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GoTo Connect Review
Table of Contents
- Companies without onsite IT can easily manage remote teams and devices through GoTo's intuitive admin portal.
- Standard features like hot desking and automated presence updates support businesses with flexible or hybrid work models.
- Employees can customize communication tools to fit their location, work style and role.
- Voice intelligence tools are not included with the standard phone system.
- GoTo Connect requires a custom quote, making it hard to compare prices among options.
- The base plan requires paid add-ons for most integrations and detailed call reports.
Hybrid and remote teams need communication tools that don’t cramp their working styles while still giving companies visibility into call flows and quality. GoTo Connect sets a high bar. Distributed workforces get the flexibility of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) without the complexity found in some alternatives. The platform provides customizable user settings, smart call routing and remote management features. With these capabilities, we chose GoTo Connect as the best business phone system for remote teams.
GoTo Connect Editor's Rating:
9.2 / 10
- Pricing
- 8.5/10
- Ease of use
- 9.3/10
- Features
- 9.2/10
- Integrations
- 9.2/10
- Customer service
- 9.7/10
Why GoTo Connect Is Best for Remote Teams
GoTo Connect supports how and where employees work, making it an excellent business VoIP system for hybrid and distributed workforces. What impressed us most was how well the platform performed across various remote job roles. Employees can customize VoIP apps and call management settings for field work, focus time or high call volumes.
The cloud-based phone system works with over 180 desk phones and is accessible via desktop apps for macOS and Windows, mobile apps for Android and iOS, and web browsers. We liked the floating, resizable softphone apps. You can pop out a sidecar panel to speed-dial contacts or undock the widget so it stays on top of other apps. GoTo saves your layout preferences for each device.
GoTo also delivers strong multiline management tools. Callback with the original caller ID helps mobile teams reply quickly using the correct business number, while “Find me, Follow me” lets remote workers personalize dial plans. Presence and scheduling updates further support remote workflows by syncing calendars, automating statuses and showing events across devices.
Unlike Dialpad, GoTo provides unlimited extensions with its base plan. The company directory and extension-to-extension dialing simplify connections, and hot desking is included — a perk that competitors RingEX and Ooma reserve for higher tiers.
Businesses can provision devices and activate employees from the GoTo Admin portal, streamlining digital onboarding, which is a current top small business tech trend. Within the panel, the system health dashboard and proactive alerts monitor network performance and remote call quality.
GoTo Connect’s team messaging and one-click video conferencing make it easy to start ad hoc meetings with screen sharing, keeping remote teams connected. AI-generated notes, summaries and action items increase remote worker engagement while reducing post-meeting follow-up tasks. We also like that GoTo bundles domestic and international calling, easing the burden of tracking minutes across virtual job sites. With so many remote-friendly features, GoTo Connect is an incredibly flexible VoIP solution for distributed teams.
Usability
We like how GoTo Connect looks and feels more like consumer software than a business tool. For teams with a lot to learn, this means one less platform requiring extensive training. Here are a few other elements that add to this system’s ease of use:
- Consistent mobile app experience: Its business phone system mobile apps mirror the desktop versions, and in our experience, a consistent interface across devices improves adoption. It helps users find call management and meeting tools quickly when switching between devices.
- Intuitive admin portal: GoTo Admin, the platform’s web-based admin portal, delivers the same streamlined experience. The clean layout shows device, location and user information, while hardware auto-activation, onboarding templates and auto-provisioning simplify remote setup and management.
- Visual dial plan builder: We really liked that GoTo Connect makes call routing easy with its beginner-friendly visual dial plan builder. Instead of filling out complex forms like you would when using RingEX or 8×8, you can simply drag and drop to set up call flows. Ooma Office is another phone system that keeps things simple, but it doesn’t offer the same visual builder and gives you fewer routing options on its lower-tier plans. (That said, as we note in our Ooma review, this platform’s easy setup makes it especially helpful for new and very small businesses.)
GoTo Connect Features
Remote team and device management | A central portal lets administrators manage devices, licenses and call quality across remote locations. Proactive alerts and a system health dashboard make it easier to troubleshoot issues before they affect distributed teams. |
|---|---|
Unified communications | GoTo Connect combines voice, video and messaging in one platform. Softphone and mobile apps keep remote employees connected, while one-click video conferencing supports fast, ad hoc meetings. |
AI-powered tools | Artificial intelligence enhances both admin and VoIP features by automating steps and assisting with communication tasks, such as generating meeting notes or optimizing call flows. |
Intelligent call routing Flexible settings let companies route callers by department, extension or individual user preferences. This helps ensure customers reach the right person in the fewest steps. | |
Analytics and reports | Historical and real-time data appear in easy-to-read, color-coded charts. Admins can review call volumes, queues and unanswered calls to identify trends and improve performance. |
GoTo Connect plans come loaded with excellent call-handling features, including many advanced tools typically reserved for higher-tier packages, such as call recording, single sign-on and call queues. These features give remote teams enterprise-grade functionality at a small-business price. Here are a few standout elements:
Remote Team and Device Management
GoTo Connect stood out for its impressive administrative tools among hosted PBX (private branch exchange) phone systems. Labeled device and user tabs simplify navigation, making it easy for nontechnical managers to oversee distributed teams and manage a remote workforce. With built-in network health tools, admins can monitor call quality and usage across remote sites and receive proactive alerts about potential issues.
We liked how hardware auto-activation and onboarding templates speed up device setup, especially for companies shipping phones to remote employees. Admins can also auto-provision settings so users are ready to work as soon as they log in, reducing IT requests. While RingEX and Zoom may provide more granular permission controls, those platforms often require more training and come with a steeper learning curve.
Unified Communications
Video, messaging and voice features come standard with many unified communications platforms. But GoTo’s video and audio quality wowed us during testing. Live and recorded sessions were clear, and we could share screens from mobile and desktop devices without any hiccups.
In addition to excellent performance, remote meeting capabilities include drawing tools, in-session chat, breakout rooms and webcam previews. One-click conferences don’t require a download, which makes joining fast and frustration-free. Virtual teams can also set up messaging channels and share files or images. For professionals collaborating with external stakeholders, we loved that GoTo supports chat conversations between clients and staff.
AI Tools
Leading VoIP providers, including GoTo Connect, RingEX and Dialpad, now include AI features even on entry-level plans. GoTo’s AI tools can generate video meeting summaries and action items, surface help documentation in the admin portal, and even turn text into speech for dial plan greetings. These tools are handy, but they don’t feel quite as advanced as what competitors are offering. To unlock more robust functionality, businesses can move up to Connect CX, GoTo’s higher-tier customer experience platform.
With Connect CX, remote managers gain access to AI-powered call summaries and searchable transcripts, making it easier to track conversations across distributed teams. A messaging assistant can suggest responses to customer texts or draft content for marketing automation campaigns.
GoTo also offers a conversational chatbot and analytics tool with its Contact Center license, while advanced features like an AI receptionist and data intelligence tools are available as add-ons. Other players, such as Aircall and RingEX, are also experimenting with AI phone agents, so this is one area where the competition is heating up fast.
Call Routing and Management
Of all the phone services we evaluated, GoTo Connect’s base plan stood out for its flexibility. It supports unlimited auto attendants, ring groups, call queues and voicemail boxes — far more options than most competitors provide at the entry tier. Remote employees can also build personalized call flows with multiple ring steps and call screening options, helping them stay reachable without giving out personal numbers.
The standard plan also includes unlimited auto attendants, ring groups, call queues and voicemail boxes, which are features other providers often reserve for higher tiers. For instance, Aircall and Dialpad limit entry-level users to just three ring groups. At the top tier, GoTo Connect adds skills-based routing and an interactive voice response (IVR) system, making it a strong fit for growing or distributed teams that need more advanced call handling.
Analytics and Reports
GoTo Connect’s color-coded charts make it easy to spot key metrics like total calls and percentage answered, giving admins a quick snapshot of performance. Managers can glance at dashboards to identify calling trends, adjust schedules or recognize top performers within the sales team.
Upgrading to the Connect CX plan expands these insights with custom dashboards and interaction details that map the customer journey from start to finish. Supervisors also gain live call and chat queue data, with the option to step in and assist directly when needed, which is a valuable tool for supporting distributed teams.
GoTo Connect Costs
GoTo Connect provides custom quotes for its communications and customer experience platform, so exact pricing depends on your business needs. In past reviews, we’ve seen pricing range from about $29 to $39 per user per month, but since GoTo no longer publishes rates, you’ll need to request a quote directly. All plans include free international calling, toll-free minutes, virtual faxing and unlimited dial plans.
Here’s a closer look at GoTo Connect VoIP services:
Plan | Price | Features |
|---|---|---|
Phone System | Requires quote |
|
Connect CX | Requires quote | Everything in the Phone System plan, plus:
|
Contact Center | Requires quote | Everything in the Connect CX plan, plus:
|
Here’s a quick primer if you’re unsure which tier best suits your needs:
- Phone System: This is a great option if you’re a small or midsize business that needs a full PBX with smart call routing, video meetings and multisite admin tools. Just keep in mind that it doesn’t include call reports or CRM integrations.
- Connect CX: This plan works well if your team wants more advanced insights and customer engagement tools. You’ll get AI call summaries, webchat, surveys and integrations with platforms like Slack and some of the best CRM software systems, including Salesforce.
- Contact Center: This is the best choice if you run high-volume sales or service teams that need advanced call handling. It adds agent dashboards, coaching tools, auto-dialers and skills-based routing to support distributed operations.
Also note that GoTo Connect has several handy add-ons that allow you to gain specific extras without having to upgrade your plan. Options include an attendant console, integration packages, advanced reporting and AI receptionists.
GoTo Connect Setup
GoTo Connect’s remote setup is refreshingly quick; most businesses can be up and running in about a day. Here’s what you need to know:
- Setup tools: Small teams with fewer than 50 seats can use the quick start option, while larger organizations benefit from time-saving features like settings templates and a bulk user spreadsheet. Once you’ve created an account and location, you can add new VoIP numbers or port existing ones.
- Accessibility expectations: Service is available immediately through softphone apps and new phone numbers. If you order VoIP phones or other hardware, expect delivery in about 10 to 12 business days. Porting existing numbers usually takes 15 to 18 business days, and you can track the status directly in the admin portal.
- Finalizing setup: Creating your dial plan and optimizing settings is the last step, and GoTo makes it straightforward. The visual call flow builder was a pleasure to work with — unique colors highlight different actions, making it easy to see how calls move through the system. You can also customize greetings, announcements, call queues, ring groups and recording preferences to match your team’s workflow.
When we set up new users for our GoTo Connect review, we were impressed by its automation. The system automatically creates extensions and voicemail boxes, while admins can personalize welcome emails. GoTo also provides step-by-step guides to help employees configure their settings and devices with ease.
GoTo Connect Customer Service
We like that GoTo Connect includes 24/7 customer support with all phone system plans. However, you must first submit an online form before getting access to the support phone number or other contact methods. In our experience, this made it harder to reach help compared with Nextiva and Ooma, which both offer easier access to live support.
Beyond personal support and troubleshooting, GoTo Connect provides a robust online resource center. Businesses can find remote-work tips, webinars, product guides, e-books, whitepapers and industry insights to get more from their communications tools. Training is also available through YouTube tutorials and a library of on-demand courses.
GoTo Connect Drawbacks
There’s much to like about GoTo Connect, but it’s not the right solution for every organization. Consider the following potential limitations before committing:
- Limited admin and conferencing: While GoTo Connect is a customizable cloud phone platform for remote and hybrid teams, large global organizations may need more robust admin tools and conferencing capabilities. Our 8×8 review highlights why that platform is better suited for international enterprises (though GoTo remains a good fit for SMBs that make regular international calls).
- Outbound calling: GoTo Connect’s flexibility for remote roles becomes a drawback if your team primarily manages high outbound call volumes. Only the top-tier plan includes contact center tools, and GoTo integrates with fewer major CRMs than some competitors. RingEX and Aircall both offer broader integrations, and in our Aircall review, we explain why its AI features and power dialer make it a great option if customer communication is a top priority.
Methodology
When evaluating the top business phone systems, we reviewed more than a dozen platforms. We researched and analyzed each option, joined demos whenever possible and tested both free and paid plans. Our evaluation focused on features, pricing, limitations, ease of use, setup and customer service.
After comparing solutions, GoTo Connect stood out as the best business phone system for remote teams. Its consistent experience across devices makes remote adoption easier, and when you combine that with AI meeting summaries, auto-status updates and call handling features, it adds a real productivity boost.
GoTo Connect FAQs
Overall Value
We recommend GoTo Connect for …
- Hybrid or remote workers who need to answer calls on both individual and shared lines.
- Businesses that make international phone calls regularly.
- Companies interested in automating voice announcements or text messages.
We don’t recommend GoTo Connect for …
- Remote teams that require extensive integrations for their phone, video or chat tools.
- Companies looking for AI call summaries on a standard business phone plan.
- Businesses that want to see transparent pricing when shopping for a new phone system.
Jeff Hale contributed to this review.
