FreePBX vs Net2Phone (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Net2Phone grades higher than FreePBX: 2.4 against 2.0 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
FreePBX grades higher on the free plan. Net2Phone grades higher on features, ease of use and platforms. They get the same grade on value for money.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Net2Phone
Per-user cloud phone system with video, SMS and AI call tools
Which one is for you
Pick FreePBX if
- Fits if you're comfortable running your own server and want to avoid per-seat fees
- Works for teams with some telecom know-how that want control of their phone system
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you want someone else to host it, as the pages describe no hosted service
- Watch out: phones, carrier lines and paid support are separate from the free software
- Tight if nobody on your team can maintain a server, since you install and update it yourself
- Watch out: the commercial route is PBXact, sold by Sangoma
Pick Net2Phone if
- Fits if you want unlimited US, Canada and Mexico calling with video in one app
- Works for teams that want call summaries and sentiment analysis from the phone itself
Look elsewhere if
- Pricey if you pay monthly: Essentials is $28.99 a user, against $27.99 on a 36-month term
- Watch out: the lowest per-user prices need a 36-month term
- Watch out: AI Agent and Coach AI are separate credit-based products, from $99.99 and $109.99 a month
- Watch out: WhatsApp messaging is listed as coming soon on Professional and Ultimate
- Tight if you need a trial plan: the length isn't stated
How we grade them
| 2.0GPAFreePBXFair | 2.4GPANet2PhoneFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CThe code is free under the GPL-3.0 licence, but it's only free if you host it yourself, which needs a server, and carrier lines and phones are extra. That makes it a C. | CEssentials is $27.99 a user a month on a 36-month term ($28.99 monthly), above this category's $21 dearer-quarter line. Bands of 10 to 24 users cost less per head. |
| Free plan and trial | BNo licence fee and no account, but you pay for the server, carrier lines and phones, and any support. | DA free trial is offered on every plan, but its length isn't stated and a card isn't ruled out. No free plan. |
| Features | CA web interface and add-on modules for an Asterisk PBX. The pages read describe no hosted service, and no video or texting is listed. | BUnlimited calling to the US, Canada and Mexico, video, texting, AI summaries and a visual workflow builder. The listing shows no gap in the core phone job. |
| Ease of use | DNo store rating on record. You install, host and update it yourself, which is self-hosting. | CNo store rating on record. Phones, plans, workflows and integrations need set-up. |
| Platforms and integrations | CWeb interface only, with one integration on record. | AWeb, Mac, Windows, iPhone and Android apps, with an integration product connecting calls and texts to 100+ apps. The mobile app needs an active plan. |
| Best for | running your own Asterisk phone system | a per-user cloud phone with video and AI call tools |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: FreePBX and Net2Phone. How we grade
Price against what you get
FreePBX has no paid plan and scores 1.7 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Net2Phone starts at $27.99 a month for each person and scores 3.0.
Net2Phone scores higher, and starts $27.99 a month higher: the question is whether the extra is worth that to you. Of the other business phone systems on the chart, none scores higher than FreePBX for less, and 5 score higher than Net2Phone for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
- FreePBX is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- Net2Phone also covers transcription, workflow automation, video calls and business texting.
At a glance
| FreePBX | Net2Phone | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free trial |
| Starts at | Free | $27.99 per user / month on a 36-month term ($28.99 billed monthly), 1-9 users |
| Free plan | The FreePBX code is published under the GPL-3.0 license and is run on your own server; no paid plan is listed on the pages read. | None |
| Free trial | None listed | Free trial offered on every Unite plan; its length is not stated. |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Sangoma | net2phone |
| Price read from | github.com | net2phone.com |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
FreePBX
- You install, host and update it yourself; the pages read describe no hosted service.
- Phones, carrier lines and any paid support are separate from the free software.
- The freepbx.org site answered with a bot check, so pricing and download details were read from GitHub and Sangoma's open-source page.
Net2Phone
- The lowest per-user prices need a 36-month term; the page also lists higher monthly-billed prices.
- Prices change with the user count in four bands (1-9, 10-24, 25-99 and 100+), and the 100+ band is contact-for-pricing.
- AI Agent and Coach AI are separate credit-based products sold apart from Unite, from $99.99 and $109.99 a month.
- WhatsApp messaging is listed as coming soon on Professional and Ultimate.
Key features
FreePBX
- Web GUI for Asterisk
- A browser interface for setting up and managing the Asterisk PBX, aimed at teams with less telecom expertise.
- Modular design
- A framework module sits at the center and every other module depends on it, so features are added as modules.
- Open-source code
- Source is published on GitHub under the GPL-3.0 license, with a community forum for help and release news.
- Commercial route
- PBXact is Sangoma's commercial system developed with the FreePBX community and supported by Sangoma's own staff.
Net2Phone
- Business phone system
- A unified web and mobile app with 40+ calling features and unlimited calling to the US, Canada and Mexico on every Unite plan.
- Video meetings
- Limited video on Essentials, full video on Professional, and webinar and live stream hosting on Ultimate.
- AI call tools
- Professional adds AI call transcription and summaries, and Ultimate adds AI call sentiment analysis.
- Texting and chat
- External SMS/MMS messaging on every plan, 1-to-1 internal chat on Essentials and group chats and channels from Professional up.
- Workflow integrations
- The Integrate product builds visual workflows from calls and texts into more than 100 apps, such as Salesforce, HubSpot and Slack.
- Desktop and mobile apps
- Apps for Mac, Windows, iOS and Android. The mobile app is free to download but needs an active plan.
Plans
FreePBX
FreePBX$0
Open-source software that you host yourself; carrier lines, phones and support are separate.
Net2Phone
Unite Essentials$27.99
per user / month, 36-month term ($28.99 monthly), 1-9 users
Calling to the US, Canada and Mexico, 40+ phone features, limited video, 1-to-1 chat and SMS/MMS. $24.99 a month for 10-24 users, on the 36-month term $21.99.
Unite Professional$34.99
per user / month, 36-month term ($35.99 monthly), 1-9 users
Adds international calling to 40+ countries, full video, group chat, AI call transcription and summaries, and multi-device support. $29.99 monthly at 10-24 users.
Unite Ultimate$39.99
per user / month, 36-month term ($44.99 monthly), 1-9 users
Adds webinar and live stream video and AI call sentiment analysis. $38.99 monthly at 10-24 users, and 100+ users are priced through sales.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, FreePBX or Net2Phone?
As of Nov 12, 2026, FreePBX is cheaper to start with: it is free, against $27.99 a month for each person for Net2Phone. FreePBX is free, and Net2Phone starts at $27.99 per user / month on a 36-month term ($28.99 billed monthly), 1-9 users.
Which has a free plan, FreePBX or Net2Phone?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only FreePBX has a free plan. Net2Phone does not, though it has a free trial.
Which platforms do FreePBX and Net2Phone run on?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only Net2Phone lists macOS, Windows, iOS and Android apps. Both list a web app. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.