FreePBX review (2026): is it any good?
Open-source web interface for managing an Asterisk phone system
FreePBX report card
Fair · out of 4.0 · graded Nov 12, 2026
Best for running your own Asterisk phone system
FreePBX is free open-source software, a web interface for managing an Asterisk phone system on your own server. You install, host and update it yourself, and carrier lines, phones and paid support all cost extra.
Who FreePBX is for
- 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
Who FreePBX is not for
- 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
Why FreePBX gets a 2.0
Five grades, each with its reason. The GPA is their average: an A is 4 points, an F is none.
- CValue for moneyThe 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.
- BFree plan and trialNo licence fee and no account, but you pay for the server, carrier lines and phones, and any support.
- CFeaturesA web interface and add-on modules for an Asterisk PBX. The pages read describe no hosted service, and no video or texting is listed.
- DEase of useNo store rating on record. You install, host and update it yourself, which is self-hosting.
- CPlatforms and integrationsWeb interface only, with one integration on record.
What these grades rest on. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from FreePBX's own pages on 12 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews. How we review and grade.
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<a href="https://toolgpa.com/tools/freepbx#review"><img src="https://toolgpa.com/badge/freepbx.svg" alt="FreePBX: 2.0 GPA on ToolGPA" width="196" height="56"></a>Where FreePBX stands among business phone systems
FreePBX's GPA of 2.0 is higher than 9 of the 44 other business phone systems we grade, and level with 10.
It stands best on free plan and trial (B, above 42 of 44) and worst on ease of use (D, above 0).
FreePBX has no paid plan.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 1.7 out of 4, and no tool on the category's chart scores higher without costing more.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 45 business phone systems we grade, cut by the letter each got. FreePBX’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 5 of 44, level with 29
- BFree plan and trialAbove 42 of 44, level with 2
- CFeaturesAbove 1 of 44, level with 24
- DEase of useAbove 0 of 44, level with 3
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 1 of 44, level with 4
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 34 business phone systems. Further left costs less, and higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Point at a dot to see which tool it is.
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
Keep FreePBX, or make your own?
Keep it
FreePBX is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces. That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 25 of the 44 other business phone systems grade higher.
What you could not
- Phone numbers and calls carried over the phone network.
What this rests on. FreePBX’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
What is FreePBX?
FreePBX is a web-based, open-source graphical interface for controlling and managing the Asterisk PBX. Organizations install and run it themselves, and Sangoma, its main sponsor, sells a commercial system called PBXact built on the same community project.
Worth knowing
- 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.
Key features
- 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.
FreePBX pricing
As of Nov 12, 2026, FreePBX is free to use.
- Starts at
- Free
- 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.
- Free trial
- None listed
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| FreePBX | $0 | Open-source software that you host yourself; carrier lines, phones and support are separate. |
Read from github.com on Nov 12, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with FreePBX before you buy.
Works with
- Asterisk
FreePBX alternatives
- FreePBX vs Yeastar
Free trial
- FreePBX vs RingCentral
Free trial · from $20/mo
- FreePBX vs Net2Phone
Free trial · from $27.99/mo
Common questions
Does FreePBX have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. FreePBX is listed for Web.
Does FreePBX have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. FreePBX is listed for Web.
Is FreePBX open source?
Yes. FreePBX is open source, according to its own site. It can also be run on a server of your own.
Sources for this page
The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Nov 12, 2026.