See how Vonage's "affordable" pricing adds up to $37+/user after mandatory fees, taxes, and add-ons most businesses need.
An honest, side-by-side look at what you actually get and what you actually pay.
Real reviews from Vonage customers on Trustpilot. We didn't write these -- they did.
"The $19.99 per user price is misleading. After taxes, regulatory fees, and the add-ons you actually need, we were paying over $40 per user per month."
Trustpilot"Call recording is $49.99 per month extra. They don't mention that anywhere in the sales pitch. That's a basic feature that should be included."
Trustpilot"Nothing but a scam with no tech support. I've been trying to get help for weeks. Every time I call, I'm transferred to a new department that can't help either."
Trustpilot"Support is non-existent. You get a chatbot, then a queue, then disconnected. Repeat. I spent 3 hours trying to resolve a billing issue that should have taken 5 minutes."
Trustpilot"Our SMS and MMS stopped working without warning. Customers couldn't reach us for weeks. Vonage blamed our configuration but couldn't fix it themselves."
Trustpilot"Text messaging has been unreliable for months. Messages go into a void. Our clients think we're ignoring them. Vonage says it's a 'known issue' with no ETA."
Trustpilot"They charged us for 3 months after we cancelled. Getting a refund was like pulling teeth. Auto-renew contracts are designed to trap you."
Trustpilot"Our bill increased 30% year-over-year with no explanation. When I called to dispute, they said it was 'standard rate adjustments.' There's nothing standard about surprise charges."
TrustpilotHere's how Vonage's advertised $19.99/user becomes $37+ on your actual invoice.
These figures are based on Vonage's published pricing, Trustpilot reviews, and common add-on costs reported by customers. Your actual costs may vary.
Six Vonage pain points we solve on day one.
One price. One time. Your SIP trunk is $179/month flat -- no taxes, no surcharges, no surprises on your invoice. What we quote is what you pay.
Call us and you get Scot, Jane, or Jacob. Not a chatbot. Not a phone tree. Not a 45-minute hold queue that ends in a disconnection.
Want to leave? Unplug the system. It's yours. No cancellation department. No early termination fees. No 30-day notice period buried in fine print.
Every VPE system includes call recording at no additional cost. Vonage charges $49.99/month for the same feature. That's $3,000 over 5 years.
Your calls run on your local network, not the open internet. No jitter. No dropped words. No "can you hear me now?" moments during client calls.
The PBX, the phones, the system -- it's all yours. Vonage owns their equipment and you rent access to it. Stop paying and you have nothing.
Total cost of ownership for 20 users over 5 years. Everything included.
Real reviews from real businesses that made the switch.
"After years of renting from Vonage and watching our bill creep up, we bought a VPE system outright. Best decision we've made. The system paid for itself in 4 months."
Trustpilot"Scot personally walked us through the entire setup. When we had a question 3 months later, he picked up the phone on the second ring. Try that with Vonage."
Trustpilot"The call quality difference is night and day. With Vonage we had constant issues -- choppy audio, dropped calls. The VPE system runs on our LAN and sounds perfect every time."
Google"Our phone bill went from $680/month with Vonage to $179/month with VPE. Same number of users, same features, fraction of the cost. I wish we'd switched sooner."
TrustpilotWe believe in honest comparisons. Here's where Vonage has an edge.
Vonage Communications APIs are industry-leading. If you need to build custom communications into your software, Vonage's developer platform is strong.
Vonage offers SDKs, webhooks, and extensive documentation for developers who want to programmatically control voice, SMS, and video.
If your business needs custom IVR flows, AI-powered call routing, or communications built into your app, Vonage's CPaaS platform is purpose-built for that.
Vonage has a broader international presence with local numbers in 40+ countries. VPE is focused on US-based businesses with domestic calling needs.
Six simple steps. Most businesses are up and running in under a week.
Tell us how many phones you need. We'll build a system quote in 24 hours -- no pressure, no sales pitch.
Your PBX is pre-configured before it ships. Extensions, voicemail, auto-attendant, call recording -- all set up and ready.
We handle the number porting process from Vonage. Keep every number your customers know. Takes 7-10 business days.
Connect the PBX to your network, plug in the phones. System is pre-configured -- most offices are making calls within an hour.
Our team does a remote walkthrough to verify every extension, every feature, every call route is working perfectly.
Once your VPE system is confirmed working, cancel your Vonage service.
Yes. We handle the entire number porting process. Your existing phone numbers transfer from Vonage to our SIP service. The process typically takes 7-10 business days, and we recommend running both systems in parallel during the transition so you never miss a call.
VPE charges a one-time fee of $1,950 for a 20-phone system, plus $179/month for SIP trunk service. Vonage charges $19.99/user/month before fees, which typically becomes $37+/user after taxes, regulatory fees, and essential add-ons. Over 5 years, a 20-user setup costs $12,690 with VPE versus $37,200+ with Vonage -- a savings of over $24,500.
You can add phones at any time. Just purchase the additional handsets and we'll help you configure them on your existing PBX. There's no per-user monthly fee increase -- your SIP trunk cost stays the same regardless of how many extensions you add.
Yes. Call recording is included with every VPE system at no additional cost. Vonage charges $49.99/month for this feature -- that's nearly $3,000 over 5 years for a feature that should be standard.
Based on customer reviews, cancelling Vonage can be challenging. Many customers report auto-renewing contracts, being transferred between departments, and continued billing after cancellation requests. We recommend: (1) document your cancellation request in writing, (2) get a confirmation number, (3) monitor your bank statements for unauthorized charges after cancellation.
Your internal calls between extensions will still work because they run on your local network (LAN), not the internet. External calls require an internet connection for the SIP trunk, just like Vonage requires internet for all calls. The difference is that VPE's LAN-based architecture means your internal call quality is never affected by internet congestion.
No. Your system arrives pre-configured and ready to use. For day-to-day changes like adding extensions or updating voicemail greetings, we walk you through it over the phone -- or we can make the changes for you remotely. You'll never be stuck navigating a help center alone.
We'll tell you upfront. If you need programmable APIs, international calling to 40+ countries, or a CPaaS platform, Vonage may genuinely be a better fit. VPE is built for US-based businesses that want reliable desk phones, crystal-clear call quality, and predictable costs. Call us at 844-486-4766 and we'll give you an honest assessment.
Join hundreds of businesses that switched from overpriced monthly subscriptions to a phone system they actually own.
Vonage is a registered trademark of Vonage Holdings Corp. VoIP PBX Express is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Vonage. All trademarks, service marks, and trade names referenced on this page are the property of their respective owners. Pricing and feature information is based on publicly available data and customer reviews as of 2025 and may have changed. We encourage you to verify current pricing directly with Vonage.