Best UCaaS Platforms: User Reviews from October 2025

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Learn More About UCaaS Platforms

What are UCaaS Platforms?

UCaaS is a type of software as a service (SaaS) that provides multiple channels for communication in one platform. UCaaS platforms offer robust communication channels and features aimed at promoting efficiency and productivity in internal and external communications. UCaaS platforms include features such as instant messaging, VoIP, softphone (software for making phone calls online), CRM, SMS, and video conferencing with many other cherry-picked collaboration tools like screen sharing, whiteboarding, and file sharing. UCaaS tools are also notable because the features provided by the platform are available on multiple devices. Users can easily access communication tools provided from desktops, laptops, mobile devices, and proprietary hardware if a service provides it.

Businesses have been leveraging unified communications (UC) systems for quite some time, but older solutions require extensive hardware setup and maintenance. The IT support required to maintain these on-premises solutions was expensive and demanding on manpower. UCaaS brings unified communications systems into the future by offering all the functionality buyers are looking for in a service conveniently hosted in the cloud. The pay-as-you-go model that comes with a cloud-based solution has driven down the cost for unified communications, which has made them more widely available to non-enterprise companies.

What Does UCaaS Stand For?

UCaaS stands for unified communications as a service.

What Types of UCaaS Platforms Exist?

There are two main distinctions buyers can make when looking for UCaaS products—internal versus external use and customizability. While some UCaaS systems can be used for both internal and external communications, many are specific to internal or external use cases. Additionally, customizability is determined if the UCaaS in question is a built-to-order, single-tenant system (one platform per user) or an out-of-the-box, multi-tenant system (one platform shared by multiple users).

Internal use: UCaaS products that support internal communications provide team collaboration tools, like whiteboarding and instant messaging, on top of the VoIP and video conferencing features that buyers expect. Internal-facing UCaaS products provide integrations with content management solutions to ease file sharing and storage needs. Many UCaaS solutions are available via mobile applications, making it a convenient option for teams.

External use: UCaaS for external use serves as the backbone for call center infrastructure. Call center representatives will have multiple communication channels to leverage when interacting with customers, and UCaaS systems conforming to this use case will provide integrations with help desk software to assist with ticketing and obtaining customer information.

Single-tenant systems: A single-tenant system is built for a specific client by a UCaaS service provider. Companies can pick and choose the functionality and integrations they require out of their UCaaS, ensuring they only pay for the features they need. Single-tenant systems are a great option for companies with specific needs, like particular APIs or less extensive offerings for a small business. Single-tenant systems can potentially be very expensive. A UCaaS provider may charge extra to develop a tool with all the functionality a business wants. If a business wants an enterprise-level custom product, they can expect a price tag that reflects that functionality accordingly.

Multi-tenant systems: Multi-tenant systems are generalized, out-of-the-box UCaaS products intended for use by multiple organizations. These offerings come as they are and have comparatively fewer customization options for businesses. Businesses looking for a UCaaS system they can simply deploy and maintain may stand to save money by choosing a multi-tenant system if they don’t require any specific integrations or APIs.

What are the Common Features of UCaaS Platforms?

A UCaaS product is a bundle of communication channels loaded into one offering, so the features of a typical UCaaS product often look like a list of point solutions. UCaaS products can vary in what channels they provide and the other collaboration tools they feature. Listed below are many of the popular features offered by UCaaS solutions, but this list is by no means exhaustive.

Instant messaging: One of the basic features of a UCaaS is 1:1 and group instant messaging. Users can either message each other directly or send messages to a group, promoting real-time business communication and collaboration.

VoIP conferencing: Audio conferencing in UCaaS products is provided via voice over internet protocol (VoIP). Users can access VoIP-based phone systems or audio conferencing over other devices.

Video conferencing: Another stable feature of UCaaS is video-based conferencing. The audio component of the video feed is hosted via VoIP telephony. Video conferencing often features a call recording function, allowing users to save and share the video with others.

Screen sharing: Any UCaaS that provides video conferencing will also provide screen sharing. Users can easily share a live feed of their screen or a specific program, making it a great feature for a collaborative user experience.

File sharing: Users can share files using a UCaaS platform. Some UCaaS products will streamline document and content sharing by integrating directly with content management systems.

Whiteboard: UCaaS products that heavily emphasize internal collaboration often natively provide a collaborative whiteboard software within the platform. Teams can use the whiteboard during in-person meetings or web conferencing, which can assist in streamlining workflows.

Call routing: An auto attendant automatically routes calls throughout an enterprise. This type of workflow automation is especially useful for companies that require an expansive PBX phone system.

Voicemail to email: One benefit of UCaaS is the unified nature of the communication channels provided by the platform. Users can receive voicemails via email since phone calls are hosted over VoIP.

Voicemail transcription: Some UCaaS solutions can transcribe voicemails into text-based messages that are easier to store and keep track of compared to audio files.

Other Features of UCaaS Platforms: CCaaS option, Conference transcripts, Tenancy flexibility

What are the Benefits of UCaaS Platforms?

Businesses often find point solutions for each of the communication channels they want covered. This means one product for VoIP phone services, another for business messaging, and one more for video conferencing. That also doesn’t include all the other productivity and collaboration tools teams use in conjunction with these channels. A UCaaS solution bundles all these communication channels and productivity tools into a single offering, which provides multiple benefits.

Savings: When a business covers all its communication channels with point solutions, the costs of licenses and monthly payments add up, especially for small and mid-market businesses. A UCaaS solution can bundle all communication channels, internal and external, into one platform for a business to pay for. While the initial price tag of a UCaaS product could potentially be high, the cost could be the same or higher when paying for several disparate solutions across months or years. Additionally, UCaaS customers can choose an option that allows them to only pay for the channels and features they want or a scaled-down, out-of-the-box solution to save money as well.

Increased efficiency: One issue with point solution communication software is there isn’t a guarantee that they will integrate. A conversation happening via instant messaging might become one that is better over a video feed. If a team only has point solutions to choose from, they will have to move to another application to continue, which may or may not be an easy transition. Even worse, the conversation may be put off entirely. This is especially necessary for sales or help desk representatives speaking to customers or clients in one channel who need to continue in another. When teams use UCaaS, they can move between different communications tools without leaving the application itself, streamlining conversations and ensuring users have access to the channel they need when they need it.

Enhanced collaboration potential: While businesses have the option to use point solutions for communication and collaboration, those solutions may not integrate. If they don’t, it can be problematic if users need to use multiple solutions during a conference call or collaboration session. For example, a remote team may benefit greatly from a UCaaS platform as it allows users to hold a video conference call while simultaneously whiteboarding or sharing content in real-time. The ability to use collaboration tools and conferencing solutions at the same time bolsters fruitful brainstorming sessions and meaningful conversations.

Who Uses UCaaS Platforms?

The beauty of UCaaS is that it’s universally helpful regardless of the industry. The need for meaningful communication and collaboration is a necessity in every business. While larger businesses in the mid-market and enterprise levels arguably benefit more from comprehensive communication coverage, small businesses can still find benefits in the breadth of collaboration tools provided by UCaaS. However, the potentially high price tag attached to a UCaaS system will often make it a better choice for mid-market and enterprise organizations, and small businesses can easily have their collaboration and communications needs fulfilled by cheaper point solutions.

Software Related to UCaaS Platforms

Related solutions that can be used together with UCaaS platforms include:

Cloud communication platforms: Cloud communication platforms can overlap heavily with UCaaS, in that both provide the infrastructure to support unified communications for a business. However, UCaaS platforms are fully built tools that may come with integrations, whereas cloud communications platforms are closer to development tools that allow businesses to connect their software to communications channels via APIs. The end result is the same though, and what companies have is a unified communication platform that connects to the tools they use currently.

Contact center as a service (CCaaS): CCaaS solutions can best be thought of as UCaaS solutions specifically for call centers. The infrastructure of both types is the same. Both provide unified cloud-based communication and a host of other internal collaboration tools. However, since CCaaS solutions are specifically intended for call centers, they come with a host of other features and tools helpful to call center representatives. This includes features like speech analytics and integrations with customer data platforms (CDP) and other customer data repositories.

Challenges with UCaaS Platforms

Adoption: One of the biggest challenges a company will face when switching its business phone system to a UCaaS platform is hesitance or resistance from employees. Changing any business system can be difficult or daunting, especially when there is a significant learning curve. To have a smooth transition, it’s important to provide employees with any extra support they may need as they begin to navigate a new platform. Creating a solid deployment plan in addition to working with a vendor that offers unlimited help desk support can make all the difference during this transition period.

Interoperability: Another potential challenge with the transition to a UCaaS platform is a lack of integrations with a company’s existing technology. Sometimes a hardware upgrade may be necessary or recommended to fully utilize UCaaS software features.

How to Buy UCaaS Platforms

Requirements Gathering (RFI/RFP) for UCaaS Platforms

Whether a company is just starting to explore UCaaS software or looking for a more appropriate solution for its needs, g2.com can help inform buyers of the market and assist them in selecting the best software for their business.

The first step in deciding which kind of UCaaS software a buyer should look at is to assess the needs of the organization as a whole. Does the organization already use this kind of software? If so, what works and what doesn’t? Is this the first time the organization will be using UCaaS software? If that’s the case, buyers will need to determine how they plan to implement this software and whether or not their current systems are compatible. Some points to consider are:

Company size: Buyers will need to ensure that the products they are looking at will suit the size and need of the organization. When purchasing software, it’s important to ensure the product has the appropriate scalability to adapt to changing needs.

Interoperability: As mentioned earlier, it’s crucial to assess the organization’s current hardware and software setup as sometimes the current legacy system is not compatible with newer technology. This is important to assess beforehand so that a buyer knows what to look for in a product and is prepared to move forward if existing systems need to be upgraded.

Compare UCaaS Products

Create a long list

The first step to finding the perfect software is to create a preliminary list of products that fit the buyer’s general needs. The next step is to narrow down the list by selecting specific features that are must haves or requirements for the buyer. G2.com provides information about the best UCaaS software, allowing buyers to filter options as well as user reviews to help narrow down the product list to a more relevant selection.

Create a short list

Creating a short list of products is an important step in the buying process. While it may be daunting to filter through various products, users can get help by utilizing G2’s compare feature. This feature will take products of choice and display them side by side so the buyer can easily determine which software ticks the important boxes on the list.

Conduct demos

Once the buyer has narrowed down the product list, the next step is to conduct a demo. Demos allow buyers to see a product and its features in more detail. To ensure a buyer gets the most out of a demo, it’s important to go in prepared. Buyers should have a business scenario ready that will fully test each product in consideration. Additionally, buyers should inquire about cost, vendor support, and any concerns they have about the product. Adequate preparation will make it easier for a buyer to compare products after demos have been completed.

Selection of UCaaS Platforms

Choose a selection team

UCaaS software is very practical and widely used in many businesses. With that in mind, a good starting point would be to select three to five team members from various departments and seniority levels (such as IT, management, sales, etc.) to be part of the selection team. The more varied the selection team is, the better a company can assess how well a product will meet their needs.

Negotiation

Once the selection team has narrowed down their software picks, it’s time to discuss customization options, pricing, and the type of support needed from the vendor. It’s always important to address pricing options, even when they are listed on a vendor’s website. Many software vendors will provide discounts and custom pricing options based on what the buyer is looking to purchase.

Final decision

Once a buyer has made the final decision on a product and is ready to move forward with a purchase, it is recommended that the buyer conducts a final demo, inquires about a trial run, and determines what the next steps are if the product doesn’t ultimately fit their needs. It's also important to look into the kind of support the vendor provides following implementation. Most vendors will provide customer support services to ensure a pleasant customer experience. These steps can provide a buyer with an additional sense of security and confidence when making a final decision.

Best UCaaS Platforms

What are UCaaS Platforms?

Best UCaaS Platforms At A Glance

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UCaaS Platforms Topics

Learn More About UCaaS Platforms

What are UCaaS Platforms?

What Types of UCaaS Platforms Exist?

What are the Common Features of UCaaS Platforms?

What are the Benefits of UCaaS Platforms?

Who Uses UCaaS Platforms?

Software Related to UCaaS Platforms

Challenges with UCaaS Platforms

How to Buy UCaaS Platforms

Requirements Gathering (RFI/RFP) for UCaaS Platforms

Compare UCaaS Products

Selection of UCaaS Platforms