Microsoft Teams Phone vs CallHippo: Which Fits a Small Business?
A five-person service team needs a customer number, an after-hours greeting and reliable inbound calling, while keeping Microsoft 365 for internal work. Compare how each platform handles setup, call routing, total cost and the first live calls before you buy.
Quick answer: Choose Teams Phone when people already live in Teams and you can set up the right PSTN connection. Trial CallHippo if you want a separate business calling workspace with number selection and sales or support workflows. Your number, country and required features determine the real winner.
Microsoft Teams Phone
Phone calling inside Teams for organizations with Microsoft administration. A Teams Phone entitlement and eligible PSTN route are required for outside calls.
on G2 for Microsoft Teams overall; this is not a Teams Phone-specific score.
CallHippo
A dedicated virtual phone workspace for inbound, outbound and routed customer calls. Confirm your chosen number and the exact Office Phone System or Call Center tier.
on G2 for CallHippo; third-party user reviews, not our own score.
At a glance
| Buying question | Microsoft Teams Phone | CallHippo |
|---|---|---|
| Best fit | Calling in the Teams app you already manage | A separate customer calling app that can coexist with Teams |
| External calls | Eligible Teams Phone license plus Calling Plan, Operator Connect or Direct Routing | Selected calling plan, virtual number and destination rates |
| First setup tasks | Assign license, connect PSTN, configure number and routing | Register, select number, invite staff, configure routing and verify billing |
| Five-person costs | Five eligible seats + PSTN costs + optional additions | Five billed seats + numbers + relevant calling and feature charges |
| Sales functions | Core phone system; separate tools may be needed | Dialer and analytics vary by product and tier |
The decision in 60 seconds
â‘ Where do staff answer?
Inside Teams all day: start with Teams Phone. Customer calling in a distinct workspace: test CallHippo.
â‘¡ Who builds routing?
Assign an owner to configure menus, opening hours, queues, voicemail and emergency details.
â‘¢ What does the full quote cover?
Get five seats, real numbers, calling minutes and required integrations on the same contract term.
Detailed feature breakdown
| Feature | Teams Phone | CallHippo | Test before buying |
|---|---|---|---|
| Call quality | Depends on device, network, Microsoft client and PSTN route | Depends on app, internet connection and number/carrier route | 10 inbound and 10 outbound calls on office Wi-Fi and mobile data |
| IVR & hours | Auto attendants and call queues in eligible deployments | Menus, business hours and routing offered; tier matters | After-hours greeting, overflow and voicemail ownership |
| Scale | Add licensed users and numbers within tenant and carrier availability | Add seats and numbers as offered in selected product | Quote 5, 15 and 50 seats and administrator access |
| Integrations | Microsoft 365 identity, Teams presence and eligible apps | Advertises CRM and helpdesk integrations | Sync one real contact, call log and recording |
| International | Operator, country and number rules differ | Number and destination availability differ | Check target-country documents, caller ID and rates |
| Recording | Confirm available policy and licensed configuration | Confirm plan, retention and permissions | Record a consented test call and retrieve it |
Both options require good internet and careful emergency-calling configuration. Test from the actual office and remote locations.
Pricing: compare five real seats
Microsoft lists Teams Phone Standard at $10/user/month paid yearly in the US as an add-on to an eligible Teams or Microsoft 365 plan; external calling needs a supported PSTN route. Microsoft also sells calling bundles. CallHippo separates Office Phone System and Call Center Solution offers; its price depends on seats, phone numbers, region, usage and plan. Its pricing terms currently say the Basic introductory offer is free for six months, then requires a Starter upgrade. Verify checkout terms for your location.
| Quote line | Teams Phone | CallHippo |
|---|---|---|
| Licenses | Eligible Microsoft foundation + 5 Phone entitlements or an eligible bundle | 5 billed seats in the named product and tier |
| Numbers and minutes | Calling Plan or carrier; local/international allowances | Number rental or inclusions; domestic and international charges |
| Operational extras | Porting, devices, recording or third-party apps where required | Dialer, integrations, SMS, recording, extra numbers where charged |
| Contract comparison | Same term, country, taxes and expected usage | Same term, country, taxes and expected usage |
Setup and the first live call
- Define the journey: one customer number, a greeting, a working-hours destination and an after-hours voicemail.
- Verify the number: document required geography, number type, SMS needs and porting eligibility before checkout.
- Give access to five staff: add user roles and test browser, desktop and mobile calling.
- Test billing and signup: follow the actual registration and payment path; confirm when any trial ends and which product is selected.
- Make calls: receive and place calls on a real network, transfer to a colleague, leave a voicemail and confirm it reaches the right person.
- Run failure drills: test a closed office, missed call, disconnection and an employee who has left.
For routing fundamentals, read our IVR guide and call queue guide; see the CallHippo review for a deeper provider overview.
Pros and cons
Microsoft Teams Phone
Pros: familiar app for existing Teams users; Microsoft tenant administration; multiple supported PSTN routes.
Cons: eligibility and carrier setup take work; pricing must include phone and calling; specialized sales features may require more software.
See Microsoft Teams PhoneCallHippo
Pros: dedicated customer-call workspace; number, IVR and sales-oriented options; can be trialed beside existing Teams.
Cons: tier limits and number/usage charges require checking; another administrator and app; verify signup and support with your own account.
Check CallHippo plansWhat actual users and customers tell us
Independent review signal: G2 users rate CallHippo 4.4/5; examine recent reviews that match your team size and country, particularly reports about setup, call quality and billing. The Microsoft Teams 4.4/5 score covers Teams overall and cannot settle a Teams Phone versus CallHippo purchase on its own.
Real customer example: CallHippo reports that travel company GoZayaan used its IVR and call recording to improve customer response and visibility over several years. This is a vendor-published account, not an independent outcome guarantee. For a five-person team, the transferable test is whether an incoming call finds the right employee and the recording or voicemail is accessible when needed.
Our editorial inference: Reviews help identify questions to test; your own call flow and total quote should determine the choice.
Verdict: which should you choose?
Choose Teams Phone when customer calls should live inside Teams, your business already manages Microsoft licenses and your country has a practical PSTN option. Shortlist CallHippo when you want a focused customer-calling workspace and can verify your number, IVR, minutes and plan through a complete trial. For this five-person service team, the winning provider is the one whose full quote and actual inbound, transfer and after-hours tests work best.
Try CallHippo for your five-person team Compare Teams Phone plans
Frequently asked questions
Which is better for a five-person service team?
CallHippo is worth testing if the team wants a dedicated customer-calling app and quick number setup. Teams Phone fits teams that already work in Teams and have an administrator to arrange licensing and a calling connection. Test the actual number, routing and quote before choosing.
Does Microsoft Teams include a business phone number?
A Teams meetings subscription alone does not automatically include an external business phone number. Eligible users need Teams Phone licensing and a suitable PSTN connection such as a Microsoft Calling Plan, Operator Connect or Direct Routing.
Is CallHippo free forever?
Do not assume so. CallHippo pricing terms describe a Basic introductory period of six months followed by a required upgrade to Starter to continue service. Check the current offer, number charges and calling usage at checkout.
Can I keep Teams for meetings and use CallHippo for calls?
Yes. Teams can remain your internal collaboration and meeting app while CallHippo handles eligible external numbers and calls. Budget for both tools and decide where call records will live.
Which option has better call quality?
Neither can guarantee the better result for every team. Test both over the same office and mobile connections, with identical headsets, destinations and peak-hour conditions. Track delay, dropouts and missed calls.
Can I port an existing business number?
Porting depends on the country, number type and losing carrier. Ask both providers to verify eligibility, required documents and the porting window before cancelling the old service.
Does CallHippo include a dialer in every plan?
No assumption should be made from a general product page. Check the specific Office Phone System or Call Center Solution tier and request written confirmation of power or predictive dialer access.
How should I compare five seats?
Quote five active seats, required local or toll-free numbers, expected domestic and international minutes, recordings, SMS, integrations, taxes and any setup fees for the same contract term.
Does Teams Phone need IT setup?
Teams Phone requires assigning eligible licenses, arranging PSTN connectivity, adding numbers and configuring routing and emergency locations. The effort depends on the existing Microsoft tenant and calling provider.
Do both support IVR and business-hour routing?
Both market business call-routing features, but available controls and plan eligibility differ. Build the same welcome menu, after-hours branch and voicemail fallback in each trial.
Are customer recordings included?
Recording access, storage, retention and consent obligations depend on the chosen plan and jurisdiction. Confirm the exact recording capability and permissions before a rollout.
Can CallHippo integrate with a CRM?
CallHippo advertises CRM and helpdesk integrations. Verify your named CRM, plan eligibility and which call notes, recordings and contact fields actually sync in a trial.