How much does a VoIP phone system cost in 2023?

How VoIP phone service is priced

There are two major factors that affect the cost of a VoIP phone system. The first one is the number of extensions (phones) that you need. There is a cost to purchase, set up, and install each phone, plus a monthly charge for each extension.

The second cost has to do with the number of outside lines (called “call paths”) that you need. For example, you may have 10 internal extensions, but only five people need to make outside phone calls at any given time. This means you only need to purchase five call paths. Additionally, there is a one-time fee associated with porting over your phone number(s) to the VoIP provider.

VoIP phone system setup and installation costs

Let’s dig into the initial hardware, setup, and installation costs of a new VoIP system. The main factors affecting setup costs are the number of extensions required, and what existing equipment and infrastructure you have in place.

Phone equipment costs

Most of our customers choose to purchase new VoIP phones to take advantage of all of the features that our cloud phone provider has to offer. We recommend Polycom VVX series for desk phones, and select Yealink models if you need a cordless options. Typical prices for these models are $150 to $200 per phone, plus a $50 labor charge per phone. there are also more expensive models that offer additional features if needed.

If you already have VoIP desk phones from Polycom, Cisco, Yealink, or Snom, we may be able to program your existing phones on our system. There is an additional $50 per phone labor charge for this service.

Phone number migration costs

Another expense in migrating to a VoIP system is transferring (porting) your existing phone numbers to the VoIP provider. There is a one-time fee of $25 per number for this.

Infrastructure and cabling costs

In a VoIP phone system, each phone needs a connection to the Internet to work. In most cases, we can use existing Ethernet cabling to connect the phones. Even if a workstation only has a single Ethernet port, our VoIP phones have a gigabit pass-through port that can be used to daisy-chain without affecting network performance.

However, if a phone needs to be installed in a location that doesn’t already have an Ethernet connection, a new drop will need to be installed, which will involve some additional labor costs. Or you may wish to upgrade your network switches to support Power over Ethernet (PoE) in order to power the phones without needing to use a wall adapter. The costs for these infrastructure upgrades will vary depending on your current environment.

VoIP phone installation cost summary

• Hardware costs: $150 to $200 per phone
• Labor costs: $50 per phone
• Phone number porting fee: $25 per number

Ongoing VoIP phone service costs

Because the “phone lines” in a VoIP phone system are virtual, VoIP phone service can be much less expensive than traditional landline service. The monthly cost for our cloud-based VoIP phone system is divided between the number of individual phones (extensions) and the number of outside lines (call paths). Additionally, there are a few options and upgrades that can be added to extensions for a small fee.

It’s worth noting that many VoIP providers combine the charges for extensions and call paths. But most companies do not need a call path (outside line) for every extension, so this practice can result in unnecessary expense. Keep this in mind when comparing prices between various VoIP providers.

VoIP phone costs per extension

Each VoIP phone extension costs $15 per month. An additional device for the same extension costs $3 per month, and the option for call recording is $3 per month. Virtual extensions and conference bridges can also be added for $3 per month.

VoIP phone costs per call path

Each call path (outside line) costs $10 per month. Additionally, there is a $2.99 per month 911 registration fee per account.

Monthly VoIP service cost summary

• $15 per extension per month
  • Additional device: $3 per extension
  • Call recording: $3 per extension
• $3 per virtual extension/conference bridge per month
• $10 per call path per month
• $2.99 per month 911 fee

The bottom line: VoIP phone system upgrade costs

Let’s use the example of a 50-person company upgrading their phone system. They would like all-new Polycom desk phones, plus a few more for the warehouse and conference rooms. They have five numbers to port over – sales, service, accounting, and two toll-free numbers.

Based on their call volume and business, 20 call paths should be sufficient. They’d like call recording for a few executives’ lines, and also two conference bridges.

Based on these numbers, this company could expect to pay around $14,000 in initial costs and just over $1,000 per month in service charges.