Dialpad and RingCentral are highly rated, voice-over-internet-protocol (VoIP) providers offering unlimited calls, mobile apps, and auto-attendants. Dialpad is the less expensive option, but it lacks RingCentral’s video and audio conferencing capabilities. Additionally, RingCentral supports more integrations, but they’re locked behind higher tiers. As a result, the answer as to which is best depends on your use case.
Dialpad: Best for small teams on a budget wanting a business phone service with a multilevel auto-attendant and call recording.
RingCentral: Best for companies wanting an all-in-one unified communications platform to share documents, host video calls, and expertly route calls.
Dialpad vs RingCentral at a Glance
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Price | $15 to $25 per user, per month when paid annually | $19.99 to $49.99 per user, per month when paid annually |
Ease of Use | Easy | Easy |
Integrations | Basic integrations on all plans | No integrations on entry-level plans but advanced options at higher tiers |
Customer Support | Phone support on upper-tier plans, knowledge base, forum, and chat | Phone support on upper-tier plans, knowledge base, forum, chat, and RingCentral University |
Call and Collaboration Functionalities | Basic call handling and routing features, limited in-app collaboration | Advanced call handling and routing features, in-app document sharing, and team messaging |
Conferencing Capabilities | Three-way calling or up to 10 video participants using Dialpad Meetings | Plans support six to 1,000 audio callers and 100 to 200 video participants |
Mobile App Features | Fewer functions than the web browser version | Nearly the same features as the web browser app |
Best Price: Dialpad
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Dialpad’s plans start at $15 per month when billed annually. | RingCentral’s plans start at $19.99 per month when billed annually. |
When comparing plans, Dialpad is cheaper than RingCentral pricing. Dialpad’s annual plans range from $15 to $25, whereas monthly packages cost $20 to $30 per month. You’ll save $4.99 to $14.99 on the entry-level tier, depending on the number of users. However, the Pro plan requires three users, and the Enterprise package has a minimum of 100 users, so you might wind up spending more if your team grows.
Most of Dialpad’s international calling rates are slightly lower than RingCentral too, with calls to Germany, France, or Australia starting at 3 cents per minute. But, this savings is reduced if you want a toll-free number, send over 100 faxes, or want video meetings with more than 10 people.
RingCentral offers four plans with annual and volume discounts. Although it’s $29.99 for one user, this drops to $19.99 for two to 10 users when paid annually. While Dialpad provides a $5 per month annual discount, RingCentral reduces plans by $10 per month.
RingCentral also works well for any number of offices. All packages offer a free 1-800 number or local number and unlimited faxing. International calling rates are slightly higher than Dialpad, starting at 3.9 cents per minute. Plus, all packages come with toll-free calling minutes, from 100 to 10,000 per month. Read our RingCentral review to see a complete breakdown of plans.
Winner: Dialpad is cheaper unless you want a toll-free number or need video conferencing for more than 10 participants. In case you want to expand the functionalities to get more value for your money, then RingCentral becomes the less expensive option.
Most Call Handling Functionalities: RingCentral
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All plans come with a multilevel auto-attendant, voicemail, call transfer, and voicemail transcription. | All plans offer an automated attendant, call transfer, unlimited audio conferencing, and visual voicemail. |
RingCentral’s plans are designed with plenty of call management and handling features, perfect for advanced functionality. RingCentral is a unified communications platform, allowing teams to share documents or chat right from the mobile or desktop apps.
With RingCentral, you can also click-to-dial, switch devices during calls, and show presence data. On all but the basic plan, you can record calls, use your system as an intercom, and get voicemail via text, email, or in-app. Plus, all RingCentral plans let you assign extensions, whereas Dialpad only supports extensions on its Enterprise package.
It is worth mentioning, however, that RingCentral’s entry-level plan does not come with a multilevel auto-attendant, while Dialpad’s entry-level plan does. In addition, Dialpad plans offer voicemail transcription, three to unlimited ring groups, call flip, and hot desking.
Winner: Overall, RingCentral has more features, especially on advanced plans where it functions as a call center with advanced call handling tools like whisper and barge.
Best Conferencing Capabilities: RingCentral
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Dialpad offers three-way calling, or you can use the free version of Dialpad Meetings to host meetings of up to 10 people. Higher limits cost $15 per user, per month on top of your Dialpad plan. | RingCentral supports conference calls for up to six people on the entry-level plan, while others feature unlimited audio conferencing for up to 1,000 people and video calling for up to 200 participants. |
The biggest difference between Dialpad and RingCentral is in their audio and video conferencing capabilities. Both plans have limited capabilities on the entry-level plan. RingCentral lets you connect six people on a call with the Essentials plan, or you can use Glip for RingCentral for free to meet with up to 100 people via video for up to 24-hour meetings. Its other plans support unlimited audio conferencing for up to 1,000 attendees and integrated video conferencing with 100 to 200 people.
In contrast, Dialpad allows three-way calling on its Standard plan, and you can use Dialpad Meetings to connect with up to 10 people for 45-minute meetings. But the Dialpad app only supports two-way video calling between team members using a desktop or laptop computer. For group video calls, users must launch the Dialpad Meetings app. For anything over 10 people, you’ll need to add Meetings Business for an extra $15 per user, per month.
Winner: RingCentral allows your team to switch between video and audio calling easily without time limits or restrictions on participants. Dialpad only works well for small meetings with 10 people, and you’ll need to use a separate app for video conferencing.
Best Mobile Apps: RingCentral
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Dialpad’s app offers less functionality than desktop versions. | RingCentral apps provide nearly the same experience as you’ll get with a web browser. |
Although both RingCentral and Dialpad actively respond to user reviews on Google and App Store, RingCentral has higher ratings for its mobile apps. RingCentral’s app works similarly to the web browser version, allowing users to participate in video calls, share documents, fax, and message each other from any device. The app garners 4.5 out of 5 stars on Google and 4.6 on App Store with more than 14,000 combined reviews.
Dialpad’s app doesn’t allow users to fax or mark messages as unread. Moreover, there are many complaints about dropped calls, lag times, and problems separating business calls from personal ones. The app receives 3.4 out of 5 stars on Google and 3.7 on App Store with under 800 total reviews.
Winner: RingCentral’s app offers more functionality and gets higher reviews than Dialpad.
Best for Customer Service: RingCentral
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The basic plan offers 24/5 support via chat or email, whereas the Pro and Enterprise versions also provide 24/7 phone support. Plus, you can access a knowledge base or community forum. | The entry-level plan offers chat or customer support tickets, while upper-tier versions provide 24/7 unlimited chat and phone support. The platform features a robust knowledge base, community forum, and RingCentral University, including live training. |
Although neither business phone system provides much live support for the entry-level plans, with all other plans, you get access to 24/7 phone support. However, RingCentral gives users access to a comprehensive platform called RingCentral University. It features videos, tutorials, and live training.
RingCentral supplies a service level agreement (SLA) that gives guarantees about uptime, web case responsiveness, and the percentage of calls answered within 10 minutes.
Like RingCentral, Dialpad provides a chat, support ticket, and phone options for its Pro and Enterprise plans. You can also access a good-sized knowledge base or active community forum. But, Dialpad only offers an SLA for Enterprise customers.
Winner: RingCentral’s SLA and the university give business users access to more self-help tools and guarantees than Dialpad.
Best for Integrations: RingCentral
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For small businesses, Dialpad offers Google and Microsoft 365 integrations on the Standard plan, and Salesforce, Slack, Zendesk, HubSpot, Zapier, and APIs are available on the Pro package. | Although RingCentral doesn’t offer integrations on its lower-tier plans, the Premium and Ultimate versions connect with hundreds of apps, including Salesforce, Zendesk, Slack, Zapier, APIs, and many more. |
We give RingCentral the edge because it connects with almost any application your company uses, from basic programs like Google Drive to industry-specific integrations, such as
Canvas and Smarsh. However, you’ll need the Premium or Ultimate plans to take advantage of these integrations, which may be pricey for small business users with under 20 employees.
In comparison, Dialpad provides integrations with Google Suite and Microsoft 365 on the Standard plan, a few advanced connections on the Pro version, and you can get a quote for the Enterprise plan to integrate with Okta and Azure.
Winner: RingCentral wins for the sheer number of integrations. If your business requires a deeply integrated business phone system, RingCentral is the best option. But if you only need basic integrations, go with Dialpad.
Best Alternatives
For small businesses, RingCentral may be overkill, yet Dialpad may not offer enough features or reliability. However, there are other budget-friendly options that provide the capabilities your business needs.
Our top Dialpad and RingCentral alternatives include:
- Grasshopper: Unlike RingCentral and Dialpad, Grasshopper doesn’t charge per user. You can add three to unlimited extensions, one to five phone numbers, and choose a vanity, local, or toll-free number.
- Google Voice: If you’re a solo business owner, Google Voice provides a free version with voicemail and a local phone number. Additionally, for Google Workspace users, plans start at $10, making it an affordable option.
- 8×8: For business owners wanting unlimited international calling, 8×8 offers plans for calling to up to 47 countries. This offer can help you avoid surprises that come with per-minute plans.
You’ll find plenty of voice-over-internet-protocol (VoIP) services offering a range of features at various price points. However, differences exist between ease of use and setup, so it’s important to consider plans carefully before switching to a new service.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Can I port my number to Dialpad or RingCentral?
Yes, Dialpad and RingCentral allow you to port a U.S. number at no cost. However, Dialpad doesn’t support toll-free numbers, whereas you can transfer a 1-800 number to RingCentral without any extra charges.
Can I host a free video conference with Dialpad or RingCentral?
Yes, both providers offer applications for free video calling. Dialpad Meetings is free to use for unlimited 45-minute calls with up to 10 participants. In comparison, Glip for RingCentral allows meetings with up to 100 attendees for a 24-duration at no charge.
Is VoIP reliable for business calls?
As long as your business has a high-speed internet connection, many small business VoIP services are reliable. But, the provider’s applications may be buggy and result in dropped calls. That’s why it’s important to review user ratings and uptime, and request an SLA.
Bottom Line
RingCentral and Dialpad are both well-known VoIP services offering small business owners excellent phone systems. Dialpad works better for small teams needing a phone solution, not a unified communications platform. On the other hand, RingCentral lets you share documents and host large meetings from a single application. See if RingCentral is right for you by starting your free trial today.
