Grasshopper Review (2026): Virtual Phone System for Small Businesses

Simple virtual phone system for small businesses and solopreneurs

Updated June 21, 2026

By James Han · How we review

4.1 MAQTOOB rating

Our Verdict

Grasshopper is a simple way for solo operators and small businesses to add a business phone number, extensions, voicemail, texting, and call forwarding without buying a full communications suite. It is practical when the main goal is to look professional and keep business calls away from a personal number.

Use the 7-day trial with the real number type, greetings, call forwarding, texting, and after-hours rules you plan to use. Do not use it as a call center replacement: teams that need queues, analytics, admin controls, or deep CRM integrations will outgrow it quickly.

A good fit if you

  • Solo business owners separating personal and business calls.
  • Small teams that need a business number and extensions.
  • Service providers that rely on call forwarding and voicemail.
  • Founders testing a simple phone presence before adding a larger system.

Look elsewhere if you

  • Support teams that need call queues, analytics, and agent controls.
  • Companies that want meetings, team chat, and full UCaaS in the same product.
  • Businesses that need deep CRM integrations or contact center routing.
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 Grasshopper?

Grasshopper is a virtual phone system for entrepreneurs and small businesses that need a business number, call forwarding, extensions, voicemail, texting, and professional greetings without a full UC platform.

The official pricing page publishes simple plan prices and a 7-day free trial with no credit card required.

Grasshopper Pros and Cons

Pros

  • Built for small businesses — The product focuses on numbers, extensions, voicemail, texting, and forwarding instead of a large platform.
  • Easy separation of calls — It helps keep business calls and messages away from a personal phone number.
  • Business numbers — Check local, toll-free, or vanity number needs and number availability.
  • Call forwarding — Test routing calls to mobile or office phones during and after business hours.
  • Extensions and voicemail — Set up departments, people, greetings, and voicemail delivery.

Cons

  • Limited platform depth — Grasshopper is not designed for contact center, advanced analytics, or complex administration.
  • Not a full collaboration suite — Teams that need meetings, shared inboxes, and many integrations should compare broader phone systems.
  • Not for call queues, analytics, and agent — Support teams that need call queues, analytics, and agent controls.
  • Not for meetings, team chat, and full — Companies that want meetings, team chat, and full UCaaS in the same product.
  • Not for deep CRM integrations or contact — Businesses that need deep CRM integrations or contact center routing.

Key Features

Feature What to check Plan fit / purchase note
Business numbers Check local, toll-free, or vanity number needs and number availability. Plan fit: choose by number and extension needs.
Call forwarding Test routing calls to mobile or office phones during and after business hours. Plan fit: core Grasshopper use case.
Extensions and voicemail Set up departments, people, greetings, and voicemail delivery. Plan fit: Solo Plus or Small Business for more structure.
Business texting Try text workflows with real customer messages and compliance needs. Plan fit: confirm texting details before launch.
Professional greetings Review recorded greetings and Voice Studio options if a polished greeting matters. Plan fit: price paid extras.

Who Uses Grasshopper — and For What

Solo consultants adding a business number

Use Grasshopper to keep client calls separate from a personal mobile number.

True Solo or Solo Plus.

Home service teams routing calls after hours

Use forwarding, voicemail, and greetings to avoid missed customer calls.

Solo Plus or Small Business.

Small offices creating simple extensions

Use extensions to route calls to a few people or departments without a full PBX.

Small Business if more extensions are needed.

New businesses testing phone presence

Use the free trial to test number choice, greeting, texting, and forwarding before buying.

7-day trial.

Pricing

Plan or option public price Trial / free-plan detail
True Solo $18/month paid monthly, or $14/month billed annually ($168/year). 7-day free trial; no credit card required.
Solo Plus $32/month paid monthly, or $25/month billed annually ($300/year). For more small-business phone structure.
Small Business $70/month paid monthly, or $55/month billed annually ($660/year). For more numbers, extensions, or small-team needs.
Trial / free plan 7-day free trial; no ongoing free plan verified. No credit card required for the trial according to the official page.

Source: Official pricing page.

Free trial: Grasshopper offers a 7-day free trial with no credit card required. Free plan: no ongoing free plan was verified. Annual billing lowers the monthly equivalent; taxes, extra numbers, extensions, international calling, messaging fees, and Voice Studio can add to the total.

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

Integrations

Grasshopper should be checked around number porting, local or toll-free number choice, call forwarding destinations, voicemail delivery, business texting, greeting scripts, after-hours rules, mobile app use, international calling, extra numbers, extensions, and any CRM or support tool that needs call records.

Getting Started: What Implementation Actually Takes

Start the trial with the exact phone number type you want. Record a greeting, create the extensions you expect to use, forward calls to the right phones, send and receive test texts, and check voicemail delivery after hours. Price any extras before moving the number into daily customer use.

What Users Say

G2 3.9/5 · 159 reviews Capterra 4.3/5 · 357 reviews Trustpilot 2.7/5 · 300 reviews

What works well

  • Users like simple setup, business numbers, call forwarding, extensions, voicemail-to-email, texting, and using a work number from a personal phone.
  • Capterra and G2 reviews show it can work well for small service businesses that need a lightweight virtual phone system.

What gets frustrating

  • Complaints mention app glitches, call quality, scheduling friction, support issues, compliance setup, and text or call routing problems.
  • Trustpilot sentiment is more negative than Capterra, so support and cancellation expectations should be checked up front.
MAQTOOB take: Grasshopper fits small teams that want a simple business phone number. Test the mobile app, texting, extensions, schedules, and support before relying on it for all inbound calls.

Top Grasshopper Alternatives

  • Choose Nextiva if You need phone service plus SMS, video, chat, and customer workflow tools.
  • Choose RingCentral if You want a full communications platform with meetings, admin, analytics, and integrations.
  • Choose GoTo Connect if You want a sales-led phone and CX package rather than a simple virtual number.
  • Choose Zoiper if You already have a SIP provider and only need a softphone app.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Grasshopper have a free trial?

Yes. The official pricing page says Grasshopper offers a 7-day free trial with no credit card required.

Does Grasshopper have a free plan?

No ongoing free plan was verified.

Who is Grasshopper for?

Grasshopper is mainly for solo operators and small businesses that need a business number, forwarding, voicemail, texting, and simple extensions.

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