The FreePBX Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about FreePBX in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
FreePBX
The Insider’s Guide
Open-source web interface for managing an Asterisk phone system
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among business phone systems, read from FreePBX’s own pages.
Made by Sangoma · checked Nov 12, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from FreePBX’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on FreePBX’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 12, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.0
GPA, above 9 of the 44 other business phone systems we grade
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.
To get you started, here are 8 things to know about FreePBX, taken from its own pages and our grades.
You install, host and update it yourself, and carrier lines, phones and paid support all cost extra.
- 1
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.
- 2
It is free
FreePBX has no paid plan at all. 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.
- 3
It runs on Web
Web.
- 4
Web GUI for Asterisk
A browser interface for setting up and managing the Asterisk PBX, aimed at teams with less telecom expertise.
- 5
Modular design
A framework module sits at the center and every other module depends on it, so features are added as modules.
- 6
Open-source code
Source is published on GitHub under the GPL-3.0 license, with a community forum for help and release news.
- 7
A 2.0 GPA, above 9 of 44
That is against the other business phone systems we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 8
Keep it
FreePBX is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
FreePBX at a glance
- Pricing
- Free
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Web
- Made by
- Sangoma
- Category
- Business Phone Systems
- Our grade
- 2.0 GPA, fair
The report card
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.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | The 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. |
| Free plan and trial | B | No licence fee and no account, but you pay for the server, carrier lines and phones, and any support. |
| Features | C | A web interface and add-on modules for an Asterisk PBX. The pages read describe no hosted service, and no video or texting is listed. |
| Ease of use | D | No store rating on record. You install, host and update it yourself, which is self-hosting. |
| Platforms and integrations | C | Web interface only, with one integration on record. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
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 it 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
Good to know
Good for
- Technical teams that want to run and control their own PBX
- Organizations that already work with Asterisk
- Buyers who want an open-source base with a commercial support option
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.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
Free
No paid plan at all
FreePBX is free to use.
No licence fee and no account, but you pay for the server, carrier lines and phones, and any support.
FreePBX
$0
Open-source software that you host yourself; carrier lines, phones and support are separate.
The 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.
Read from github.com on Nov 12, 2026.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
1
Place it runs: Web
Open-source web interface for managing an Asterisk phone system. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: open source, self-hostable, business phone line.
A web interface and add-on modules for an Asterisk PBX.
- 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.
Where it runs
- Web
What it works with
- Asterisk
FreePBX is made by Sangoma.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
9/44
Other business phone systems it is graded above
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
- BFree plan and trialAbove 42 of 44
- CFeaturesAbove 1 of 44
- DEase of useAbove 0 of 44
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 1 of 44
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 34 business phone systems. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. FreePBX is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
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.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Yeastar, Sangoma, RingCentral and Net2Phone
The 4 tools FreePBX is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.6GPA
Yeastar
Free trial
P-Series PBX in cloud, software or appliance editions.
- FreePBX has a free plan. Yeastar does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Yeastar lists macOS, Windows, iOS and Android apps.
- Only Yeastar lists a browser extension.
- 1.8GPA
Sangoma
Paid
Business phone system in cloud, hybrid and on-premises forms.
- FreePBX has a free plan. Sangoma does not.
- Only Sangoma lists Windows, macOS, iOS and Android apps.
- FreePBX is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- 3.0GPA
RingCentral
Free trial · from $20/mo
Cloud phone system with texting, fax, video meetings and team chat.
- FreePBX has a free plan. RingCentral does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only RingCentral lists macOS, Windows, iOS and Android apps.
- FreePBX is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- 2.4GPA
Net2Phone
Free trial · from $27.99/mo
Per-user cloud phone system with video, SMS and AI call tools.
- FreePBX has a free plan. Net2Phone does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Net2Phone lists macOS, Windows, iOS and Android apps.
- FreePBX is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
12
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is FreePBX free?
Yes. FreePBX is free to use.
How much does FreePBX cost?
FreePBX lists one plan. FreePBX: $0.
What platforms does FreePBX work on?
FreePBX is available on Web.
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.
What does FreePBX integrate with?
FreePBX's listing names Asterisk. A listing names up to eight integrations, so it may connect to more.
Who makes FreePBX?
FreePBX is made by Sangoma.
What are the alternatives to FreePBX?
The closest alternatives to FreePBX in our directory are Yeastar, Sangoma, RingCentral and Net2Phone.
How does FreePBX compare with other 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.
Is FreePBX good value for money?
ToolGPA grades FreePBX C for value for money. FreePBX has no paid plan.
Could I make my own version of FreePBX?
FreePBX is free, so making your own would save you nothing. And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from FreePBX’s own pages on Nov 12, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 12, 2026. 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.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Sangoma. Prices change, so check freepbx.org before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
5,038
Tools graded, in 95 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
5,038
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- FreePBX, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/freepbx
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "FreePBX: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 12, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/freepbx
Know someone choosing between business phone systems?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/freepbx/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded business phone systems after FreePBX, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Business Phone Systems Insider's GuideEvery one of the 45 business phone systems we grade, compared
- Zadarma Insider's GuideCloud PBX and virtual numbers in 110+ countries, free to start3.2 GPA
- Grasshopper Insider's GuideVirtual business number on your own phone, priced per account3.0 GPA
- RingCentral Insider's GuideCloud phone system with texting, fax, video meetings and team chat3.0 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what FreePBX’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. FreePBX is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Sangoma. Prices and plans change: check freepbx.org before you buy.