NoPBX Review
NoPBX is a South African business phone service that turns each user’s cellphone into an extension over the mobile network, with both tiers published in full from R65 a user, per-second billing and no contract. It suits micro-businesses and field teams that need one business number across existing handsets and want voice that survives load shedding. The trade-off is depth: no recording, reporting, desktop softphone or CRM integration.
Is NoPBX worth shortlisting?
Yes for a micro-business or field team that wants a business number on the smartphones already in people’s pockets. NoPBX routes calls over the mobile network instead of the internet, publishes both of its tiers in full (Pay As You Go R65 a user, Infinity R349 a user, plus R90 a month for the system on multi-user accounts, all ex VAT), bills per second with no contract, and ports the first number free. The trade-off is depth: there is no desktop softphone, no call recording, no reporting and no CRM integration, so an office team that wants a switchboard with those features should look at a cloud PBX.
- PricingPay As You Go R65 a user a month with 200 minutes; Infinity R349 a user with 1,000 minutes; R90 a month PBX charge on multi-user accounts; ex VAT
- Call ratesPer-second billing, no connect fees. PAYG overflow R0.57/min fixed and R0.79/min mobile; Infinity overflow R0.54/min
- Setup and portingFree setup, first number ported free; extra numbers R20 a month; SIM and line R50 a month for wireless desk phones
- Contactnopbx.co.za · +27 87 133 3222
A phone system that lives on your staff’s cellphones, priced in full on the website, with no contract and no internet dependency.
NoPBX turns each user’s existing mobile handset into an extension. The call leg to the user runs over the mobile network, so voice keeps working through load shedding on the phone’s own battery, and there is nothing to install. The commercial model matches the simplicity: two published tiers, per-second billing without connect fees or flagfall, month-to-month, free setup and a free first port. Sign up, take the demo credit, top up, and the system is live.
The product is deliberately narrow. IVR, ring groups, voicemail-to-email, music on hold and a mobile app are included, but there is no desktop softphone, no call recording, no analytics and no CRM integration, which is why feature set scores a 5.5 and holds the overall to 6.8. The Google listing is small but positive at 4.6 across 24 reviews, and two of the three most recent reviews are customers who have stayed since 2021.
Is NoPBX likely to suit you?
Tick what applies to your business.
Pros and watch-outs
What NoPBX does well, and where to push back at quote stage.
- Both tiers are published in full, ex VAT: Pay As You Go R65 a user with 200 pooled minutes, Infinity R349 a user with 1,000 pooled minutes, plus a R90 a month PBX charge on accounts with more than one user.
- Per-second billing with no connect fees or flagfall; overflow at R0.57 a minute to fixed lines and R0.79 to mobiles on PAYG, R0.54 flat on Infinity.
- Month-to-month as a prepaid top-up service, with free setup and the first number ported free.
- Calls reach each user over the mobile network, so voice keeps working through power outages on the handset battery, with no on-site hardware or install.
- IVR, ring groups, voicemail-to-email, music on hold, call transfer and the mobile app are included at the seat price, and the app needs no username or password.
- No desktop softphone, no call recording, no analytics, no CRM integration and no API. This is a voice-routing service, not a unified-communications platform.
- NoPBX is a software layer over the mobile networks rather than a separately licensed carrier, so reliability rests on the operators it rides.
- The Google listing is small at 24 reviews, and HelloPeter shows a claimed profile with no reviews at all.
- The jump between tiers is large (R65 to R349), and PAYG bills in arrears while Infinity bills in advance; map your minute pattern before choosing.
Score breakdown
Five categories that decide whether NoPBX earns a slot on your shortlist. The headline is the weighted sum, so you can check the arithmetic.
Two published tiers with every charge on the page, per-second billing, no connect fees, no contract and a free first port. The lowest published entry in the batch at R65 a user, ex VAT.
IVR, ring groups, voicemail-to-email and a mobile app are included. No desktop softphone, no recording, no analytics, no CRM integration, no API, which caps this dimension.
Google 4.6 across 24 reviews, above the Google cohort but on a small sample. The HelloPeter profile is claimed with zero reviews, so it adds nothing.
The mobile last mile runs over licensed carriers rather than NoPBX itself, with no published uptime figure; the design has real resilience through device batteries and no internet dependency for voice.
4.6 across 24 reviews with an owner-responsive listing and a support agent named in a recent review. Held back by sample size and unpublished support hours.
Pricing: two tiers, every charge published
NoPBX publishes both rate cards on its site. Per-second billing, no connect fees, no flagfall, no fixed term. All prices exclude VAT; NoPBX is a registered VAT vendor.
| Charge line | Pay As You Go | Infinity | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Per-user charge | R65 a month | R349 a month | Each user gets a mobile-app extension |
| PBX charge | R90 a month | R90 a month | Only on accounts with more than one user |
| Included minutes | 200 a user, pooled | 1,000 a user, pooled | Pooled across the account |
| Overflow to fixed lines | R0.57 a minute | R0.54 a minute | Per-second billing throughout |
| Overflow to mobiles | R0.79 a minute | R0.54 a minute | Infinity is flat across fixed and mobile |
| Setup and first port | Free | Free | Additional ports priced on request |
| Extra numbers | R20 a month each | R20 a month each | Beyond the included number |
| SIM and line for wireless desk phones | R50 a month | R50 a month | Only if you want a desk handset |
| Billing | In arrears | In advance | Month-to-month, run as a prepaid top-up service |
What real customers say
The three most recent reviews on the NoPBX Google listing, quoted as written. The listing holds 4.6 stars across 24 reviews and the owner replies to feedback; HelloPeter shows a claimed profile with no reviews, so Google is the only public signal.
“It’s official, we’re sticking with NoPBX for our new company! We were so happy with their service since 2021 that we’ve onboarded them for our new venture to ensure easy, permanent connectivity with CarvertGZA. The system is incredibly simple, the support is top-notch, and it makes remote work a breeze”
“We’ve been using NoPBX since 2021 and have had a consistently great experience. Excellent service and an incredibly easy system to use. Setup was quick, call quality is reliable, and the flexibility for remote work is a huge advantage.”
“Their system give us power as dealer I wish dey can also offer white label. Non the less they r so supper star. I had issue I was assisted fast by Dave”
How to read this: two of the three are customers who have stayed since 2021 and praise simplicity and remote work, and the third is a dealer naming the support agent. Small sample, consistent story. Take the free demo credit and test with one ported number before committing the rest.
The NoPBX product line
A focused voice-routing service with the switchboard basics included at the seat price.
The mobile network is the last mile
Each user runs the NoPBX app on their own Android or iOS handset. The mobile network carries the call leg, so voice keeps working through power outages while the cloud core stays online. No desk hardware, no install.
IVR, ring groups, voicemail-to-email
Auto-attendant, ring groups, call transfer, call forwarding, music on hold, voicemail-to-email, free internal calls, per-user spend limits and office hours, all included.
Recording, reporting, desktop
No desktop softphone, no call recording, no analytics, no CRM integration, no API, no video and no Teams calling. Office teams that need these should compare cloud PBX providers.
Optional handsets on a SIM
For users who want a physical desk phone, wireless handsets run on a SIM and line at R50 a month on top of the seat price.
Sign up, top up, live
Free demo credit on sign-up, top up through the online portal, service activates. The app signs in without a username or password. Free porting on the first number.
Resold through partners
A dealer channel distributes the service commercially, and a recent review on the Google listing comes from a dealer. Ask sales for partner terms.
Choose NoPBX if
- You are a micro-business or a field team of technicians, reps or drivers who want one business number across their own cellphones.
- Top-up pricing with no contract suits your cashflow better than a debit order on a multi-year term.
- Voice that keeps working through load shedding without buying a UPS matters more than desk-phone features.
- Your team makes calls rather than analysing them, so recording and reporting are not on the list.
Consider another if
- You need call recording, reporting, a desktop softphone or CRM integration; NoPBX has none of them.
- Your team sits at desks and expects a desk-phone-first system; the wireless handsets exist, but the design is mobile-first.
- You want a lower published per-extension rate: Switch Telecom publishes from R26 an extension effective.
- A large public review base is a procurement gate; 24 Google reviews is a small sample.
Alternatives to compare
Three providers worth quoting alongside NoPBX, each stress-testing a different decision driver.
Switch Telecom
Cloud PBX from R260 for ten extensions with recording, reporting and Microsoft Teams calling. The right step up for an office team that has outgrown a voice-routing service.
Othos Telecom
Three published plans from R149 a month with recording, IVR, queues and a mobile app, hosted on AWS. Compare if desk-based collaboration matters more than mobile-first delivery.
Wanatel
A Cape Town cloud PBX operator with a rate card from R225 a month for five extensions on its own ICASA licences. A published-rate cross-check for a small business.
Peers scored on the same rubric sit side by side on Compare phone systems and Compare VoIP providers.
South African essentials
Four local signals to verify before signing.
NoPBX is a software layer over the licensed mobile networks rather than a separately ICASA-licensed carrier. If procurement needs a licence reference, ask NoPBX for its own entity licensing directly.
The first number ports free and setup is free; additional ports are priced on request. Confirm the porting timeline before you cancel the old service.
Online and phone support are included at the seat price. No support hours or response commitment is published; a recent Google review names the agent who resolved a dealer issue quickly.
Month-to-month with no fixed term, run as a prepaid top-up. PAYG bills in arrears and Infinity in advance, with a courtesy charge notification on the 25th. All prices exclude VAT.
How this score was built
Scores are editorial guides, not guarantees. NoPBX’s 6.8 is the weighted sum of the five dimension scores above: 0.25×8.0 + 0.25×5.5 + 0.20×6.7 + 0.15×6.8 + 0.15×7.1. NoPBX is not a sponsor, and sponsorship does not move a score.
- Pricing value, 25%Rate transparency, setup friction, contract flexibility
- Feature set, 25%Controls, analytics, integrations, admin usability
- Customer reviews, 20%Aggregate rating and volume on Google and HelloPeter, treated as directional, never definitive
- Reliability and uptime, 15%Infrastructure ownership, hosting location, published uptime evidence
- Support quality, 15%Support hours, location, and what customer reviews say about resolution
FAQ
Short answers for the questions buyers typically ask before requesting quotes.
What is NoPBX?
A South African business phone service that turns each user’s existing cellphone into an extension. Calls reach the user over the mobile network rather than the internet, so there is no hardware, no install and no dependency on office power or Wi-Fi.
How much does NoPBX cost?
Pay As You Go is R65 a user a month with 200 pooled minutes; Infinity is R349 a user with 1,000 pooled minutes. Accounts with more than one user pay an additional R90 a month for the PBX. Overflow calls cost R0.57 a minute to fixed lines and R0.79 to mobiles on PAYG, or R0.54 flat on Infinity, billed per second. All prices exclude VAT. Setup and the first port are free.
Is there a contract?
No. NoPBX is month-to-month, run as a prepaid top-up service. PAYG bills in arrears and Infinity in advance.
Does NoPBX work during load shedding?
Yes. The call leg to each user runs over the mobile network and the user’s handset battery, and the cloud core is hosted off-site, so no on-site UPS is needed.
Does NoPBX include voicemail and IVR?
Yes. Auto-attendant, ring groups, call transfer, forwarding, music on hold, voicemail-to-email, free internal calls and per-user spend limits are included at the seat price.
Does NoPBX record calls or integrate with a CRM?
No. There is no call recording, no analytics, no CRM integration, no desktop softphone and no API. A team that needs those should compare cloud PBX providers.
Who is NoPBX best for?
Micro-businesses and field teams that want a business number on their existing cellphones with transparent pay-as-you-go pricing and no contract. It is not the right fit for a desk-based office that needs recording, reporting or Teams calling.
Sources, disclosure and what changedWhere this review’s facts come from, how WhichVoIP gets paid, and the update history
- nopbx.co.zaUsed for both tier rate cards (R65 and R349 a user, R90 PBX charge, included minutes, overflow rates), free setup and first port, extra number and SIM charges, month-to-month terms, the VAT basis, the included feature list and the licensing position. Sampled 8 August 2026. Open source →
- NoPBX Google Business ProfileUsed for the 4.6-star rating across 24 reviews and the three verbatim quotes. Read live 6 September 2026. Open source →
- NoPBX on HelloPeterUsed for the claimed-profile, zero-reviews observation. Open source →
NoPBX is not a WhichVoIP sponsor. This review was researched and written by WhichVoIP’s editorial team using primary sources (provider website, Google Business Profile, HelloPeter listing and the prior WhichVoIP review). WhichVoIP may receive a referral fee when you request quotes through our platform. Read our full editorial policy.
- 6 September 2026Quote-request links re-routed to the phone-systems quote form after the primary-category decision; no other change.
- 6 September 2026Page rebuilt in the updated review layout. Google listing re-read: 4.6 across 24 reviews, three recent reviews quoted verbatim in place of the aggregate and testimonial cards. Pricing table rebuilt from the published rate card. Feature cards rewritten to name what is and is not included. Alternatives given reasons; South African essentials rewritten to the four standard checks; journey rail and collapsed sources block added. Score unchanged at 6.8.
- 21 May 2026Fact-check against nopbx.co.za. The full two-tier pricing table was confirmed accurate to the rand. Two unverifiable specifics were corrected to the provider’s published wording: the named “Payfast” payment gateway was softened to “online payment portal” (nopbx.co.za names no gateway), and the “additional ports R140” figure was changed to “priced on request” (the site’s porting footnote gives no rand figure). Score unchanged at 7.0.
- 20 May 2026Score lifted from 6.5 to 7.0 against the updated 4-axis rubric. Buyer Transparency moved to 8.0 reflecting the fully-published two-tier matrix with all per-charge details visible – one of the most transparent SA voice catalogues we’ve audited. Support and reliability moved to 6.5 surfacing the 4.5★ / 20 claimed and owner-responsive Google aggregate alongside the load-shedding-resilient architecture. Channel programme surfaced via customer verbatim (not in prior framing). Feature set held at 5.5 honestly reflecting the absence of collaboration depth (no desktop softphone, no video, no team chat, no Microsoft Teams calling).
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