10 Best Google Voice Alternatives for 2023 [Tested & Ranked]

Google Voice provides cloud-based VoIP telephony with useful basic features and seamless integration with pre-existing Google applications.

While ideal for solopreneurs and micro-businesses, Google Voice doesn’t offer the extensive features most look for in a business phone system. For example, as of this writing, Google Voice doesn’t offer toll-free numbers, shared phone numbers, AI-powered analytics, or extensive integrations with third-party software.

If you’re ready to move on from Google Voice, this list of the best Google Voice alternatives is the right place to start.

We’ll rank our favorite alternatives to Google Voice and give you quick provider overviews with insights into features, pricing,  pros and cons, and more.

 

 

 

The Best Google Voice Alternatives

Here’s the list of our favorite Google Voice alternatives:

1. RingCentral
2. Nextiva
3. Grasshopper
4. Dialpad
5. GoToConnect
6. Zoom Phone
7. 8×8
8. Ooma Office
9. Avaya Cloud Office
10. OnSIP

 

1. RingCentral: Best Overall 

RingCentral, a cloud-based VoIP, unified communications, and collaboration platform, offers much more than a virtual phone system.

RingCentral’s MVP (message, video, and phone) pricing plans offer three modes of communication, each with its own features and internal collaboration options, like internal 1:1 and group SMS messaging, whiteboard during video meetings, and multi-level IVR.

RingCentral’s simple and intuitive dashboard helps agents manage all three channels.

 

RingCentral MVP Pricing & Plans

RingCentral MVP offers three pricing plans:

• Core ($20 monthly): Unlimited VoIP in the US and Canada, 25 SMS per user, team chat, 100-participant video conferencing, 100 toll-free minutes, basic call queues, multi-level IVR, on-demand call recording
• Advanced ($25 monthly): Adds 300 integrations, business analytics, and advanced routing rules, expands to 1000 monthly toll-free minutes, 100 texts per user
• Ultra ($35 monthly): Expands to 200-participant video meetings, 10,000 monthly toll-free minutes, unlimited file storage, and Pro business analytics

 

Standout Features

• Team Messaging: Send private 1:1 messaging, or team messaging that includes customers, allowing participants to pin important messages and exchange documents
• Task Management: Share files and assign tasks, with due dates–all within RingCentral’s chat tab. Users can update task completion for shared visibility
• Flexible Phone System: With HD voice across devices, RingCentral’s cloud phone system offers international, toll-free, vanity, and local numbers in over 200 area codes, which multiple users can share
• Advanced Call Routing: Create a multi-level IVR system, use automatic call distribution, and take advantage of advanced call routing based on agent skill and priority. Ring group members simultaneously, round-robin style, in a fixed order, or on a set time schedule.
• Video: Host video conferences with up to 200 participants for up to 24 hours, on both mobile and desktop. Participants can share screens and use virtual whiteboards with options for text and preconfigured shapes, which can be saved and shared.
• Analytics: RingCentral’s Business Analytics platform offers metrics and KPIs within custom dashboards. View trends, tables, graphs, and KPIs for customer service, channel usage, agent performance, and more.

 

RingCentral MVP Pros

• Dashboard with unified communication channels: voice, text, video, chat
• Well-rounded suite of phone system features like queueing and routing
• Quick flipping from desktop to iPhone or Android
• Strong collaboration tools
• Over 300 integrated apps

 

RingCentral MVP Cons

• Configuration can be confusing
• Porting pre-existing numbers can be a hassle
• Customer service difficult to reach
• Mobile app lacks some important features
• Each plan has a capped per-user monthly SMS limit

 

Why We Picked RingCentral

RingCentral offers communication channels and collaboration features that Google Voice does not. Unlike Google Voice, RingCentral offers shared phone numbers for agents and toll-free vanity numbers.

With RingCentral, agents can use high-quality video conferencing packed with features like participant polling, screen sharing, remote screen control, and in-meeting file sharing to facilitate engaging team meetings.

 

2. Nextiva: Most Well-Rounded UCaaS

Nextiva, a cloud-based VoIP telephony provider that goes beyond phone numbers and calling, offers a do-it-all option with VoIP calling, texting, video conferencing, and team collaboration.

Nextiva’s plans include a local number and a toll-free number, with a free monthly allotment of toll-free minutes. Accounts can share up to 500 contacts, making notes on contacts and calls for synced communication. Users can share files or create and schedule video meetings, directly within the NextivaONE mobile and desktop app.

 

Nextiva Pricing & Plans

Nextiva offers three unified communications pricing plans:

• Essential ($18.95 monthly): Unlimited VoIP calling in the US and Canada, 1:1 video meetings, unlimited 1:1 chat and 3 concurrent team chat rooms, 1500 monthly toll-free minutes per account, basic auto attendant, and call groups
• Professional ($22.95 monthly): Expands video meetings to 40 participants, adds 1000 monthly SMS per user, 3000 toll-free minutes, multi-level auto attendant, video screen sharing, and CRM integrations like HubSpot and Salesforce
• Enterprise ($32.95 monthly): Expands to 250-participant video meetings, 2000 SMS per user, 12,500 monthly toll-free minutes per account, voicemail transcription, and popular integrations like Microsoft Teams and Oracle Sales Cloud

 

Standout Features

• Easy-to-Use Calling Tools: NextivaONE places various one-click call controls at an agent’s fingertips: call forwarding, screening, routing, recording, and conference calling.
• Video Calling and Conferencing: Nextiva’s Enterprise and Professional business phone plans enable video conferencing with up to 250 participants for webinars, online events, staff collaboration, and scheduled video meetings.
• Intuitive Dashboard: NextivaONE’s desktop dashboard is intuitive and user-friendly. All new messages and calls ping notifications in the left-hand column. When an agent clicks into a team room or conversation, the screen populates with relevant context and tools, like one-click video meetings and call controls.
• Voicemail Features: The app includes voicemail transcription, plus voicemail-to-SMS and voicemail-to-email forwarding
• Calendaring: Nextiva’s interface enables users to schedule meetings and invite users, directly from within the NextivaONE app. Nextiva has a built-in calendaring system and also integrates with popular calendar apps, like Google and Microsoft Outlook.

 

Nextiva Pros 

• Superior customer service compared to other VoIP providers
• Ease of use and intuitive NextOS interface
• Robust mobile app
• Reduces the number of communication/collaboration tools needed
• Excellent audio call quality
• Software training for Nextiva customers

 

Nextiva Cons

• Lengthy onboarding and training process
• High cancellation fee
• Lengthy, problematic contracts
• Few integrations with other business tools/software
• The high cost of premium features
• Recordings deleted after 30 days

 

Why We Picked Nextiva

Nextiva offers multiple advanced telephony features–CRM, analytics, video conferencing, AI, and automation–which make their business phone system a collaboration and customer-outreach powerhouse.

Nextiva’s pricing model makes it the prime candidate for companies and startups who want a cost-effective way to scale up. The Professional plan includes 3,000 toll-free minutes and 250-participant video conferences–all for only $36/month.

 

3. Grasshopper: Best for Calling 

Grasshopper, a business phone service for both in-house and remote teams, offers calling plans focused on phone and texting–no video, team chat, or advanced features.

Grasshopper provides three types of US-based business phone numbers–local, toll-free, and vanity–each capable of sharing multiple extensions. In fact, Grasshopper’s Small Business plan offers unlimited extensions for 5 numbers, which can support a whole company–making it one of the most affordable options for companies planning to use many extensions. The app is simple but user-friendly, with voicemail, call forwarding, and call transfer.

For companies looking to establish a professional presence with minimal bells and whistles, Grasshopper is one of the best options.

 

Grasshopper Pricing & Plans

Grasshopper offers three plans, priced by the account rather than by the user. Each plan includes an allotment of virtual numbers and extensions, each supporting unlimited users. All Grasshopper plans include the features listed below, plus SMS texting, mobile and desktop apps, and call forwarding.

• Solo ($28 monthly per account): 1 phone number and 3 extensions
• Partner ($46 monthly per account): 3 phone numbers and 6 extensions
• Small Business ($80 monthly per account): 5 phone numbers and unlimited extensions

 

Standout Features

• Custom Phone Numbers: Grasshopper offers toll-free, vanity, and local phone numbers across the US, or users can also port numbers from a previous provider

• Virtual Receptionist (IVR): Create a self-service voice menu that provides incoming callers with routing options. With Grasshopper’s Ruby receptionist, users can link numbers to a live receptionist who can answer questions, schedule appointments, and resolve payment issues, even after regular business hours.

• Business Texting: Send and receive text messages, internally and externally, on mobile or desktop. While Grasshopper charges for customer texting, agents and colleagues using the same Grasshopper plan can text for free.
• Voicemail Transcription: Visual voicemail transcribes voicemails into text, emailing users the text transcript and audio file through email, text, or Grasshopper app
• Automated Greetings: In addition to self-recording an IVR, Grasshopper users can use crystal-clear, professional-sounding recordings from Grasshopper’s voice studio–great for main greetings, away messages, voice mailboxes, and welcome/confirmation messages

 

Grasshopper Pros

• Affordable price for small companies that share phone numbers
• Easy-to-use calling and texting
• Virtual numbers across the US
• Simple interface
• Can import contacts
• Useful voicemail features

 

Grasshopper Cons

• Very few integrated apps
• Lacks many useful features and channels–including routing and queueing
• IVR can be confusing to set up with extensions
• No analytics

 

Why We Picked Grasshopper

While Google Voice offers slightly cheaper costs per number than Grasshopper, Grasshopper allows for number sharing via multiple extensions per number.

Grasshopper has long focused on offering simplicity, affordability, and reliability instead of implementing extra features. It lacks the advanced features that most of its competitors offer, but it’s a great option if you’re looking for a calling solution and a business number.

 

4. Dialpad: Best For Small Teams

Dialpad makes a great fit for small businesses looking for advanced features at a budget price.

With a real-time updated dashboard displaying a user’s relevant internal and external information, texting capabilities, and 10-participant video conferencing, DialPad goes above and beyond standard VoIP features while maintaining competitive prices. Dialpad offers VoIP, video, team chat, and SMS. The easy-to-use virtual app supports AI tools like live transcription and speech coaching or agents, and it also includes advanced business analytics across all plans.

 

Dialpad Pricing & Plans

Dialpad offers three pricing plans:

• Standard ($15 monthly): Unlimited calling within the US and Canada, SMS, team chat, 10-participant video conferencing, live transcription and speech coaching, call recording, real-time analytics, interactive video features
• Pro ($25 monthly): Supports multiple numbers per account, adds local business numbers in over 70 countries, 25 ring groups, global SMS texting, CRM integrations
• Enterprise (Custom pricing): Supports 100% uptime, unlimited office locations and ring groups, SSO integrations

 

Standout Features

• Video Conferencing: Unlimited HD-video meetings with up to 10 participants for up to 5 hours. Videos include screen sharing on desktop or mobile, personal meeting IDs, in-meeting chat, a waiting room, and whiteboarding.

• SMS Messaging: Message in 1:1 format or group chats, sending texts, photos, or videos externally or internally.

• AI Support: Dialpad Voice Intelligence (VI) records and transcribes each call, capturing highlighted moments (action items and questions) and emailing to agents, along with the audio recording and comment sidebar. AI also supports live speech coaching and automated post-call summaries

• Access Past Conversations: Every call summary transcript, text, chat, and contact is stored in real-time and accessible forever, searchable by keyword or contact name.
• Unified Platform: The DialPad dashboard lets agents make one-click calls and access contacts, inboxes, to-do items, and company departments. When a call pops up, the screen displays in-call routing options, customer information, interaction history, recent emails, relevant events, and related documents.
• Routing and queuing: Set up call queues, ring groups, and multi-level IVR

 

Dialpad Pros

• Unique AI features that no one else offers
• Real-time analytics across all plans–even Standard
• Affordable pricing
• Consistent performance and call quality
• Many features are customizable–IVR, analytics, phone numbers
• International phone numbers are available

 

Dialpad Cons

• Only 10 participants per video meeting
• Just one phone number per account on Standard plan
• Abundance of features can feel overwhelming
• The Standard plan doesn’t offer enough ring groups or account phone numbers to support large teams

 

Why We Picked Dialpad

No product offers better value for small teams than Dialpad does. Its AI features, real-time analytics, and multichannel offerings provide an exceptional deal at $15 monthly on the standard plan. However, large teams may struggle with the act that Dialpad caps video meetings at 10 participants.

 

5. GoToConnect: Best For International Calling

GoTo Connect, a UCaaS platform and cloud phone system, offers a wide variety of telephony and collaboration features–VoIP, team chat, SMS, and video conferencing with 250 participants. On all plans, companies can purchase local, toll-free, and vanity numbers across the United States.

The app supports a mix of basic and advanced phone system features like queuing, smart call routing, custom dial plans, ring groups, and real-time analytics. Video meetings include screen sharing and markup. Perhaps most notable about GoTo’s phone system is the 50+ country calling area it offers on the Standard plan.

 

GoToConnect Pricing & Plans 

GoTo Connect offers two UCaaS plans:

• Basic ($24 monthly): Supports up to 20 users with unlimited VoIP inside the US, 40 monthly SMS credits per user, team chat, 4-participant video meetings, basic integrations, and one of each phone-system feature–ring group, auto attendant, call queue, dial plan
• Standard ($29 monthly): Supports unlimited users and VoIP calling to 50+ countries, adds real-time analytics and call recording, expands to unlimited phone-system features and 250-participant video meetings

 

Standout Features

• One-click Video Conferencing: With video meetings built directly into GoTo Connect desktop applications, agents can jump directly from chat into an impromptu HD video conference with up to 250 customers or colleagues. Users can schedule routine or standalone meetings with recording and screen sharing.
• Ring Groups and Call Queues: Link multiple devices and agents together to share inbound call responsibility, and create hold queues to organize overflow callers. Agents can view and respond to their queue within the desktop and mobile app dashboard.
• Instant Response: Agents can automate an SMS response to missed calls
• Call Center Analytics and Reports:  GoTo Connect desktop analytics assess all customer interactions to provide micro and macro reports and call patterns, sortable by day, week, time, length, location, agent, and issue. These analytics and key performance indicators (KPIs) come in several reports: Contact Resolution, Agent Summary, and Abandoned Calls.
• Drag-and-drop Call Flows: Administrators can design call flows via a drag-and-drop interface, setting conditions and business hours, and creating routing paths between auto attendants, voicemails, and agents

 

GoTo Connect Pros

• Massive unlimited calling area
• Well-balanced suite of features
• Drag-and-drop dial plan editor
• Diverse integration gallery
• Easy installation
• Quick number porting

 

GoTo Connect Cons

• Some reports lack detail
• Basic plan limits key phone-system features to one
• Limited video capacity on Basic plan
• App can have a steep learning curve for new users
• SMS is on a credit-based system

 

Why We Picked GoTo Connect

Unlike Google Voice, Dialpad offers video conferencing and team chat, even on the basic plan, Dialpad also offers more advanced routing and queueing features than Google Voice. However, GoTo’s Connect’s biggest advantage is its 50+ country unlimited calling area, which is worth $29 monthly for companies with high international calling volumes.

 

6. Zoom Phone: Best Value

Zoom Phone, a native product within the Zoom platform, offers a phone app available on mobile and desktop. The software includes a balanced suite of advanced VoIP features like US-based local and toll-free numbers, voicemail transcription, automatic distribution (ACD), call queues, call monitoring, and real-time reporting.

The phone system includes team chat and integrates with Zoom One’s free version, which supports basic video meetings. You can also upgrade to a paid version of Zoom One for Zoom’s renowned suite of collaborative video features.

 

Zoom Phone Pricing & Plans

Zoom Phone offers three plans, which vary by pricing according to domestic area and the way calling is charged. Each plan includes the same suite of features: toll-free numbers, voicemail transcription, unlimited IVR, ACD, queueing, monitoring, real-time reports, and team chat.

• US & Canada Metered ($10 monthly): Pay-per-minute calling within the US and Canada
• US & Canada Unlimited ($15 monthly): Unlimited calling within the US and Canada, optional add-on for unlimited calling to 19 countries
• Pro Global Select ($20 monthly): Unlimited domestic calling within one of 40 countries outside the US, optional add-on for unlimited calling to 19 countries

 

Standout Features

• Elevate to Meeting: Agents can elevate calls to an HD Zoom meeting or video call, with one click, automatically transporting participants to the video meeting without having to join
• Quality of Service Dashboard: Zoom displays the overall quality of voice calls, filtered by phone, user, common area phone, call queue, auto-receptionist, or Zoom room. Within any of these filters, users can view call quality by device, codec, ISP, and network. Overall call quality is given a Mean Opinion Score MOS).
• Monitor, Whisper, Barge, and Takeover: Administrators can monitor and listen silently to agents’ calls, speak to the agent privately, and join the call as a 3rd party to continue the conversation and provide assistance
• Real-time Reports: Users can access information, charts, and graphs for a variety of call center metrics: inbound calls, outbound calls, call time, internal calls, completed and missed calls, answered and unanswered calls, VoIP and international call time, and the overall call volume by day, week, or month
• Automatic Call Distribution and Call Queuing: ACD works with your IVR system to route callers to most available and best-suited agent. Create ring groups and hold queues to organize calls when agents are busy.

 

Zoom Phone Pros

• Easy to use
• Highly affordable plans
• Integrates seamlessly with Zoom’s other products
• Options for domestic calling outside the US
• International calling add-on
• Well-rounded suite of features

 

Zoom Phone Cons

• Advanced video features cost extra
• No DID numbers outside the US
• Limited number of integrations

 

Why We Picked Zoom Phone

Zoom Phone’s Pro plan is the cheapest plan on this list, and one of the few pay-as-you-go options–a great fit for teams with low international call volumes. However, even Zoom’s Unlimited US and Canada plan is a great value at $15 monthly per user.

 

7. 8×8: Best for Large Video Meetings

8×8’s UCaaS platform supports 500-participant video meetings, team chat, SMS, and unlimited VoIP calling to 14- or 48-countries. The app includes unique features like live speech analytics and agent feedback, plus video-conferencing features: live emoji reactions, polls, and breakout rooms. Stream video meetings to YouTube.

The phone system–accessible on mobile or desktop–includes call monitoring, call queues, and IVR.

 

8×8 Pricing & Plans

8×8 offers two UCaaS plans:

• X2 plan ($24 monthly): Unlimited VoIP to 14 countries, team chat with document sharing, SMS, 500-participant video meetings, multi-level IVR, voicemail transcription, call analytics, call queues
• X4  plan ($44 monthly): Expands unlimited calling to 48 countries, adds call monitoring and expanded storage retention period

 

Standout Features

• Dynamic Video Conferencing: All 8×8 plans include video conferencing with 100 participants or more, with meeting recording, transcription, screen sharing, document sharing, breakout rooms, and virtual backgrounds

• Personalized Greetings: Create a professional greeting via voice recording or text-to-speech, and use branded hold music to give your company a unified feel

• 8×8 Work Mobile App: With 8×8 Work, users can take their number and voice calls anywhere. Seamlessly switch calls between devices mid-call by clicking the Flip button on the device you want to use, without interrupting the conversation.
• Speech and Text Analytics: Speech analytics identify a call’s topic, emotional tone, and urgency, identifying which calls need attention and providing interactive graphics that drill down important details for agents to consider and mention
• AI-Powered Feedback: Analytics provide agents feedback with examples about how they can improve, such as trends in speech patterns, empathy, solutions provided, and more

 

8×8 Pros

• Massive video conferences
• YouTube streaming enables public webinars
• Each plan includes a large international unlimited calling area
• AI support for agents on all plans

 

8×8 Cons

• 14-country unlimited area doesn’t mobile numbers in most countries
• Both plans are expensive
• App might include too many features, which companies may not need

 

Why We Picked 8×8

Companies with a global customer base will find that 8×8’s X Series plans–offering unlimited calling to up to 48 countries–are the ideal solution. Even 8×8’s most basic X2 plan offers a more diverse array of features than does Google Voice–not just voice, but chat and video conferencing with up to 500 people.

 

8. Ooma Office: Best Out-of-the-Box Analog Option

Ooma Office is a virtual phone system with VoIP, SMS, and 100-participant video conferencing–not team chat–available on desktop and mobile apps. The provider offers local and toll-free numbers in area codes throughout the US, plus basic phone system features: IVR, ring groups, queueing, and analytics. The provider’s unlimited calling area spans the US, Canada, and Mexico.

 

Ooma Pricing & Plans 

Ooma Office offers three virtual phone-system plans:

• Essentials ($19.95 monthly): Includes the mobile app only, unlimited VoIP to the US, Mexico, and Canada, IVR, ring groups, one toll-free number, call logs, call forwarding, call parking, and voicemail
• Pro ($24.95 monthly): Adds desktop app, 25-participant video conferencing, SMS texting, voicemail transcription, and call recording
• Pro Plus ($29.95 monthly): Expands to 100-participant video capacity, adds call queueing, call analytics, CRM integrations, hot desking and advanced call management with multiple IVR schedules

 

Standout Features

• Video Meetings: Create video meetings, invite participants with an invite link, and join meetings directly from Ooma’s app. Meetings support up to 100 participants and include automatic background noise cancellation, screen sharing, and recording.

• Mobile App: Enjoy messaging groups, extension dialing, and SMS texting via mobile. The app allows users to easily differentiate between business and personal calls, transfer calls to any other phone number or voicemail, and switch between desktop phone and mobile.

• Enhanced Call Blocking: Ooma Office Pro offers enhanced call-blocking features, with automatic call screening against a database of over 2 million known robocall numbers, automatic blocking or voicemail-redirect of anonymous calls, and a custom block list with up to 1000 numbers
• Call Queueing: Create agent groups assigned to numbers, so that incoming calls automatically route to the next available agent. This maximizes agent work time, prevents customer frustration, and saves business time.
• Hot Desking: Hot desking enables users to connect a VoIP desk phone to their virtual number simply by entering their number and voicemail PIN. With hot desking, hybrid and in-person offices can utilize desk phones for a variety of users throughout the day or week.

 

Ooma Office Pros

• Simple phone features make it easy to use
• Mobile app provides above-average functionality
• Includes 500 monthly toll-free minutes for the account
• Plentiful DID number selection within the US

 

Ooma Office Cons

• App interface feels outdated
• Customer service can be slow to respond
• Lacks team chat and video collaboration tools
• Pricier plans than many competitors

 

Why We Picked Ooma Office

While Ooma’s Office Essentials plan offers features that parallel those of Google Voice, Ooma’s Office Pro plan offers several features that Google Voice does not: video conferencing, call recording, and call analytics.

 

9. Avaya Cloud Office: Best Hybrid Option

Avaya Cloud Office is a well-rounded UCaaS platform powered by RingCentral, which means that Avaya offers many of RingCentral’s key features: a user-friendly app interface, VoIP, SMS, team chat with file-sharing, and video conferencing with up to 200 participants.

Cloud Office includes call monitoring, multi-level IVR, voicemail transcription, and real-time analytics. The unlimited calling area covers the US and Canada, and each plan includes a toll-free business phone number.

 

Avaya Cloud Office Pricing & Plans 

• Standard ($20 monthly): Desktop and mobile app, VoIP calling, SMS, team messaging with document sharing, 100-participant video meetings, multi-level IVR, on-demand call recording, and 1000 toll-free minutes

• Premium ($25 monthly): Expands to 200-participant video meetings and 2500 toll-free minutes, adds call monitoring, call analytics, and automatic call recording
• Ultimate ($35 monthly): Adds device status reports and alerts, unlimited storage

 

Standout Features

• Team Messaging: Avaya’s chat messaging, capable of both 1:1 and group chats, includes task assignment, document storage, and calendar sharing

• Call Management: Administrators can customize the following large group or individual user settings: answering rules, shared lines, call flipping, call transferring, call parking, call forwarding, and more

• Call Log Reports: Receive a full record of all inbound and outbound calls and features, the name of the caller as well as time, date, and call duration
• Quality of Service Reports:  Monitor the health of your Avaya Office system, diagnosing phone service quality issues ahead of time that may impact users. Quality reports provide a holistic quality score measured by location, endpoint, codec, ISP, and more.
• Real-Time Analytics: Custom metrics and KPIs provide real-time insights into channel usage, queue activity, and agent performance
• Call Monitoring: Supervisors can listen in on agents’ calls, whisper private guidance, or join the call

 

Avaya Cloud Office Pros

• Hot desking makes a for a good hybrid or in-person system
• Each plan includes toll-free minutes
• User-friendly app interface
• Affordable Standard plan includes all core channels
• System integrates well with Avaya’s APIs and VoIp desk phones

 

Avaya Cloud Office Cons

• Video meetings lack some collaboration features
• CRM integrations are only included with the Premium plan
• Mobile app sometimes doesn’t display the inbound caller’s ID

 

Why We Picked Avaya Cloud Office

Avaya offers a more well-rounded office product than Google Voice because of its video conferencing and group chat. Their hardware, coupled with RingCentral’s software, is a truly standout combination. While Avaya Office plans are more expensive than Google Voice, companies with a high priority for video and internal collaboration should consider Avaya.

 

10. OnSIP: Best Pay-As-You-Go Option

OnSIP provides a simple and scalable VoIP platform, available on desktop or mobile, with only two pricing options: their Unlimited plan and their Pay-As-You-Go plan. The app provides a traditional phone system with VoIP calling, 5-participant video conferencing, and team chat.

OnSIP’s phone system can support small teams or large phone systems with a variety of basic, yet useful features: auto attendants, automated announcements, voicemail to email, call parking, custom ring order, and ring groups. The provider also offers ACD queues and call monitoring as add-ons.

 

OnSIP Pricing & Plans

OnSIP offers two pricing plans: the Unlimited plan is priced per user, and the Basic plan is priced per account.

• Unlimited ($18.95 monthly per user): Includes desktop and mobile apps, VoIP calling, 5-participant video meetings, unlimited phone features–IVR, ring groups, company announcements
• Basic ($49.95 monthly per account): Includes desktop and mobile, VoIP calling, 5-participant video meetings, 3 auto attendants and ring groups, and 1 company announcement

 

Standout Features

• Video Conferencing: Host video conferences with up to 5 participants, with link generation allowing for repeated meetings and one-click participant joining. In-call host options include hold, mute microphone, and stop video.

• Enhanced Queues: Real-time queue overviews give queue supervisors a thorough understanding of what’s happening in each queue or ring group, historical queue reports give users customized reports and comprehensive stats about past performance, and queue supervisors are automatically notified when critical queue thresholds are met.

• Business Hour Rules: Users can set open and closed hours and days for each user or group, to automatically route calls to a backup destination–a voicemail, menu, user, or ring group
• Drag-and-Drop Call Transferring: While on a call, agents can transfer a customer to another user via the OnSIP dashboard by clicking the Transfer button and typing in the user’s name. Additionally, users can drag and drop a caller’s profile into a team member’s profile or phone number to initiate a transfer.
• International Dialing: OnSIP accounts cannot dial extended calling areas by default, but users can enable their account for extended dialing to make calls to nearly any phone number in the world

 

OnSIP Pros

• Pay-as-you-go is cost-efficient for teams with low call volumes
• Wide variety of add-on options
• Unlimited usage of many key features, like IVR and ring groups
• Mobile and desktop apps

 

OnSIP Cons

• Small-capacity video meetings
• Only one unlimited-calling option, lacks pricing flexibility
• Minimal collaboration features in video and team chat
• No SMS

 

Why We Picked OnSIP

OnSIP offers some features that Google Voice does not: video conferencing, analytics, and reports. OnSIP’s pay-as-you-go plan allows companies to capitalize on particular features, without extras they won’t use.

 

Why Google Voice?

Google Voice offers affordable plans with an intuitive interface and easy setup for standard VoIP features: text messages, voicemails, auto attendants, ring groups, domestic and international calling, call forwarding, video calls, and well-designed mobile and web applications.

It has integrations with Google Meet and Google Calendar that are available even on the $10/month entry-level plan, and the more expensive plans support integrations with many other Google apps.

 

Google Voice Pros and Cons

Google Voice’s VoIP system offers a balance between ease-of-use and dynamic features: standard features like local and international numbers for calling, SMS texting, and voicemail, along with more advanced features like ring groups and auto-attendants.

However, Google Voice lacks many features its competitors see as standard.

 

Google Voice Pros

• Easy-to-use: Intuitive agent dashboard on desktop and mobile, especially for users familiar with Google Workspace
• Scalable: Admins can quickly and simply add new numbers across multiple area codes
• Customizable: Easy to set up custom ring groups and auto attendants
• Cross-platform compatibility: Uniform experience across all devices, so agents can seamlessly switch from desktop to mobile
• Good for remote teams: With easy number assignment and chosen area codes, administrators can assign remote workers a local number
• Artificial intelligence: Google AI powers useful tools like voicemail transcription
• Price: Compared to alternatives, Google Voice offers some of the most affordable plans on the market

 

Google Voice Cons

• Limited communication channels: Google Voice offers voice and text messaging only (no video conferencing or internal chat)
• Limited integrations: Few additional third-party integrations outside of Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Gmail, etc.)
• No built-in team collaboration: Doesn’t offer native chat messaging and team collaboration tools
• No built-in team collaboration: Doesn’t offer native chat messaging and team collaboration tools
• No analytics: Lack of analytics provides no insights about customers and agents
• Requires Google Workspace: Requires the purchase of Google Workspace in addition to a Google Voice plan, increasing monthly costs
• No number sharing: Each Voice number can only have one user
• User caps: The $10/month price point for Google Voice’s Starter plan is only available to teams of 10 or less

 

Should You Pick Google Voice or an Alternative?

For VoIP beginners looking for standard features that are easy to set up and use, Google Voice is a great choice–especially true if your company already uses several Google apps.

However, if you’re looking for advanced VoIP service features like video conferencing, internal chat messaging, call monitoring, and analytics, consider using an alternative business VoIP provider.

 

Google Voice Alternatives FAQs