A long-running virtual phone service priced per account, popular with solo owners who want a business number on their cell. TimberSwitch is a small-business phone system from $9 a month plus $4 per extra extension, with an AI receptionist coming soon as an add-on. Here is how they compare, as of October 2026.
| Feature | TimberSwitch | Grasshopper |
|---|---|---|
| Plan compared | Starter, one extension per user | Solo Plus |
| Pricing model | Per extension: $9 for the first (with a number), $4 for each extra; one extension rings the app, a desk phone and a cell | Per account, with set numbers of phone numbers and extensions per plan |
| 1 user, no AI | $9 (Starter, 1 extension, 300 minutes each way) | $32 (single-user plans advertised from $14) |
| 3 users, no AI | $17 (Starter, 3 extensions, 900 minutes each way) | $32 |
| 10 users, no AI | $45 (Starter, 10 extensions, 3,000 minutes each way) | Not in our sweep (extensions beyond the plan's allowance cost extra) |
| 1 user, with AI receptionist | AI receptionist coming soon as an add-on | Not offered |
| 3 users, with AI receptionist | AI receptionist coming soon as an add-on | Not offered |
| 10 users, with AI receptionist | AI receptionist coming soon as an add-on | Not offered |
| AI receptionist | Coming soon as an add-on to any plan. Until then, phone menus, ring groups and voicemail to text answer for you. | Our October 2026 sweep found no AI receptionist on Grasshopper's plans. |
| Auto-attendant (IVR) | Yes, IVR menus, business hours and ring groups on every plan | Yes, on the plan compared |
| Spam call filtering | Included on every plan: STIR/SHAKEN-based spam labels on the call log and a per-business block list | Not checked in our sweep. See the vendor's documentation. |
| Contracts and fees | Monthly, or 10% off billed annually. Cancel anytime, free port-out. 30-day money-back guarantee. Government taxes and 911 fees itemized at cost; no other fees added. | Not checked in our sweep. See the vendor's terms for contract length, taxes and fees. |
Monthly list prices in US dollars as of October 2026, before taxes and fees. Per-user totals are the per-user list price times the number of users. "Not checked" means our sweep did not verify it; it does not mean the feature is missing.
being honest
switching
Porting your number to TimberSwitch is free. Upload a recent Grasshopper bill, sign the letter of authorization in your browser (or upload a signed copy), and we file the port. Most US ports finish in 5-10 business days, and you can set up routing while you wait. Before you start, get your Grasshopper account number and port-out PIN, and keep the Grasshopper account open until the port completes. Cancelling first can release the number.
How porting works · Hear the AI receptionist answer as your business, free · Pricing
As of October 2026, Grasshopper (Solo Plus) is priced per account, with set numbers of phone numbers and extensions per plan: $32 a month for 3 users without AI; with an AI receptionist: not offered, from published list prices. TimberSwitch Starter is $9 a month for one extension and $4 for each extra one, so 3 people pay $17 a month. All prices are before tax.
Our October 2026 sweep found no AI receptionist on Grasshopper's plans.
Yes. Porting a number to TimberSwitch is free. You upload a recent bill, sign the letter of authorization in your browser (or upload a signed copy), and most US ports finish in 5-10 business days. Your old service keeps working until the port completes. Before you start, get your Grasshopper account number and port-out PIN, and keep the Grasshopper account open until the port completes. Cancelling first can release the number.
You want a virtual number that forwards to your cell, from a long-established brand. You only want a second number that forwards to your cell and have no plans for desk phones or a shared team setup.
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Prices change. Check the vendor's page before deciding, and tell us if something here is out of date.