FusionPBX review: open-source multi-tenant PBX features built on FreeSWITCH, self-hosting guide, pros, cons, and comparison to FreePBX.
Category
Communication
Pricing
Open Source / Free, from Free (self-hosted; commercial support and hosting available from third parties)
Verified
Not yet
Last updated
July 18, 2026
Founded
2012
Free PlanWeb AppOpen SourceSelf-Hosted
Overview
FusionPBX is a free, open-source web GUI for the FreeSWITCH telephony engine, created by Mark J. Crane with first commits dating to 2012.
Its defining feature is true domain-based multi-tenancy, letting one installation host many fully isolated customer PBX systems.
Key Features
FusionPBX provides unlimited extensions, IVR menus, ring groups, automatic call distribution, voicemail-to-email, fax handling, conferencing, and SIP device auto-provisioning.
It also includes a white-label reseller and billing framework, making it popular with VoIP carriers and hosted PBX resellers.
Pricing
FusionPBX itself is free and licensed under MPL 1.1, with no per-extension or per-tenant fees from the project.
Real costs come from server infrastructure, SIP trunking, and optional paid installation or support from third-party consultancies and hosting providers.
Key Features
Domain-based multi-tenant PBX — Hosts many isolated customer organizations, each with its own dialplan and configuration, from a single installation.
Built on FreeSWITCH — Uses the carrier-grade, open-source FreeSWITCH telephony engine as its switching core.
Unlimited extensions and voicemail — Voicemail-to-email delivery and unlimited extension configuration.
IVR menus and ring groups — Configurable call routing menus and group ringing.
Automatic call distribution and queues — Call center-style routing and queueing of inbound calls to available agents.
Fax and conferencing — Built-in fax handling and conference bridging capabilities.
SIP device auto-provisioning — Automatic configuration of a wide range of SIP hardphones.
White-label reseller and billing framework — Tools for VoIP carriers and resellers to bill and brand hosted PBX services for their own customers.
Pros & Cons
Pros
Completely free and open source with no per-extension or per-tenant licensing fees
True multi-tenancy makes it viable as a platform for hosted PBX resellers and carriers
Built on the mature, carrier-grade FreeSWITCH engine
Large, decade-plus-old codebase with hundreds of contributors and active development
Cons
Requires significant telephony and Linux systems administration expertise to deploy and maintain
No official vendor support; support comes from community forums or paid third-party consultancies
Steeper learning curve than commercial hosted PBX or UCaaS products
User interface and documentation can feel dated compared to modern commercial alternatives
Pricing
Self-Hosted (Open Source) Free N/A
Third-Party Managed Hosting / Support Varies by provider Provider-dependent
Frequently Asked Questions
Is FusionPBX free?
Yes, FusionPBX is free, open-source software licensed under the Mozilla Public License 1.1; the only costs are for the infrastructure to run it and any SIP trunking or third-party support you choose to pay for.
What telephony engine does FusionPBX run on?
FusionPBX is a web-based administration GUI built on top of FreeSWITCH, an open-source, carrier-grade telephony and switching engine.
How is FusionPBX different from FreePBX?
FusionPBX runs on FreeSWITCH and offers true domain-based multi-tenancy suited to carriers and hosted-PBX resellers, while FreePBX runs on Asterisk and is generally better suited to single-tenant or small-to-medium business deployments.
Who created FusionPBX?
FusionPBX was created by Mark J. Crane, with the project's first commits dating to 2012, and has since grown through contributions from hundreds of community developers.
Can FusionPBX be used for call centers?
Yes, FusionPBX includes automatic call distribution and call queueing features that support call center use cases, with additional call center reporting and wallboard tools available through some support offerings.
Does FusionPBX offer commercial support?
The core FusionPBX project itself does not sell licenses, but an ecosystem of third-party consultancies and hosting providers offers paid installation, customization, and managed support services around the free software.