The Grasshopper Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Grasshopper 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.
Grasshopper
The Insider’s Guide
Virtual business number on your own phone, priced per account
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among business phone systems, read from Grasshopper’s own pages.
Made by Grasshopper · checked Oct 17, 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 Grasshopper’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Grasshopper’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 17, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
3.0
GPA, above 18 of the 19 other business phone systems we grade
Grasshopper gives a small business a separate local, toll-free or vanity number that rings through an app on the owner's existing phone and computer, with calls, texts and voicemail in one shared inbox. Plans are a flat monthly fee rather than a price per user, and the two larger plans allow unlimited users. It started in 2003 and is now owned by GoTo.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Grasshopper, taken from its own pages and our grades.
It's a number and an inbox, though, with no integrations and no web app.
- 1
Best for a second business number on your own phone
Grasshopper gives you a business number that rings on the phone you already have, for one flat monthly fee however many people answer.
- 2
Paid plans start at $14 a month
As its pricing page puts it: $14 per month, billed annually.
- 3
You can try it first
7-day free trial, no credit card required
- 4
It runs on 4 platforms
macOS, Windows, iOS and Android.
- 5
A second number on your phone
Pick a local, toll-free or vanity number and use it through the mobile or desktop app, keeping business calls apart from a personal number.
- 6
Shared inbox
Calls, texts and voicemails sit in one thread per customer, and the inbox is shared so the whole team sees the same history.
- 7
Extensions and call forwarding
Forward calls to any number and add extensions for staff or departments: one on True Solo, three on Solo Plus and unlimited on Small Business.
- 8
A 3.0 GPA, above 18 of 19
That is against the other business phone systems we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
To replace Grasshopper you would be making phone numbers and calls carried over the phone network. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
Grasshopper at a glance
- Pricing
- Free trial, from $14 per month, billed annually
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- 7-day free trial, no credit card required
- Runs on
- macOS, Windows, iOS, Android
- Made by
- Grasshopper, since 2003
- Category
- Business Phone Systems
- Our grade
- 3.0 GPA, very good
- Store rating
- 4.7 on the App Store, 46,227 ratings
The report card
Best for a second business number on your own phone
Grasshopper gives you a business number that rings on the phone you already have, for one flat monthly fee however many people answer. For five people on Solo Plus that's about $6.20 each, which is hard to beat. It's a number and an inbox, though, with no integrations and no web app.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A | Solo Plus is $25 a month billed yearly for unlimited users. Add two $3 extensions so all five of you get one and it's about $6.20 a head, under 60% of this category's cheaper quarter. On your own, True Solo is $14. |
| Free plan and trial | C | A 7-day free trial with no credit card needed. No free plan. |
| Features | C | A local, toll-free or vanity number, a shared inbox for calls, texts and voicemail, extensions, recording with AI summaries, auto-replies and fax. It does that job fully, but it's a smaller job: no integrations, and advanced routing is on Small Business. |
| Ease of use | A | 4.75 from about 46,000 App Store ratings. Pick a number, install the app and the calls start ringing. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Mac, Windows, iPhone and Android apps, so phone and computer are covered. No web app and no integrations on record, which keeps it off the top grade. |
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 Grasshopper is for
- Great if you're a solo founder who wants a business line without carrying a second phone
- Handy when a few people answer the same number and you don't want a bill per person
- Good for businesses that want a toll-free or vanity number
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you're outside the US and Canada, as that's the only place it's sold
- Not for you if calls need to log into a CRM, since no integrations are on record
- Tight if you need several numbers on Solo Plus, at $9 a month for each extra one
Good to know
Good for
- Solo founders who want a business number on their own phone
- Small teams that want a flat bill however many people answer
- Businesses that need a toll-free or vanity number
Worth knowing
- Sold only in the US and Canada; international calls are billed per minute by destination.
- Texting needs carrier registration: a $19.50 one-time fee and $1.50 a month on every plan.
- Extra numbers cost $9 a month each on annual billing ($10 monthly), and extra extensions $3 ($5 monthly).
- The pricing page shows annual prices and says annual billing saves over 20%; only Solo Plus's monthly price ($32) was readable.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$14
A month to start
Grasshopper is a paid product with a free trial, starting at $14 per month, billed annually.
True Solo
$14
per month, billed annually
One user, one local or toll-free number and one extension, with unlimited calls and texts.
Solo Plus
$25
per month, billed annually ($32 billed monthly)
Unlimited users at no extra cost, one number and three extensions; more extensions cost $3 a month each.
Small Business
$55
per month, billed annually
Unlimited users, four numbers and unlimited extensions, with advanced call routing and call tracking.
Trying it first
7-day free trial, no credit card required
Read from grasshopper.com on Oct 17, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Annual discount
Annual savings over 20%
Grasshopper's pricing page says annual billing saves over 20%; its comparison page gives Solo Plus as $25 a month annually against $32 monthly.
Stated on grasshopper.com
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
4
Places it runs: macOS, Windows, iOS and Android
Virtual business number on your own phone, priced per account. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: AI features, transcription, shared inbox, business phone line, business texting.
It does that job fully, but it's a smaller job: no integrations, and advanced routing is on Small Business.
- A second number on your phone
- Pick a local, toll-free or vanity number and use it through the mobile or desktop app, keeping business calls apart from a personal number.
- Shared inbox
- Calls, texts and voicemails sit in one thread per customer, and the inbox is shared so the whole team sees the same history.
- Extensions and call forwarding
- Forward calls to any number and add extensions for staff or departments: one on True Solo, three on Solo Plus and unlimited on Small Business.
- Recording and AI call summaries
- Call recording with transcription, plus call summaries and AI sentiment drawn from customer calls.
- Automated replies
- Instant Response sends a set text reply when a call is missed, and scheduled auto-replies cover hours when no one is working.
- Virtual fax
- Inbound faxes arrive by email and in the app, without a fax machine.
Where it runs
- macOS
- Windows
- iOS
- Android
What it works with
Its own pages name no integrations.
Grasshopper is made by Grasshopper, and has been around since 2003.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
18/19
Other business phone systems it is graded above
Grasshopper's GPA of 3.0 is higher than 18 of the 19 other business phone systems we grade, and level with 1.
It stands best on value for money (A, above 18 of 19) and worst on features (C, above 0).
Its paid plans start at $14 a month, against a middle price of $19 for the category: 4 of the 16 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 3.0 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 20 business phone systems we grade, cut by the letter each got. Grasshopper’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 18 of 19
- CFree plan and trialAbove 8 of 19
- CFeaturesAbove 0 of 19
- AEase of useAbove 16 of 19
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 of 19
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 17 business phone systems. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Grasshopper 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
To replace Grasshopper you would be making phone numbers and calls carried over the phone network. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 3.0 is higher than 18 of the 19 other business phone systems we grade. It costs $168 a year.
What you could not
- Phone numbers and calls carried over the phone network.
- One mailbox that several people work at once.
- Texts from a business number, registered with the carriers.
- Speech turned into text you can trust.
- Apps for macOS, Windows, iOS and Android that stay in step with each other.
- AI features, unless you pay a model provider for each request yourself.
What this rests on. Grasshopper’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
Quo, Google Voice, Ooma Office, Talkroute and Dialpad
The 5 tools Grasshopper is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.8GPA
Quo
Free trial · from $15/mo
Business phone app for calls and texts on shared team numbers.
- Only Quo lists a web app.
- Quo also covers AI support agent.
- 2.4GPA
Google Voice
Free plan · from $10/mo
Google's phone number service for calls and texts on any device.
- Google Voice has a free plan. Grasshopper does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Grasshopper lists macOS and Windows apps.
- Only Google Voice lists a web app.
- 2.4GPA
Ooma Office
From $19.95/mo
Small business phone system with a virtual receptionist, no contract.
- Only Ooma Office lists a browser extension.
- Grasshopper also covers shared inbox.
- Ooma Office also covers team chat and video calls.
- 2.6GPA
Talkroute
Free trial · from $19/mo
Virtual phone system with call menus, texting and video meetings.
- Only Talkroute lists a web app.
- Only Talkroute lists a Linux app.
- Grasshopper also covers transcription and shared inbox.
- 2.8GPA
Dialpad
Free trial · from $15/mo
AI business phone with live call transcripts and call summaries.
- Only Dialpad lists a web app.
- Only Dialpad lists a browser extension.
- Grasshopper also covers shared inbox.
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 Grasshopper free?
No, Grasshopper is a paid product, but you can try it first. 7-day free trial, no credit card required.
How much does Grasshopper cost?
Grasshopper lists 3 plans. True Solo: $14 per month, billed annually.
What platforms does Grasshopper work on?
Grasshopper is available on macOS, Windows, iOS and Android.
Does Grasshopper offer any discounts?
Grasshopper publicly lists the following: Annual savings over 20%.
How is Grasshopper rated?
Grasshopper's iPhone and iPad app averages 4.7 out of 5 from 46,227 ratings on the App Store in the United States, as read on Oct 17, 2026.
Does Grasshopper have a Linux app?
No Linux app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 17, 2026. Grasshopper is listed for macOS, Windows, iOS and Android.
Is Grasshopper open source?
Grasshopper is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 17, 2026.
Who makes Grasshopper?
Grasshopper is made by Grasshopper. It dates from 2003.
What are the alternatives to Grasshopper?
The closest alternatives to Grasshopper in our directory are Quo, Google Voice, Ooma Office, Talkroute and Dialpad.
How does Grasshopper compare with other business phone systems?
Grasshopper's GPA of 3.0 is higher than 18 of the 19 other business phone systems we grade, and level with 1.
Is Grasshopper good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Grasshopper A for value for money. Its paid plans start at $14 a month, against a middle price of $19 for the category: 4 of the 16 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Grasshopper?
To replace Grasshopper you would be making phone numbers and calls carried over the phone network.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Grasshopper’s own pages on Oct 17, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 17, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Grasshopper's own pages on 17 October 2026, and its App Store rating. Its pricing page shows only a region notice from here, so only the $14 starting price could be checked again on 18 October 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 Grasshopper. Prices change, so check grasshopper.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
1,880
Tools graded, in 47 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.
ToolGPA is free to read. It may earn a commission from affiliate links and it works with sponsors, but anything paid for is labelled and no one can pay for a grade. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
1,880
tools graded
47
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Grasshopper, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/grasshopper
- 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, "Grasshopper: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 17, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/grasshopper
Know someone choosing between business phone systems?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/grasshopper/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded business phone systems after Grasshopper, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Business Phone Systems Insider's GuideEvery one of the 20 business phone systems we grade, compared
- RingCentral Insider's GuideCloud phone system with texting, fax, video meetings and team chat3.0 GPA
- Dialpad Insider's GuideAI business phone with live call transcripts and call summaries2.8 GPA
- Quo Insider's GuideBusiness phone app for calls and texts on shared team numbers2.8 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 Grasshopper’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. ToolGPA uses affiliate links and may earn a commission from them, and it works with sponsors; anything paid for is labelled, and no one can pay for a grade. Grasshopper is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Grasshopper. Prices and plans change: check grasshopper.com before you buy.