FreePBX vs VitalPBX (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, VitalPBX grades higher than FreePBX: 2.4 against 2.0 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
VitalPBX grades higher on features and platforms. They get the same grade on value for money, the free plan and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
VitalPBX
Asterisk-based PBX you install on your own server or VPS
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 VitalPBX if
- Fits if you can run a Linux server and want a PBX with no per-extension fee
- Works for IT firms that host phone systems for clients
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you don't want to run a server, as you host and maintain it
- Watch out: the license has no calling service or phone numbers
- Tight if you stay free: 12 extensions, 2 WebRTC clients and forum support
- Pricey if you grow on VitalPBX One, which is priced by extension count
How we grade them
| 2.0GPAFreePBXFair | 2.4GPAVitalPBXFair | |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | CCommunity is free but self-hosted, which needs a server. Paid plans start at $225 a year for VitalPBX One, and Enterprise is $1,000 a year for unlimited extensions. |
| Free plan and trial | BNo licence fee and no account, but you pay for the server, carrier lines and phones, and any support. | BCommunity covers 12 extensions with unlimited calls, the full feature set and 2 WebRTC clients, enough for a small office. Support is forum only. |
| 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. | BSelf-hosted PBX, a call center suite, multi-tenant hosting, WebRTC and mobile clients and AI tools. Nothing missing from the core phone job. |
| Ease of use | DNo store rating on record. You install, host and update it yourself, which is self-hosting. | DNo store rating on record. You install, host and maintain the server yourself. |
| Platforms and integrations | CWeb interface only, with one integration on record. | BWeb, Windows, iOS and Android clients, with Salesforce, Zoho, HubSpot, Odoo and Asterisk. |
| Best for | running your own Asterisk phone system | a PBX you install on your own server |
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 VitalPBX. 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. VitalPBX starts at $18.75 a month when paid by the year and scores 2.3.
VitalPBX scores higher, and starts $18.75 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 8 score higher than VitalPBX 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, according to its own site.
- VitalPBX can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- VitalPBX also covers transcription.
At a glance
| FreePBX | VitalPBX | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free plan |
| Starts at | Free | $225 per year and up (VitalPBX One, priced by extensions) |
| 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. | Community plan: 12 extensions, unlimited simultaneous calls, the full feature set, 2 VitXi WebRTC clients, provisioning for 20 devices and forum support. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| Windows | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Sangoma | VitalPBX, LLC |
| Price read from | github.com | vitalpbx.com |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Nov 13, 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.
VitalPBX
- You install, host and maintain the server yourself; the license does not include calling service or phone numbers.
- The free Community plan stops at 12 extensions, 2 WebRTC clients and forum-only support.
- VitalPBX One is priced by extension count, so it grows with headcount, unlike the other commercial plans.
- The Windows softphone and the mobile apps are separate clients; Connect licenses are sold per device.
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.
VitalPBX
- Self-hosted PBX
- Install from an ISO on your own server, run it on a virtual machine, or deploy it on a cloud VPS or marketplace image. You manage extensions, IVRs, queues and trunks in a web interface.
- Flat license, no per-extension fee
- Enterprise, Call Center and Multi-Tenant include unlimited extensions and unlimited simultaneous calls. VitalPBX One is the exception: it is priced by extension count.
- Sonata Call Center Suite
- Adds a live operator console, real-time and historical queue stats, an outbound dialer, call billing and recording search. The Call Center and Multi-Tenant plans include the full suite.
- Multi-tenant hosting
- The Multi-Tenant plan runs up to 100 isolated tenants on one server, each with its own extensions, routes and IVRs.
- WebRTC and mobile clients
- VitXi runs calls in the browser, VitalPBX Communicator is a Windows softphone, and VitalPBX Connect is a mobile app for iOS and Android.
- AI tools
- Voicemail and recording transcription, call sentiment summaries, an AI voice agent and Helpdesk AI. The AI Agent and Helpdesk AI are listed on the Call Center and Multi-Tenant plans.
Plans
FreePBX
FreePBX$0
Open-source software that you host yourself; carrier lines, phones and support are separate.
VitalPBX
Community$0
12 extensions, unlimited simultaneous calls and forum support only.
VitalPBX One$125
per month and up, priced by extensions ($225 per year and up)
Priced by the extensions you pick. Includes all commercial modules, Sonata Call Center Suite and ticket support.
Enterprise$100
per month for unlimited extensions ($1,000 per year, $4,000 one time)
One flat license with unlimited extensions, Sonata Switchboard, Billing and Recording, 50 VitXi WebRTC clients and 1 tenant.
Call Center$200
per month for unlimited extensions ($2,000 per year, $8,000 one time)
Unlimited extensions, all commercial modules, the full Sonata Call Center Suite, AI Agent and Helpdesk AI.
Multi-Tenant$250
per month for unlimited extensions ($2,500 per year, $10,000 one time)
Everything in Call Center for service providers, with up to 100 tenants on one server.
Ways to pay less
FreePBX
No public discounts listed.
VitalPBX
- Annual discount
Two free months on annual plans
The pricing page says annual plans get two free months; for example Enterprise is $1,000 a year against $100 a month.
- Lifetime license
One-time license purchase
Enterprise, Call Center and Multi-Tenant can be bought once, at $4,000, $8,000 and $10,000, instead of billed monthly or yearly.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, FreePBX or VitalPBX?
As of Nov 13, 2026, FreePBX is cheaper to start with: it is free, against $18.75 a month when paid by the year for VitalPBX. FreePBX is free, and VitalPBX starts at $225 per year and up (VitalPBX One, priced by extensions).
Which has a free plan, FreePBX or VitalPBX?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both FreePBX and VitalPBX have a free plan.
Which platforms do FreePBX and VitalPBX run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only VitalPBX lists 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.