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Best UK virtual number providers for SMBs: 1. CloudTalk, 2. RingCentral, 3. Dialpad, 4. CallHippo & more. Scored on features, integrations, and price.
The best UK virtual phone number provider for an SMB is the one that matches how the business actually uses its phone: a single number diverted to a mobile, a shared line for a small team, or a full calling platform for sales and support. A UK virtual phone number gives a business a local (01/02), national (03), freephone (0800/0808) or mobile (07) number that rings on apps, desk phones or mobiles instead of a copper line.
Many UK small businesses need a new phone setup now because the analogue landline network is being retired, with the Digital Voice migration deadline set for January 2027. A cloud provider with a UK virtual number replaces the copper line without new wiring.
CloudTalk is the top-ranked UK virtual phone number provider for SMBs with a score of 9.5 out of 10, followed by RingCentral (8.5) and Dialpad (8.0). The full ranking:
CloudTalk (9.5/10): best for SMB sales and support teams, with all four UK number types, IVR on every plan and 100+ integrations including HubSpot and Salesforce
RingCentral (8.5/10): best for multi-site calls, meetings and fax, from £12.99 per user/month
Dialpad (8.0/10): best for unlimited UK calling with AI transcripts, from £12 per user/month
CallHippo (7.6/10): best for an omnichannel inbox covering SMS, WhatsApp and social messages
Vonage (6.5/10): best for a landline number and a 07 business mobile on one eSIM
8x8 (6.5/10): best for multi-site and regulated organisations that need enterprise PBX controls
bOnline (6.4/10): best for a first business line, from £7 per user/month
AVOXI (6.4/10): best for adding UK numbers to Microsoft Teams or a contact centre platform
SwitchboardFREE (6.0/10): best for contract-free number diversion with call whisper
Virtual Landline (5.6/10): best for the cheapest single-user divert, from £3.75 per number ex VAT
Each provider is scored 1 to 10 on five criteria, using the information on its own website. The scores are weighted and added up to a total out of 10, and a tie goes to the provider with the higher pricing score.
UK number types (20%): local 01/02, national 03, freephone 0800/0808 and mobile 07. A 10 means all four plus international numbers; a 6 means local and one other type. Only 07 numbers support SMS and WhatsApp.
Calling features (25%): IVR, queues, recording, routing and AI tools on the plan an SMB actually buys. A 10 means all of them on the entry plan; a 4 means divert only. This is weighted highest because routing decides whether a call reaches the right person.
Integrations (20%): named CRM and helpdesk integrations and the total count. A 10 means 100+ included in the plan; a 2 means none published.
Pricing (20%): published prices, the entry cost and add-ons such as per-number fees or per-minute diversion. A 9 means published GBP tiers; a 3 means quote only.
Setup and flexibility (15%): free trial, card requirement, billing options and minimum contract. A 9 means a no-card trial or no contract; a 4 means a quote with no trial.
Worked example: CloudTalk scores (10 × 20%) + (10 × 25%) + (10 × 20%) + (8 × 20%) + (9 × 15%) = 9.45, shown as 9.5.
Entry prices are per user per month on annual billing unless stated, excluding VAT.
CloudTalk, CallHippo and AVOXI do not publish UK prices in pounds, so their prices are shown in US dollars, exactly as each provider lists them. The amount a UK business pays for these three providers in pounds depends on the exchange rate at billing.
The 10 best UK virtual phone number providers for SMBs are reviewed below in ranked order, from CloudTalk (9.5/10) to Virtual Landline (5.6/10). Every review follows the same structure: an overview, why the provider ranks where it does, UK number types, key features, integrations, use cases, industries, who the provider is and is not for, and pricing.
CloudTalk is the best UK virtual phone number provider for SMB sales and support teams that need more than call forwarding: local UK presence, smart routing and CRM-connected calling in one cloud platform or an AI voice agent solution. It suits UK businesses and overseas companies selling into the UK alike, because every UK number type is available from the same account and works on desktop and mobile.
Where CloudTalk stands apart from basic number providers is what happens after the call connects. Calls route by skill or schedule, sync to the CRM automatically, and can be answered by CloudTalk's AI voice agent out of hours, so a five-person team can cover the phones like a much larger one.
Why CloudTalk ranks #1 (9.5/10): CloudTalk is the only provider in this ranking that publishes all four UK number types (local, 03, 0800/0808 and 07) plus numbers in 160+ countries, includes IVR and skill-based routing on every plan, and connects to 100+ tools, naming HubSpot, Salesforce and Pipedrive. It runs at 99.999% platform availability. CloudTalk loses points only on pricing, because UK numbers ($6 each) are billed on top of the user plan.
UK number types
Local geographic numbers (London 020, Manchester 0161, Edinburgh 0131 and other area codes)
National 03 numbers
Freephone 0800 and 0808 numbers (reachable from within the UK)
Mobile +44 7 numbers with two-way SMS and WhatsApp eligibility
Local numbers in 160+ other countries from the same account
Key features
IVR, call flow designer and skill-based routing on every plan
Ring groups, call queues and queue callback
Call recording, with unlimited storage from the Essential plan
Power and parallel dialers for outbound sales teams
AI conversation intelligence: transcripts, sentiment, call scoring and summaries synced to the CRM
AI voice agent (AIVA) that answers, qualifies and books calls 24/7 in 70+ languages, then hands off to a person with full context
Integrations
CRMs with automatic call logging: HubSpot, Salesforce, Pipedrive, Zoho CRM and Microsoft Dynamics 365, so every call made or received on a UK number lands on the contact record with its recording
Helpdesks and team tools: Zendesk, Freshdesk, Intercom and Microsoft Teams, so a call to an 0800 or 03 support line opens next to the customer's ticket
100+ integrations in total, plus Zapier, Make and a public API for tools without a native connector
Use cases
Outbound prospecting into UK regions from HubSpot or Pipedrive lists, calling from a matching 020 or 0161 caller ID and logging every outcome automatically
A freephone 0800 support line with IVR and call queues, where callers who would otherwise wait get a queue callback instead of hanging up
Handling WhatsApp conversations on a UK 07 number in the same platform as calls, available on the Expert plan
Industries
Software and tech: SDR teams pair local UK caller IDs with the power dialer and HubSpot or Salesforce sync, so each connect and call outcome is logged without manual entry
Financial services and insurance: unlimited call recording from the Essential plan keeps a record of every customer call, and skill-based routing sends policy or claims calls to the right adviser
Real estate: agencies give each branch area its own local number and use the AI voice agent to answer and qualify property enquiries out of hours
Who CloudTalk is for
Growing SMBs with three or more people on the phones in sales or support, where routing, queues and CRM logging save more time than a cheaper divert-only number saves money
Non-UK companies selling into the UK that want local, 03, 0800 and 07 numbers on the same account as numbers in 160+ other countries
Who CloudTalk is not for
Sole traders who only need one landline-style number ringing on a personal mobile, since a per-user plan plus a per-number fee costs more than a divert service
Businesses that mainly want video meetings and fax in the same app as their phone line
Pricing
Starter: $25 per user/month (annual) or $34 (monthly)
Essential: $29 per user/month (annual) or $39 (monthly)
Expert: $49 per user/month (annual) or $69 (monthly), minimum 3 licences
UK virtual numbers: from $6 per number/month with no activation fee; 14-day free trial, no credit card required
RingCentral is a strong UK virtual phone number provider for SMBs that want calling, video meetings, messaging and fax in one app, especially across several office sites. Its UK plans scale from a basic phone line to a multi-site system with hot desking and advanced admin.
RingCentral prices by talk time as well as by features: every plan includes a per-user minute bundle, from 100 minutes on Essentials to 4,000 on Ultimate. A team that spends hours on the phone may need a higher tier for the minutes alone, even if it does not need the extra features.
Why RingCentral ranks #2 (8.5/10): RingCentral publishes four GBP tiers with minute allowances and supports local, 03, freephone and international numbers. RingCentral ranks below CloudTalk because 07 business mobile numbers are not listed, and IVR, recording and the Salesforce and Zendesk integrations need the Standard or Premium plan.
UK number types
Local geographic numbers, with extra local numbers from £2/month
National 03 numbers
Freephone 0800 and 0808 numbers (plus 0845)
International virtual numbers, with 100+ countries supported
Key features
Multi-level IVR and auto-attendant with a visual editor
AI Receptionist that answers, routes and books calls 24/7
Call recording: on demand from Standard, automatic from Premium
Number porting or choosing new numbers at signup
Time-based call forwarding and voicemail-to-email transcription
Multi-site admin and hot desking on Premium
Integrations
Productivity suites: Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace from the Standard plan, so calls and voicemails sit next to email and calendars
CRM and helpdesk: Salesforce and Zendesk on the Premium plan, plus HubSpot, for logging calls on UK numbers to customer records
Team chat: Slack from the Standard plan, so missed calls and voicemails can be shared with colleagues in a channel
Use cases
Adding an 03 or 0800 number for a national campaign while keeping existing local numbers, with extra numbers from £2/month each
Running several UK offices on one system, with multi-site admin and hot desking on the Premium plan
Answering out-of-hours calls with the AI Receptionist, which routes callers and books appointments 24/7
Industries
Legal: firms record client calls on demand from the Standard plan and use multi-level IVR to route callers to the right practice area
Healthcare: practices use the AI Receptionist to book appointments and time-based forwarding to cover opening hours
Retail: multi-store businesses give each store a local number and manage all of them from one admin portal
Who RingCentral is for
Businesses with two or more office sites, or hybrid teams, that want calls, video meetings, messaging and fax in one app
Teams of 20 or more users, who qualify for unlimited EMEA calling on plans above Essentials
Who RingCentral is not for
Teams that rely on 07 business mobile numbers for SMS or WhatsApp, which RingCentral's UK pages do not list
Teams of more than five that want to trial the full setup first, since the free trial covers up to 5 users and 2 desk phones with 50 domestic minutes each
Pricing
Essentials: £12.99 per user/month (annual) or £17.99 (monthly), 100 minutes per user
Standard: £19.99 (annual) or £23.99 (monthly), 750 minutes per user
Premium: £24.99 (annual) or £28.99 (monthly), 2,000 minutes per user
Ultimate: £29.99 (annual) or £33.99 (monthly), 4,000 minutes per user
Dialpad is a UK virtual phone number option for budget-conscious SMBs that want unlimited UK calling and built-in AI call notes on a low annual per-user price. Every user gets a free local number tied to the account rather than a device, so it rings on a laptop, mobile or desk phone.
Dialpad also suits teams expanding beyond the UK, with local numbers in 50+ countries managed from the same account as their UK numbers.
Why Dialpad ranks #3 (8.0/10): Dialpad's £12 annual Standard plan includes unlimited UK calling and AI transcripts, the best value at entry level in this ranking. Dialpad ranks below RingCentral because its published UK number types stop at local and 0800, and CRM integrations start on the £20 Pro plan.
UK number types
One free local geographic number per user
Freephone 0800 numbers
Local numbers in 50+ countries
Number porting available on every tier
Key features
Numbers tied to the account and used on desk phone, PC or mobile
Forwarding to up to 5 numbers
IVR and auto-attendant with round-robin and skills-based routing
Real-time AI transcription and call summaries
Unlimited calling within the UK and to the US and Canada
Custom caller ID
Integrations
CRMs: Salesforce, HubSpot and Zoho on the Pro plan, with calls and AI call summaries logged to the customer record
Calendars and productivity: Microsoft 365, Google Calendar and Outlook Calendar, so calls can be scheduled from the same workspace
Helpdesks: Zendesk and ServiceNow, for support teams answering on a UK freephone number
Use cases
Outbound calling across the UK with a free local number per user and unlimited UK calls on every plan
Giving each department its own number with round-robin or skills-based routing, without paying extra per number
Answering out-of-hours calls with Dialpad's AI receptionist instead of sending callers to voicemail
Industries
Legal: firms use AI call summaries to keep a written record of client calls without manual notes
Financial services and lending: brokers call clients from local UK numbers and route inbound enquiries by skill
Recruitment and staffing: recruiters make high volumes of UK calls with unlimited UK calling included in the plan
Who Dialpad is for
Small teams that make many UK calls and can commit to annual billing to get the £12 Standard price
Managers who prefer reading AI transcripts and call summaries to listening back to recordings
Who Dialpad is not for
Teams that want 24/7 support from Dialpad on the entry plan, since round-the-clock support starts on Pro
Businesses that need monthly billing, where Standard costs £22 per user, nearly double the annual price
Pricing
Standard: £12 per user/month (annual) or £22 (monthly)
Pro: £20 per user/month (annual) or £28 (monthly), adds CRM integrations and 24/7 support
Enterprise: custom quote
14-day free trial
CallHippo is a UK virtual phone number provider for SMBs that handle customer conversations across more than phone calls. CallHippo's Starter plan includes an omnichannel inbox covering SMS, WhatsApp, Gmail, Messenger, Instagram and Telegram alongside calling.
CallHippo's plans scale by routing depth: IVR is available across plans, and the Ultimate plan adds multilevel IVR, holiday routing and CRM-based VIP routing for teams that need finer control over who answers each call.
Why CallHippo ranks #4 (7.6/10): CallHippo scores well on features and integrations, with an omnichannel inbox and 50+ integrations including HubSpot, Salesforce and Pipedrive. CallHippo ranks below Dialpad because prices are in USD and included minutes cover the US and Canada, so UK calls cost extra.
UK number types
Local numbers
Freephone 0800 and 0808 numbers
Mobile numbers
Numbers billed separately from user plans
Key features
Smart call forwarding and ring-all-devices
IVR, with multilevel IVR on Ultimate
Automatic call distribution and call queuing
Call recording and AI transcription from Professional
Smart DID, holiday and CRM-based VIP routing (Ultimate)
Omnichannel inbox for SMS, WhatsApp and social channels
Integrations
CRMs: HubSpot, Salesforce, Pipedrive and Zoho, for logging calls and texts to UK contact records
Helpdesk and team tools: Zendesk and Slack, for support teams sharing calls and conversations
50+ integrations in total, plus Zapier for apps without a native connector
Use cases
Handling SMS, WhatsApp, Messenger, Instagram and Telegram conversations in the same inbox as calls to a UK number
Separating sales and support onto different UK numbers, each with its own IVR menu and call queue
Trialling a UK number with no user fee on the Basic plan for 6 months before moving to Starter
Industries
Ecommerce: support teams answer order queries by phone, SMS and WhatsApp from one inbox
Real estate: agents follow up property leads by call and WhatsApp from the same UK number
Professional services: firms use IVR to route callers to the right consultant
Who CallHippo is for
Customer-facing teams that handle as many messages as calls and want one inbox for both
Overseas companies serving UK customers that are comfortable being billed in US dollars
Who CallHippo is not for
UK teams making most of their calls inside the UK, since included minutes cover only the US and Canada
Teams that need call recording on the entry plan, since recording starts on the $30 Professional plan
Pricing
Basic: $0 per user/month, pay only for numbers, for 6 months
Starter: $18 per user/month
Professional: $30 per user/month
Ultimate: $42 per user/month; 10-day free trial, no card
Vonage Business Communications is a UK virtual phone number provider for SMBs that want both a business landline number and a 07 business mobile number on one device. Its Max plan adds an eSIM, so staff can carry a separate business mobile line without a second handset.
Vonage also suits businesses with an international footprint, offering local World Numbers in 96+ countries. All Vonage UK plans are sold through a quote, so the published prices are a starting point rather than a checkout price.
Why Vonage ranks #5 (6.5/10): Vonage is one of only two providers in this ranking that publish a 07 business mobile number, alongside World Numbers in 96+ countries. Vonage ranks fifth because every UK plan is sold through a quote with no published trial, which lowers its pricing and setup scores. Vonage edges 8x8 on the pricing tie-break.
UK number types
Local geographic business landline numbers
07 business mobile numbers with eSIM (Max plan)
World Numbers in 96+ countries
03 and freephone numbers: confirm availability with sales
Key features
Virtual Receptionist with holiday, after-hours and emergency routing
Call forwarding, simultaneous ring and follow-me
Inbound and outbound call recording
Desktop and mobile apps using the business number
Admin portal for users, extensions, numbers and billing
eSIM with unlimited SMS and WhatsApp Business readiness (Max)
Integrations
Microsoft Teams: the Core and Max plans are Teams-compatible, so staff can use their Vonage business number inside Teams
CRM and helpdesk: Salesforce and Zendesk, with CRM integration included from the £15 Core plan
Collaboration: Slack and Google Workspace, for sharing calls and voicemails with colleagues
Use cases
Giving field staff a 07 business mobile number on an eSIM, so business and personal calls stay separate on one handset
Opening a local World Number abroad so overseas customers reach a UK business at local call rates
Routing holiday, after-hours and emergency calls through the Virtual Receptionist
Industries
Healthcare: practices use the Virtual Receptionist to route after-hours and emergency calls
Retail and ecommerce: shops use simultaneous ring so calls reach staff on the shop floor or on their mobiles
Education: schools and colleges use the admin portal to manage numbers and extensions for many staff
Who Vonage is for
Businesses with mobile staff who need a business landline number and a 07 business mobile number on one device
SMBs that prefer a quoted, contract-based deal with a named sales contact over self-service signup
Who Vonage is not for
Teams that need 03 or 0800 numbers confirmed before buying, since neither is listed on Vonage's UK pricing page
Teams that need business texts synced to the main account, since eSIM SMS does not sync with Vonage Business Communications
Pricing
Express: £10 per user/month, unlimited inbound calls only
Core: £15 per user/month, adds unlimited outbound calls and CRM integration
Max: £25 per user/month, adds eSIM, a business mobile number and unlimited SMS
All prices exclude VAT; contract terms are set at quote
8x8 is an enterprise-grade UK virtual phone number provider that fits SMBs running several locations, a contact centre, or operations in regulated sectors. It combines a cloud PBX, contact centre tools and analytics in one platform managed from a single admin portal.
8x8 is more platform than a team needing one or two numbers requires, and its quote-led sales process reflects that. For a growing multi-site business, 8x8's redundancy and analytics are the reason to shortlist it.
Why 8x8 ranks #6 (6.5/10): 8x8 scores 9/10 on calling features, including Conversation IQ analytics and redundant data centres, and lists 22 integrations such as Salesforce and HubSpot. 8x8 ties with Vonage on total score but ranks below it because 8x8 publishes no UK prices at all.
UK number types
Local geographic inbound numbers
National inbound numbers
Toll-free inbound numbers
Direct dial numbers and local number porting
Key features
Multi-level auto attendant
Call queues and ring groups
Call recording
UC Analytics and Conversation IQ
8x8 Work apps for desktop and mobile with voice, video, chat and fax
Business continuity through redundant data centres
Integrations
CRMs: Salesforce, HubSpot and Microsoft Dynamics, plus Pipedrive and Zoho, for logging calls to customer records
Helpdesk and collaboration: Zendesk and Voice for Microsoft Teams, so UK numbers ring inside Teams
22 listed integrations in total, including Zapier for apps without a native connector
Use cases
Running several UK sites from one admin portal, with local numbers per site and a shared multi-level auto attendant
Moving existing UK numbers onto 8x8 with local number porting and giving each employee a direct dial number
Keeping calls running during outages through redundant data centres
Industries
Healthcare: multi-site providers route patient calls across locations through one auto attendant
Legal: firms use call recording and Conversation IQ analytics to review client calls
Education and public sector: organisations with many sites manage all their UK numbers centrally
Who 8x8 is for
Multi-site SMBs, or those running a contact centre, that want call analytics and redundancy on one platform
Organisations in regulated or public sectors that buy through a formal procurement process
Who 8x8 is not for
Teams that need 07 business mobile numbers for texting, which 8x8's UK pages do not list
Teams that want to trial the service before committing, since 8x8 publishes no free trial
Pricing
Custom quote only; no public UK price tiers
Plans from X1 include unlimited calls to standard UK numbers under fair use
Contract length set at quote
No published free trial
bOnline is a UK virtual phone number provider built for freelancers, startups and micro businesses taking their first step away from a personal mobile or an old landline. It offers every UK area code, a simple app-based setup and low entry pricing.
bOnline's pricing is modular: the £7 Starter plan covers a number and 40+ calling features, while unlimited calling, AI transcripts, an AI receptionist and CRM sync come as higher plans or add-ons. A sole trader can start small and pay only for what they use.
Why bOnline ranks #7 (6.4/10): bOnline scores on transparent GBP pricing from £7 per user and numbers for every UK area code. bOnline ranks seventh because CRM integrations cost an extra £8 per user and standard pricing needs a 12-month minimum.
UK number types
Local geographic numbers for every UK area code
National 0330 numbers
Porting an existing number when switching
Outbound international calls from 1p per minute
Key features
Call flows and time-of-day routing
Call queues and ring groups
Call recording, including AI call recording
Voicemail to email
Mobile, desktop and web apps with simultaneous ring
AI Receptionist add-on
Integrations
CRMs: HubSpot, Zoho and Pipedrive, available as an £8 per user add-on (bOnline claims 200+ CRMs)
Accounting: QuickBooks, for small businesses that want caller details next to their invoices
Contacts: Gmail and Office 365 contact sync, so the app shows who is calling
Use cases
Moving a sole trader from a personal mobile to a business number with any UK area code
Replacing an analogue landline before the January 2027 switch-off while keeping the existing number
Setting time-of-day call flows so evening calls go to voicemail-to-email
Industries
Retail shops: owners ring the shop phone and their mobile at once with simultaneous ring
Cafés and hospitality: venues use business-hours routing and call queues for bookings
Mortgage brokers and surveyors: advisers record client calls and receive voicemails by email
Who bOnline is for
Freelancers, startups and micro businesses buying their first business phone line
Businesses leaving an old landline provider that want help with exit fees, up to £100
Who bOnline is not for
Teams expecting unlimited UK calls at the £7 entry price, since unlimited calling starts on the £13.95 plan
Teams that need 0800 or 07 numbers, which bOnline's product pages do not list
Pricing
Starter: from £7 per user/month + VAT
Unlimited Calling: from £13.95 per user/month + VAT
AI for Business Calls: from £19.95 per user/month + VAT
AI Hero: from £29.95 per user/month + VAT, AI receptionist included; 12-month minimum on standard pricing
AVOXI is a UK virtual phone number provider for businesses that already run Microsoft Teams, Genesys, Amazon Connect or Zoom and need reliable UK numbers plugged into it. It works as a global number and voice carrier rather than an all-in-one phone app.
AVOXI charges by usage rather than by user: plans are a percentage of call spend with a monthly minimum, so the bill tracks call volume rather than headcount. This model suits seasonal support desks whose call volumes rise and fall through the year.
Why AVOXI ranks #8 (6.4/10): AVOXI scores on number reliability, with activation in 30 minutes or less, automatic failover and 24/7 fraud monitoring. AVOXI ties with bOnline on total score and ranks below it on the pricing tie-break, 5 against 8.
UK number types
Local numbers for London, Manchester, Birmingham, Edinburgh and Leeds
TrueLocal two-way numbers with local caller ID
National 03 numbers
Freephone 0800 numbers, with porting of existing 0800 numbers
Key features
Multilevel IVR and virtual attendant
Call recording and voicemail transcription
Call Insights quality monitoring for latency, jitter and packet loss
TLS/SRTP encryption and 24/7 fraud monitoring
Connectivity testing and automatic failover
Number activation in 30 minutes or less
Integrations
Microsoft Teams Direct Routing, which adds UK local, 03 and 0800 numbers to Teams calling
Contact centre platforms: Genesys, Amazon Connect and Zoom, for teams that already run one of them
40+ integrations in total, according to AVOXI
Use cases
Adding London, Manchester or Birmingham numbers to a Microsoft Teams phone system, with activation in 30 minutes or less
Porting an existing UK 0800 number to a carrier with automatic failover
Monitoring latency, jitter and packet loss on every UK number through Call Insights
Industries
Financial services: firms use TLS/SRTP call encryption and 24/7 fraud monitoring on their UK numbers
Healthcare: support desks use call recording and voicemail transcription to keep records of patient calls
Charities and public sector: organisations use 03 numbers so callers pay local rates from landlines and mobiles
Who AVOXI is for
Businesses already running Microsoft Teams, Genesys, Amazon Connect or Zoom that need reliable UK numbers plugged in
Multi-country support desks that want one carrier for UK and international numbers
Who AVOXI is not for
Small teams with no existing phone system, since AVOXI supplies numbers and carrier service rather than a phone app
Businesses that want UK local number prices before speaking to sales
Pricing
Standard: 3% of spend, $14.99 monthly minimum
Premium: 5% of spend, $99.99 monthly minimum
Premium AI: 10% of spend, $199.99 monthly minimum
Number packages from $6.49 per month; UK toll-free from $7.99 per month; month-to-month, no setup fees
SwitchboardFREE is a UK-only virtual phone number provider for micro and small businesses that want a local, national or freephone number diverted to any phone with no contract. It positions itself for teams of 1 to 100 users and lists 40+ free features.
SwitchboardFREE also sells professionally recorded greetings for £50 + VAT for the first 100 words, which helps a one-person business sound like an established company when callers reach its UK number.
Why SwitchboardFREE ranks #9 (6.0/10): SwitchboardFREE scores 9/10 on flexibility thanks to contract-free numbers from £4.99 per month. SwitchboardFREE ranks ninth because it publishes no CRM or helpdesk integrations and offers fewer calling features than the per-user platforms ranked above it.
UK number types
Local geographic numbers, including London 0203 and 0207
National 0333 numbers
Freephone 0800 numbers
084 numbers
Key features
Divert calls to a UK landline, mobile, the app or a VoIP phone
Call whisper that announces a business call before connecting
Outbound calls from a mobile showing the business number
Custom greetings, recorded free in the app or professionally
On-hold music, voicemail and missed-call management
Cloud phone system with softphones, free internal calls and call recording
Integrations
No published CRM or helpdesk integrations, so calls on SwitchboardFREE numbers are not logged to a CRM automatically
Divert destinations: any UK landline, mobile or VoIP desk phone on the SwitchboardFREE cloud phone system
Apps: SwitchboardFREE mobile and desktop softphones, which show the business number on outbound calls
Use cases
Getting a London 0203 or 0207 number for a business based outside London, diverted to existing phones
Running an 0800 or 0333 number on adverts and diverting it to a mobile, with call whisper naming the line
Taking business calls while travelling abroad without changing phones
Industries
Recruitment: consultants on the road divert their business number to a mobile and hear which line is ringing before answering
Trades and field services: tradespeople take calls on site from a local number that looks like an office line
Professional services: small firms use a London number and a professionally recorded greeting to look established
Who SwitchboardFREE is for
Micro and small businesses of 1 to 100 users that want UK numbers with no contract and cancel-anytime terms
Businesses that mainly receive calls and want them diverted to phones they already own
Who SwitchboardFREE is not for
Businesses that need 07 mobile numbers for texting, which SwitchboardFREE does not list
Businesses with high inbound volumes diverted to mobiles, where 9p per minute quickly exceeds the cost of a per-user plan
Pricing
Local virtual numbers: from £4.99 per month + VAT
London 0203/0207 and 0333 numbers: £6.96 per month + VAT
Call diversion: 9p per minute to mobiles, 6p per minute to landlines
No contracts, cancel anytime
Virtual Landline is a budget UK virtual phone number provider for sole traders and home-based businesses that want a landline-style number ringing on their mobile. Virtual Landline's single-user plans run on a monthly rolling contract, and a multi-user Office plan is available for small teams.
Virtual Landline's plans differ mainly by call allowance, from no included minutes on Starter to unlimited UK landline calls and 1,000 mobile minutes on UK Unlimited, all on monthly rolling contracts.
Why Virtual Landline ranks #10 (5.6/10): Virtual Landline is the cheapest provider in this ranking at £3.75 per number per month ex VAT. Virtual Landline ranks tenth because its single-user plans are call-divert tools with no CRM integrations or call queues.
UK number types
Local geographic numbers
London 0203, 0207 and 0208 numbers (£3.50/month extra)
National 0330 numbers
Freephone 0800 numbers
Key features
Divert calls to a mobile or landline, worldwide
Voicemail to email
Time-based routing
Whisper tone before connecting
Free mobile app for outbound calls, plus a PC app
Mobile twinning as a second line on one phone
Integrations
No published CRM or helpdesk integrations, so calls on Virtual Landline numbers are not logged to a CRM automatically
Divert destinations: any UK mobile or landline, and numbers abroad
Apps: a free mobile app and a PC app for outbound calls that show the business number
Use cases
Giving a home-based business a landline-style local number that rings on the owner's mobile
Keeping an old area code after moving premises, so existing customers still recognise the number
Setting up a temporary 0800 number for a project or lead-generation campaign
Industries
Mobile vehicle repair: mechanics take customer calls on the road on a landline number with a whisper tone
Architecture and interior design: small studios present a local office number while working from home or on site
Chauffeur and transport services: drivers receive bookings on a fixed number diverted to whoever is on shift
Who Virtual Landline is for
Sole traders who want the lowest monthly cost for a landline-style number that rings on their mobile
Small teams of two or more users on the Office plan at £9.95 per user per month ex VAT
Who Virtual Landline is not for
Businesses that call mobiles often on the Starter plan, which has no included minutes and charges 4p per minute to mobiles
Businesses that need a 07 number for SMS or WhatsApp
Pricing
Starter: £4.50 per month inc VAT (£3.75 ex VAT), no included minutes
UK Unlimited: £8.75 per month inc VAT (£7.29 ex VAT)
0800 Freephone: £11.95 per month inc VAT, 300 minutes then 4p per minute
Office: £9.95 per user/month ex VAT, minimum 2 users and 12 months
SMBs can get four main types of UK virtual phone number, and the right one depends on whether the goal is local trust, national reach, free calls for customers, or text messaging.
UK 07 mobile numbers are the hardest type to find from a virtual provider. Among the 10 providers ranked here, CloudTalk and Vonage are the two that publish 07 business mobile numbers with texting.
SMBs should check the small print that headline prices leave out, because the same plan can cost very different amounts once usage limits, VAT and currency are added.
Fair use on "unlimited" calls: Virtual Landline and 8x8 apply fair-use policies to unlimited UK calling, so very high call volumes can still be capped or charged.
Where a freephone number can be called from: CloudTalk's UK 0800 and 0808 numbers are reachable only from within the UK, which matters if customers call from abroad.
VAT in the quoted price: Virtual Landline quotes single-user plans including VAT, while most providers in this ranking quote prices excluding VAT, so a fair comparison adds 20% to the others.
Billing currency: CloudTalk, CallHippo and AVOXI price plans in US dollars, so a UK business's monthly bill moves with the exchange rate.
Getting a UK virtual phone number takes a few steps, and most providers activate new numbers within minutes to days.
Check the internet connection: VoIP calling needs a stable broadband line of at least 10 Mbps.
Choose a provider and pick a new number, or request a port of the existing one; porting typically takes a few days to two weeks.
Set up routing: business hours, IVR menus, queues and voicemail.
Install the desktop and mobile apps, or connect existing IP desk phones.
Connect the CRM or helpdesk so calls are logged automatically.
CloudTalk is the strongest all-round pick for SMB sales and support teams, but the right choice also depends on what a real team pays each month. The table below prices a five-person team on each provider's lowest plan that includes call routing, on annual billing and excluding VAT.
8x8, AVOXI and SwitchboardFREE are not included because they do not publish per-user plan prices.
Is there a free virtual phone number available in the UK?
A truly free UK virtual phone number for business use is rare, because providers pay for each number they allocate. CallHippo's Basic plan has no user fee for six months but still charges for numbers, and free trials from CloudTalk (14 days), Dialpad (14 days) and CallHippo (10 days) let SMBs test before paying.
Can I get a UK virtual phone number without being in the UK?
Yes, businesses outside the UK can get a UK virtual phone number from many cloud providers, though requirements vary by provider and number type. CloudTalk requires no documents for its UK numbers, while Vonage and RingCentral also sell numbers internationally; some providers ask for a UK address or company documents for certain prefixes.
Can I use a UK virtual number for WhatsApp Business?
A UK virtual number can be used for WhatsApp Business when it can receive the verification code, which usually means a 07 mobile number. CloudTalk's UK mobile numbers are WhatsApp-eligible on its Expert plan, and Vonage's Max plan includes a WhatsApp-ready business mobile eSIM.
Is it legal to use a virtual phone number in the UK?
Yes, using a virtual phone number in the UK is legal, and the numbers come from the same national numbering plan as traditional landlines. Providers may ask for ID or company details for some number types, such as mobile numbers used for WhatsApp.
Can I keep my existing business number when switching to a virtual provider?
Yes, most UK virtual phone number providers support number porting, including CloudTalk, RingCentral, Dialpad, 8x8 and bOnline. The old service should stay active until the transfer completes, so no calls are lost during the switch.