Google Voice vs RingCentral: What’s the best VoIP option for your business?

Choosing a VoIP provider for your business phone system can be a challenge, even if you’re just comparing Google Voice vs RingCentral.

Today, we’re breaking down the differences between the two solutions. One of them serves as a no-frills VoIP provider. The other aims to be an entire business communications platform, but falls short in a few ways we’ll explain in this guide.

As we compare Google Voice and RingCentral, we’ll also take a look at a third VoIP provider that might be the right fit for your business.

Google Voice vs RingCentral: Compared at a glance

Before we dive into the details, here’s a quick look at how Google Voice vs RingCentral compare side by side.

	Google Voice	RingCentral
Available outside the US	️	️
Multiple phone numbers	️	️
SMS and MMS	US only	️
Unlimited calls in the US and Canada	US and Canadian numbers only	️
Cost	Starts at $17 per user per month (including Google Workspace)	Starts at $20 per user per month
Ring groups	Requires upgrade	️
Integrations	Google apps only	️
AI transcriptions	❌	️
AI message responses	❌	️ (requires upgrade)

What is Google Voice?

Google Voice is a VoIP provider that offers a free version and paid business plans. The free version is only available in the US and is limited to one user and one phone number, making it ideal for solo business owners (not teams). 

While Google Voice for business adds support for multiple users, ring groups, and an auto-attendant, it still falls short for teams that need to answer texts faster, follow up with context, and connect their tools. 

Key features of Google Voice

• Mobile apps (iOS and Android)
• Ring groups
• Custom greetings
• Call routing
• Voicemail transcription 

Pros and cons of Google Voice

Pros

• Text messaging in the US (US customers only)
• Make free calls to the US
• Port in existing numbers
• Simultaneous ring for teams (requires upgrade)

Cons

• Works only with other Google apps
• Business plans require an active Google Workspace subscription
• 10 users max on the base plan
• Limited ability to collaborate with your team on phone communication
• No toll-free numbers
• No desktop app is available

What is RingCentral?

RingCentral works as a business communications platform that combines voice calls, video meetings, and business texting in one app. It’s ideal for enterprises that need a full call center setup, with features like call queues, detailed analytics, and support for hardware. While it works with most desk phone models and even offers rentals, RingCentral includes more features to set up, manage, and pay for than most small teams need.

Key features of RingCentral

• Unlimited domestic calling
• Video conferencing 
• Shared calling
• IVR/phone menus
• Call monitoring
• RingCentral AI features like conversation intelligence

Pros and cons of RingCentral

Pros

• Local and toll-free numbers
• Unlimited calling to the US and Canada
• CRM integrations (requires upgrade)
• Desk phone rentals

Cons

• “Unlimited” storage is subject to time-based deletion policies
• Limited toll-free minutes
• Confusing pricing plans
• Limited SMS messages
• Shared numbers don’t support texting
• Clunky and outdated interface

Keep reading to see how these two providers compare in detail and to learn about a better business phone system for teams.

Google Voice vs RingCentral: Which VoIP solution is the best business option? 

Google products tend to vary widely in their quality for personal versus business use — and Google Voice is no exception.

In contrast, RingCentral exclusively offers business communications, much like a cloud PBX.

To understand how these very different VoIP services compare, we’ll look at their pricing, features, integrations, and more. 

1. Pricing: Does Google Voice vs RingCentral offer better value? 

Winner: Google Voice

We’ll cut to the chase: RingCentral’s pricing plans are confusing. 

With RingCentral, you’ll be paying a minimum of $20 per user per month. For growing teams, their base plan is missing key features you need from a phone solution, like business analytics and integrations beyond Google and Microsoft.

On the surface, Google Voice seems much more straightforward as a RingCentral alternative. For personal use, it’s free. For business features, pricing starts at $10 per user per month. However, you can only have up to 10 users on their Starter plan. This means that for teams of 11 or more users, you’ll have to pay $20 per user per month.

Here’s another expense to keep in mind: to use Google Voice’s business communication features, you’ll have to pay for Google Workspace. This starts at $7 per user per month.

So to use Google Voice for Google Workspace, you can expect to pay at least $17 per user per month. It’s not the most expensive option out there, but like RingCentral, its pricing is more complex than it needs to be. 

2. Features: Which VoIP service gives you the features you need? 

Winner: RingCentral

Looking at Google Voice vs RingCentral, both offer bare essential VoIP features:

• Calling and texting in the US
• Voicemail transcription
• Browser and mobile apps
  

With either VoIP provider, you can upgrade to access call management features, like automatic call recording. 

From there, these VoIP services diverge pretty quickly. Google Voice sticks to simple VoIP features, like call forwarding and usage reports. Higher-tier plans give access to Google Voice’s ring groups, auto-attendants, and desk phone support.

Although Google Voice’s shared phone numbers let multiple team members answer calls from the same number, its siloed inboxes for calls, texts, and voicemails make it hard to see a client’s full communication history.

You can configure your call handling to ring team members simultaneously, at random, or in a fixed order until someone answers. But Google Voice still makes it tricky to collaborate with other team members without many collaboration features.

RingCentral provides shared numbers on its base plan, but only for making and receiving calls — not texting. This means your customers may get messages from different numbers, which can be confusing and make your business look less professional.

Although you get calls and texts to the US and Canada, you can’t send toll-free MMS messages to US and Canadian phone numbers with RingCentral. Plus, each user on the base plan only gets 25 texts per month before you have to pay extra fees, which cost $0.0085 per SMS message and $0.013 per MMS message.

RingCentral also only stores call history up to 90 days unless you upgrade to its highest tier plan.

If you want features like unlimited internet fax or video meetings, you’ll have to upgrade to one of its premium plans. These pricier options include features like cloud storage backup and hot desking, which you might not need as a small team. 

3. Integrations: Can you add your most important business tools? 

Winner: RingCentral

If you’re like most small or medium-sized business owners, you have a whole suite of business apps to help you get work done. And to get your work done efficiently, you’ll want to connect them.

When it comes to Google Voice’s integrations, you’re limited to other Google products, like Google Calendar and Meet. There’s no option for integrating a CRM or another app that Google doesn’t offer.

On the other hand, RingCentral offers CRM and Zapier integrations once you’re on the Advanced plan or higher. On the base plan, you can only integrate your business phone system with apps like Microsoft 365, Slack, and Google Workspace. 

4. Video meetings: Which platform makes it easier to meet face-to-face?

Winner: RingCentral

If your team regularly hops on video calls with customers or colleagues, RingCentral is the clear winner. It includes built-in video conferencing, so you can host meetings, share your screen, and collaborate without needing to use a separate app. 

Just note: If you want up to 100 hours of cloud video storage, you’ll need to upgrade to the RingCentral Video Pro+ plan, which costs $10 per user per month.

Google Voice doesn’t support video calls at all. If your team uses Google Workspace, you can rely on Google Meet, but you’ll have to switch between apps. That means your call history and messages won’t be stored in the same place.

5. Voice calls: Which provider makes it easier to manage your business calls?

Winner: RingCentral

Both Google Voice and RingCentral include basic calling features like call forwarding, ring groups, multi-level auto-attendants, and call recording. But there are trade-offs on both sides. 

Google Voice’s call recording feature is only available if you upgrade to the Standard plan, and it doesn’t support toll-free numbers at all. You’re also limited to three-way calling — for larger meetings, you’ll need to switch to Google Meet. Plus, unlimited calls to Canadian numbers are only available if you’re calling from the US.

RingCentral provides toll-free numbers, but they cost $14.99 per user per month. It also offers unlimited calls to the US and Canada from either country. Just keep in mind: the base plan only includes 100 toll-free minutes per month across your account, and its interface can feel clunky for teams that want a more straightforward calling setup.

6. Texting: Which provider is better for business messaging?

Winner: Neither

Google Voice doesn’t support international texting at all — even on paid plans, which means you can only send texts to US numbers. Its texting features are also limited. There’s no way to schedule messages, set up auto-replies, or use saved snippets (message templates) to reply faster.

While RingCentral does support international texting, it limits how many texts you can send each month on all of its plans:

• Core: 25 SMS messages per user per month
• Advanced: 100 SMS messages per user per month
• Ultra: 200 SMS messages per user per month

Some users have also reported that RingCentral’s TCR registration (TCR) process can take weeks or even months. Since every business has to apply if they want to text US customers from a VoIP phone number, that delay can prevent you from sending customer texts and damage relationships.

RingCentral vs Google Voice: How to make the right choice for your team 

Here’s how to decide between Google Voice vs RingCentral, depending on what your business needs most:

• Conversation history and collaboration: Google Voice and RingCentral store calls and texts separately, making it harder to see the full customer conversation. Google Voice also doesn’t support shared numbers for texting. RingCentral can, but only if you connect it with a third-party app. If your team works independently, this might be fine, but if collaboration matters, you may need a more flexible option.
• Budget fit: Google Voice may seem affordable, but costs add up once you factor in Google Workspace. RingCentral costs more upfront but includes extra features. Focus on what your team needs to scale efficiently, not just the lowest price.
• International calls and texts: Both providers support international calling, but texting is limited. Google Voice only lets you text US and Canadian numbers — and only from the US. RingCentral only allows texting to US and Canadian numbers as well. If global texting matters, you’ll need a different solution.
• Ease of use: If you already use Google Workspace, Google Voice will likely be easy to set up. RingCentral has more tools, but it comes with a steeper learning curve. If time is tight, consider how quickly your team can get started.
• Device compatibility: Both Google Voice and RingCentral have mobile and web apps. But only RingCentral offers a dedicated desktop app. If your team prefers a standalone app on a desktop instead of working in a browser, that might be a deciding factor.

OpenPhone: A better VoIP solution for your business compared to Google Voice vs RingCentral

Google Voice and RingCentral each have benefits that could meet your business needs. But when it comes down to it, neither business phone service provides a flexible, user-friendly VoIP platform at a truly affordable price.

Let’s take a look at another VoIP provider that could be a better option for your small business needs: OpenPhone. 

1. Know how much you’re investing upfront

OpenPhone offers transparent pricing that holds steady no matter how much your team grows. Since you’ll always know your monthly cost per user, you can forecast your VoIP system investment with no surprises. 

When you sign up for OpenPhone, you choose from three plans: Starter, Business, or Scale.

The Starter plan comes with everything you need for your small business communications, including:

• Free calls and texts to the US and Canada
• Shared phone numbers
• Group messaging
• Voicemail transcription
• Call recording
• Auto-replies and snippets

The Business plan includes all of the above plus advanced auto-attendant features, round-robin call distribution, AI call summaries and transcripts, our HubSpot integration, and analytics and reporting.

OpenPhone is also upfront about add-on costs: you’ll pay $5 per month for additional phone lines, affordable rates for international calls and messages, and $0.01 per message for automated SMS via Zapier and the OpenPhone API. 

2. Nail all your external communication

Sometimes, talking to clients, customers, and vendors isn’t as straightforward as a one-on-one conversation. You might need input from your team, sign-off from your boss, or crucial information from a shared file.

With OpenPhone’s collaboration features, you can make sure you handle your external communication perfectly every time. 

Shared phone numbers give your entire team visibility into your inbound calls, including who’s available to handle them and whether follow-ups are necessary.

In your shared OpenPhone inbox, your team can use threads and mentions to see who’s handling what call or assign follow-up tasks to the right team members. Plus, tag any teammates or groups in your workspace in notes stored with contacts as a heads-up.

On the OpenPhone Business plan, you can have up to 100 team members sharing a single phone number. 

3. Easily stay in the loop

OpenPhone’s shared inbox layout brings texts, calls, and voicemails into a single interface so you can review an entire conversation history.

That’s a stark difference from Google Voice, which separates these inboxes, so you have to jump between them to build a picture of a conversation.

Another important tool for staying in the loop? You can initiate call recording on a call-by-call basis or set up automatic call recording to make sure you never miss something important. These recordings can serve as important records for your team. 

4. Bring along the apps you already use

OpenPhone focuses on the business app integrations you truly need, including three absolute essentials on the Starter plan: Slack, Gmail, and Zapier.

Slack and Gmail integrations send missed call notifications and other call activity straight to your inbox or workspace so you don’t lose track of important conversations. With the Make and Zapier integration, you can connect over 7,000 apps to your OpenPhone account, allowing you to set up automations to speed up your workflows.

You can also integrate your Hubspot CRM with OpenPhone when you’re on the Business plan. This CRM integration makes it easier to track phone calls and other important client communication in a single interface. 

5. Texting is more efficient with OpenPhone

If you’re in the market for a business texting tool, OpenPhone has what you need. 

First off, compared to RingCentral vs Google Voice, OpenPhone fully supports sending SMS and MMS messages from toll-free numbers. Google Voice doesn’t offer toll-free numbers at all, and RingCentral’s toll-free numbers only support SMS messages. 

OpenPhone has other handy texting features, too. With auto-replies, you can instantly respond to any call, text, or voicemail from a customer, letting them know when they can expect to hear back from you or where to find information.

Snippets help you save time with business texts. For example, if you type the same information over and over — like for product information or business hours — simply save the text as a snippet and add it to any relevant text message. 

You can also use scheduled texts to avoid messaging customers outside their time zone’s business hours, ensuring you stay TCPA compliant.

6. Save your team time on repetitive tasks

When your team is juggling calls, follow-ups, and customer questions, it’s easy to spend time on work that could be automated. That’s where OpenPhone’s AI features come in. With our AI agent, Sona, you can automatically answer calls, collect important details, and respond to FAQs — so your team can focus on the customers who appreciate a human response.

You also get AI call tags that label conversations with context like “Billing issue” or “Feedback,” helping your team prioritize next steps without digging through recordings. After every call, OpenPhone generates a written summary and searchable transcription. That way, it’s easier to review what happened, hand off tasks to the right rep, or follow up faster. 

Keep in mind that Google Voice doesn’t offer any AI features at all, which means more manual work and fewer ways to help your team move quickly.

Google Voice vs RingCentral vs OpenPhone comparison table

Take a look at this table to compare Google Voice vs RingCentral vs OpenPhone on their features, pricing, and integrations: 

The clear winner for your business? OpenPhone

Google Voice vs RingCentral offer useful VoIP features that might meet your business needs. But when it comes to affordability, simplicity, and the ability to scale your business, both VoIP services miss the mark for what your business truly needs.

With straightforward and easy-to-understand pricing plans and features, you’ll know exactly what you’re investing in and what it can do for your business.

What are you waiting for? Start a free, seven day trial of OpenPhone today.

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