eVoice alternative
The eVoice alternative with texting and AI on the cheapest plan.
eVoice still sells what it sold a decade ago: a number, an auto-attendant and a portal. Ody is a phone system with texting, a shared inbox and a 24/7 AI receptionist, at almost the same price.
7-day free trial on every plan · No per-minute charges · eVoice facts verified September 2026
THE QUICK ANSWER
eVoice is one of the cheapest ways to get unlimited US and Canada calling behind an auto-attendant: Elite is $14/user/mo ($12 annual) with a local or toll-free number and virtual fax. The catch is everything else. Elite has no texting at all; you need Elite Plus at $21 for that. Voicemail transcription is capped at 40 a month for the admin, then $0.10 each. Call recording and a human receptionist are paid add-ons, there is no desktop app, no integrations, no API and no AI of any kind. Support runs weekdays 8:30am to 7pm ET, and billing and cancellation complaints have followed the brand for years. Ody Starter is $19/user/mo with texting, voicemail transcription, a shared inbox, 43 integrations and a 24/7 AI receptionist included. For $5 more than eVoice Elite you get a phone system built this decade.
PRICING
What you'll actually pay.
eVoice (Elite / Elite Plus)
eVoice is a Ziff Davis (J2) brand, not GoTo. No contract; monthly or annual auto-renew with a 30-day money-back guarantee arranged through support (one refund per account). There is no free trial. Voicemail transcription is 40 a month for the admin, then $0.10 each; call recording, live receptionist (human, third-party reports from ~$189/mo) and professional greetings are paid add-ons. Regulatory recovery fees and taxes are extra, and reviewers report a $40 administration fee to obtain a port-out PIN. Support is weekdays 8:30am-7pm ET.
Ody
One number per user included; extra local or toll-free numbers $5/mo each. Business texting needs one-time 10DLC registration ($20 setup + $4/mo per texting number, handled during onboarding). International calling is a $5/mo add-on with $5 of usage included. Plans are billed monthly or prepaid annually (annual saves up to 30%). Taxes apply; there are no per-minute charges and no AI credits.
Try for free →THE MATH
A 3-person team that texts customers
eVoice Elite Plus is $21/user/mo (about $19 annual); the $14 Elite tier has no texting. Recording and the live receptionist are paid extras. Ody Starter is $19/user/mo ($15 annual) with unlimited US & Canada calling and texting, voicemail transcription and the AI receptionist; business texting needs a one-time $20 10DLC registration plus $4/mo per texting number. Taxes excluded for both.
SIDE BY SIDE
Ody vs eVoice, feature by feature.
eVoice (Elite / Elite Plus) facts from their published pricing & docs, verified September 2026.
| Feature | eVoice (Elite / Elite Plus) | Ody |
|---|---|---|
| AI answering | ||
| AI receptionist answers calls | eVoice— | OdyIncluded on every plan |
| What the AI costs | eVoicen/a; human Live Receptionist add-on | Ody$0 extra. No credits, no minute bundles |
| AI call summaries & transcripts | eVoice— | OdyGrowth+ |
| Turn AI on/off per line & hour | eVoice— | Ody✓ |
| Phone system | ||
| US & Canada calling | eVoice✓ | Ody✓ |
| Business texting (SMS/MMS) | eVoiceElite Plus only; none on Elite | OdyUS & Canada, 10DLC handled |
| Phone number included | eVoice1 local or toll-free | Ody1 per user; extras $5/mo |
| Toll-free numbers | eVoice✓ | Ody✓ |
| Free number porting | eVoiceIn: yes; port-out PIN fee reported ($40) | Ody✓ |
| Phone menus (IVR) | eVoiceAuto-attendant with extensions | OdyGrowth+ |
| Auto call recording | eVoicePaid add-on | OdyGrowth+ |
| Voicemail transcription | eVoice40/mo for admin, then $0.10 each | Ody✓ |
| Video meetings | eVoice— | Ody— |
| Hardware required | eVoiceNone | OdyNone. Browser + iOS app |
| Team & integrations | ||
| Shared team inbox | eVoice— | Ody✓ |
| CRM integrations | eVoice— | Ody43 integrations, every plan |
| ChatGPT / Claude (MCP) | eVoice— | Ody✓ |
| Developer API & webhooks | eVoice— | OdyEvery plan |
| Analytics & reporting | eVoiceUsage reports | OdyGrowth+ |
| Commercial | ||
| Seat minimum | eVoiceNone | OdyNone |
| Contract | eVoiceNone; monthly or annual auto-renew | OdyBilled monthly or annually. Change plans in-app |
| Fees above list price | eVoiceTaxes + regulatory recovery; $40 port-out PIN (reported) | OdyTaxes only. No recovery or E911 line items |
| Free trial | eVoiceNone; 30-day money-back via support | Ody7 days, every plan, full product |
| Support | eVoicePhone weekdays 8:30am-7pm ET, email | OdyEmail (Starter), live chat (Growth), phone + onboarding (Enterprise) |
| Self-serve setup & plan changes | eVoiceSignup yes; cancellation friction widely reported | Ody✓ |
WHY TEAMS SWITCH
Where Ody pulls ahead of eVoice.
Texting on every plan
On eVoice, texting only exists on Elite Plus at $21/user/mo, and its 'unlimited' messaging is subject to overage terms. Ody includes US & Canada texting on Starter at $19, with 10DLC registration handled during onboarding so your messages actually deliver, plus a shared inbox so the whole team sees the thread.
A receptionist, not a menu
eVoice's auto-attendant plays a menu and forwards to an extension; if nobody picks up, the caller gets voicemail and you use one of your 40 monthly transcriptions. Ody's AI receptionist answers 24/7 on every plan, handles the question, books the follow-up, captures the details and hands off to your team, with no per-item charges.
Cancel without a fight
eVoice reviews are dominated by charges continuing after cancellation, slow refunds, and a reported $40 administration fee just to get a port-out PIN. Ody's pricing is stated up front, and you upgrade, downgrade or cancel yourself in the app. Porting a number into Ody is free on every plan.
AN HONEST TAKE
Which one is right for you?
You want the absolute cheapest unlimited US and Canada calling behind a real auto-attendant, you never text customers, you're fine with business-hours support, and a legacy portal with mobile apps is enough. eVoice Elite at $14/mo ($12 annual) with a toll-free or local number included is hard to beat on sticker price alone.
You want the phone line to work like a modern business tool: texting on the base plan, a shared inbox, voicemail transcription without a cap, integrations, and an AI receptionist that answers when you can't. You'd also rather manage your plan in an app than negotiate with a support desk during business hours.
EVERYTHING INCLUDED
The whole phone system,
with the AI built in. One price.
Scroll through what every Ody workspace ships with: a number, calling and texting, a shared inbox, and a receptionist that never clocks out.
ChatGPT
Claude
CursorGo deeper, feature by feature.
All features →SWITCHING IS EASY
Move from eVoice without missing a call.
Start your free trial
Create your workspace in minutes. Every plan starts with a 7-day free trial | you get a live number, calling, texting, and your AI agent from day one.
Port your number free
Porting is free on every plan and your existing line keeps working the whole time | no downtime, no lost calls while the port completes.
Turn on the AI (or don't)
Set your hours and decide exactly when the AI answers | per number, per hour, per team. The rest of the time, it's the best softphone you've used.
eVoice has no contract, but reviewers report a $40 administration fee to obtain the port-out PIN and charges that continue after cancellation. Port your number to Ody first, confirm it rings, then cancel eVoice in writing and keep the confirmation. Ody plans are billed monthly or prepaid annually.
FAQ
Ody vs eVoice, answered.
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