Do you want to get a 800 toll-free number for your business?
Toll-free numbers help new and existing customers reach out to your business directly. Many customers also prefer to call a business phone number instead of writing an email.
A toll-free number encourages them to do so because they’re free for the caller. It also helps you win new customers and build lasting relationships with your existing customers.
In the past, toll-free numbers were used by large businesses only. But now they’re extremely affordable, so even small business owners can get a 800 toll-free number for their business.
In this guide, we’ll share 7 ways to easily get an 800 toll-free number for your business. You wouldn’t need to install expensive phone sets, purchase new hardware, or even hire new staff.
Sounds good? Let’s get started.
Why Get a Toll-Free Number for Your Business?
Toll-free numbers are the phone numbers that can be dialed without any charge to the person placing the call.
They start with a unique 3 digit code as a prefix. 800 is the most commonly used prefix for toll-free numbers, but you can also get one with the following toll free prefixes 888, 877, 866, 855, 844 or 833.
These toll-free codes are well recognized and customers know that they will not be charged for the call by their phone company.
Apart from the free call, talking to a human feels more natural and offers better customer satisfaction.
Toll-free numbers are not restricted to a particular geographic location. Your customers across the world can use the same number to reach you.
It looks more professional and gives credibility to your business. It is also easier to promote because you can select a memorable phone number and use it in all your marketing campaigns. Some companies even buy vanity phone numbers which are available on a first-come-first-serve basis.
They are not too expensive and using a VoIP service provider also allows you to make cheaper calls. You don’t need any special hardware, in fact, you can use a computer or even your phone to receive calls.
That being said, let’s take a look at the best ways to get a 800 toll-free number for your business.
1. Nextiva
Nextiva is the best business phone service provider on the market. They offer the easiest way to get a toll free number for your small business.
You get a free toll-free number with each Nextiva plan. You can also get a local number from anywhere in the United States.
Nextiva offers a simple dashboard to monitor your calls, set up voicemail greeting, set caller ID for outbound calls, call routing, caller ID, logs, and more. This enables you to efficiently manage your business calls and make the most out of them.
You can get calls on your toll-free number via laptop, a desk phone set, or even on cell phone using their app. This reduces the dependency on specific hardware and gives you the flexibility to take your business phone with you.
Pricing: Starting from $20 / month per user.
2. RingCentral
RingCentral is another excellent way to get a toll-free number for your business. They offer all popular toll-free codes including 800, 888, 877, 866, 855, and 844.
You can forward the calls to an existing number or use an existing toll-free number with RingCentral. They offer an extensive set of features like call routing, voicemail, call analytics, message alerts, answering rules, and more.
They have an easy to use dashboard that you can manage from your browser, desktop app, or use mobile apps to receive calls on the go.
Pricing Starting from $15.99 / month
3. Grasshopper
Grasshopper is a leading provider of virtual phone number for small business with toll-free, local, and vanity numbers.
You get all the usual features of a VoIP service like call management, extensions, call forwarding, voicemail transcript, and more. You can use your business number to send and receive texts.
Call management tools like call waiting, custom greetings, simultaneous call handling, allow small businesses to easily manage more calls with limited staff.
Pricing: Starting from $26 per month with 1 number and 3 extensions.
4. Ooma Office Phone
Ooma is a popular business VOIP phone provider that offers 1-800 toll free phone numbers at affordable prices. You can add a toll free number to any Ooma office plan. By default they will pre-select a toll-free phone number for you, but you also have the option to choose a new one.
Ooma office platform comes with all powerful features that you would expect such as virtual receptionist, extension dialing, music-on-hold, smart mobile phone apps, and more. Best of all the setup is very easy, and you can do it within minutes.
Pricing: Their plan starts at $19.95 per month which comes with a free toll-free number and 500 minutes included for free. They also allow you to purchase additional minutes at discounted rates.
5. Phone.com
Phone.com is another easy way to get a toll free number. It allows you to easily manage your businness calls using your computers and mobile apps.
They offer vanity and toll-free numbers that you can use with your existing number. It comes with all the usual features you may expect from a cloud phone service.
Pricing: Pay per minute plans start from $12.99 per month and Unlimited plans start from $29.99 per month.
6. 8×8
8×8 is another easy option to get a toll-free number for your small business. They offer toll-free and local numbers for several countries which makes them a good choice if your target customers are in multiple regions.
You also get all the usual call management features plus integrations with G Suite and Office 365.
Pricing: Starting from $12 per month per user.
7. Vonage
Vonage is another business phone service offering toll-free and local numbers. You can choose from the popular 888, 877 or 866 codes and it will ring on your existing business phone number.
They have an easy to use web-based control panel to manage your calls. It includes all the additional features you may expect from a VoIP service provider including voicemail, auto-attendant, forwarding and routing, simultaneous call ring on multiple devices, and more.
Pricing: Their mobile plan starts from $19.99 / month per user with limited features. The premium plan starts at $29.99 / month per user and unlocks advanced features.
FAQs about 800 Toll Free Numbers
Many beginners who are just starting their first business are quite unfamiliar with how toll-free number works. Here are some frequently asked questions about toll-free numbers and how they work.
1. What are toll-free numbers?
Toll-free numbers are telephone numbers where a person or business receiving the call is charged for it instead of the caller. Mostly, these numbers are used for customer services by businesses and organizations.
To distinguish them from regular landline numbers, toll-free numbers start with specific codes like 800, 888, 877, 866, 855, 844 and 833.
The rules for toll-free numbers are controlled by the FCC, but they don’t assign the specific phone numbers.
The toll-free numbers registry database is maintained by a company called Somos, Inc. This company then gives permission to other companies called RespOrgs (Responsible Organizations) to assign toll-free numbers.
This allows any small business owner to get a toll-free number for their WordPress website or online store.
2. Is there a difference between a toll-free number and vanity number?
A vanity phone number is the industry term used to describe numbers that spell a business name or a more memorable phrase, for example, 800-FLOWERS.
If a vanity number starts with a toll-free code, then it is not different than any other toll-free number in terms of functionality and purpose.
3. Can I get a vanity number that spells a business name and then sell it?
No, FCC rules prohibit hoarding or purchasing toll-free numbers for the purpose of reselling them.
4. Can I transfer my toll-free number to another company?
Yes, toll-free numbers are portable ,and you can use the same number with any business phone service provider of your choice.
5. Can I receive international calls on a US toll-free number?
Yes, you can. However, those calls will not be free for the caller, and they will be charged by their phone company for an international call.
Most toll-free numbers are considered local calls in the US and Canada. Customers calling from Canada will not be charged for an international call.
If your customers are located in different countries, then many of the toll-free number providers mentioned above offer toll-free numbers for other countries as well.
6. Can I forward toll-free calls to my existing number?
Yes, you can forward toll-free calls to your existing phone numbers. Many of the phone companies above also allow you to set forwarding rules for inbound calls based on business hours, availability, and other factors.
7. How do I add the toll-free phone number on my website?
You can easily add your toll-free number to any of the popular website builders or blogging platforms.
If you’re using WordPress for your website, then you can follow our step by step guide on how to add a click to call button in WordPress.
Which is The Best Toll-Free Number Service?
The basic service which assigns you the toll-free number is offered by almost all virtual phone service providers.
However, call management tools, costs, and integrations are equally crucial for growing your business by using a toll-free number.
Keeping these factors in mind, we believe Nextiva to be the best toll-free number for small businesses. They offer competitive rates, an extensive set of features, and integrations to take full advantage of a business phone system.
We use Nextiva for our own business.
RingCentral comes as the close second in terms of features, ease of use, and simplicity of adding toll-free number to your plan.
We hope this article helped you get a 800 toll-free number for your business. You may also want to see our guide on how to get a free business email address and our comparison of the best email marketing services for small business.
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What does this have to do with WordPress?…
We have users ask us a few questions that are not strictly WordPress but could help a WordPress site owner so we try to cover these topics from time to time
This issue is like a lot of others. They relate to “old thinking”. I know of no phone provider who still charges for long distance. At one time, we did not have the proliferation of mobile phones and other methods of communication and we paid for it in a different way. Now that we don’t have to pay extra to make long distance calls, I have to question the validity of such a move unless the phone number said what the business does, like 1-800-Flowers, etc. but there are plenty of other more important issues to consider in building a successful website/business.
John, while 1800 number is not for every business, many still believe its useful. Whether it’s 1800 or not, having a dedicated business phone number is important for every business website because it helps offer a more professional customer service experience