In short: 3CX editions are SMB Free, Basic, PRO and AI. SMB Free suits offices of up to 10 users. Basic covers core telephony without queues, CRM or AI. PRO adds call queues and wallboards, CRM and Microsoft 365 integration, multi-site and AI voicemail transcription. AI adds AI Agents, call transcription and sentiment, plus failover and the Teams integration from 16 SC.
The four editions
3CX's current line-up is SMB Free, Basic, PRO and AI (3CX's "AI Edition"). The AI edition sits at the top of the range, and some 3CX pages still describe it as the "Enterprise / AI Edition", so an older quote or article that mentions an Enterprise edition is usually referring to that top tier. We check the current names and features when we quote.
The edition sets the features. A separate choice, the simultaneous-call (SC) size, sets the capacity. Commercial editions start at 8 simultaneous calls, and some features are reserved for systems of 16 SC and above. Our 3CX pricing page explains how edition and SC size combine into one annual licence.
- SMB Free: for small offices with up to 10 users. Hosted by 3CX, with apps, call handling, live chat, SMS, WhatsApp and video calls. 3CX says there is no contract.
- Basic: dependable core telephony, routing, apps and basic reporting, with user sync and single sign-on from Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace. No call queues, CRM, APIs, business intelligence connectors or AI features, and no bridging between offices. Hosted by 3CX is available for Basic from 16 SC.
- PRO: for customer-facing teams. Adds call queues and contact centre tools, CRM and full Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace integration, queue reporting, AI voicemail transcription, hot desking and multi-site.
- AI: the complete feature set for high-call environments. Adds AI Agents, full call transcription with summaries and sentiment, skill-based routing, start/stop recording rights and, from 16 SC, failover and the Microsoft Teams Direct Routing integration.
Feature comparison table
This table summarises 3CX's published feature list (last updated by 3CX on 28 August 2026). Features change between releases, so we confirm the current list when we quote.
| Feature | SMB Free | Basic | PRO | AI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deployment | Hosted by 3CX | Self-hosted or on-premise; Hosted by 3CX from 16 SC | Hosted, self-hosted or on-premise | Hosted, self-hosted or on-premise |
| Web client, Windows, iOS and Android apps | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Desk phones, BLF, call park and pickup | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Auto attendant, multi-level IVR and ring groups | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Your choice of SIP trunk | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Basic call reports | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Call queues and callback | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Call recording | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Switchboard, wallboard, listen, whisper and barge | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Queue reports and SLA alerts | SLA alerts only | No | Yes | Yes |
| WhatsApp and Facebook messaging | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace | No | User sync and sign-in only | Full integration | Full integration |
| CRM integration | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Call Flow Designer and hot desking | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Connect remote offices (bridges) | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| AI voicemail transcription | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Call transcription, summaries and sentiment | No | No | No | Yes |
| AI Agents (receptionist, personal assistant) | No | No | No | Yes |
| Skill-based routing and start/stop recording rights | No | No | No | Yes |
| Call API (XAPI) for developers | No | No | No | Yes |
| Power BI, Grafana and data connectors (16 SC+) | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Inbuilt failover and standby licence (16 SC+) | No | No | No | Yes |
| Microsoft Teams Direct Routing integration (16 SC+) | No | No | No | Yes |
Which edition fits?
| If you need | Look at |
|---|---|
| A handful of users, mobile apps and a simple menu | SMB Free, or Basic if you want to self-host |
| Reliable calling for a school, factory or office without queues or CRM | Basic |
| Reception or sales queues, wallboards, recording and CRM screen pops | PRO |
| Several offices joined into one system | PRO or AI |
| AI call answering, transcription, sentiment analysis or failover | AI |
| Teams users calling through 3CX via Direct Routing | AI at 16 SC or above |
If you are comparing 3CX with other platforms rather than with itself, see call centre phone systems for queue-heavy teams and cloud contact centre when you need a full omnichannel contact centre.
Basic versus PRO: the big step
For most organisations the real decision is between Basic and PRO. Basic is deliberately lean: it does the phone system well, but it leaves out call queues, call recording, CRM integration, the Call Flow Designer and bridging between offices.
That matters if a team answers calls together. Without queues you rely on ring groups, which ring several phones but do not hold callers in order, play position announcements or report on waiting times. Without recording you would need another product if your policy or regulator expects recordings (see call recording). If neither applies, Basic keeps the system simple.
PRO versus AI
PRO already covers most contact centre needs for small and mid-sized teams. The AI edition is aimed at higher call volumes and at organisations that want automation and insight:
- AI Agents that can answer first-line calls, act as a receptionist or personal assistant, and pass callers to the right person.
- Transcription and analysis of calls, with summaries and sentiment. Call transcription can use Google or OpenAI, or 3CX's own onboard transcription server on systems of 16 SC and above (which adds speaker separation). Voicemail transcription can also use Grok.
- Resilience through inbuilt failover and a standby licence, from 16 SC.
- Skill-based routing to send callers to the agents best placed to help.
- The Microsoft Teams Direct Routing integration, from 16 SC. See 3CX Microsoft Teams integration.
AI features that rely on a third-party engine may involve that provider's own terms and charges, and calls you transcribe still fall under UK GDPR. We help you decide what to enable and where the data goes.
Changing edition later
You are not locked in. 3CX lets you move to a more capable edition or a larger SC size as needs change, and the best time to review is before renewal. 3CX's backup and restore tools are also designed for moving a system from one machine to another, so a change of hosting model (for example from Hosted by 3CX to your own cloud account) can be planned as a migration, which we can carry out.
Ask us for a quote for the edition and size you need, and we will set out the licence, hosting, SIP trunk and handset costs separately.
Why choose your cloud phone system with Forever Systems
We are vendor-neutral. Forever Group supplies and supports several cloud phone platforms, so we recommend the one that fits how your organisation works rather than the one we happen to sell.
- Side-by-side comparison of hosted 3CX, Microsoft Teams Phone, Forever UC, Forever Teams and Webex Calling for your users
- Contact centre and call recording options matched to your call volumes and CRM
- Number porting, handsets and set-up handled for you, including the move off analogue and ISDN lines
- Connectivity checked so call quality is right from day one
- UK support for moves, adds, changes and faults
- For BT Cloud Voice, see our BT Business Partner site cloudvoice.cloud
We work with businesses, schools, charities and public sector organisations. We do not sell consumer phone services.
Want a vendor-neutral cloud phone system comparison and quote?
Tell Forever Systems what you need and we will come back to you by email with options, not a hard sell.
Contact usFrequently asked questions
What are the 3CX editions?
3CX offers SMB Free, Basic, PRO and AI. SMB Free is for up to 10 users and is hosted by 3CX. Basic, PRO and AI are commercial editions sold as an annual system licence, sized by simultaneous calls.
What happened to 3CX Enterprise?
3CX's current editions are SMB Free, Basic, PRO and AI. The AI edition is the top tier, and some 3CX pages still refer to it as the "Enterprise / AI Edition". If you are renewing an older licence, ask us for a quote and we will map it to the current edition and size.
Does 3CX Basic include call queues?
No. According to 3CX's feature list, Basic does not include call queues, call recording, CRM integration or bridging between offices. Those start at PRO.
Which 3CX edition do I need for CRM integration?
CRM integration is included in PRO and AI. It is not part of Basic or SMB Free.
Which 3CX edition includes the Microsoft Teams integration?
3CX's documentation says the Microsoft Teams Direct Routing integration is offered on the AI edition at 16 simultaneous calls and above. Basic can sync users and offer single sign-on from Microsoft 365, and PRO and AI add full Microsoft 365 integration including presence sync with Teams.