Making the choice to convert over to a VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) phone system is easy, but finding the best business VoIP providers gets a little more difficult. One of the biggest decisions you’ll need to make in this space is RingCentral vs Vonage.
These two major VoIP business services are highly reviewed and rated, but which one will serve your needs best? As you know, what works for one company may not work for yours.
RingCentral, founded in 2000, wants to “create a world where everyone is free to work together effortlessly.” Vonage, founded in 2001, aims to “transform how people connect.”
So, how do RingCentral and Vonage differ from one another? And what features should you consider most important? We’ve researched both companies in depth and have compiled the information you need to know.
RingCentral vs Vonage Costs: RingCentral Offers More Flexibility
RingCentral – RingCentral offers four different tiers when it comes to pricing and plans. Like most other VoIP providers, this company follows a price-per-user model and offers more advanced features on the higher tiers.
The first price point starts at $19.99 per user per month and gives you all the standard features you should expect from a VoIP service, including unlimited calling in the US and Canada, 100 toll-free minutes, mobile apps and HD voice. With this plan, you can also host up to 4 people in a video conference meeting.
The next tier costs $24.99 per user per month and includes all the features from the previous tier, as well as some more advanced features. You get 1,000 toll-free minutes, internet fax capability and call log reports.
The most popular tier costs $34.99 per user per month and allows you to host up to 100 people in a video conference meeting. It also bumps your toll-free minutes up to 2,500 and includes more advanced management features like single sign-on, external integrations and custom app development.
The highest plan costs $49.99 per user per month and gives you 10,000 toll-free minutes and the ability to host up to 200 people in a video conference meeting.
Vonage – Vonage offers three different price plans from which to choose. Pricing starts at $19.99 per user per month. This plan is mobile-centric, and doesn’t require the use of desktop phones. You get unlimited calling and messaging in the US and Canada, but don’t get any video conferencing functionality.
The next plan is $29.99 per user per month and offers everything from the previous plan, along with video conferencing functionality for up to 100 people, along with CRM integration.
The highest plan is $39.99 per user per month and gives you the added benefits of on-demand call recording (15 hours per month), visual voicemail and call group, which forwards a single call to multiple extensions at the same time.
Ease of Use: Both Are Simple and Easy to Use
When you implement a new software for your employees, it’s important to consider how easy it is to use. If there’s too big a learning curve, employees will have a hard time adopting the new tool. This is especially true for VoIP systems that they will use every day.
Vonage and RingCentral both excel in configuration and setup. They both offer great initial support when you start to implement the product. Each company treats setup differently, but their tools make customization easy.
When it comes to ease of use, these two companies are neck and neck. Customers of both companies rave about how easy their software is to learn and use. The interfaces on both systems are clean and simple, without all the added clutter that seems so common in modern software.
Feature Availability: RingCentral Offers More Overall
When it comes to features, it’s important to consider the specific needs of your business. The features available with one company may not fit your needs, so there isn’t a uniform “best” solution out there for every single business. However, VoIP services that offer more features are more likely to fill your needs over those that offer only a fraction of the same features.
Both RingCentral and Vonage offer a standard set of features you should expect from a business VoIP solution, like call forwarding, hold music, auto attendant and so on. However, the difference lies in how those features are offered.
RingCentral offers the bulk of these standard features in all of their plans. Vonage offers many of these in an a la carte style. Ultimately, RingCentral includes more features as a standard option in its plans than Vonage.
The features RingCentral offers are also more focused on medium- to large-sized businesses, where Vonage offers features more focused on freelancers and solo operations.
Customer Support: RingCentral Support is More Available
Both RingCentral and Vonage offer great customer support. You can reach customer support representatives from both companies through the standard means of communication, including phones, email and online chat. Both companies also have robust support websites.
The difference in customer support between these two companies comes into play when considering the availability of support representatives.
RingCentral offers 24/7 phone support, while Vonage’s support lines are only available 9am to 9pm on weekdays.
Related Articles:
- Why is RingCentral the Best VoIP System for My Small Business
- How VoIP Can Benefit Small Business Owners
- Jive Review: Robust Reporting and High Call Quality
- RingCentral Review: Budget Friendly and Feature Heavy
- RingCentral vs Vonage: RingCentral is Better for Business
- Landline vs VoIP: Which Works Better for Your Business and Why
