How To Get a Business Phone Number in 4 Steps (2026)

A business phone number is a dedicated number for your company’s calls. Customers can use it to ask about an order or speak to your team.

Depending on your provider and plan, you can answer through an app on your existing phone, share a number with employees, or direct callers to specific departments.

This guide explains why you might want a business phone number and the different types of business phone numbers. It also walks you through the four steps to getting one: identify your needs and budget, choose a provider, set up your phone number and account, and publicize your number.

Reasons to have a business phone number

For small businesses and ecommerce stores, a business phone number helps organize customer calls and distribute them among employees. Available features depend on your provider and plan. Some reasons to get a business phone number include:

• Keeps business communications organized. A business number separates work calls from personal conversations.
• Keeps your personal number private. When you publish your business number on your website and marketing materials, customers can reach you there, while your personal number stays private to friends and family.
• Keeps customer-facing communication professional. You can record a voicemail greeting with your company name and business hours. Some services also offer automatic text replies after missed calls, so you can acknowledge inquiries and tell customers when to expect a response.
• Gives employees access. Shared lines let multiple employees make and receive calls using the same business number. Ring groups distribute incoming calls across a team, ringing employees simultaneously or in a set order until someone answers.
• Scales with your business. As you hire, you can add extensions that route callers to individual employees or departments. Customers can continue calling your main number even as more people join the team.

In the US, Federal Communications Commission (FCC) number-portability rules let you keep your number (a process called porting) when you switch providers within the same geographic area, including between landline, wireless, and internet-based services. Confirm with your new provider that they can transfer your number before switching.

Types of business phone numbers

Getting a business phone number involves two decisions: which number customers dial and how their calls reach you. Local, toll-free, and vanity numbers are common options. Virtual phone services and features such as phone menus control how calls reach you or your team.

The two work together. For example, a local number can run on a virtual service and use a phone menu. The main number types and features are:

• Local phone numbers
• Virtual phone numbers or VoIP
• Toll-free numbers
• Phone menu systems
• DID numbers
• Vanity phone numbers

Local phone numbers

A local business phone number has an area code associated with a geographic area. It gives brick-and-mortar shops and local service businesses a familiar number for customers to call.

Businesses selling nationally or internationally can also use local numbers. Callers’ charges depend on their location and phone plan.

Virtual phone numbers or VoIP

A virtual phone number can route calls to different devices instead of being assigned to one physical phone line. VoIP, short for Voice over Internet Protocol, carries voice calls over an internet connection. Virtual phone services often use VoIP, but they also can forward calls to an existing mobile or landline number.

To add a business number to your existing smartphone, sign up with a virtual phone provider and install its app. Make and receive business calls through the app, and check that outgoing calls display your business number. You can then manage personal and business calls on the same device.

Another option is a second cellular line through a SIM or eSIM, if your phone and carrier allow it. Label the lines “Business” and “Personal,” then select the business line when contacting customers.

Google Voice’s free version is for personal use by individual users in the US. Google also has paid standalone plans for individual US users and paid Google Workspace add-ons for organizations. Features vary by plan. Team ring groups, for example, are available with the Standard and Premier Workspace add-ons.

Toll-free numbers

A toll-free number lets customers call your business within its covered calling region without long-distance charges. Your business pays for incoming calls through its phone service. Mobile callers can still incur airtime charges depending on their plans.

The current US toll-free codes are 800, 888, 877, 866, 855, 844, and 833, preceded by the country code 1. These codes aren’t interchangeable. Numbers with the same final seven digits but different toll-free codes can reach different businesses.

Phone menu systems

A phone menu, or phone tree, is a feature you add to your business phone service. Callers navigate by pressing buttons or, with some systems, speaking commands. For example, “For customer service, press 1.” The menu can route callers to departments or play recorded information.

Some business phone plans include a ready-made menu feature, often called an auto attendant. You customize the greeting and decide where each option sends callers. Services such as Twilio Studio also offer templates for building more customized menus.

DID numbers

Direct inward dialing (DID) lets callers reach a specific person or department by dialing a full phone number. The phone system routes the call directly to its destination, bypassing the main menu or receptionist.

For example, you could give your wholesale sales team a DID number so repeat buyers can reach them directly. An extension is a shorter internal identifier. A DID number can route outside calls to that extension automatically.

Vanity phone numbers

A vanity phone number uses the letters on a telephone keypad to spell a word or company name, such as 1-800-GOT-JUNK. This gives customers a memorable word to associate with your number.

Vanity numbers can use a local area code or a toll-free code. Availability depends on whether the number you want is already assigned.

How to get a business phone number

Here’s how to set up your own business phone number:

1. Identify your needs and budget
2. Pick a provider or service
3. Set up your phone number and account
4. Publicize your number

1. Identify your needs and budget

Estimate how many employees need access and how many calls you expect each day. A solo owner answering occasional inquiries will need fewer features than a team sharing customer service calls.

List the features you need, such as shared texting or a phone menu, then set a monthly budget. Account for per-user charges, extra numbers, usage fees, and texting registration costs when comparing plans.

2. Pick a provider or service

Business phone providers fall into three main categories: virtual phone services, mobile carriers, and programmable platforms. Compare them based on how your team will make calls and how much setup you can manage.

Virtual phone services

Virtual phone services let you manage a business number through an app on your existing phone or computer.

Check the total at checkout, including taxes, messaging registration fees, and any paid add-ons.

Mobile carriers

AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile offer business cellular plans with calling, texting, and mobile data. You can activate a line on a separate phone or add a second SIM or eSIM to a compatible device.

Compare quotes for the number of lines you actually need. Advertised per-line prices may depend on multiple lines, automatic payments, or promotional discounts. Device payments and taxes can increase the total.

Programmable platforms

Twilio lets you build custom calling and messaging workflows. Its visual Studio editor has templates, while more complex projects require development work. Budget for setup and maintenance alongside usage charges.

Twilio bills separately for phone numbers and calls. Its published US local-call pricing is:

Messaging and additional calling features carry separate charges. Rates vary by destination and number type.

3. Set up your phone number and account

After selecting a provider, create your account and configure the number before sharing it with customers:

• Select a new number or transfer an existing one. Search the provider’s available local or toll-free numbers. Confirm that the number has both calling and texting if you need both. If you’re transferring your existing number, ask the new provider to confirm eligibility and initiate the port. Have your current account number, transfer PIN, and billing details ready. Keep the old service active until the transfer is complete.
• Configure calls and voicemail. Record your greeting, set business hours, and assign employees or extensions. Test incoming calls, outgoing caller ID, and voicemail from another phone.
• Check VoIP and emergency calling. Confirm whether your service has 911 calling. For services with 911, provide the requested emergency address and keep it current. Review the FCC’s VoIP guidance and 911 guidance, and establish another way to call during power or internet outages.
• Complete business texting registration. Cloud services that send business texts to US recipients generally require application-to-person 10-digit long code (A2P 10DLC) registration for local numbers or separate toll-free verification. Follow your provider’s process and allow time for approval. Get customers’ consent before sending marketing texts.

If you mainly send marketing texts, Shopify Messaging lets you create SMS campaigns for customers who have opted in. Set up your recipient countries and complete the required registration.

For US and Canadian campaigns, Shopify assigns a toll-free sending number that can’t receive customer replies. Keep a separate business number for customer calls and two-way conversations.

4. Publicize your number

Post your business number where customers look for help, including your website, social profiles, and business listings. Add your calling hours and time zone so customers know when someone will answer.

On Shopify, update your store contact details by going to Settings > General. In Store contact details, click your store name, enter your business phone number, and click Save. This information is public and can appear in your store and policies.

To display the number on a Contact page, go to Online Store > Pages and open your existing page or click Add page. Enter your number and calling hours in the Content field.

Select contact from the Theme template menu to include a contact form, then save. Add the page to your store’s navigation so customers can find it.

You can also print the number on business cards or package inserts so customers have it after their order arrives.