A vanity phone number is more than just a contact detail, it’s a powerful branding tool that makes your business stand out.

By using a number that incorporates your company name, a relevant keyword, or a memorable phrase, you can make it easier for customers to remember and reach you. These custom phone numbers are designed to boost your marketing efforts and enhance your professional image.

↔️ Learn how to obtain a vanity phone number for your business and discover the top five providers offering exceptional services

🔑 KEY HIGHLIGHTS

• Vanity phone numbers are customized numbers with words or phrases that represent a business, which a customer can easily remember. (e.g., 1-800-FLOWERS).

• There are several benefits of vanity numbers, such as boosting brand recognition, gaining customer trust, enhancing marketing, and unlocking advanced features.

• To get a vanity number, choose a provider, pick a catchy phrase, check availability, and purchase for quick activation.

• Mistakes to avoid when selecting a vanity number: don’t rely on one source, limit creativity, or misunderstand toll-free prefixes, as it can hinder branding.

What is a vanity phone number?

Vanity numbers, also known as toll-free numbers, can be toll-free, local, or mobile, that spell out a word or memorable sequence. Vanity numbers often feature the business name, key terms related to its products or services, or catchy and easily remembered phrases. This helps customers easily remember your business’s phone number. 

Generally, vanity telephone numbers have 10 characters, which include numbers and letters. For example:

• 1-800-CONTACT, where “CONTACT” represents the brand.
• 1-888-BEACHES, where “BEACHES” relates to the business.
• 1-800-FLOWERS, where “FLOWERS” matches the company’s service.

However, if your business name is longer than seven letters, you can still use extra letters, but only the first seven will be dialed. For example, if your business is “BestCleaningPros,” you can use 1-800-BESTCLEAN, but only “BESTCLE” (7 letters) will be dialed, and the extra “AN” will be ignored by the phone system.

Moreover, vanity phone numbers help to differentiate your business and strengthen your connection with your audience. They build brand visibility, align with your marketing objectives, and enhance customer satisfaction. With just a few clicks, businesses can acquire vanity phone numbers from a business phone system provider.

So, how do they work? They are similar to other business phone numbers. When a customer dials the number, the call is forwarded to your business VoIP phone system or landlines. The only difference is that vanity numbers are more memorable, which reflects your brand identity.

Benefits of using a vanity phone number

A vanity phone number has several advantages that can significantly boost your business’s visibility and credibility.  

Here are some of the key advantages of using vanity numbers:

1. Builds consumer trust 

A recognizable phone number helps businesses increase their credibility, which encourages consumers to answer your calls. Studies show that consumers are 3-4 times more likely to reach out to a company with a vanity phone number.

2. Boosts brand recognition

After just a 30-second advertisement, 72% of shoppers remembered vanity phone numbers, while only 5% recalled generic ones. Switching to a vanity number increases customer recall rates by 84%. Even if customers don’t need your product now, they’ll know exactly how to contact you when they need.

3. Unlocks advanced phone features

Purchasing vanity numbers from cloud communication providers like UCaaS and CCaaS opens access to features like IVR, third-party integrations, call routing, and call queues. These advanced features streamline communication, which improves customer experience and the overall efficiency of your business operations.

4. Enhances security and privacy

Vanity numbers protect your business and customers against threats like eavesdropping with features like multi-factor authentication, encrypted voice calls, and GDPR/PCI compliance. These features enhance security, giving both businesses and customers peace of mind.  

5. Improves marketing and advertising

Ads featuring vanity phone numbers perform 33% better than those with generic numbers. These numbers can increase the likelihood of customers recommending your business to others by up to 200%. This boosts brand recall and helps your business stand out in marketing campaigns.

How to get a vanity phone number?

Getting a vanity phone number is as simple as buying data packs for mobile. Service providers have made the buying process more straightforward, convenient, and affordable. 

Follow these simple steps to purchase a vanity phone number for your business:

1. Select your vanity number provider

You can purchase vanity phone numbers from a reputable vanity phone number provider or RespOrgs that offer customizable phone numbers. Compare their features, pricing, and availability to find the best fit for your business. Once you’ve chosen a provider, you can easily select and purchase your desired vanity number through their platform.

2. Brainstorm potential numbers

Once you select a provider, create a list of relevant words or phrases for your vanity number. Choose something easy to spell with no variations, which must clearly reflect your business (e.g., 999-BUY-A-CAR is better than 888-GET-VANS). 

However, remember to avoid using numbers similar to competitors’ names and choose timeless phrases over trendy terms that might become outdated over time. 

3. Verify number availability

Once you have decided which phrase to add to your business vanity number, check if your desired vanity number is available or not. To check, search the provider’s number database, if it’s taken, most providers offer alternative numbers that are still close to your preferred option.

4. Make your purchase

Complete the purchase by completing the payment. VoIP numbers are typically activated within 1-2 hours, while toll-free vanity numbers may take 24-48 hours to activate.

5 best vanity phone number providers

Provider	Standout Features	Pricing	Best For
KrispCall	Custom vanity numbers, number porting, call forwarding, call recording, API integrations	Starts at $15/user/month	Small to mid-size businesses needing affordable pricing, 24/7 support, and comprehensive telephony features
Phone.com	Voicemail, call forwarding, advanced analytics, HIPAA compliance, Custom vanity numbers	Starts at $15/month/user	Businesses needing customized phone numbers with video conferencing and HIPAA compliance
Grasshopper	VoIP, voicemail transcription, mobile/desktop app access, toll-free & local numbers	Starts at $18/month	Small businesses looking for an affordable and simple call-handling solution
RingCentral	AI assistant, advanced call handling, call management, business text messaging, CRM integrations	Starts at $30/user/month	Small businesses, growing teams, and large enterprises need a feature-rich communication system
MightyCall	Number mapping, CRM integration, call routing, IVR, real-time analytics	Starts at $20/user/month	Small to medium-sized businesses needing an easy-to-use phone system with advanced features

1. KrispCall

KrispCall is an AI-powered modern telephony system that caters to businesses of all sizes by providing virtual numbers from 100+ countries worldwide. Features like unified callbox, call auto-attendant, and API Integrations help businesses improve customer interactions and operational efficiency.

Additionally, the KrispCall vanity number strengthens brand recognition and helps businesses create a professional and memorable image among customers. Its easy setup process with a wide range of virtual numbers ( toll-free, vanity, local, mobile ) makes it the best business telephone number provider.

Key Features

• Custom vanity numbers: KrispCall provides customized vanity phone numbers so that a business can choose prefixes that best cater to their business.

• Number porting: You can easily port your existing vanity numbers to KrispCal without losing its recognition.

• Call forwarding: This feature lets businesses transfer calls from their vanity numbers to other phone lines for smooth communication.

✔️Pros

• It offers virtual phone numbers in more than 100 countries.
• Seamless integration with other CRM platforms.
• 24/7 customer support for smooth communication.

❌Cons

• The mobile app lacks some features available on the web dashboard.

Pricing

• Essential: $15/user/month
• Standard: $40/user/month
• Enterprise: Custom pricing

Best For

KrispCall is best suited for businesses that want customizable options like vanity numbers and seamless integrations with business tools and CRM.

2. Phone.com

Phone.com is a cloud-based phone system that specializes in providing VOIP phone services with its virtual numbers, caters to businesses of all sizes. It has features like call forwarding, voicemail, and advanced analytics to improve business communication and performance.

Phone.com also provides a virtual dial number with a variety of local and toll-free numbers. It lets businesses choose and buy vanity phone numbers that reflect their brand. This flexibility helps companies to improve their brand presence while maintaining efficient communication with customers.

Key Features

• Voicemail: Businesses can customize voicemail greetings for their vanity number to improve customer experience and professionalism.

• Advanced analytics: With advanced call analytics and reporting tools, you can track the performance of your phone system.

• Custom vanity numbers: It allows businesses to choose from a variety of local and toll-free numbers to create a memorable vanity number that aligns with their brand.

✔️Pros

• Provides flexibility with advanced call handling options like call queues and IVR (Interactive Voice Response).
• Supports video conferencing with up to 100 participants
• Easy-to-use interface with browser-based web conferencing that requires no downloads.

❌Cons

• Extra charges for premium and international numbers.
• A $200 deposit is required for international calling.
• Customer support response times may vary, leading to delays in resolving certain issues.

Pricing (billed annually)

• Basic: $15/month/user
• Plus: $22.50/month/user 
• Pro: $33.33/month/user 

Best For

Phone.com is best for businesses seeking customized phone numbers with video conferencing,  including HIPAA compliance and advanced call features.

3. Grasshopper

Grasshopper is a flexible cloud-based phone solution that helps to manage business communication with features like IVR menu, voicemail, and SMS. These features provide a professional communication solution without the need for physical hardware. 

This platform lets businesses purchase various types of phone numbers, such as local, toll-free, and vanity. 

If you want to increase your brand recognition, you can buy a vanity number and customize it to reflect your business name, services, or a catchy phrase. These numbers make it easier for customers to recall your contact details.

Key Features

• Custom main greetings: A custom phone greeting enables you to record a business voicemail directly on your personal phone and use an auto attendant to welcome and direct your customers.

• Voicemail Transcription: Converts voicemail messages into text, which makes it easier to read and manage missed calls.

• Mobile/Desktop app access: This option allows users to manage calls and messages from both mobile and desktop devices for on-the-go communication.

✔️Pros

• Easy to set up and use, making it ideal for small businesses and entrepreneurs.
• Offers features like call forwarding, voicemail transcription, and toll-free numbers.
• Provides affordable pricing plans with options for local, vanity, and 800 numbers.

❌Cons

• Limited to the U.S. and Canada for vanity numbers.
• Limited scalability for growing businesses.

Pricing

• True Solo: $18/month
• Solo Plus: $32/month
• Small Business: $70/month

Best For

Grasshopper is a simple, budget-friendly choice great for small businesses needing basic call handling.

4. RingCentral

RingCentral is a perfect choice if you are looking for a versatile communication solution. It provides seamless video conferencing, team messaging, and real-time analytics. Its user-friendly interface streamlines business communication and helps businesses stay connected and productive.

Moreover, RingCentral offers customizable vanity phone numbers that help businesses improve their brand recognition. 

These personalized numbers not only create a professional image but also offer key features like call forwarding, voicemail, and SMS. It allows customers to easily recall your brand phone number and contact you whenever needed. 

Key Features

• Advanced call handling: Includes features like call routing and auto-attendant to manage calls efficiently.

• Call management: Helps businesses to manage inbound calls with caller ID display for better organization.

• Business text messaging: Enables sending and receiving business text messages for enhanced communication.

✔️Pros

• Provides an AI assistant for transcribing calls, notes, and summaries.
• It offers advanced features like call recording and CRM integrations.
• Multi-site management for consistent communication.

❌Cons

• Higher-tier plans can be costly for small businesses.
• Add-on costs for features like webinars and storage.
• A wide range of features may be overwhelming for smaller businesses.

Pricing

• Core: $30/user/month
• Advanced: $35/user/month
• Ultra: $45/user/month

Best For

RingCentral is a perfect choice for small businesses, growing teams, and large enterprises, depending on the communication and feature needs.

5. MightyCall

MightyCall transforms the way businesses communicate with their cloud-based phone systems. With features like call forwarding, voicemail, SMS, and call analytics, it offers a streamlined solution for managing communications efficiently.

With MightyCall’s cloud phone system, businesses can choose and create personalized contact numbers that are easy to remember for customers. This customization not only boosts brand visibility, it also helps companies gain customer trust and improve customer engagement.

Key Features

• Number mapping: Assign numbers to devices or extensions for easy communication.

• Integration: Link vanity numbers with your CRM or email for a smoother workflow.

• Customization for vanity number: Create personalized vanity numbers to match your business brand.

✔️Pros

• Offers local, toll-free, and vanity numbers for better brand identity.
• Includes unlimited calling, SMS, IVR, call routing, and real-time analytics.
• Easy integration with CRMs like Salesforce and HubSpot.

❌Cons

• Limited call recording on lower plans.
• Requires a minimum of 3 users for all plans.
• No international support for basic plans.

Pricing

• Core: $20/user/month 
• Pro: $30/user/month 
• Power: $40/user/month 
• Enterprise: Custom pricing 

Best For

MightyCall is best for small to medium-sized businesses looking for a reliable, easy-to-use phone system with advanced features like call analytics, IVR, and integrations.

Mistakes to Avoid When Choosing a Vanity Phone Number

When choosing the right vanity phone number for your business, there are several factors that a business should consider for its success. Making common mistakes can hinder its effectiveness, which will impact your brand’s image.

Here are some common mistakes to avoid while selecting a vanity number: 

1. Relying on one source

The very first common mistake that a business should avoid is relying on a single source. By relying on a single source, a company restricts itself from exploring other options that might be cheaper and more reliable. 

Therefore, to select the best vanity number, a business should explore different options and compare their features and prices to get the best deal on a toll-free vanity number.

2. Restricting creativity

Another common mistake that companies make is restricting themselves from creativity. If their first choice of vanity number is not available, don’t give up so easily. You can think outside the box. For example, if 1-800-PAINTING is already taken, try other alternatives like 1-800-PAINT-IT.

3. Misunderstanding toll-free prefixes

The most common mistake a business makes is misunderstanding toll-free prefixes. There are four types of toll-free prefixes: 800, 888, 866, and 877. 

The mistake is that a business selects prefixes randomly without knowing that a prefix that starts with  800 is the most recognizable and 888 is the second most memorable. 

866 and 877 numbers are less memorable, so it’s important to select the best fit that aligns with your brand. 

Wrapping Up

Vanity phone numbers provide an excellent opportunity for businesses to improve their brand identity and boost customer engagement. With the right vanity number that aligns with your brand, businesses can gain customer trust and streamline their business communication. 

Therefore, a business should select the vanity number from the best providers, such as KrispCall, Phone.com, Grasshopper, RingCentral, and MightyCall. These providers offer excellent services that cater to different business needs, from basic call handling to advanced integrations. 

However, it’s important to avoid common mistakes when selecting a vanity number, such as relying on one source, restricting creativity, or misunderstanding toll-free prefixes. 

FAQs

Are vanity phone numbers and toll-free numbers the same thing?

No, vanity phone numbers and toll-free numbers are different. Vanity phone numbers are a specific type of toll-free number that includes words or phrases, making it easier to remember for customers, while toll-free numbers are composed of digits only.

Are vanity numbers worth it?

Yes, vanity phone numbers are valued for your investment because they help customers reach your business easily and give your business a local presence. These numbers help you to improve brand recognition which leads to better customer engagement and overall business growth.

Why do businesses use vanity phone numbers?

Businesses use vanity phone numbers because they help businesses increase brand visibility and make their contact number memorable. This enhances customer experience and supports marketing efforts.

How do I choose a vanity number?

You can buy a vanity number by:

• Select the best business phone system provider that offers vanity numbers.
• Choose a relevant word or phrase that aligns with your business.
• Ensuring the word or phrase is easy to spell and memorable.
• Checking availability in your preferred toll-free number prefix.

Can I get a custom phone number?

Yes, you can get a custom phone number, often referred to as a vanity number. These numbers are personalized to include a specific word, phrase, or pattern that aligns with your brand or is easy to remember.

What is a RespOrg?

A RespOrg (Responsible Organization) is a certified entity that manages toll-free numbers, ensuring they are assigned correctly and routed efficiently.