What drives the cost
Most cloud phone systems charge per user (seat) per month, but the per-seat price is only one part of the bill.
- Seats One seat is normally one user. Check what a seat includes — apps on several devices, SIP accounts for desk phones, forwarding.
- Seat minimums Some plans require two, three or more seats. For a small team, the minimum can matter more than the per-seat price.
- Billing term Many vendors show annual prices by default. Monthly billing is often noticeably more expensive per seat, while an annual contract commits you for a year.
- Phone numbers Numbers may be included, bundled or charged per number per month. Prices differ by country and number type; toll-free numbers usually cost more.
- Call minutes Some plans include minutes for certain countries; others bill outbound calls per minute. International calls are often excluded from bundles.
- AI features AI transcription, summaries and scoring may be included, sold as a per-user add-on, charged per minute or reserved for higher plans. AI voice agents are usually priced separately.
- Other add-ons Extra numbers, advanced analytics and some integrations can be paid extras.
Worked example: entry-plan list prices
The table shows the monthly seat cost for 3 and 10 users on each vendor's entry plan. It uses list prices as published on 2 October 2026.
| Vendor and entry plan | List price per seat | Minimum seats | 3 seats per month | 10 seats per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| phone.systems™ | $9.99, month-to-month | 1 | $29.97 | $99.90 |
| Dialpad Connect Standard | $15 annual / $27 monthly | not published | $45 / $81 | $150 / $270 |
| CloudTalk Starter | €25 annual / €34 monthly | 1 | €75 / €102 | €250 / €340 |
| EasyCall Cloud | from €25 per licence | none stated | €75 | €250 |
| JustCall Team | $29 annual / $39 monthly | 2 | $87 / $117 | $290 / $390 |
| Aircall Essentials | $30 annual / $40 monthly | 3 | $90 / $120 | $300 / $400 |
How to read the table:
- Currencies differ. CloudTalk and EasyCall Cloud prices are in euros as published for EU visitors; the others are in US dollars as shown for the United States. Most vendors change prices and currency by region.
- Numbers and minutes are extra in this comparison. For phone.systems™ they are billed at DIDWW number and voice rates; other vendors include, bundle or charge them in different ways.
- Entry plans differ in features. The cheapest plan from one vendor may lack something another includes, and the products are not all the same category — EasyCall Cloud, for example, is contact-center software.
- Add-ons are excluded, such as AI features, voice agents, dialers or extra numbers.
Competitor prices come from each vendor's public pricing page, checked on 2 October 2026. Dialpad tiers other than Standard are not shown here. Check current prices with each vendor before deciding.
How phone.systems™ is priced
- From $9.99 per seat per month, month-to-month, with no long-term contract and a minimum of one seat. Each seat includes one user with the app on unlimited devices, one SIP account, one SIP forwarding destination and one PSTN forwarding destination.
- Numbers and outbound minutes are billed separately at DIDWW rates. PSTN forwarding may incur per-minute charges.
- AI Call Insights cost $0.02 per recorded call minute. For example, 1,000 recorded minutes a month cost $20.
- Volume pricing: every seat gets cheaper as the team grows, down to $4.99 per seat from 200 seats.
See pricing for the calculator, and AI Call Insights.
How to compare quotes
- Count the users who need a seat now and in a year.
- List the numbers you need by country and type, and your expected outbound minutes by destination.
- Decide whether you need AI features and estimate how many minutes you record.
- Ask each vendor for the monthly total on monthly billing and on annual billing.
For the non-price questions, see how to choose a business phone system.