VoIP Softphone Vs Hard Phone: Which To Choose?

James Cont
3 min readSep 3, 2019

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So you just bought VoIP services for your business and have no idea how to set it up and how to use it? Many people get confused between VoIP softphone and hardphone and most of the time they have no idea which to use.

Today we will see what the difference between a softphone and a hardphone is and which one you should use.

The choice between softphone and hardphone is not that hard, you just need to know what suits you the best and which of these suits your business model the best. So let’s first see what is a softphone and what is a hardphone.

What Is A Softphone?

Softphones also known as software telephones are growing in popularity these days, softphones are basically VoIP software installed on a pc or tablet which you can use to make calls.

Softphones are portable and unlike hardphones they don’t really need a physical telephone. This is good for people who are used to working on computers and are comfortable making calls from a computer device.

To use a softphone you need several things, a Pc, software, sound card, and a headset. The call quality depends on your wifi or data connection.

What Is A Hardphone?

Hardphone, as the name suggests, is a real telephone line which is connected to VoIP system to make calls online.

Hardphones are popular among people who are used to making calls using a real landline phone and have been doing so for the last few years.

Many people while making the call feel like they should use a real phone and it’s the same for business people as well, using landline phones show professionalism and still many people chose to do so.

Hardphones connected with VoIP technology don’t need to use telephones lines in order to make the calls, everything is done over the internet.

The voice quality is better on hardphones and there’s a very low risk of disconnection as well. If you are running a business with a proper location and staff you should invest in hardphones and there are many hardphones available on Amazon to choose from.

Softphones Vs Hardphones: Which To Use?

There are some differences between two but both of them are widely used by professionals worldwide. The only thing that matters is which one suits you the best.

If you are someone who has been using landlines for a long time and is comfortable with using hardphones then you should surely go for hardphones, but if you are tech-savvy and are comfortable with using PC or tablets and can make calls from a computer using softwares you should go for softphones.

Cost:

Hardphones are expensive but they are worth every penny when you start using it, hardphones often cost around $150-$250 but at this price, you will the best of the product that is sure to work for the next 5–10 years.

Softphones need investment as well, if you don’t already have a computer or tablet it’s going to set you back at least $500 but if you already own a computer you just need small things like speakers and microphones.

Portability:

If you like to move and still want to attend all the calls you should opt for softphones but if you are a stable business with an office then I would recommend you to go for hardphones because they provide the best call experience and is cost-effective as well.

So basically all you need to find is what suits you the best, you are getting the advantage of VoIP technology with both of these and are sure to save you money.

If you have not yet bought VoIP or toll-free numbers for your company you should buy USA VoIP and also Buy Toll-free number and I am sure these two will benefit your business in the long run.

You can also check out our article on how to buy Canada Toll Free number from our website.

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