GlobalCallForwarding Review: Competitors and Alternatives (2020)

global call forwarding provider review

If you're in the market for business phone numbers, SMS service, or virtual phone systems, there is a good chance GlobalCallForwarding has shown up in your search.

If you're looking for a new business phone number, virtual phone system, or SMS service, there is a good chance that you've looked into GlobalCallForwarding. We realize nobody is perfect, and as much as we would like to recommend ourselves for everyone, we realize this simply isn't the reality of things. We love helping customers make informed decisions, which is why we made this post. Whether you're new to this market, or a current GlobalCallForwarding customer who is looking to switch, you've come to the right place.

For this article, we will go into the pricing and features of GlobalCallforwarding, as well as some top alternatives. Each use-case where GlobalCallForwarding's pricing or offer may not be the best for you, we've included a shortlist of the top alternatives. Every GlobalCallForwarding competitor on this list has been around for a meaningful period and has shown they can handle a large range of business communication needs.

This GlobalCallForwarding competitor comparison will include:

  • A review of GlobalCallForwarding features and plans
  • An explanation of how GlobalCallForwarding pricing works
  • Detailed GlobalCallForwarding pricing comparisons with top competitors
  • The best GlobalCallForwarding alternatives for several different business use-cases

Though we're confident that AVOXI’s VoIP number services deliver exceptional value at the best rates, there are also tons of other great options available for you, and we want you to feel like you made a well-informed decision no matter which service you choose.

GlobalCallForwarding Overview

GlobalCallForwarding (owned by United World Telecom) provides local and toll free numbers in over 150 countries. They claim they offer instant activation, and do not require you to sign a contract when you set up service with them.

GlobalCallForwarding Features

GlobalCallForwarding has a great core offering of standard features that come with their service packages:

  • Unlimited extensions
  • Advanced IVR
  • Customer greeting
  • Time-of-day routing
  • Failover forwarding
  • Local ringback tone
  • Voicemail/fax to email
  • Sequential forwarding
  • Select country forwarding
  • Call transfer
  • Black and white lists

These are all features that come standard with their service plans. In addition to these features, they offer a good amount of add on features to help further advance your business phone account.

Rollover Minutes

This is a great feature that not many other virtual number providers offer. For an additional monthly fee, GlobalCallForwarding will allow you to take unused minutes into the next billing cycle. This is great for companies who have fluctuating call volume. If your company has seasonal spikes, such as companies in the hospitality or travel industry who may see a bump in the summer months, consider adding this feature to your plan.

They offer different price points depending on what sized plan you purchase:

  • Basic: $5/month
  • Value: $10/month
  • Power: $15/month
  • Premium: $20/month
  • Enterprise: $25/month

Currently, they are running a special promotion that allows you to try the product for free for 3 months, and cancel at anytime!

Call Recording

Like most virtual number providers, GlobalCallForwarding offers a call recording feature that you can add onto your service package. While some providers incorporate this fee into their pricing, GlobalCallForwarding offers the option to exclude it altogether if desired.

Their call recording package comes with a standard 30 days of recording storage, and records 100% of incoming calls. Once you activate this service, you can modify the percent of calls being recorded and upgrade storage for an additional 5 months.

  • Basic: $5/month + $0.03 per minute of saved recordings
  • Value: $4/month + $0.025 per minute of saved recordings
  • Power: $3/month + $0.02 per minute of saved recordings
  • Premium: $2/month + $0.015 per minute of saved recordings
  • Enterprise: $1/month + $0.01 per minute of saved recordings

Outbound Calling

GlobalCallForwarding only offers inbound calling with their service plans, and outbound calling must be purchased separately. Additionally, unlike their service plans that include bundled talk minutes, you are purchasing a discounted per minute rate, rather than bundled outbound minutes. Their outbound rates vary by country.

  • Outbound basic: $25/month, 0% rate discount rate
  • Outbound value: $100/month, 5% rate discount
  • Outbound power: $250/month, 8% rate discount
  • Outbound premium: $500/month, 11% rate discount
  • Outbound enterprise: $1,000/month, 15% rate discount

As stated above, their rates vary from country to country. For outbound calling to the United States, the non discounted rates range from $0.02 - $0.06 per minute.

SMS Messaging

The final add on feature that GlobalCallForwarding offers is SMS messaging. Being able to engage with your audience in multiple mediums is an easy way to help your business.

  • Starter: $5.95/month, 100 monthly messages
  • Smart: $24.95/month, 500 monthly messages
  • Professional: $48.95/month, 1,500 monthly messages
  • Professional Plus: $128.95/month, 5,000 monthly messages
  • Business: $198.95/month, 10,000 monthly messages

Top GlobalCallForwarding Alternatives

Call Recording

  • AVOXI: AVOXI stores call recordings at the number-level, rather than just the user-level. Pricing comes in affordable packages available in the online shopping cart.
  • CallRail: Though it comes at a slightly higher price, CallRail's platform includes several advanced features like conversation analysis and keyword tracking within recorded calls. This is a good provider for those looking to really dive into the analytics of conversations.
  • Voicent: Voicent offers a premium call recording feature with its call center software platform, excellent for call centers managing large groups of customer support and sales teams. This is best for enterprise-sized companies.

Outbound Calling

  • AVOXI: AVOXI offers outbound calling at an extremely competitive rate, and does not charge you extra as some others do. Boasting some of the most competitive rates and a service area of over 160 countries, AVOXI is a great choice if you're a small to medium-sized business looking for outbound calling.
  • Grasshopper: Grasshopper offers a great suite for small businesses, and offers outbound calling to boot. With unlimited minutes in their all their plans, consider Grasshopper if you expect a high volume of calls coming in

Business Texting (SMS)

  • Grasshopper: Grasshopper's SMS feature is only available for US/Canada numbers, but the company offers unlimited business texting with every number  - starting at $26 per month.
  • SimpleTexting: SimpleTexting offers a much more advanced SMS platform for businesses. Their interface is highly intuitive. Pricing varies by package, starting at $25 for 500 outbound texts.
  • AVOXI: A brand new feature available for AVOXI customers! Currently available for US/Canada numbers, with international SMS coming soon. Learn more about business SMS.

How GlobalCallForwarding Pricing Works

GlobalCallForwarding offers a tiered pricing model, with plans suitable for entrepreneurs and enterprises alike. They offer 5 different tiers of pricing, all including bundled talk minutes and a per minute rate you pay if you use more minutes than your plan allows for. The larger the plan you purchase, the lower your per minute rate will be.

When choosing your plan, you can choose where you want your new phone number to be, and where you want the calls received on that line forwarded to. You can choose from over 150 countries, or get it forwarded to a VoIP softphone. 

GlobalCallForwarding Pricing: USA

Below is GlobalCallForwarding's pricing for a United States toll free number being forwarded to a VoIP phone:

  • Basic: 303 monthly minutes, $12.95/month
  • Value: 761 monthly minutes, $23.95/month
  • Power: 2,861 monthly minutes, $78.95/month
  • Premium: 6,569 monthly minutes, $158.95/month
  • Enterprise: 12,638 monthly minutes, $248.95/month

Now that we've looked at GlobalCallForwarding's USA/Canada pricing, let's look at some top competitors and alternatives for the USA/Canada, as well as some other top destinations!

GlobalCallForwarding Alternatives: USA/Canada

AVOXI

  • Plans starting at:
    • Local: $4.49 per month
    • Toll Free: $4.49 per month
  • Inbound Rates: $0.009 - $0.041 per minute
  • Setup Fee: $0

Grasshopper:

  • Plans starting at $29 per month
  • Inbound Rates: Included in the subscription fee
  • Setup Fee: $0

CallHippo:

  • Toll Free: $6 per month
  • Local: $6 per month
  • Incoming Calls:
    • Toll Free: $0.022 per minute
    • Local: $0.02 per minute
  • Setup Fee: $0
Plans Starting at Inbound Rates Setup
GlobalCallForwarding $12.95 $0.019 $0
AVOXI $4.49 $0.009 - $0.041 / min $0
Grasshopper $29 Incl with number $0
CallHippo $6 $0.02 $0

GlobalCallForwarding Pricing: UAE

Below is GlobalCallForwarding's pricing for a UAE toll free number being forwarded to a VoIP phone:

  • Basic: 138 monthly minutes, $78.95/month
  • Value: 513 monthly minutes, $238.95/month
  • Power: 1,332 monthly minutes, $548.95/month
  • Premium: 3,054 monthly minutes, $1,198.95/month
  • Enterprise: 5,005 monthly minutes, $1,848.95/month
best globalcallforwarding alternative

GlobalCallForwarding Alternatives: UAE

AVOXI

  • Plans starting at:
    • Toll Free: $25.99 per month
  • Inbound Rates: $0.172 - $0.251 per minute
  • Setup Fee: $0

TollFreeForwarding:

  • Plans starting at:
    • Toll Free: $29 per month
  • Incoming Rates: Start at $0.181
  • Setup Fee: $0
Plans Starting at Inbound Rates Setup
GlobalCallForwarding $78.95 $0.36 $0
AVOXI $25.99 $0.172 - $0.251 / min $0
TollFreeForwarding $29 $0.181 $0

GlobalCallForwarding Pricing: China

Below is GlobalCallForwarding's pricing for a China toll free number being forwarded to a VoIP phone:

  • Basic: 106 monthly minutes, $44.95/month
  • Value: 258 monthly minutes, $98.95/month
  • Power: 515 monthly minutes, $178.95/month
  • Premium: 1,325 monthly minutes, $468.95/month
  • Enterprise: 2,527 monthly minutes, $848.95/month
top globalcallforwarding competitors

GlobalCallForwarding Alternatives: China

AVOXI

  • Plans starting at:
    • Local: $21.49 per month
    • 400 National: $25.99 per month
  • Inbound Rates: $0.048 - $0.191 per minute
  • Setup Fee: $0

TollFreeForwarding:

  • Plans starting at:
    • Toll Free: $19 per month
  • Inbound rates start at: $0.288
  • Setup Fee: $0
Plans Starting at Inbound Rates Setup
GlobalCallForwarding $58.95 $0.156 $0
AVOXI $21.49 $0.048 - $0.191 / min $0
TollFreeForwarding $19 $0.288 $0

GlobalCallForwarding Pricing: India

Below is GlobalCallForwarding's pricing for an India toll free number being forwarded to a VoIP phone:

  • Basic: 257 monthly minutes, $78.95/month
  • Value: 677 monthly minutes, $198.95/month
  • Power: 1,509 monthly minutes, $398.95/month
  • Premium: 2,573 monthly minutes, $598.95/month
  • Enterprise: 4,961 monthly minutes, $998.95/month
globalcallforwarding alternatives

GlobalCallForwarding Alternatives: India

AVOXI

  • Plans starting at:
    • Local: $39.49 per month
    • Toll Free: $25.99 per month
  • Inbound Rates: $0.105 - $0.236 per minute
  • Setup Fee: $0

TollFreeForwarding:

  • Plans starting at:
    • Toll Free: $69 per month
    • Local: $44 per month
  • Inbound rates start at: $0.106
  • Setup Fee: $0
Plans Starting at Inbound Rates Setup
GlobalCallForwarding $78.95 $0.156 $0
AVOXI $21.49 $0.048 - $0.191 / min $0
TollFreeForwarding $19 $0.288 $0

GlobalCallForwarding Pricing: UK

Below is GlobalCallForwarding's pricing for a UK toll free number being forwarded to a VoIP phone:

  • Basic: 212 monthly minutes, $18.95/month
  • Value: 609 monthly minutes, $43.95/month
  • Power: 2,661 monthly minutes, $198.95/month
  • Premium: 5,557 monthly minutes, $348.95/month
  • Enterprise: 10,679 monthly minutes, $628.95/month
best globalcallforwarding alternatives and competitors

GlobalCallForwarding Alternatives: UK

AVOXI

  • Plans starting at:
    • Local: $4.49 per month
    • Toll Free: $7.99 per month
  • Inbound Rates: $0.014 - $0.118 per minute
  • Setup Fee: $0

TollFreeForwarding:

  • Plans starting at: $5 per month
  • Inbound rates start at: $0.008 per minute
  • Setup Fee: $0

CallHippo:

  • Toll Free: $7 per month
  • Inbound rates start at: $0.061
  • Setup Fee: $0
Plans Starting at Inbound Rates Setup
GlobalCallForwarding $18.95 $0.058 $0
AVOXI $4.49 $0.014 - $0.118 / min $0
TollFreeForwarding $5 $0.008 $0
CallHippo $7 $0.061 $0

GlobalCallForwarding Pricing: Brazil

Below is GlobalCallForwarding's pricing for a Brazil toll free number being forwarded to a VoIP phone:

  • Basic: 80 monthly minutes, $18.95/month
  • Value: 445 monthly minutes, $98.95/month
  • Power: 1,210 monthly minutes, $198.95/month
  • Premium: 2,502 monthly minutes, $398.95/month
  • Enterprise: 4,236 monthly minutes, $598.95/month
globalcallforwarding-top-alternatives

GlobalCallForwarding Alternatives: Brazil

AVOXI

  • Plans starting at:
    • Local: $7.99 per month
    • Toll Free: $21.49 per month
  • Inbound Rates: $0.015 - $0.251 per minute
  • Setup Fee: $0

TollFreeForwarding:

  • Plans starting at: $9 per month
  • Inbound rates start at: $0.009 per minute

CallHippo:

  • Numbers start at: $12 per month
  • Inbound rates start at: $0.02 per minute
  • Setup Fee: $0
Plans Starting at Inbound Rates Setup
GlobalCallForwarding $18.95 $0.141 $0
AVOXI $7.99 $0.015 - $0.251 / min $0
TollFreeForwarding $9 $0.009 $0
CallHippo $12 $0.02 $0

GlobalCallForwarding Pricing: Australia

Below is GlobalCallForwarding's pricing for an Australia toll free number being forwarded to a VoIP phone:

  • Basic: 85 monthly minutes, $13.95/month
  • Value: 684 monthly minutes, $58.95/month
  • Power: 2,475 monthly minutes, $198.95/month
  • Premium: 5,782 monthly minutes, $398.95/month
  • Enterprise: 11,748 monthly minutes, $698.95/month
globalcallforwarding-top-alternative

GlobalCallForwarding Alternatives: Australia

AVOXI

  • Plans starting at:
    • Local: $4.49 per month
    • Toll Free: $7.99 per month
  • Inbound Rates: $0.014 - $0.055 per minute
  • Setup Fee: $0

TollFreeForwarding:

  • Plans starting at: $5 per month
  • Inbound rates start at: $0.008 per minute

CallHippo:

  • Numbers start at: $6 per month
  • Inbound rates start at: $0.022
  • Setup Fee: Varies by number type
Plans Starting at Inbound Rates Setup
GlobalCallForwarding $13.95 $0.059 $0
AVOXI $4.49 $0.014 - $0.055 / min $0
TollFreeForwarding $5 $0.008 $0
CallHippo $6 $0.022 Varies by number type

Choosing Between GlobalCallForwarding and its Competitors

There are a few key things you always need to keep in mind when choosing a virtual number provider:

  • Overall monthly cost
  • What features and add-ons your business needs
  • Included talk minutes

We hope you found this article on GlobalCallForwarding and their alternatives and competitors useful. If you feel as if we left anything out, please reach out!

If you would like to learn more about AVOXI and our product offering, feel free to reach out to a representative and they will be happy to further explain what we have to offer!

Curious How GlobalCallForwarding Stacks Up Against AVOXI?

Check out our virtual number inventory, which includes toll free, national, and local business numbers from 160+ countries. Every virtual number plan includes:

  • No setup fees, no minimum contracts
  • 20+ VoIP business features at no extra cost
  • Multiple layers of failover routing so you get the highest uptime possible
  • A dedicated support team of VoIP experts available anytime you need them, 24/7
  • Global VoIP infrastructure to ensure amazing call quality, no matter where you do business

Try any virtual number plan risk-free!