Best Australian Virtual Phone Number Providers for SMBs (2026): 8 Ranked and Scored

The best virtual phone number Australia provider for an SMB is one that offers all four Australian number types (local, 1300, 1800 and 04 mobile), includes call routing and CRM integrations, and publishes its prices. The ranking below scores eight providers out of 10 on exactly those criteria.

An Australian virtual phone number is a local, national or mobile number that rings over the internet instead of a copper line. A team in Sydney, Bali or Bratislava can answer it on a laptop or phone and still appear to callers as a local Australian business.

Australian virtual phone number providers sell three different products under the same label. Cloud phone systems include routing, recording and CRM sync. Carriers sell numbers from A$2 a month but expect you to bring your own PBX. Inbound specialists focus on 1300 and 1800 numbers.

Which Australian virtual phone number provider is best for SMBs?

CloudTalk ranks #1 for SMBs with 9.0/10. Its 0.9-point lead over CallHippo comes from call handling and integrations: CloudTalk includes power and parallel dialers and 100+ integrations, while CallHippo lists no dialer and 50+ integrations.

• CloudTalk (9.0/10): best for SMB sales and support teams, because local, 1300, 1800 and 04 numbers run inside one cloud phone system with dialers and CRM sync
• CallHippo (8.1/10): best for very small teams on a budget, because its Basic plan is free and you pay only per number
• Aircall (7.8/10): best for teams that rely on many third-party apps, because its marketplace lists 250+ integrations
• MaxoTel (7.8/10): best for offices replacing an old PBX, because plans include Yealink desk phones and calls for A$29.95 per user
• Crazytel (7.1/10): best for technical users with their own PBX, because local numbers cost A$2 a month with no lock-in
• Dialpad (6.8/10): best for teams that want AI notes on every call, because transcription and AI summaries are in the base plan
• RingCentral (6.4/10): best for multi-site businesses, because phone, video meetings and team messaging share one app
• Alltel (6.4/10): best for inbound 1300 and 1800 lines, because plans add phonewords and a 24/7 Australian live receptionist

How were these Australian virtual phone number providers ranked?

Each Australian virtual phone number provider was scored from 1 to 5 on five criteria. Each score was multiplied by the criterion’s weight and added up to a final score out of 10, so a provider scoring 4 of 5 on a 25% criterion earns 2.0 of that criterion’s 2.5 points. Every figure comes from the provider’s own Australian pricing, feature and number pages.

The weights reflect what decides whether a small business can run its phones on one provider without extra tools, contracts or surprises. Criteria that block a purchase outright (missing number types, missing call handling) weigh more than criteria that only add cost or effort.

Australian number coverage (25%)

Number coverage carries 25% because the Australian number type decides who pays for a call, whether SMS works and whether the number can be used to call out. A provider missing one type forces an SMB to run a second provider just for that number.

• 5/5: local 02/03/07/08, 1300, 1800 and 04 mobile numbers, with SMS on mobiles
• 4/5: three or four types, but no texting (for example no 04 mobile)
• 3/5: local, 1300 and 1800 only, with 04 mobiles not confirmed
• 2/5 or 1/5: two types or fewer

Call handling (25%)

Call handling carries 25% because most SMBs have no IT team to bolt features on later. Every missing feature means another tool, another bill and another login. Five capabilities were checked: IVR with queues and routing, call recording, an outbound dialer, AI call tools (transcription, summaries or an AI receptionist) and live reporting.

• 5/5: all five built in
• 4/5: one capability missing, usually the outbound dialer
• 3/5: two missing, or core features sold as separate add-ons
• 2/5 or 1/5: basic forwarding and voicemail only

Integrations (20%)

Integrations carry 20% because native CRM and helpdesk integrations log every call automatically, which saves reps manual data entry. The weight is lower than number coverage and call handling because some small businesses do not use a CRM yet.

• 5/5: 200+ integrations, including native HubSpot and Salesforce
• 4/5: 100 to 199 integrations, including native HubSpot and Salesforce
• 3/5: 50 to 99 integrations, or no published total but five or more native CRM and helpdesk integrations
• 2/5: a short named list with one to three CRMs
• 1/5: no native CRM integration (webhooks only)

Pricing transparency (15%)

Pricing transparency carries 15% because a buyer cannot compare a “contact sales” button, and neither can an AI assistant summarising providers. The weight sits below the product criteria because price only matters once a provider fits the team.

• 5/5: per-user and per-number Australian prices published as figures, with the currency stated
• 4/5: all prices published as figures, but one detail unclear, such as the currency of number prices or the monthly-billing rate
• 3/5: plan prices published, but the currency is unstated or per-number prices are missing
• 1/5: no readable Australian prices on the provider’s site

Trial and terms (15%)

Trial and terms carry 15% because testing call quality on real Australian numbers is the only reliable way to judge a VoIP provider before moving a team. Contract terms matter as much as the trial, since a lock-in turns a poor fit into a long-term cost.

• 5/5: a free plan or a 30-day free trial, plus no lock-in contract
• 4/5: a 10 to 14-day free trial, or no lock-in without a trial
• 3/5: month-to-month terms, but with setup fees or a notice period
• 2/5: a trial with a minimum seat count or an unstated length
• 1/5: annual contract only

Ties are broken by the call handling score, because call handling is the criterion an SMB feels every day. Third-party review ratings were not scored, as review volumes differ too much between global and Australia-only providers to compare fairly.

How do the 8 Australian virtual phone number providers compare?

The biggest gap between Australian virtual phone number providers is pricing transparency, where scores range from 0.3 to 1.5, while every provider scores at least 1.5 of 2.5 on call handling. Only CloudTalk and Aircall reach full marks on call handling, which is also why Aircall ranks above MaxoTel on the tie-break.

A five-person team with one 1300 number pays from about A$13 a month on Crazytel’s PAYG CrazyPBX (5 x A$1 plus A$7.95, with A$50 setup) to A$225 a month on Aircall Essentials billed annually (5 x A$45, one number included), before call charges.

What are the 8 best Australian virtual phone number providers for SMBs?

Four of the eight Australian virtual phone number providers (CloudTalk, CallHippo, MaxoTel and Crazytel) offer all four Australian number types with SMS on 04 mobiles. Aircall, Dialpad and RingCentral confirm local, 1300 and 1800 numbers only, and Alltel adds 13 numbers but no 04 mobiles.

1. CloudTalk: best for SMB sales and support teams that need every Australian number type

Overview

CloudTalk is the best virtual phone number Australia provider for SMB sales and support teams that want local, 1300, 1800 and 04 mobile numbers inside one cloud phone system and AI voice agent platform. Routing, a power dialer, an AI receptionist and CRM sync sit on the same platform, so a five-person team gets call-centre tooling without buying separate tools.

CloudTalk suits companies selling into Australia from anywhere, because 04 mobile and 1800 numbers go live immediately after purchase. CloudTalk’s case studies report up to 3x higher pickup rates when teams call from local mobile numbers, which Australians are more likely to answer.

Key features

• 04 mobile numbers with SMS, MMS and WhatsApp, so sales reps can call and text from a number Australians recognise as local
• Local 02/03/07/08 numbers, with CloudTalk’s numbers team checking the ABN or ASIC documents Australian rules require
• 1800 and 1300 numbers for national inbound lines, routed through the same IVR and queues as local numbers
• IVR, ring groups, queues and skill-based routing on every plan, including Starter, so calls reach the right agent without manual transfers
• Power and preview dialer included on Expert, plus a parallel dialer that calls up to 10 numbers at once, for high-volume outbound teams
• AI receptionist (AIVA) that answers and routes calls 24/7 in 70+ languages and accents, from $99 a month
• AI Call Intelligence with transcripts, summaries and call scoring, from $9 per user a month
• 99.999% platform availability, equal to about five minutes of downtime a year

Integrations

• CRMs that log every Australian call to the contact: HubSpot (certified app), Salesforce (Salesforce Ecosystem integration on Essential and Expert), Pipedrive, Zoho CRM and Microsoft Dynamics 365, plus monday.com, Close, Freshsales, Copper and GoHighLevel.
• Helpdesk and ecommerce for 1300 and 1800 support lines: Zendesk, Freshdesk, Intercom, Gorgias and Help Scout for ticketed support, with Shopify and BigCommerce for order and delivery calls.
• 100+ integrations in total, plus Zapier, Make, Microsoft Teams, webhooks and an open API on every plan, including Starter.

Use cases

• Calling Australian leads from CRM lists: reps dial HubSpot or Pipedrive lists from an 04 mobile caller ID, and every call is logged to the contact without manual notes.
• One team on inbound and outbound: the same agents answer a national 1300 or 1800 line through IVR and queues, then return missed calls from a local number customers recognise.
• Covering Australian hours from another time zone: European or Asian teams let the AI receptionist answer Australian calls outside their working day instead of sending callers to voicemail.

Industries

• Fintech and SaaS: SDR teams pair the 10-line parallel dialer with Salesforce or HubSpot sync to work Australian prospect lists. Revolut runs 500+ SDRs on CloudTalk, and Pipedrive logs 100% of its calls.
• Real estate: RateMyAgent, an agent-review platform founded in Australia, reports 66% fewer support calls within three weeks on CloudTalk.
• Travel and ecommerce: booking and order lines run on 1800 numbers with Shopify or Gorgias context. Yanolja reports up to 40% fewer missed calls.

Who is CloudTalk for?

• SMB sales and support teams of about 3 to 50 agents that make or take a high volume of Australian calls every day.
• Companies already selling in other markets that want Australian numbers on the same account as their local numbers in 160+ other countries.

Who is CloudTalk not for?

• Businesses that only need one inbound 1300 number forwarded to a mobile, where an inbound specialist such as Alltel starts at A$5 a month.
• Buyers who need plans quoted and billed in Australian dollars, because CloudTalk lists its plans in US dollars.

Pricing

• Starter: $25 per user a month billed annually ($34 monthly), includes IVR, queues and recording
• Essential: $29 per user a month billed annually ($39 monthly), adds standard integrations and an Australian outbound minutes bundle
• Expert: $49 per user a month billed annually ($69 monthly), minimum 3 users, with unlimited Australian outbound minutes (fair use)
• Australian numbers: local from $6 a month; 1800 $6 a month plus $44 one-time; 1300 $6 a month plus $46 one-time; 04 mobile $10 a month
• 14-day free trial with no credit card and no setup fees

2. CallHippo: best for very small teams starting on a free plan

Overview

CallHippo is an Australian virtual phone number provider for very small teams that want to start free and pay mainly for the numbers they use. Its Basic plan costs nothing per user, and local, 1300, 1800 and 04 mobile numbers are bought through a self-serve signup.

CallHippo’s 8.1 comes from full marks on number coverage and trial terms, offset by 1.2 of 2.0 on integrations and 0.9 of 1.5 on pricing transparency. CallHippo says 5,000+ companies use it.

Key features

• Local 02/03/07/08, 1300, 1800 and 04 mobile numbers
• Call forwarding, routing and multi-level IVR to send callers to the right person
• Voicemail to email, with AI transcription on the Professional plan
• Call recording on Professional and above
• Custom caller ID to control which number customers see
• Two-way SMS on supported numbers
• Smart DID routing and CRM-based VIP routing on the Ultimate plan, so key accounts skip the queue
• Real-time analytics dashboards on Professional and above

Integrations

• CRMs that drive call routing: HubSpot, Salesforce, Pipedrive and Zoho CRM, which also power CRM-based VIP routing on the Ultimate plan so key Australian accounts skip the queue.
• Support and team tools: Zendesk for teams running a 1300 or 1800 support line, and Slack for sharing call activity with the wider team.
• 50+ integrations on paid tiers, plus Zapier to connect tools that have no native CallHippo integration.

Use cases

• Testing the Australian market cheaply: a business starts on the free Basic plan with one 02 or 03 number and pays per user only once Australian call volume justifies it.
• Running a 1300 campaign line: multi-level IVR routes callers from a national advertising number by product or state.
• Separating business and personal calls: a sole trader uses an 04 number with custom caller ID instead of giving out a personal mobile.

Industries

• Real estate: agents take property enquiries on 04 numbers with two-way SMS, so buyers can text or call the same number.
• Recruitment: recruiters call candidates from local Australian numbers and record calls on the Professional plan for later review.
• Financial services: brokers and advisers keep recordings and real-time analytics of client calls on Professional and above.

Who is CallHippo for?

• Micro businesses and sole traders of 1 to 10 people whose calls are mostly simple inbound calls and forwarding, with no need for IVR or recording on day one.
• Businesses that need numbers in several countries, since CallHippo sells local, toll-free and mobile numbers in 150+ countries.

Who is CallHippo not for?

• Outbound sales teams that need a power or parallel dialer, which CallHippo’s Australian number page does not list.
• Buyers who want per-number Australian prices before signing up, because CallHippo does not publish them on its Australia page.

Pricing

• Basic: free per user, pay per number
• Starter: $19 per user a month
• Professional: $30 per user a month, adds recording and AI transcription
• Ultimate: $42 per user a month, adds Smart DID and VIP routing
• 10-day free trial on paid tiers, no credit card required

3. Aircall: best for teams that rely on many third-party apps

Overview

Aircall is an Australian virtual phone number option for sales and support teams that run their day inside other apps. Its marketplace lists 250+ integrations, second only to RingCentral in this ranking, and Aircall says 24,000+ companies use it.

Aircall’s 7.8 comes from full marks on call handling and integrations, offset by 1.5 of 2.5 on number coverage and 0.6 of 1.5 on trial and terms. Its Australian site prices in AUD and counts Australia as a domestic calling destination.

Key features

• Australian geographic numbers, plus 1300 and 1800 numbers for inbound calls, and numbers in 100+ countries
• MMS on Australian numbers, one of three countries where Aircall supports it
• IVR with skills-based and time-based routing and queuing
• Shared inbox with call comments, tags and follow-up assignments
• Call recording, live monitoring and AI transcripts
• Power Dialer, outbound campaigns and click-to-dial for sales teams
• AI voice agents for reception, sales and support calls
• 1,000 Australian outbound minutes per user on Essentials and unlimited on Professional

Integrations

• CRMs for sales teams calling Australian leads: Salesforce, HubSpot, Pipedrive, Zoho CRM and Microsoft Dynamics, so reps work call lists from the CRM they already use.
• Support and ecommerce: Zendesk and Intercom for ticketed support on 1300 and 1800 lines, plus Shopify for order and delivery calls.
• 250+ integrations in the Aircall marketplace, plus Slack and Zapier for notifications and automations.

Use cases

• Shared support queue on a national number: agents answer a 1300 or 1800 line and tag, comment on and assign follow-ups in a shared inbox.
• Outbound campaigns on included minutes: the Power Dialer works through call lists on included domestic minutes, so Australian outbound calls add no per-minute cost up to the plan limit.
• After-hours cover: AI voice agents answer Australian customers while the team is offline and pass the details to the morning shift.

Industries

• Retail and ecommerce: online stores connect Shopify so support agents handle order and delivery calls on one number.
• Recruitment: agencies run high-volume candidate calling through the Power Dialer with recordings kept for review.
• Healthcare and financial services: both are listed as Aircall target industries, with call recording and live monitoring supporting quality checks.

Who is Aircall for?

• Established teams of 3 to about 25 users, the band below Aircall’s 25-user Enterprise minimum, that already run their day in a large SaaS stack.
• Support-led teams that value app connections and shared-inbox workflows more than access to every Australian number type.

Who is Aircall not for?

• Solo operators and two-person teams, because every plan needs 3 licences, a minimum of A$135 a month on Essentials billed annually.
• Businesses that need 04 mobile numbers with SMS, which Aircall does not confirm for Australia.

Pricing

• Essentials: A$45 per licence a month billed annually, minimum 3 users
• Professional: A$75 per licence a month billed annually, minimum 3 users
• Enterprise: custom pricing, minimum 25 users
• Australian numbers: one local or toll-free number included; extra numbers A$9 a month
• AI voice agents (standalone): from A$152 a month

4. MaxoTel: best for small offices replacing an old on-site PBX

Overview

MaxoTel is an Australian hosted PBX provider for small offices moving off an ageing on-site phone system. Its MaxoPhone plan bundles a Yealink desk phone, a number, an extension and included calls for A$29.95 per user a month, so there is no upfront hardware cost.

MaxoTel’s 7.8 comes from full marks on number coverage, pricing transparency and trial terms, offset by 1.5 of 2.5 on call handling and 0.8 of 2.0 on integrations. Every plan includes one number, one extension and one line per user.

Key features

• One Australian number included per plan, with extra local numbers at A$2 a month and ranges of 5 to 10,000 numbers
• 1300, 1800 and 04 virtual mobile numbers, with two-way SMS at 10c per message
• IVR, call queues, ring groups, time switches, conferencing and call parking
• Voicemail to email and SMS with free voice-to-text transcription
• Hot desking, plus queue statistics for teams of 4 or more users
• Call recording add-on at A$10 a month including 1GB of storage
• 99.99% uptime SLA, equal to under one hour of downtime a year
• Average support answer time of one minute

Integrations

• Microsoft Teams calling: offices already on Microsoft 365 can make and take calls on their MaxoTel numbers inside Teams.
• CRM and accounting: Salesforce, Zoho CRM, Tall Emu CRM and Xero, which covers the core stack of many Australian small businesses.
• Hardware and storage, with no published integration total: Yealink and Grandstream phones with auto-provisioning, the Cloud Softphone app, and Dropbox or Google Drive for call recordings.

Use cases

• Replacing an ISDN or on-site PBX: offices move to hosted lines and keep their existing 02, 03, 07 or 08 numbers, with the first standard port free.
• Running a front desk: reception uses queues, IVR and time switches for opening hours, with voicemail sent to email as text after hours.
• Hot desking across sites: staff log in to any Yealink handset at any office and keep their own extension.

Industries

• Medical practices: reception queues and time switches match clinic opening hours, and after-hours voicemail arrives as text by email.
• Legal and consultancy: call recordings save to Dropbox or Google Drive, so client call records sit alongside matter files.
• Education: schools and training providers use ring groups and hot desking across multiple campuses.

Who is MaxoTel for?

• Australian offices of 2 to about 20 staff that want desk phones on a monthly fee with calls included, rather than buying hardware upfront.
• Growing offices that may reach 60 extensions, which MaxoTel’s PBX-60 Enterprise plan covers for A$399.95 a month with 60 numbers.

Who is MaxoTel not for?

• Sales teams that need a power dialer or AI call tools, which MaxoTel does not list.
• Teams that rely on CRM automation beyond Salesforce and Zoho, because MaxoTel names six integrations and publishes no marketplace.

Pricing

• Everyday PAYG: A$9.95 per user a month, minimum 2 users, calls charged per call or minute
• Outright/BYO: A$29.95 per user a month with calls included
• MaxoPhone: A$29.95 per user a month including a Yealink phone
• Numbers: 1300 A$15 a month, 1800 A$25 a month (A$80 connection), virtual mobile A$14.95 a month
• Free 30-day trial, free setup and no lock-in contract

5. Crazytel: best for technical users who run their own PBX

Overview

Crazytel is an Australian-owned VoIP carrier for technical buyers who want the cheapest Australian virtual numbers and will connect them to their own PBX or Crazytel’s CrazyPBX. Billing is prepaid and per second, and calls run across 9 network locations in Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, the US, the Philippines and India.

Crazytel’s 7.1 comes from full marks on number coverage and pricing transparency, offset by 0.4 of 2.0 on integrations and 1.5 of 2.5 on call handling, where IVR and recording are paid add-ons. Its numbers only ring once connected to a SIP trunk or CrazyPBX.

Key features

• Local, 1300, 1800 and 04 virtual mobile numbers, plus NZ and UK numbers
• Smart Routes that send callers to a state or region for A$2 per route a month
• Automatic network failover in under 60 seconds, plus failover to a backup mobile
• IVR, ring groups, queues, voicemail and call recording as A$1-a-month add-ons
• Two-way SMS on virtual mobiles and an SMS API from 5c per segment
• AI transcription from A$0.08 a minute
• AI Bridge to connect numbers to external voice AI platforms
• CrazyPhone softphone for iOS, Android, Windows and macOS

Integrations

• PBX platforms over SIP: 3CX, FreePBX, VitalPBX and FusionPBX connect directly to Crazytel’s Australian numbers, plus most IP phones such as Yealink.
• Webhooks instead of native CRM apps: call events go to Slack, Microsoft Teams, Discord and Google Chat, and custom JSON webhooks can push them into any CRM.
• Voice AI and dialers, with no published integration total: OpenAI Realtime, Vapi and Retell through the AI Bridge, and Vici Dialer for outbound campaigns.

Use cases

• Adding Australian numbers to an existing PBX: IT teams plug Australian local numbers into a 3CX or FreePBX system they already run, without replacing the phone system.
• One 1300 number for every state office: Smart Routes send callers to the nearest office for A$2 per route a month.
• Putting an AI voice agent on an Australian number: developers connect a Vapi or Retell agent through the AI Bridge.

Industries

• IT providers and MSPs: provisioning Australian numbers for client phone systems at carrier prices with free porting.
• Trades and field services: the CrazyPBX Business plan at A$15 per extension includes mobile calls for staff on the road.
• Home-based businesses: CrazyPBX PAYG at A$1 per extension a month keeps phone costs low when call volumes are small.

Who is Crazytel for?

• Technically confident buyers comfortable configuring SIP trunks, softphones and webhooks themselves.
• Businesses with customers in New Zealand or the UK, since Crazytel sells NZ numbers from A$2.50 a month and UK numbers on the same account.

Who is Crazytel not for?

• Call centres, telemarketing and outbound sales teams, which Crazytel’s CrazyPBX plans exclude except on PAYG.
• Businesses that may switch provider soon after buying a 1300 or 1800 number, because porting one out within 3 months costs A$55.

Pricing

• CrazyPBX: PAYG A$1, Everyday A$5, Business A$15 and Insane A$20 per extension a month
• Local number: A$2 a month with free setup
• 1300 or 1800 number: A$7.95 a month plus A$50 setup
• 04 virtual mobile: A$7.95 a month with free setup
• No lock-in contract, prepaid billing and free number porting

6. Dialpad: best for teams that want AI notes on every call

Overview

Dialpad is an Australian virtual phone number option for teams that want AI built into every call. Real-time transcription and AI call summaries with action items are part of its base Standard plan, and calls, meetings, SMS and messaging run in one app.

Dialpad’s 6.8 comes from 2.0 of 2.5 on call handling, because it lists no outbound dialer, and 1.5 of 2.5 on number coverage. Dialpad also sells separate Support and Sell editions for contact centres and sales teams.

Key features

• One local virtual number per user on every plan, so each person gets a direct line
• 1300 and 1800 numbers for A$20 a month on annual billing plus A$0.04 a minute inbound
• Auto-attendant and custom after-hours routing
• Call forwarding to up to 5 numbers per line, plus call flip between desktop and mobile
• Real-time transcription and AI call summaries with action items
• Unlimited call recording on the base plan
• Failover settings that reroute calls during outages
• SMS, MMS and video meetings in the same app

Integrations

• CRMs for sales calls: Salesforce, HubSpot and Zoho CRM, so AI call summaries sit next to the deal the call was about.
• Helpdesk and IT service: Zendesk and ServiceNow for support teams running Australian 1300 or 1800 lines.
• Productivity suites, with no published integration total: Google Workspace and Microsoft 365, matching the tools most hybrid Australian teams already use.

Use cases

• A direct Australian line for every person: each plan includes one local virtual number per user, so customers can reach staff without a switchboard.
• Sales calls without manual notes: real-time transcription writes AI summaries with action items after every call.
• Client intake: law firms and advisers capture enquiry details in AI summaries instead of typing notes during the call.

Industries

• Healthcare: practices use auto-attendant and after-hours routing to handle patient calls outside clinic hours.
• Insurance: call recording and transcripts keep a searchable record of policy and claims conversations.
• Professional and legal services: AI summaries support client intake, which Dialpad highlights for legal teams.

Who is Dialpad for?

• Hybrid teams of about 5 to 50 people already on Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 who want calls and meetings in one app.
• Businesses already paying for a separate video meetings tool, since Dialpad includes meetings in the same app as calls.

Who is Dialpad not for?

• Australian teams that rely on SMS, because Dialpad does not confirm 04 mobile numbers in Australia.
• Buyers who need a confirmed AUD price, since Dialpad’s own pages show entry prices of $15, $20 and A$25.

Pricing

• Standard: $15 per user a month billed annually
• Pro: $25 per user a month billed annually
• Enterprise: custom pricing
• Toll-free 1300 and 1800: A$20 a month annual or A$23 a month monthly, plus A$0.04 a minute inbound
• 14-day free trial

7. RingCentral: best for multi-site businesses that want phone, video and messaging in one app

Overview

RingCentral is an Australian virtual phone number provider for SMBs outgrowing a single office that want calling, video meetings and team messaging under one contract. RingCentral says 600,000+ businesses use it and claims 99.999% availability, equal to about five minutes of downtime a year.

RingCentral’s 6.4 comes from full marks on integrations, offset by 0.3 of 1.5 on pricing transparency and 0.6 of 1.5 on trial and terms. It ranks above Alltel on the call handling tie-break.

Key features

• Local numbers from 200+ area codes
• 1300, 1800 and vanity numbers for national inbound lines
• Multi-level IVR and answering rules
• Call flip, call forwarding, call park and shared lines
• Automatic call recording, live reports and call quality (QoS) reports
• Multi-site management and number porting
• Video meetings, team messaging and internet fax in the same app
• AI receptionist that answers and routes calls 24/7

Integrations

• CRMs for sales and account teams: Salesforce and HubSpot, so calls from Australian branch offices link back to the same customer records.
• Collaboration suites: Microsoft Teams and Google Workspace, for businesses that want phone, video and messaging tied to the tools staff already use.
• 300+ to 500+ pre-built integrations, depending on the RingCentral page, the largest total in this ranking, including Zendesk and ServiceNow for service teams.

Use cases

• Running several Australian offices on one system: multi-site management and number porting move every branch’s 02 to 08 numbers onto one account.
• Replacing separate meeting and chat tools: video meetings, team messaging and internet fax sit in the same app as the phone.
• Receiving faxes digitally: internet fax runs in the same app as calls, for businesses that still receive faxed referrals or orders.

Industries

• Healthcare: clinics use the 24/7 AI receptionist to answer and route appointment calls outside opening hours.
• Financial services: automatic call recording and QoS reports support record keeping across branch offices.
• Legal: firms use shared lines and call flip so lawyers can move client calls between desk and mobile.

Who is RingCentral for?

• Multi-location Australian businesses of roughly 20 or more staff that want calling, video and messaging under one contract.
• Growing businesses planning a contact centre, which RingCentral sells as RingCX on the same platform.

Who is RingCentral not for?

• Buyers who want to compare Australian per-user prices before speaking to sales, because RingCentral’s AU prices are not shown as plain figures.
• Small teams that only need an Australian number and basic forwarding, who will pay for meeting and messaging features they do not use.

Pricing

• RingEX: per-user plans priced in AUD on RingCentral’s Australian pricing page
• Annual billing: saves up to 38% compared with monthly billing
• Australian numbers: local, 1300, 1800 and vanity numbers, with number fees quoted on request
• RingCX contact centre: from $115 per user a month
• Free trial available from the small business page

8. Alltel: best for businesses that mainly need 1300 and 1800 inbound lines

Overview

Alltel is an Australian specialist in inbound business numbers for SMBs whose main need is a memorable 1300, 1800 or 13 number answered properly. Alltel pairs those numbers with location-based routing, phonewords and live answering by an Australian-based team.

Alltel’s 6.4 comes from 2.0 of 2.5 on number coverage and 1.2 of 1.5 on pricing transparency, offset by 0.8 of 2.0 on integrations and 1.5 of 2.5 on call handling. It ranks below RingCentral on the call handling tie-break.

Key features

• 13, 1300, 1800 and local Australian numbers
• Routing by caller location, time of day or availability to landlines, mobiles or VoIP
• IVR menus, Call Whisper, Voice2Email and call recording
• Smartnumbers phonewords such as “1300 ALLTEL” for marketing campaigns
• 24/7 Australian-based virtual receptionist from A$39 a month
• AI phone answering on 1800 plans for A$15 a month plus 55c per call
• MyAlltel portal with free call reports
• SmartConnect hosted PBX with up to 35 devices per user

Integrations

• Microsoft Teams Calling: Alltel connects Australian numbers to Teams from A$15 per user a month, for offices that already work in Microsoft 365.
• CRMs through SmartConnect: Salesforce, Zoho and Microsoft Dynamics, plus Outlook contacts, on Alltel’s hosted PBX.
• Softphones, with no published integration total: Cisco Webex apps for Windows, Mac, Linux, Android and iOS, so 1300 and 1800 calls can be answered on any device.

Use cases

• One national 1300 number routed by location: callers reach the nearest office or franchise based on where they are calling from.
• Phoneword marketing campaigns: a Smartnumber such as “1300 ALLTEL” makes an advertised number easier to remember.
• After-hours live answering: a 24/7 Australian-based receptionist takes calls the team cannot answer, so callers reach a person instead of voicemail.

Industries

• Real estate: agencies print a 1300 phoneword on signboards, so buyers remember the number after driving past.
• Legal: Call Whisper announces which advertised number a client dialled before the call connects, so staff answer for the right practice area.
• Education: universities and colleges use Microsoft Teams Calling and IVR menus across faculties.

Who is Alltel for?

• Businesses whose calls are mostly inbound, such as service providers, franchises and multi-site retailers that advertise one national number.
• Marketing-led SMBs that want a memorable 1300 or 1800 phoneword plus call reports on campaign performance.

Who is Alltel not for?

• Outbound sales teams, because Alltel offers no dialer and 1300 or 1800 numbers cannot be used as outbound caller ID.
• Teams that need to text customers, since Alltel does not offer 04 mobile numbers with SMS.

Pricing

• 1300 or 1800 Starter: A$5 a month plus A$20 setup (ex GST), calls charged per minute
• 1300 or 1800 Plus, Pro and Premium: A$20, A$30 and A$40 a month with 60 to 200 included minutes
• Local Connect: from A$10 a month with 100 minutes, plus A$30 setup
• Microsoft Teams Calling: A$15 to A$30 per user a month
• Month-to-month terms with 30 days’ notice to cancel

What types of Australian virtual phone numbers can SMBs buy?

SMBs can buy four types of Australian virtual phone numbers: local (02, 03, 07, 08), mobile (04), toll-free (1800) and shared-cost (1300). Each type changes who pays for the call, whether it can send SMS and what paperwork it needs.

Most 1300 and 1800 numbers also carry one-off setup fees and per-minute inbound charges, for example A$0.03 to A$0.10 a minute on Crazytel.

How do you get an Australian virtual phone number?

You get an Australian virtual phone number by choosing a provider, picking a number type and activating it online, which takes minutes for 04 and 1800 numbers and a few days for local numbers that need document checks.

1. Pick the number type that matches how your team calls: 04 or local for outbound, 1300 or 1800 for inbound.
2. Choose a provider and plan that includes the call handling you need, such as IVR, queues or a dialer.
3. Submit documents for local numbers. Australian local numbers usually need an ABN or ACN and an ASIC company extract, or a service address in the area code.
4. Activate the number. Many providers activate 04 mobile and 1800 numbers immediately; 1300 numbers may be ordered through the provider’s numbers team.
5. Port an existing number if you have one. Porting takes about 7 to 10 business days for mobiles and 15 to 25 business days for local and 1800 numbers.
6. Install the desktop and mobile apps so the team can answer the number from anywhere.

What Australian rules apply to virtual phone numbers?

Australian virtual phone numbers used for sales calls must follow ACMA telemarketing rules, the Do Not Call Register and the Spam Act.

• Do Not Call Register: telemarketing calls must not go to numbers on the ACMA Do Not Call Register without consent.
• Calling hours: telemarketing calls are allowed from 9 am to 8 pm on weekdays and 9 am to 5 pm on Saturdays.
• Caller ID: outbound calls must show a working caller ID that customers can call back.
• Marketing SMS: under the Spam Act, marketing texts need consent, sender identification and an unsubscribe option.

Which virtual phone number Australia provider should an SMB choose?

CloudTalk (9.0/10) is the strongest starting point for most SMB sales and support teams, but the right virtual phone number Australia provider is the one that passes a one-week trial on your real call flows.

• Pickup rate: call the same Australian prospect list from an 04 mobile and from a local number, and compare how many calls connect.
• Inbound experience: ring your 1300 or 1800 line from a mobile and time how long the IVR and queue take to reach a person.
• CRM logging: check that calls, recordings and outcomes land on the right HubSpot, Salesforce or Pipedrive record without manual notes.
• True monthly cost: add per-minute inbound charges on 1300 and 1800 numbers to the plan price before comparing providers.

FAQs

Can I get a free virtual phone number in Australia?

A free Australian virtual phone number for business use is rare, because carriers charge rental for every number. CallHippo’s Basic plan is free per user but charges per number, while free temporary numbers found online are shared and public, so they are unsuitable for customer calls.

Can you get a Google Voice number in Australia?

No, Google Voice does not issue its own phone numbers in Australia. Google’s calling plan covers 14 countries that exclude Australia, so Australian businesses on Google Workspace can only use Google Voice through a Carrier Link or SIP Link partner.

Can I get an Australian virtual number without an ABN or Australian address?

Yes, an Australian 04 mobile, 1300 or 1800 virtual number usually needs no ABN or Australian address. Local 02, 03, 07 and 08 numbers are different: they generally require an ABN or ACN with an ASIC extract, or a service address in the number’s area code.

Is there a downside to using a virtual number?

The main downside of a virtual number is that calls depend on a stable internet connection, so an NBN or Wi-Fi outage can stop calls. Providers reduce that risk with failover: Crazytel reroutes calls to a backup mobile in under 60 seconds, and Dialpad’s failover settings reroute calls during outages.

Can several team members share one Australian virtual phone number?

Yes, several team members can share one Australian virtual phone number through ring groups, queues and shared caller ID. Cloud phone systems such as CloudTalk, Aircall and Dialpad offer this on their apps, and hosted PBX providers such as MaxoTel and Crazytel do it with ring groups across extensions.

Can I use an Australian virtual number for SMS and WhatsApp?

An Australian virtual number can send SMS and use WhatsApp only if it is an 04 mobile number, because 1300, 1800 and local numbers do not support texting. CloudTalk supports SMS, MMS and WhatsApp on its 04 numbers, while CallHippo, Crazytel and MaxoTel offer two-way SMS on virtual mobiles.