Jive

Reviewed by: Christina Sterling
on: December 12, 2013

Jive.com Pros and Cons

Jive Pricing

1 – 4 Users: $29.95/mo/user
5 – 9 Users: $25.95/mo/user
10 – 24 Users: $23.95/mo/user
25 – 49 Users: $21.95/mo/user
50+ Users: $19.95/mo/user

Jive Small Business

Jive Small Business turns out to be a relative term – the service is for companies with up to 100 users. All of the advanced features associated with VoIP, such as click-to-call, dial-by-name directory, and answering rules, are included in every Jive plan. Even better, all small business plans come with unlimited domestic minutes and have no activation fees.

Jive Small Business Plans

Jive Enterprise

Jive Enterprise is a larger-scale version of Jive Small Business. It offers the calling and management features necessary for any larger venture, from automatic menus to the managerial ability to eavesdrop on phone calls. Pricing is negotiated on a case-by-case basis by Jive’s US-based sales team.

Detailed Features of Jive

Jive Communications, located in Orem, UT, was founded in 2006 by John Pope, Stephen Todd and Brent Thomson. Jive has made an enormous investment in developing its platform from the ground up. This cloud-based platform, called Jive Core, was designed to deliver reliable, scalable, and affordable hosted communications services.

What We Like About Jive Hosted VoIP

Customer Service

Jive’s US-based customer service department is available anytime. Customers can contact them via phone, email, or live chat for assistance. In addition to troubleshooting, service agents are notable for providing excellent training to help new customers get the most out of the system.

No Activation or Cancellation Fees

Unlike some other VoIP providers, Jive does not charge activation or cancellation fees. This is due to the company’s lack of annual contracts. Jive operates its small business plans solely on a month-to-month basis, making it the ideal choice for anyone who doesn’t like getting stuck in long contracts.

True ACD Queuing

Jive’s ACD (automatic caller distribution) queuing feature means that callers spent minimal time waiting on hold. Calls are distributed to representatives in the order that they are received, providing the fairest situation for anyone who dials in. This is a premium feature that is not often included in VoIP plans. VirtualPBX is the only other merchant in our reviews that provides true ACD queuing.

Unlimited Domestic Calling on all Plans

While many other VoIP providers charge hefty prices for unlimited plans, Jive charges very reasonable ones – and all of its plans are unlimited. This is perfect for small businesses that make a large number of calls within the United States.

Internet FAx included

Internet fax is another one of those VoIP features that often costs extra. Not so at Jive – internet faxing (both inbound and outbound) is included with all plans.

What We Don’t Like About Jive

No Free Trial

Jive does not offer a free trial. They do have a 30-day money back guarantee, but with so many other VoIP companies offering 30-day free trials, this is a bit of a letdown.

Paid Mobile App

Jive recently released a mobile app called Jive Mobility, which is compatible with computers, iPhones, androids, and tablets. However, the app costs $20 per user. In a field where mobile apps are free most of the time, charging customers for mobility is a serious disadvantage.

Calls to Canada Cost Extra

If you have customers across the northern border, you’re out of luck. Jive charges international rates of 3¢ per minute for calls to Canada. It does the same for US territories, such as Guam and Puerto Rico, which are often included in phone plans.

Porting Fees

Jive charges $15 for every outside number that you port into their service (or vise versa). Although the fee isn’t that steep, it is larger than those of most other VoIP services.

Toll Free Number Fees

Jive charges 1.9¢ per minute for incoming calls on toll-free numbers. They also charge a monthly fee for toll-free numbers. If you have an established toll-free number already, or if you want to offer your customers the option of a toll-free number in general, Jive may not be the best choice for you.

Non-Refreshing Reporting Interface

Strangely enough, Jive’s analytics page does not have live updating capabilities. In order to update the statistics, users have to manually refresh the page. This kind of analytics page clearly isn’t as tech-savvy as self-refreshing pages that keep your data updated for you.