Callata vs Grasshopper: Virtual Phone Systems Compared

Short answer: Grasshopper is a long-running virtual phone system that forwards a business number to the phones you already own, priced by plan rather than by user: $14, $25 or $55 per month on annual billing. Callata is a newer browser-based phone system at $99 per month with five users included ($20 per additional user) that adds call recording with AI summaries, voicemail urgency triage and optional AI agents. Grasshopper is cheaper for solo owners and simple setups; Callata does more for a team that needs to share calls and texts and keep a record of what was said.

Grasshopper figures are from grasshopper.com/pricing and Grasshopper's own plan comparison on its blog, both checked October 1, 2026. Callata figures are from callatta.com.

Plans compared

	Grasshopper True Solo	Grasshopper Solo Plus	Grasshopper Small Business	Callata Office
Price (annual billing)	$14/mo ($168/yr)	$25/mo ($300/yr)	$55/mo ($660/yr)	Monthly only
Price (monthly billing)	Higher (annual saves 20%+)	Higher	Higher	$99/mo ($79.99 first month)
Users	1	Unlimited	Unlimited	5 included, $20/mo each additional
Numbers	1	1	4	Up to 3 local
Extensions	1	3 ($3/mo each extra)	Unlimited	Ring groups and extensions included
Texting	Unlimited, $19.50 + $1.50/mo	Unlimited, $19.50 + $1.50/mo	Unlimited, $19.50 + $1.50/mo	Shared inbox, $49 one-time registration
Extra numbers	$9/mo each	$9/mo each	$9/mo each	Not offered beyond 3
Free trial	7 days, no card	7 days, no card	7 days, no card	Not listed

Grasshopper did not display monthly-billing prices on the pricing page in our check, only that annual billing saves over 20%. Treat the annual figures as the floor.

How each one handles calls

Grasshopper's model is call forwarding with a professional front end. A customer dials your Grasshopper number, hears your greeting and menu, and the call is forwarded to the extension's phone, such as a cell phone or another line you already use. It is a clean way to look established without new hardware.

Callata is a full phone system that runs in the browser. Staff answer in a Callata tab on their computer, and calls ring every open tab; anyone can also have calls ring their cell. Calls follow business-hours and after-hours rules, ring groups and extensions, and can be put on hold or transferred. Because the call passes through Callata's system rather than simply forwarding, it can be recorded, transcribed and summarized.

Recording, transcription and AI

This is the clearest difference. Grasshopper's pricing page does not list call recording, AI call summaries or an AI agent on any plan. Callata includes:

• Call recording with a recording notice to callers, and an AI summary of each recorded call with sentiment and action items saved to the contact.
• Voicemail transcription with urgency triage and a callback scheduled around your hours.
• Optional AI agents (receptionist, sales, support or scheduler) that answer after hours or when nobody picks up, text, email, take messages and transfer to a person, billed from prepaid minutes at $0.25 per minute.

If you need a written record of client calls, or want an AI receptionist to catch calls while you are on a job, Callata covers that. If you just need calls to reach your cell with a professional greeting, Grasshopper does that well for less.

Texting

Both include business texting and both pass through carrier registration costs, which every US business texting from a local number must pay. Grasshopper charges $19.50 once plus $1.50 per month; Callata charges $49 once with no monthly messaging fee listed. Over two years, Grasshopper's texting fees total $55.50 and Callata's total $49.

Callata's texting runs through a shared team inbox, so several people can work the same customer conversations, with templates, delivery receipts and AI reply suggestions.

Cost by situation

Situation	Grasshopper	Callata
Solo owner, 1 number	$14/mo (annual)	$99/mo
3 people sharing 1 number	$25/mo (annual, Solo Plus)	$99/mo
6 people, 3 numbers	$55/mo (annual, Small Business)	$119/mo
6 people, 3 numbers, every call recorded and summarized	Recording not listed	$119/mo

On price alone, Grasshopper wins at every size, and by a wide margin, because its Solo Plus and Small Business plans do not charge per user while Callata adds $20 per user beyond five. The decision turns on whether you need the features Grasshopper does not list. Grasshopper's best prices assume you prepay a year; month-to-month billing raises its price by the 20%-plus annual discount, but it still stays below Callata.

Where Grasshopper is stronger

• Lower price at every team size, especially for one person and for larger teams on Small Business.
• Free 7-day trial with no credit card, plus a 7-day money-back guarantee.
• More numbers available, at $9 each beyond the plan.
• Works with phones you already own, so there is nothing new for staff to learn.
• Track record. Grasshopper says it has served more than 400,000 customers.

Where Callata is stronger

• Call recording and AI summaries on every recorded call.
• Voicemail urgency triage with scheduled callbacks.
• AI agents billed by the minute.
• A real shared phone system: ring groups, extensions, hold, business-hours routing, all calls ringing in the browser.
• E911 on every number with a registered address and owner notification.
• Month-to-month pricing without needing an annual prepayment to get the best rate.

Setup and switching

Grasshopper's setup is quick because it relies on forwarding: pick a number, record a greeting, set up extensions and enter the phone numbers each extension should ring. Callata's setup is similar in length: choose up to three local numbers, register the 911 address, set business hours and an after-hours rule, build ring groups or extensions, and invite the team by email. In both cases, business texting is not live until carrier registration is approved.

If you are moving from Grasshopper to Callata, you can keep your number. Callata ports numbers in for free: email [email protected] with the number, the current carrier, account holder name, service address and a recent bill, and sign the letter of authorization. Keep Grasshopper active until the port completes. If you prepaid a Grasshopper year, time the switch to its renewal date.

Moving the other way is equally possible; Callata's terms allow you to port numbers out while your account is in good standing.

Which to choose

• Solo, and calls just need to reach your cell? Grasshopper True Solo.
• Small team that only needs forwarding and a menu? Grasshopper Solo Plus or Small Business.
• Team that needs recorded, summarized calls and transcribed voicemail? Callata.
• Want an AI receptionist for after-hours calls? Callata.
• Prefer monthly billing with no prepayment? Callata bills monthly at $99 for up to five users.

Related: Grasshopper pricing explained, Grasshopper alternatives, and the best business phone for solo founders.

Try Callata

If you have outgrown call forwarding and want a phone system that records, transcribes and summarizes calls for the whole team, Callata costs $99 per month for up to five users, plus $20 per additional user, with free number porting. Get started with Callata.