Virtual phone number for business
Get a professional business number separate from your cell — and an AI that actually answers it, 24/7.
7-day trial · 30 minutes included · No credit card.
A virtual phone number gives your business a professional line that isn't your personal cell — one you can put on your website, truck, and cards. Most providers (Google Voice, Grasshopper, OpenPhone) hand you the number and an app, and you still answer every call yourself. RingOwl is the part that's usually missing: you get a business number and an AI receptionist that answers it for you — books appointments, captures leads, and texts you a summary — so the number isn't just one more line ringing in your pocket.
Related: Virtual receptionist overview.
What is a virtual phone number?
A virtual phone number is a business phone number that lives in the cloud instead of being tied to a single SIM card or desk phone. Calls to it can ring any device, route to a team, drop to voicemail, or — with RingOwl — be answered by AI. Because it's not bound to one handset, you can put it on your website and marketing without exposing your personal cell, keep it when you change phones or carriers, and route it however your business needs.
How to get one — and what it costs
Getting a virtual number is quick: choose a provider, pick a local or toll-free number or port your existing one, and you're live. Pricing splits into three buckets. Free personal options (Google Voice) work for a solo side gig but aren't built for business. Number-and-app services (Grasshopper, OpenPhone) run roughly $15–$30/user a month and give you a line you still answer yourself. And answering-included services like RingOwl give you a number plus an AI that answers it, for a flat $49–$199/mo.
- Free personal: Google Voice — fine solo, not built for business
- Number + app: Grasshopper, OpenPhone (~$15–$30/user/mo) — you still answer
- Number + AI answering: RingOwl ($49–$199/mo flat) — it answers for you
A number is only useful if someone answers it
Here's the trap most small businesses fall into: they buy a virtual number, put it everywhere, and then it rings into the same problem they had before — a phone they can't always pick up. A number on its own doesn't answer the after-hours lead, the call that comes in mid-job, or the second caller while you're already on the line. RingOwl closes that gap. Your virtual number gets an AI receptionist that answers every call instantly, books the appointment, qualifies the lead, and texts you a summary — so the number actually does its job instead of just collecting voicemails.
What you get
Why RingOwl is the right fit
A real business number
A dedicated number separate from your personal cell, so work calls and personal calls don't mix. Keep your existing number too — forward it to RingOwl with one carrier code.
That answers itself
Most virtual numbers still need you to pick up. RingOwl's AI answers every call in under a second, 24/7 — no app to babysit, no missed calls during a job or after hours.
Books appointments live
The AI checks your connected Google Calendar and confirms the slot on the call — the number doesn't just take a message, it books the work.
Flat $49/mo, no per-minute
Predictable monthly pricing with the number and the answering included. No per-minute metering, no contract, 7-day free trial.
Setup
Live in 15 minutes. No IT.
Paste your website
We auto-extract your hours, services, and FAQs. You can edit anything.
Forward your number — your way
Dial one code on your existing line. Forward every call, or just the ones you can't get to — after hours, weekends, or when you're already on the phone.
Get texts and emails, not voicemails
Every call answered, every booking confirmed, summarized to your phone and inbox.
Works with your calendar
Books straight into the calendar you already use
Live today
On the roadmap
Pricing
Simple pricing. One job — answer the phone.
Every plan starts with a 7-day free trial — 30 minutes included, no credit card. After the trial, pick a plan to keep RingOwl answering.
Starter
Solo owner. One number, one calendar.
$49/mo
- ✓250 minutes / month
- ✓1 forwarded number
- ✓1 calendar (Google)
- ✓SMS summaries to your phone
- ✓Email support
Growth
Most popular. For practices booking 5+ appointments a week.
$99/mo
- ✓600 minutes / month
- ✓1 vertical pack (real estate, dental, salon, …)
- ✓CRM + calendar integrations
- ✓60-second callback for missed calls
- ✓Priority support
Scale
Multi-location. White-glove setup.
$199/mo
- ✓1,500 minutes / month
- ✓All vertical packs
- ✓Multi-location / multi-number routing
- ✓Dedicated onboarding call
- ✓White-glove support
No credit card · Cancel anytime · Replaces a $300/mo virtual receptionist at 1/10th the cost.
Questions
virtual phone number for business — FAQ
How do I get a virtual phone number for my business?+
You sign up with a provider, pick a local or toll-free number (or port your existing one), and start receiving calls. With RingOwl, you get a business number and an AI receptionist that answers it — setup takes about 15 minutes: paste your website, connect your calendar, and forward your line.
Can I get a free virtual phone number?+
Sort of. Google Voice offers a free personal number in the US, but its terms intend it for personal use and it lacks business features (admin controls, multiple users, support). For real business use you'll want a paid plan. RingOwl isn't free, but its $49/mo includes the thing free numbers don't: something that actually answers the call.
Is it legal to use a virtual phone number for business?+
Yes. Virtual phone numbers are standard, legitimate business tools — millions of businesses use them. You're getting a real, dialable number assigned through normal carrier channels; there's nothing gray about it.
Do I keep my existing number?+
Yes. You can keep your current business number and forward it to RingOwl with a one-line carrier code, so customers keep dialing the number they already know — RingOwl just answers it. Or use your RingOwl number directly.
Does a virtual number come with someone to answer it?+
Usually no — a plain virtual number still rings your phone or drops to voicemail, and you answer it yourself. That's the gap RingOwl fills: the number comes with an AI receptionist that answers every call, books appointments, and texts you a summary.
Stop sending virtual phone number for business callers to voicemail
Forward your line, keep your number, and let RingOwl answer every call.
7-day trial · 30 minutes included · No credit card.