3CX vs Microsoft Teams Phone: Which Is Right for Your Business?

3CX and Microsoft Teams Phone are both strong business phone platforms, and neither is universally better. 3CX is a dedicated phone system with richer call-handling, simultaneous-call licensing, and multi-site strength. Teams Phone adds calling to Microsoft 365, so it suits businesses whose staff already live in Teams. The right choice comes down to how central the phone is to your business and which ecosystem you already run on.

Key facts

• 3CX licenses by simultaneous calls; Teams Phone licenses per user, as an add-on to Microsoft 365.
• Teams Phone is the simpler choice for businesses already standardised on Microsoft 365 and Teams.
• 3CX offers stronger reception, call-queue, and multi-site features for phone-centric businesses.
• Teams Phone calling starts at roughly AU$13 per user per month ex GST, or about AU$22 all-inclusive with an Australian number.
• Both port existing Australian numbers and work from desk phones, desktop apps, and mobiles.

How do the two platforms differ?

The core difference is what each one is built to be. Teams Phone is a calling capability added onto Microsoft Teams, so calls live inside the same app your staff use for chat and meetings. 3CX is a standalone phone system, so calling is its whole job, and it brings the depth of features that focus allows. One is "phone inside your collaboration tool," the other is "a proper phone platform that integrates with your tools."

That difference shows up in the details. Teams Phone keeps everything in one familiar place, which staff like and which reduces training. 3CX gives you more control over call flows, reception consoles, queue behaviour, and call reporting, and its licensing by concurrent calls rather than per user changes the cost maths. Neither approach is wrong; they are built for different priorities.

When does Teams Phone make more sense?

Teams Phone makes more sense when your business already runs on Microsoft 365 and Teams is where work happens. If staff are in Teams all day, adding calling there is the path of least resistance: one app, one login, one familiar interface, and no separate system to learn. For knowledge-worker businesses where the phone is useful but not central, this simplicity is often worth more than extra call features.

It also makes sense from a billing and management angle when you want everything under the Microsoft umbrella. One vendor, one set of licences, and calling that fits into the conditional access and device management you already run. We cover the setup side on our Microsoft Teams Phone page. For a Microsoft-365-centric office, Teams Phone is frequently the right default.

When does 3CX make more sense?

3CX makes more sense when the phone is central to how the business operates. Reception-heavy businesses, anyone running real call queues, multi-site operations, and teams that need call recording or CRM integration get more from a dedicated platform. The simultaneous-call licensing also tends to favour businesses with many staff but fewer concurrent calls, where per-user pricing would mean paying for phone capability most people rarely use.

In our experience, when a business would otherwise need to bolt several add-ons onto a simpler platform to get the call-handling it needs, 3CX usually ends up both more capable and better value. We cover it in detail on our 3CX phone system page. For phone-driven businesses, the depth earns its place.

Frequently asked questions

Can we use both 3CX and Teams Phone?

It is possible but rarely sensible. Most businesses are better served by picking the platform that fits and committing to it, rather than splitting calling across two systems and paying for both. There are occasional cases, such as a specific team with specialised call-centre needs alongside a wider Microsoft 365 rollout, but for most SMEs one well-chosen platform is the right answer.

Which is cheaper, 3CX or Teams Phone?

It depends on your shape. Teams Phone's per-user pricing is predictable and can be cheaper for small teams where most people need calling. 3CX's simultaneous-call licensing is often cheaper for larger teams where only a portion are on calls at once. Because the models are so different, the only honest answer is to compare both against your actual staff count and call concurrency.

Do both keep our existing phone numbers?

Yes. Both platforms support porting existing Australian numbers, including 1300 and 1800, and the porting process is similar for each, typically 10 to 20 business days. Your numbers are not a factor in choosing between them, since either can carry them. The decision rests on features, ecosystem fit, and cost.

How do we decide between them?

Start with two questions: how central is the phone to your business, and what do you already run on? Phone-centric businesses lean 3CX; Microsoft-365-centric businesses leaning on simplicity lean Teams Phone. From there, compare the cost against your real headcount and call concurrency. We help businesses work through exactly this, with no stake in which one they pick.

If you are choosing between 3CX and Teams Phone and want an honest read rather than a sales pitch, we are happy to look at how your business uses the phone and lay out which one fits, and why.