Hosted PBX pricing is an important part of a business’ budget. Businesses today need phone systems that are reliable, flexible, and affordable. A hosted PBX is often the answer, but one question always comes first: how much does it cost?
This is not an easy question. Providers use different pricing models. While some charge by user, others bill by channel. In addition, setup fees are common. Numbers may or may not be included. Many companies end up paying for features they don’t use, or missing features they actually need. For a business that relies on phones every day, this confusion makes budgeting hard and can even lead to wasted money.
In this article, we’ll explain how hosted PBX pricing works in 2025. We’ll look at the average costs, the factors that drive the price, and the differences between traditional PBX systems and cloud-hosted options. By the end, you’ll know what range to expect and what to ask when comparing providers.
Average Hosted PBX Pricing
In general, hosted PBX pricing usually falls between $15 and $40 per user each month. This range comes from common industry models and published price lists in the market. For small teams, the lower end often applies. For larger businesses or advanced setups, costs move toward the higher end.
For example, an entry-level package may include one user, one number, and basic call routing for about $15–$20 per month. A mid-range package at $25–$30 per month often adds voicemail-to-email, call forwarding, and mobile app support. Premium plans, around $35–$40 or more, usually include advanced features like call recording, analytics, IVR menus, and integrations with CRM or helpdesk tools.
There are also setup costs to consider. Adding a new user can carry a one-time activation fee, usually $10–$50 depending on the provider. Some charge for number porting if you want to bring your old phone number into the new system. These small costs add up, especially for larger teams.
So while the monthly subscription is the headline cost, setup fees and optional features are what often push the final price higher.
What Drives Hosted PBX Pricing?
The total cost of a hosted PBX depends on a mix of setup requirements and ongoing features.
1. Setup and Basic Access
Every hosted PBX needs a foundation. That usually means:
- User licenses: Most providers charge per user or per seat.
- Phone numbers (DIDs): A direct number for each user or department.
- Channels or lines: The number of simultaneous calls your business can handle.
for example, A call center may have 20 agents sharing one phone number. In this case, the number is cheap, but channels (the simultaneous call paths) drive the cost. In contrast, a sales team may each need their own direct line, making numbers the more important cost.
2. Features and Add-Ons
The second driver is functionality. Basic routing and voicemail are often included. But advanced features add cost:
- Auto-attendant / IVR menus help callers reach the right person without a receptionist.
- Call recording supports training and compliance but uses more storage.
- Analytics and reporting give insight into call volumes, wait times, and agent performance.
- Integrations with tools like Microsoft Teams, Salesforce, or Zendesk connect phones with your wider workflow.
- Security and compliance features, such as end-to-end encryption or data residency in specific countries, are sometimes offered at higher tiers.
Each extra feature increases the monthly subscription. For some businesses, these extras are essential. On the other hand, some will find the features nice-to-have but not worth the extra cost.
Hosted PBX vs Traditional PBX
In the past, businesses purchased traditional PBXs as large upfront investments. They also came in fixed sizes, so you often paid for unused capacity. Maintenance was on your shoulders, which meant ongoing costs for IT staff or external technicians.
A hosted PBX removes the hardware burden. Costs are spread out in smaller monthly fees. Scaling is simple: add or remove users as you need them. The trade-off is that recurring fees can add up over time. But for most businesses, the flexibility outweighs the predictability of a one-time purchase.
Top Hosted PBX Providers: At a Glance
Plug-and-play models
Plug-and-play hosted PBXs are subscriptions where you get user licenses, download the app and go live almost immediately. Unless you’re working with a third-party integrator, the provider you choose owns and runs everything. This includes SIP trunks, global routing, and compliance.
These models are excellent for markets where they’re available, especially small to medium businesses. They’re super simple and require little technical expertise.
However, the trade off is that you have limited flexibility. You often pay per-user bundles even if your business model needs something else (like shared lines or many extensions).
Plug-and-play models listed here offer extensive features, including advanced call routing, SMS, and AI-enabled productivity tools. More features are included once you go higher up the price tiers.
| Provider | Entry Cost | Pricing Models | Features | Takeaway |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RingCentral | $30 | • Charged per seat • Unlimited domestic calling in USA and Canada • Flat-rate international calling | All-in-one business comms experience: • Great third-party integrations • Easy-to-use interface | Top option for teamwork, video meetings, and user-friendly design |
| 8×8 | Pricing upon request | • Pricing upon request • Metered outbound calling | Rich features with wide global coverage: • Unlimited call queues • Options for unlimited calling areas • Great contact centre features | Excellent for global calling needs |
| Zoom Phone | $10 | • 12-month upfront commitment | Innovative AI features including: • AI receptionist • Post-call and SMS thread summaries • Voicemail task extraction • Unified admin portal | Great balance of video, collaboration tools, flexibility and cost Best for businesses that are already using Zoom |
Middleware PBX platforms
A middleware hosted PBX pricing works differently. Instead of a complete platform, they offer a PBX engine that you (or your IT partner) deploy and connect to SIP trunks. You’ll get the PBX software and management tools. But it’s your choice of telecom carriers, SIP providers, and how you want to structure call routing.
It’s robust, customizable and gives you flexibility on how you use your user/channel models (e.g. 20 agents on 1 number). Middleware PBXs are also easier to integrate with CRMs, call center tools or custom systems and can be cheaper with bulk discounts.
However, this solution does require more IT/admin effort.
| Provider | Entry Cost | Pricing Models | Features | Takeaway |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yeastar Cloud PBX | Pricing upon request Expected $20 per month. Discounts may apply. | • No rates included (as per your SIP trunk or telecom provider) • Offers simultaneous call (SC) packages or per-extension models | Highly-rated user experiences: • Wide API integration capability • Ease of installation and value for flexibility • Excellent support | Flexible, highly scalable, and budget-friendly. Best for enterprise teams with complex or hybrid team arrangements |
| 3CX | Pricing upon request May very depending on your 3CX partner | • No rates included (as per your SIP trunk provider or telecom) • Offers simultaneous call (SC) packages | Strong features: • Unlimited-extensions free version available • Popular knowledge base and setup | Good for tech-savvy, cost-sensitive businesses. *The researcher for this article noted significant user concerns for 3CX. Please review your vendors carefully. |
A Solution In Between: ULAP Voice
ULAP Voice offers the flexibility you’d expect from a middleware PBX, without the hassle of managing separate telecom contracts.
Like Yeastar, it allows businesses to scale channels and extensions in ways that match real-world usage, avoiding wasted costs. But unlike middleware-only options, ULAP provides end-to-end service, including SIP trunking, management, and global routing.
| Provider | Entry Cost | Pricing Models | Features | Takeaway |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ULAP Voice | $4 per user license* *Prices may vary by partner or region | Highly customizable: • Charged per user license • Separate SBCaaS charge per channel and per user *Global and toll-free numbers available, or bring your own | Complete, simplified service and reliability: • Flexible user + channel models • End-to-end service • Single, simplified billing • Enterprise-grade reliability • Unified support • Wide call coverage | Best of both worlds. Combines plug-and-play simplicity with middleware flexibility Suitable for small businesses or large enterprises looking for scale. |
Benefits at a glance:
- USD4 monthly per user license
- Flexible user and channel models
- End-to-end service (PBX + SIP + numbers)
- Global calling coverage in over 113 countries
- Single, simplified billing
- Enterprise-grade reliability
- One provider, unified support
For example, an ULAP Voice license is priced at USD4.00 per user*. SIP trunks with SBCaaS are billed separately at USD5.00 per user and USD12.60 per channel, for highly customizable routing. Global and toll-free numbers are available, or you can bring your own. *Prices may vary by region.
As a result, businesses don’t need to negotiate multi-country contracts or manage local calling rates. Instead, they gain the simplicity of a plug-and-play service with the global reach and reliability of an enterprise carrier. For teams operating across borders, ULAP Voice combines flexibility, cost-efficiency, and worldwide scale in one service.
Final Thoughts
Hosted PBX pricing is not a single number. It’s a range shaped by how many users you have, what features you need, and how your provider structures their service. On average, expect to pay $15–$40 per user per month, plus setup costs for new numbers or users.
When comparing providers, here are some questions to consider: Do we need direct numbers for everyone? Is call recording or analytics a need? How many simultaneous calls do we actually take? The answers to these questions will guide to the right package, and help avoid paying for things you don’t use.
In our next article, we’ll compare the top hosted PBX providers of 2025 and explain how their pricing models stack up.
