Virtually Local vs SwitchboardFREE
Comparing two UK virtual number providers on real-world value — including VAT, forwarding minutes and the price of the features you actually use.
SwitchboardFREE is a well-known UK provider that has moved on from the 99p headline it was once associated with. Its virtual number plans are now App Only at £5, Basic at £9 and Standard at £14 per user per month, all plus VAT. Inbound calls are unlimited when answered in its free iOS/Android app or PC/Mac softphone; forwarding to an ordinary mobile or landline is charged from 3p a minute on App Only, or covered by 1,000 and 2,500-minute bundles on Basic and Standard. Features include call queuing, department menus, on-hold music and voicemail-to-email, with call recording sold as an add-on from £14.96 a month.
The “from 99p” that still appears on the site is a first-month promotion on 0800 and 0808 numbers, which then cost £15 a month. There is a genuinely free tier, but only for 084 numbers forwarded to a landline. For a local 01 or 02 number ringing a mobile — the typical small business set-up — the realistic cost is Basic at £10.80 per month including VAT.
Virtually Local's Essential plan at £4.95 per month including VAT includes 150 forwarding minutes to any UK phone with no per-minute charges inside the allowance. The Business plan at £9.95 includes 1,500 minutes, the outbound calling app, call recording, time-of-day routing and personalised greetings. With more than 600 UK area codes against SwitchboardFREE's roughly 240 local codes, Virtually Local also offers a much wider choice of genuinely local numbers.
Competitor data correct as of 08/11/2026. Pricing and features are subject to change — please verify directly with the provider.
Virtually Local vs SwitchboardFREE: Side-by-Side
| Category | Virtually Local | SwitchboardFREE |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price (inc. VAT) | £4.95/mo | £6.00/mo (App Only) |
| Included Forwarding Minutes (Entry Plan) | 150 mins to any UK phone | None — from 3p/min; 1,000 mins on the £10.80 Basic Plan |
| UK Area Codes | 600+ | Around 240 local codes, plus 0203/0207, 0333, 0800/0808 and 084 |
| Number Porting | Free | Free, with £50 call credit |
| Outbound Calling App | iOS & Android from Business (£9.95/mo) | Free iOS/Android app and PC/Mac softphone |
| Call Recording | Included on Business (30 days) & Ultimate (7 years) | Paid add-on from £14.96/mo |
| Voicemail to Email | Included from Essential+ (£6.95/mo) | Included |
| Setup Fees | None | None |
| Contract Required | No — cancel anytime | No long-term contract |
| Mobile App | Yes (Business plan and above) | Yes — phone app and management app |
| Online Portal | Yes | Yes |
| Prices Include VAT | Yes — always | No — shown per user plus VAT |
SwitchboardFREE Pricing vs Virtually Local Pricing
Virtually Local Plans
| Plan | Price | Included |
|---|---|---|
| Virtually Essential | £4.95/mo | 150 inbound minutes |
| Virtually Essential+ | £6.95/mo | 300 inbound minutes |
| Virtually Business | £9.95/mo | 1,500 inbound minutes |
| Virtually Ultimate | £18.95/mo | Unlimited inbound minutes |
SwitchboardFREE Plans
| Plan | Price | Included | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| App Only | £5 per user/mo | Unlimited inbound to the app; no forwarding minutes | Price excludes VAT (£6.00 inc. VAT). Forwarding to a mobile or landline is charged from 3p/min. |
| Basic Plan | £9 per user/mo | 1,000 forwarding mins (split landline/mobile) | Price excludes VAT (£10.80 inc. VAT). Adds on-hold music and department menus. |
| Standard Plan | £14 per user/mo | 2,500 forwarding mins | Price excludes VAT (£16.80 inc. VAT). |
| Call Recording add-on | From £14.96/mo | N/A | Paid add-on; first month free. |
SwitchboardFREE plan prices are shown per user per month plus VAT; inc. VAT figures are calculated at 20%. The “99p” price on its site is a first-month promotion on 0800/0808 numbers, which then cost £15 per month. Virtually Local prices always include VAT.
Virtually Local's Essential plan begins at just £4.95 per month with 150 inbound minutes included and free setup — making it one of the most competitively priced virtual landline services in the UK. With no long-term contracts and the ability to upgrade at any time, Virtually Local offers flexibility that SwitchboardFREE cannot match at the same price point.
SwitchboardFREE: Pros and Cons
Pros
Cons
How Virtually Local Compares
Where SwitchboardFREE falls short, Virtually Local delivers. With over 600 UK area codes, free setup, VAT-inclusive plans from just £4.95 per month and outbound calling, call recording and time-of-day routing from the £9.95 Business plan, Virtually Local addresses the key limitations highlighted above — without a contract and with no charge to port your number in or out.
The Verdict: Virtually Local vs SwitchboardFREE
SwitchboardFREE is a more capable service than its budget reputation suggests, with good apps, flexible routing and free porting. The question for a small business is what it costs once calls are actually forwarded to a phone. App Only at £6 per month including VAT suits people who will answer everything in the app, but each forwarded minute is charged on top. The Basic plan at £10.80 including VAT is the first tier with a forwarding bundle, and call recording is another £14.96 a month if you need it.
Virtually Local prices the other way round. The Essential plan at £4.95 including VAT includes 150 forwarding minutes from day one, and the Business plan at £9.95 — £1 for the first month — includes 1,500 minutes, the outbound app, call recording with 30-day retention, time-of-day routing, personalised greetings and call whisper. That is 85p a month less than SwitchboardFREE's Basic plan with more minutes and call recording included rather than bolted on.
Local presence also favours Virtually Local. More than 600 UK area codes against around 240 means a far better chance of finding exactly the right code for a specific town. Both providers port numbers for free and both run without long-term contracts, so switching between them is straightforward.
For businesses that want transparent VAT-inclusive pricing, forwarding minutes included at every level and call recording without an add-on fee, Virtually Local delivers better real-world value than SwitchboardFREE.
Frequently Asked Questions
Not for a local number. The 99p price is a first-month promotion on 0800 and 0808 numbers, which then cost £15 per month. SwitchboardFREE's virtual number plans start at £5 per user per month plus VAT (£6 inc. VAT) for App Only, with the first forwarding bundle on the Basic Plan at £9 plus VAT (£10.80 inc. VAT).
Yes. SwitchboardFREE offers a free iOS and Android phone app and a PC/Mac softphone that let you present your SwitchboardFREE number when calling out. Virtually Local's iOS and Android app is included on the Business and Ultimate plans.
Virtually Local offers more than 600 UK area codes. SwitchboardFREE's checkout lists around 240 local dialling codes, plus London 0203/0207, national 0333, freephone 0800/0808 and 084 numbers. For a specific smaller town, Virtually Local is more likely to have the code you need.
Yes. Virtually Local ports UK numbers in for free and our team handles the transition. SwitchboardFREE has no long-term contracts, so there should be no exit penalty.
For a local number that rings your mobile, Virtually Local's Essential plan at £4.95 inc. VAT includes 150 forwarding minutes, whereas SwitchboardFREE's £6 App Only plan charges per forwarded minute and its first bundled plan is £10.80 inc. VAT. Virtually Local's Business plan at £9.95 adds 1,500 minutes, the outbound app and call recording, which SwitchboardFREE sells as a £14.96 add-on.
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