TL;DR:
CloudTalk is the best STARFACE alternative for sales and support teams in Germany, Austria and Switzerland that want queues, IVR, dialers and CRM integrations in their plan, not as premium modules a partner adds to the offer. Call queues come with every plan from $25 per user per month, where STARFACE sells its queue module as a premium extra.
Essential ($29) adds IVR, skill-based routing and 100+ CRM and helpdesk integrations, Expert ($49) adds the Smart Dialer, Preview and Power Dialer, and your German local, national and toll-free numbers port in.
I compared all 10 on vendor pricing and legal pages, G2 and Capterra Germany reviews, and the questions DACH teams ask our sales team before they switch:
- 01CloudTalk: best for sales and support teams that need queues, dialers and CRM integrations in the plan, not as add-on modules
- 023CX: best for IT teams that want to keep running their own PBX without per-user fees
- 03Placetel: best for German SMEs that want a low-cost cloud PBX (same owner as STARFACE)
- 04NFON: best for German mid-size companies that need a BSI C5-attested cloud PBX hosted in Germany
- 05sipgate: best for small German teams that want self-serve calling they can cancel monthly
- 06Yeastar: best for IT teams and MSPs that want cloud, software or appliance editions like STARFACE's
- 07Ringover: best for European sales teams that want AI on the entry plan and EU hosting
- 08RingCentral RingEX: best for large multi-site companies that need a long certificate list
- 09Wildix: best for mid-size companies that want unified communications through a local partner
- 10Aircall: best for support and sales teams that work from a CRM all day
You're looking for a phone system that keeps what STARFACE does well, German numbers and GDPR compliance on a stable line, without a partner quote every time you add a seat or change a queue.
We may not have met personally, but we have many customers like you, and the questions they ask are often: Can we keep our main number and the direct-dial extensions printed on our business cards? Where is our data stored? Who answers when something breaks, and in which language? What will seats, numbers and AI cost us each month?
According to Bitkom's 2026 Cloud Report, 97% of German companies say data-center location shapes their choice of cloud provider. Location isn't the whole story, though: in our own sales data for DACH teams, the most common reason to buy was a local German or multi-country number, so customers pick up when the team calls.
I chose the 10 tools below because each one answers at least one of those questions, whether you buy direct, through a partner or run your own PBX:
10 Best STARFACE Alternatives: Comparison Table
| # | Tool | Best For | Starting Price | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CloudTalk (Editor's Pick) | sales and support teams who need CRM integrations, international numbers, workflow automations | $25/user/month | 4.4/5 (G2) |
| 2 | 3CX | IT teams that run their own PBX | $300/year per system (Basic, 8 simultaneous calls) | 4.4/5 (G2) |
| 3 | Placetel | German SMEs after a low seat price | €6.90/user/month (24-month term, 2-user minimum) | 4.3/5 (Capterra DE, 11 reviews) |
| 4 | NFON | German mid-size companies that need BSI C5 | €4.80/extension/month (modular licence) | 4.0/5 (Capterra DE, 19 reviews) |
| 5 | sipgate | Small German teams that want monthly terms | €12.95/user/month (2-user minimum) | 3.0/5 (Capterra DE, 1 review) |
| 6 | Yeastar | IT teams and MSPs that want a like-for-like PBX | Partner pricing, not published | 5.0/5 (Capterra DE, 5 reviews) |
| 7 | Ringover | European sales teams that want AI on the entry plan | $19/user/month (12-month term, 3-user minimum) | 4.6/5 (G2) |
| 8 | RingCentral RingEX | Large multi-site companies | Not published on the German plans page | 4.2/5 (G2) |
| 9 | Wildix | Mid-size companies buying through a partner | Partner pricing, not published | 4.8/5 (G2, 44 reviews) |
| 10 | Aircall | Teams that work from a CRM | €30/licence/month (3-licence minimum) | 4.4/5 (G2) |
Skip the reseller quote and see CloudTalk live
Why Teams Are Searching for a STARFACE Alternative: What Real Users Say
STARFACE is an IP PBX from Karlsruhe, sold as a hosted cloud PBX in German data centers, a VM edition you host yourself, or a hardware appliance. Since February 20, 2025, it has belonged to the UK's Gamma Communications, which also owns Placetel and estos. These are the reasons why customers leave:
6 Main Cons of STARFACE (Based on Real User Reviews)
1. Beyond 10 Users, You Buy Through a Partner
STARFACE UP lets teams of up to 10 users sign up and test for 14 days. Above that, STARFACE Cloud goes through partners: the product page offers a quote request instead of a sign-up, and STARFACE's partner page says it supports partners up to 2nd level.
A commenter who installed STARFACE systems for three years during their apprenticeship puts it plainly in a 2023 r/de_EDV thread on phone systems for small remote teams: to their knowledge, STARFACE doesn't sell direct to end customers, so you buy from a reseller.
More seats or a new module means another offer from the partner, on the partner's schedule.
2. No Public Price List, for Seats or for Numbers
STARFACE publishes no prices for STARFACE Cloud, STARFACE UP, German numbers, number blocks or calling. The partner sets the price, so you see the monthly cost of seats, numbers and minutes only when the quote arrives.
The 4.90 and 7.90 EUR per user figures online come from a May 2024 connect professional table and refer to STARFACE Up, not STARFACE Cloud, so treat them as dated.
3. Queues and Contact-Center Features Are Premium Modules
STARFACE lists iQueue, its queue and ACD module, as a "Premium Modul," next to ModCall and Call-In-Conference, and marks the Call-Hunting-Hotline as a paid module. Running a support queue means adding modules to the offer.
4. AI Runs on a Separate Platform With No Stated Data Location
The AI features in STARFACE 10, call summaries with tags, natural-language call routing and the iQueue bot, run on STARFACE Hub, a separate cloud platform. STARFACE's cloud and AI pages don't say where Hub processes data.
If German hosting is why you picked STARFACE, put that question to your partner first, and ask whether you can switch each AI feature off on its own.
5. Support Depends on Your Partner
Partners support most STARFACE end customers, so your support hours and channels are your partner's. The same r/de_EDV commenter wrote that support waits are often months long. Read German? Have a look for yourself:
Paraphrased Translation
Someone who installed and ran STARFACE systems for three years during their apprenticeship calls it quite usable. They say the desktop client is reliable, including for remote work, and the standard version covers what most companies need. They warn that the smartphone app has been buggy for years, with phantom calls and calls where neither side can hear the other. They also say STARFACE Connect was often down and support waits can run to months. Their advice is to buy through a reseller, since to their knowledge STARFACE doesn’t sell direct to end customers.
6. Some Users Report App and Stability Problems
STARFACE's only Capterra Germany review (3.0/5, November 2023) praises the easy installation and clear layout but says the software sometimes drops out or won't open. In the same r/de_EDV thread, another user gave STARFACE a +1 for its desktop client and web interface, and said the mobile apps had problems for a long time but are improving.
Both are single reports, and drops can also come from your own network or firewall, so test the mobile app before you decide.
In English Jana
A reviewer who had only recently started using STARFACE rated it 3.0/5, calling it neither good nor bad so far. They liked the easy installation and clear layout, but said the software sometimes cuts out or won’t open.
Say what again?
Another user in the same thread gave STARFACE a +1. They rated the desktop client well and said the web interface is a usable fallback on operating systems the desktop client doesn’t support. They also said the mobile apps had serious quirks for a long time but have been improving for a while.
What Is the Best Alternative to STARFACE?
CloudTalk is the best STARFACE alternative for DACH sales and support teams that want queues, IVR, dialers and CRM integrations in the plan, not as premium modules a partner adds to the offer. Call queues come with every plan from $25/user/month, Essential ($29) adds IVR, skill-based routing and 100+ CRM and helpdesk integrations, Expert ($49) adds the Smart Dialer and Power Dialer, and you buy German numbers or port your existing ones without a reseller.
Here's Why Users Consider CloudTalk the Best STARFACE Alternative
- No partner between you and the settings: you sign up online, invite the team and change call flows yourself.
- German numbers from the same app: buy a German local number in the dashboard, plus numbers in 160+ countries for the markets you call.
- Support from the vendor: chat and email support run 24/7 on every plan, straight from CloudTalk.
Trade the partner, the quote and the module list for one plan
Our Selection Methodology: How We Picked These STARFACE Alternatives
We built this list for teams replacing STARFACE in Germany, Austria and Switzerland: every tool can take over a DACH team's business calling, and most can run a sales or support queue.
For nearly a decade, we've helped over 30,000 professionals find and implement smarter business communication tools. We've reviewed 200+ software tools across industries, analyzed 5,500+ verified customer reviews from platforms like G2, Capterra, Trustpilot and TrustRadius, and drawn insights from real user discussions on Reddit and Quora. In the past year alone, we published 1,000+ articles, each one written by humans for humans. Learn how we keep our content integrity and our software review methodology.
Our Selection Criteria
We compared each tool's pricing, help-center, trust and legal pages in October 2026, on these criteria:
- GDPR and certifications: GDPR statements plus certificates such as ISO 27001, SOC 2 or BSI C5.
- Server location: what the vendor says it stores or processes in Germany or the EU.
- German-speaking support: who answers in German, and whether that covers onboarding, sales or day-to-day tickets.
- All-in cost: seats, German numbers, number blocks, AI and calling, plus minimum seats and contract terms.
- How you buy: direct from the vendor, through a partner, or self-hosted.
- Contact-center, CRM and AI features: queues, dialers, two-way CRM sync and AI, included or sold on top.
- User sentiment: G2 and Capterra Germany ratings, plus threads in r/de_EDV and the IP-Phone-Forum.
Quick Comparison: Top STARFACE Alternatives at a Glance in 2026
This table adds the DACH checks, with STARFACE in the first row for reference. An AVV (Auftragsverarbeitungsvertrag) is the data processing agreement GDPR requires between you and any vendor that processes your data.
STARFACE Alternatives: DACH Comparison
| Tool | How You Buy | Deployment | Server Location in Germany | German-Speaking Support | EU DPA (AVV) | German Number Pricing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| STARFACE (reference) | Partner; STARFACE UP self-signup up to 10 users | Cloud, VM edition, appliance | Yes, German data centers | Through partners | Not stated | Not published |
| CloudTalk | Directly, online or via sales | Cloud | Not stated (AWS and Google Cloud, 9 locations globally) | German onboarding; support in English, Czech, Slovak and Spanish | Yes, public DPA with SCCs | Local numbers from $6/month |
| 3CX | Published licences or a partner | Self-hosted or 3CX Hosted | Yes, if you host in Germany | German partners; ticket-based support | With your hosting provider | From your SIP trunk provider |
| Placetel | Directly, online | Cloud | Yes (Equinix FR4/FR5, BT Sossenheim, Google Cloud Frankfurt) | Email tickets; phone and email from Business | Yes, published AVV | Porting free; 10-number block €4.90/month |
| NFON | Directly, published prices | Cloud | Yes, georedundant German data centers | German company; hours not stated | Yes, Art. 28 GDPR AVV | 10 local numbers €19 one-time |
| sipgate | Directly, online | Cloud | Yes, servers only in Germany | Email, phone and chat; 24/7 fault service | Not stated | Porting free; 10-number block €7.95/month |
| Yeastar | Partner | Cloud, software, appliance | Not stated; partner picks the region | Not stated | Not stated | Through your trunk provider or partner |
| Ringover | Directly, online (Talk plan) | Cloud | No; Ringover's own Paris data centers | Not stated | Not stated | Individual line $10/user/month on Talk |
| RingCentral RingEX | Sales | Cloud | Frankfurt data center announced in 2020; current RingEX scope not confirmed | Not stated; German sales line | Not stated | Not stated |
| Wildix | Partner | Cloud platform (x-bees) | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated |
| Aircall | Directly, published plans | Cloud | Partial: recordings, voicemails and transcripts in AWS Frankfurt | Not stated | Yes, DPA with SCCs | Additional numbers €6/month each |
Run your own DACH checklist in a live account
CloudTalk: The #1 STARFACE Alternative With Queues, IVR and CRM Built In
What Is CloudTalk?
CloudTalk is an AI business phone system for sales and support teams. It replaces on-premise PBX hardware with a cloud VoIP service your team runs from a browser, a desktop app for macOS, Windows or Linux, or the iOS and Android app. Calls, SMS and WhatsApp conversations sit in one CloudTalk workspace with recordings, transcripts, contact records and analytics.
Why CloudTalk Is a Strong STARFACE Alternative
- Keep your German numbers: port in local, national (+49 32) and toll-free (0800) numbers; German mobile numbers can't move.
- Keep your SIP desk phones: any SIP-capable hard phone or softphone registers with CloudTalk; ask Support to activate SIP at least 24 hours ahead.
- Onboarding in German: onboarding and the app are in German + day-to-day support.
- The compliance basics DACH buyers ask for: GDPR, ISO/IEC 27001 and SOC 2 Type 2, per CloudTalk's security page, plus a public data processing agreement.
What Are the Key Features of CloudTalk?
- Call Flow Designer, IVR and queues: a drag-and-drop call flow editor. Ring groups, call queues and queue callback come with every plan; IVR menus, business hours and skill-based routing start on Essential, and VIP queues on Expert. Edits go live without interrupting calls.
- 100+ native integrations: two-way sync of contacts, calls, recordings, AI summaries and tags with CRM, helpdesk and ATS tools, from Essential.
- Dialers: the Smart Dialer, Preview and the Power Dialer on Expert and the Parallel Dialer as an add-on.
- Supervisor tools: wallboards and live call monitoring with listen, whisper and barge on Expert.
- AI add-ons: Conversation Intelligence turns each call into a transcript, summary, sentiment and tags, and AI Voice Agents answer and qualify calls around the clock.
What Are the Pros & Cons of CloudTalk?
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Self-serve start with published plans and a 14-day free trial | Cloud only: no on-premise, VM or appliance edition |
| Call queues on every plan; IVR and skill-based routing from Essential | CRM integrations start on Essential; Salesforce on Expert |
| German local, national and toll-free numbers, with porting | Day-to-day support isn't in German |
| Numbers in 160+ countries | AI Conversation Intelligence and AI Voice Agents are paid add-ons |
| 99.999% uptime SLA | No German data location named on the security page |
What Are CloudTalk's Plans & Pricing?
Per user per month in USD, billed annually:
- Starter: $25. Call recording, ring groups, call queues with queue callback and the visual call flow builder. Minimum 1 licence.
- Essential: $29. Adds IVR, business hours, skill-based and smart condition-based routing, agent and group reporting, 100+ integrations and the API. Minimum 1 licence.
- Expert: $49. Adds the Smart Dialer and Power Dialer, VIP queues, live monitoring, wallboards and custom dashboards, plus Salesforce and the advanced Microsoft Teams integration. Minimum 3 licences.
- Custom: Contact Sales.
- Add-ons on any plan: Conversation Intelligence at $9 (CI Basic) or $19 (CI Plus), AI Voice Agents from $99/month for 200 minutes, the Power Dialer at $15 (included on Expert) and the Parallel Dialer at $39.
- German numbers: local numbers $6/month; national (+49 32) numbers $6/month plus a $6 one-time activation fee; 0800 toll-free numbers $15/month plus a per-minute rate on inbound calls; mobile (+49 15) numbers $6/month, the only German type with SMS.
The paperwork catch: new German numbers go through CloudTalk’s assisted ordering and go live only once your documents are approved. A local number needs your company registration and proof of an address in the number’s city (no PO boxes); a national (+49 32) number needs a German company registration, a German service address and ID for a legal representative. After the first approval, you order more German numbers straight from the dashboard. Read how to add a new number in CloudTalk before you set a go-live date.
What Are CloudTalk Customers Saying?
CloudTalk holds 4.4/5 on CloudTalk's G2 review page from 1941+ reviews. Recent reviewers praise the easy interface, reliable call quality, CRM integration with automatic call logging and the auto-dialer. They flag call quality tied to the user's connection, a slow-loading call log in the desktop app and large contact imports.
A RevOps Manager at a small business put it simply in a 5/5 G2 review of CloudTalk: "What I like best about CloudTalk is how easy it is to use and how smoothly it integrates with the CRM."
Unzer, a fast-growing fintech group based in Germany, replaced five legacy phone systems with CloudTalk and now runs 20+ support teams across Europe on one platform.
The onboarding was smooth, the system is easy to teach, and even our agents who aren’t tech-savvy adapted quickly. People were happy, and that made us happy too.
Project Manager, Unzer
Listen to the Project Manager at Unzer himself explain how CloudTalk helped their German team:
CloudTalk vs. STARFACE: Which Is Better for AI Calling?
CloudTalk is better for AI calling: CloudTalk's AI runs in the same app as your calls at published add-on prices, while STARFACE's AI runs on STARFACE Hub, a second platform your partner prices.
| Category | CloudTalk | STARFACE |
|---|---|---|
| Call summaries and transcripts | Conversation Intelligence add-on (CI Basic or CI Plus), published price | STARFACE Hub; price not published |
| AI that answers calls | AI Voice Agents add-on, published price | iQueue bot and natural-language routing through STARFACE Hub |
| Where AI runs | Inside the CloudTalk app | On STARFACE Hub, a separate platform |
Five phone systems became one platform for Unzer
9 More STARFACE Alternatives for DACH Sales, Support and IT Teams
The other nine fall into four groups. 3CX and Yeastar replace STARFACE like for like as PBXs you control. Placetel, NFON and sipgate are German cloud PBXs with German hosting. Ringover, RingCentral RingEX and Aircall are cloud phone systems from outside Germany, and Wildix is a unified communications platform sold through partners.
2. 3CX: Best for IT Teams That Want to Keep Running Their Own PBX Without Per-User Fees
What Is 3CX?
3CX is a phone system licensed per system and priced by simultaneous calls, not per user. You host it on Windows or Linux, on-premise or in a cloud such as Amazon, DigitalOcean, Azure or Google, or let 3CX host it. 3CX is based in Cyprus, inside the EU.
Why Is 3CX a Strong STARFACE Alternative?
- STARFACE VM or appliance customers keep a PBX they control, in their own server room or a German data center.
- Teams that like their carrier keep their own SIP trunk and German numbers.
What Are 3CX's Key Features?
- Basic, Pro and AI editions, licensed by simultaneous calls up to 1,024.
- An integrated call center, plus Microsoft 365 and Teams integration.
- AI transcription on the AI edition.
What Are the Pros & Cons of 3CX?
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Flat annual price per system, no per-user fee | You carry hosting, the SIP trunk and, if self-hosted, maintenance |
| Full deployment choice, including on-premise | 3CX Hosted is billed separately and isn't available on Basic |
| Bring your own trunk and German numbers | Direct technical support is ticket-based or runs through partners |
What Are 3CX's Plans & Pricing?
Per system per year, excluding VAT, for 8 simultaneous calls: Basic $300 (self-hosted only), Pro $395 and AI $575. 3CX Hosted starts at $295/year on top of the licence. See 3CX pricing for the larger tiers.
The hosting catch: unless you take 3CX Hosted, you also pay for your own server, and SIP trunk minutes and German numbers come from a separate provider.
What Do G2 Users Say About 3CX?
3CX holds 4.4/5 on G2 from 548+ reviews on 3CX's G2 review page. Recent reviewers praise the value for money, support for many SIP phones (Yealink, Fanvil) and SIP providers, stability and easy internal transfers. They flag a newer interface some like less than the old one, and call problems over VPN or for remote users.
How Does 3CX Compare to STARFACE?
| Category | 3CX | STARFACE |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Published, per system ($395/year, Pro) | Offer through a partner |
| Hosting | Self-hosted or 3CX Hosted | STARFACE Cloud in Germany, VM or appliance |
| Contact center | Integrated call center | iQueue premium module |
If running a PBX yourself is off the table, CloudTalk's guide to 3CX alternatives covers the managed options.
3. Placetel: Best for German SMEs That Want a Low-Cost Cloud PBX (Same Owner as STARFACE)
What Is Placetel?
Placetel is a cloud PBX from Gamma Placetel GmbH in Cologne, built on Webex technology, with 150+ telephony functions and desktop, mobile and browser apps.
Why Is Placetel a Strong STARFACE Alternative?
- Published prices and a 30-day free trial replace the partner offer.
- Placetel names its German data centers: Equinix FR4 and FR5, BT Sossenheim and Google Cloud Frankfurt.
- Porting is free, and a new block of 10 German numbers costs €4.90/month.
What Are Placetel's Key Features?
- German flat rate for landline and mobile on Business.
- Integrations with Microsoft Teams, HubSpot, Salesforce and DATEV on Business.
- AI call summaries and transcripts on Business; AI assistants and a call-center module as paid add-ons.
What Are the Pros & Cons of Placetel?
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Published per-user prices and a 30-day trial | The lowest prices need a 24-month term |
| German hosting documented by data center | Phone support starts on Business |
| Free porting and published number-block prices | Same owner as STARFACE (Gamma) |
What Are Placetel's Plans & Pricing?
Per user per month, excluding VAT, from Placetel's October 2026 price list: Essentials €6.90 on a 24-month term (€8.90 monthly), Business €9.90 (€11.90 monthly), both with a 2-user minimum, and Enterprise €14.90 (€16.90 monthly) with a 5-user minimum.
The contract-term catch: the €6.90 headline needs a 24-month commitment, and the call-center module and AI assistants cost extra.
What Do Capterra Users Say About Placetel?
Placetel holds 4.3/5 on Placetel's Capterra Germany page from 11 reviews. Reviewers praise long-term reliability, reachability on a German landline number from anywhere and fast escalation. They flag an initial setup that isn't self-explanatory and an interface some find complex.
How Does Placetel Compare to STARFACE?
| Category | Placetel | STARFACE |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Published, from €6.90/user/month | Offer through a partner |
| How you buy | Online, 30-day trial | Partner; STARFACE UP up to 10 users |
| Owner | Gamma | Gamma |
4. NFON: Best for German Mid-Size Companies That Need a BSI C5-Attested Cloud PBX Hosted in Germany
What Is NFON?
NFON AG is a Munich cloud telephony provider whose cloud PBX runs under the Cloudya brand, next to a separate contact center product and SIP trunks.
Why Is NFON a Strong STARFACE Alternative?
- Georedundant German data centers with a BSI C5 Type 2 attestation and ISO 27001, ISO 9001 and ISO 50001 certificates.
- 10 local German numbers for €19 one-time, useful for teams with many direct-dial extensions.
What Are NFON's Key Features?
- Cloudya cloud PBX, with the softphone included on Business Premium.
- Add-ons: CRM Connect, NCTI, E-Fax and integrations.
- SIP trunks for teams keeping their own PBX.
What Are the Pros & Cons of NFON?
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Published per-extension prices | One-time activation fee per extension, and a paid softphone on Business Standard |
| BSI C5 Type 2 and ISO 27001 with German hosting | The contact center is a separate product with its own setup fee |
| Low one-time cost for a 10-number block | Lost points for higher error rates in connect professional's 2025 test, though it kept a "very good" rating |
What Are NFON's Plans & Pricing?
Per extension per month in Germany, excluding VAT: the modular licence from €4.80, Business Standard €6.80 plus €4.90 for the softphone, and Business Premium €10.80 with the softphone included. Activation costs €25 (Standard) or €35 (Premium) once per extension, flat rates add €3.90 (landline) or €8.90 (landline and mobile), and the Contact Center starts at €46 with a setup fee from €500.
The activation-fee catch: for a team of 20 on Business Standard, activation alone comes to €500 before the first call.
What Do Capterra Users Say About NFON?
NFON holds 4.0/5 on NFON's Capterra Germany page from 19 reviews. Users like the location-independent use, easy administration and a German vendor with regional contacts. They criticize CRMs that don't connect, keys that have to be programmed per user, missing presence-status features and a flat rate bundled onto every seat.
How Does NFON Compare to STARFACE?
| Category | NFON | STARFACE |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Published, from €4.80/extension/month | Offer through a partner |
| Certification | BSI C5 Type 2, ISO 27001 | Not stated |
| Contact center | Separate product, from €46 plus setup | iQueue premium module |
For more options in this group, see CloudTalk's guide to NFON alternatives.
5. sipgate: Best for Small German Teams That Want Self-Serve Calling They Can Cancel Monthly
What Is sipgate?
sipgate is a cloud telephony provider from Düsseldorf, sold as business S, L and XL plans.
Why Is sipgate a Strong STARFACE Alternative?
- Self-serve plans you can cancel monthly, with a 30-day free trial.
- Infrastructure and servers located only in Germany, per sipgate.
What Are sipgate's Key Features?
- Two lines per user on every business plan.
- Free porting, with number blocks bookable.
- AI phone agents and Conversation Intelligence as separate plans, with sipgate's own AI models hosted in Europe.
What Are the Pros & Cons of sipgate?
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Monthly cancellable plans with published prices | The highest entry price per user of the German cloud PBXs here |
| Servers only in Germany | Minimum of 2 users |
| Phone, email and chat support plus a 24/7 fault service | Conversation Intelligence and AI agents are separate plans |
What Are sipgate's Plans & Pricing?
Per user per month, excluding VAT, with a 2-user minimum: business S €12.95, business L €17.95 and business XL €22.95, plus €4.95 per extra line. AI agent plans cost €69.95/month (Starter), €199.95/month (Scale) or from €449.95/month (Enterprise). Number blocks bill monthly: 3 numbers €4.95, 10 numbers €7.95 and 100 numbers €29.95, and ported numbers are free.
The AI-plan catch: two users on business S plus the smallest AI agent plan pay close to four times the seat cost alone.
What Do Capterra Users Say About sipgate?
sipgate's team product has a single review on sipgate's Capterra Germany page (3.0/5, November 2023), too few to judge it by, so test call quality on your own network during the trial.
How Does sipgate Compare to STARFACE?
| Category | sipgate | STARFACE |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Published, from €12.95/user/month | Offer through a partner |
| Contract | Cancellable monthly | Set by the partner |
| Hosting | Servers only in Germany | German data centers |
If you run a small team, CloudTalk's guide to small business VoIP covers what to check beyond the seat price.
6. Yeastar: Best for IT Teams and MSPs That Want Cloud, Software or Appliance Editions Like STARFACE's
What Is Yeastar?
Yeastar is a phone-system maker that markets its P-Series to managed service providers as a STARFACE replacement.
Why Is Yeastar a Strong STARFACE Alternative?
- The same three deployment options as STARFACE, so an appliance or VM customer can move like for like.
- One console for many PBXs, which suits MSPs and IT teams running several sites.
What Are Yeastar's Key Features?
- P-Series in Cloud, Software and Appliance editions, on AWS for the cloud edition.
- Yeastar Central Management for provisioning and monitoring many PBXs.
What Are the Pros & Cons of Yeastar?
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Cloud, software and appliance editions | No public pricing; you buy through partners |
| Central management for many PBXs | Hosting regions and DPA terms aren't published |
| Region selectable per instance | Needs telecom skills to set up and run |
What Are Yeastar's Plans & Pricing?
Yeastar doesn't publish prices; partners get them through Yeastar's partner portal and quote end customers.
The partner-pricing catch: if STARFACE's offer-based pricing is why you're leaving, Yeastar repeats it, and you still need a SIP trunk for German numbers.
What Do Capterra Users Say About Yeastar?
Yeastar Cloud PBX holds 5.0/5 on Yeastar's Capterra Germany page from 5 reviews written between 2019 and 2022, mostly by reviewers outside Germany. They praise the price, ease of use, reliability and the clean P-Series interface. They flag slower feature development on the cloud edition than on the S-Series, and auto-provisioning that covers only Snom and Yealink phones.
How Does Yeastar Compare to STARFACE?
| Category | Yeastar | STARFACE |
|---|---|---|
| Deployment | Cloud, software, appliance | Cloud, VM edition, appliance |
| How you buy | Partner | Partner; STARFACE UP up to 10 users |
| Hosting region | Picked per instance; not published | German data centers |
Weighing a hosted PBX against keeping your own trunks? CloudTalk's comparison of hosted PBX vs SIP trunking sets out the trade-offs.
7. Ringover: Best for European Sales Teams That Want AI on the Entry Plan and EU Hosting
What Is Ringover?
Ringover is a French cloud phone system for businesses and call centers, sold in Talk, Business, Unified and Enterprise plans.
Why Is Ringover a Strong STARFACE Alternative?
- EU hosting in Ringover's own Paris data centers, with no hosting sub-contractor.
- AI comes on the entry plan, where STARFACE routes AI through a separate platform.
What Are Ringover's Key Features?
- AI on Talk: unlimited AI agents, call transcription and summaries.
- CRM integrations from the Business plan.
- 17 points of presence, per Ringover's security page.
What Are the Pros & Cons of Ringover?
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| EU hosting in its own Paris data centers | Minimum 3 users and a 12-month term for the listed price |
| AI transcription and summaries from the entry plan | No German data center |
| Published plan prices | Talk includes one shared company number; per-user lines cost extra |
What Are Ringover's Plans & Pricing?
Per user per month on a 12-month commitment, excluding taxes, in USD (Ringover's German pricing link redirects to its USD price list): Talk $19 ($29 without commitment, online only), Business $49 ($69) and Unified $69 ($89), each with a 3-user minimum. Enterprise is custom from 50 users. Ringover pricing breaks the plans down further.
The shared-number catch: Talk's $19 covers one shared company number. A line per user adds $10/user/month, so a seat with its own number costs about $29 on annual terms.
What Do G2 Users Say About Ringover?
Ringover holds 4.6/5 on G2 from 500+ reviews on Ringover's G2 review page. Recent reviewers like the easy setup, consistent call quality and HubSpot sync. They flag transcription accuracy, onboarding that could be more proactive and the licence cost.
How Does Ringover Compare to STARFACE?
| Category | Ringover | STARFACE |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Published, from $19/user/month | Offer through a partner |
| Hosting | Paris, France | German data centers |
| AI | On the entry plan | STARFACE Hub, separate platform |
8. RingCentral RingEX: Best for Large Multi-Site Companies That Need a Long Certificate List
What Is RingCentral RingEX?
RingEX is RingCentral's cloud platform for phone, messaging and video, with RingCX sold separately as a contact center.
Why Is RingCentral RingEX a Strong STARFACE Alternative?
- The longest certificate list here: ISO 27001, 27017, 27018 and 22301, SOC 2+, SOC 3 and BSI C5, per RingCentral's trust center.
- Phone, messaging and video in one suite, which suits companies consolidating several locations.
- A German sales line and a Frankfurt data center with German data residency, announced in 2020.
What Are RingCentral RingEX's Key Features?
- Four RingEX plans with 100 to 2,000 included minutes per user.
- Messaging and video in the same app as calls.
What Are the Pros & Cons of RingCentral RingEX?
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Certificates including BSI C5 | The contact center (RingCX) is a separate product |
| Phone, video and messaging in one suite | The German plans page shows no prices |
| German sales presence | Current German data-residency scope for RingEX isn't confirmed |
What Are RingCentral RingEX's Plans & Pricing?
RingCentral's German plans page lists four RingEX plans and no prices (checked October 27, 2026): Essentials with 100 included minutes per user, Standard with 500, Premium with 1,000 and Ultimate with 2,000. Minimum seats aren't stated; ask the German sales line for a quote. RingCentral pricing covers the published tiers in other markets.
The contact-center catch: RingEX covers phone, messaging and video. For queues, ACD and contact-center reporting, budget for RingCX as a second product.
What Do G2 Users Say About RingCentral RingEX?
RingEX holds 4.2/5 on G2 from 1,500+ reviews on RingEX's G2 review page. Recent reviewers value calls, messaging and video in one app, solid call quality and the Salesforce integration. They flag basic reporting, AI summaries that need editing and a price that's hard to justify for basic calling.
How Does RingCentral RingEX Compare to STARFACE?
| Category | RingEX | STARFACE |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Not published on the German plans page | Offer through a partner |
| Certificates | ISO 27001, SOC 2+, BSI C5 and more | Not stated |
| Contact center | RingCX, separate product | iQueue premium module |
Read CloudTalk's full RingCentral review for more detail.
9. Wildix: Best for Mid-Size Companies That Want Unified Communications Through a Local Partner
What Is Wildix?
Wildix sells x-bees, which it describes as an AI-native platform for calls, contact center and meetings in one. Plans run from PBX-Basic through UC-Essential and UC-Business to UC-Premium, and Wildix sells through partners.
Why Is Wildix a Strong STARFACE Alternative?
- Contact center dashboards come with UC-Premium, so there's no second product to add.
- AI built in: Wilma voice bots and chatbots, an AI assistant, transcriptions and summaries.
- A partner channel like STARFACE's, if you value a local reseller.
What Are Wildix's Key Features?
- Four subscription tiers, with concurrent calls and devices per user growing by tier.
- 250+ integrations.
- Contact center dashboards (x-caracal) on UC-Premium.
What Are the Pros & Cons of Wildix?
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Calls, contact center and meetings on one platform | No public prices; partner-led like STARFACE |
| Clear feature tiers | Hosting region isn't published |
| Partner network for local delivery | DACH-specific support details aren't published |
What Are Wildix's Plans & Pricing?
Wildix publishes its feature tiers but no prices; your partner quotes the final price.
The same-channel catch: Wildix includes the contact center but keeps STARFACE's partner model, so it won't help if the partner layer is why you're leaving.
What Do G2 Users Say About Wildix?
Wildix holds 4.8/5 on G2 from 44 reviews on Wildix's G2 review page; it has no Capterra Germany profile. Recent reviewers credit the intuitive all-in-one interface, short training time and hardware and software that fit together. They flag a recent Collab update that removed password-code login.
How Does Wildix Compare to STARFACE?
| Category | Wildix | STARFACE |
|---|---|---|
| How you buy | Partner | Partner; STARFACE UP up to 10 users |
| Contact center | Dashboards on UC-Premium | iQueue premium module |
| AI | Built into the platform | STARFACE Hub, separate platform |
Shortlisting unified communications platforms? CloudTalk's roundup of UCaaS providers compares more.
10. Aircall: Best for Support and Sales Teams That Work From a CRM All Day
What Is Aircall?
Aircall is a cloud phone system that keeps business calls and customer conversations in one workspace, synced to your CRM, sold in Essentials, Professional and Enterprise plans.
Why Is Aircall a Strong STARFACE Alternative?
- CRM sync sits at the center of the product.
- EU storage for call content: recordings, voicemails and transcriptions sit in the AWS Frankfurt region for EU accounts created since May 3, 2022.
- A SOC 2 Type 2 report and a DPA with EU standard contractual clauses.
What Are Aircall's Key Features?
- Automations and real-time analytics on Professional.
- AI Voice Agents, with 50 minutes a month included on every plan.
- Add-ons: AI Assist Pro, Analytics+ and WhatsApp, each billed per seat.
What Are the Pros & Cons of Aircall?
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Recordings, voicemails and transcripts stored in Frankfurt | Minimum 3 licences (25 on Enterprise) |
| SOC 2 Type 2 | Not all data stays in the EU region, and you can't change the region once set |
| Published plan prices | Several AI and analytics features are paid add-ons |
What Are Aircall's Plans & Pricing?
Per licence per month on annual billing, in EUR as served on Aircall's pricing page on October 27, 2026: Essentials €30 and Professional €50, each with a 3-licence minimum, and Enterprise custom from 25 licences. Each additional number costs €6/month. Aircall pricing has the plan-by-plan detail.
The add-on catch: three Essentials licences cost €90/month before numbers or add-ons.
What Do G2 Users Say About Aircall?
Aircall holds 4.4/5 on G2 from 1677+ reviews on Aircall's G2 review page. Recent reviewers praise the easy, modern app, call recordings with AI summaries, Zendesk and CRM sync, and the new WhatsApp feature. They flag numbers flagged as spam.
How Does Aircall Compare to STARFACE?
| Category | Aircall | STARFACE |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Published, from €30/licence/month | Offer through a partner |
| Minimum seats | 3 licences | Not stated |
| Hosting | Call content in Frankfurt; other data partly outside the EU | German data centers |
Read CloudTalk's full Aircall review for more detail.
Compared ten tools? Now compare them on your own calls.
What Real Users Are Saying About STARFACE Alternatives on Reddit, IT Forums and Capterra
German IT communities are where STARFACE users compare it with the alternatives, since G2 and Capterra have so few STARFACE reviews.
What Redditors Are Asking and Saying About STARFACE Alternatives
A 2026 r/de_EDV thread, "VoIP Telefonanlage kleines Unternehmen," shows both sides:
- STARFACE as the simpler PBX: one commenter points teams that find 3CX too complex to STARFACE, because you can start small and choose on-premise hardware, an app or the cloud.
- 3CX with easybell numbers: another commenter recommends that combination and notes that licence costs come on top, whether you self-host or buy hosting.
What IP-Phone-Forum Users Say About STARFACE Cloud
In an IP-Phone-Forum thread on STARFACE Cloud from 2019, a five-person team hesitated at about 400 EUR a year, and replies pointed to self-hosted FreePBX instead (CloudTalk covers FreePBX alternatives separately).
What Capterra Reviewers Say About STARFACE and CloudTalk
Capterra Germany lists both products, which makes it the fairer side-by-side: its STARFACE vs CloudTalk compare page sets one STARFACE review against 250+ for CloudTalk, and Capterra Germany's list of STARFACE alternatives puts CloudTalk first. CloudTalk's software comparison overview has more head-to-head breakdowns.
CloudTalk Features vs. STARFACE Features
STARFACE wins on deployment choice and German hosting; CloudTalk wins on buying direct, published prices and the queue, dialer and CRM tools in the plan.
CloudTalk vs. STARFACE: Feature Comparison
| Feature | CloudTalk | STARFACE |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $25/user/month | Offer through a partner |
| Who you buy from | CloudTalk, online or via sales | Partner; STARFACE UP self-signup up to 10 users |
| Minimum seats | 1 (Starter, Essential); 3 (Expert) | Not stated |
| Deployment | Cloud | Cloud, VM edition, hardware appliance |
| Queues and IVR | Call queues on every plan; IVR and skill-based routing from Essential | iQueue and IVR premium modules |
| Dialers | Smart Dialer, Preview and Power Dialer on Expert or $15 add-on; Parallel Dialer $39 add-on | None among the modules checked |
| CRM integrations | 100+ from Essential; Salesforce on Expert | Not listed on the pages checked |
| Microsoft Teams | Advanced integration on Expert | Integration activated per user |
| Number coverage | 160+ countries | Not stated |
| Availability | 99.999% uptime SLA | 99.99% measured in the 2025 zafaco test; no SLA published |
| Free trial | 14 days | 14 days on STARFACE UP |
| G2 rating | 4.4/5 | 4.5/5 (2 reviews) |
See the full price before anyone sends you an offer
How to Choose the Right STARFACE Alternative for Your Team
Answer these six questions in order; the first one takes several STARFACE alternatives off your list.
1. Do You Want to Buy Direct, Through a Partner or Run Your Own PBX?
Each buying model has its own shortlist:
- Buy direct from the vendor: CloudTalk for sales and support teams, or Placetel, NFON, sipgate, Ringover or Aircall.
- Keep a local partner: Yeastar or Wildix.
- Run your own PBX: 3CX, or Yeastar's software and appliance editions.
If you're unsure which model fits, CloudTalk's explainer on PBX vs VoIP covers the basics.
2. Where Must Your Data Be Stored?
NFON is the strongest pick for strict German hosting, with georedundant German data centers, BSI C5 Type 2 and a published Art. 28 AVV. sipgate comes next, with servers only in Germany. Bitkom's 2026 Cloud Report also found that 51% of German companies rule out US data centers, so get a written answer from every vendor on where it stores your data and where its AI processes calls.
CloudTalk is the pick when GDPR, ISO/IEC 27001 and SOC 2 Type 2 cover your requirements and you need sales and contact-center tools on top.
3. Can You Keep Your German Numbers and Desk Phones?
Yes. CloudTalk's number porting works on every plan. Its Germany number porting guide sets out what moves: local and toll-free (0800) numbers take about 2 weeks and national (+49 32) numbers about 7, longer if your details don't match your current provider's records. For local and national numbers you need a signed letter of authorization, your latest invoice and proof of business registration, such as a Handelsregisterauszug for a GmbH. German mobile numbers can't be ported.
Many German companies move a main number plus a block of direct-dial extensions (Durchwahlen), so ask each provider whether every extension becomes a separately managed number. Placetel and sipgate port for free and publish block prices; for CloudTalk, ask sales how your block will be set up.
Leaving a STARFACE appliance or VM edition? CloudTalk has setup guides for SIP devices, including Cisco IP phones, Zoiper, MicroSIP, Linphone and CSipSimple. CloudTalk isn't a SIP trunking provider; it supplies numbers and calling itself, so if you want to keep choosing your own trunk, stay with 3CX or Yeastar.
4. Which Contact-Center and AI Features Are Included, and Which Cost Extra?
CloudTalk includes call queues on every plan and IVR and skill-based routing from Essential, which makes it the best pick here for call center software without a module list.
CloudTalk prices AI Voice Agents and Conversation Intelligence separately from the plan, and Autenti, a platform for signing documents online, now has nearly 40% of its inbound calls handled by a CloudTalk AI Voice Agent. sipgate also sells AI agents as separate plans, with its own AI models hosted in Europe.
5. How Deep Does the CRM Integration Go?
CloudTalk is the pick for CRM depth: two-way sync, click-to-call inside the CRM and the caller's record opening when a call rings. Aircall is the runner-up for teams that live in a CRM. NFON's Capterra reviewers note that not every CRM connects, so test automatic call logging during a trial before you commit.
6. Who Supports You, and in Which Language?
Placetel is the best pick for German-speaking support, with phone and email support from Business and a VIP hotline on Enterprise. sipgate adds chat and a 24/7 fault service. CloudTalk onboards in German and runs day-to-day support in English, Czech, Slovak and Spanish, 24/7 by chat and email.
Which Platform Fits Your Team? A Quick Recommendation Matrix
| Your team | Best fit |
|---|---|
| Sales and support team that wants to buy direct with published prices | CloudTalk |
| IT team that wants to keep running its own PBX | 3CX |
| German SME that wants a low seat price and free porting | Placetel |
| Mid-size company that needs BSI C5 and German hosting | NFON |
| Small German team that wants monthly terms | sipgate |
| MSP or IT team that wants appliance, software or cloud editions | Yeastar |
| European sales team that wants AI on the entry plan | Ringover |
| Large multi-site company | RingCentral RingEX |
| Mid-size company that wants a local partner and UC | Wildix |
| Support or sales team that works from a CRM | Aircall |
Ready to Switch from STARFACE to a Phone System You Run Yourself?
CloudTalk is the STARFACE alternative to test first if a partner quote or a premium module started your search: you sign up online, build call flows in the browser and pay from $25/user/month with call queues included and IVR from Essential.
To move your numbers, open the CloudTalk dashboard, go to Numbers, then Port existing number, and keep the porting guide's document list at hand.
Plan your move from STARFACE with a CloudTalk specialist
Sources:
- 01Bitkom
Frequently Asked Questions About STARFACE Alternatives
CloudTalk is the best STARFACE alternative for sales and support teams buying direct: a managed cloud PBX with call queues on every plan from $25 per user per month and IVR from Essential.
3CX suits IT teams running their own PBX; NFON suits teams that need German hosting with BSI C5.
Gamma Communications, a UK group, has owned STARFACE since February 20, 2025. Gamma also owns Placetel and estos, so a switch to Placetel keeps you with the same parent company. Unlike STARFACE Cloud, Placetel publishes its prices and sells direct.
STARFACE Cloud has no public price; your partner quotes it. The 4.90 and 7.90 EUR per user figures online are May 2024 STARFACE Up prices. Compare the full business phone system cost, numbers and modules included.
Yes. CloudTalk ports German local, national (+49 32) and toll-free (0800) numbers in about 2 weeks (7 for national), per its Germany number porting guide. German mobile numbers can't be ported. Ask how your direct-dial block will map before you start.
NFON hosts in georedundant German data centers with BSI C5 Type 2, sipgate keeps its servers only in Germany, and Placetel names its Frankfurt data centers. CloudTalk covers GDPR, ISO/IEC 27001 and SOC 2 Type 2 but names no German data location; weigh VoIP security and hosting together.
3CX is better for IT teams that want a published price per system and full control over hosting and SIP trunks. STARFACE is better if you want a German vendor, cloud hosting in German data centers and a partner for the business phone system installation. Both integrate with Microsoft Teams.
STARFACE sells directly only to small teams: STARFACE UP lets up to 10 users sign up with a 14-day trial. Partners sell, support and price larger STARFACE Cloud setups. To buy a hosted PBX direct at any team size, CloudTalk, Placetel and sipgate sell online.
