PBXact

Pros

It does connect fairly simply with older on premise Cisco setups which is one of the few things it has going for it. Still, that benefit falls short once you factor in everything it lacks compared with the extra expenses for SIP trunking and support.

Cons

API integration is very limited and the added costs for SIP trunks and support pile up fast. The documentation is also lacking and integration with important advanced apps like MS Teams and Google G Suite is not where it needs to be. On top of that there's no geo redundant failover. Between the hidden fees and the weak support, it just doesn't deliver enough.

Pros

This works well in just about any setup and is simple to roll out, whether it's on premises or in the cloud through a third party or direct hosting. Since it's built on Asterisk, it feels flexible and dependable. The pricing is fairly reasonable overall and it includes a lot of useful functionality for businesses of all sizes, from inbound call handling and outbound route controls to endpoint management and XML API scripting for added device features. The one time flat fee is also appealing because it gives the product long term value. On top of that there's plenty of documentation and lots of online videos that make learning and using the platform much easier.

Cons

The only real issue for me has been how the pricing lines up with actual usage. Every business does not need the same set of features so offering a single package with the same tools at the same price across the board can feel discouraging for some buyers. That said, there is something of a workaround in the form of FreePBX. Even though it is not marketed the same way, it is built from FreePBX and the CLI and event viewer are essentially identical. FreePBX includes most of the same functionality at no cost and any missing features can usually be added by purchasing modules individually.