Line2
Line2 is a cloud-based VoIP service, operated by J2 Web Services under Ziff Davis, that provides privacy-conscious individuals and small businesses with a second real phone number, unlimited U.S./Canada talk and SMS, call blocking, and video conferencing across iOS, Android, Windows, and web.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2006
- HeadquartersSan Francisco, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingSoftware
What Line2 does
Line2, operated by J2 Web Services, Inc. (a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc.), is a cloud-based VoIP service that provides a second real phone number on a user's existing smartphone, tablet, or computer. Founded around 2006 and headquartered in New York (with San Francisco presence indicated in firmographic data), the platform leverages internet connectivity (WiFi, 4G, LTE) over iOS, Android, Windows, and browser endpoints to deliver unlimited talk and SMS/MMS within the U.S. and Canada, number porting, call blocking, voicemail transcription (via Nuance Communications), and bundled Line2 Meet video conferencing. Line2 is restricted to U.S. and Canada residents and does not offer public APIs or developer SDKs.
The company is distributed as a self-serve, product-led growth business: customers sign up directly on line2.com or via Apple App Store/Google Play, choose a number and plan, configure multi-device access (up to five devices), and manage their accounts without sales interaction. Support is delivered by human agents via phone, live chat, WhatsApp, and email — explicitly no chatbot-only support. Marketing relies on organic channels (SEO comparison pages against Google Voice and Sideline, blog/content, social media on Twitter/Facebook/Instagram/LinkedIn/YouTube) and app store discovery.
Revenue is generated through recurring subscription plans across two parallel tier structures (Standard/Pro/Elite and Starter/Growth/Business) billed monthly or as 6-month/1-year pre-paid, supplemented by one-time number/porting fees, international usage charges, overage fees (calls beyond 30,000 minutes/month at $0.039/minute; transcription at $0.02/word), 10DLC business SMS registration fees (up to $20 one-time plus ~$2/month per number via TCR), and custom voicemail greetings. Customer segments are predominantly privacy-conscious individuals (dating apps, online selling) and small business owners, with a recent uptick in small businesses migrating from Sideline following that provider's June 2025 Enterprise plan discontinuation. All processing dependencies on third parties (Bandwidth for SMS/MMS, PayPal/Braintree for billing, Zendesk and Salesforce for support, Nuance for transcription) sit within Ziff Davis's shared operational infrastructure alongside sister brands eVoice and Onebox.
Line2 firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Line2
- Legal name
- J2 Web Services, Inc.
- Website
- https://line2.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2006
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Line2 is a cloud-based VoIP service, operated by J2 Web Services under Ziff Davis, that provides privacy-conscious individuals and small businesses with a second real phone number, unlimited U.S./Canada talk and SMS, call blocking, and video conferencing across iOS, Android, Windows, and web.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Line2 industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Cloud Communications / VoIP Services
- NAICS
- Wired and Wireless Telecommunications (except Satellite) (5171), All Other Telecommunications (517810)
- SIC
- Telephone Communications (No Radiotelephone) (4813), Communications Services, Nec (4899)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Cloud PBX & Hosted Telephony (HDAIAHAB)
Keywords
Where Line2 is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Francisco
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Line2 business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- Subscription Plans (Recurring): Line2 generates revenue primarily through recurring monthly and pre-paid subscription plans. Plans are offered as 30-day recurring subscriptions, 6-month pre-paid plans, and 1-year pre-paid plans. All plans renew automatically unless cancelled. Pricing varies by plan tier (Starter, Growth, Business for one set; Standard, Pro, Elite for another), with features like unlimited calling, SMS/MMS, and advanced call handling. Pre-paid plans are non-refundable. International calling and SMS incur additional per-minute/per-message charges.
- Number Fees and Porting: One-time fees for number-related services including: local number porting at $20 per port, toll-free number purchase at $45 one-time fee, fax number porting at $25 one-time fee, and vanity number purchases. These are one-time charges added to the customer's account.
- International Calling and SMS: International calls and SMS messages to numbers outside the U.S. and Canada are charged at variable per-minute or per-message rates based on country and region. Transcription overages are charged at $0.02 per word.
- Overages and Add-Ons: Overage charges apply when usage exceeds plan limits: calls beyond 30,000 minutes per month incur $0.039 per minute overage; transcription overages at $0.02 per word. Additional features such as Internet Fax may incur separate charges.
- 10DLC SMS Registration Fees: Business users sending SMS for work/business purposes must pay one-time registration fees up to $20 per number (through The Campaign Registry/TCR), plus monthly maintenance fees of approximately $2 per number per month for SMS-enabled business lines.
- Professional Services (Custom Greetings): Custom professional greetings for voicemail are available and charged on a custom quote basis.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Standard Plan |
| Subscription | Monthly | Pro Plan |
| Subscription | Monthly | Elite Plan |
| Subscription | Monthly | Starter, Growth, Business Plans |
| Subscription | Monthly | 30-Day Money Back Guarantee |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Pre-Paid Plans (6-month and 1-year) |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels5 records
Line2 product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Line2 provides a cloud-based VoIP phone service that adds a second phone number to users' existing mobile devices, smartphones, tablets, and computers. The service offers unlimited calling, SMS, and MMS within the U.S. and Canada, and includes features such as call blocking, voicemail transcription, number porting, and a video conferencing product called Line2 Meet.
Product overview
Line2 is a second phone number platform that provides users with an additional real phone number living on their existing devices (iPhone, Android, or browser). The core Line2 product includes unlimited talk, SMS, and MMS to U.S. and Canada, with call blocking, multi-device access (up to 5 devices), and human-led customer support. Line2 Meet extends the platform with video conferencing capabilities including unlimited meetings, video calls, and screen-sharing. The portfolio also includes related brands eVoice and Onebox, all operated by parent company Ziff Davis/J2 Web Services.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Line2 Meet: Video conferencing feature providing meeting tools for collaboration with customers and teams.
Products and services
- Line2
- Line2 Meet
Companies that use Line2
Customer profileSegments5 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Line2 technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration8 records
Feature7 records
Line2 partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Ziff Davis, Inc.parent companyJ2 Web Services, Inc., which operates the Line2 brand, is a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. Line2, along with eVoice and Onebox, are part of the Ziff Davis portfolio of cloud communications services.
Scale indicators1 record
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Line2 competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- RingCentral: Large UCaaS and cloud communications provider offering virtual numbers, voice, messaging, and video for SMBs and enterprises. Represents the broader incumbent Line2's business-tier plans compete against for SMB telephony budgets.
- 8x8: Enterprise-focused cloud communications platform with voice, video, and contact center offerings. Provides a benchmark for what larger-scale cloud telephony competitors deliver relative to Line2's lighter SMB-focused stack.
- eVoice: Sister brand under the same Ziff Davis / J2 Web Services parent, offering business phone systems. Functions as a portfolio-adjacent peer with overlapping telephony features but a more business-grade positioning.
Direct peers
- Google Voice: Google's VoIP second-phone-number service providing free and paid plans for US individuals and SMBs. Line2 explicitly positions against Google Voice via dedicated comparison pages, making it the most direct peer in product, pricing, and target user.
- Grasshopper: Virtual business phone system for entrepreneurs and small businesses, providing a second number with call handling features. Comparable in targeting SMBs needing a professional line without new hardware.
- Sideline: Direct competitor offering a second phone number for business use on mobile devices. The discontinuation of Sideline's Enterprise plan in June 2025 created a displacement opportunity that Line2 is actively pursuing, making it a structurally important peer.
- Hushed: Privacy-focused second phone number app for iOS, Android, and web, offering disposable numbers for dating, selling, and travel. Closely comparable in consumer positioning, privacy narrative, and multi-platform delivery model.
- OpenPhone: Modern business phone system providing a second number, shared lines, and team collaboration features for SMBs. Competes with Line2's Growth and Business plans and is a key reference point for the SMB-side of Line2's roadmap.
- Burner: Disposable second-number service marketed for short-term use cases such as online selling and dating. Direct overlap with Line2's privacy and SMB segments and a comparable subscription-based revenue model.
- TextNow: Free ad-supported phone number and VoIP calling app targeting cost-conscious consumers in the US and Canada. Competes on the same US/Canada consumer second-line use case as Line2, especially for price-sensitive users.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Line2 social profiles
Digital presenceLine2 compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
Line2 financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Line2 leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Line2 funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds5 records
Investors2 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Line2 M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Line2
What does Line2 do?
Line2 provides a cloud-based VoIP phone service that adds a second phone number to users' existing mobile devices, smartphones, tablets, and computers. The service offers unlimited calling, SMS, and MMS within the U.S. and Canada, and includes features such as call blocking, voicemail transcription, number porting, and a video conferencing product called Line2 Meet.
Is Line2 a public or private company?
Line2 is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Line2 founded?
Line2 was founded in 2006. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Line2 based?
Line2 is headquartered in San Francisco, United States, in the North America region.
How does Line2 make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. Subscription Plans (Recurring) is the primary driver. The others are number Fees and Porting, international Calling and SMS, overages and Add-Ons, 10DLC SMS Registration Fees and professional Services (Custom Greetings).
Who are Line2's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are RingCentral, 8x8 and eVoice. Direct peers are Google Voice, Grasshopper, Sideline, Hushed, OpenPhone, Burner and TextNow.
Does Line2 have an API?
No public API is recorded for Line2.
What industry is Line2 in?
Line2's product category is Cloud Communications / VoIP Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDAIAHAB, Cloud PBX & Hosted Telephony. Its NAICS code is 5171 and its SIC code is 4813.