All Sideline Reviews
1-25 of 60 Reviews
Sort by
Ross
Health, Wellness and Fitness, 1 employee
Used more than 2 years
OVERALL RATING:
5
Reviewed March 2022
Great service to ditch the landline
Scott
Verified reviewer
Public Relations and Communications, 1 employee
Used daily for less than 2 years
OVERALL RATING:
5
EASE OF USE
5
VALUE FOR MONEY
5
FUNCTIONALITY
5
Reviewed December 2019
Second number heaven
Overall, it is a reliable way to add a second line to your cell phone that you can easily use for business purposes. This is especially true if you only need one.
PROSI like Sideline because it was easy to set up. Most importantly, I don't miss calls that come inbound and it has good texting features. Also they just added a new feature that allows users to send and receive texts from their desktop/laptop. A nice time saver for longer messages.
CONSWish the price was a little bit cheaper per month, maybe by like $3-5.
Vendor Response
Thank you so much for sharing!
Replied June 2021
Ross
Health, Wellness and Fitness, 1 employee
Used daily for more than 2 years
OVERALL RATING:
5
EASE OF USE
5
VALUE FOR MONEY
5
CUSTOMER SUPPORT
4
FUNCTIONALITY
5
Reviewed August 2021
Great service to ditch the landline
Great product that does exactly what it says it will. I also love the voice to text options, the ability to text from it. The ability to set multiple away messages and switch them easily is also quite useful.
PROSI was able to stop using a landline and add it to my cell phone. I have my office phone with me at all times now and can manage when it is answered and set to away etc. Along with being 1/8th the price of the landline I can also text directly with people instead of using my personal number or a service.
CONSThere really haven't been any con's to the software. I think I have had a total of 3 calls that were of unacceptable quality in more than 3 years of use, and I cannot even guarantee that the poor quality of the call was because of sideline.
Reason for choosing Sideline
Sideline just seemed like a better deal for my particular needs.
Reasons for switching to Sideline
I was able to save quite a bit and gain a ton of features by switching to the mobile option versus landline.
Vendor Response
Hey Ross, Thank you for leaving such a detailed recounting of your experience using Sidelinewe truly appreciate the feedback and are very happy to hear how well everything has worked for you!
Replied August 2021
Anonymous
2-10 employees
Used daily for more than 2 years
OVERALL RATING:
2
EASE OF USE
2
VALUE FOR MONEY
3
CUSTOMER SUPPORT
2
FUNCTIONALITY
2
Reviewed February 2019
Problems with usage and cancelling subscription
It seemed to work well at the beginning and was good for the price, but things deteriorated over time, causing a lot of problems with my not getting back to customers whose messages got lost in Sideline cyberspace
PROSIt appeared to be a good solution for my small business
CONSOn more than one occasion, people left messages, I saw the call listed, but there was no voicemail there. The developer had no explanation for the problem and could not fix it. I went back and forth many times with customer service. They were responsive but the problem was never fixed. In addition, when I tried to cancel my subscription, Google could not find the subscription agreement I purchased through Google Play, and I spent hours on the phone trying to stop the monthly charges. Sideline support referred me to Google, and Google referred me to Paypal. It was a ridiculous set of events not worthy of anyone's l-o-n-g amount of time spent.
Vendor Response
I'm so sorry to hear about the problems you've been experiencing. It sounds like you're already working with our support team, but please let us know if there is anything else we can do to help in the meantime.
Replied June 2021
Angela
Financial Services, 2-10 employees
Used daily for more than 2 years
OVERALL RATING:
5
EASE OF USE
5
VALUE FOR MONEY
4
FUNCTIONALITY
5
Reviewed April 2020
Great tool for collectors
It provides another option to reach those customers that already have your phone number blocked. Get more ways of communicating with difficult customers. Less expensive than a regular cellphone line.
PROSIt gives you the ability to have an extra phone number to use while collections. It has all the capabilities as any other phone number, text mssgs, voice mssgs.
CONSThe increased the cost of the subscription. Other than that the product is great and offers great features for the price.
Reason for choosing Sideline
When we used Skype and made calls our number showed "as private" so many of our customers did not answer the calls. Definitely not what we were looking for.
Vendor Response
Thanks for sharing your feedback, Angela. We appreciate your honest review. Feel free to reach out if you ever need help with the app!
Replied June 2021
Michael
Business Supplies and Equipment, 1 employee
Used daily for more than 2 years
OVERALL RATING:
4
EASE OF USE
3
VALUE FOR MONEY
2
CUSTOMER SUPPORT
1
FUNCTIONALITY
4
Reviewed November 2023
Sideline Review
If the issues are resolved. It will be an excellent product.
PROSThis product is cost effective. I would recommend it based on price only at this time.
CONSI have been a loyal customer of Sideline since its inception, embracing the transition to a paid service with the understanding that existing customers would be Grandfathered at a rate of $69.99 per year. Unfortunately, this commitment has been breached, as evidenced by my recent charge of $129.99 plus tax on November 8, 2023. This review aims to address the significance of honoring agreements with customers and delve into the technical issues I have encountered since 2017, including problems with caller ID and the AI's functionality. Sideline's failure to uphold the agreement to charge existing customers $69.99 annually is a breach of trust. The discrepancy between the promised Grandfathered rate and the actual charge of $129.99 plus tax erodes the foundation of customer satisfaction and trust. This not only reflects poorly on Sideline's commitment to its customers but also raises concerns about the transparency and integrity of its business practices. The importance of honoring agreements cannot be overstated in a competitive market. Customers choose a service based on trust and reliability, and a breach of such agreements undermines these fundamental elements. This not only leaves existing customers disillusioned but also dissuades potential customers from trusting Sideline's commitment to fair and transparent dealings. Since 2017, my experience with Sideline has been marred by persistent technical problems, significantly impacting the overall utility of the service. The caller ID function consistently fails to display the correct name or number, leading to confusion and potentially missed communications. Furthermore, calls often display incorrect phone numbers, further exacerbating the issue. The AI feature, designed to enhance user experience, has proven ineffective. It fails to address queries accurately, often requiring multiple attempts to obtain a satisfactory response. This not only diminishes the efficiency of the service but also hampers the user's ability to rely on Sideline for effective communication. These technical shortcomings have significantly diminished my overall perception of Sideline services. The breach of the agreement, coupled with persistent technical issues, raises concerns about the company's commitment to providing a reliable and customer-centric service. Such problems may not only tarnish existing customer relationships but also deter potential customers from choosing Sideline over competitors. Sideline must prioritize resolving these issues promptly to salvage its reputation and maintain customer satisfaction. Addressing these technical drawbacks would not only enhance the user experience but also contribute to the overall improvement of the product. This, in turn, could lead to increased customer loyalty, positive reviews, and a more competitive position in the market.
Anonymous
1 employee
Used daily for less than 2 years
OVERALL RATING:
1
EASE OF USE
1
VALUE FOR MONEY
1
CUSTOMER SUPPORT
1
FUNCTIONALITY
1
Reviewed January 2024
worst business practices
nothing they had no right to block my number because I made too many business calls
CONSIf you want to have every business contact you ever had if using side line for business blocked by sideline without telling you then use this company. You cant reach a person only emails and they repeat the same thing over and over they offer NOhelp
Joel
Non-Profit Organization Management, 11-50 employees
Used weekly for less than 12 months
OVERALL RATING:
3
EASE OF USE
2
VALUE FOR MONEY
1
CUSTOMER SUPPORT
2
FUNCTIONALITY
3
Reviewed July 2023
50% price increase overnight
Their “Help” window responds with answers to questions you didn’t ask. No matter how you word the question the response is still the wrong and unrelated response. Customer service apologized for the rate increase. It’s not the increase, it’s the fact that Sideline raised the rate 50% at one time. WOW. Not a user friendly approach to customers.
PROSAvailability of a second phone line was needed so we began looking for a solution to a problem.
CONSSideline raised their monthly rate 50% overnight. No gradual increase, one swoop. Don’t we all wish we could raise our prices by 50% at one time? As a non-profit we work in a tight budget. Sadly, we’ll begin looking for an alternative service.
Reason for choosing Sideline
They were competitive in their pricing at $9.99 a month. Six months later they raised their rate by 50%.
Jeff
Verified reviewer
Real Estate, 2-10 employees
Used daily for more than 2 years
OVERALL RATING:
1
EASE OF USE
5
VALUE FOR MONEY
3
CUSTOMER SUPPORT
3
FUNCTIONALITY
3
Reviewed February 2020
Sideline
I am very disappointed with Sideline. I am in the process of phasing out the number, but I still have marketing material out with the Sideline phone number.
PROSI was willing to try this application because of the low cost and decent number of features. I like that I can have a separate number for business calls only.
CONSJust about everything! The telemarketing calls that a business owner gets on a daily basis are insane. When using Sideline, as far as I've been able to tell, there is no way to block aggravating numbers. All calls made to your number are directed to a single phone number which makes it impossible to block unless you want to block your customer calls as well.
Vendor Response
Hey Jeff, I'm so sorry to hear about the negative experience you had while using Sideline. Unfortunately, robocalls are an industry-wide problem that Sideline's Spam prevention actively works to block. If you're interested in speaking with our Support department at support@sideline.com, they should be able to work with you to find a solution while you wait for your marketing campaigns to complete. We appreciate your honest feedback!
Replied June 2021
Anonymous
1 employee
Used daily for less than 2 years
OVERALL RATING:
5
EASE OF USE
5
VALUE FOR MONEY
5
CUSTOMER SUPPORT
5
FUNCTIONALITY
5
Reviewed September 2019
ADS
the messages that get from SIDELINE are confusing me with perceived missed calls and or messages from prospective clients. I would like an option to be able to receive communication in another format, perhaps email or op out. I will be searching for an alternative if this issue cannot or will not be addressed or resolved. Thank you for allowing me to vent.
PROSIt's an alternative to having a second cell phone. Customers recognize the area code as somewhat local.
CONSADS in the form of a message, on my alerts it shows as if I missed a call or have a text message from prospective client. I understand that Sideline is constantly working for us users to find better ways to use the app, but I rather receive these BETA request and news and information in the form of a email.
Vendor Response
Thank you so much for providing this feedback! If you're interested in hiding all promotional materials in the future, simply go to Settings>Content Preferences>Content Notifications and click the button so that it is no longer green. This will hide all future product tips, updates, promotions, etc. I'm sorry for the confusion! Please feel free to reach out to support@sideline.com if you need any additional help.
Replied June 2021
Anonymous
11-50 employees
Used daily for less than 2 years
OVERALL RATING:
5
EASE OF USE
5
VALUE FOR MONEY
5
CUSTOMER SUPPORT
5
FUNCTIONALITY
5
Reviewed February 2020
Excellent Business Number
I really like this platform and it allows me to know when a business call is coming in so that I can make an effort to answer every call. No more guessing whether it's work-related or not.
PROSThis software works so well no one knows I use it as a second number. I love the way you can use the settings to add a picture in conjunction with an automated reply when you can't answer the phone.
CONSIt's a dummy number and there are other platforms that can't use the number to send bulk texts, etc.
Vendor Response
Thank you so much for sharing how you use Sideline to differentiate between work and personal calls. Please feel free to reach out if you ever need help using the app!
Replied June 2021
Anonymous
51-200 employees
Used daily for less than 2 years
OVERALL RATING:
5
EASE OF USE
5
VALUE FOR MONEY
5
CUSTOMER SUPPORT
5
FUNCTIONALITY
5
Reviewed October 2018
Excellent Option for Freelancers
Sideline lets me have a work phone and a personal phone without actually needing to have two phones. Great service.
PROSSideline make it very easy for me to neatly divide my work calls and texts from my friends. I work as a freelancer so it's super nice to know when an editor might be calling vs a friend. Being able to text from my second number is great as well. I'm told you are also able to bring your number with you if you ever grow your business to the point of wanting a standard desk phone, which is a great feature, but I've not done it.
CONSVery little. Works great and I have no complaints.
Samantha
Consumer Services, 1 employee
Used daily for less than 12 months
OVERALL RATING:
3
EASE OF USE
3
VALUE FOR MONEY
5
CUSTOMER SUPPORT
5
FUNCTIONALITY
3
Reviewed January 2017
Great for side business
Considering this product is free, it has great features. I use it to run my part-time business, that doesn't warrant another line.
PROSCheap and easy to use.
CONSCalls and texts don't always come/go through. Slightly unreliable.
Nick
Marketing and Advertising, 11-50 employees
Used daily for more than 2 years
OVERALL RATING:
5
EASE OF USE
5
VALUE FOR MONEY
5
CUSTOMER SUPPORT
5
FUNCTIONALITY
5
Reviewed October 2018
Works Perfectly - Increased Our Business By 60%
Best addition to our client/customer communications for 9 buck a month we ever made.
PROSWe use Sideline to make sure EVERY incoming call receive an "Immediate Text Message Response". Sideline knows if it was a mobile phone calling in. This is so important in the "Service Industry". People call our main Ooma VOIP online posted tele numbers (we have eight)... the Ooma numbers forward to our head technician.... If the head technician cannot take the call, or is on another line, then the incoming caller receives an AUTO TEXT MESSAGE the minute they hand up. Very Very Cool. The text message has a tele-phone number fo an Alternate Tech, a link to our web site, and a message thanking them for calling.
CONSNONE !!! NONE WHAT-SO-EVER The people leaving negative reviews are (in our opinion) not very bright. The Last thing you want some inquiry calling you to do Is: "Google" something they are looking for (find you), make the call and then not get you for whatever reason. Why not put a friggin' text message (with alternate tapeable tel number), a message with links, and image in their face the minute they hang up. Way better than losing the customer to another Google search. Think Different ! We don't lose customers anymore. YEA Sideline.
W. Shawn
Verified reviewer
Used daily for less than 6 months
OVERALL RATING:
2
EASE OF USE
1
VALUE FOR MONEY
2
CUSTOMER SUPPORT
1
FUNCTIONALITY
1
Reviewed July 2016
Not close to even being "professional" grade
I am currently involved in several different businesses and need separate phone lines for each in order to text or call clients. However, I do not want to have separate phones. Sideline does not allow for the use of a fully individuated phone number (e.g., calling out from the same number as calling in), especially when a competitor app is installed. If you are looking for communication and confidence in the use of an app that allows you to separate personal from professional securely, and thus allow clients not to access your private information, this may not be the app for you. Instead, you may have to use Caller ID block in order to "rectify this scenario" which opens a whole host of other communication issues with clients (some don't answer blocked calls, some automatically reject blocked calls, etc.) Customer service appears to take a lackadaisical approach, stating they know this is a known issue, and it is "common", but is not aware of plans to fix the common, known issue. I have used customer service on two different occasions and been informed on both occasions by separate customer service representatives that the system had a glitch that did not allow them to see my trouble ticket. When I was not a customer, I had inquired about the actual service through the same ticket system and been in contact with yet another representative multiple times within a 24 hour period.
PROSThe app is a free app with the potential to be really good if programmed correctly.
CONSCustomer service doesn't appear to respond in a timely fashion. Also, having a ticket management system that closes out a ticket after 3 days of inactivity without responding in said time is counterintuitive and frustrating to the user. The app does not use a distinct dialer like Line2 or even Google Voice. The app does not allow for the use of multiple lines coming in (even in the paid version). I am assuming this is for security purposes, but in some cases multiple lines are necessary.
Andrew
Verified reviewer
Outsourcing/Offshoring, 2-10 employees
Used daily for more than 2 years
OVERALL RATING:
3
EASE OF USE
2
VALUE FOR MONEY
3
CUSTOMER SUPPORT
3
FUNCTIONALITY
3
Reviewed July 2022
Loss of Service unresolvef
When it works it's ok. But there are ongoing glitches about every 6 months. See below!
CONSI have had sideline for 3 to 4 years. In the past there were some minor glitches but they were fixed pretty quick.. But right now, there is a major problem - Sideline signed me out of my app. I didn't know it, I received no notice of it. I've now missed 7 business phone calls over the past 5 days. I've also worked with Sideline for 5 days to try to resolve this issue. They seem unable to find a way for me to log in to my account. They keep telling me it's resolved&to dign in. But on my phone it is not resolved . It is a friggin mess right now and I am getting more upset by the day. If Sideline can't fix a Sideline issue than what good are they
Brad
Sports, 201-500 employees
Used daily for less than 2 years
OVERALL RATING:
5
EASE OF USE
5
VALUE FOR MONEY
5
CUSTOMER SUPPORT
5
FUNCTIONALITY
5
Reviewed July 2021
Coaching Staff Support
It allows our coaching staff to have a single contact # that they can call or more importantly text. This will reach our entire department at once and we are able to support
CONSNone for our needs. We may have a simple use of the product but it works exactly to what we need
Vendor Response
Thanks for taking the time to share how you and your team use Sideline, Brad! We're so happy to hear it's working exactly the way you need it.
Replied July 2021
Arin
Verified reviewer
Mental Health Care, 2-10 employees
Used daily for more than 2 years
OVERALL RATING:
4
EASE OF USE
1
VALUE FOR MONEY
2
CUSTOMER SUPPORT
1
FUNCTIONALITY
1
Reviewed February 2022
If things go wrong, they go very wrong
My business number is with sideline so we need to stay, but the issues with the app and customer service make it an awful experience
PROSOnce you have everything set up, the app pilots itself. It's pretty easy to use
CONSCustomer service is awful. There is no one to talk to personally, ever. If something goes wrong, it will stay wrong, for hours or days while they take their time to respond to your email for help. If you need to make a change in the app, it will not auto install. You will have to delete the app and log back in. No, I'm not joking. For every change. It's literally archaic. Good luck.
Jen
Cosmetics, 1 employee
Used daily for less than 12 months
OVERALL RATING:
3
EASE OF USE
3
VALUE FOR MONEY
3
FUNCTIONALITY
4
Reviewed March 2023
Better stuff out there
Price and phone call quality higher than Google Voice
CONSConnectivity with contacts, glitches in system.
Reason for choosing Sideline
It had better ratings.
Reasons for switching to Sideline
Google voice sound quality was poor.
Shannon
Real Estate, 2-10 employees
Used daily for less than 2 years
OVERALL RATING:
4
EASE OF USE
3
FUNCTIONALITY
5
Reviewed June 2021
Sideline
I like that I can add a business line to my phone and have a few members of my work also have it on their phone, to monitor and make sure things are getting answered.
PROSI like that when you receive a sideline phone call it pops up like a phone call but it indicates that it is from your sideline line. It helps add an extra line and you can be longed into this on multiple devices. Great for adding a business line.
CONSIt is harder to navigate. Finding where you are to send out a message if you want to text seems not as easy as it should be.
Vendor Response
Hey Sharon, We appreciate your feedback! If you have any questions about navigating the app or using any of the features, please contact us at support@sideline.com. Thanks again!
Replied June 2021
Jeneshia
Information Technology and Services, 1 employee
Used daily for more than 2 years
OVERALL RATING:
5
EASE OF USE
5
VALUE FOR MONEY
4
CUSTOMER SUPPORT
5
FUNCTIONALITY
5
Reviewed December 2020
Sideline is my Business Line!
My overall experience with Sideline has been great for me and my business success.
PROSWhat I like most about Sideline is the ability to have an alternate phone number right on my current mobile device that I use strictly for my business.
CONSIn using Sideline for 2 plus years the only issue or what I like least about it is that it doesn't populate the contact number to distinguish who always calling but I still love it.
Vendor Response
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your feedback with us, Jeneshia!
Replied June 2021
Michelle
Mechanical or Industrial Engineering, 11-50 employees
Used daily for more than 2 years
OVERALL RATING:
1
EASE OF USE
1
VALUE FOR MONEY
1
CUSTOMER SUPPORT
1
FUNCTIONALITY
1
Reviewed October 2018
This is awful
I feel this was a money making scheme to begin with, the service is not great at all, there are definite issues with the software, which was fine to deal with when it is free. There is no customer service department... good luck!
PROSI like the fact that you can have an additional phone number on your mobile number.
CONSwhen I signed up it was free. I was using it for two years, I gave all my customers that number, then Sideline decided to start charging for their service. How could I change my business number now and let EVERYONE know?
Michelle
Mechanical or Industrial Engineering, 11-50 employees
Used daily for more than 2 years
OVERALL RATING:
5
EASE OF USE
5
VALUE FOR MONEY
5
CUSTOMER SUPPORT
5
FUNCTIONALITY
5
Reviewed July 2019
Just want you need
This works with iphone and android. I give out this number to business clients. The best feature about Sideline is that you can block people and they have no idea that they've been blocked, and there is no extra cost for the blocking
CONSI sometimes get errors when using Sideline
Vendor Response
Thank you for sharing your feedback with us, Michelle! If you receive any errors, please feel free to report them to support@sideline.com. They should be able to help you determine what's causing them. Thanks again!
Replied June 2021
Pamela
Verified reviewer
Outsourcing/Offshoring, 11-50 employees
Used daily for more than 2 years
OVERALL RATING:
3
EASE OF USE
5
VALUE FOR MONEY
3
CUSTOMER SUPPORT
4
FUNCTIONALITY
4
Reviewed March 2018
Convenient
Sideline works as a separate line on my phone. I use it as my business mobile number.
CONSThe name doesn't appear 99% of the time (only the number), even though the caller is listed in my contacts. Calls are not always clear. Doesn't have as many features as other competitors and less than TextFree, the free service offered through Pinger (Sideline's parent company). I have always paid for the service. Customer service is not the greatest.
Braden
Transportation/Trucking/Railroad, 2-10 employees
Used daily for less than 12 months
OVERALL RATING:
3
EASE OF USE
5
VALUE FOR MONEY
3
CUSTOMER SUPPORT
1
FUNCTIONALITY
4
Reviewed February 2017
An OK Cheap Start
I use Sideline as the main number for my business since we are fairly new and it makes more sense to use than purchase a second phone. I had my number go down for about 4 days though, which was terrible and more than irritated my customers. I also cannot say how much it cost us in potential clients. Their customer service took 4 days to get back to us. Even though they offer phone numbers they don't have one themselves and only work through an email. Call quality is pretty good, but you need to be right next to your phone because Sideline won't let the calls ring for very long. Overall it has worked pretty well for us and we haven't had a need to switch from it yet.
PROSFree. Works pretty well. Call quality same as any phone. Offers texting and calls.
CONSMust use regularly to maintain number. Terrible customer service. Had a few calls that were dropped or not properly connected. Numbers are HIGHLY prone to spam calls.