Can an internet phone take over from your landline without losing what the landline did for you? It can, but these two do it differently: magicJack sells a device plus a magicApp and lets you choose incoming, outgoing or both, while Ooma sells Telo devices bought once, including a Telo LTE with battery backup. Check emergency calling first, because magicJack says its app doesn't provide it.
A landline does more jobs than people notice until it's gone. It rings when the internet is down, it reaches the emergency services, it keeps the number your relatives have known for years, and it sits in the hall without anyone thinking about it. Before you compare these two services, it's worth listing what your landline does for your household today, so you can see which of those jobs each replacement keeps.
Seven checks before the landline goes
Work through these with the vendor's own pages open. They're in the order that tends to matter most.
- Emergency calls: find each service's own statement on emergency calling, for the device and for any app.
- Power and internet cuts: decide whether you need a phone that keeps working when the router goes off.
- Your number: check whether you can bring it across and at what stage of setup.
- Call direction: work out whether you mostly receive calls, make them, or both.
- Where you call: list the countries you ring regularly and how each service handles them.
- Away from home: decide whether you want to use the home number from a mobile app.
- How it connects: check whether the device needs a cable to the router or can join over wifi.
The answers will usually point one way before you've compared a single feature. Keep the list; you'll use it again when the device arrives. When it does, test each answer for yourself: make a call out, receive one in, unplug the router for a minute, and try the app from outside the house. Ten minutes of testing on the first evening is far easier than discovering a gap the day you need the phone.
What magicJack sells
magicJack sells a VoIP home phone device and a magicApp for making and receiving calls over the internet. Its most unusual idea is that incoming and outgoing calls are separate services: magicIN receives calls and magicOUT makes them, and you can take one or both. For a household that mostly receives calls from family, or mostly makes them, that split is worth a look.
You can bring an existing phone number after the device is activated, so the number your relatives know can come with you. The magicApp is a free download in the Android and iTunes app stores. International calling works on credits you buy in advance rather than being bundled in.
What Ooma sells for the home
Ooma's home service is built around the Telo device, which you buy once, and the vendor's line is that you get the benefits of a landline without the hidden fees and contracts. The hardware comes in several forms. The standard Telo connects to your router with a cable. Telo Air connects to the router over home wifi instead. Telo LTE adds a cellular connection and a battery backup in case of an internet or power outage.
Home service includes calling anyone in the U.S., Canada or Mexico, and Ooma offers two home plan options, Basic and Premier. Its mobile app lets you make calls, check voicemail and manage features from anywhere. Ooma also sells a separate business phone system, with an AI Receptionist, an AI Answering Service, call recording, videoconferencing and team chat, which is worth knowing if you run a small business from home and might want a second line later.
Emergency calls and power cuts
This is the line that should shape the decision for many homes. magicJack's own site says its app doesn't provide emergency calling or texting. That's a statement about the app, so read magicJack's own pages for what applies to the device, and don't assume the two behave the same. If someone in your home relies on the phone for emergencies, settle this before you cancel anything.
Power and internet cuts are the second half. An ordinary internet phone stops when the router does. Ooma's Telo LTE is the version built for that moment, with a cellular connection and battery backup for internet or power outages. If your area loses power often, or a relative lives alone, that's the model to read about first.
magicJack and Ooma in brief
Listed alphabetically and in no particular order. Each line is based on what the vendor says about its own service.
| Tool | What kind of service | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|
| magicJack | VoIP home phone | Households choosing incoming, outgoing or both |
| Ooma | VoIP home and business phone | Homes wanting a bought once device and backup options |
magicJack
Best for: Households wanting a VoIP device plus magicApp; vendor claim: choose magicIN, magicOUT or both, so you can take only the call direction you need.
Ooma
Best for: Homes wanting a Telo device bought once with no contracts, including a Telo LTE with battery backup, plus a separate business phone system.
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Households and home offices: making the call
If your home mainly receives calls, or mainly makes them, and you like the idea of paying attention to just one direction, magicJack's split between magicIN and magicOUT is built around that, as long as you've checked its emergency calling statement for the way you'll use it. If you want a device bought once with no contract, a choice of wired, wifi or LTE with battery backup, and a business line available later, Ooma's Telo range is shaped for that household.
If you're weighing more providers, my list of Ooma alternatives covers other home and business options, and my guide to VoIP for small business helps if the home office is turning into a business.
Do you make a home phone or calling app? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.
Want your tool on this list? Featured spots and reviews here are paid partnerships. Here's how to partner with me.
Frequently asked questions
Can I keep my home phone number?
magicJack says you can bring an existing phone number after device activation. For Ooma, check its home phone pages for how number transfer works today.
Does the magicJack app support emergency calls?
magicJack's own site says the magicApp doesn't provide emergency calling or texting. Read magicJack's pages for what applies to the device itself before you rely on it.
Will Ooma keep working in a power cut?
According to Ooma's home phone pages, Telo LTE adds a cellular connection and a battery backup in case of an internet or power outage. The standard Telo and Telo Air connect through your router.
Is there a contract with Ooma home service?
Ooma says you buy the Telo device once and get the benefits of a landline without the hidden fees and contracts. Check the current terms on Ooma's site.
Can I call other countries?
magicJack handles international calling with credits bought in advance. Ooma's home service includes calling anyone in the U.S., Canada or Mexico; check its site for other countries.
Is the magicApp free to download?
magicJack says the magicApp is a free download in the Android and iTunes app stores.
