Will Google Continue to Support Google Voice
Our research shows 8×8 is the best Google Voice alternative, hands down. While 8×8 similarly caters to small businesses, it offers an unmatched feature catalog compared to Google Voice, along with robust customer support, integration options, and scalability, allowing businesses to grow more easily. Plus, with plans starting from $15 per month, it won't break the bank.
But, just because our research suggests 8×8 is the best overall Google Voice alternative, doesn't mean that it's right for your business. Pricing forMicrosoft Teams,for instance, startsas low as $4 per month, and there are some lesser known but growing options such as GoTo Connect andRingblaze.
We've collected 13 solid Google Voice alternatives here, breaking down key factors such as price, features, and integrations, to enable you to make the right choice for your needs.
Our independent reviews and recommendations are funded in part by affiliate commissions, at no extra cost to our readers. Click to Learn More
| Price from The typical lowest starting price. The lowest price available for your business will depend on your needs. | Best For | Pros | Cons | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | BEST ALTERNATIVE | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Google Voice | 8×8 | RingCentral | Microsoft Teams | GoTo Connect | Ooma | Nextiva | OpenPhone | Grasshopper | Monster VoIP | Telzio | Ringblaze | Phone.com | Line2 |
| $10/user/month | $15/user/month | $19.99/user/month | $4/user/month | $24/user/month | $19.95/user/month | $18.95/user/month | $10/user/month | $26/month | $27/month | $50/month | $15/month | $11.99/user/month | $13.75/user/month |
| Small businesses that prioritize security | Small businesses & sales teams | Overall, hospitality, retail, healthcare & customer service | Daily Microsoft users | Great for scaling | Overall customer experience | Professional Services | Mobile startup teams | Lots of features on the Solo tier | App add-ons | Multiple users at a flat fee | Unlimited US & Canada calls | Mid-range alternative | A similiar option to Google Voice |
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| Excellent 24 hour support and an uncomplicated product range. |
| Lots of excellent features, especially in the advanced plans which offer call recording and voicemail to text. |
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| Like Nextiva, some users complain that the set up is confusing and takes time. |
| Some users state that the initial set up can be pretty time consuming. |
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We've found that Google Voice lacks the features, external connections, and customer support of other top providers. If you're ready to switch right now, then use our free comparison tool, designed to make your decision even easier and match you up with the best calling app provider for your specific business needs.
For more information on the best Google Voice alternatives, and those to avoid, just continue reading!
In this guide:
- Best Google Voice Alternatives Compared
- About Our Research
- Best Free Alternatives to Google Voice
- Google Voice Alternatives to Avoid
- Switching from Google Voice
- Verdict – Which Google Alternative Is Best?
- Frequently Asked Questions
Best Google Voice Alternatives Compared
Google Voice is a Voice over Internal Protocol (VoIP) service, the term for a system that facilitates calling over the internet, instead of using traditional phone landlines. VoIP is considerably cheaper, and more flexible than traditional phone systems. But if you've done even the smallest bit of research, you'll know that there are a lot of VoIP providers out there — some good, some bad, some expensive, some cheap. So, how do you choose between them?
While Google Voice is one of our favorites for businesses that need strong security — especially for those who wish to use Google Voice for international calling — it's not the best fit for everyone. If you're looking to move away from Google to a more sophisticated business set up or are simply looking to see what your other options are and compare costs and features, we've gathered some of the best alternatives to Google Voice right here, hopefully saving you a lot of time scrolling.
Our research found that RingCentral is the best VoIP option overall, although the price and customer score make it less ideal for small businesses, which is why we rate 8×8 as a better, closer alternative to those considering, or switching from, Google Voice.
Microsoft Teams is also a stellar pick, providing a low-cost option with some serious scalability, especially if you're interested in using other Microsoft programs, while Ooma is well-rated by customers with strong customer support channels.
As far as value is concerned, GoTo Connect provides the most features at the lowest price for larger businesses, so that could pique your interest if you're a larger team on a budget. You can check out our VoIP quotes tool to learn more about the best deals available for your business.
Without further ado, the best Google Voice Alternatives are:
- 8×8 – Best Google Voice alternative
- RingCentral – Best for hospitality, retail and customer service
- Microsoft Teams – Best if you prefer Microsoft to Google
- Ooma – Great customer experience
- GoTo Connect – Better value for larger companies
- Nextiva – Great option for professional services
- OpenPhone – Equal cost alternative to Google Voice
- Grasshopper – A Google Voice alternative for individuals
- Monster VoIP – Good range of dedicated apps
- Telzio – Flat fee alternative not based on user numbers
- Ringblaze – Offers unlimited US and Canada calls
- Phone.com – Good alternative for low call volumes
- Line2 – Our last alternative for you to consider
What makes these providers robust Google Voice alternatives? Well, it depends, but if you've got complaints about Google Voice, we're sure that one of the brands above can provide a solution. Read on to find your next great VoIP provider.
8×8 – Best Google Voice Alternative
Price: from $15/month
Downside: Slightly more expensive than Google Voice
Key takeaway: Incredible features, with security is just as strong as Google Voice
8×8 is one of the most popular and robust VoIP providers on the market today, making it a clear alternative to Google Voice. In our research, we found that it offers more features than any other option available, including Google Voice, as well as a solid selection of external connections, unbeatable customer support, and robust security for its users. On top of all that, it offers a lot of scalable features, including user limits, call queue, ring groups, local numbers, and more.
The biggest selling point as a Google Voice alternative is that 8×8 is the only VoIP provider in our research to have the same level of security as Google Voice, with both scoring a perfect 5 out of 5 in our research. It offers everything from password rules and multi-factor authentication to TLS/SRTP encryption and a vast array of compliances across all plans except the Express.
The only spot where 8×8 isn't as great is its cost, as it provides all these features in higher pricing tiers. 8×8 offers three pricing plans for standard VoIP use — Express, X2, and X4 — which cost $15 per user per month, $24 per user per month, or $44 per user per month, respectively.
Additionally, 8×8 offers three call center plans — X6, X7, and X8 — which are more expensive but are aimed at larger businesses that need to handle a lot of incoming calls and cost a lot more. These plans will run you $85 per user per month, $110 per user per month, and $140 per user per month, respectively.
These plans are why 8×8 is so great on scalability, gaining the provider a 4.9 out of 5 for scalability in our testing, compared with Google Voice's mere 2.9 out of 5. Just make sure you can afford them by getting an exact quote for your needs using our free quote collection tool.
You can also check out our 8×8 pricing and review guide for more information.
In Short
Highlights
- 5-star security features
- Unlimited inbound and outbound calls to 48 countries
- Huge number of integrations
- More features than most VoIP providers
Key Features
- Video and call conferencing on all plans
- Live chat + phoneline support 24/7
- Call-flow designer
- Ring groups
- Call queue
Pricing
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Pricing starts from $15/user/month
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30-day free trial -
Contact center plans: $85-$140/user/month
RingCentral – Best for Hospitality, Retail, Customer service
Price: from $19.99/month
Downside: More expensive than Google Voice
Key takeaway: Far better integrations with other tools than Google Voice
Chances are you've seen RingCentral mentioned before in your online VoIP searches. A huge company with a global reach, RingCentral are very much a safe pair of hands, particularly as a Google Voice alternative. Those hands will cost you from $19.99 per user per month for its Essentials VoIP package or $27.99 per user per month for the Standard plan.
The Essentials package caters for up to 20 users, but only offers pretty basic features and integrations, so we'd suggest going for at least the Standard plan if you truly want to upgrade from Google Voice, which will mean paying more than Google's $10/user monthly fee – but will be worth it.
Find the best price for your business using our free VoIP quotes comparison tool.
The Standard plan nets you unlimited users, up to 24-hour meeting duration, quality of service reports, unlimited audio conferencing, and integrates with some big-name software such as Office 365, Google Workspace, Slack and others. RingCentral scores exceptionally high for its external connections and integration options in our latest testing, notching the highest score in our research with a 4.3 out of 5 compared to Google Voice's 2.8 out of 5.
There's also a Premium package from RingCentral which comes in at $34.99 per user per month, and could be the smarter choice depending on your needs and business size. This gives you automatic call recording, whisper, barge, and more CRM integrations such as Salesforce, Zendesk and more. Those interested in the unlimited storage, device status reports and alerts might even consider the Ultimate plan, at $49.99 per user per month.
One of the selling points for Google Voice is that it's easy to use and set up, which remains true for RingCentral. It's also worth noting that, just like Google Voice, RingCentral includes unlimited calls to the US and Canada as part of its package.
RingCentral may be a slightly pricier prospect than some of the others on our list, but there's no doubt that it's a full featured platform that won't leave your business wanting.
In Short
Highlights
- Over 2,000,000 customers
- Very easy to set up and scale as necessary
- Top quality security provisions
Key Features
- Auto Attendant, Group Calling, Call Queue functions
- 24/7 live support, onboarding assistance, phoneline & email
- Multi-factor authentication + password rules
Pricing
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From $19.99/user/month -
We recommend the Standard plan for $27.99/user/month
Microsoft Teams – Best for Microsoft Users
Price: from $4/month
Downside: Steep learning curve, and not so smooth unless you're using other Microsoft tools
Key takeaway: No-brainer solution for Microsoft ecosystems
It's fair to say that Microsoft Teams has boomed over the last few years, with the pandemic making its video calling service now pretty much essential for many users. Faced with a brand-new audience and stiff competition from the likes of Zoom and Google Meet, we've been very impressed with the way that Microsoft has constantly evolved Teams, adding more features on a seemingly weekly basis.
Naturally, Teams integrates brilliantly with all things Microsoft. Subsequently, if you're a business that uses Microsoft 365 over Google Workspace, Microsoft Teams just makes more sense compared to Google Voice. It's also priced competitively too, starting from just $4 per user, per month for an Essentials package, and $6 per user, per month for a Business Basic package. Not only that, but there's a free business tier package too, although it does have limitations, such as lack of recording meetings, and a cap on number of attendees.
The $4 essentials package is pretty basic with only meeting facilities and no email or Office app integration, but that $6 Business Basic tier gets you OneDrive and SharePoint to work with. Opt for the Business Standard tier ($12.50) and you'll also get access to Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook.
The one sticking point with Microsoft Teams is that compared to some of its contemporaries like Google Meet, it has something of a steep learning curve, and isn't quite as intuitive or easy to use, especially if you've not bought in to all the other Microsoft tools. Once you know what you're doing, it's a powerful tool, but do keep this in mind before rolling it out to your team and allow time for some teething issues.
In Short
Pros:
- Completely free
- 300 participants
- Integrates with Microsoft 365
Cons:
- No gallery view for guests
- Steep learning curve
Pricing
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From $4 per user, per month -
We recommend the Business Basic package, from $6 per user/per month
Ooma – Great Customer Experience
Price: from $19.95/month
Downside: Terrible security compared to Google Voice
Key takeaway: Ooma customers are well supported and satisfied
Ooma marries strong features, integrations and value into one appealing bundle, and we feel that it's a great alternative to Google Voice for small businesses. It's not ranked more highly on our list however, because its security is pretty bad, scoring a brutal 1 out of 5 in our research compared to Google Voice's whopping 5 out of 5 rating for security.
What it does do well, is support its clientele, and support them in supporting their customers. When we looked into user satisfaction levels, Ooma matched Google Voice's 4.4/5 rating from its user base, and beat Google Voice on its Support options, scoring 4.5 stars vs Google Voice's 3.1 rating.
Ooma Office starts at $19.95, and unlike some basic tiers, this one is actually well worth your time and your wallet. With it you can expect a bevy of features, including call forwarding, call queues, extension dialing, and whisper and barge. The basic tier also includes a virtual receptionist, which gives it a serious leg up on Google Voice.
For an extra $5 per user per month, you can get Ooma Office Pro, which naturally includes everything in the basic tier, as well as call recording, the desktop app, enhanced call blocking, and voicemail transcripts. Plus, it gives companies higher usage limits for audio conferencing and extension monitoring.
We really like the wealth of integrations that are available with Ooma, such as Salesforce, Microsoft Dynamics, Zendesk, Microsoft 365 and ServiceNow. It's not exhaustive, but it does check off the majority of the big-name software that your company is likely to use.
If you really want to make sure that Ooma suits your business needs, it even offers a free trial, meaning you can try it without any commitment.
Read our head-to-head comparison of Ooma vs Google Voice or our Ooma Office review to learn more.
In Short
Highlights:
- Unlimited calling in US, CA, MX, PR
- 35+ features included at no extra cost
- Easy DIY installation
- 24/7 support
Key features:
- "Customer Success Managers" for support
- Multi-level virtual receptionist
- Free smartphone app with SMS/MMS messaging incorporated
Pricing
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Starts from $19.95/user/month -
Cheapest plan is feature-rich
GoTo Connect – Best Value for Larger Companies
Price: from $24/month
Downside: Higher entry price and fewer integrations than other Google Voice alternatives
Key takeaway: Great value for larger businesses
GoTo Connect is part of the GoTo family of apps, which offers a wide range of options when it comes to communicating with those on your team. GoTo Connect is the VoIP service from GoTo, with a moderate offering of features and customer support options. It has great customer support, and the customer score is high enough to tell us that users don't hate using the system.
GoTo Connect's best reason for competing with Google Voice is the price and more specifically the value for money, scoring a very high 4.3 out of 5 for value in our testing, whereas Google Voice only achieved a 4 out of 5.
While the starting price for GoTo Connect is a bit high at $24 per user per month, the most expensive plan is only $43 per user per month, and it offers a vast array of advanced features. It's still more expensive than Google Voice, but it offers a lot more as far as what you get for the money. The mid-tier plan costs only $29 per user per month and also provides plenty of features to sway you from the popular Google option.
The biggest downside for GoTo Connect, however, is the number of external connections available for users. It simply doesn't have the same level of integrations as other options on this list, with CRM integrations with only Salesforce and Zendesk and web conferencing integrations with only Microsoft Teams. Even worse, it offers no analytics, so you can't see how your team communications in a comprehensive dashboard.
Simply put, if you need a value option that can stand on its own, GoTo Connect is a great option, but there are definitely better providers out there if you look hard enough.
In Short
Highlights
- Enterprise-grade system
- Established private and public sector clients
- Lots of features for the price point
Key Features
- Integrate with Salesforce, Zoho, Slack & Outlook
- Call conferencing on all plans
- Call queue, ring groups & spam prevention
Pricing
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Pricing starts at $24/user/month -
Great Customer Score (4.4/5)
Nextiva – Great for Professional Services
Price: from $23.95/month
Downside: Average security, not quite as strong value for money
Key takeaway: Better analytical features than Google Voice
Much like Ooma, Nextiva is a well-known and respected VoIP brand with plenty of experience, and they're a solid choice for most businesses looking to invest in VoIP. The provider offers noticeably more features than Google Voice, scoring a 3.8 out of 5 in our research, compare to Google Voice's mere 2.8 out of 5. Its security is average (3/5) compared to Google (5/5) but, again like Ooma, it has better customer support (4.5/5 vs 3.1/5).
Nextiva's Essential tier starts at $23.95 per user, per month for 1-4 users. It offers unlimited voice and video calling, auto attendant, integration with Outlook and Google Contacts, unlimited internet fax and 24/7 customer support. We particularly like the included video calling on this tier.
Professional is priced at $27.95 per user, per month for 1-4 users, and adds in unlimited conference calls, for up to 40 participants, unlimited text messages, and offers more integrations with Salesforce, HubSpot and Zendesk.
At the top end of the scale, there's Enterprise priced at $37.95 per user, per month. This is where the analytical features come to the fore, with voice and customer journey analytics. The integrations are also bolstered with Microsoft Teams, Oracle Sales and ServiceNow.
What we like most about Nextiva is its strong suite of analytical tools. This is something that you won't get with the likes of Google Voice, and something which could well give you a valuable insight into your business. Our research also found that the features Nextiva prioritize in their plans are especially good for those working in service industries such as Consultants, Accountants, Contractors, and Designers.
Overall, Nextiva is an alternative to Google Voice to consider, but given its cost, the features don't blow us away, so it's not quite as good value for money unless you do work in a professional service role. Find the best value for money for your unique business needs by comparing VoIP quotes.
In Short
Highlights
- Unlimited users on all plans
- Unlimited calling in US and Canada
- Simple set up
Key Features
- Team messaging feature
- 24/7 phone + chat support
- External video calling
Pricing
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Pricing starts from $18.95/user/month -
Pricing drops according to the number of users on the plan
OpenPhone – An Equal-Cost Swap for Small Businesses
Price: from $10/month
Downside: Limited customer support, integrations and scalability
Key takeaway: Same cost, better value
When it comes to price, OpenPhone's Standard package is a good swap for Google Voice, coming in at the same price of just $10 per month. On the surface, it seems like great value, and it offers unlimited calls. In fact, when you look at the features included for the entry price, it's clearly a great deal.
Where it falls down slightly is with its integrations, a feature that Google Voice succeeds quite well at. The list isn't exactly expansive, and while this won't out directly impact a fledgling businesses, those that are more established might find them lacking. There's email, Slack, Zapier, HubSpot, Salesforce, and that's it.
If you opt for the cheapest price, you may also struggle to get a quick customer service response. Google Voice doesn't score too high here either, at only 3.1 out of 5 in our research, but OpenPhone isn't much better. Those on the $10 tier only get email and SMS support, while Premium ($25) and Enterprise (price on request) customers get priority service.
OpenPhone isn't one for a bigger or expanding business, but startups with tight purse strings could do a lot worse.
In Short
Highlights:
- Cheap alternative to other VoIP providers
- Desktop and mobile compatibility
- Free trial
Key Features:
- Call recording
- Auto replies
- Voicemail to text
- Call routing
Pricing
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One of the cheapest VoIP options -
Starts from $10 per month
Grasshopper – Great Range of Features on Solo Tier
Price: from $26/month
Downside: Worse value overall than other alternatives listed above
Key takeaway: Solo tier (only) is good value for an individual
Grasshopper is a relatively unknown name, but still a respectable option to consider as a Google Voice alternative. It can be a bit expensive compared to others on this list, but its Solo plan is fairly generous.
On its most basic 'Solo' tier, Grasshopper grants you access to ring groups and advanced reporting, which are reserved for the more expensive Google Voice plans. The Solo tier starts at $26 per month and offers one phone number and 3 extensions.
The second 'Partner' tier includes all of the above features, but comes with three phone numbers instead, and six extensions. It's priced at $44 per month. Lastly, the 'Small Business' tier adds 5 phone numbers and unlimited extensions, and is priced at $80 per month. Grasshopper also offers a free seven day trial with one phone number and three extensions, 100 minutes and 100 texts.
Ultimately, Grasshopper doesn't offer enough features to compete with the other VoIP options listed above, but if you're just looking for the basics and a business number, its 'Solo' tier could be suitable as an alternative to Google Voice offering slightly better value for an enterpreneur.
Read our guide to the top ten VoIP apps.
In Short
Highlights:
- Attractive pricing for businesses
- String customer support
- Abundance of features
Key Features:
- Reporting
- Auto receptionist
- Call transfer
- Business texting
Pricing
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Pricing starts at $26 -
Free trial available
Monster VoIP – An Alternative with Dedicated Apps
Price: from $27/month
Downside: Weaker video conferencing, higher price than Google Voice
Key takeaway: Good if you're looking for a particular app compatibility
Monster VoIP has been around since 2012, but has grown considerably in recent years, with many positive reviews from users online, prompting us to take a closer look at it to find out if the hype was justified.
There's no denying that the $27 per month is on the pricier side. You can get this down to $270 per year if you pay annually, and it does offer a two-week free trial, but Monster VoIP is not the option for those looking for a budget solution — Google Voice is still the one of the best there, starting at only $10 per month. However, what we do like about the platform is that there are no hidden costs — the fee you see is literally what you'll pay. No set up fees, no contracts, taxes and fees are all included.
Monster VoIP has a wide range of features which is likely to appeal to many. A real feather in its cap and a justification for that price tag is that it boasts apps for almost every platform (iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, Linux, and browsers). I also offers unlimited SMS, call queues, call recording, voicemail transcript and call analytics, and has video conferencing features, although they don't nearly compare with Google Meet or the rest of the Google Workspace ecosystem.
Integrations are strong enough, with major software such as Salesforce, HubSpot, Zoho, Microsoft Teams and others all compatible.
In Short
Highlights
- Large number of integrations
- 14 day free trial
- 24/7 support
Key Features
- Call recording
- Call analytics
- Video conferencing
Pricing
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Starts at $27 per month -
Free trial available
Telzio – Flat Fee Alternative for Multiple Low Volume Users
Price: from $50/month
Downside: Won't work for higher call volumes
Key takeaway: Flat fee based on minutes, not users
Telzio's approach differs slightly from its competitors, in that you don't pay per user like you do with Google Voice. Rather, businesses pay for a set number of minutes, which can be used by as many employees as needed. This won't work for everyone and could work out rather expensive if you're a business that is looking to make a lot of calls.
However, if you are a fledgling business with not many calls to make and want the flexibility to allow anyone within your business to make these calls, then Telzio could be a viable solution for you. Starting at $50 per month for 1000 minutes call time, it's not the cheapest option, but a good set of features and strong customer support do go some way to make up for it. The service also charges separately for SMS messaging, which again, is unusual — Google Voice simply includes this in their packages.
In terms of integrations, there's a few big-name software platforms that Telzio connects with, but it's not exhaustive. Google Analytics, Zapier, Stripe, Vtiger, and Webhooks are all represented. Features wise, there's a very good line up of useful tools for businesses, including hold music, voicemail, call queues, menus, call recording, and live reporting.
Would we recommend Telzio to everyone? No, there are much better, cheaper options, but if you're a business with low call volumes and lots of users, then this platform could well suit your needs.
In Short
Highlights:
- Base price cheap if not making many calls
- Unlimited users and extensions
- Free trial
- 50+ features
Key Features:
- Google analytics intergration
- Toll free numbers
- Voicemail transcription
Pricing
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$50 per month -
Free trial available
Ringblaze – Offers Unlimited US & Canada Calls
Price: from $15/month
Downside: $5 more per month than Google
Key takeaway: Very similar to Google Voice
Ringblaze keeps things simple with a single price plan of $15 per user, per month, if you pay annually, which is definitely competitive with Google Voice plans.
There's a good range of features included with Ringblaze. Included is call recording, call history (90 days), call controls, call transfer and others. The features are quite similar to those available in Google Voice's cheapest plan, though, so you'd be paying $5 extra for less functionality.
One neat feature that Ringblaze has over many of its competitors is a dedicated widget for your site that lets your customers call you from your site, instantly. This click-to-call feature can be a great way to answer any customer questions in real time and save that sale that may have otherwise been lost.
We are also fans of the support options you get with Ringblaze, including email, chat, and help center support, but it's not 24/7, which Google Voice provides.
Like Google Voice, and many other providers on this list, Ringblaze also offers unlimited calls within the US and Canada.
In Short
Highlights
- Just one pricing plan
- Unlimited calling in US and Canada
- Quick 15 minute set up
Key Features
- Shared dashboard
- One to one onboarding
- Call recording
- Free trial
Pricing
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Pricing starts from $15 per user, per month -
Free trial available
Phone.com – Alternative for Those with Low Call Volumes
Price: from $11.99/month
Downside: Cap on minutes at the lowest tier price
Key takeaway: Lowest tier is similarly priced to Google Voice
The key draw of Phone.com is the price. Starting at $11.99 per user, per month, annually, it's hard to beat when it comes to value, although it's still a tad more expensive than Google Voice at only $10 per user, per month.
So, what's the catch? Well, while most providers offer you unlimited minutes on even their most basic tier, with Phone.com, you're only going to get 300 minutes. After that, you'll need to pay for the extra minutes you use, meaning that it could be a false economy if you have an active outgoing call volume.
Google Voice allows unlimited minutes and costs less, so it's probably worth sticking with Google if you do have higher call volumes. The Plus tier, at $15.99 per user, per month, does offer unlimited calls, but it's a full $6 more than Google Voice per month. You'll also get unlimited text messages, and video conferencing with 25 participants, though.
The Pro tier, at $23.99 per month, adds call recording, analytics, CRM integration, and extends the number of participants for video conferencing to 100. At this price, we'd recommend 8×8 or RingCentral instead as an alternative to Google Voice. Especially since some features are priced as extras with Phone.com, such as live receptionist ($90 per month), and inbound faxing ($4.99).
In Short
Highlights:
- 40+ features
- Low cost per user per month
- Simple set up
Key Features:
- Audio conferencing
- Call analytics
- Video conferencing
- Queue management
Pricing
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Competitive entry price -
Starts from $12.99
Line2 – A Final Alternative to Consider
Price: from $13.75/month
Downside: Fewer features than other Google Voice alternatives
Key takeaway: Only pricing plan is a similar price to Google Voice
Line2 is a bit unique in that it only offers one pricing plan that starts at $13.75 per month if you decide to be billed annually. If you decide to go for the monthly fee, the price will increase to $15.99 per month. This budget focused entry plan competes on price with the first Google Voice plan, offering the basic functions you'd expect, such as unlimited toll-free minutes, up to five lines, voicemail, and call screening. Some other features, such as voicemail transcription, are available on this tier but priced extra.
Line2 used to offer two other plans but has since downsized to the simple competitively priced monthly and yearly plans to keep it simple.
In Short
Highlights:
- Allows a second business line to existing device
- Low cost of entry
- Speak with other Line 2 users free
Key Features:
- Merge calls
- Call recording
- Call reporting
- Business call handling
Pricing
-
Starts from $13.75 per month -
Fewer features than most providers
About Our Research
If you can't tell, Tech.co has spent a lot of time and effort to research business software like VoIP providers. In fact, we have teams of individuals sifting through free trials and feature catalogs, and conducting hands-on testing on a daily basis to bring you the most valuable information when it comes to choosing the right option for your business.
For VoIP software, we measured a number of important metrics that will impact your business. Here they are:
- Value for money – We measure what you get for the price, so you know that the lowest price doesn't always mean the best
- Features – The size of the catalog can make a big difference for some businesses, so we check on how many features they offer
- External connections – Integrating with other business software can turn your digital tools into all-in-one hubs to run your business
- Customer support – Getting help when you need is key for good business software, so we investigate exactly how responsive support teams are
- Security – Security breaches are no joke, which is why we analyze security measures in place for every provider
- Scalability – Being able to grow with a software is very helpful, so we measure features like local numbers and ring groups to see if that's possible
- Customer score – This score is an aggregate of customer reviews across rating sites and app stores
For more information about how we rank and score our VoIP providers and other business software, take a look at our research guide that outlines how we do our research.
What's the Best Free Alternative to Google Voice?
We've already listed the top free Google Voice alternative – WhatsApp, which offers a familiar interface and is incredibly simple to use, if limited. There are however, other free options out there.
Facebook Messenger
+ Doesn't cost anything
+ Most people already use Facebook and should be familiar with Messenger
+ Can use to contract individuals or groups
– Not many features
– Not secure
– Relies on the person you're trying to contact having Facebook Messenger
Line
+ Available on most platforms including iOS, Android and Windows
+ Includes in-app payment system
+ Widely used in countries such as China and Japan
– Very little recognition in the US
– Very basic features
– No customer support
Free VoIP services may seem a great solution, but in reality, they will only serve your business in the short term, especially if you're looking to grow. They offer few features, can look unprofessional, and almost never offer the level of support that a paid for VoIP platform does. To find the best deal for your needs from a range of recommended VoIP providers, use our free price comparison tool.
Google Voice Alternatives to Avoid
We've given you some great Google Voice alternatives, but we think there are some that shouldn't be on your shortlist, too:
Just Call – Too expensive
We'll start with the positives for Just Call – you can access international and local numbers, and there's a decent set of features available including call routing, SMS and CRM integrations.
Why didn't it make our list? Well, each additional international or local number after the first one needs to be purchased as an extra, whereas Google Voice includes them at no additional cost. If the base price were cheaper ($48/month minimum for Standard access for 2 users with limited minutes), we could forgive this, but it's not, meaning that your costs could soon rack up.
Just Call have at least added a 14-day free trial since we last reviewed them, but Google Voice offers a 30-day free trial.
WhatsApp – You'll soon outgrow this app
Personal use is fine, but WhatsApp is simply not built for business functionality compared to Google Voice.
The WhatsApp mobile app is tailored to individual users. This means that the features it does have are starkly basic. There's no analytics here, no menus, no hold music. On the other hand, it's free. To its credit, it has recently partnered with Meta for more business functionality, but it's just not up to snuff as a business solution. Simply put, WhatsApp's free tier feels like something you use while your business looks for a better option.
We should point out that there is actually a WhatsApp solution aimed at businesses. The app itself is free to download, but to really get the most out of it, you'll need to integrate it with a dedicated WhatsApp Business API. There's no doubt that this adds some powerful functionality, such as live customer support and shopping integrations, but the process around getting set up is rather messy, particularly compared to the ease of Google Voice, and involves signing up with a Facebook partner who can provide the API tools.
We haven't included costs for this as it depends on who you go with, but realistically, WhatsApp Business is no substitute for some of the other cheaper, simpler to use solutions on this page. As for the free tier? It would probably get you by for a week or two, but would look unprofessional, and your business deserves better.
Read to stop searching and find the best VoIP provider for your business? Use our free tool to compare VoIP providers and find your ideal match.
Switching from Google Voice
Although Google Voice has adequately supported numerous businesses for several years, competition is increasing from other firms who can deliver improved features, better quality, and increased reliability.
Here are the key considerations to make when switching.
Your Account
With Google Voice there are two types of account. The first is a light version which includes voicemail and other useful features, such as personalized greetings and transcription. The second is a full Google Voice account, which requires you to either port or create a telephone number. This functionality will allow you to forward calls to numerous phones, distribute text messages from your computer, and a host of other features.
The more advanced account can be slightly more difficult when it comes to switching. If you decide to change your provider you will either need to swap your Google Voice number to a new line or change your telephone number entirely. However, your new provider can take care of this for you once you've gotten everything set up.
Porting your Number
Whether you have ported a number into Google Voice or you have created a number when you signed up, you likely want to continue using this number with your new provider. Before you can do this though, you will have to unlock the number, which is a simple process that is either free or a mere $3 depending on how you set up your number.
Once you have gone through the steps to unlock the number from Google Voice, you can move your number to your new provider. If your new provider requests an account number to complete the porting process, just give them your Google Voice number.
It may take a few days to port your number to the new provider, but you can still use your Google Voice number while you wait.
As we've shown, switching from Google Voice is easy, so find the best provider today using our free tool.
Verdict
As we've shown here, Google Voice isn't the only VoIP option out there, far from it. We've found many great alternatives that offer excellent features, integrations and pricing options, so much so that you might wonder why you ever considered Google Voice in the first place.
Ultimately, we think the best Google Alternative is 8×8, which provides a truly superb VoIP package for your business for only $15 per month. 8×8 is a great alternative to Google Voice for those that want plenty of features, great customer support, and plenty of security.
Whoever you choose in the end, we're confident that you'll be happy you did. Switching from Google Voice means you can expect better integrations, better support, and even more features at your fingertips.
Also, switching is a lot easier than you might expect, and you can take your number with you too! Get started with custom quotes for your business and find the best deal on a Google Voie alternative using our free comparison tool.
FAQs
The basic tier of Google Voice is free, but it is very restricted in terms of features and customer support. Google offers a paid for tier, starting from $10 which has many of the features you'd expect from a comparable paid-for VoIP service.
Skype is primarily a video calling platform, although we think it also makes for a good substitute for Google Voice. As for which is best – you'll find that if you make a lot of calls, Google Voice will probably work out cheaper in the long run, as local calls are included in the cost.
As we've shown here, there are plenty of alternatives to Google Voice. We recommend 8×8, for a fantastic all round VoIP package, and one that won't break the bank. You may also want to consider RingCentral, GoTo Connect, Ooma, and Nextiva.
Microsoft has a couple of options when it comes to a Google Voice alternative. Firstly, there's Microsoft 365 Business Voice, which is an extra for Microsoft Teams. Then there's the Microsoft-owned Skype, which also boasts powerful video options.
Google Voice has a free tier, which is limited in scope. For the version with more features, you'll need to pay between $10 and $30 per month.
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Source: https://tech.co/business-phone-systems/google-voice-alternative
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