Guide · Everyday tools
A separate business phone number without carrying a second phone
Compare the honest free and low-cost phone routes in Canada and the US, then test ownership, porting, texting, and emergency calling.
Updated 2026-10-04
A second business number can ring the phone you already carry. The important difference is not the app icon. It is whether the business controls the number and can transfer it later.
| Provider | Starting cost | Included | Best for and limits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fongo Works Free Checked 2026-09-12· Recheck due; confirm with provider | CA$0/mo≈US$0/mo per business | A Canadian business number, up to six extensions, voicemail, and basic routing | A Canadian solo business that needs a genuine separate number at no monthly cost. Watch: Calling, texting, number choice, porting, and advanced features may carry separate charges or require an upgrade. |
| VoIP.ms Pay as you go Checked 2026-09-12· Recheck due; confirm with provider | ≈CA$1.53/moUS$1.10/mo starting monthly number fee, plus usage | A configurable local number with voicemail, forwarding, menus, and extensive routing | Owners comfortable configuring VoIP who want low fixed costs and control. Watch: Billed in USD; calling and messaging are metered, setup is technical, and emergency calling requires careful configuration. |
| VoIP.ms Pay as you go Checked 2026-09-12· Recheck due; confirm with provider | ≈CA$1.53/moUS$1.10/mo starting monthly number fee, plus usage | A configurable local number with voicemail, forwarding, menus, and extensive routing | Owners comfortable configuring VoIP who want low fixed costs and control. Watch: Billed in USD; calling and messaging are metered, setup is technical, and emergency calling requires careful configuration. |
| Google Voice Starter standalone Checked 2026-10-04 | ≈CA$13.87/moUS$10/mo per user per month | One US user with a personal Gmail account; calling, texting, and voicemail without a required Workspace subscription | A US solo operator who wants a professional number through a personal Gmail account. Watch: US-only standalone eligibility; domain-verified Workspace and Workspace Individual accounts are ineligible. Starter standalone does not include auto attendants, ring groups, or call delegation; Workspace add-on plans are separate. |
Requirements before providers
Write down what the business actually needs:
- local or toll-free number
- incoming and outgoing calls
- one-to-one texting
- shared voicemail
- business hours and after-hours routing
- call forwarding or a menu
- more than one person answering
- number porting
- caller-ID name
- emergency calling
No provider is “free” in a useful sense if the feature you need is excluded.
Canada
Fongo Works is the simplest genuine no-monthly-cost business route for a Canadian solo operator. Start there when a Canadian number, voicemail, and basic extensions are enough. VoIP.ms is the low-cost configurable route. It bills in US dollars, so the Canadian display is an approximate conversion and the card issuer may add a foreign-transaction fee. Choose it for menus, detailed routing, or more control, not because you want a polished one-button setup.United States
Google Voice Starter is the simplest professional route for a US business already using Google. Google describes the no-charge US plan as personal consumer use, so it is not our business recommendation. VoIP.ms is the lower-cost DIY route when flexible routing matters more than a guided setup.Google Voice: standalone is different from a Workspace add-on
Google’s standalone plan guidance now allows Starter or Standard for one US user with a personal Gmail account, without a Workspace subscription. This route is not offered to Canadian users. Domain-verified Workspace accounts and Workspace Individual are not eligible for that standalone purchase; check the separate Workspace add-on route where appropriate.
The table models Starter standalone. Standard standalone adds features such as an auto attendant, but remains a single-user product and does not provide the ring groups or call delegation listed for some Workspace plans. Check the current plan’s exact feature list before buying for a team. Do not assume a US standalone restriction means every separately offered Workspace Voice service is unavailable in Canada.
Keep spam calls from blocking customers
Use the screening, routing, or voicemail features actually included in your plan. A short greeting can ask for the caller’s name, job, general area, and callback number. If you enable a menu, keep it short and provide a clear path to a person or message. Avoid blocking every unknown number: a new customer is often an unknown caller.
Check voicemail at a time you can maintain, assign callbacks, and test the route from a number outside your contacts. Include after-hours and blocked/challenge cases. If a genuine caller cannot leave a message, change the filter before publishing the number widely. Record missed enquiries in the follow-up tracker.
A caller demanding payment or a code for “Google voice verification” is not proof that the Google Voice product or your listing needs activation. Google publishes guidance on fraudulent business calls. End the call, use the known dashboard or support route yourself, and report suspected impersonation through that official guidance. Never read a login or verification code to a caller.
Test before publishing the number
- Call in from two different carriers.
- Call out and check which number and caller name appear.
- Leave and retrieve a voicemail.
- Test texting in both directions if promised.
- Test business hours, forwarding, and every menu choice.
- Confirm how to port the number away.
- Record the account owner, recovery method, and billing source.
- Keep the old number active until porting and outbound caller ID are confirmed.
VoIP services can have limitations for emergency calling and location accuracy. Read the provider’s 911 or E911 terms, register the correct service address where required, and keep an ordinary mobile route for emergencies.
Do not assume a virtual number will receive every bank or two-factor-authentication code. Many services reject VoIP numbers. Keep account recovery independent of the business number when possible.
The free route and upgrade trigger
The Canadian free route is Fongo Works. This comparison models paid Google Voice Starter standalone for a US solo operator. Google’s no-charge consumer plan has a different feature set; verify suitability before depending on it for business.Upgrade when a second person must answer, calls are being missed, routing saves staff time, compliance recording is required, or the free provider excludes a critical calling or texting feature. Before paying, confirm number portability in writing.