3CX
Procurement partnerAbout
3CX is a software company that develops and sells a business IP phone system (PBX) platform founded in 2005. The platform supports voice calls, video conferencing, live chat, WhatsApp, SMS, and contact center functionality, deployable on-premise, self-hosted in private cloud environments, or managed and hosted by 3CX. It is licensed on a flat annual per-system basis based on simultaneous calls rather than per-user pricing, and is used by over 350,000 businesses globally.
Details
VenSearch Intelligence
Ideal Customer
- 3CX's sweet spot spans small-to-medium businesses (SMB) through mid-market and enterprise organizations, with the free 4SC tier targeting micro-teams and hobbyists, the PRO Edition targeting SMBs and call centers, and the AI Edition targeting mid-sized to large enterprises with high call volumes.
- The platform is particularly well-suited for IT-savvy organizations that want to self-manage their telephony infrastructure, avoid per-user pricing, and retain flexibility in deployment model.
Key Differentiators
- 3CX's primary differentiator is its concurrent-call (simultaneous call) licensing model rather than per-user pricing, which can deliver substantial cost savings for organizations where not all employees are on calls simultaneously.
- The platform is open-standards (SIP-based), supports all deployment models (on-premise, self-hosted cloud, or 3CX Hosted), and bundles AI features — including AI Agents, AI Receptionist, transcription, sentiment analysis, and analytics — at no additional per-feature cost in the AI Edition.
Industries Served
- 3CX actively targets and has documented case studies across healthcare (NHS surgeries, Alliance Healthcare, Kyrgyz Health Ministry), government (municipalities, town councils, ministries), education (Douglas County School District), hospitality (Club Med, Bastion Hotels), automotive (Porsche Inter Auto), financial services, technology, and general services.
- The platform markets dedicated industry-specific pages and PBX configurations for each vertical, though it does not hold industry-specific certifications such as HIPAA BAA or FedRAMP authorization as a product — compliance responsibilities remain with the deploying customer.
Service Coverage
- 3CX operates globally, with offices across Europe, the US, Dubai, and Australia, and serves customers in over 190 countries.
- The platform is trusted by over 350,000 companies worldwide with more than 12 million users across all continents.
Partnerships
- 3CX integrates deeply with Microsoft (Microsoft 365, Teams Direct Routing), Google Workspace, Salesforce, HubSpot, Zoho, Vtiger, and numerous other CRM platforms.
- On the hardware side, 3CX has formal strategic partnerships with Yealink, Fanvil, and Snom, whose phones are natively supported with plug-and-play provisioning and co-developed SBC capabilities.
Company Size & Ownership
- 3CX was founded on November 1, 2005 by Nick Galea in Nicosia, Cyprus, and has grown over 20 years into a global VoIP software leader.
- Current employee estimates range from approximately 51–200, with the most recent data points suggesting around 184 employees as of early 2026.
Compliance & Certifications
- 3CX maintains GDPR compliance with a published Data Processing Addendum (DPA) and Privacy Policy aligned to EU GDPR Articles 12–14, and supports Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) for international data transfers.
- Third-party security rating tools list 3CX as aligning with SOC 2, ISO 27001, and GDPR frameworks, and the AI Edition includes an onboard transcription server specifically to support data privacy for regulated industries such as finance and healthcare.
Compiled from public sources by VenSearch · Last researched September 2, 2026
Offerings
9 offerings3CX 4SC Free Basic Edition
The 4SC Free Basic Edition is a no-cost phone system license for individuals, hobbyists, micro-teams, and learning environments supporting up to 10 users and 4 simultaneous calls. It is limited to self-hosted deployments only (on-premise or own cloud) and includes core PBX features such as call routing, intercom, ring groups, auto attendant, live chat, SMS, mobile apps for iOS and Android, and basic reporting. IP phones are not supported; the edition is optimized for the 3CX Web Client and mobile apps.
3CX AI Edition
The AI Edition is a cost-effective enterprise phone system license tailored for mid-sized and large organizations with high call volumes and advanced requirements. It includes AI-powered features such as AI Receptionist, AI Transcription, call summaries, call sentiment analysis, speaker diarization, AI Agents, and supports up to 250 video conferencing participants. It also includes Microsoft Teams Direct Routing integration, Power BI and Grafana data connectors, inbuilt failover, standby licensing, and onboard transcription server for data privacy.
3CX Basic Edition
The Basic Edition is a no-frills phone system license focused on core telephony reliability and security without CRM integrations, contact center tools, or AI features. It includes user sync with Google or Microsoft, intercom and paging, single sign-on, BLF, fax, wake-up call reminders, hotel integration for 16SC and above, and basic reports. It is priced approximately 20% less than the PRO Edition and supports all deployment models including 3CX Hosted, self-hosted, and on-premise.
3CX Contact Center Solution
The 3CX Contact Center is an omnichannel contact center module included within the 3CX phone system at no additional per-agent fee. It provides dynamic call queues with skill-based routing and round-robin strategies, live wallboards, detailed reporting, CRM integration for caller ID lookup, and real-time monitoring tools including Listen In, Whisper, and Barge In for quality control. It extends beyond calls to include live chat, WhatsApp, SMS, and Facebook messaging so customers can reach agents through their preferred channel.
3CX Hosted
3CX Hosted is a fully managed hosting option where 3CX hosts a dedicated PBX instance on behalf of the customer, providing reliable infrastructure with built-in AI analytics and reporting. It is targeted at larger businesses that want the 3CX platform managed by 3CX rather than self-managing, and is available for licenses of 16SC and above. This removes the need for customers to manage their own server infrastructure while retaining access to enterprise AI features.
3CX Live Chat
3CX Live Chat is a website live chat feature integrated into the 3CX platform that allows businesses to engage with website visitors through real-time chat. It includes a WordPress plugin for easy embedding and a 3CX Talk link so visitors can initiate contact without installing any software. Chat interactions are captured alongside calls and other messages in the unified 3CX platform for customer service tracking.
3CX PRO Edition
The PRO Edition is a business phone system license designed for small to medium-sized businesses and call centers needing advanced features without enterprise-level complexity. It includes advanced call queue strategies, real-time wallboards, supervisor dashboards, scheduled reports, video conferencing for up to 100 participants, CRM integrations with Microsoft 365, HubSpot and Salesforce, built-in chat, SMS and WhatsApp messaging, hot desking, remote office bridges, and AI voicemail transcription. Pricing is system-based on simultaneous calls, and all deployment models are supported.
3CX Video Conferencing
3CX Video Conferencing is a browser-based, WebRTC-powered video meeting feature included at no extra cost with the 3CX phone system. Guests can join meetings via a personalized 3CX Meet link directly from their browser without downloading any software, creating an account, or providing personal information. Features include screen sharing, background blur, polls, hand-raising reactions, session recording, and participant limits of up to 25 on the free plan, 100 on PRO, and 250 on the AI Edition.
Integrated AI Features (AI Agents, AI Receptionist, AI PA, AI Transcription, AI Analytics)
3CX offers a suite of embedded Agentic AI capabilities included within the AI Edition license at no additional per-feature cost. AI Agents handle first-line customer inquiries and call routing autonomously 24/7, the AI Receptionist screens and routes calls, the AI Personal Assistant helps individual users manage communications, and AI Transcription provides real-time call transcription with speaker diarization, call summaries, and sentiment analysis. AI Analytics integrates with Power BI, Grafana, and PostgreSQL for business intelligence reporting on communication data.
Considering 3CX?
Our team will work with you to determine if 3CX is the right fit for your organization. From research and assessment through procurement negotiation and ongoing vendor management — we handle the entire process at no cost to you.