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Home > All Providers Reviews > Magicjack

magicJack Reviews

magicJack is an extremely cheap VoIP provider that works by using your existing Internet connection to make and receive calls. magicJack provides a plug-and-play device (like a USB drive) that you can connect to your computer or high-speed modem to start making local and long-distance calls. You can use magicJack for as little as $19.95/year per line. 

With the newest magicJack Plus system, you don't have to have your computer on at all times in order to receive a call.

Is magicJack worth it? 

We recommend that anyone interested in buying a magicJack read the user reviews here first.

 

Users Average Rating

Providers Comparison

Note: The graphs above only measure the user ratings displayed over the last five years.
Write your own review

Don't port your number to or from MagicJack ever!

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Average: 1 (1 vote)
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2.2
Average: 2.2 (1 vote)

I joined and cancelled within the trail period. Unfortunately, I decided to port my phone in and out. That was a huge mistake. I understand there are fees for porting in, but when I wanted to port out, I was dinged another $30 for that. So basically if you decide to port in and out you end up paying as much as you did for the MagicJack for a year!! I can't even change my mind now since I mailed the device. I called Customer Service and finally got someone who repeated like a parrot that there were fees for porting in or out and that it was in the Terms of Service, which is a long document, which I decided not to read every word of (I know, I know...the devil is in the details). I did check their FAQ and searched all over their site about porting. They mention fees for porting in, which I decided was ok but charging again for porting out seems over the top. All in all, if you can deal with the low volume for voice then it is may be worth the price, but expect no customer service and DO NOT PORT your number.

It is cheap.
Voice quality is poor. Customer service is abysmal. Website is very uninformative and it's impossible to get someone on Live Chat.
No

Wasted Money on MajicJack Purchase!

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1
Average: 1 (1 vote)
3
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1.4
Average: 1.4 (1 vote)

Beware of third party MJ tech services. I called one, and he accessed my pc, only to place a mysterious password on it when I recognized I was being scammed. He wanted $500 or more to fix! I had to take my pc to a professional, as no one could reboot or sign back into my computer anymore. Lost most of my saved data.... Huge expense and inconvenience. If I had the time and energy, I would research and sue this particular company, and know I would win in court. REMEMBER THAT MJ DOES NOT PROVIDE ANY TELEPHONE SUPPORT, SO IF YOU ARE CALLING AN 800 # TO REACH THEM, YOU ARE ASKING FOR TROUBLE WITH A THIRD PARTY IMPOSTER!

Price good, if only it worked!
Too many cons to list! A MJ tech did spend time on chat, testing my connections, then finally announced that there is no guarantee when one is using a satellite company for internet. I live in a rural area, no cable providers here, so Dish is my only choice. I can hear whomever I call perfectly, but they can never hear me and always comment how I am breaking up too badly to continue call, etc. Using headset or plugging in my phone seems to make no difference; I have tried all possible settings.
No

Great service for a Navy dad. - Magicjack

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4
Average: 4 (1 vote)
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Average: 5 (1 vote)
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Average: 4 (1 vote)
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Average: 4 (1 vote)
3.6
Average: 3.6 (1 vote)

Bought this device at a thrift store for $1.99! Sent it to my daughter deployed in Japan with her Navy hubby. I can call, or they can whenever. So far, so good.

Good price, easy install, local number, convenient communication worldwide.Haven't
Haven't had any need for customer service, so no complaints to date.
Yes

Great Product - Magicjack

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Average: 5 (1 vote)
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Average: 5 (1 vote)

I purchased a magic jack 3 years ago for my office fax line. Previously I was paying the local phone company $70 per month for the extra line. I have it set up so the fax line goes into a computer so that I do not have to waste paper and ink printing out unwanted ads.
There is no difference in the quality of faxes received from the previous overcharged phone company. One day the service did go out and it was due to my nonrenewal of the product. They did however continue to support it for 2 months after I was supposed to renew it before cutting it off. I renewed and as soon as the payment was taken the line was back up. Another time the device went out and I contacted the chat line. They quickly responded went through some diagnostics and determined the device was bad. They sent me a new one priority and I had it in 2 days, I just had to pay $5.
I like this product so much I switched out my home phone service from the high priced cable company. I have not had any problems with this at all and it gives caller ID and will take messages and send you an email with a recording of the message if your answering machine does not pick up. I am also looking forward to bringing the device with me when I travel. I have a second home and now can bring my home phone number with me.
I have not experienced one negative in more than 3 years of use. Great product and highly recommend.

Price, Reliability, Ease of Use, Support, Can Bring Your Phone Number When You Travel
None
Yes

Customer Service and Oxymoron - magicjack

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Average: 3 (1 vote)
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Average: 5 (1 vote)
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2.6
Average: 2.6 (1 vote)

Customer service ill trained and repeatedly ask same question. Very polite but not very helpful with a problem ie a call from US to Spain resulting in error message no routing available but no one in customer service could answer what it means and/or how to fix it

Cheap and when it works it is quite good
Ill trained customer service reps who are reluctant to transfer proble to higher tier level of support.
No

worst phone company out there! - Magicjack

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3
Average: 3 (1 vote)
5
Average: 5 (1 vote)
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Average: 2.2 (1 vote)

I had Magicjack for a year and all I can say good about it is the price. After that year it had problems. I could call out, but I couldn't hear everyone that called me. So after doing "live chat" over and over, being told the same things by different operators....I finally insisted on them sending me a new unit, because I felt mine was not working. (even though they thought it was just fine) The new one worked....so I was correct. These people are idiots who do the live chat! Then after one month, it was doing the same thing. Sometimes just unplugging it and plugging it back makes it work, but really??? What a piece of crap! I finally decide to end my sevice, and they charge me $32 to end it. Not so cheap now! Also, want to mention....Caller ID is not great. Even bought a new phone, but the only names that show up are the ones I put in my own phone. No other names show up...just phone numbers. And so many ro-bo calls are locall looking numbers.

the cheaspest phone company out there...
The worst working product ever!
No

Majic Jack deceptive advertising

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Average: 3 (1 vote)
2
Average: 2 (1 vote)
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1.6
Average: 1.6 (1 vote)

They say they cover the USA and Canada but its not 1. They do not cover all of Alaska and any other numbers they consider "high Cost".

don't disclose that they do not cover all numbers.
No

beware

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Average: 3 (1 vote)
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Average: 3 (1 vote)
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1.8
Average: 1.8 (1 vote)

Seems that chasing the almighty dollar bill has clouded their judgment. You can't miss treat customers and come out on top. They are in a service related industry. Service consisting mostly of "blue smoke" have toppled many good start up companies.

Price is cheap
Charged $29.95 for a yearly renewal but cut it off in7 months saying I only purchased it for 6 months. The current 6 month price is only $20.00. I even sent them the renewal receipt from when I renewed. This was my second renewal and my last. They seemed like a good company when I started but seem to have gotten greedy. If you ignore the customer while chasing the dollar bill, the money will dry up.
No

MagicJack - A Review

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5
Average: 5 (1 vote)
5
Average: 5 (1 vote)
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Average: 2 (1 vote)
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Average: 5 (1 vote)
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Average: 5 (1 vote)
4.4
Average: 4.4 (1 vote)

Magicjack is as reliable as your internet connection. You'll need at least 512K upload speed for this to work well, but more speed allows it to work well even when other devices are sharing bandwith. If your audio starts to break up, it's a sign the internet speed is too slow due to another device hogging too much bandwidth. 256K is the minimum, but than you can't use any other internet device while making a call.
The newer devices work with or without a computer. Without a computer, you need the included AC power pack. But you don't need the AC power pack if you use a computer. The USB port has enough power to operate the device. An added bonus is if you use this with a laptop that has wi-fi, you can bring the magic jack and a phone to any place that has wi-fi and make free calls without plugging cables into power or internet. There are still places in the country where there is no cell service, and this fills in those gaps as long as you're not moving around.
An added bonus not advertised is the ability to use the same phone number in two locations, provided you have two magic jack devices. That means home and office can share one number, or switch to separate numbers when needed. In addition, you can download an app to a smart phone or tablet and that will also share the number when it's within wi-fi range.
Very few services offer free calls to Canada and the US, so if you have people in both countries the calls can all be free with your cheap annual service fee.
Setting up a new device to run on a new magicjack number is simple and fast. But if you need to port in a number, it can be a hassle. As good as the technology is, the support service sucks. And there are no phone numbers to call. You're stuck using a chat service that can take half a day. And that's if you get someone who understands your problem and can figure out a solution.
Bottom line is this. Magicjack makes an excellent inexpensive landline service for people who otherwise would only have a cell phone. Cell phone service can be weak, batteries can die and phones can be lost or stolen. Thirty bucks a year is darn cheap for a backup or second phone line.

Cheap. Reliable. Portable. Versatile.
Yes

MAJIC JACK LEFT ME HIGH AND DRY

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Average: 2 (1 vote)
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Average: 4 (1 vote)
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Average: 1.8 (1 vote)

This problem I have had has taken me 2 months to find out they can't help me. There is no one in this company who is accountable. I think they have sold so many units they don't care but I think one day they will have to think about the people who took them there. What goes around comes around. Jesse Durham

tHE PRICE IS GOOD
i HAVE A SON THAT IS ACTIVE MILITARY. i AM DISABLED, THIS IS THE ONLY LINE TO TALK TO HIM. When I had a problem with majic jack they basically said so sorry and now I don't have a phone to talk with him. I wish I would have went with another service.
No

Pages

magicJack

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United States
2002Year Founded
27%Recommend
307User Reviews

Overall Rating

2.35
3.5
51%
43%
50%
33%
70%

Service Locations

    VoIP app

    The Skinny

    magicJack Revealed

    What is magicJack?

    A magicJack is a small device that allows you to make Internet phone calls for cheap prices.

    As of 2016, magicJack Express costs $39.95 plus shipping and handling. You get 3 months of free unlimited calling to the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands. Additional years cost $35.

    How does magicJack work?

    One of magicJack's top selling points is its ease of installation.

    1. Plug your phone into the magicJack
    2. Plug the magicJack into your computer
    3. Start making calls

    Is there a special magicJack phone?

    Nope! The magicJack device is what's known in the industry as an analog telephone adapter (ATA). You won't need a special phone in order to use magicJack.

    What do you think of magicJack?

    Many users have had a variety of issues with magicJack (as evidenced by the reviews). However, here are a couple of advantages of magicJack:

    1. Lowest Monthly Rates

    Setting aside the fact that the first 6 months of phone service with magicJack are absolutely free, monthly rates are available for as little as $3.00 per month. Prices like that are extremely hard to complain about, and even some of our most scathing magicJack reviews still rate magicJack with 5 stars in the price category.

    2. Cheap Equipment

    Any way you slice it, $39.95 is a great price to pay for the complete setup of a VoIP phone service that uses your existing phones. Other VoIP companies require specialized IP phones that can cost over $100, and an ATA adapter alone is often more than $50.

    Even if the device runs into a problem and needs to be replaced, the low cost takes most of the sting out of a new purchase. In fact, with the money you'll save with magicJack's low monthly rate, the device practically pays for itself.

    3. Easy to Use

    MagicJack is designed for people who have never heard of VoIP in the first place, and want a simple plug-and-play device that works right away. That's exactly what magicJack offers, and the new magicJack PLUS offers even more options. The old device required a constant connection to a computer to work, but the new one only needs to do so once to register. After that, just plug it into the wall and feel free to shut the computer off. The video below outlines how to use magicJack without a computer.

    Previously the magicJack software was been reported by some as very difficult to remove. MagicJack software now comes with an easier to access uninstall option, so this point is no longer valid.

    MagicJack Customer Service

    Unfortunately, magicJack does not have a customer service hotline. That means that the only way to resolve a service issue is through a high-traffic chat room, which occasionally has a slow response time as a result. Fortunately, the device is easy to install, so you'll likely never need the support. If you run into trouble, our best advice is to be patient with the chat, and see if the issue lies with your router configuration or Internet speed in the meantime.

    If everything checks out and the chat system seems frustrating, just try doing something else for a while and wait for the chat system to get back to you. You can watch one of the many fan-made YouTube videos for magicJack support, try one of the links below to see if your issue is answered there, or even take care of checking your email while you wait. Sometimes, the best option is to simply wait a few hours for the peak traffic to die down, so that the support team has more time to dedicate to your needs. Either way, spending an hour or two researching and fixing any issues with the magicJack adapter is definitely worth the amount of money that you're saving with .

    Third-party magicJack Support

    There are also some helpful blogs out there on the web that cover how to use magicJack if you still encounter trouble.

    Overall Analysis

    In the end, and despite the issues that customers raise about magicJack service, we feel that magicJack offers a very low priced Residential VoIP service, especially for someone new to VoIP. However, there are a lot of negative customer reviews you should take into consideration. The extremely low monthly rate for unlimited phone calls is impossible to ignore, and the ease of installation further makes the case that magicJack's barebones VoIP service is one of the best in the industry.!

    Don't take our word for it. We've got over 100 magicJack reviews for real magicJack customers. See what magicJack users have to say.

    If you have used magicJack, here's you should do: Write a review. We could use your voice on our website.

    Have something to say? Leave a comment about magicJack.

    Have you used magicJack's service? Write a review. You can help other prospective customers make a good decision.

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