Vetted by Lobi
Nextiva
Business phone, texting and AI call handling on one platform.
From $15/user/mo
Top solutionsBusiness Phone
One business number that rings on any device.
NEXT Platform
Calls, texts and chat in a single inbox.
Contact Center
Route every channel to the right person.
XBert AI
An AI teammate that answers routine customer questions.
Video meetings
Meet clients without a second app.
- Started
- 2006
- Based in
- Scottsdale, Arizona
- Best known for
- One platform for calls, texts, video and AI call notes
- Starting price
- From $15/user/mo
- Free trial
- 7 day free trial
Nextiva is our top pick for Chicago small businesses that want one platform for calls, texts and meetings without babysitting a phone system.
Why we vetted Nextiva
We tested it the way our members use a phone: a single owner answering on a cell, a partner picking up overflow, and a shared line that has to sound like a company rather than a personal mobile.
Nextiva handled all three without an IT project. Setup is same-day, the mobile and desktop apps stay in sync, and porting an existing 312 or 773 number is included instead of billed as a migration.
What you get
Unlimited calling and business texting, voicemail transcription to email, auto attendant and call routing, video meetings, and AI that summarizes calls and drafts follow-ups.
Reliability is the quiet part that matters: 99.999% uptime on their network and 24/7 support that will actually talk through a routing problem with you.
How it pairs with Lobi Space
Pair a Nextiva number with a Lobi Space virtual office address and your business looks consistent everywhere it is listed — same Chicago address, same Chicago number, on Google, your filings and your invoices.
If you would rather we manage the line for you, our front desk can answer as your company and hand off messages the same day.
Plans and pricing
Annual plans shown. Month to month runs higher. Ask us for the current Lobi Space referral offer.
Starter
Core
Connect your team & customers
$23Save 35%
Get started- Inbound & Outbound Voice
- Business SMS
- Video Meetings
- Screen & File Sharing
- Call Routing
- Live Chat
- Mobile App
Most popular
Engage
Manage interactions at scale
$50Save 50%
Get a demo- Everything in Core, plus:
- Customer-to-Team SMS
- Toll-Free Number & Minutes
- Advanced Reporting
- Inbound Call Center
- Live Chat & Chatbot
Full platform
Scale
Get everything in one package
- Full Customer Experience Platform:
- Voice & Web Chat
- Blended Inbound & Outbound
- AI Transcription & Summary
- Skills-Based Routing
- Journey Orchestration
Who this is good for
Real estate agents
Calls ring your cell and your desktop, so a buyer never hits voicemail while you are at a showing.
CPAs and bookkeepers
Auto attendant holds the line in April, and every call comes back with a transcript.
Law practices
Separate numbers per practice area, with call recording where your state allows it.
Contractors and trades
Texting from the business number means job updates stop living on a personal phone.
Solopreneurs
One line makes a one person shop sound like a company, and keeps your cell private.
Small teams
Ring groups pass a call around until somebody picks up, so nothing gets dropped.
Nonprofits
A staffed main line plus voicemail to email, without an IT budget.
Medical and therapy practices
Ask their team about a business associate agreement before you store any patient detail.
What people say
Aggregated from public reviews and community threads. Scores move, so treat these as direction, not gospel.
Owners praise call quality and the speed of getting a new number live. The complaints cluster around billing changes rather than the product.
Trustpilot
Mixed, as it is for every carrier. Happy reviews name specific support reps. Unhappy ones name contract terms, so read your agreement before signing.
Small business threads treat it as a safe, boring choice. The recurring advice is to negotiate the term and to test porting early.
The good
- Calls, business texting, video meetings and AI notes live in one app, so you stop paying for three tools.
- Porting an existing 312 or 773 number is included, and it usually finishes inside two weeks.
- 99.999% uptime on their network, with 24/7 support that will actually debug call routing with you.
- Auto attendant, ring groups and business hours routing are configurable without an IT person.
The bad
- The best price needs an annual commitment. Month to month costs noticeably more.
- The admin panel carries years of features, so the first hour of setup has a learning curve.
- For a two person shop, a lighter app like OpenPhone is cheaper and faster to run.
- Cancellation and billing changes go through their team rather than a self serve button.
How to set it up
- 1
Pick the plan by feature, not by seat count
Start on the tier that includes the auto attendant and texting. You can add seats later. Ask us for the Lobi Space referral before you check out.
- 2
Port your existing number first
Submit the port before you cancel anything. Keep your current line running until the port completes so no client hits a dead number.
- 3
Set business hours and an after hours path
Route daytime calls to a ring group and evenings to voicemail with transcription. This one setting saves more calls than any other.
- 4
Match the number to your address
Put the same Chicago number and your Lobi Space address on Google, your filings and your invoices. Consistency is what local search rewards.
- 5
Turn on call summaries
Let the AI write the recap and the follow up draft. Review it, send it, move on.
Notes from our community
What our members and front desk actually saw.
- Members who switched told us the port was the only stressful part, and it went quietly when they started it two weeks early.
- Owners who pair Nextiva with our front desk answering get the best of both. Software handles routing, a person handles the callers who need one.
- If your call volume is under a handful a day, tell us. We will point you at something cheaper instead.
Why it made our list
- Porting your existing 312 or 773 number is included, so you keep the number clients already have while everything else changes underneath it.
- AI is built into every call, text and meeting — you get transcripts, summaries and drafted follow-ups without paying for a second tool.
- For roughly the price of a cell line you get 99.999% uptime and 24/7 support from people who will actually debug your call routing with you.
Questions owners ask
Is Nextiva worth it for a one person business?
Yes, if you want your cell number private and your business line to sound staffed. If you take only a few calls a week, a lighter app costs less and does enough.
Can I keep my current 312 or 773 number?
Yes. Porting is included. Start the port before you cancel your old service and keep both running until it completes.
How much does Nextiva cost?
Core starts at $15 per user per month on an annual plan. Engage is $25 and Scale is $75 per user per month. Month to month runs higher. Ask us for the current Lobi Space referral offer.
Does it work with a virtual office address?
It does. A Nextiva number plus a Lobi Space Chicago address gives you one consistent business identity on Google, your filings and your invoices.
What are the real drawbacks?
Annual terms for the best price, a busy admin panel, and billing changes that go through their team instead of a self serve button.
How long does setup take?
A new number is live the same day. A ported number typically takes one to two weeks, and your old line keeps working meanwhile.
Affiliate disclosure & terms of use
Research is provided by Lobi Space. Lobi Space may receive commissions, discounts, referral fees, free trials or other promotional compensation from time to time when you sign up with or purchase a listed provider through our links.
That compensation never influences our editorial choices. We only list products and services we believe deliver exceptional value for Chicago small businesses and would be comfortable recommending to a member sitting in the building.
The information on this page is for general informational purposes only. It does not constitute legal, financial, accounting or professional advice. Features, pricing, terms and availability change, and we do not guarantee that any listing is complete or current. Before you buy or hire any provider, please do your own research and verify the details that matter to your business.
This affiliate disclosure is not covered by the Lobi Space money-back guarantee, membership terms and conditions, or any other Lobi Space contract. Lobi Space is not a party to your agreement with any listed provider and is not responsible for their products, services, refunds, billing, privacy practices or customer support.
If you have questions about how we choose, test or disclose our relationships with partners, contact us at Support.Website@lobispace.com.
Pair it with a Chicago workspace
Virtual office, business mailbox and private suites at 1655 S Blue Island Ave in Pilsen.