3CX stands apart from every other system in this comparison through a single, commercially significant difference: its pricing model. Where all other providers charge per user per month, 3CX is licensed by simultaneous call capacity. A business with 60 staff that rarely has more than 12 people on the phone at once pays for 12 concurrent calls — not 60 users. For call-light organisations, this frequently makes 3CX the most cost-effective option by a wide margin.
Beyond pricing, 3CX is a genuinely capable, open-standard SIP platform. It runs on Windows or Linux servers — on your own hardware, in a private cloud, or hosted by T2K — and works with any SIP-compatible IP phone, meaning existing hardware can often be retained. Built-in features include video conferencing for up to 250 participants, live chat and WhatsApp messaging integration, iOS and Android apps, and Microsoft Teams integration, all included in the base licence without add-ons.
The contact centre capability in 3CX is stronger than its price point might suggest. Call queues with configurable strategies, real-time wallboards, agent reporting, and CRM screen popping come standard. For businesses with a modest inbound call operation that would otherwise pay significantly more for a dedicated contact centre platform, 3CX represents exceptional value.
Use cases
3CX is best for
✓
Call-light businesses with many users
If your team has 50+ staff but only a fraction are on the phone simultaneously, concurrent-call pricing delivers significant savings over per-user models.
Teams with an IT function that want to self-host on their own server, in a private cloud, or have T2K manage a hosted instance.
✓
Businesses with existing SIP hardware
3CX works with any SIP-compatible IP desk phone — Yealink, Snom, Fanvil or Polycom handsets can often be retained when migrating.
✓
Microsoft Teams integration without Phone licence costs
3CX includes Teams integration allowing calls to route through Teams without the additional Microsoft Teams Phone licence.
✓
Growing SMEs planning to scale
Concurrent-call pricing means scaling from 20 to 200 users does not necessarily increase monthly cost if call volumes remain proportionate.
Key capabilities
Core features
💰
Concurrent-call pricing
Pay for simultaneous call capacity rather than headcount — typically cheaper at scale.
🖥️
On-premise or hosted
Self-host on Windows or Linux, or let T2K manage a hosted instance.
📹
Built-in video conferencing
Video meetings for up to 250 participants — no separate Zoom or Teams licence needed.
🔗
Native Teams integration
Route calls through Microsoft Teams without a Teams Phone licence.
💬
Live chat & WhatsApp
Customer-facing live chat and WhatsApp messaging integrated alongside telephony.
📊
Contact centre built-in
Queue management, wallboards, reporting and CRM integration included as standard.
Strengths
Concurrent-call pricing — often cheapest at scale
On-premise or cloud options
Built-in video — no separate licence
Works with any SIP hardware
Teams integration included
Strong contact centre at no extra cost
Limitations
IT resource helps with setup
Less hands-off than fully managed
Not ideal for tech-averse teams
Annual licence model
Call quality depends on broadband
Technical specifications
Full specifications
Deployment
On-prem (Windows/Linux) or T2K-hosted
Pricing model
Per concurrent call / year
User range
Unlimited users
Mobile app
✓ iOS & Android
Video conferencing
✓ Up to 250 participants — built-in
Call recording
✓ Built-in
CRM integration
✓ Salesforce, HubSpot, Zoho, Dynamics+
Contact centre
✓ Queues, wallboards, reporting
Teams integration
✓ Native — no Phone licence needed
Live chat / WhatsApp
✓ Built-in
Data sovereignty
✓ Self-hosted option
IT resource required
Recommended
PSTN replacement
✓ SIP trunking ready
Side-by-side
How 3CX compares
Head-to-head comparison
vs Mitel MiVoice Business
Mitel has deeper enterprise features and more vendor longevity at large scale. 3CX is typically significantly cheaper, includes video natively, and is often the better choice for mid-market businesses wanting deployment choice without enterprise expenditure.
vs Gamma Horizon
Horizon is fully managed cloud with no IT overhead — right choice if simplicity is the priority. 3CX suits businesses comfortable with slightly more management overhead in exchange for lower cost and greater flexibility.
vs Voiceflex Flow
Flow has stronger Microsoft Teams integration via a native embedded app. 3CX is better where on-premise deployment, video conferencing, or concurrent-call pricing are more important than deep Teams integration.
3CX is licensed by the number of calls that can be active simultaneously. A 16-concurrent-call licence means 16 calls can be in progress at once — any number of users can make calls, but only 16 at the same time. For most businesses, the number of concurrent calls is significantly lower than total headcount, making 3CX cheaper than per-user systems.
Yes. 3CX can be installed on a Windows or Linux server on your own hardware, in a private virtual machine, or on a public cloud like AWS, Azure or Google Cloud. T2K can also host 3CX for you as a fully managed service.
3CX is an open-standard SIP platform and works with most SIP-compatible IP desk phones including Yealink, Snom, Fanvil, Grandstream, and Polycom. Your T2K consultant can confirm compatibility before purchase.
3CX includes a browser-based WebRTC video platform supporting up to 250 participants with screen sharing, recording, and participant management — at no additional cost. For most business meeting use cases it is a capable alternative to Zoom or Teams meetings.
Yes. 3CX connects to the PSTN via SIP trunking, fully replacing ISDN and analogue lines. T2K supplies SIP trunks alongside 3CX as part of a complete solution, handling the migration from your existing PSTN or ISDN connection.
Further reading
Resources & related content
Guides, comparisons and case studies to help you go deeper on 3CX.
Speak with the T2K VoIP team for a no-obligation consultation, a tailored quote, and a clear migration plan. We handle everything from number porting to hardware and go-live support.
