When choosing a softphone for personal use or business purposes, it is very important to first weigh the pros and cons of each option. For some users, reliability without technical failures is important, for others, the application runs in the background, for others, quick integration with third-party services, and for others, everything at once. The 1ats team has tested 4 popular IP telephony applications and is ready to share with you their independent assessment.
Zoiper
Quite a well-known softphone for virtual telephony, especially among iPhone users. The program helps solve many problems of modern business, and is also suitable for personal use. In the application store or desktop versions of applications, you can find a free version with limited functionality, or immediately purchase the full version of the softphone and use all the features of modern telephony.]
VIEW INSTRUCTIONS FOR SETTING UP ZOIPER
Pros:
- Low load on device processors
- Quickly switch between tabs
- Simple and intuitive interface
- Low battery consumption
Minuses:
- Periodic technical glitches, especially after the release of new versions
- Limitation of important softphone functions in the free version
- Intrusive reminders to upgrade to the paid version
Final assessment: the application does a good job of performing basic IP telephony tasks, but constant reminders about the need to upgrade to the paid version and periodic glitches distract the user.
Example of setting up Zadarma SIP client for IOS
Setting up in the Zadarma application is intuitive, however, despite this, it would not be superfluous to create step-by-step instructions for this process.
First of all, you need to register on the website of the company providing PBX services - Zadarma.
Next, you should install the application itself, and then run it:
- After launch, a window will open in front of the client in which the program asks to enter a login and password.
- The username and password can be found in the personal account of the Zadarma Internet telephony subscriber. After entering the data, you can click on the “Login” button.
- The main setup of the program is over and you can go directly to additional parameters.
- First, select the codecs of interest. Go to the “Settings” section, then open the “Codecs” tab.
- If the user does not have any special preferences in this direction of program settings, it is better to leave the Zadarma codecs by default.
- The final step is to grant the application access to the network. To do this, you need to exit the program. Then go to the main settings of the phone itself. There you should find the Zadarma application. In the window that opens, we are interested in the “Cellular Data” tab. Turn on the toggle switch and exit the settings.
Media5-fone
A free application that allows you to make incoming and outgoing calls, set up call forwarding, hold conferences and multitask. Thanks to the application running in the background, you can use other applications on your smartphone without worrying about missed incoming calls.
Pros:
- Work in the background
- Lots of free features
- Convenient setup of multiple profiles
- Uninterrupted and high-quality communication
Minuses:
- There are paid functions, without which it is inconvenient to use the application
- There may be restrictions from cellular operators
- There are problems switching profiles
Final assessment: the ability to run the program in the background makes it easier to use, but when interacting with several profiles at once, technical glitches often occur.
VoIP Software from the Microsoft Store
MobileVoIP
Mobile VoIP is a free app on Microsoft Store. It allows free and cheap calls to other Mobile VoIP users, landline and mobile phones. It has a simple interface so the users can operate is with ease, all they need is a working microphone and speakers.
Mobile VoIP offers Instant messaging and audio / Video calls as a basic VoIP app. It also offers several free destinations for international calling and cheap rates for other destinations.
Viber
Viber was initially launched as a mobile app but now it is also available in Windows 10 app store for download. The only drawback is that it is required to be installed on mobile before it can be used on Windows 10.
It Syncs with your Viber account and offers a wide range of services. Viber offers to send instant messages whether audio or text. It also allows the users to voice call to other Viber contacts over the internet.
Viber also offers Viber out service. Viber out service allows you to place calls to mobile phones and landlines at very cheap and affordable rate, these rates start from 1.9 cents per minute.
These rates depend on which country you are calling. Viber is also updated frequently so the support from developers is really good.
OoVoO
OoVoO is an instant messaging, Voice and Video calling service. OoVoO has all the latest features of a VoIP the features that distinct it from others are as follows; 12-way video and audio conferencing which allows as many as 12 people to talk simultaneously to each other.
It is available in Windows 10 app store and it can also be accessed on your internet browser thorough internet which allows easy access.
OoVoO allows to send and receive files over the app messaging and can share screen over the app. OoVoO offers cheap rates for calls on landline numbers.
A very interesting feature is that the users can connect landline calls to the VoIP calls in a conference call.
Line
Line is one of the top VoIP apps on Windows 10 and it allows the users to instant message and voice as well as video call over the internet.
Users can add contacts through their phones and sync them with their Windows 10 Computer. And then simply text or call through one push of a button.
LINE app also features a timeline to update statuses, images or sticker to show the current mood of the user. It also lets the user to send and receive pictures and hundreds of stickers to make chat more interactive and fun.
3СХ
DOWNLOAD 3CX FOR IOS
Convenient and functional SIP client for mobile (IOS and Android) and desktop (Mac OS and Windows) platforms. The key feature of this application for IP telephony is the ability to use it as a regular office PBX. The program is easy to install and configure to suit the requirements of each virtual telephony user.
Pros:
- A large number of functions that facilitate telephone customer service
- Thoughtful and concise interface
- High application speed
Minuses:
- Technical glitches in the program, especially after updates are released
- High battery consumption
Final assessment: the application works quickly and there are no problems with making or receiving calls, however, after updates are released, various minor errors may appear that interfere with users.
VoIP softphone apps to make and receive free calls through SIP
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by Nadeem Unuth
Specializes in information and communication technology with a focus on VoIP.
Updated June 24, 2019
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22 people found this article helpful
Having a SIP account gives you the freedom to communicate through VoIP. Among the benefits is the ability to make and receive free phone calls to other SIP users worldwide, and to use a softphone software of your choice without being tied to what one VoIP service provider offers. Here are the best free SIP softphone apps and where to get them.
01 of 07
X-Lite
- Compatible with most VoIP services and IP PBXs.
- Format text in instant messages.
What We Don't Like
- Consumes system resources.
- No support for commercial use.
X-Lite Softphone Review
X-Lite is arguably the most popular SIP-based softphone app, widely used by individuals and business people alike. It's well-designed with a lot of features including QoS and a long list of codecs. CounterPath positions their free, entry-level app as an enticement for clients to purchase their more enhanced products such as EyeBeam and Bria.
Download X-Lite
02 of 07
Ekiga
- Offers multiple VoIP codecs.
- Edit the source code for a personalized experience.
What We Don't Like
- Fewer features than similar apps.
- No version for Mac users.
Ekiga Softphone Review
Formerly known as GnomeMeeting, Ekiga is general public license software for GNOME (Linux) and Windows. It offers all the basic features needed for good, fluid SIP communication in a clean, clear interface. Ekiga also offers free SIP accounts. You can use Ekiga for both voice calling and video conferencing.
Download Ekiga
03 of 07
Jitsi
- Works well on any operating system.
- Excellent mobile support.
What We Don't Like
- Time-consuming to configure properly.
- Documentation lacks detail.
Jitsi is a Java-built open-source instant-messaging (IM) application loaded with features. Along with other IM features, it also allows voice and video communication through SIP. Other interesting features include call recording, IPv6 support, encryption, and support for many protocols.
Download Jitsi
04 of 07
LinPhone
- Well-organized interface.
- Intuitive contact manager.
What We Don't Like
- Lacks a clickable standard phone dialer.
- Only supports VP8 video codec.
LinPhone is open-source software for Windows, MacOS, and Linux, plus Android and iPhone mobile platforms. LinPhone allows voice and video communication with a lot of interesting features, including many codecs, support for IPv6, echo cancellation, bandwidth management and more.
Download Linphone
05 of 07
Blink
- Easy Google Drive and OSX integration.
- Offers a “lite” version for Mac users.
What We Don't Like
- No hotkeys or redial button.
- Hold feature can be finicky.
Blink is simple but has all the features you need to make voice and video calls over SIP. Available for Windows, MacOS, and Linux, it's distributed under a GPL license.
Download Blink
06 of 07
Empathy
- Geolocation tool keeps track of friends.
- Very lightweight.
What We Don't Like
- Features are basic and limited.
- No Windows, Mac, or mobile versions.
Empathy IM Review
Empathy is more like an instant-messaging app that is also a fully featured SIP app. It works with many other protocols, as well. However, Empathy is strictly Linux software. It offers a full complement of features and compares well against instant-messaging tools that run on Android and other common platforms.
Download Empathy
07 of 07
MicroSIP
What We Don't Like
- Complicated set up process.
- Only available for Windows.
MicroSIP is a free, open-source app that allows high-quality VoIP calls through SIP. It gets the job done without any excess features, making it very light on resource usage and very nice to use if you just want to communicate simply and plainly. MicroSIP is a portable app.
Download MicroSIP
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What to choose
As mentioned at the beginning of the article, choosing a specific application for IP telephony is extremely subjective, but we will try to reduce this list to the smallest number of candidates.
First, let's remove SIP clients that are no longer supported by developers. In the list presented earlier, these are 5-fone SIP and ForFone. No matter how good these applications are, it is no longer possible to use them.
Then you can turn to user reviews. Two SIP clients have the highest ratings in the official App Store market - 3CX and Zadarma.
Therefore, it is best to choose between these two options based on your preferred pricing plans and interface.
