RingCentral and Google Voice, two giants of the contact center software industry, have been helping businesses with their communication needs for years. While both are highly advanced and powerful tools, they differ in terms of the benefits they can bring to businesses.
Let’s take a closer look at each one and how they can fit in with your budget, your team, and your business goals.
Key Features at a Glance
| Feature | RingCentral | Google Voice |
| Pricing | Starts at $20/user/month and highly scalable. | Starts at $10/user/month with basic features. |
| Collaboration tools | Advanced integrations, video, messaging. | Limited to voice, integrates with Google Workspace. |
| Customer feedback | Versatile but steep learning curve. | Easy to use, lacks advanced functions. |
| Use case | Medium-large teams, remote workers. | Small teams, freelancers, basic needs. |
Which One is More Budget-Friendly?
RingCentral
RingCentral has a variety of plans based on your business needs, such as business phone plans, contact center plans, video, event, or conversation intelligence plans. Each one is unique, including features like unlimited calls, video conferencing, integrations with other tools, and much more. The downside is that costs can quickly add up as your team grows, or if you want access to advanced features. Here’s a quick breakdown of the pricing plans:
- Business phone: Starts at $20/user/month for things like domestic calling, IVR menus, SSO, and Google and Microsoft integrations, and goes up to $35/user/month for customizable analytics, 200-participant video meeting, and unlimited file and recording storage.
- Contact center: Starts at $65/user/month with core features like real-time reports and call recording, plus AI capabilities, integrations, and workforce engagement tools. Also available is an enterprise plan, which is highly advanced and customizable to your business needs.
- Video: Starts with a basic free plan that includes 100-participant meetings, AI transcriptions, and content sharing, and goes up to $39/user/month for screen-sharing, HD video, calling, and much more.
- Events: Starts with a basic free plan that comes with a 30 day free trial and allows 10 organizers and 1000 registrations, and goes all the way up to $299/organizer/month for features like AI-powered webinars and virtual events, 40+ apps, SSO, lead retrieval, APIs, and so much more.
- Conversation intelligence: Starts at $60/user/month with features like coaching and performance analysis, automated summaries and highlights, multi-level insights and reporting, and advanced search, sort, and interaction filtering.
Google Voice
Google Voice is the more budget-friendly option, starting at just $10/user/month for the basic plan. It’s the ideal tool for any team or business that just wants something simple, and doesn’t need all the bells and whistles that come with many other platforms. But, remember, you get what you pay for: you won’t see advanced features like CRM integrations or powerful analytics with Google Voice. Here’s a breakdown of the plans:
- Starter: From $10/user/month; includes up to 10 users in domestic locations, calls to US & Canada, calls to Europe from Europe, unlimited text messaging in the US, voicemail transcription, Google Meet and Calendar integrations, 24/7 support, and call forwarding.
- Standard: From $16/user/month; unlimited users, regional locations, and domestic locations; everything in the start plan plus multi-level auto attendant, Ring Groups, desk phone and ATA support, eDiscovery for calls, voicemails and text messaging records, and ad-hoc user call recording.
- Premier: From $25/user/month; number or user, regional and domestic locations, and international locations are all unlimited; everything in the standard plan plus advanced reporting and automatic call recording.
Verdict
Both have hugely varying pricing plans, but the difference is obvious: if you’re on a tight budget and have simple needs. Google Voice is the better choice. But, if you need something more comprehensive, RingCentral’s higher price point might be worth it.
Which One is Better for Team Collaboration?
RingCentral
RingCentral is ideal for both larger teams and remote workers thanks to its seamless integrations with tools like Slack, Microsoft Teams, and Salesforce, making team communication easy and smooth. Plus, its video and messaging capabilities make it a no-brainer for businesses looking for powerful team collaboration tools.
Google Voice
Google Voice is highly reliable, but in comparison to RingCentral, it’s a bit more bare-bones. While it’s great for freelancers and small teams that primarily need voice calls, it’s not a good fit for bigger teams who need video conferencing and face-to-face meetings. In that case, businesses would have to opt for a separate Google Workspace tool like Google Meet.
Verdict
For teams juggling multiple communication channels across various locations, RingCentral is the obvious go-to. Its collaboration tool integrations and video and messaging features make it easy for teams to communicate through multiple channels. Google Voice, on the other hand, is best for solo entrepreneurs or small teams that want to keep things simple.
Whose Users are Happier?
RingCentral
RingCentral users often cite versatility and reliability as major advantages, but struggle with the learning curve, which is notoriously steep. For businesses without a dedicated IT team, it can be more difficult to get used to. Nonetheless, RingCentral boasts 4 out of 5 stars on G2 for its Contact Center software, 4.5 out of 5 for its Events software, and 4.1 out of 5 for its Video software.
Google Voice
Simplicity is the name of the game with Google Voice. Users love its easy setup and user-friendliness, but sometimes complain about the call quality. Plus, they lack good support for more complex business needs. Overall, they score 4 out of 5 stars on G2.
Verdict
If ease of use and basic features are what you’re looking for, then Google Voice is the obvious winner. But if you’re looking for robust functionalities and don’t see a problem with investing time in setup, then go for RingCentral.
What Are Their Ideal Use Cases?
| Use case | RingCentral | Google Voice |
| Small businesses | Great for growth but complicated setup that can be difficult for small teams. | Affordable and easy for the basic needs of small teams. |
| Remote teams | Comprehensive remote work features like collaboration tool integrations and video meetings. | Lacks powerful collaboration tools without opting for additional Google Meet or Google Workspace. |
| Customer support | Advanced analytics and call handling capabilities. | Basic calling capabilities. |
Why Voiso is the Smarter Alternative
We’ve seen how Google Voice and RingCentral stack up against each other, but how do they compare to Voiso’s AI-powered contact center software? Let’s take a look at why Voiso might be better for your business:
- Fully customizable: Google Voice and RingCentral tend to have a one-size-fits-all approach, whereas Voiso lets you tailor its features to your specific business needs. That way, you’re getting exactly what you pay for, and not overspending on features you don’t need.
- Budget-friendly and scalable: Voiso’s pricing plans scale with your business, so you only pay for what you actually use. Plus, you can scale your plan up or down with your business growth.
- Unified communication: Voiso offers voice, video, chat, and even advanced features like predictive dialing and speech analytics, all in the same place. No need to invest in separate tools and additional software – we’ve got you covered.
- Unmatched customer support: Our team is available 24/7 to help with any issue you might come across. Whether you’re a startup or an enterprise, we’re dedicated to making your experience seamless and enjoyable.
The Bottom Line
When choosing between RingCentral and Google Voice, it really just comes down to your budget and needs.
RingCentral is great for teams that need powerful features, while Google Voice is suited to those who need simple setups and basic tools.
But, if you want something that combines affordability, flexibility, and top-tier support? Well, Voiso is the tool for you. Why settle for the basics when you can have it all?
Get in touch today and see how Voiso can transform your business communication.
