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Asterisk alternatives: 5 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Nov 8, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rankAll business phone systems and PBX software

Top picks

Common reasons people leave Asterisk: no built-in web interface; configuration is text files unless you add FreePBX or similar, and steep learning curve around SIP, NAT and dialplan logic. We ranked 5 alternatives by how directly each one replaces Asterisk, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. FreeSWITCH currently ranks first.

Quick comparison

#AppPricingVerified priceOpen sourcePlatformsVerified factsScore
1FreeSWITCH logoFreeSWITCHOpen source—NoLinux, Self-hosted5 of 568.8
2FuFusionPBXOpen source—NoLinux, Self-hosted4 of 462.6
3RiRingCentral RingEXPaid$20 per user/month billed annually ($30 monthly)NoWeb, Windows, macOS +26 of 661.8
4Google Voice logoGoogle VoiceFree plan + paid$10 per user/month (Starter)NoWeb, iOS, Android7 of 759.4
5FreePBX logoFreePBXOpen source—NoSelf-hosted, Web3 of 340.0
  1. FreeSWITCH logo

    1. FreeSWITCHTop pick

    Best for: Developers and providers building high-volume voice, conferencing or contact-centre platforms.

    Open sourceLinux, Self-hosted

    68.8

    score / 100

    Why switch from Asterisk

    Open-source engine built for high call volumes and multi-tenant platforms, with strong WebRTC and video support.

    Pros

    • Handles large call volumes and multi-tenant setups well
    • Built-in WebRTC, conferencing and media transcoding
    • Programmable through Event Socket and embedded scripting

    Cons

    • Package downloads require signing up for a SignalWire account
    • No office-style admin UI out of the box; needs a front end like FusionPBX
    • XML configuration and dialplan take time to learn
    Visit FreeSWITCH Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.3100
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is FreeSWITCH a good Asterisk alternative?

    Verified facts

    5 of 5 verified
    First released
    2006
    Checked Nov 8, 2026signalwire.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Maintainer
    SignalWire
    Checked Nov 8, 2026signalwire.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Download requirement
    Free SignalWire account
    Checked Nov 8, 2026signalwire.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Editions
    Open source and commercial Enterprise
    Checked Nov 8, 2026developer.signalwire.com(opens source in a new tab)
    WebRTC
    Yes
    Checked Nov 8, 2026developer.signalwire.com(opens source in a new tab)
  2. Fu

    2. FusionPBX

    Best for: VoIP resellers and IT teams who want a self-hosted, multi-tenant PBX without per-user licences.

    Open sourceLinux, Self-hosted

    62.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Asterisk

    Ready-made multi-tenant PBX with a web admin, so you don't have to edit config files by hand.

    Pros

    • Full web admin over FreeSWITCH, with direct CLI access still available
    • Multi-tenant by design, suited to hosting phone systems for many customers
    • Long feature list including queues, IVRs, recording and phone provisioning

    Cons

    • Self-hosting means you handle security, firewalls and upgrades
    • No official softphone apps; relies on third-party SIP clients
    • Admin interface is dense and dated compared with commercial systems
    Visit FusionPBX Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.387
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is FusionPBX a good Asterisk alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Built on
    FreeSWITCH
    Checked Nov 8, 2026docs.fusionpbx.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Recommended OS
    Debian and Ubuntu
    Checked Nov 8, 2026docs.fusionpbx.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Multi-tenant
    Yes
    Checked Nov 8, 2026docs.fusionpbx.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Voicemail to email
    Yes
    Checked Nov 8, 2026docs.fusionpbx.com(opens source in a new tab)
  3. Ri

    3. RingCentral RingEX

    Best for: Companies with several offices that want phones, chat and video meetings from one vendor

    PaidWeb, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android

    61.8

    score / 100

    Why switch from Asterisk

    Hosted business phone system with calling, video and messaging, for teams that want to stop maintaining their own PBX.

    Pros

    • Phone, team chat and video meetings in a single app
    • Unlimited domestic calling on every plan
    • Multi-site management on Advanced and up
    • Works with desk phones as well as apps

    Cons

    • SMS allowances are small on the entry plan (25 per user)
    • CRM integrations need the Advanced plan or higher
    • Free trial is limited to five users and excludes SMS
    Visit RingCentral RingEX Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.377
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is RingCentral RingEX a good Asterisk alternative?

    Verified facts

    6 of 6 verified
    Starting price
    $20 per user/month billed annually ($30 monthly)
    Checked Nov 8, 2026ringcentral.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Meeting size
    300 participants
    Checked Nov 8, 2026ringcentral.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Free trial
    Up to 5 users
    Checked Nov 8, 2026ringcentral.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Platforms
    Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, browser
    Checked Nov 8, 2026ringcentral.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Advanced plan
    $25 per user/month billed annually ($35 monthly)
    Checked Nov 8, 2026ringcentral.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Ultra plan
    $35 per user/month billed annually ($45 monthly)
    Checked Nov 8, 2026ringcentral.com(opens source in a new tab)
  4. Google Voice logo

    4. Google Voice

    Best for: US individuals and Google Workspace teams who want a cheap second number across phone and browser

    Free plan + paidWeb, iOS, Android

    59.4

    score / 100

    Why switch from Asterisk

    Simple hosted business numbers tied to Google Workspace, for small offices that don't need a programmable PBX.

    Pros

    • Personal version has almost all US and Canada calls at no cost
    • Voicemail transcripts land in your inbox and are searchable
    • Works in the browser, on Android and iOS, and on supported desk phones
    • Business tiers plug into Google Meet, Calendar and the Workspace admin console

    Cons

    • No toll-free 1-800 numbers
    • Business plans require a Google Workspace subscription
    • Picking your own number is limited to US users
    Visit Google Voice Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.369
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Google Voice a good Asterisk alternative?

    Verified facts

    7 of 7 verified
    Free calls
    Most calls to the US and Canada (personal)
    Checked Nov 8, 2026support.google.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Starting price
    $10 per user/month (Starter)
    Checked Nov 7, 2026workspace.google.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Voicemail transcription
    Yes
    Checked Nov 8, 2026support.google.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Toll-free numbers
    Not offered
    Checked Nov 8, 2026support.google.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Platforms
    Web, Android, iOS
    Checked Nov 8, 2026workspace.google.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Standard plan
    $20 per user/month
    Checked Nov 7, 2026workspace.google.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Premier plan
    $30 per user/month
    Checked Nov 7, 2026workspace.google.com(opens source in a new tab)
  5. FreePBX logo

    5. FreePBX

    Best for: IT teams and VoIP resellers who want a free, self-hosted Asterisk PBX managed from a browser

    Open sourceSelf-hosted, Web

    40.0

    score / 100

    Why switch from Asterisk

    Adds a browser-based admin panel on top of Asterisk so you don't edit config files by hand.

    Pros

    • Free, open-source GUI that hides most of Asterisk's configuration files
    • Modular, with a large community forum and long track record
    • Commercial modules and support available from Sangoma if needed

    Cons

    • Needs telephony and Linux knowledge to set up and keep secure
    • Some useful features, such as endpoint manager, are paid commercial modules
    • Upgrades between major versions can break modules
    Visit FreePBX Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.312
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is FreePBX a good Asterisk alternative?

    Verified facts

    3 of 3 verified
    What it is
    Open-source GUI for Asterisk PBX
    Checked Nov 8, 2026community.freepbx.org(opens source in a new tab)
    License
    GPL-3.0
    Checked Nov 8, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Installation
    FreePBX 17 install script
    Checked Nov 8, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)

The best Asterisk alternative for…

The highest-ranked app in this list for each need.

FreeSWITCH logo

Best Asterisk alternative for most people

FreeSWITCH

Open-source engine built for high call volumes and multi-tenant platforms, with strong WebRTC and video support.

Fu

Best Asterisk alternative for a free option

FusionPBX

Ready-made multi-tenant PBX with a web admin, so you don't have to edit config files by hand.

Google Voice logo

Best Asterisk alternative for a free plan you can upgrade

Google Voice

Simple hosted business numbers tied to Google Workspace, for small offices that don't need a programmable PBX.

Ri

Best Asterisk alternative for Mac

RingCentral RingEX

Hosted business phone system with calling, video and messaging, for teams that want to stop maintaining their own PBX.

Ri

Best Asterisk alternative for Windows

RingCentral RingEX

Hosted business phone system with calling, video and messaging, for teams that want to stop maintaining their own PBX.

FreeSWITCH logo

Best Asterisk alternative for Linux

FreeSWITCH

Open-source engine built for high call volumes and multi-tenant platforms, with strong WebRTC and video support.

Ri

Best Asterisk alternative for iPhone and Android

RingCentral RingEX

Hosted business phone system with calling, video and messaging, for teams that want to stop maintaining their own PBX.

FreePBX logo

Best Asterisk alternative for working in the browser

FreePBX

Adds a browser-based admin panel on top of Asterisk so you don't edit config files by hand.

Asterisk alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to Asterisk?

FreeSWITCH ranks first right now. Open-source engine built for high call volumes and multi-tenant platforms, with strong WebRTC and video support. FusionPBX and RingCentral RingEX follow it in our ranking.

Asterisk vs FreeSWITCH: what's the difference?

Both Asterisk and FreeSWITCH are free and open source. Both run on Linux.

Is Asterisk free?

Asterisk is free and open source.

How much do Asterisk alternatives cost?

Verified prices for the top-ranked Asterisk alternatives: RingCentral RingEX, $20 per user/month billed annually ($30 monthly); Google Voice, $10 per user/month (Starter). Each price was checked on the app's own site; see each card below for the date and source.

Is there a free alternative to Asterisk?

Yes. FreeSWITCH (open source), FusionPBX (open source), Google Voice (free plan + paid) and FreePBX (open source) have a free option. Check each app's verified facts for current plan limits.

Is there an open-source alternative to Asterisk?

None of the 5 alternatives in this list is open source.

Which Asterisk alternatives work on Linux?

FreeSWITCH and FusionPBX run on Linux.

Why do people switch from Asterisk?

The complaints we hear most: no built-in web interface; configuration is text files unless you add FreePBX or similar; steep learning curve around SIP, NAT and dialplan logic; officially tested only on a handful of Linux distributions.

How is this list ranked?

Every app is scored with the same published formula: how directly it replaces Asterisk, reviews (weighted by verification), visits from AppBreakup, how recently its facts were checked against its own website, and reader votes.