Virtually Local vs Virtual Landline

Two popular UK virtual number providers compared on price, features and value for money — with all prices shown including VAT.

Virtual Landline is a UK-based provider that has built a respectable presence in the virtual number market. They offer four tiered plans ranging from Starter through to Pro Unlimited, with features such as call routing, IVR, voicemail-to-email and a desktop/mobile app. On the surface, their entry-level pricing of £4.50 per month looks competitive.

However, it is worth noting that all of Virtual Landline's advertised prices exclude VAT. Once you add the standard 20% VAT, their Starter plan actually comes to around £5.40 per month — making it more expensive than Virtually Local's Essential plan at £4.95 per month (VAT included). This pricing pattern carries through all tiers. A key consideration for UK businesses is transparency: Virtually Local's prices always include VAT, so there are no hidden costs at checkout.

Another area where Virtually Local has a clear edge is in the breadth of UK area codes on offer. With over 600 area codes available, Virtually Local nearly doubles Virtual Landline's selection of approximately 320 codes. For businesses wanting to project a genuinely local presence in specific towns or regions, this wider choice can make a meaningful difference.

Competitor data correct as of 06/03/2026. Pricing and features are subject to change — please verify directly with the provider.

Virtually Local vs Virtual Landline: Side-by-Side

Category Virtually Local Virtual Landline
Starting Price (inc. VAT) £4.95/mo £5.40/mo
Included Minutes (Entry Plan) 150 mins Limited
UK Area Codes 600+ ~320
Number Porting Free Available
Outbound Calling App Yes (iOS & Android) Desktop & Mobile App
Call Recording Included Available
Voicemail to Email Included Included
Setup Fees None None
Contract Required No — cancel anytime No
Mobile App Yes (iOS & Android) Yes
Online Portal Yes Yes
Prices Include VAT Yes — always No — prices exclude VAT

Virtual Landline 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 Unlimited £18.95/mo Unlimited inbound minutes

Virtual Landline Plans

Plan Price Included Notes
Starter £4.50/mo Limited Price excludes VAT (£5.40 inc. VAT). Limited feature set.
Basic £6.50/mo Moderate Price excludes VAT (£7.80 inc. VAT).
UK Unlimited £8.75/mo Unlimited Price excludes VAT (£10.50 inc. VAT).
Pro Unlimited £11.95/mo Unlimited Price excludes VAT (£14.34 inc. VAT). Includes multi-user.

All Virtual Landline prices shown exclude VAT. Inc. VAT figures are approximate at 20%. 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 Virtual Landline cannot match at the same price point.

Virtual Landline: Pros and Cons

Pros

Established UK virtual number provider with a reasonable feature set
Offers desktop and mobile apps for managing calls
No long-term contracts required

Cons

Advertised prices exclude VAT — the true cost is higher than it first appears
Only around 320 UK area codes compared to Virtually Local's 600+
Entry-level Starter plan has limited features and fewer included minutes than Virtually Local's Essential plan
Multi-user functionality is restricted to higher-priced tiers

How Virtually Local Compares

Where Virtual Landline falls short, Virtually Local delivers. With over 600 UK area codes, free setup, outbound calling via the app, and plans from just £4.95 per month, Virtually Local addresses the key limitations highlighted above — giving you better features and better value without the compromises.

The Verdict: Virtually Local vs Virtual Landline

When you strip away the marketing and compare like for like, Virtually Local emerges as the stronger choice for UK businesses considering a virtual landline number. The headline pricing difference is the first thing to address: Virtual Landline's Starter plan advertises at £4.50 per month, but this figure excludes VAT. The real cost is £5.40 per month — which is 9% more expensive than Virtually Local's entry-level Essential plan at £4.95, inclusive of VAT. That VAT-exclusive pricing can catch out sole traders and small businesses who budget on what they actually pay, not net figures.

Beyond price, Virtually Local offers a significantly wider selection of UK area codes — over 600 compared to Virtual Landline's approximately 320. If you serve customers across multiple regions and want a local number for each area, Virtually Local gives you nearly twice the geographic coverage. This is particularly valuable for service-based businesses such as tradespeople, estate agents and solicitors who rely on local trust signals.

Virtually Local's Essential plan also includes 150 minutes as standard, giving you a generous allowance from day one. Add in features like free number porting, call recording, voicemail-to-email, time-of-day routing and the outbound calling app — which lets you make calls from your virtual number — and the value proposition becomes clear. The outbound calling app in particular is a standout: it means your virtual number is not just for receiving calls, but becomes your primary business line on the go.

For UK businesses that want transparent, VAT-inclusive pricing, a broad choice of local numbers and a comprehensive feature set without being pushed onto an expensive tier, Virtually Local is the more complete package.

Frequently Asked Questions

Virtual Landline's Starter plan advertises at £4.50 per month, but this price excludes VAT. With VAT added, the true cost is approximately £5.40 per month. Virtually Local's Essential plan is £4.95 per month including VAT, making it the more affordable option from the outset.

No. All of Virtual Landline's advertised prices are exclusive of VAT. You need to add 20% to see the real cost. Virtually Local always displays prices inclusive of VAT, so the price you see is the price you pay.

Virtual Landline offers approximately 320 UK area codes. Virtually Local offers over 600 UK area codes — nearly double the selection. This gives Virtually Local users a much wider choice of local numbers for projecting a presence in specific towns and cities across the UK.

Yes. Virtually Local offers free number porting, so you can transfer your existing virtual number from Virtual Landline to Virtually Local at no cost. The process is handled by our dedicated porting team and is designed to be as seamless as possible.

Virtually Local offers a dedicated outbound calling app for iOS and Android that allows you to make calls from your virtual number. This means customers see your local business number on their caller ID, not your personal mobile. It is included across Virtually Local's plans and is a key differentiator for businesses that make as well as receive calls.

Let's Get Started

Choose your area code and our wizard will guide you through the sign-up process. Your number will be ready to use straight away.


Why Choose Virtually Local?

Free Setup & Instant Activation All standard numbers are activated instantly with no setup fees
From Just £4.95/month Affordable packages with no hidden costs or long-term contracts
Numbers Across the UK Choose from phone numbers in all towns and cities across the UK
Cancel Any Time Monthly rolling contract with no cancellation fees or lock-in periods
Make Outbound Calls Call customers from your virtual number so they see your local business number
Keep Your Existing Number Bring your BT landline number with you when you switch to Virtually Local