3CX Review (2026): PBX Software for Calls, Chat, and Video

Flexible business VoIP phone system with self-hosted and AI-powered options

Updated June 21, 2026

By James Han · How we review

4.4 MAQTOOB rating

Our Verdict

3CX is appealing when your company wants PBX software priced by system capacity rather than a seat for every user. It fits teams that want control over hosting, SIP trunks, phones, web client use, routing, queues, live chat, and contact center-style features without buying a classic UCaaS subscription for each person. Plan the rollout carefully.

Confirm simultaneous call needs, hosting, SIP provider, phones, update responsibilities, security, backup, support, and who will administer it. It is not ideal for a hands-off phone purchase. Especially if your company does not want PBX ownership, start with RingCentral or Nextiva.

A good fit if you

  • Companies that want PBX control with system-based pricing.
  • IT teams comfortable managing SIP trunks, phones, routing, and hosting choices.
  • Small teams testing a free hosted phone system path.
  • Organizations that want call queues and web client features without per-seat UCaaS pricing.

Look elsewhere if you

  • Teams that want the vendor to manage every phone-service detail.
  • Companies without an admin for PBX setup, updates, and security.
  • Users that only need a standalone SIP softphone.
  • Organizations that prefer fixed per-user SaaS billing over simultaneous-call sizing.
Next step: write down the problem you need solved, check the pricing details, test one real workflow, then compare alternatives before you pay.

What Is 3CX?

3CX is PBX and business phone system software for companies that want calling, live chat, video, SIP trunk choice, call routing, queues, and administration without paying only by user seat.

The official pricing page publishes a free StartUP path and annual system pricing for 3CX PRO and ENT based on simultaneous calls.

3CX Pros and Cons

Pros

  • PBX control — Teams can plan around SIP trunks, phones, hosting, routing, and administration.
  • PBX calling — Check extensions, routing, queues, ring groups, voicemail, and office phone needs.
  • Hosting choices — Review hosted, self-managed, and provider responsibilities.
  • SIP trunk choice — Confirm provider compatibility, number porting, emergency calling, and call rates.
  • Web client, chat, and meetings — Test web calling, live chat, video, and contact center-style workflow.

Cons

  • Admin work required — 3CX needs someone to manage setup, SIP providers, updates, security, and backups.
  • Sizing takes thought — Simultaneous-call needs must be estimated correctly before choosing capacity.
  • Not for the vendor to manage every — Teams that want the vendor to manage every phone-service detail.
  • Not for Companies without an admin for PBX — Companies without an admin for PBX setup, updates, and security.
  • Too much for a standalone SIP softphone — Users that only need a standalone SIP softphone.

Key Features

Feature What to check Plan fit / purchase note
PBX calling Check extensions, routing, queues, ring groups, voicemail, and office phone needs. Plan fit: StartUP for smaller needs; PRO/ENT as usage grows.
Simultaneous-call pricing Estimate peak call concurrency instead of only counting users. Plan fit: choose capacity by real call volume.
Hosting choices Review hosted, self-managed, and provider responsibilities. Plan fit: decide who owns updates and backups.
SIP trunk choice Confirm provider compatibility, number porting, emergency calling, and call rates. Plan fit: SIP costs are separate from PBX license.
Web client, chat, and meetings Test web calling, live chat, video, and contact center-style workflow. Plan fit: compare PRO and ENT features.

Who Uses 3CX — and For What

IT teams replacing a traditional PBX

Use 3CX when the company wants software PBX control with modern clients and routing.

PRO or ENT by simultaneous calls.

Small teams starting with free hosted PBX

Use StartUP when up to 10 users need a free entry point with hosting included.

StartUP free options.

Cost-conscious companies avoiding per-seat phone pricing

Use simultaneous-call pricing when many users do not all call at the same time.

Estimate peak call count.

Service teams adding queues and web chat

Use 3CX when phone routing, queues, and chat need to sit in one PBX workflow.

PRO or ENT after feature check.

Pricing

Plan or option public price Trial / free-plan detail
3CX StartUP Free up to 10 users, including hosting Free plan available.
3CX PRO Starts at $350/year Try 3CX PRO for free options shown on the official page.
3CX ENT Starts at $425/year Annual system pricing based on simultaneous calls.
Trial / free plan Free StartUP plan and free PRO trial options verified Confirm hosting, SIP provider, support, and capacity before rollout.

Source: Official pricing page.

Free plan: 3CX StartUP is described as free up to 10 users with hosting included. Free trial: the official pricing page includes a Try 3CX PRO for free options. Paid PRO and ENT pricing is billed annually and based on simultaneous calls, while SIP trunks, devices, and related services may add separate costs.

Prices checked 2026-06-17 against official product sources.

Integrations

3CX should be checked around SIP trunk providers, number porting, desk phones, mobile and web clients, Microsoft 365 or CRM integrations, live chat, call queues, call recording, hosting choice, backups, firewall rules, emergency calling, reporting, and the admin process for updates and security.

Getting Started: What Implementation Actually Takes

Start by estimating peak simultaneous calls, user count, call queues, SIP trunk provider, hosting preference, phones, and who will administer the PBX. Try StartUP or the PRO trial with a real call flow, then verify backups, updates, emergency calling, recording rules, and support before moving production numbers.

What Users Say

G2 4.4/5 · 546 reviews Trustpilot 2.6/5 · 174 reviews Software Advice 4.4/5 · 465 reviews Gartner 4.1/5 · 33 reviews

What works well

  • G2 users like 3CX for flexibility, ease of use, setup, customization, and communication across devices.
  • It is often valued by teams that want more control over PBX, contact center, live chat, and UCaaS features.

What gets frustrating

  • G2 complaints mention mobile connectivity, configuration difficulty, learning curve, and limited features in some areas.
  • Trustpilot reviews are more critical about support, app changes, call failures, and reliability problems.
MAQTOOB take: 3CX can work well for teams comfortable managing a phone system. Test mobile stability, support quality, upgrade impact, and admin setup before replacing an existing PBX.

Top 3CX Alternatives

  • Choose RingCentral if You want a hosted communications platform with public per-user pricing.
  • Choose Nextiva if You prefer a small-business phone and CX platform with public tiers.
  • Choose Zoiper if You only need a SIP softphone app for an existing provider or PBX.
  • Choose MicroSIP if You want a free Windows SIP softphone rather than a PBX platform.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does 3CX have a free plan?

Yes. The official pricing page describes 3CX StartUP as free up to 10 users with hosting included.

Does 3CX have a free trial?

Yes. The official page includes a Try 3CX PRO for free options.

How does 3CX pricing work?

3CX paid pricing is billed annually and based on simultaneous calls rather than a simple per-user-per-month model.

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