In today's fast-paced business world, effective communication is crucial. As organizations adapt to remote and hybrid work models, cloud-based phone systems are one of the services that have become increasingly popular.
Zoom, a video conferencing tool, following the trend introduced Zoom Phone. It is a cloud-based phone service that was introduced in January 2019. The service acts as a telephony solution for businesses, remote work, customer support, etc.
Let’s get on board to discuss Zoom Phone, its features, limitations, pricing, and reviews.
Zoom Phone is a cloud-based VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) phone system integrated with Zoom's video conferencing and collaboration platform. Launched in 2019, it claims to provide a unified communications solution for businesses. Zoom Phone allows users to make and receive calls from various devices, including desk phones, mobile phones, and computers, provided they have access to a really stable internet connection.
Learn more about Zoom features and Zoom limitations.
Zoom Phone offers a tiered pricing structure:
It's worth noting that these prices may vary based on location, contract length, and specific business requirements. Organizations should carefully evaluate their needs and compare pricing with other providers to ensure they're getting the best value for their investment.
You can learn more about Zoom pricing.
When searching for a Zoom Phone alternative, it's essential to consider a variety of features to ensure the new solution meets your business needs. Here are the key features to look for:
By evaluating these features, you can identify a Zoom Phone alternative that offers good functionality, integrates with your existing tools, and supports your business's unique communication needs.
One must be aware of the features to look for in a Zoom alternative.
These are the top 10 alternatives for Zoom Phone: RingCentral MVP, Google Voice, Microsoft Teams Phone, Vonage, Dialpad, 8x8 X, Ooma, Grasshopper, Nextiva, GoTo Connect.
RingCentral MVP (Message, Video, Phone) is a unified communications platform combining messaging, video conferencing, and phone services. It offers features like advanced call management, team collaboration tools, and integrations with business applications.
Key functionalities include cloud-based phone systems, HD video conferencing, team messaging, and mobile apps.
RingCentral MVP users have reported several issues affecting its performance and usability. Problems include dropped calls, poor audio quality, malfunctioning call groups, and an inability to forward calls to external numbers. Additionally, the lack of group text messaging functionality and numerous bugs throughout the system have been noted as significant drawbacks.
Pricing starts at $20 per user per month, with higher-tier offerings available.
Google Voice for Google Workspace is a cloud-based phone system integrated with Google's suite of productivity tools. It offers features such as call forwarding, voicemail transcription, and integration with Google services.
While Google Voice offers integration with Google's ecosystem, many users have reported limitations. These include frequent call quality issues, limited customization options compared to dedicated phone systems, and restrictions on certain advanced features in lower-tier plans. The platform's reliance on Google's ecosystem may also be a drawback for organizations using other productivity suites.
Google Voice for Google Workspace is available as an add-on to Google Workspace plans, with pricing starting at $10 per user per month for the Standard edition. Higher tiers offer additional features at increased costs, such as higher storage, increased participants, and more security.
Also check out top Google Meet alternatives.
Refer to this comparison of Google Meet vs. Video Calling App, to know more on how VCA stacks up.
Zoom vs. Google Meet, details a fair comparison between the two.
Microsoft Teams Phone is a cloud-based phone system integrated with the Microsoft 365 ecosystem. It combines voice-calling capabilities with collaboration tools. The platform works within the Microsoft environment and has features like call routing, voicemail, and integration with other Microsoft applications.
Microsoft Teams Phone includes a complex setup process. Users have reported that the app does not work well with Apple products. Some even said that the tool's layout is challenging to figure out, even for long-time users. Some organizations have also noted limitations in advanced call center features compared to dedicated telephony systems.
Microsoft Teams Phone is available as an add-on to Microsoft 365 subscriptions. Pricing starts at $12 per user per month for domestic phone calling and $24 per user per month for domestic plus international.
In case if you are looking for Microsoft Teams alternatives, we have handy list of top Microsoft Teams alternative.
We have created a very honest comparison of Microsoft Teams vs. Video Calling App.
Also we have created fair comparison between Zoom vs. Microsoft Teams and Google Meet vs. Microsoft Teams.
Vonage Business Communications is a cloud-based phone system offering features including CRM integrations and mobile apps.
Despite its feature set, some users have reported challenges with Vonage Business Communications. They have stated that the phone lines are down 50% of the time, preventing them from receiving or placing calls, and customer service is not supportive, with no phone line to call and online chat support that closes chats without resolutions.
Vonage Business Communications offers tiered pricing plans to accommodate different business requirements. The Mobile plan starts at $19.99 per line per month.
Dialpad, a Zoom Phone alternative, has AI-powered features. It offers voice intelligence, real-time transcription, and sentiment analysis alongside standard phone system capabilities.
Key features include call routing, voicemail, video conferencing, and integrations with various business tools.
While Dialpad has AI functionalities, users have reported frequent issues with call quality and reliability. Additionally, some find the pricing plans to be on the higher side compared to competitors. Dialpad offers a free trial, with paid plans starting at $27 per user per month.
8x8 provides a unified platform for voice, video, chat, and contact center solutions, featuring international calling capabilities and analytics. Key features include HD video conferencing, call recording, team messaging, and integration with business applications.
Its users have reported occasional challenges with user interface complexity and customer support responsiveness. Additionally, some find the advanced features to be overwhelming without sufficient training.
8x8 does not offer a free trial. Contact sales to know the pricing options.
Ooma Office is used by small businesses, providing them with a phone system with features like a virtual receptionist and call parking. Key features include call forwarding, voicemail-to-email, extension dialing, and mobile app access.
While Ooma Office is simple and affordable, users have reported that the app's integration is spotty, the web portal logs you off even with "keep me logged in" selected, and setting up rollover ringing is difficult and inconsistent.
Ooma Office offers a free trial, with paid plans starting at $19.95 per user per month.
Grasshopper, a Zoom Phone competitor used by entrepreneurs and small businesses, provides virtual phone system features without the need for additional hardware. Key features include call forwarding, voicemail transcription, custom greetings, and business texting.
Grasshopper can be unreliable at times with technical issues like unsent or unreceived messages, and support effectiveness varies. It lacks features such as automated extension scheduling, sending individual messages to multiple recipients without creating group texts, automated responses to trigger words, and message templates for onboarding.
Grasshopper offers a free trial, with paid plans starting at $14 per month.
Nextiva is a Zoom Phone competitor application. It offers a business phone system with key features, including business phone system capabilities with AI-powered automation and analytics.
Frequent call drops and missed calls due to issues with Nextiva's online platform and phone app have adversely affected our brand's reputation, potentially causing irreparable damage.
Nextiva does not offer a free trial, with paid plans starting at $18.95 per user per month.
GoTo Connect, previously known as Jive, offers a cloud-based phone system for the communication needs of growing businesses. It includes features such as video conferencing and contact center capabilities for customer interactions.
Users stress the need for enhanced security and compliance features while expressing disappointment over limited customization options. They also highlight the absence of real-time document editing capabilities, which is crucial for efficient collaboration.
For pricing, you need to get in touch with the sales team.
VOIP has become very popular in recent times, so many cloud-based VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) phone systems have been introduced in the market. Zoom also did so, but it forgot that just introducing a service to keep up with the trend does not mean it is up to the mark.
While using Zoom Phone, users faced many challenges, including unreliable international calling and frequent call blocks, coupled with the need for improved integration with ITSM for streamlined paging of on-call staff. Sales failures to fulfill promises and provide refunds led to prolonged resolution efforts, exacerbated by a complex setup process lacking adequate support. The UI's intrusive window and high mobile data usage underscore usability concerns, suggesting optimal usage under WiFi connectivity.
By this time, you should have gotten an overview of alternatives to Zoom Phone that are better than it. Based on your needs, you can make an informed decision.
If you are interested in knowing more about Zoom services, we have detailed articles about:
Zoom Meetings and Zoom Webinars.
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