Line vs bOnline — UK business phone comparison
bOnline is a popular UK business phone provider. But if you want SMS, a shared team inbox, and flat-rate pricing without per-seat charges, Line is the smarter choice for growing teams.
Set up in under 3 minutes. From £1.70/mo.
Line vs bOnline: feature comparison
Side-by-side comparison of features, pricing, and ease of use.
| Feature | Line | bOnline |
|---|---|---|
| Real dedicated UK number | ||
| SMS messaging | ||
| Shared team inbox | ||
| No per-seat pricing | ||
| Voice calls | ||
| Voicemail | ||
| Call forwarding | ||
| Mobile app | ||
| WhatsApp integration | ||
| Virtual receptionist | ||
| Business hours routing | ||
| No contract | ||
| Self-service setup | Requires onboarding | |
| API access | ||
| Cost per user | Flat rate from £1.70/mo | From £7/user/month |
Pricing comparison
How Line's pricing compares to bOnline.
Line
RECOMMENDEDFrom £1.70/mo
- UK number from £1.70/month
- Flat rate — no per-seat charges
- SMS, calls, and WhatsApp included
- Shared team inbox included
- No minimum commitment
- No contract — cancel anytime
- Self-service setup in under 3 minutes
bOnline
From £7/user/month
- Per-seat pricing — costs scale with team size
- No built-in SMS messaging
- No shared team inbox for messages
- Contract periods on most plans
- No WhatsApp integration
- Add-ons required for advanced features
- Setup often requires onboarding calls
Why switch from bOnline to Line?
No per-seat pricing
bOnline charges per user per month, so costs rise as your team grows. Line uses flat-rate pricing from £1.70/mo — add your whole team without multiplying your bill. For a team of five, that is £35/mo on bOnline vs a fraction of that on Line.
SMS included as standard
bOnline is a voice-focused phone system with no built-in SMS. Line includes SMS and MMS messaging on your business number from day one. Send appointment reminders, order confirmations, and quick replies — all from the same number your customers already call.
Shared team inbox for every channel
Line gives your team a unified inbox for SMS, calls, and WhatsApp. Everyone can see the full conversation history with each contact, pick up where a colleague left off, and avoid duplicate replies. bOnline does not offer a shared messaging inbox.
Simpler pricing, no hidden costs
bOnline has multiple tiers with different feature sets, add-ons, and per-seat charges that make it hard to predict your monthly bill. Line has straightforward pricing — one plan, everything included, no surprises.
Set up in 3 minutes, no sales calls
With Line, you sign up, choose a UK number, and start making calls and sending texts immediately. No onboarding calls, no complex provisioning, no waiting for account activation. bOnline typically involves a sales process and guided setup.
Keep your existing number · Set up in minutes · No contracts
Line vs bOnline FAQ
What is bOnline?
bOnline is a UK business phone system provider that offers VoIP calling, virtual receptionist, call forwarding, and voicemail for small businesses. They position themselves as an award-winning phone system and charge from £7 per user per month. bOnline is primarily a voice-focused service and does not include SMS messaging or a shared team inbox.
How does Line compare to bOnline?
Both Line and bOnline provide UK business phone numbers with voice calling. The key differences are pricing model (Line is flat rate, bOnline charges per seat), messaging (Line includes SMS and WhatsApp, bOnline is voice-only), and team collaboration (Line has a shared inbox, bOnline does not). bOnline does offer a virtual receptionist feature that Line does not currently have.
Is Line cheaper than bOnline?
Yes, in most cases. Line starts from £1.70/mo with no per-seat charges, while bOnline starts from £7 per user per month. For a solo user, Line is around 75% cheaper. For a team of five, bOnline would cost at least £35/mo before add-ons, while Line remains a flat rate. Line also includes SMS and a shared inbox at no extra cost.
Can I switch from bOnline to Line?
Yes. You can sign up with Line and get a new UK business number instantly, or port your existing number from bOnline to Line (takes 5-10 working days). There is no minimum commitment with Line, so you can try it alongside bOnline before fully switching. Check your bOnline contract terms for any notice period or early termination fees.
Does Line have the same features as bOnline?
Line covers the core features most small businesses need: UK business numbers, voice calls, call forwarding, voicemail, business hours routing, and a mobile app. Line also includes features bOnline does not offer — SMS messaging, a shared team inbox, WhatsApp integration, and API access. However, bOnline does offer a virtual receptionist (auto-attendant) feature that Line does not currently provide.