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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.
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ok when it works. Devices fail. Terrible support.

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2
Average: 2 (1 vote)
1
Average: 1 (1 vote)
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ok when it works. Devices fail. Terrible support. acceptable quality (when devices work). Devices fail. Terrible support. So, really no value as without device, you are toast. You also lose the money you paid !!

acceptable quality (when devices work).
Devices fail. Terrible support. So, really no value as without device, you are toast. You also lose the money you paid !!
No

Stay away from MagicJack

user_review
1
Average: 1 (1 vote)
1
Average: 1 (1 vote)
1
Average: 1 (1 vote)
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Average: 1 (1 vote)
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Average: 1 (1 vote)
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Average: 1 (1 vote)

There are better options out there. Stay away from MagicJack. Horrible customer service experience, Worse than even Comcast. I paid the first year upfront. On the 1yr anniversary, they charged my credit card for the next 2 years automatically, ok so far. I called to cancel the service after a few months past my 1yr anniv. If you go there website you will get the run around and give up. I didn't give up. Got a phone number and called them just for them to refer me back to their website. I gave them their order number, amount and date they charged my credit card. They had no record of it. They denied the fact I ever paid for the 2 yrs. A supervisor was to call me back regarding a possible refund for early termination. Never called me back.

Cheap
Customer Service
No

Convenient, cheap service with a benefit for foreign travelers

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

I ported my old land line to Magic Jack about two months ago and have been very satisfied with the service. I connected the phone directly to the Magic Jack adapter hooked to my wireless router, and have not used a computer connection. I have not used customer service; so, can't really comment on them, but the good news is I haven't needed to use customer service! The app for iPhone is quite good. It allows me to view calls as they come in, answer them or not, and listen to voice mail. I can also make calls from the app. I discovered while traveling in Ireland recently, that I could make calls with my iPhone Magic Jack app when connected to wireless internet to other US numbers, and they were treated as domestic calls with no charge. This was a big help since I had not bothered to get a sim card for my cell phone while there.

Inexpensive, reliable (no need for customer service yet), very good iPhone app; treats calls to US numbers as domestic calls even when calling using the iPhone app from Ireland
None
Yes

Not a happy camper!

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

Horrible, HORRIBLE customer support!!! Techs are a little harder to understand and definitely very difficult for them to understand your problem, technical or otherwise. Basically, i was transferred, over and over again, to different "managers" (including the billing dept.!) and, without a resolve at all, to "leave a review" message. The device itself works reasonably well, sometimes some static, but ok overall. The cost of the device and service is very good. Bottom line, if you're lucky and the device works, you're good - but, if you need any kinds of support, fuggedaboutit, you won't get any!

Inexpensive, easy to set up
Everything else
No

I don't have a problem with these folks

user_review
3
Average: 3 (1 vote)
5
Average: 5 (1 vote)
3
Average: 3 (1 vote)
4
Average: 4 (1 vote)
4
Average: 4 (1 vote)
4
Average: 4 (1 vote)

I don't have a problem with these folks. works great using Higher speed DSL My DSL service cost more than the MJ phone line The main complaint is the time on the phone is 1-2 hours off. MJ says no remedy.. i.e. Deal With It ! I don't get a alert for phone messages on the receiver. Have to Pick up the receiver will tell you if you have phone msg.

little $
not much of any major concern
Yes

They took money to renew, but there was no confirmation number provided

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

I have been a MagicJack customer since 2013. I had a 5 years service. Then recently on 03/23/2019 when I was trying to renew my account, they took $104.80 from my account and didn't provide me with any kind of confirmation number. Then I called them to find out what is going wrong, the first person hung up on me saying there was no history of payment. Then I called back again, to hear the same thing. The second person told me that she won't be able to help me because there is no payment made for my account, then who took the money out of my account?

Cheap
Terrible customer service Maybe scammer
No

Used to be very good... I stress: USED

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2
Average: 2 (1 vote)
2
Average: 2 (1 vote)
1
Average: 1 (1 vote)
2
Average: 2 (1 vote)
2
Average: 2 (1 vote)
1
Average: 1 (1 vote)

I have used magicJack for almost 10 years. It started as a good service, and became very good with MJ PLUS. In recent years, the connections became very noisy. You will need to disconnect the dongle almost daily to reset it and eliminate the noise. There was no help from MJ itself to find out this solution. The pricing is getting more and more annoying. 5 years ago I renewed for US$100 for 5 years. That was $20 a year. Now they removed the 5 year subscription and put in place a 3 year subscription for $90. ie $ 30 a year, for a 50% increase. To add insult to injury, they are asking now for an extra $10 a year "to keep the number", retroactively to last year. When I explained that it is illegal to go back on a paid contract, they claimed there is no contract. So with this new charge, the total price becomes $40 a year. A 100% increase. And to increase price even more they have introduced what they call "concierge service" or something like that They used to have a chat for customer service. It is no longer available, even if they keep referring you to it. Obviously they do not want anything in writing, as writing is proof! And the customer service over the phone is quite rude. They also reduced the services: MJ used to send an email notification for voice messages. They no longer do it.

Price.
Doubled the price of subscription once all extras are taken into account. Increased the cost retroactively, which is illegal. Rude customer service.
No

Free calls to/from Europe with the Magic Jack app!!!

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

I recently traveled to Poland and Germany from the States. I was able to call the States using Wifi in Europe (my Sprint cellphone was not compatible with European systems). My kids were able to call me using only my Magic Jack telephone number --- no country codes or city codes. Fidelity was outstanding -- they sounded like they were next door, and there was little or no lag time. I saved a LOT on phone calls using just this one Magic Jack feature!! Regarding my star ratings, I had no problem setting up Magic Jack to my router (not my computer), and never had to contact customer service. My Magic Jack runs off a Wifi hotspot. Anyway, very satisfied with the service!! ---

The Magic Jack app allowed me to receive and make free calls to Europe!!! I could also text, but for some reason not text photos.
None that I can think of. I had no problems setting it up with a router instead of a computer.
Yes

This is a great product

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

It makes me wonder all of the terrible reviews I see on line. I have had majicJack for over 5 years never a dropped call. The voice quality is outstanding. My only complain is that a one year renewal of service is now $39. BUT wait that is a fraction of the cost of all other VOIP services

Quality, ease of use, cost
Difficult to connect more than 4 phones and a fax
Yes

Before I even got to use this thing....

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Average: 1 (1 vote)
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Average: 2 (1 vote)
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Average: 1 (1 vote)
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Average: 1 (1 vote)
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Average: 1 (1 vote)

I hate giving negative reviews as I would prefer to just walk away from trash products but this warrants attention to a few problems. I have not been able lo get any calls using this product since buying it because it takes up to two weeks to port my number over. No where does it tell you that before you buy it. There was a $20 charge to port my number from the current carrier. No where does it tell you that before you purchase this product. When I set up my account I found the documentation to be terrible and not just lacking but rather missing. It's different for people porting a number. It was absolutely absurd. The information I needed is simply not provided. After creating my account, I looked up my account info and found a different phone number for my cell phone. There is no way to edit the wrong number and enter the correct number. I started a chat and learned after almost an hour of chatting that it's a function of porting and until the former landline number has been ported, my cell phone number that I provided will not be connected to my account. Sounds strange but I have no choice except to wait and see. Here's the catch. If I have to edit the number on my own they charge $10 to "change" the number from the number I have already added during the creation of my account. I asked the support person where I could find all this information online and she said it's not there. Think about that for a minute. This is no accident. They deliberately fail to provide information that some people could and would use to make their decision to purchase - or not. I have no idea how good this product is because it's been a week with no calls coming in. It will take one more week. Who can wait two weeks to obtain service? The previous provider, BasicTalk from Walmart took hours not days or in the case of magicJack, weeks. Thus far, I can only conclude this decision to go with magicJack is a mistake. I did not know, and could not find any details on why this is a product I should scrutinize much more and treat with far more skepticism. If the quality and reliability is as bad as some say, then it will be returned although I doubt magicJack will refund the porting charge. In conclusion, buyer beware. It's not a company I can recommend on any objective level based of what I have encountered thus far.

In the first two weeks since purchase - none.
Hidden costs. Terribly inadequate documentation. Missing documentation. Failure to disclose costs beyond hardware purchase. Customer support is inferior to most companies. Issues are beginning to add up and force buyers to re evaluate if this product is even necessary given the shortcomings. Other products have monthly fees but they are far more reliable and clearly documented. Customer support from the competition could hardly be worse.
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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