Sam Dadofalza, Author at TechnologyAdvice

Overall Reviewer Score

4.79/5

Pricing

3.28/5

General features

4.44/5

Core VoIP features

4.58/5

Advanced features

4.75/5

Integration and compatibility

4.38/5

User experience and usability

4.69/5

Security and compliance

4.69/5

Customer support and service

4.25/5

User scores

4.1/5

Pros

Features call monitoring tools
Offers a toll-free minute allowance
Video meetings are powered by artificial intelligence (AI)
Accommodates up to 500 video meeting participants

Cons

Puts a limit on the number of text messages per user
Provides more expensive subscription plans than other providers

Why we chose RingCentral over Ooma

RingCentral is the best in this list of top Ooma alternatives, especially in the aspect of multi-channel communications, as it provides more robust tools for voice, team messaging, and video conferencing. Its phone system is equipped with features that can accommodate large volumes of calls. For instance, the Heads-up Display (HUD) provides an overview of active calls and extensions’ real-time presence status and allows receptionists to answer incoming calls on behalf of other extensions.

Call monitoring lets managers observe active phone calls, coach agents in answering queries, and de-escalate tense situations with customers. Other advanced call management tools include the multi-level auto attendant, shared lines, and up to eight-digit extensions.

Compared to Ooma, RingCentral’s team chat is superior as it lets users assign tasks, not just message each other. Meanwhile, for video conferencing, while Ooma only allows up to 100 participants, RingCentral hosts a maximum of 500 attendees. For these reasons, RingCentral is better than Ooma in terms of unified communications.

RingCentral is a hosted VoIP software that offers robust call management features, including an interactive voice response (IVR) system, call queues, call recording, and shared lines. Recently, it introduced a robust artificial intelligence (AI) tool that simplifies everyday tasks and improves employee productivity. This feature automatically generates call and meeting summaries, recommends chat responses, and translates texts. RingCentral is a consistent recipient of various awards, including Gartner’s Magic Quadrant Leader, which is a testament to the platform’s excellent capabilities.

Call queues: Improve call management by putting incoming calls in a virtual line. Callers will hear music or pre-recorded announcements while they are put on hold, waiting for the next available agent.

Call barge: Join live agent-customer conversations to address both individuals. This is beneficial for addressing the clients’ concerns directly and more quickly.

Hot desking: Let customer service representatives gain access to their unique profiles on any phone in your system. This allows employees to be mobile and take and receive calls wherever they are. If you have several on-the-go team members, learn more about the differences between using VoIP vs cellular solutions.

Internet fax: Traditional fax machines are no longer needed to deliver fax messages. You can send and receive faxes straight from your softphone and directly pull files from Dropbox and Google Drive.

Collaborative notes: Write notes with video meeting participants in real-time right within the platform. Use the @mention to tag team members on specific assignments and make referring to to-dos later easier.

The pricing below is for monthly billing. Save 33% by paying annually.

Core: $30/user/month for unlimited domestic calling in the United States (US) and Canada, multi-level auto attendant, on-demand call recording, team messaging, and up to 100 video meeting participants
Advanced: $35/user/month for automatic call recording, unlimited internet fax, call monitoring, and integrations with customer relationship management (CRM) apps
Ultra: $45/user/month for unlimited storage, device analytics and alerts, customizable business analytics, and up to 200 video meeting participants

Nextiva: Best for long-distance calling

Overall Reviewer Score

4.37/5

Pricing

2.97/5

General features

3.89/5

Core VoIP features

3.75/5

Advanced features

3.75/5

Integration and compatibility

4.38/5

User experience and usability

4.06/5

Security and compliance

4.38/5

Customer support and service

4/5

User scores

4.57/5

Pros

Offers 99.999% uptime guarantee
Organizes client communications with threaded conversations
Supports Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) regardless of your subscription plan
Provides 24/7 email, chat, and phone support

Cons

Requires the most expensive plan to access voicemail transcription
Doesn’t have international numbers

Why we chose Nextiva over Ooma

For long-distance calling, Nextiva is a better business phone system than Ooma, as it features a more generous toll-free minute allowance. While Ooma only provides 500 minutes of free calling, Nextiva offers a maximum of 12,500 minutes. This is significantly cost-effective for companies receiving large volumes of calls.

Along with the toll-free minutes, the provider includes a toll-free number in every subscription plan. But if you want to keep your existing number, Nextiva offers free number porting. Businesses may use the toll-free number for virtual fax and you won’t incur long-distance fees for using the service.

Nextiva further helps organizations handle multiple phone calls through its excellent call management system. It features advanced call routing, call forwarding, multi-level auto attendant, shared line appearance, and call groups. Consider Nextiva when exploring Ooma competitors for long-distance calling.

Founded in 2008, Nextiva is a top communications solution provider offering a range of products, including a phone system, a contact center, a collaboration app, and social media management software. It offers 99.999% uptime, allowing businesses to provide uninterrupted service to internal and external stakeholders.

Its robust VoIP security infrastructure incorporates call encryption, penetration testing, and fraud mitigation. In 2023, the provider was recognized as a Strong Performer in the 2023 Gartner Peer Insights “Voice of the Customer” report for Unified Communications as a Service.

Voicemail to email: Receive voicemail notifications in your email. The alert includes the message’s transcription and audio recording. Similarly, Nextiva features voicemail to SMS notifications.

Call history: See all previous phone calls in one glance. The list contains key call information, including call type, date and duration of the conversation, origin number, and destination number.

Call group: Alert multiple service representatives when an incoming call comes through. Ring all devices simultaneously or in a certain order.

Threaded conversations: Refer to messages from different communication channels in one interface. This makes tracking conversations easier and provides better context for customer requests and concerns.

Number porting: Transfer your existing phone number to Nextiva. To facilitate the porting process, fill out a Letter of Agency (LOA). The service is free of charge.

The pricing below is for monthly billing for one to four users. Discounts are available for annual billing and volume users.

Essential: $30.95/user/month for unlimited calling within the US and Canada, call group, shared line appearance, call history, and up to 45 minutes of video calling and video meeting
Professional: $35.95/user/month for multi-level auto attendant, voicemail to SMS, unlimited conference calls for up to 40 participants, and integrations with CRM apps
Enterprise: $45.95/user/month for unlimited conference calls to unlimited participants, call recording, voicemail transcription, and single sign-on

Zoom Workplace: Best for video conferencing

Overall Reviewer Score

4.33/5

General features

3.89/5

Core VoIP features

3.33/5

Advanced features

4/5

Integration and compatibility

3.75/5

User experience and usability

4.38/5

Security and compliance

4.06/5

Customer support and service

4/5

User scores

4.6/5

Pros

Integrates with 2,000-plus third-party apps
Offers a free plan, beneficial for small, budget-conscious teams
Allows unlimited duration for one-on-one meetings
Provides robust VoIP tools

Cons

40-minute duration for more than two participants in the free plan
Known for past security issues

Why we chose Zoom Workplace over Ooma

Compared to Ooma, Zoom Workplace is the better unified communications solution if you frequently use video meetings, as it offers a free platform and robust in-meeting collaboration tools. Its free version accommodates up to 100 participants for a maximum duration of 40 minutes.

With Zoom Workplace, maximize virtual backgrounds, chat, screen sharing, co-annotation, and remote keyboard and mouse control without being charged any fees. Additionally, you can integrate the platform with third-party apps, such as Google Calendar, Salesforce, and HubSpot.

If you need advanced collaboration features, upgrade to a paid plan. The base-tier plan that costs $15.99 per user monthly gives you access to polling, streaming, and language interpretations. The higher-tier packages offer recording transcripts and translated captions. While Ooma only hosts up to 100 video meeting participants, Zoom Workplace accommodates a maximum of 1,000 attendees. Given its feature-rich video meeting platform, Zoom is our top choice for Ooma competitors for video conferencing.

Zoom is a communications technology company primarily known for its robust free video meeting platform. However, its product portfolio goes beyond the conferencing software, including a VoIP phone system, a contact center, and an events and webinar solution. In March 2024, Zoom launched its improved unified communications platform, rebranding Zoom One to Zoom Workplace. The AI-powered collaboration platform integrates various communication tools, namely phone, chat, and video.

Whiteboard: Brainstorm ideas on a virtual canvas. Use the graphic features, namely drawing tools, smart connectors, sticky notes, and comments to explain concepts and processes to team members.

Remote keyboard and mouse control: With permission from a meeting participant, you may take control of their computer remotely. This is beneficial when troubleshooting a customer or colleague’s software issues.

Live streaming: Broadcast meetings to a larger audience through live streaming. Share the video on YouTube, Twitch, or Facebook. Note that the URLs must be public to enable streaming.

Call flip: Transfer an active call from one device to another. You must place the call on hold via the in-call controls and retrieve the call from your preferred device on the Lines tab under the Phone menu.

Three-way calling: Set up a phone call for three participants. To enable this in an active call, select the “Add Call” option from the in-call control menu, choose the contact you want to add to the call, and merge the call.

The pricing below is for monthly billing. Pay only $13.32, $18.32, and $22.49 per user a month, when you choose the annual billing option.

Basic: Free for a 40-minute video meeting, 100 meeting participants, local recording, three whiteboards, team chat, and access to Zoom Mail and Calendar
Pro: $15.99/user/month for 30-hour meetings, local and 5GB of cloud storage, AI companion, polling, and co-host and alternate host
Business: $21.99/user/month for 10 to 99 users, 300 meeting participants, unlimited whiteboards, custom mail domain, and recording transcripts
Business Plus: $26.99/user/month for local and 10GB of cloud storage, translated captions, and Zoom Phone features, such as metered and unlimited outbound calling, toll-free numbers, unlimited auto-attendants, and call monitoring
Enterprise: Custom pricing for more than a hundred users, 500 meeting participants, local and unlimited cloud storage, and executive business reviews

GoTo Connect: Best for international calling

Overall Reviewer Score

4.33/5

General features

3.61/5

Core VoIP features

3.33/5

Advanced features

3.75/5

Integration and compatibility

3.75/5

User experience and usability

3.13/5

Security and compliance

2.5/5

Customer support and service

3/5

User scores

4.47/5

Pros

Allows unlimited auto-attendant recordings, ring groups, and dial plans
Accommodates a maximum of 250 video meeting participants
Offers a toll-free minute allowance, unlike other providers
Provides insights about audio quality and call volume via the system health dashboard

Cons

Pricing isn’t readily available on the website
Doesn’t offer international phone numbers

Why we chose GoTo Connect over Ooma

GoTo Connect is among the best VoIP providers for strengthening relationships with customers abroad, as it allows unlimited international calling. Unlike Ooma Office, which charges per minute depending on the country, GoTo Connect features unlimited international calling to over 50 overseas locations in its subscription plans. The territories included are Australia, China, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. For locations not covered, the provider charges low per-minute fees.

The affordability of international calls is among the various advantages of VoIP over landline. In addition, using cloud-based phone systems offers advanced tools for managing phone calls. With GoTo Connect, you can distribute calls to multiple devices and users, forward calls automatically to a specific representative, and store phone call records on the cloud to make them accessible to various team members.

GoTo Connect is a communication software vendor offering a cloud-based phone system with powerful VoIP tools, including smart call routing, call queues, ring groups, and call recording. Similarly, it has a customer engagement solution with digital channels integrated into the phone system. This allows companies to efficiently answer queries from webchat, SMS, and social media.

GoTo Connect’s contact center platform features tools that streamline customer outreach and inbound call management. These include autodialers, intelligent call routing, call monitoring, and auto-queue callback.

Call forwarding: Divert incoming calls to an alternate phone number. This supports remote work, allowing employees to answer phone calls outside the office, say, when working at home or traveling for business.

Number porting: Transfer your existing phone number to GoTo Connect. Submit a copy of your most recent phone bill and wait for a minimum of 15 business days for number porting requests to be processed.

Call routing optimizer: Refer to call volume analytics to identify reasons for dropped calls, understand the caller’s journey, and optimize your most frequently used extensions. This should help improve customer experience and reduce customer support friction.

Smart notes: Write notes during meetings. Along with chat, GoTo Connect has a dedicated tab for meeting minutes. Its AI-powered smart assistant automatically captures highlights and action items, displaying them alongside the notes after the meeting.

Automated SMS messages: Send automated, personalized texts to reduce your manual work. To set this up, you must manually enable texting on your phone number.

Phone system: Custom pricing for unlimited users, 1,000 toll-free minutes shared across the account, unlimited calling to over 50 countries, smart call routing, unlimited auto-attendant greetings, and call recording
Customer engagement: Custom pricing for SMS and MMS campaigns, AI-powered messaging assistant, customizable dashboards, and custom surveys
Complete CX: Custom pricing for intelligent call routing, skills assignment, ring strategy, agent monitoring and coaching, and call dispositions
Contact center: Custom pricing for auto dialer, quality management, screen recording, access to digital and social channels, and workforce management integrations

Google Voice: Best for Google Workspace users

Overall Reviewer Score

4.21/5

Pricing

2.97/5

General features

2.64/5

Core VoIP features

2.5/5

Advanced features

1.75/5

Integration and compatibility

3.13/5

User experience and usability

4.06/5

Security and compliance

3.13/5

Customer support and service

2.25/5

User scores

4.4/5

Pros

Offers a free plan to one user
Features a beginner-friendly interface
Appeals to budget-conscious teams, with an entry-level plan priced at $10 per user monthly
Provides 24/7 support in all plans

Cons

Doesn’t have toll-free or vanity numbers
Lacks advanced VoIP tools like call park and call flip

Why we chose Google Voice over Ooma

Google Voice is the ideal Ooma alternative for businesses heavily using Google Workspace. The business phone solution integrates seamlessly with Google products, specifically Google Chat and Google Meet. With these capabilities, you won’t have to switch between apps when placing and receiving phone calls, messaging team members in real time, and meeting colleagues virtually.

The best part about this software provider is that it offers a free VoIP phone service for solopreneurs and freelancers. A single user can access a local phone number, unlimited domestic calling, and unlimited text messaging within the US. As long as you have a Google account, you can use this free VoIP platform. If you need more call management features, upgrade to Google Voice’s paid subscription plans. They are among the most affordable in the market, with a starting monthly fee of $10 per user only.

Google Voice, the business phone solution of tech giant Google, works on different devices, including smartphones, laptops, and supported desk phones. Since its launch in 2009, it has seen various developments, including the use of Google AI to block spam calls and convert voicemails to text automatically. The solution features a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) link, which enables businesses to use Publicly Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) phone numbers from local carriers through certified Session Border Controllers (SBCs).

Multi-level auto attendant: Direct callers to appropriate departments within your company. Google Voice allows you to use its text-to-speech tool or upload your own audio for the auto-attendant greeting.

Voicemail transcription: Even without playing audio files, you’ll be able to get the details of voicemail messages as Google Voice converts them into text. On-the-go employees especially benefit from this feature when they can’t listen to the recording while traveling.

eDiscovery for records: Search for call logs, voicemails, and text messages using Vault. The search results and exports only display the phone numbers of call and text messaging participants. They don’t show the associated contact names or email addresses.

Text messaging: Send updates and reminders to customers via text. Google Voice supports interactive conversations only, not bulk messaging.

Google AI: The platform automatically detects spam calls and messages, displaying a warning on the incoming call alert and in the call history. You have the option to confirm whether or not it’s spam.

Starter: $10/user/month for a maximum of 10 users, calls to the US and Canada from any Google Voice number, call forwarding, voicemail transcription, unlimited text messaging in the US, and usage and activity reporting
Standard: $20/user/month for unlimited users, multi-level auto attendant, ring groups, eDiscovery for calls, voicemails, and text messaging records, and ad-hoc user call recording
Premier: $30/user/month for unlimited international locations, automatic call recording, and advanced reporting

Grasshopper: Best for phone number sharing

Overall Reviewer Score

3.57/5

Pricing

2.81/5

General features

3.06/5

Core VoIP features

2.08/5

Advanced features

1.5/5

Integration and compatibility

1.67/5

User experience and usability

3.44/5

Security and compliance

0.63/5

Customer support and service

3.25/5

User scores

4.27/5

Pros

Offers unlimited users and extensions
Unlimited texting in all subscription plans
Supports three types of virtual numbers
Features professional voice talents for auto attendant greetings

Cons

Limited reporting capabilities
Doesn’t have a call recording feature

Why we chose Grasshopper over Ooma

Grasshopper is the ideal Ooma alternative for small businesses that prefer phone number sharing within team members. Except for its True Solo plan, the provider’s subscription packages feature unlimited users and one or more phone numbers. On the most expensive plan, your team members can share four phone numbers and create as many extensions as they want.

The VoIP provider supports various types of phone numbers: local, toll-free, and vanity. It has an extensive catalog of phone numbers, and its number search tool is easy to use, so securing your preferred digits won’t be a hassle. If you need additional numbers, Grasshopper charges $9 per number monthly.

If you want to secure a second phone number without paying any fees, refer to our guide on the best free phone number providers.

Grasshopper is a no-frills virtual phone system that features essential VoIP tools, namely call forwarding, call transfer, call screening and blocking, custom greetings, and voicemail. It has a dedicated plan for solopreneurs and freelancers, with unlimited texting and instant response. It supports virtual fax, delivering files as PDF attachments to the email inbox. Since it’s a straightforward platform, its app is easy to use and ideal for new VoIP users.

Call transfer: Move an active call to another company representative who can handle the customer inquiry better. Grasshopper supports blind and supervised transfers. Blind transfer automatically moves the call, while supervised transfer lets you speak to an agent first before the transfer.

Ruby receptionists: Ensure that there’s a live agent who handles every incoming call to your business. For an additional fee, you may get live answering services from Grasshopper through call answering solutions provider Ruby.

Voice Studio: Maximize the voice talents Grasshopper features in its Voice Studio to produce professional-sounding phone greetings for callers. The talents may record in English, Spanish, and French.

Phone extensions: Make it easier for callers to reach the specific agent or department they need by having phone extensions for individuals and teams. Grasshopper offers unlimited extensions in the highest-tier plan.

Call announce: Part of Grasshopper’s call handling settings is asking callers for their names so the phone system can announce it to the attending agent. This lets representatives decide whether to accept, reject, or send the call to voicemail.

The pricing below is for monthly billing. Save over 20% by paying annually.

True Solo: $18 for one user, one phone number, and one extension
Solo Plus: $32 for unlimited users, one phone number, and three extensions
Small Business: $70 for four phone numbers and unlimited extensions

Vonage: Best for international phone numbers

Overall Reviewer Score

3.51/5

Pricing

2.34/5

General features

3.06/5

Core VoIP features

3.13/5

Advanced features

3.25/5

Integration and compatibility

3.33/5

User experience and usability

3.44/5

Security and compliance

3.75/5

Customer support and service

2.25/5

User scores

4.13/5

Pros

Guarantees 99.999% uptime
Includes 40+ VoIP features in all subscription plans
Streamlines communications with a unified inbox that features SMS, MMS, and Facebook Messenger
Neat, simple user interface

Cons

Add-ons quickly inflate the monthly cost
On-demand call recording is locked behind the most expensive plan

Why we chose Vonage over Ooma

Vonage is the suitable Ooma alternative for companies wanting to establish a local presence overseas. Unlike Ooma, the provider allows businesses to secure local phone numbers in over 90 countries. These include Australia, Brazil, China, Finland, Japan, New Zealand, and Russia. Having local, familiar numbers will make clients more comfortable reaching out to your business. Moreover, they won’t incur exorbitant call charges, which adds to a frictionless, more pleasant customer experience.

Aside from global phone numbers, the provider features affordable international calling plans covering 50-plus countries. Tier 1, which includes territories like Australia, China, Germany, Ireland, Mexico, and the United Kingdom, charges $50 a month for 1,000 minutes and $4,120 for 100,000 minutes.

Meanwhile, Tier 2, which covers Egypt, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Venezuela, has minute bundles ranging from 1,000 minutes for $110 monthly to 100,000 minutes for $9,860 monthly. Consider Vonage when establishing a local presence overseas. For a more comprehensive comparison of the two software solutions, refer to our Vonage vs Ooma guide.

Vonage is a business phone system that offers 40-plus default VoIP tools and an a la carte menu of add-on features. With its unique pricing structure, businesses can customize their phone system according to their current call volume and communication needs. Aside from the VoIP solution, the provider offers a contact center platform that features performance management and workforce optimization tools on top of the call management capabilities. Additionally, Vonage has communication application programming interfaces (APIs), namely programmable voice, messaging, and video.

Call rerouting: Continue receiving phone calls even during power outages. The phone system will direct incoming calls to your preferred backup phone number.

Call tagging: Place tags in incoming calls to easily distinguish customer queries. With this, it’s easier to sort through calls per department or purpose.

Call logs: See important information about phone calls for each extension, user, or account. You may refer to daily, weekly, or monthly reports or customize the date range.

Conference bridge: Let colleagues and external stakeholders join virtual meetings from their phones. Vonage accommodates a maximum of 30 participants and secures sessions by providing a dedicated phone number and password.

Team messaging: Chat with team members to discuss various matters in real time. Vonage supports one-on-one and group messaging.

The pricing is below for monthly billing. Save more by paying annually.

Mobile: $19.99/user/month for unlimited domestic calling, virtual receptionist, voicemail, and number porting
Premium: $29.99/user/month for team messaging, up to 200 video meeting participants, third-party integrations, and single sign-on
Advanced: $39.99/user/month for call groups, on-demand call recording, and visual voicemail

Is Ooma right for you after all?

Ooma is an excellent business phone solution with valuable calling capabilities, including unlimited calling within the US, Canada, Mexico, and Puerto Rico and affordable international calling rates. Along with a toll-free number, it offers 500 minutes of inbound calls monthly. Its call management system consists of a virtual receptionist, call forwarding, extension dialing and monitoring, and call logs.

Companies with brick-and-mortar stores especially benefit from Ooma, which features tools that enable broadcasting messages. These include intercom, IP phone paging, and overhead paging. It’s useful for organizations with highly mobile employees since it provides features like voicemail-to-email, call flip, and virtual fax. Additionally, it facilitates easy team collaboration, allowing users to chat with each other and host meetings.

Choosing the best Ooma alternative

Although Ooma offers valuable tools for handling business communications, it might make sense to explore alternatives especially when you consider its limitations. For example, its monthly toll-free minute allowance is limited to 500 minutes, which is significantly insufficient for those receiving large volumes of calls. It lacks call monitoring capabilities that let managers observe customer-agent interactions in real time. It doesn’t have international phone numbers either. Plus, its integrations are limited to select CRM and productivity apps.

In terms of team collaboration tools, its video conferencing capacity can only accommodate a hundred participants, not ideal for companies hosting large meetings. Its team chat and user presence are locked behind the most expensive subscription plan. If you think these disadvantages would hinder your business communications, consider the top Ooma competitors:

If you need a software solution for voice, team messaging, and video conferencing, RingCentral is the best for multi-channel communications.
Nextiva is the ideal platform for accommodating long-distance calls, given its generous toll-free minute allowance.
Choose Zoom Workplace when you frequently meet with remote team members via video conferencing.
If you want to maintain communications with overseas contacts, maximize GoTo Connect’s unlimited international calling offering.
Google Voice is the most suitable solution for Google Workspace users, as it integrates seamlessly with Google Chat and Meet.
Consider Grasshopper and take advantage of its unlimited users and extensions if you prefer sharing phone numbers with the team.
If you want to establish a local presence abroad, choose Vonage, which offers local phone numbers in over 90 countries.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Among the Ooma alternatives listed in this article, Google Voice is the most affordable, with a starting fee of $10 per user monthly. The provider offers a free version as well with limited VoIP capabilities.

Ooma Home, the provider’s residential phone plan, has a Basic subscription package with no monthly fee. You’ll only pay a one-time fee for the analog telephone adapter (ATA) Ooma Telo, which costs $99.99. Ooma Office, on the other hand, doesn’t have a free plan.

The post Top 7 Ooma Alternatives for 2024 appeared first on TechnologyAdvice.

Best VoIP for Small Business 2024

Sam Dadofalza — Tue, 28 May 2024 20:03:58 +0000

Choosing the right VoIP for your small business is no small take. A voice-over-internet-protocol (VoIP) system is a software solution that enables businesses to make voice calls online. Compared to traditional landline systems, it’s more scalable and affordable, eliminating the high costs and disruptive downtimes when a business expands its communication operations. Different businesses benefit from VoIP systems, including telecommunications companies providing customer assistance and healthcare organizations offering telemedicine services.

The best VoIP for small businesses features tools for supporting different call volumes, integrates with a wide range of third-party solutions, and offers high uptime guarantees. In this article, we listed the top software solutions to help you decide which one is best for your communication needs:

RingCentral: Best for scalability
Nextiva: Best for toll-free calling
Google Voice: Best for solopreneur communications
Acefone: Best for call center operations
Ooma: Best for brick-and-mortar communications
Phone.com: Best for fluctuating call volumes

Featured Partners: VoIP Solutions

Our top VoIP picks for small businesses

Expert score

Best for

Key Features

RingCentral

4.37

Best for scalability

Call monitoring
Advanced call queue rules and routing
Up to 8-digit extensions

Nextiva

4.36

Best for toll-free calling

Toll-free minutes
Call group
Unlimited internet fax

Google Voice

3.93

Best for solopreneur communications

Ring groups
eDiscovery for calls, voicemails, and text messages
Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) link

Acefone

3.9

Best for call center operations

Automatic call distribution (ACD)
Sticky agent
Scheduled callbacks

Ooma

3.87

Best for brick-and-mortar communications

Intercom
Overhead paging support
IP phone paging

Phone.com

3.82

Best for fluctuating call volumes

Pooled and unlimited calling minutes
International calling
Live receptionist

RingCentral: Best for scalability

Pros

Offers 99.999% uptime service level agreement (SLA)
Integrates with over 300 third-party solutions
Accommodates up to 500 video meeting participants
Provides a maximum of 10,000 toll-free minutes
Allows access to communication application programming interfaces (APIs)

Cons

Doesn’t offer unlimited texting
Unlimited internet fax isn’t available in the entry-level plan

Our Rating: 4.37/5

Interactive voice response (IVR): Create up to 250 IVR menus for different company departments or representatives.
Call delegation: Assign up to 10 assistants to an executive and up to 10 executives to an assistant to efficiently manage phone calls.
Conference call: Set up a call for multiple individuals, whether it be internal or external stakeholders. RingCentral accommodates up to 1,000 conference call participants.
Hot desking: Access your own extension, user profile, and voicemails in any phone registered in the system.
Vanity numbers: Customize your phone numbers to make them memorable and increase brand recognition.

The pricing below is for one to five users on a monthly billing arrangement. Save up to 33% by paying annually.

Core plan: $30/user/month

Includes:

Unlimited domestic calling
Toll-free numbers
100 toll-free minutes
25 business texts
Basic call queues
Unlimited audio conferencing
Video conferencing for up to 100 participants

Advanced: $35/user/month

Includes:

1,000 toll-free minutes
100 business texts
Advanced call queue rules and routing
Automatic and on-demand call recording
Advanced call monitoring, namely whisper, barge, and monitor
Hot desking
Video conferencing for up to 100 participants

Ultra: $45/user/month

Includes:

10,000 toll-free minutes
200 business texts
Unlimited file storage for files, messaging, and recordings
Device analytics and alerts

RingCentral is the best VoIP for small businesses wanting to grow operations quickly without the high expansion costs. Its feature-rich tiered subscription plans provide options suitable for different stages of scaling communications. Since it’s a hosted private branch exchange (PBX) system, you can add users to your account as the team grows and not worry about the hefty installation and maintenance expenses.

Compared to vendors mentioned here, RingCentral has the most third-party integrations, further supporting scaling operations. It works with over 300 apps. Companies that see spikes in inbound calls will benefit from connecting customer relationship management (CRM) tools to the platform, allowing agents to see customer profiles, understand the context of concerns, and resolve queries faster. RingCentral integrates with popular CRM solutions like Salesforce, HubSpot, and Microsoft Dynamics.

Aside from CRM, the platform features analytics, collaboration, customer support, marketing automation, and productivity apps in its integration catalog. Moreover, it offers access to APIs, allowing you to add communication capabilities to your business platforms.

RingCentral is a unified communications platform that allows users to make phone calls, chat with colleagues, send and receive text and fax messages, and facilitate video meetings. It supports local public switched telephone networks (PSTN) in 46 countries and offers international virtual numbers in 100 locations, enabling businesses to easily expand overseas.

Aside from the robust VoIP system, the company has a contact center platform powered by artificial intelligence (AI). It automatically records interaction summaries, notes, and follow-ups in a customer relationship management (CRM) tool, tracks keywords and phrases, like competitor names and product features, and generates call scoring.

For its robust small business VoIP phone system, RingCentral was recognized as a Leader in Gartner’s 2023 Magic Quadrant for Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) Worldwide report.

Nextiva: Best for toll-free calling

Pros

Free local and toll-free number
No-cost number porting
Unlimited internet fax in all subscription plans
Unlimited conference call participants
Supports Bring Your Own Device (BYOD)

Cons

Voicemail transcription is an add-on feature before reaching the highest-tier subscription package
Only directly integrates with 19 third-party apps

Our Rating: 4.36/5

Call analytics: Track call center metrics to gauge how productive and efficient your team is. Nextiva displays the total number of inbound, outbound, answered, and missed calls for a specific period. You may also refer to the inbound and outbound talk times and the average talk time.
Call park: Place an active call in a communal parking spot and enable other team members to retrieve a call. This allows more qualified agents to handle the call and resolve a customer’s concern.
Call notify: Receive an email notification about an important call. Configure the conditions for call notification.
Priority alerts: Set the phone system to ring differently when specific callers come through the system. Nextiva allows users to list up to 12 phone numbers for each priority alert entry.
Conversational AI: Let callers discuss their concerns when interacting with the interactive voice response (IVR), as they would discuss with a live human agent. The powerful artificial intelligence (AI) tool can understand human language and enable the IVR to direct the customer to the appropriate team or agent handling their concern.

The pricing below is for 1–4 users on a monthly billing arrangement.

Essential: $30.95/user/month

Includes:

Unlimited calling within the U.S. and Canada
Free local and toll-free number
Up to 1,500 toll-free minutes
Voicemail-to-email notifications
Unlimited internet fax
Video calling and video meeting for up to 45 minutes

Professional: $35.95/user/month

Includes:

Multi-level auto-attendant
Conference call for up to 40 participants
Up to 3,000 toll-free minutes
Up to 1,000 messages sent and received per user
Voicemail-to-SMS notifications
Advanced integrations with CRM tools

Enterprise: $45.95/user/month

Includes:

Call recording
Conference call for unlimited participants
Up to 12,500 toll-free minutes
Up to 2,000 messages sent and received per user
Voicemail transcription
Enterprise integrations with CRM tools
Single sign-on

Nextiva is the best VoIP for small businesses with a country-wide clientele, offering a generous toll-free minute allowance. When you subscribe to the highest-tier plan, you can use up to 12,500 toll-free minutes, translating to communication cost savings in the long run. Compared to other vendors on this list, Nextiva is the one that has the biggest offering for toll-free minutes.

By providing toll-free calling, companies allow clients to easily connect and get assistance for their concerns without any cost on their end. On top of the toll-free minute allowance, Nextiva’s unified communication system helps businesses serve customers more efficiently. Team members consult each other via chat conveniently and can jump into a video meeting to discuss matters in depth.

Since 2006, Nextiva has offered various communications solutions packed with excellent sales and customer service tools. When subscribed to its small business phone system, VoIP features like unlimited domestic calling, conference calls, and enterprise integrations are accessible. The platform features call pop, a native CRM system, and customizable sales pipelines, which allow agents to streamline lead generation and nurturing processes.

Meanwhile, the provider’s contact center provides access to robust proactive outreach features, such as the auto-dialer and dynamic scripting. It supports various communication channels, including voice, SMS, chat, email, social, and web forms. In 2023, Nextiva was recognized as a Customers’ Choice in the Gartner Peer Insights “Voice of the Customer” report for UCaaS.

Google Voice: Best for solopreneur communications

Pros

Affordable subscription plan
Seamless integration with other Google products
Easy to navigate thanks to its simple, clean interface
Unlimited text messaging

Cons

Doesn’t have advanced call management features
Lacks toll-free numbers

Our Rating: 3.93/5

Multi-level auto-attendant: Welcome callers with customized, professional greetings and messages from the auto-attendant system. Let customers choose among phone directory options to be connected to the right team or agent.
Ring groups: Alert multiple devices and users in your phone system to ensure you don’t miss any important calls. Assign specific users as ring group managers who configure ring duration settings and call routing rules.
eDiscovery: If you need to revisit conversation details, Google Voice allows you to search for specific voice calls, voicemails, transcripts, and text messages easily. The search results only show the call and messaging participants’ phone numbers, not their names or email addresses.
Call recording: Record phone calls to accurately document customer conversations. Use the recordings for training agents and ensuring compliance with quality standards.
Integration with Google products: Google Voice connects with Google Meet and Calendar. This offers a convenient platform for moving to a video meeting to discuss issues at length.

Starter: $10/user/month

Includes:

Unlimited calling to the U.S. and Canada
Unlimited calling to most European countries from within Europe
Unlimited text messaging
Call forwarding
Voicemail transcription
Integration with Google Calendar and Meet
Usage and activity reporting

Standard: $20/user/month

Includes:

Multi-level auto-attendant
Ring groups
Ad-hoc user call recording
SIP link
eDiscovery for calls, voicemails, and text messages

Premier: $30/user/month

Includes:

Unlimited international locations
Advanced reporting
Automatic call recording

Among the providers listed in this article, Google Voice is the ideal small business VoIP system for solopreneurs, as it’s the only one offering a free plan for one user. At no cost, you can use unlimited domestic calling and text messaging. Voicemail transcription is likewise included, enabling you to read voicemails and avoid the hassle of repeatedly playing audio files to get the message details.

While the free VoIP phone service is ideal for solopreneurs, the paid packages still suit solopreneurs’ budgets as they are more affordable than other VoIP providers. The entry-level plan only costs $10 per user per month. Its most expensive plan is $30 per user monthly, offering valuable call management tools such as multi-level auto-attendant, automatic call recording, and advanced reporting.

Google Voice is a VoIP phone service launched in 2009 after tech giant Google acquired the phone service GrandCentral. It allows users to forward calls to a phone number linked to the account. Those subscribed to the paid plan can secure phone numbers in over 10 countries and regions.

Aside from the U.S. and Canada, the platform is available in various international locations, including Belgium, Denmark, France, Italy, and the United Kingdom. In 2023, the small business phone system VoIP introduced spam warning functionality for texts, labeling suspicious texts as “suspected spam.”

Acefone: Best for call center operations

Pros

Entry-level plan includes almost all VoIP features
Unlimited inbound and outbound minutes
Unlimited texting
24/7 customer support and assisted onboarding

Cons

Integrates with fewer than 20 third-party apps
Number porting costs $10
Additional monthly fee of $5 per user for call recording when you choose the entry-level plan

Our Rating: 3.9/5

Warm transfer: Before moving a live call to another service representative, speak to the agent first and tell them about the customer’s concern. The customer will be put on hold while you’re on a call with the agent.
Call twinning: Ring multiple devices when an incoming call comes through. Simply link the devices to the same agent account.
Call detail reports: Managers can check call reports to see customer interaction details. This helps create strategies for improving first call resolution and shortening average handling time.
Text-to-speech: Record welcome greetings and announcements without the hassle. Select the accent and voice you want from the text-to-speech tool.
View contact profile: See a comprehensive profile of the customer you’re talking to. Acefone’s contact profile displays purchase and query history.

The pricing below is for teams with 4–9 users on a monthly billing arrangement. Save up to 25% with annual billing.

Business: $17.99/user/month

Includes:

Unlimited inbound and outbound minutes
Unlimited business SMS
Multi-level auto-attendant
Call queue
Real-time call monitoring
Analytics and reporting
Maximum of 10 ring groups

Premium: $19.99/user/month

Includes:

Unlimited ring groups
Call recording
IP desk phone compatibility
Integration with premium apps like Salesforce
Custom integrations, APIs, and webhooks

Acefone is a small business VoIP platform ideal for companies running call centers. It features advanced call management capabilities that support large volumes of calls. The automatic call distribution (ACD) automatically receives and assigns phone calls to available service representatives. Scheduled callbacks help shorten long queues and prevent customer frustration.

Compared to other providers in this list, Acefone is the only one offering the sticky agent tool, allowing you to assign certain agents to callers. This enables representatives to build rapport with clients and become more familiar with specific concerns. The phone system is equipped with call monitoring tools, including whisper and barge. These features let managers observe live conversations, evaluate the agent’s performance, and help resolve customer queries.

Founded in 2019, U.K.-based company Acefone offers various cloud-based communication platforms, including VoIP systems and inbound and outbound contact centers. It provides 99.99% uptime, translating to only four minutes of monthly downtime. Its round-the-clock support helps businesses troubleshoot issues quickly, enabling uninterrupted customer service.

Aside from VoIP for small businesses, Acefone has a broad catalog of toll-free and vanity numbers. Through custom digits, companies can reflect brand identity in their contact information. Acefone earned Capterra’s “Best Ease of Use” badge in 2022 for its highly intuitive interface.

Ooma: Best for brick & mortar communications

Pros

Free plan for homepreneurs
Discounts for hardware phones for sale
Unlimited calling in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Puerto Rico
Offers analog fax machine support

Cons

Limited third-party integrations
Desktop app isn’t available in the entry-level plan

Our Rating: 3.87/5

Digital call deflection: Customers can switch from a voice call to an SMS to reduce wait times and shorten the long call queues.
Enhanced call blocking: Prevent scammers and telemarketers from reaching your phone line. Ooma automatically blocks these calls or sends them to voicemail.
Analytics user leaderboard: See specific user’s calling trends and refer to call center metrics to measure your team’s performance.
Video conferencing: Host up to 100 participants in a video meeting. Use the in-meeting chat to share ideas with colleagues.
Call flip: Switch between devices while in an ongoing call. This removes the need to hang up and resume the call on a different device, as the phone system seamlessly moves the call from one device to another.

Essentials: $19.95/user/month

Includes:

Unlimited calling within the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and Puerto Rico
Virtual receptionist
Call park
Call logs
Intercom
Overhead paging
IP phone paging

Pro: $24.95/user/month

Includes:

Call recording
Dynamic caller ID
Enhanced call blocking
Voicemail transcription
Text messaging
Video conferencing for up to 25 participants

Pro Plus: $29.95/user/month

Includes:

Call queues
Hot desking
Digital call deflection
Find me, follow me
Integration with customer relationship management (CRM) tools
Team chat
Video conferencing for up to 100 participants

Ooma is the best VoIP for small businesses for companies needing efficient communications within their offices or stores since it’s the only provider in this list that supports intercom calling and overhead paging. Intercom calling lets you discuss important matters with people working in different locations.

Meanwhile, the overhead and IP phone paging makes announcements in key office areas easier. For instance, in the reception room, the system allows the front desk staff to call individuals waiting to be attended to. Ooma allows linking 10 compatible IP phones in a single paging group. In addition, the phone solution features hot desking, letting employees log into any phone in the system and access their calls, messages, and unique profile settings.

Phone service vendor Ooma provides home and office plans, catering to households, homepreneurs, and small and large companies. Ooma Residential features the analog telephone adapter Ooma Telo, which offers a VoIP phone service without a monthly charge, only a one-time fee for the device.

Meanwhile, Ooma Office caters to small teams regularly receiving customer service calls. Ooma Enterprise is for large organizations, providing access to a call center platform with intelligent routing capabilities and open APIs.

Phone.com: Best for fluctuating call volumes

Pros

Unlimited video meeting duration
Live receptionist services
Complies with Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) standards
Local phone numbers in over 40 countries
Discounts for bulk phone numbers

Cons

Native integrations are limited to four apps only
Doesn’t offer team messaging

Our Rating: 3.82/5

Click-to-call: Launch a phone call with a single click. When agents select the click-to-call button, the phone system automatically dials the phone number and connects the agent to the call recipient.
Follow me: Route calls to different devices according to a predetermined schedule or sequence.
International calling: Connect to contacts overseas and pay per minute. Take advantage of U.S. local rates when calling landline numbers in Canada, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Puerto Rico, and the U.K.
Dial-by-name directory: Allow callers to search for the name of the agent they’re looking for on their keypad. This improves customer experience, as they are sent directly to the person they want to speak to.
Breakout rooms: Put meeting participants in smaller discussion groups so they can interact and listen actively to insights discussed.

The pricing below is for a maximum of four users on a monthly billing arrangement. Save more as you add more users and choose the annual billing option.

Basic: $14.99/user/month

Includes:

One phone number per account
500 calling minutes
Auto-attendant
Scheduled greetings
Dial-by-name directory
Call logs
Video conferencing for up to 10 participants

Plus: $21.99/user/month

Includes:

One phone number per user
Unlimited calling minutes
IP desk phone compatibility
Voicemail transcription
Video conferencing for up to 25 participants
Video meeting recording
Whiteboard

Pro: $31.99/user/month

Includes:

Call analytics
Call recording
Video conferencing for up to 100 participants
Live video streaming
Breakout rooms
Integrations with third-party solutions

Phone.com is the best VoIP small businesses as it offers the flexibility of metered and unlimited call plans. Choose the entry-level subscription package with 500 pooled minutes when you have low call volumes. Switch to the higher-tier plans that provide unlimited minutes when the number of calls increases.

Among the listed vendors here, Phone.com is the only one that allows mixing and matching of users, so you only get the features you need for current call volume demands for a specific period. The best part about Phone.com is that you can access almost all the standard VoIP features, whichever subscription plan you choose. Access tools like call forwarding, call transfer, caller ID, call waiting, greetings, and call screening.

Phone.com, a communications software company founded in 2007, offers a business phone system with more than 50 standard VoIP features, including auto-attendant, hold music, call handling rules, and call logs. It features an artificial intelligence (AI)- powered intelligent answer bot that automatically connects callers to the right service representatives and screens spam calls. To help clients handle calls more efficiently, Phone.com offers live receptionist services.

Aside from call management, the provider supports other types of communications, such as video conferencing, accommodating a maximum of 100 participants. Attendees can use collaboration tools, like chat and whiteboards, while in the session. On top of that, Phone.com enables users to send and receive text and fax messages.

Key components of VoIP systems

VoIP for small businesses facilitates efficient communications with customers and among team members thanks to its various capabilities. These are the features included in cloud-based phone systems:

Unlimited calling: VoIP solutions offer unlimited domestic calling within the U.S. and Canada, with some extending the coverage to overseas territories, like Mexico. Others offer unlimited international calling, benefiting companies with clients abroad. When you compare VoIP and cellular services, the former offers more significant money savings since it doesn’t come with roaming charges that apply to the latter.
Call management: These tools include call forwarding, call transfer, hold music, call waiting, and call queues, which enable teams to handle incoming calls in an orderly manner.
Mobility: A softphone app compatible with iOS and Android systems helps users place and accept calls outside the office. Voicemail transcription makes referring to message details easier, especially when traveling. Virtual fax lets you send and receive fax messages wherever you are.
Phone numbers: Most VoIP systems offer local phone numbers, while others offer toll-free and vanity numbers. Still, some provide local numbers in overseas locations.
Analytics: A customizable analytics dashboard shows various performance metrics in real-time. Some VoIP solutions feature robust historical reporting tools, wherein you can generate custom reports based on the performance areas you want to track and evaluate.

Benefits of using VoIP systems

Businesses will find VoIP platforms valuable in streamlining communications. The advanced call management features — designed to direct customers to the right agents and create a pleasant call experience — contribute to customer loyalty in the long run. Aside from customer communications, VoIP systems improve team collaboration as they offer access to instant messaging and video conferencing.

Similarly, VoIP systems help lower communication costs. You won’t have to spend on installing and maintaining phone lines and hardware equipment, as in landline systems. The money savings are greater in the long run, especially when you add more users to the phone system since there’s no need to install extra physical phone lines. When you choose a hosted VoIP solution, you only pay a fixed monthly fee per user. The maintenance of the infrastructure is already included in your subscription.

Choosing the best VoIP system for your small business

VoIP platforms help small businesses boost customer satisfaction, facilitate team collaboration, and reduce communication costs. As you consider adopting cloud-based phone systems, consider your communication needs to find the best software solution fit for your requirements.

If your company plans to grow its operations soon, choose RingCentral as its robust third-party integrations support scalability. Go for Nextiva and maximize its generous toll-free minute allowance if you serve a national clientele. Google Voice is the ideal solution for solopreneurs since it offers a free plan and basic calling features.

Acefone is an excellent VoIP choice for companies running call center operations, as it’s packed with advanced call management tools. For brick-and-mortar communications, choose Ooma, the phone system that supports intercom calling and overhead paging. Finally, Phone.com should be your top option for fluctuating call volumes since you can choose between metered and unlimited calling plans.

Check out our VoIP software guide to browse other solutions if you have other communication requirements.

Featured Partners: VoIP Solutions

FAQs

Yes, some providers offer free VoIP services with basic features, but for more advanced functionalities and reliability, a paid plan is recommended. For a full list of recommendations, check out our buyer’s guide, How to Get a Free Business Phone Number.

The exact cost of VoIP depends on your chosen software provider. But the monthly fee ranges from $10 to $50 per user.

Yes, VoIP is worth it for small businesses. It offers cost savings, scalability, advanced features, and flexibility compared to traditional phone systems, making it an efficient communication solution.

To set up VoIP, choose a VoIP provider, ensure a stable internet connection, select compatible hardware (phones, headsets), configure the system with the provider’s software, and train staff on its use.

About the author

Sam Dadofalza has been writing web content for a decade and working on different topic niches, from content marketing and search engine optimization (SEO) to real estate. Currently, she’s a staff writer at TechnologyAdvice, covering communications technology, including virtual phone systems and voice-over-internet-protocol (VoIP). She also writes for the business website FitSmallBusiness.com, producing articles for unified communications as a service (UCaaS) and project management topic clusters.

The post Best VoIP for Small Business 2024 appeared first on TechnologyAdvice.

6 Best Zoom Alternatives of 2024

Sam Dadofalza — Mon, 22 Apr 2024 17:00:38 +0000

Zoom is an excellent unified communications platform that allows users to place and accept voice calls, chat with team members, and launch video meetings in one place. The Pro plan costs $15.99 per user a month, but a free version is also available. While Zoom is a comprehensive, affordable tool, it has a few drawbacks that may not appeal to some businesses.

Its free plan caps the meeting duration at 40 minutes, a dealbreaker for budget-conscious teams. Hosting 1,000 participants carries a monthly fee. Zoom also lacks advanced instant messaging features, like task management, keeping users from working on projects directly on the platform. In addition, the platform’s business phone system doesn’t support international calling. You must subscribe to Zoom Phone to access the international calling add-on, which still requires an extra fee.

While Zoom is primarily video meeting software, Zoom Phone is a business voice-over-internet protocol (VoIP) platform. In this article, we provide alternative solutions for both VoIP and video conferencing so that all of your communication needs are covered.

Based on our conference calling-focused scoring criteria, these are the best Zoom alternatives for 2024:

RingCentral: Best for unified communications
Webex: Best for large meetings
Dialpad: Best for artificial intelligence (AI) tools
Nextiva: Best for customer communications
Microsoft Teams: Best for instant messaging
Google Meet: Best for Google Workspace users

Top Zoom Alternatives

Top Zoom Alternatives	Business Phone Features	Video Conferencing Features
	• Up to 10,000 toll-free minutes • Call monitoring • Receptionist console	• Up to 500 participants • Maximum of 24 hours duration • Meeting insights powered by artificial intelligence (AI)
	• Call queue • Call barge • 6-way conference call	• Up to 1,000 participants • Maximum of 24 hours duration • Integration with Apple CarPlay
	• Warm and direct call transfer • Ring groups • Exec-assistant pairings	• Up to 10 participants • Maximum of five hours duration • Waiting room and lock meeting
	• Up to 12,500 toll-free minutes • Call log reports • Unlimited internet fax	• Up to 250 participants • Maximum of 45 minutes duration • Screen and file sharing
	• Time-based routing • Call queues • Call recording • Teams Phone is a separate subscription from Microsoft Teams.	• Microsoft whiteboard • Together mode • Noise suppression
	Not available (N/A)	• Polling and question and answer (Q&A) • Attendance tracking • In-domain live streaming

RingCentral: Best for unified communications

Pros

Ideal for beginners, thanks to its intuitive interface
99.999% uptime service level agreement (SLA)
Integrates with over 300 third-party solutions

Cons

Entry-level plan doesn’t have unlimited internet fax
Live reports for real-time call queue management require an extra fee

Our Rating: 4.39/5

Live transcription: Follow discussions closely by reading the transcribed texts of spoken words in the meeting. While the transcription appears in real-time, you may also download it after the meeting.

Collaborative notes: Have different team members contribute to the minutes of the meeting. RingCentral allows you to edit notes simultaneously in real-time.

Toll-free minute allowance: Connect with long-distance clients and not worry about incurring exorbitant charges. RingCentral offers an allowance of up to 10,000 toll-free minutes in its highest-tier plan.

Call takeover: If you need to talk to a customer on a live call, use takeover to join the conversation and remove the agent. This is especially useful for de-escalating tense situations.

Call flip: Move an active call to a different device, such as a desktop or smartphone, without interrupting the conversation. This way, you won’t have to cut the call short and dial the contact again to resume the discussion.

The pricing below is for one to five users on a monthly billing arrangement. Paying annually can save you up to 33%.

Core: $30/user/month for unlimited domestic calling within the United States (U.S.) and Canada, multi-level auto attendant, up to 100 video meeting participants, whiteboard and annotations, and collaborative notes

Advanced: $35/user/month for call monitoring, hot desking, unlimited internet fax, and integrations with customer relationship management (CRM) systems

Ultra: $45/user/month for unlimited storage, device analytics and alerts, and customizable analytics reports

RingCentral is our top pick among Zoom alternatives because it offers a full suite of communication tools. This allows businesses to handle phone calls and collaborate with colleagues without switching to an external team collaboration app. On RingCentral’s entry-level plan, you already have access to call management tools, instant messaging with task management capabilities, and video conferencing. In contrast, you must upgrade to Zoom Workspace’s Business Plus package to unlock the business phone features.

When we drill down to specific call management features, RingCentral steps ahead of Zoom. For instance, its audio conferencing feature accommodates up to 1,000 participants, while Zoom only supports 500. Unlike Zoom, RingCentral offers a toll-free minute allowance. Moreover, it has unlimited internet fax, which Zoom doesn’t have. Because of these capabilities, RingCentral is among our top picks for Zoom Workspace and Zoom Phone alternatives. In case you need a refresher on the solution’s call management capabilities, refer to our Zoom Phone review.

While Zoom Workspace is more affordable upfront, with the Business Plus package costing $26.99 per user a month, the add-on features, such as the audio conferencing ($100 a month), whiteboard ($2.49 a month), and translated captions ($5 a month), inflate the cost. All these add-ons are default features in RingCentral, available in its entry-level plan priced at $30 per user monthly.

Pricing: 3.59/5

General features: 4.44/5

Core VoIP features: 4.58/5

Advanced features: 4.75/5

Integration and compatibility: 4.38/5

User experience and usability: 4.69/5

Security and compliance: 4.69/5

Customer support and service: 4.25/5

User scores: 4.10/5

RingCentral is a voice-over-internet protocol (VoIP) platform that offers call management features, including an interactive voice response (IVR) system, call queues, and shared lines. Access to the phone system is convenient and versatile, as users may log in via browser, desktop, and smartphone apps.

Aside from the phone system, RingCentral enables businesses to establish a strong presence in target communities as it offers local, toll-free, vanity, and international numbers. With its excellent capabilities, the provider has been a consistent recipient of Gartner’s Magic Quadrant Leader awards since 2014. RingCentral has three subscription plans, which cover business phone and video conferencing features.

Webex: Best for large meetings

Pros

Offers a free plan that accommodates up to 100 meeting participants
Supports voice calls, team messaging, and video conferencing
Provides unlimited cloud storage
Secure meetings with end-to-end encryption, even in the free version

Cons

May be expensive for businesses needing advanced features
Live streaming is locked behind the most expensive plan with custom pricing

Our Rating: 4.19/5

Meetings on the go: Through Apple CarPlay integration, you can Access Webex right from your car’s dashboard. You can see and join upcoming meetings with only a few taps.

Post-meeting transcript: Keep a record of matters discussed during the meeting. When you record the session, the system automatically generates an editable, shareable transcript, which may be accessed via the User Hub.

Co-host: Manage meetings more efficiently by assigning one of your team members to be the co-host. The co-host can start the session even without the primary host. They may also mute and unmute participants, record the session, manage breakout groups, and lock and unlock the meeting.

Mobile screen sharing: Share content from your smartphone by clicking the three dots icon in the menu bar and selecting the “Share Content” option. This is a handy tool for on-the-go employees with limited access to their laptops while in transit.

Voice commands and keywords: Webex works with Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri, allowing you to make voice commands and manage meetings conveniently. Some actions supported are launching the Webex app, joining an upcoming meeting, and calling a specific contact.

Webex Free: $0 for up to 100 video meeting participants, 40-minute meeting duration, whiteboarding, local recording storage, and Apple CarPlay integration

Webex Meet: $14.50/user/month for up to 200 video meeting participants, 24-hour meeting duration, 10GB cloud storage, virtual backgrounds, live polling via Slido, and recording encryption

Webex Suite Meet + Call: $25/user/month for auto attendant, call forwarding, unlimited local and domestic long-distance calling, and metered international calling

Webex Enterprise: Custom pricing for up to 1,000 video meeting participants, unlimited cloud storage, live streaming of meetings, simultaneous interpretations, call queue, and call barge

When it comes to large meetings, Webex is a better choice than Zoom, as it accommodates a maximum of 1,000 participants in one session and offers advanced tools for managing multiple participants. For instance, it allows users to see 81 video thumbnails in the grid view. Additionally, they can pin video thumbnails and customize stage layouts. When you have a panel of speakers, attendees can easily alter their views to remove distractions and follow the speakers closely.

If you have a multi-lingual audience, Webex enables you to create audio channels and assign interpreters for each group. This effectively reduces language barriers and ensures participants understand the discussion.

Aside from being the best software solution for large meetings, Webex matches Zoom’s free offering, allowing small teams to virtually meet for 40 minutes and host 100 participants without cost. The system stores meeting recordings locally on the computer, making it easily accessible for hosts and organizers. Choose this Zoom alternative free solution when you want to save on virtual meeting costs. Given its excellent tools, Webex also made it to our list of the best Skype alternatives.

Pricing: 4.22/5

General features: 3.89/5

Core VoIP features: 3.75/5

Advanced features: 4.25/5

Integration and compatibility: 4.38/5

User experience and usability: 4.69/5

Security and compliance: 4.69/5

Customer support and service: 3.5/5

User scores: 4.37/5

Webex is a popular video conferencing and team collaboration platform that lets users manage voice calls, messaging, meetings, and webinars in one place. Its free video meeting plan accommodates 100 attendees and has a 40-minute duration. Participants may collaborate through screen sharing and unlimited whiteboards. Teams needing more in-meeting collaboration tools must pay for a subscription plan, which starts at $14.50 per user a month.

The Webex Suite plan is ideal for those needing voice-calling capabilities in their communication platform. It combines business phone and video conferencing features.

Dialpad: Best for artificial intelligence (AI) tools

Pros

Unified communications integrating voice calls, messaging, and video conferencing
Supports international text messaging
Highly reliable, thanks to the 100% uptime guarantee
All plans offer a Business Associate Agreement (BAA)

Cons

Only allows a maximum of five hours of meetings
Limited video meeting participant capacity

Our Rating: 4.09/5

Waiting room: Create a waiting room to control who attends your meetings. Hold music plays as participants wait for access.

Virtual backgrounds: Customize your virtual background to reflect the company logo and make your thumbnail more professional. Alternatively, display a fun image when engaging in remote team-building activities.

Lock meeting: Prevent individuals from accessing a live meeting by locking the session. Dialpad automatically locks the meeting after a specific amount of time has passed from the start of the meeting.

In-meeting chat: Message team members while the meeting is ongoing. The messaging feature lets users send emojis and files.

Browser-based meetings: Participants don’t need to download the Dialpad app to join meetings. Simply enter the meeting link on the browser to secure access. Browser-based meetings come with collaboration tools, such as meeting recording, transcription, and chat.

Dialpad Standard Plan: $15/user/month (billed annually) or $23/user/month (billed monthly)

Unlimited calling
Unlimited AI Meetings for up to 10 participants
SMS, MMS, and team messaging
AI-powered call and voicemail transcriptions

Dialpad Pro Plan: $25/user/month (billed annually) or $35/user/month (billed monthly)

Includes all features of the Standard plan
24/7 live agent support
CRM integrations with Salesforce, Zendesk, HubSpot, Zoho, and more
Microsoft Teams integration
Supports up to 10 office locations
Multiple phone numbers per account
Open APIs and webhooks

Dialpad Enterprise Plan: Contact for custom pricing

Includes all features of the Pro plan.
Guaranteed 100% uptime.
Unlimited office locations.
Unlimited ring groups (departments).
Dial-by-extension.
Integrations with leading SSO providers including Okta, OneLogin, and Azure AD.
Enhanced data retention policies.
Priority live agent support.

Dialpad is among the top Zoom competitors in the area of AI. While Zoom’s AI Companion generates meeting summaries and splits recordings into chapters, Dialpad Ai is more advanced. Aside from creating recaps, it offers real-time transcription and outlines action items after the session.

The smart tool extends to calls. The live transcription applies to phone conversations, and the system automatically detects call purpose and customer sentiment. It features Custom Moments, highlighting moments when a preset word or phrase is mentioned in a conversation. This makes tracking of specific customer concerns easier.

Pricing: 3.13/5

General features: 4.17/5

Core VoIP features: 3.75/5

Advanced features: 3.75/5

Integration and compatibility: 4.17/5

User experience and usability: 4.38/5

Security and compliance: 4.69/5

Customer support and service: 4.5/5 User scores: 4.33/5

Dialpad is a reliable cloud-based private branch exchange (PBX) solution vendor offering a suite of products. Its business phone system offers three subscription plans, with an entry-level cost of $23 per user monthly. The package covers valuable call-handling tools, like multi-level auto attendant, custom call routing, and automatic spam call detection.

Its meeting platform has a free version that can host up to 10 participants and last a maximum of 45 minutes. The paid subscription package is priced at $15 per user monthly. Meanwhile, the contact center starts at $95 per user monthly and provides access to the IVR, automatic call distribution (ACD), and call monitoring tools.

Also read: Best PBX Phone System for Small Business (2024)

Nextiva: Best for customer communications

Pros

99.999% uptime guarantee
Intuitive interface that appeals to beginners
24/7 customer support in all plans
Generous toll-free minute allowance

Cons

Limited video meeting duration
Expensive subscription plans

Our Rating: 3.97/5

Screen sharing: Present slides while in a meeting to better illustrate topics. It’s easier for team members to follow the discussion with visual aids.

Meeting scheduler: Plot your sessions on the calendar to inform participants about the upcoming meeting. The system lets you use NextOS Calendar, Google Calendar, or Outlook. Enter your contacts’ email addresses to send the invite.

Conversational AI: Nextiva’s IVR system is equipped with conversational AI, which allows callers to voice their concerns instead of choosing from a phone menu to be directed to the right department. This reduces customer friction and improves the overall experience.

Call screening and blocking: Stop robocalls and telemarketers from reaching your system and wasting your time. With selective call rejection, you can set criteria for declining calls from specific phone numbers.

Call analytics: Collect and examine call data to determine how to improve call-handling strategies. Nextiva displays various metrics, including average talk time and the total number of resolved cases.

Essential Plan: $18.95/user/month

Easy, quick start plan
Unlimited voice and video calling
Voicemail
Toll-free numbers
Outlook and Google Contacts integrations
Unlimited internet fax

Professional Plan: $22.95/user/month

Ideal for smaller teams
Includes all features of the Essential plan
Unlimited conference calls for up to 40 participants
Unlimited video conferencing with screen sharing
Multi-level auto attendant
Mobile and desktop SMS/MMS
CRM integrations with Salesforce and HubSpot

Enterprise Plan: $32.95/user/month

Suited for small to medium teams
Includes all features of the Professional plan
Unlimited participants in voice and video conferencing
Call recording
Unlimited video conference recording
Voicemail transcription
Integrations with Microsoft Teams and enterprise software
Single Sign-On (SSO) capability

Nextiva is the ideal alternative to Zoom’s VoIP solution if you want to organize customer communications more effectively. Its business phone system features threaded conversations, which essentially put all customer interactions, from texts and calls to video meetings, in one place. This means you can see a contact’s communication history without needing to click too many buttons.

In addition, the platform features a built-in ticket management system. Assign team members to customer requests, determine the tickets’ priority level, and send alerts to colleagues. With instant messaging, service representatives can quickly consult each other for more information when handling customer concerns. Because of Nextiva’s robust call management tools, the provider earned a spot in our list of the best VoIP for small businesses.

Pricing: 2.97/5

General features: 3.89/5

Core VoIP features: 3.75/5

Advanced features: 3.75/5

Integration and compatibility: 4.38/5

User experience and usability: 4.06/5

Security and compliance: 4.38/5

Customer support and service: 4/5

User scores: 4.57/5

Nextiva is a popular communications software provider specializing in cloud-based solutions. Its unified communication system supports voice calls, instant messaging, short messaging service (SMS), and video conferencing. The subscription plan starts at $30.95 per user monthly, but businesses can save more with annual billing and volume users.

The provider’s contact center is equipped with advanced call management, digital engagement, and workforce optimization tools. These enable businesses to respond to customer queries on different communication channels more efficiently. The contact center’s four subscription plans come with custom pricing.

Microsoft Teams: Best for instant messaging

Pros

Supports 30-plus languages in live meeting captions
Large file attachment size per user, maximum of 1TB
Offers a free version for budget-conscious businesses

Cons

Doesn’t offer volume discounts like other vendors
Cancellation fees apply on the annual subscription

Our Rating: 3.65/5

Together mode: This feature puts all participants in one shared virtual background, helping meeting attendees feel like they’re together in one place. It supports up to 49 participants.

Join as an avatar: Create a digital representation of yourself in meetings. You may use the base avatars to get started or let the system generate one from an uploaded photo. With an avatar, meeting attendees will see your image even with your camera turned off.

Breakout room: Divide a large meeting into smaller groups to facilitate more engaging discussions. Teams accommodate up to 50 breakout rooms.

Whiteboard: Explain concepts and processes using sticky notes, colors, shapes, and texts. Take a screenshot of your whiteboard, as Teams doesn’t include it in the meeting recording.

Guest access to chat: Let external stakeholders join your Team channels and meetings. The system allows you to configure calling, messaging, and meeting settings and determine what actions guests can take on the platform.

Business Plans:

Microsoft Teams Essentials: $4/user/month for unlimited meetings for a maximum of 30 hours, up to 300 participants per meeting, 10GB of cloud storage per user, and unlimited chat with colleagues and external stakeholders

Microsoft 365 Business Basic: $6/user/month for 1TB of file storage for the organization, meeting recordings and transcripts, breakout rooms, and default Outlook calendar view

Microsoft 365 Business Standard: $12.50/user/month for webinar tools like attendee registration pages, email confirmations, and reporting, AI-powered writing recommendations, desktop versions of Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, and Publisher

Team Phones Bundles:

All plans feature cloud-based phone system features, including auto attendant, call queues, call forwarding, call transfer, and hold music.

Microsoft Teams Essentials with Phone: $12/user/month for auto attendant, call queues, call forwarding, up to 300 participants, and 30-hour meeting duration

Teams Phone with Pay-as-you-go Calling: $15/user/month for metered outbound calling minutes and real-time collaboration on the Microsoft 365 mobile app

Teams Essentials and Teams Phone with Domestic Calling: $20/user/month for 3,000 calling minutes for the US, UK, and Canada and 1,200 minutes for the rest of the world

While Zoom Workspace offers a chat platform, Microsoft Teams is the better software solution for instant messaging, as it features advanced tools Zoom lacks, including guest access. Customers and suppliers can directly message you on Teams even though they’re external stakeholders. Moreover, the Microsoft app lets you attach files of up to 1TB in size. Zoom only allows 1GB.

On top of these, Teams support task management. Add “Tasks” as a tab to create and assign to-dos to team members. Users benefit from the platform’s intelligent writing assistance. If you want to reply more professionally to messages, the platform’s AI tool recommends responses.

While primarily an instant messaging platform, Teams has video conferencing features that can rival Zoom. It has a large meeting capacity, accommodating 300 attendees, and a long meeting duration, a maximum of 24 hours. For these robust tools, Microsoft Teams is one of our top picks for Zoom alternatives.

Pricing: 2.97/5

General features: 3.75/5

Core VoIP features: 3.33/5

Advanced features: 2.25/5

Integration and compatibility: 4.38/5

User experience and usability: 4.38/5

Security and compliance: 4.38/5

Customer support and service: 3/5

User scores: 4.43/5

Microsoft Teams is a team collaboration app that features instant messaging and audio and video conferencing. It offers three affordable subscription plans, with the entry-level package priced at $4 per user a month. Beyond team chat and meetings, the plan includes access to the web and mobile versions of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, which further improves team collaboration.

Businesses needing call management tools will benefit from the Teams Phone Bundles plans, which start at $12 a month per user. Its capabilities include call queues, call forwarding, call blocking, and call park.

Google Meet: Best for Google Workspace users

Pros

Large video conferencing capacity and long meeting duration
Maximum of 5TB of cloud storage
Seamlessly integrates with other Google products
Free use as long as you have a Google account

Cons

Lacks co-annotation and AI tools like post-meeting summaries
Inaccurate transcription of non-English dialogues

Our Rating: 3.55/5

Meeting recording: Capture the entire virtual discussion and have a reliable source of matters agreed upon. The recordings are automatically saved to the meeting organizer’s Meet Recordings folder in Google Drive.

Attendance tracking: Keep track of the individuals attending your sessions. On Google Meet’s Settings, select the “Host Controls” and toggle on the “Attendance tracking” option.

In-domain live streaming: Broadcast your sessions to a wider group of audience. When plotting the event on your calendar, go to the event details settings to add the live stream. A link to the live stream will automatically appear. Copy that link and share to contacts you want to invite to the event.

Polling: Let meeting participants voice their opinions through a survey. After the meeting, the system automatically sends the poll results to the moderator’s email.

View-only roles: Enabling view-only participants will help manage large meetings better. Viewers will be able to raise their hands, answer polls, and use reactions, but they will not be able to share their screens or audio and chat with other attendees.

Business Starter: $6/user/month for up to 100 video meeting participants, 24-hour meeting duration, 30GB of cloud storage per user via Google Drive, whiteboard, and team messaging

Business Standard: $12/user/month for up to 150 video meeting participants, 2TB of cloud storage per user via Google Drive, meeting recordings on Google Drive, polling, and breakout rooms

Business Plus: $18/user/month for up to 500 video meeting participants, 5TB of cloud storage per user via Google Drive, and attendance tracking

Enterprise: Custom pricing for up to 1,000 video meeting participants, 5TB per user with the option to request more, and in-domain live streaming

Google Meet is the most suitable Zoom alternative for Google Workspace users. It lives in the Workspace ecosystem with other Google products like Gmail, Google Chat, Google Calendar, and Google Drive. With this suite of productivity tools readily available, workflows are more efficient.

For example, when you receive an email from a customer asking for a video meeting, you can easily jump to the Calendar and schedule that session. Or, you can click the Chat button at the sidebar of your Gmail interface and message a colleague about their available schedule.

When you record meetings, the sessions are automatically stored in Google Drive, ready to be shared with contacts. The best part about Google Meet is that it has a free plan, which you can use to see if it suits your communication requirements. It accommodates up to 100 participants and 60 minutes of meeting duration. As long as you have a Google account, you’ll have access to the free version. Google Meet is among the best free alternatives to Zoom worth considering.

Pricing: 2.81/5

General features: Not applicable (N/A)

Core VoIP features: N/A

Advanced features: 0.75/5

Integration and compatibility: 4.17/5

User experience and usability: 4.38/5

Security and compliance: 4.69/5

Customer support and service: 3.5/5

User scores: 4.53/5

Google Meet, part of the Google Workspace ecosystem, is the tech giant’s video conferencing platform. It features collaboration tools like chat, hand-raising, and emoji reactions. It boasts easy accessibility since joining meetings doesn’t require an app and only involves keying in the meeting URL on a browser. The platform was first introduced in 2017, emerging from Google Hangouts.

Is Zoom right for you after all?

Zoom is a powerful video conferencing and cloud-based phone solution for small businesses. It supports up to 500 participants in one session, with the option to expand to 1,000 attendees. Its maximum duration is 30 hours, more than enough to accommodate lengthy virtual discussions.

The robust collaboration tools, namely screen sharing, co-annotation, pin and spotlight, and chat, facilitate more efficient meetings. Amid the pandemic and the new normal of remote work, it was businesses’ top choice for a video conferencing solution.

Meanwhile, its business phone system features advanced call management tools. Its IVR and ACD systems route callers to the right departments and agents. Call recording and monitoring let managers evaluate agent-customer conversations and introduce better communication strategies. Call handoff promotes mobility, letting users seamlessly switch from one device to another without interrupting a live conversation.

Considering all these tools, Zoom offers affordable subscription plans. Zoom Workspace’s base package costs $15.99 per user a month. If you only need a business phone system, Zoom Phone’s entry-level plan is priced at $10 per user monthly. It’s worth considering that you might need Zoom, not a Zoom alternative.

Choosing the best Zoom alternative

While Zoom features excellent video meetings and business phone tools, it falls short on a few aspects. For example, its free plan only allows 40 minutes of meeting time. While it can host up to 1,000 attendees, it lacks advanced tools for managing a huge crowd of participants. Its AI tool is still in the infancy stage and meeting summaries need fine-tuning.

The chat tool doesn’t support task management. Meanwhile, Zoom Workspace’s business phone features don’t include internet faxing capabilities and a toll-free minute allowance, which are typical for VoIP solutions. If these drawbacks are dealbreakers to you, consider Zoom alternatives.

If you handle a large volume of calls and need advanced team collaboration tools, RingCentral’s robust unified communication features are for you.
For businesses hosting a large number of participants regularly, go for Webex and maximize its 1,000-participant capacity, customizable stage layouts, and simultaneous interpretations.
Dialpad is the ideal solution for streamlining meetings and call management using AI.
If you want to improve customer engagement, Nextiva’s threaded conversations and help desk tools will organize your workflow for resolving client queries.
Choose Microsoft Teams when you rely heavily on instant messaging, want to communicate with external stakeholders, and assign tasks to team members without leaving the platform.
Google Meet is the better Zoom alternative for Google Workspace users, as it seamlessly works with other Google products, like Gmail, Google Chat, Google Calendar, and Google Drive.

Featured Partners: Video Conferencing

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Jitsi Meet is a free video-conferencing platform with no time limit. It can accommodate up to 75 attendees in one session.

Zoom and Skype are similar in that they are both VoIP solutions, enabling users to launch voice and video calls via the internet. However, they differ in specific features. In a nutshell, Zoom has more advanced capabilities for handling calls, including IVR, holiday and business hours routing, and call monitoring. Learn about the two platforms’ differences in this Zoom vs Skype guide.

The post 6 Best Zoom Alternatives of 2024 appeared first on TechnologyAdvice.

Vonage vs RingCentral: Which VoIP is Best in 2024?

Sam Dadofalza — Mon, 15 Apr 2024 18:21:34 +0000

Vonage and RingCentral are popular voice-over internet protocol (VoIP) platforms sharing similar call management features, including a multi-level auto-attendant, call forwarding, call recording, and call screening. The software solutions have unified communication features, allowing businesses to communicate with customers and colleagues via short messaging service (SMS), instant messaging, and video conferencing. While the two apps have many similarities, they differ in many aspects, from pricing and third-party integrations to customer support.

In this comparison, we determined that RingCentral is better for companies handling large volumes of calls, thanks to its robust unified communications (UCaaS) tools. Meanwhile, Vonage is the ideal solution for organizations dealing with fluctuating call volumes because it allows users to add and remove certain VoIP features depending on present communication demands.

Vonage vs RingCentral: Which is better?

Vonage: Best for fluctuating call volumes

Pros

Reliable service with 99.999% uptime guarantee
Unlimited text messaging in all subscription plans
Easy-to-navigate platform
Minute bundles for international calls to up to 85 countries

Cons

Only allows 20 third-party integrations
Doesn’t offer annual discounts

Our Rating: 4.12/5

AI virtual assistant: This uses conversational artificial intelligence (AI) to answer customer queries or facilitate an action, such as routing calls to agents who can handle their concerns or gathering survey feedback.

Shared line appearance: Keep track of the other users’ phones and pick up calls on other extensions when a particular agent isn’t available. This feature lets you put a call on hold and let another user resume the conversation.

Call park: Put an active call on hold and place it in a communal parking spot to let other team members retrieve the call. This is useful when an agent isn’t sure where to transfer the call.

IP phone paging system: Announce an important update and let stakeholders hear it through their speakerphones. This works on Cisco, Polycom, and Yealink devices. The system supports broadcasting to up to 500 recipients.

Business inbox: See all your messages from different channels in one place. Vonage’s inbox supports SMS, multimedia messaging service (MMS), and Facebook Messenger.

Pricing: 2.81/5

General features and interface: 4.17/5

Core VoIP features: 3.96/5

Advanced features: 4.25/5

Integration and compatibility: 4.17/5

UX: 4.69/5

Security and compliance: 5.00/5

Customer support and service: 4/5

User scores: 4.07/5

Vonage is the best VoIP for small businesses dealing with changing call volumes every now and then since the platform offers the flexibility of adding and removing VoIP features when your communication demands increase or decline. By default, you have access to over 40 tools, covering call management, collaboration, and mobility capabilities. When the volume of calls surges, you have the option to add extra features, like call queues, secondary line appearance, and virtual phone extensions. Remove them once the call volumes are reduced.

The platform’s smart numbers help manage fluctuating call volumes. The feature allows you to customize voice workflows, thereby accommodating current call center demands. When a customer calls, the smart number lets you route the call to your business’ nearest local office, play a prerecorded announcement, or inform the customer about the agent’s schedule availability. Use Vonage when dealing with varying call volumes. In case you need a refresher on cloud-based business phone systems, read our comprehensive what is VoIP guide.

Vonage is a business phone system equipped with over 40 standard features, including conference call, call logs, follow me, and simultaneous ring. Aside from call-handling tools, the vendor offers different types of phone numbers, including local, toll-free, and international. The team messaging tool supports group chats and voice and video calls. Meanwhile, for video meetings, users may host a maximum of 200 attendees. Vonage integrates with 20 third-party apps, including popular customer relationship management (CRM) solutions: Salesforce, Microsoft Dynamics, and HubSpot.

RingCentral: Best for large call volumes

Pros

Integrates with over 300 third-party apps
Less than six minutes of annual downtime thanks to the 99.999% uptime guarantee
Large video conferencing capacity
Offers up to 10,000 toll-free minutes

Cons

Doesn’t offer unlimited texting
More expensive than other VoIP providers

Our Rating: 4.32/5

Call monitoring: Observe active calls to evaluate agent-customer interactions in real-time. Use whisper to listen discreetly to phone conversations. If you need to address the customer directly, use the barge or takeover tools.

Call delegation: Allow assistants to pick up phone calls on behalf of executives. This enables managers to focus on more important tasks, without missing answering customer queries. An executive may have 10 assistants, and an assistant may support 10 executives.

RingOut: If you have an unstable internet connection, use a landline or mobile phone to make the call. RingOut will display your RingCentral number as your caller ID. With this, a familiar phone number appears on the customers’ end even though you use a different device. Learn more about the benefits of using VoIP vs landline.

Visual voicemail: See a list of your voicemail on your desktop or mobile phone. When you click a message, you’ll find a voicemail transcription, allowing you to get the message instantly without playing the audio file.

Visual IVR editor: Create a phone tree without hassle using the platform’s visual interface. Use the plus icon to add routing options, like connecting callers to a specific phone number, directory, or voicemail.

Pricing: 3.59/5

General features and interface: 4.31/5

Core features: 4.58/5

Advanced features: 4.5/5

Integration and compatibility: 4.38/5

UX: 4.69/5

Security and compliance: 5/5

Customer support and service: 3.75/5

User scores: 4.10/5

RingCentral is best for companies managing large call volumes since it offers robust call-handling tools. Its multi-level auto-attendant automatically answers inbound calls and routes them to appropriate departments or service representatives. It supports up to eight-digit extensions, further allowing businesses to efficiently distribute calls to the right destinations without requiring a human agent. The team messaging tool makes consultation with managers and fellow service representatives easy and seamless, enabling the team to resolve queries faster.

With the platform’s excellent third-party integrations, users reduce app switching, contributing to overall agent efficiency. Agents won’t have to open a separate computer program to see customer profiles. When RingCentral is connected to a customer relationship management (CRM) app, the CRM profile automatically pops up when an inbound call matching a CRM record comes through the phone system. Given all these capabilities, RingCentral is the ideal solution when you receive multiple calls a day.

RingCentral is a unified communications solution that supports voice calls, team messaging, and video conferencing. Its phone system includes advanced tools like interactive voice response (IVR), heads-up display, hot desking, call delegation, and background noise reduction.

Meanwhile, the chat app lets users send files and assign tasks to colleagues, facilitating seamless team collaboration. Video meetings accommodate up to 500 participants and run up to 24 hours. RingCentral features a wide range of third-party integrations, including Zendesk, Slack, Google Drive, and Zapier.

Vonage vs RingCentral: A detailed comparison

Vonage vs RingCentral: Pricing & value

With RingCentral’s annual discounts and the default features already included in its subscription plans, the platform is the more affordable choice, winning the Vonage vs RingCentral pricing round.

	Vonage	RingCentral
Entry-Level Fee	$19.99/user/month	$30/user/month (or $20/user/month with annual pay)
Discounts	For more than four users; requires a one-year contract	Annual discounts up to 33%
Early Termination	Fees apply, up to the total price of the service contract	None mentioned
Free Trial	None mentioned	14-day free trial
Plans Overview	– Mobile: $19.99/user/month – Premium: $29.99/user/month – Advanced: $39.99/user/month	-Core: $30/user/month – Advanced: $35/user/month – Ultra: $45/user/month
Included Features	Desktop and mobile apps, unlimited calling in US, CA, MX, voicemail	Unlimited US & CA calling, toll-free minutes, SMS credits, basic call queues
Add-On Fees	AI virtual assistant, call recording, call queues	Advanced tools like push-to-talk, live reports

Vonage

Vonage offers three subscription plans, with an entry-level fee of $19.99 per user, per month. It offers discounts for more than four users but requires a minimum one-year contract for new accounts. When you cancel your subscription during the contract term, early termination fees apply, ranging up to the total price of the service contract. Certain VoIP features, like artificial intelligence (AI) virtual assistant, call recording, and call queues, have add-on fees.

Mobile: $19.99 per user for access to desktop and mobile apps, unlimited calling within the United States (US), Canada, and Mexico. SMS and MMS, voicemail, and virtual receptionist.
Premium: $29.99 per user for team messaging, video meetings, access to the app center, and single sign-on.
Advanced: $39.99 per user for call groups, on-demand call recording, and visual voicemail.

RingCentral

RingCentral features three subscription packages, with a starting rate of $30 per user, per month. While Vonage is more affordable than RingCentral at first glance, note that some features that require extra fees in Vonage are default tools on RingCentral. These include call recording, call queues, and phone extensions.

On top of that, RingCentral provides annual discounts, which Vonage doesn’t offer. When you choose the annual billing arrangement, you’ll be able to save up to 33% or pay only $20 for the entry-level plan, which is relatively the same cost as Vonage’s base-tier package. Unlike Vonage, RingCentral has a 14-day free trial.

RingCentral’s add-on fees only apply to advanced tools, like push-to-talk, live reports for real-time call queue management, and the video conference room system.

Core: $30 per user for unlimited domestic calling within the US and Canada, 100 toll-free minutes, 25 SMS credits per user, basic call queues, and receptionist console
Advanced: $35 per user for 1,000 toll-free minutes, 100 SMS credits per user, advanced call monitoring, up to eight-digit extensions, and unlimited internet fax
Ultra: $45 per user for 10,000 toll-free minutes, 200 SMS credits per user, unlimited storage for files, messaging, and recordings, and device analytics and alerts

Vonage vs RingCentral: Call management

RingCentral emerges as the superior choice in the call management category of this Vonage vs RingCentral guide since it offers a comprehensive set of tools, including an IVR, toll-free minutes, and call monitoring. Nonetheless, both providers have robust VoIP security features and comply with Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI-DSS) guidelines.

Vonage

To help users manage phone calls, Vonage features call forwarding, call screening, call blocking, and follow me. Call tagging, which involves adding labels to conversations, makes it easy to distinguish customer interactions. You’ll know instantly why customers are calling or which departments are responsible for such calls.

Unlike RingCentral, Vonage doesn’t have an IVR, only a virtual receptionist who automatically answers calls and greets callers. As mentioned, some call management features, including the AI virtual assistant, secondary line appearance, and virtual phone extensions, come with an extra cost.

RingCentral

RingCentral has a more robust call management system, offering tools you won’t find on Vonage. For one, it has an IVR that intelligently distributes calls to agents after processing touch-tone or voice responses to the phone menu. It features call monitoring tools, like whisper, barge, and monitor, which allow supervisors to assess agent performance in real-time.

Moreover, it has a toll-free minutes allowance, helping businesses cater to customers nationwide. The most expensive RingCentral plan comes with 10,000 toll-free minutes. More minute bundles are available at an additional cost.

Vonage vs RingCentral: Instant messaging

In the instant messaging round, RingCentral gains a step ahead because it supports chats with external contacts and task management, features Vonage doesn’t have.

Vonage

Vonage’s team chat tool lets users collaborate instantly with each other without needing an external app. Send direct messages to individual colleagues or a team channel with multiple participants. Reply to specific messages and create a thread to make the conversation more organized. The platform allows the sending of emojis, which makes chats more engaging. If you need to discuss matters in depth, launch a voice or video call by clicking the phone and video icons at the chat window’s top right corner. Vonage supports file sharing, although the exact attachment limit is unclear.

RingCentral

As we evaluated RingCentral vs Vonage instant messaging tools, we found that RingCentral has a better offering, as it offers advanced features like task management and inclusion of external contacts, which Vonage doesn’t have. Aside from supporting one-on-one and group chats, rich text editing, and file sharing, RingCentral lets users create and assign tasks to team members. To complete task creation, specify the to-do’s due date and frequency and add a category and color tags.

RingCentral’s team messaging tool allows businesses to include external contacts in group chats. With this, it’s easier to discuss matters with clients as you won’t need a third-party app.

Vonage vs RingCentral: Video conferencing

Since RingCentral features artificial intelligence (AI) tools and hosts more participants in a session compared to Vonage, it’s the clear winner in the RingCentral vs Vonage video conferencing battle.

	Vonage	RingCentral
Maximum Participants	200 in one session	Up to 200 in standard plans; 500 with large meeting add-on
Meeting Recording Duration	Up to 15 hours	Not specified; AI tools generate summaries and highlights
Collaboration Tools	Chat, whiteboard, virtual backgrounds	Chat, whiteboard, meeting notes (real-time collaboration), breakout groups, Team Huddle
Privacy Features	Waiting rooms, mute/disable audio or video, lock meetings	Not specified; includes AI-powered features like transcriptions and closed captions
AI Tools	None mentioned	AI-powered: transcriptions, closed captions, meeting summaries, highlights reels, automated chapters
Availability	From the second-tier plan at $29.99/user/month	Available in all plans, starting at $30/user/month

Vonage

Vonage’s video conferencing platform hosts a maximum of 200 participants in one session and supports up to 15 hours of meeting recording. Attendees collaborate through different tools, including chat, whiteboard, and virtual backgrounds.

In terms of privacy features, you may activate waiting rooms to filter through the people attempting to join the session or mute participants and disable audio or video when necessary. Lock meetings to prevent new participants from entering the meeting. Note that Vonage’s video conferencing isn’t available until the second-tier plan, which costs $29.99 per user, monthly.

RingCentral

RingCentral accommodates up to 200 participants in its most expensive subscription plan. However, it offers a large meeting add-on, which can host a maximum of 500 attendees. Aside from chat and whiteboard, the platform lets attendees collaborate on meeting notes simultaneously in real-time. When you’re hosting a large group and would like to facilitate more engaging discussions, split the audience into breakout groups. Meanwhile, if you want team members to come and go to meetings as they please (similar to your in-person informal chitchats in the office’s break room), use Team Huddle.

The best part about RingCentral’s video conferencing platform is it’s powered by AI. During the meeting, the platform displays transcriptions and closed captions. After the session, it automatically generates meeting summaries, transcripts, highlights reels, and automated chapters, enabling teams to remember what was discussed and work on the agreed to-dos right away.

Unlike Vonage, RingCentral’s video meeting feature is available in all plans, including the entry-level package that costs $30 per user, per month.

Vonage vs RingCentral: Third-party integrations

In the integration round for Vonage vs RingCentral, RingCentral comes out ahead since it natively connects with over 300 solutions. Vonage only works with 20 third-party apps.

Vonage

The Vonage App Center showcases the apps that integrate with the unified communications system. The most popular apps included are Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, Slack, HubSpot, and Clio. It works seamlessly with Zapier, so you’re able to connect the platform to a hundred more apps, though with limited configurations. All in all, Vonage natively integrates with 20 third-party solutions. Unfortunately, some Vonage integrations like Salesforce and Bullhorn require an extra fee.

RingCentral

RingCentral features more third-party apps in its integration gallery. Some of the solutions are Google Drive, Microsoft Outlook, Mailchimp, Freshdesk, and Jira. In addition, you may automate workflows with over 500 apps using Zapier. The advantage of choosing RingCentral is the integrations don’t require extra fees. Productivity integrations like Office 365, Google Workspace, and Slack are already available in the entry-level plan. The platform features over 300 out-of-the-box integrations.

Vonage vs RingCentral: Ease of setup and use

Because both providers facilitate a simple account creation and login process and feature intuitive interfaces, we consider the two providers tied in the ease of setup and use round.

Vonage

Vonage appeals to first-time VoIP users because it’s easy to set up and navigate. The administrator adds employees to the account, and the end users receive an email with a username and a link to set up the password. Once you finalize the password, you can go to app.vonage.com to log in.

The actual unified communications platform has a neat, simple interface. On the left side panel, you’ll see the communication features: Calls, Voicemail, SMS, Team Messaging, and Meetings. It also contains navigation tools for accessing contacts, third-party integrations, and reports. With this, making phone calls, messaging team members, and launching video meetings don’t require extensive technical training.

RingCentral

RingCentral’s sign-up process is fast and easy: Just key in your work email and country in the input fields. The provider will send an email confirming your account. The link provided there will direct you to the login page.

Similar to Vonage, RingCentral has an easy-to-navigate interface despite the wide range of features it offers. Its side panel contains icons that take you to different communication capabilities: voice calls, team messaging, video meetings, SMS, and fax. Similarly, the contacts, settings, and apps can be found in the sidebar.

Vonage vs RingCentral: Customer service

Vonage offers the option to have an information technology (IT) team set up the apps businesses need for client and team communications. Because of this hands-on customer support, Vonage wins in the customer service round.

	Vonage	RingCentral
Dedicated Support Hub	Yes, with a search bar for easy navigation	Knowledge base with how-to articles
Community Support	Vonage Business Cloud Community for discussions	RingCentral Community for news and discussions
Direct Communication Channels	Phone support and 24/7 chatbot	Phone and chat support available in all plans
Special Services	Orange glove setup service for business communications software installation (available in the most expensive plan)	Regular release notes for updates on new features
Setup Services	IT team set up for necessary apps	Not specified

Vonage

Vonage features a dedicated hub with all the resources needed to navigate the platform and maximize its features. The Vonage Business Communications Support has a search bar that allows users to find specific topics, removing the need to scroll through piles of content. Similarly, the provider has the Vonage Business Cloud Community, where users can ask questions and start or participate in discussions.

Aside from self-help channels, Vonage offers phone support. A 24/7 chatbot is likewise available to answer queries from businesses. On top of that, the vendor provides orange glove setup services, similar to IT support, where the Vonage team installs the software solutions you need for your business communications. Note that this service is exclusively available in its most expensive plan.

RingCentral

RingCentral features a comprehensive set of customer support services. For businesses that prefer finding solutions on their own, the provider has a knowledge base that contains various how-to articles for different topics. The RingCentral Community allows users to read up on the latest news and announcements from the provider and engage in discussions. The vendor regularly publishes release notes to inform customers about the new features on its platform.

As for the direct communication channels, users can get assistance from RingCentral representatives through phone and chat. This service is available in all subscription plans.

Which is right for your business?

In our assessment of RingCentral vs Vonage, RingCentral emerged as the superior platform, winning in several categories. While Vonage’s entry-level plan is the more affordable option at first glance, RingCentral’s annual discounts and robust inclusions in the base-tier package make the platform an equally budget-friendly choice for small businesses. Moreover, Vonage’s add-on features can make the monthly subscription more expensive.

Meanwhile, in terms of call management, instant messaging, video conferencing, and third-party integrations, RingCentral has more unique capabilities than Vonage. RingCentral allows users to monitor active calls, assign and manage tasks, and host up to 500 video meeting participants. In addition, the provider connects to over 300 third-party apps, whereas Vonage only natively integrates with 20 solutions. However, Vonage takes a step ahead in the customer service category since it offers an orange glove setup, which RingCentral doesn’t have.

In summary, choose RingCentral and take advantage of its robust unified communication features when accommodating a large volume of calls. But if you have fluctuating call volumes, go for Vonage and maximize its a la carte pricing and personalized customer support to deal with the rapid changes in communication demands.

Featured Partners: VoIP

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Yes. Download Vonage’s softphone app from the Apple or Google Play store to access the business phone system’s features. Once the app is installed, you can start making and accepting calls from the app on your smartphone. In case you’re weighing between cloud-based phone systems and cellular services, check out our VoIP vs cellular service guide.

No. RingCentral’s entry-level plan costs $30 per user, per month, while Zoom Phone has a starting fee of $10 per user. However, RingCentral lowers its base-tier package to $20 per user when you choose to pay annually. If you want to spend less on business communications, try our top picks for free VoIP services.

The post Vonage vs RingCentral: Which VoIP is Best in 2024? appeared first on TechnologyAdvice.

Top 6 Nextiva Alternatives & Competitors for 2024

Sam Dadofalza — Thu, 07 Mar 2024 13:38:27 +0000

Nextiva is a reliable business phone solution offering a generous toll-free minute allowance and excellent unified communications tools. Users can maximize up to 12,500 toll-free minutes monthly, accommodating large volumes of long-distance calls. Moreover, they can collaborate with team members seamlessly through instant messaging and video conferencing. But like any software, it does have some shortfalls that could lead some to consider Nextiva alternatives.

The business phone vendor doesn’t offer vanity and international phone numbers. It also doesn’t support unlimited international calling and only natively integrates with less than 20 business apps. Its video conferencing capacity is limited to 45 minutes and 25 participants only. If you want to switch to a new provider, explore these Nextiva competitors:

Vonage: Best for customized voice workflows
GoTo Connect: Best for international calling
RingCentral: Best for third-party integrations
8×8: Best for video meetings
Ooma: Best for domestic calling
Grasshopper: Best for virtual phone numbers

Best Nextiva Alternatives	Key Features	Try Nextiva Alternatives
	Smart numbers SmartWAN (Smart Wide Area Network, which prioritizes VoIP traffic to deliver high-quality voice and video communications) Artificial intelligence (AI) virtual assistant	Try Vonage
	Unlimited international calling to 50-plus countries 1,000 toll-free minutes shared across the account Intercom calling	Try GoTo Connect
	Up to 10,000 toll-free minutes Receptionist console Call monitoring	Try RingCentral
	Unlimited international calling to 48 countries Hot desking Unlimited internet fax	Try 8×8
	Unlimited calling in the United States (US), Canada, Mexico, and Puerto Rico Digital call deflection One-to-many messaging	Try Ooma
	Unlimited extensions Custom greetings Instant response	Try Grasshopper

Vonage: Best for customized voice workflows

Pros

40+ default VoIP features
99.999% uptime guarantee
Business inbox supports Facebook Messenger
Minute bundles for international calling

Cons

Call queue costs $14.99 a month on top of the monthly subscription fee
On-demand call recording is locked behind the most expensive subscription plan

Our Rating: 4.8/5

Founded in 2001, Vonage offers a unified communications as a service (UCaaS) solution that supports voice, short messaging service (SMS), instant messaging, and video conferencing. Through the years, it has seen strategic acquisitions of various cutting-edge software solutions, including communications platform as a service (CPaaS) Nexmo in 2016, contact center as a service (CCaaS) NewVoiceMedia in 2018, and voice and conversational AI Over.ai in 2019. In the 2023 Frost & Sullivan report, the company was recognized as a leader that enables businesses to use a fully integrated CCaaS and UCaaS solution.

SmartWAN: WAN stands for wide area network, which refers to several connected networks across a specific geographical area. With Vonage’s SmartWAN, you’ll get high-quality voice, video, and messaging data as it prioritizes VoIP traffic and offers enterprise-quality bandwidth.
AI virtual assistant: The conversational AI uses natural language understanding (NLU) to analyze the customer’s intent and provide relevant answers or direct them to the right human agents.
Never Miss a Call: This includes various mobility tools, like the simultaneous ring, which alerts multiple connected devices at the same time, and call forwarding, which redirects incoming calls to preconfigured phone numbers.
Secondary line appearance: Add another line to an existing phone to accommodate more calls. This feature costs an additional $14.99 a month.
Conference call: Create a three-way call to facilitate a faster, more seamless discussion among clients and team members.

The pricing below is for monthly billing. The subscription fees are reduced to $13.99, $20.99, and $27.99 when you pay annually.

Mobile plan: $19.99/user/month

Includes:

Unlimited domestic calling
Voicemail
Number porting
Desktop and mobile apps
Virtual receptionist
SMS and multimedia messaging service (MMS)

Premium: $29.99/user/month

Includes:

Team messaging
Video meetings for up to 200 participants
Desk phone
Third-party integrations
Single sign-on

Advanced: $39.99/user/month

Includes:

Call groups
On-demand call recording
Visual voicemail

Vonage is one of the best Nextiva alternatives, specifically in the area of call routing, as it allows businesses to customize caller journeys based on pre-configured conditions. Its smart numbers feature work with communication application programming interfaces (APIs) to create unique voice workflows. For instance, they may be programmed to route inquiries geographically based on area code. A customer calling from a specific location will be directed to an office nearby.

Another use case for smart numbers is checking a team member’s calendar. When a customer calls, the system automatically plays a recording stating the agent’s time of availability. Businesses may apply various functions using smart numbers, from two-factor authentication to voice transcription and text translation. Nextiva doesn’t have this capability. Thus, if you want to customize call workflows, choose Vonage as your VoIP solution.

Create smart phone numbers to customize voice workflows. (Source: Vonage’s YouTube page)

GoTo Connect: Best for international calling

Pros

Toll-free minute allowance available in all subscription plans
Unlimited ring groups
End-to-end video encryption
24/7 customer support

Cons

Lacks international phone numbers
Shared inbox isn’t available in the business phone solution

Our Rating: 4.74/5

GoTo Connect is GoTo Technologies’ all-in-one business communication software that allows businesses to make phone calls, message team members, and conduct video meetings. Its platform has a 99.999% uptime, guaranteeing a highly reliable service. In 2022, global integrated media company TMC recognized GoTo Connect as a 2022 Unified Communications Product of the Year Award winner.

Call screening: Spam calls are automatically terminated, while calls from very important people (VIPs) go straight to an agent’s line without needing to key in numbers from the auto-attendant’s instructions.
Virtual fax: Send faxes from your mobile phone or desktop. The messages can be delivered to a fax machine or email inbox.
Hot desking: This feature allows users to access their contacts, calls, messages, and preferred user interface regardless of the physical phone they use. Thus, employees can work anywhere they like.
SMS: Send appointment reminders and product updates to customers via text. Automate messages and responses to avoid forgetting important communications.
Video meeting: Host up to 250 participants in one session. Maximize screen sharing, drawing tools, in-session chat, and other team collaboration tools to easily discuss matters with colleagues.

Phone System: Customized quote

Includes:

1,000 toll-free minutes shared across the account
International calling to 50-plus countries
Unlimited auto-attendant greetings
Unlimited ring groups
Call recording
Team messaging
Video meeting for up to 250 participants

Customer Engagement: Customized quote

Includes:

AI-powered messaging assistant
Shared inbox
Custom surveys
Webchat channel

Complete CX: Customized quote

Includes:

Intelligent call routing
Skills assignment
Ring strategy
Call dispositions
Auto-queue callback
Agent dashboard

Unlike Nextiva, GoTo Connect supports international calling, so this provider made it to the top Nextiva alternatives. More than offering international calling, it doesn’t limit calls, which other providers do, charging per minute. GoTo Connect has a wide country coverage, allowing you to connect with contacts in over 50 countries, including Australia, France, Germany, Spain, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. Compared to a cellular service, this VoIP solution offers huge money savings for international calls.

While offering international calling, the platform enables businesses to handle large volumes of incoming phone calls. Manage inquiries more efficiently with smart call routing, ring groups, and call queues. Use the inbound call filters to weed out spam and robocalls that affect agent productivity.

Enable dialing international numbers on GoTo Connect. (Source: GoTo Connect Support’s YouTube page)

RingCentral: Best for third-party integrations

Pros

99.999% uptime guarantee
Access to receptionist console to manage high-volume calls
Offers international numbers
Maximum of 500 participants in video meetings

Cons

Entry-level plan doesn’t have unlimited internet fax
Doesn’t offer unlimited texting like other VoIP providers

Our Rating: 4.44/5

Since 1999, RingCentral has provided cloud-based technologies to small businesses and enterprises. It launched its cloud phone system in 2003, introducing the mobile app 10 years later in 2013. In 2015, it acquired Glip and included messaging and team collaboration tools in its phone system. In 2020, it introduced RingCentral video, allowing remote team members to meet virtually. RingCentral was recognized as a Leader in Gartner’s 2023 Magic Quadrant for UCaaS, Worldwide report.

Call whisper: Listen to active phone calls to evaluate agents’ performance. Coach service representatives without the customer knowing of your presence on the call.
Call park: Put a live call on hold and in a communal parking spot, where other team members can retrieve the call. Its difference from call hold is that any phone in the system can resume the call.
Unified inbox: All types of communication, from voicemails and texts to faxes, are kept in one place. With this, it’s easier to keep track of all messages.
Visual voicemail: View voicemails in text format. This is especially useful when you’re on the go and cannot listen to voicemails.
Receptionist console: See each extension’s status to know which team members are available for a call with a customer or a chat for consultation.

The pricing below is for one to five users, on a monthly billing arrangement. Save 33% by paying annually.

Core: $30/user/month

Includes:

Unlimited domestic calling within the US and Canada
Interactive voice response (IVR)
Shared lines
Video meeting for up to 100 participants
Whiteboard and annotations
Breakout rooms

Advanced: $35/user/month

Includes:

Up to eight-digit extensions
Advanced call monitoring
Hot desking
Unlimited internet fax
Custom roles and permissions
Integrations with customer relationship management (CRM) and industry-specific apps

Ultra: $45/user/month

Includes:

Unlimited storage
Device analytics and alerts

While Nextiva natively integrates with less than 20 third-party solutions, RingCentral seamlessly connects with over 300 apps, making it one of the top Nextiva alternatives. It works with various tools for collaboration and CRM, namely Slack, Microsoft Teams, Google Workspace, Salesforce, HubSpot, and Microsoft Dynamics 365. With business tools connected, you won’t have to switch apps when picking up calls and referring to customer profiles or chatting with a colleague.

On top of this, RingCentral offers access to its developer platform. With its voice, SMS, and video APIs, you’ll be able to add communication capabilities to your apps.

Make RingCentral phone calls right within Slack. (Source: RingCentral)

8×8: Best for video meetings

Pros

Unlimited international calling
International numbers are available
99.999% uptime service level agreement (SLA)
Single sign-on in all subscription plans

Cons

Pricing is not readily available on the website
Long-term storage (five-year retention) requires an extra fee

Our Rating: 4.19/5

8×8 offers various cloud-based software solutions, including a business phone system, contact center, and APIs. It supports companies scaling global communications, as it provides public switched telephone network (PSTN) services in over 55 countries. In 2024, 8×8 received 38 Winter awards, including UCaaS Platform Overall Leader.

Ring group: Alert phone numbers, extensions, and physical phones simultaneously when a specific extension number is dialed. With this, you’ll ensure you won’t miss any calls.
Caller ID: The internal caller ID shows the caller’s number and name. The external caller ID displays your number and name so recipients will recognize you. You have the option to block caller ID for each user in your account.
IVR: Direct customers to the departments or agents they’re looking for by letting them choose among phone menu options.
Call barge: Managers can join a call between an agent and a customer to resolve queries faster.
International calling: Establish and maintain rapport with overseas contacts. 8×8 supports unmetered international calls to France, Ireland, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and 44 more countries.

X2: Custom pricing

Includes:

Unified mobile, desktop, and web app
Multi-level auto-attendant
Unlimited extension-to-extension calling
Hot desking
Voicemail transcription
Unlimited internet fax
Call and video meeting recording for 30 to 130 days

X4: Custom pricing

Includes:

8×8 Frontdesk for receptionists
Barge, monitor, and whisper
Supervisor analytics
Call activity analytics

Although Nextiva offers video conferencing, its duration and participant capacity are severely limited. It only allows 45 minutes and 25 attendees per session. 8×8 is a better option for hosting video meetings, as it accommodates up to 500 participants without meeting duration limits. Meet as many team members or clients as you need without worrying about being cut short in the middle of the discussion.

8×8 offers various in-meeting collaboration tools, including chat, screen sharing, and polls. After the meeting, participants can immediately work on the next steps discussed, as the platform automatically generates meeting summaries and action items, thanks to AI. 8×8 offers end-to-end encryption, only granting access to participants with the shared key.

Conduct high-quality video meetings on 8×8. (Source: 8×8)

Ooma: Best for domestic calling

Pros

50-plus standard VoIP features in all plans
Offers various hardware phones
Virtual fax and analog fax machine support
Toll-free number and 500 toll-free minutes

Cons

Limited native third-party integrations
Only accommodates a maximum of 100 video meeting participants

Our Rating: 4.06/5

Ooma, founded in 2003, offers communication software solutions for homes and businesses. It’s among the top VoIP vendors with their own first-party hardware. Its softphone app is equipped with valuable tools: analytics, call recording, conference bridge, and virtual fax. In 2023, PCMag recognized the provider as the best VoIP system for the tenth year in a row.

Call recording: Capture customer interactions and use them for training customer service representatives. The materials offer agents a glimpse of different call scenarios they can expect.
Virtual receptionist scheduling: Configure business hours to direct calls to the right extension or voicemail, depending on the day of the week or time of the day.
One-to-many messaging: Reach multiple people and get the word out faster. Ooma allows you to broadcast an SMS to a maximum of 30 people.
Digital call deflection: Enable customers to move from a phone call to a text message with a simple keypress. This effectively shortens call queues.
Extension monitoring: See the status of other users in your phone system. A steady red light on the phone indicates that the user is on a phone call. A flashing red means the monitored extension has an incoming call. A steady green indicates the extension is available, as it’s not in an active phone conversation.

Ooma Home

Basic: $0/user/month (Only requires a one-time fee of $99.99 for Ooma Telo)

Includes:

Unlimited calls within the US
Answering machine
Free number porting
Free Ooma-to-Ooma calling
Online call log
Local phone number
911 and 911 alerts

Premier: $9.99/month

Includes:

Unlimited calls within the US, Canada, Puerto Rico, and Mexico
Call forwarding
Multi-ring
Custom ring patterns
Enhanced call waiting
Three-way conference call
Custom call blocking

Ooma Office

The pricing below is for monthly billing. Annual billing is not available.

Essentials: $19.95/user/month

Includes:

One toll-free number and 500 minutes of inbound calls a month
Call forwarding
Extension monitoring
One conference bridge per user
Virtual receptionist
Virtual extensions

Pro: $24.95/user/month

Includes:

Call recording
Call analytics
Dynamic caller ID
Text messaging
Video conferencing for up to 25 participants
Integration with Microsoft 365 and Google

Pro Plus: $29.95

Includes:

Call queues
Find me, follow me
Digital call deflection
Video conferencing for up to 100 participants
Video meeting recording
Team chat

Ooma is among the best Nextiva alternatives for domestic calling because it goes beyond the US and Canada. It offers unlimited calls to mobile and landline phones in Mexico and Puerto Rico. The best part is that when you choose Ooma Premier, the provider’s home phone plan ideal for solopreneurs, you only pay $9.99 a month to access unlimited calling within the mentioned countries. This is a significantly cheaper rate compared to other VoIP providers listed here.

If you only need unlimited domestic calling within the US and Canada, Ooma Basic should be enough. This free VoIP service doesn’t have monthly charges when you call clients within the US and Canada. You simply pay the one-time fee for the analog telephone adapter Ooma Telo.

Call local phone numbers in the US using Ooma’s mobile app. (Source: Ooma)

Grasshopper: Best for virtual phone numbers

Pros

Allows call forwarding to multiple numbers
Unlimited number of users starting in the Solo Plus plan
Call management features in all plans
Professionally-recorded greetings by voice actors

Cons

Doesn’t offer call recording
Lacks instant messaging and video conferencing

Our Rating: 3.69/5