Softphone vs Work Phone: Which One Suits Your Business in 2025?

A softphone is a software application that uses VoIP technology to make voice and video calls over the Internet through a computer, smartphone, or tablet rather than traditional landline or mobile networks. Softphones are commonly used in business environments, especially for remote work and customer service operations, due to their cost-effectiveness and flexibility.

To allow phone calls on Softphone, VoIP converts voice data into digital packets that travel over the internet. Once it reaches the recipient, these packets are converted back into sounds. So, as long as you have internet access, you can make and receive calls from almost anywhere.

A workphone is a phone connected to a fixed phone line using a copper wire. It is also often called a deskphone or hardphone. These types of phones rely on the traditional telecommunications network to make and receive calls. Since desk phones are connected to a fixed line, you can use them only from a specific location.

To facilitate phone calls, work phones convert sound waves into electrical signals that travel over physical wires. These signals are routed through the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) to reach the recipient’s phone.

While softphone uses software or apps, work phones rely on wired-based connections for telephony.

Let’s compare the work phone and softphone on the different key factors:

As mentioned above, softphones use the internet and require no physical phone lines. So they are much cheaper to set up and maintain. You do need to subscribe to the plans with the VoIP phone system providers, though. However, many softphone providers offer affordable subscription plans, making them a budget-friendly option for small and large businesses.

Work phones, on the other hand, come with higher setup and maintenance costs due to the need for physical phone lines and devices. Additionally, calling costs are also comparatively higher than softphones.

In softphones, you can easily add your desired number of lines or users without installing new physical equipment. You just need to configure it through your app’s settings. Plus, your employees can also use softphones from any location. All they need is an internet connection, and they’re good to go.

However, work phones are stationary and are bound to one location. So, they’re less flexible than softphones. Additionally, adding new lines or devices can be costly and time-consuming as you’ll need to add new infrastructure for each line.

Most softphones allow integration with other business tools, such as CRM systems, email, etc, to streamline communication, making business operations more efficient and effective.

Conversely, you can not integrate work phones with other business tools, as their sole purpose is to facilitate phone calls.

While user-friendly, sometimes, you may require technical support to use a softphone due to its reliance on an internet connection. Since most VoIP providers have their own applications with distinct features, things can be confusing at times.

On the contrary, workphones are simple and intuitive, and you don’t need any special training to use them. Once installed, the work phone is just like your other home phone in your office.

Softphones often come with extra features, such as VoIP call forwarding, call recording and monitoring, call history, and integration capability that enhance business communication.

Work phones, on the other hand, are generally more basic. They support only voice calls and have basic features like call forwarding without advanced options.

The call quality of softphones depends on the internet connection, so issues like slow speeds or unstable networks can affect call clarity. Conversely, work phones offer consistent call quality through a physical landline and have fewer risks of dropped calls.

Most softphones have robust security measures, such as data encryption, firewalls, and double-factor authentication, to protect against threats. Work phones, however, can be less secure. While they don’t rely on an internet connection and are less susceptible to online security threats, they are still open to physical tampering.

Here is the comparison between softphone vs hardphone or work phone in a table for quick insights:

Both softphones and work phones have benefits and limitations. While softphones offer flexibility, advanced features, and cost efficiency, work phones provide stability and simplicity. The right choice depends on your business needs and working style. You can use a deskphone if your business just needs basic call features such as call holding, call transferring, and voicemail. However, choose a softphone if you want a phone system with advanced telephony features.
 

Yes, a softphone is a better choice than a work phone since softphones are more cost-effective, flexible, and easily scalable.

The disadvantage of a softphone is that call quality depends on the strength of the Internet. Thus, call clarity suffers whenever the Internet fluctuates.