The professional virtual phone system for solopreneurs and small businesses.
What it does
Provides a professional business number (Local, Toll-Free, or Vanity).
Features custom greetings and automated 'receptionist' menus (e.g., Press 1 for Sales).
Enables 2-way business texting and voice calling from a personal device.
Automates voicemail transcription and sends it directly to email.
Allows for multiple employee extensions with personalized call forwarding.
Why it works
Simplicity: One of the fastest phone systems to set up; no desk phones or complex IT needed.
Cost: Extremely affordable entry-level pricing for individuals and small teams.
Reliability: Owned by GoTo, leveraging a massive global VoIP infrastructure for clear calls.
Focus: Unlike unified communication platforms, it focuses purely on phone and text for simplicity.
The professional virtual phone system for solopreneurs and small businesses.
Overview
Grasshopper is a virtual phone system that provides small business owners with a professional presence without requiring any hardware. It allows users to turn their personal mobile phones into business lines with custom greetings, extensions, and toll-free numbers. Now a part of GoTo (formerly LogMeIn), it is the industry standard for entrepreneurs who need to separate work and life with a low-cost, reliable VoIP solution.
Founded year:2003
Founder:David Hauser, Siamak Taghaddos
Team size:50-100
Popularity:Used by 400,000+ businesses and a pioneer in virtual phone tech.
HQ:Boston, USA
Status:Acquired
Funding status:Acquired
Customer type:B2C
Funding:Acquired ($170M+)
Pricing:Subscription
Tech stack:React, Node.js, VoIP Infrastructure, AWS
Platform:iOS • Android • Web • Desktop
Integrations:Skype, Google Voice, GoToMeeting, Zapier
What it does
Provides a professional business number (Local, Toll-Free, or Vanity).
Features custom greetings and automated 'receptionist' menus (e.g., Press 1 for Sales).
Enables 2-way business texting and voice calling from a personal device.
Automates voicemail transcription and sends it directly to email.
Allows for multiple employee extensions with personalized call forwarding.
Who it's for
Solopreneurs
Freelancers
Local Service Businesses
Remote Startups
Why it works
Simplicity: One of the fastest phone systems to set up; no desk phones or complex IT needed.
Cost: Extremely affordable entry-level pricing for individuals and small teams.
Reliability: Owned by GoTo, leveraging a massive global VoIP infrastructure for clear calls.
Focus: Unlike unified communication platforms, it focuses purely on phone and text for simplicity.
Founder story
Founded in 2003 by David Hauser and Siamak Taghaddos in Boston. As two young entrepreneurs, they were frustrated by the high cost of PBX systems for startups. They built Grasshopper (originally GotVMail) to give every tiny business the sound of a 'big company' for just a few dollars a month.
Alternatives
Comparison overview
OpenPhone: More modern UI and better for teams; Grasshopper is the 'stable legacy' choice for solo owners.
Google Voice: Free for personal use; Grasshopper is the professional choice with greetings and extensions.
Grasshopper is the #1 choice for owners who just want a professional number that works.