A softphone is software that turns a computer or mobile into a phone. A desk phone is a dedicated device sitting on the desk. Both run on the same platform, with the same number and the same permissions. The choice is not a technical one; it's a practical one.
What the desk phone does better
It answers fast, with no screen to wake up and no window to find. It doesn't depend on a computer being switched on. For a reception desk taking calls all day, a physical handset is still the most comfortable option, and the headset that goes with it makes a real difference for a switchboard operator.
What the softphone does better
It follows the person, not the desk. It shows the caller's contact card, searches the directory, keeps a call history, and enables things a handset never could: dragging a call to a colleague, taking it with you on your mobile, opening a ticket in your business software. It installs, or simply runs in a browser tab.
The real criterion: the role, not the person
The same user can have both, with a single number: the handset at the desk, the softphone on the move. The call rings wherever the person can be reached, and nothing is lost when they change location.
- Reception desk or switchboard: desk phone, with a headset
- Sales rep or field technician: softphone on mobile and computer
- Shared desk or temporary staff: browser-based softphone, no install needed
- Most cases: both, on the same account
The most common mistake is choosing on principle, when the right answer depends on what each role actually does. A switchboard doesn't have the same needs as a sales rep on the road, and the platform doesn't force you to pick one or the other.
We equip both every day, and the right mix is decided extension by extension, not on principle.
Talk to us about itNot sure how to equip your extensions?
Tell us what your team does, we'll suggest who gets a handset, who gets a softphone, and who gets both.