in Grasshopper’s plans are how many numbers are included and how many users can access the phone lines. Apart from that, Grasshopper’s plans all include the same core features, making choosing the right plan a simple process.
Below, you’ll find an overview of Grasshopper’s core features.
Custom Greetings
When your customers reach out to you via phone and are met with a custom greeting, it adds an air of professionalism. A plus is that Grasshopper includes this feature on all plans, so even start-ups and one-person operations can appear as legitimate businesses.
For a one-time fee of $75, you can also use Grasshopper’s Voice Studio to record a professional voicemail greeting of a maximum of 250 words.
Image credit: Grasshopper
Voicemail Transcription
Another feature that especially suits smaller businesses with limited human resources is voicemail transcription, which automatically reads your voicemail messages so you can quickly address any missed memos without actually listening to the message.
Image credit: Grasshopper
Mobile App
Like most business VoIP providers, Grasshopper offers a mobile app that allows users to stay connected and reachable even on the go. In addition to the desktop interface, which displays all your calls, voicemails, and messages, the mobile app allows you to handle both business and personal calls from one device, wherever you are.
Image credit: Grasshopper
Call Handling Features
Grasshopper offers a range of features that allow business owners to upgrade their handling of incoming communications. This includes custom schedules according to your business hours, call screening, call blocking, call transfers, simultaneous call handling, and instant text messaging to new callers if you miss their calls. Call forwarding allows you to direct calls between different devices and can be a lifesaver for remote teams based in various physical locations.
Image credit: Grasshopper
Grasshopper Integrations
Grasshopper is admittedly thin in the department of third-party integrations, but it is compatible with two other communications software systems: Google Voice and Skype.
Google Voice is another virtual phone number solution, but it can be used with Grasshopper to benefit from the features not included with either provider. For example, Grasshopper offers toll-free numbers, while Google Voice does not.
Likewise, you can also combine your subscriptions to Grasshopper and Skype. This can be beneficial as Skype handles outbound calling well, while Grasshopper focuses on incoming calls.
Many big VoIP and virtual phone number services offer more third-party integrations, primarily with CRM systems, email marketing platforms, and social media management tools.
You may realize that not syncing up your CRM with your phone system is a real pain when tracking sales efforts and keeping paper trail communication with your clients. Grasshopper alone may be sufficient if you seek a professional method to handle incoming calls.
Is Grasshopper Safe?
Security seems to be a relatively low priority for Grasshopper. The virtual phone number service is currently not compliant with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), which means it does not follow governmental regulations set out to protect individual’s sensitive health information.
Grasshopper also does not offer encryption on its virtual phone number service, meaning that hackers may be able to intercept calls.
With this in mind, we may recommend a system offering a wide range of VoIP security features, including end-to-end encryption, multi-factor authentication, and compliance with HIPAA, PCI-DSS, and SOC 2 standards. RingCentral and Ooma are two more advanced VoIP systems that offer a higher level of security so they may be more suitable for those dealing with sensitive data.
Grasshopper Customer Reviews
Based on user reviews, Grasshopper has built a positive reputation as an affordable virtual phone number service. Across popular user review sites, it earns a respectable score of 4.4 out of 5.
A common sentiment among reviewers is that Grasshopper is an excellent VoIP solution for small businesses at its price point. However, that can feel limiting if your company outgrows its features.
Others praised Grasshopper’s customer support, available 24/7 on all plans.
What is Grasshopper Good For?
Grasshopper is an excellent phone system for small businesses and solo business owners who want to present themselves professionally to customers. With 24% of startups looking to switch to VoIP phone systems this year, we recommend Grasshopper as a great starting point.
It has key features that improve the handling of inbound communications, such as custom voicemail greetings, call screening, and instant missed call messages.
As your business grows, you may find that the need for third-party integration, video conferencing, and call recording features proves limiting, and you may seek a more comprehensive system.
We’d like to add that Grasshopper is not as oriented to outbound communications as inbound. Hence, it works best for businesses on the receiving end of communication, such as small e-commerce stores, beauty salons, retail stores, etc. If your company conducts acquisitions or has ongoing client relationships, you will benefit from a more comprehensive VoIP system or one that can integrate with your CRM tool.
Grasshopper vs Top Competitors
There are some strong contenders for the best VoIP system in the industry. Check out our comparison to see how Grasshopper compares to its competitors.
| Grasshopper | Ooma | Vonage | Phone.com | Nextiva | |
| Best For | Affordable starter plan for solo entrepreneurs | ||||
| Starting Price | $15 per month | $19.95 per month | $13.99 per month | $27.19 per month | $17.95 per month |
| Trial Period | 7 days | N/A | 14 days | N/A | 7 days |
| Mobile App | Android and iOS | Android and iOS | Android and iOS | Android and iOS | Android and iOS |
| Top 3 Features | 24/7 support, toll-free and vanity numbers, no hardware necessary | Available in 70+ countries, home and office plans, voicemail-to-email | AI assistant, 99.999% uptime, on-demand call recording | Call analytics, video conferencing, premium hold music | Unlimited internet fax, Outlook/Google integration, admin portal for team management |
| Money-Back Guarantee | N/A | 30 days | 30 days | 30 days | 30 days |
Grasshopper vs Google Voice
Grasshopper is primarily a virtual phone system designed for small businesses and entrepreneurs. It has features like virtual business phone numbers, call forwarding, voicemail, call routing, and extensions. It’s best suited for small businesses that want to appear more established, handle multiple lines, and separate personal and business communications.
Google Voice is a free service that provides a virtual phone number for personal use.
It offers features like voicemail transcription, call forwarding, do-not-disturb mode, and online voicemail access. Read about the complete list of features in our Google Voice review.
Grasshopper is designed for small businesses that need a professional virtual phone system with advanced call management features. At the same time, Google Voice is a free service primarily for personal use, offering basic call forwarding and voicemail management capabilities.
Grasshopper vs RingCentral
Grasshopper is a more basic yet accessible solution than RingCentral, with fewer advanced features.
Grasshopper prices start at $15 monthly for a single number, while RingCentral is $20+ monthly.
RingCentral is a more comprehensive and feature-rich communications platform for businesses of all sizes. In addition to virtual phone numbers and call management, it offers video conferencing, interactive voice response (IVR), call recording, and integrations with various business apps – none of which are provided by Grasshopper.
Our review of RingCentral found it best suited for small to medium-sized businesses and larger enterprises that require a comprehensive and scalable communication solution with advanced features. Grasshopper is best suited for small businesses, startups, or freelancers needing a professional phone presence without complex features.
Grasshopper vs Ooma
Since Grasshopper does not require physical hardware, it is best suited for small businesses, startups, freelancers, or sole proprietors who need a professional phone presence without complex on-premises equipment.
On the other hand, Ooma is a VoIP phone system that combines hardware and cloud-based services. It offers virtual extensions, call forwarding, voicemail, music on hold, and integration with various business tools. However, it requires a physical base station connecting to the internet and your existing analog or IP phones.
Read the complete list of features in our dedicated review of Ooma.
Pricing for Ooma includes an upfront cost for the base station ($129.97) and then a monthly fee starting at $19.95 per month. Grasshopper is slightly cheaper, starting from $15 per month.
Grasshopper is a purely virtual and cloud-based phone system ideal for small businesses or entrepreneurs who want a simple, affordable solution without hardware. Alternatively, Ooma is a more comprehensive VoIP system combining physical hardware and cloud services. It is better suited for businesses that need more advanced features and prefer an on-premises setup.
How We Test VoIP Software
For over 13 years, Techopedia has established itself as a trusted voice in technology, including the best VoIP and virtual phone number systems. You can trust our analysis as we extensively test market-leading project management solutions. We meticulously examine the core features, including domestic and international calling, auto-attendant, call-routing, and third-party integrations.
We also consider user reviews across multiple platforms to ensure we provide a comprehensive, well-rounded assessment that considers real-world experiences. With our comprehensive methodology, you can rely on our recommendations when deciding which VoIP phone system is for you.
How to Choose the Best VoIP Service
Searching for the right VoIP phone service can feel overwhelming with many providers. Here are some critical points you should consider before making a decision.
As with any business decision, price is of the utmost importance. You want to ensure that your chosen VoIP phone plan is within your budget and offers adequate functionality so that you won’t have to pay for additional tools to compensate for shortcomings.
Remember that some providers may require a minimum contract length, so consider that when projecting your total spend.
While many VoIP systems offer similar features, some are intended for smaller businesses, while some are geared toward call-center-sized operations. The needs and expectations of these types are different, so they will naturally need different phone systems to match. Thoroughly research your chosen provider before committing to ensure all the essential features you need are included in your chosen plan.
When shopping for VoIP phone solutions, check for room for expansion, adding new numbers and users, and how much this will cost; otherwise, you could face issues further down the road if you outgrow your plan.
We’d recommend opting for a VoIP phone system that offers the opportunity to try before you buy to be sure you can get to grips with it.
This is crucial if you’ll also be onboarding team members to use the phone system, as a complicated system will often not be used to its full potential.
Another consideration is whether your chosen VoIP phone system will integrate with your existing software tools. Many leading VoIP systems integrate with additional video conferencing tools, CRM tools, and marketing platforms. Life is easier when your software platforms are compatible, so checking out before signing up is worth checking out.
Connectivity can be unreliable, so you may need to talk to an expert sometimes. While some VoIP providers offer round-the-clock telephone support or live chat, others provide a knowledge hub or community forum. If you have strong preferences, it’s wise to check which support options your chosen provider offers.
To avoid contacting customer support for connectivity issues in the first place, you should consider opting for a provider with a high uptime guarantee. A 99.9% uptime implies downtime of a maximum of 1 minute and 26 seconds per day. 99.99% uptime guarantees less than 9 seconds per day. The ideal 99.999% uptime means less than 1 second of daily downtime.
When budgeting for your new VoIP phone system, you must be aware of not only the upfront costs. Additional costs may also be associated with having multiple phone numbers, so check how many are included in your plan. Plus, there may be extra fees for canceling your current contract, switching to your new provider, and purchasing and installing any additional hardware.
FAQs
Is Grasshopper HIPAA compliant?
How much does Grasshopper charge per minute?
Is Grasshopper shutting down?
Can you cancel Grasshopper at any time?
References
- Summary of the HIPAA Privacy Rule (HHS.gov)
- International Rates (Grasshopper)
