Choosing the Best Second Phone Number App for Your Business

Phone calls are an essential mode of business communication. This is especially true when you consider that 60% of customers prefer to call small businesses on the phone when they need service.

Although receiving lots of calls from customers can be a good thing, it can become disruptive if you receive them at inconvenient times, such as after business hours or when you’re in a meeting. Having a second phone number app for business addresses this problem and makes it a breeze to manage incoming business calls.

In this post we take a look at why you should use a second phone number for business, how to get a second number, the availability of free phone numbers, and the best phone apps for business.

A second phone number app enables you to have a separate number exclusively for your business without having to rely on a different phone or device for business communications. There are many advantages to using a second phone number for business, including:

A huge benefit of using a second number for your business are the many professional calling system features that are typically included. Functions like call forwarding, auto-reply text messaging, auto attendants, interactive voice response (IVR), and the ability to set business hours. These capabilities save you time and ensure that all calls are properly routed and addressed by the most relevant member(s) of your team.

Giving out your personal number for business can be risky. You may lose control of who has your number, increase the likelihood of spam or unwanted calls and texts, as well as potential identity fraud. A second number provides added security to protect your personal identity so you can feel confident giving out your business number to anyone, or placing it on any business or marketing materials, with no hesitation.

Balancing your personal and professional life can be challenging enough without continuously receiving business calls during your off hours. Having the ability to separate personal and business time enables you to be more productive during work hours, knowing that you won’t be disturbed in your personal time. But achieving that separation can be a challenge if you’re using your personal phone number for business.

With just one phone number, the lines between business and personal communications become blurred. You waste valuable time and energy at night or on weekends screening incoming calls or texts to determine which ones to respond to and which ones to ignore. A second phone number for business makes it easier to separate personal and professional communications for improved work-life balance, not to mention providing an invaluable tool for time management during business hours.

Giving your personal number to business contacts does not create a good first impression or inspire confidence. But using a second phone number for business boosts your credibility and provides a more professional image, helping show that you are serious about your business.

Getting started with a second phone number for business is easy, and affordable. Using LinkedPhone, for example, you just follow these simple steps:

Although there are many second line apps that offer a free second phone number, you only get what you pay for. Most phone apps typically include few, if any, features, and often have a call limit, limits on minutes or SMS messages sent. Most of these options are not what we would consider suitable for business use. That’s why you won’t find any entirely free apps on the following list.

The best apps for a second business line commonly share many of the same features, but there are some key considerations when selecting the best one for your business. Here are the five best second phone number app options to consider:

At LinkedPhone, we strive to empower you to work from anywhere and provide tools to streamline communications and grow your business. LinkedPhone stands out in the following areas:

Professional calling features packaged with your LinkedPhone virtual phone system include:

LinkedPhone also provides affordable ways to add colleagues and assign extensions or to share a business number with your team.

Bottom line: LinkedPhone’s mission to support entrepreneurs and small businesses sets us apart from our competitors. We strive to give you the best tools, resources, and the latest insights to keep growing your business. Our customers consistently find our service has a positive impact on their business. But don’t just take our word for it: check out LinkedPhone’s reviews and ratings and see what other customers have to say.

Google Voice is a popular phone app because it offers a free personal line by default. However, Google Voice does not offer a free second phone number for business. Instead, you must select one of their paid options starting at $10/user per month for the Starter plan that includes only basic features. Rates increase as you add more features.

Some popular features included in the Google Voice Starter plan are:

Bottom line: The pricing plans often force users to choose between affordable pricing and the features they want such as auto attendants, desk phone support and ring groups.

Nextiva is designed to facilitate teamwork across large groups. This app is great for video calls and screen sharing. Although these features are included in Nextiva’s basic Essential plan, you’ll pay a premium for them if you are a small business. Plus, you need to pay even more if you want to add business features like auto attendant or voicemail transcription to your plan.

Popular features included in Nextiva’s Essential plan are:

Bottom line: Nextiva offers quality calls and team collaboration options. But it is better suited to a large business with a more substantial budget. The fact that their Essential plan lacks many features is a huge disadvantage to smaller businesses.

Callcentric offers one of the most economical basic business plans for a second phone number you can find, but with limited features. For $8.95 a month you receive unlimited incoming call minutes within most U.S. states. Callcentric offers highly customizable services, but many find it challenging to decipher the options and associated charges. Customers have also criticized the outdated layout and UI of CallCentric, which can be difficult to navigate.

Popular features included in the basic Callcentric Office Unlimited Phone Number plan are:

Bottom line: Callcentric offers cheap, á la carte, second phone number plans for business, but getting the features you want at a reasonable price may require a time investment to discern how to achieve them.

RingCentral is a popular option for a second phone number for businesses, but it is not as budget friendly as some of the other options. There are four plans including Essentials, Standard, Premium, and Ultimate. The basic plan Essentials plan weighs in at $32.99 per user billed monthly. At that rate you’d expect to get a full range of professional features, but with RingCentral you need to pay extra for many highly desirable features like automated attendants, app integrations, call recording, and unlimited internet fax.

Popular features included in RingCentral’s Essentials plan are:

Bottom line: RingCentral is a highly rated business second phone app, but which comes with the caveat a sizable price tag if you want a feature-rich platform.

As entrepreneurs ourselves, we think you’ll agree that LinkedPhone is the best choice for a second phone number app for small businesses. We offer all the features you need at a reasonable price, combined with outstanding customer service.

We strive to provide you with a reliable virtual phone system that’s easy to manage and navigate, while remaining cost effective as your business grows. Our pledge to support small businesses differentiates us from other services, making LinkedPhone the best choice for small businesses to meet their phone communication needs.

Ready to get started with a free second phone number that works on any of your devices? Sign up for a 7-day free trial of LinkedPhone and take your business to the next level today!