6 Best Ooma Alternatives & Competitors
This article is part of a larger series on VoIP.
Ooma is an affordable voice-over-internet-protocol (VoIP) business phone system that provides telephony solutions, such as toll-free numbers and ring groups. While it offers essential services like international calling, Ooma lacks international phone numbers and offers limited integrations and call features in its basic plan. If your business needs these missing features, below are our top Ooma alternatives:
- RingCentral: Best overall all-in-one communication and collaboration platform
- Nextiva: Ideal option for its high allowance of toll-free minutes for customer service
- Grasshopper: Great simple call management solutions for small teams
- Phone.com: Best Ooma competitor for low-volume calling
- Google Voice: Solid choice for affordable calling plans
- 8×8: Excellent Ooma alternative for unmetered international calling
Ooma & Best Alternatives at a Glance
Service Providers | Monthly Starting Price* | Key Features | Free Trial | FSB Rating |
---|---|---|---|---|
$19.95 per user |
| 60 days | N/A | |
$29.99 per user |
| 14 days | 4.50 out of 5 | |
$30.95 per user |
| 7 days | 4.42 out of 5 | |
$31 (flat-rate pricing) |
| 7 days | 4.05 out of 5 | |
$14.99 per user |
| No free trial, but offers a 30-day money-back guarantee | 4.03 out of 5 | |
$10 per user |
| N/A | 3.97 out of 5 | |
$15 per user |
| 30 days | 3.94 out of 5 | |
*Some providers offer discounts for annual subscriptions
RingCentral: Best Overall Ooma Alternative
What We Like
- Real-time analytics
- Advanced call handling (e.g., whisper, barge)
- HD video meeting for up to 200 participants
What's Missing
- No video conferencing in entry-level plan
- Lacks professional audio greeting
- No unlimited international calling
How It Compares to Ooma
- Ooma, similar to RingCentral, offers free trials, but Ooma’s trial is longer
- RingCentral does not offer unlimited international calling, which Ooma does
- Ooma and RingCentral both offer local, toll-free, and vanity numbers, but only RingCentral offers international numbers
RingCentral is the best alternative business phone system for Ooma, particularly for expanding businesses that need advanced solutions, such as real-time analytics and over 200 integrations. It offers four plans with features, such as document sharing, team messaging, and unlimited calling within the U.S. and Canada. Its collaboration features include one-tap meetings and high-definition video and audio conferencing.
Ooma and RingCentral are VoIP solutions offering plans on a per-user model. Grasshopper, one of the top Ooma Telo competitors, offers a monthly flat-rate pricing model for small teams looking for a minimal monthly commitment. This is done without the need to purchase the actual Telo analog telephone adapter. Its Solo base plan comes with one phone number and three extensions, ideal for solopreneurs and lean teams.
RingCentral Monthly Pricing at a Glance*
- Essentials: $29.99 for up to 20 users and includes unlimited calls within the U.S. and Canada, iOS and Android apps, desk and conference phone rentals, and team messaging
- Standard: $37.99; includes an unlimited number of users, internet fax, audio conferencing, third-party integrations, and video conferencing for up to 100 participants
- Premium: $44.99 comes with automatic call recording, real-time analytics, customer relationship manager (CRM) integration, and advanced call handling features
- Ultimate: $59.99 offers devices status reports, alerts, and unlimited storage
*Paid per user; save up to 33% on annual subscriptions
RingCentral Features
The RingCentral app is the heart of your communication stack, allowing phone calls, video meetings, and team messaging. (Source: RingCentral)
- Mobile app: RingCentral has a mobile app that you access through an iOS or Android device. Its functionalities include inbound and outbound calling, voicemail, and fax.
- Analytics: RingCentral has comprehensive analytics that includes alerts for issues and key performance indicators (KPIs), and quality of service (QOS) reports, which Ooma lacks.
- Third-party app integrations: RingCentral offers an app gallery that features external tools you integrate into your system to make your workflow more efficient. These compatible applications include Salesforce, Zendesk, Okta, and Slack. It also allows users to build and suggest apps.
Interested in RingCentral’s menu of services? Check out our comprehensive RingCentral review to know if it’s right for you and your business.
Nextiva: Best for Its High Allowance of Toll-free Minutes
What We Like
- All plans come with visual voicemail
- Highly reliable with 99.999% uptime
- Offers professionally recorded greetings
What's Missing
- Base tier does not offer voicemail transcription
- Only offers domestic numbers, no international numbers
- Base plan integration limited to Google Contacts and Microsoft Outlook
How It Compares to Ooma
- Unlike Ooma, Nextiva does not offer unlimited international calling
- Nextiva’s unified communications (UC) features include built-in customer relationship management (CRM) software, which Ooma lacks
- All Nextiva and all Ooma business phone plans have unlimited internet fax
Nextiva is better than Ooma when it comes to offering the most value for toll-free minutes, making it ideal for small businesses that receive a high volume of call center interactions. It includes up to 1,500 minutes in its entry-level plan. As your company scales, you have an option to upgrade to higher plans that reach up to 12,500 toll-free minutes. In addition to free local and toll-free numbers, Nextiva offers unlimited calling in the U.S. and Canada.
Even with Nextiva’s robust toll-free and unified communications (UC) features, when there is high traffic, there is a possibility that teams will miss an occasional phone call. Grasshopper’s instant response sends a customizable automatic text reply to missed calls, effectively addressing this concern. This feature isn’t an option with Nextiva and Ooma at this time.
Nextiva Monthly Pricing at a Glance*
- Essentials: $30.95 for its quick start plan with unlimited voice calling, video meetings with up to 250 participants for 45 minutes, team collaboration chat messaging, toll-free numbers, and unlimited internet fax
- Professional: $35.95 with unlimited conference calls for up to 40 participants, multilevel auto-attendant, short messaging service (SMS) and multimedia messaging service (MMS), popular integrations, and one professionally recorded greeting
- Enterprise: $45.95 for unlimited participants on conference calls, call recording, Microsoft Teams integration, single sign-on, and three professionally recorded greetings
*Paid per user; save up to 27% with annual billing
Nextiva Features
Nextiva’s CRM administrator allows you to easily create individual profiles and assign specific licenses. (Source: Nextiva)
- Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)-compliant internet fax: Allows you to manage and send confidential information via fax without violating HIPAA compliance laws.
- Call pop: This instantly shows crucial caller information on your screen before placing a call, leading to better conversations, personalized sales, and customer service.
- Voicemail transcription: Voicemail transcription turns voicemails into text using voice-to-text technology. Transcriptions are then sent to you via text or to your preferred email.
Nextiva is a comprehensive VoIP platform that facilitates communications between colleagues and customers. Learn more about its pricing structure and features in our comprehensive Nextiva review.
Grasshopper: Best for Simple Call Management Solutions
What We Like
- Customized professional voicemail greeting
- Auto-attendants available in all plans
- Instant response text messages
What's Missing
- No international phone numbers
- Lacks video conferencing features
- Limited to five registered users
How It Compares to Ooma
- Grasshopper does not offer video conferencing, which Ooma offers for up to 25 attendees
- Neither Ooma nor Grasshopper provide international phone numbers
- Ooma offers international calling for a flat rate, while Grasshopper offers international calling through per-minute pricing
Grasshopper is the best Ooma alternative for small businesses with limited resources in need of essential call management services, such as call forwarding and auto-attendants. Other premium features offered include virtual fax and voicemail. Grasshopper has add-on options for specific functions, including call blasting, extra extensions, and professional greetings.
While Grasshopper and Ooma offer excellent calling services, if you’re a solopreneur or freelancer, Google Voice offers a free calling plan designed for personal or residential use. Once your business grows, Google Voice has multiple paid tiers incorporating business phone functionalities. This free service lets you merge multiple phone numbers into a single number used for calling and texting.
Grasshopper Monthly Pricing at a Glance*
- Solo: $31, which includes one phone number and three extensions
- Partner: $51, which includes three phone numbers and six extensions
- Small Business: $89, which includes five phone numbers and unlimited extensions
*Flat-rate pricing; save 10% with annual billing
All Grasshopper plans include business texting, call forwarding, virtual fax, extensions, and instant response. Each additional Grasshopper number beyond what’s included in the pricing plan costs $10 per month.
Grasshopper Features
With Grasshopper’s instant response, grow your business by automatically responding to new customers via text. (Source: Grasshopper)
- Instant response: This automatic response feature immediately sends messages to new clients confirming you received their information and inquiry.
- Virtual voicemail: Using the Grasshopper mobile and desktop app, access your voicemails to stay updated and responsive to customers and industry partners. It sends MP3 voicemail recordings to your inbox.
- Virtual receptionist: Grasshopper works with Ruby Receptionists, allowing you access to U.S.-based voice talents who deliver custom scripts for personalized customer experiences.
Learn more about Grasshopper’s features and other information, including pricing and use cases, in our Grasshopper review.
Phone.com: Best Alternative for Low-volume Calling
What We Like
- Intuitive, user-friendly interface
- All subscriptions come with unlimited extensions
- Mix-and-match plans with a la carte add-ons
What's Missing
- 100-participant cap is lower than other providers
- No free trial
- No share screen option for mobile devices
How It Compares to Ooma
- Ooma only offers video conferencing in its Office Pro and Enterprise plan, while Phone.com offers video conferencing with 10 participants in its basic plan
- Both Ooma and Phone.com offer over 50 features, including music on hold, call recording, and live receptionist services
- Phone.com offers 20% savings for annual billing, unlike Ooma
Phone.com is one of the few VoIP service providers offering metered phone plans. Small businesses are able to lower costs by paying a single rate for minutes shared by various users. If there is a seasonal increase in your call volume, businesses simply buy more minutes as the need arises. You also have the option to add a shared line or common area phone to any plan.
If your company needs comprehensive integration options, you are better off with other Ooma alternatives like Nextiva. Nextiva integrates with various popular tools, such as Zoho, Salesforce, HubSpot, and Zendesk. Its VoIP integrations include a CRM that allows you to automatically send data between your devices and the CRM to blend your business phone team with other software seamlessly.
Phone.com Monthly Pricing at a Glance*
- Basic: $14.99 for 500 pooled minutes, 1,000 pooled text segments, and over 50 standard voice features
- Plus: $19.99 for unlimited minutes and text messages, conversational text messaging, video conferencing of up to 25 participants, and video recording that’s HIPAA compliant
- Pro: $29.99 for call recording, analytics, voicemail transcription, and CRM integration; video conferencing accommodates up to 100 participants with Hi-Fi transcription and whiteboard features
*Paid per user with a 20% discount for annual billing
Phone.com Features
Phone.com is easy to use on the go and downloadable for iOS and Android, allowing you to be connected 24/7. (Source: Phone.com)
- Phone numbers: Choose the phone number for your business with Phone.com’s local, toll-free, and vanity numbers included in every plan.
- Mix and match users: Unlike Ooma, Phone.com users are able to choose different packages for each user, which is helpful for small businesses with limited resources. This means you identify which team members need higher-tier plans while others can use the base plan with pooled minutes and text segments.
- Add-on options: Phone.com packages come with more than 50 VoIP features. However, you don’t have to upgrade to a higher plan tier if you want to add call recording or a live receptionist to a phone line. Instead, add these features to one line or all of them.
Phone.com is on our list of top services for VoIP international calls and VoIP services for home offices. It offers affordable services for small businesses and free phone numbers. Read our Phone.com review with pricing details and key features to learn more.
Google Voice: Best Alternative With Affordable Calling Plans
What We Like
- User-friendly, intuitive interface
- Free personal plan option
- Offers call forwarding
What's Missing
- Does not offer vanity numbers
- Limited global coverages spanning 14 countries
- Does not offer add-on features, such as toll-free numbers and call blocking, which Ooma offers
How It Compares to Ooma
- Ooma offers virtual receptionists, which Google Voice offers through Smith.ai
- Ooma’s international calling is through pay-as-you-go or subscription to a bundled minute calling plan, while Google Voice charges per minute, depending on the country
- Both Ooma and Google Voice have ring group features
Google Voice is the best Ooma alternative for small businesses in need of affordable business phone systems with call management features. Google Voice’s base plan already includes up to 10 users and domestic locations, unlimited calling and texting in the U.S., and voicemail transcriptions. While lacking advanced unified-communications-as-a-service (UCaaS) solutions, its essential features include auto-attendant and video conferencing.
Google Voice and Ooma offer cost-effective phone systems but lack advanced calling features, such as real-time analytics and hotdesking, which RingCentral offers. RingCentral is great for businesses needing analytics, reporting, and wide integrations. Gain real-time and in-depth insights, customize your dashboard, and seamlessly integrate your system with key CRM and sales applications.
Google Voice Monthly Pricing at a Glance*
- Free: $0 for a free local Google Voice number and use of the desktop or Google calling for business communications; it integrates seamlessly with Google Calendar and email
- Starter: $10 for up to 10 users and domestic locations, voicemail transcription, mobile applications, and call forwarding
- Standard: $20, includes unlimited users and domestic locations, multilevel auto-attendant, ring groups, and ad-hoc user call recording
- Premier: $30 for unlimited international locations, with advanced reporting and automatic ad-hoc user call recording
*Pricing plans are paid per person
Google Voice Features
Google Voice works on mobile devices, laptops, and supported desk phones, allowing you to work while on the go. (Source: Google Voice)
- Customized reporting: All plans have reports covering account usage and real-time activity. The Premier version comes with Google’s BigQuery, designed to turn data into valuable business insights.
- Voicemail transcription: Google Voice comes with a voicemail transcription service that creates written transcriptions of messages for your Google Voice number. Users opt to send voicemail transcriptions to specific email addresses.
- Google integration: As part of Google Workspace, Google Voice integrates with the suite of apps, including Google Meeting, Drive, Calendar, and Gmail. Google Voice does not have additional integrations—only Smith.ai for live chat and virtual receptionists.
Google Voice is a great option for small businesses looking for free phone numbers and affordable paid plans. Read our Google Voice review for more information on key features like unlimited domestic calls, text inclusions, and pricing.
8×8: Best Ooma Alternative for Unmetered International Calling
What We Like
- Unlimited domestic calling and texting within the U.S. and Canada
- Unlimited media storage
- HIPAA-compliant at all tier levels
What's Missing
- Interface is not as user-friendly as other providers
- Lacks toll-free minutes
- Quality management features are not available in lower-tier plans
How It Compares to Ooma
- Both Ooma and 8×8 offer team messaging features
- 8×8 offers international phone numbers spanning over 120 countries, which Ooma does not offer
- Ooma does not have uptime guarantees, while 8×8 has a guarantee of 99.999% uptime
8×8’s unlimited international calling is ideal for companies looking to expand operations and establish a global presence. Its X series plans offer unmetered voice calling to 14 or 48 countries, depending on the plan. Calls are made through 8×8 desk phones, desktop, and mobile apps. Further, its video conferencing tool supports up to 46 languages and comes with toll-free, local, and vanity numbers.
8×8 and Ooma are part of our top cheap VoIP services, but if your team is already a heavy Google Workspace user, Google Voice is another cost-effective provider with a free option. As a part of the Google suite of apps, Google Voice seamlessly integrates with software such as Google Calendar and Google Meet, which allows you to directly send voicemail when your calendar shows you are out of the office.
8×8 Pricing at a Glance*
- 8×8 Express: $15 for basic communication features for five users, unlimited domestic calling, an auto-attendant, music on hold, and voicemail
- X2: $28 for voice, video, and chat features, unlimited users and calling to 14 countries, HD video and audio conferencing for up to 500 active participants, and popular integrations
- X4: $57 for advanced call handling and analytics, supervisor analytics, and management features like barge, monitor, and whisper, presence detection
*Pricing is paid per user; save up to 25% with yearly billing
8×8 Features
Easily send and receive messages or navigate to calls, contacts, and meetings from your mobile device. (Source: 8×8)
- Microsoft Teams and Google Workspace integration: Reduce the need to move between software and keep duplicate information in different platforms with 8×8’s integration with two of the most popular software.
- Omnichannel routing: It comes with multichannel routing that allows you to respond to customer concerns and resolve issues quickly and efficiently.
- Analytics and reporting: 8×8’s online portal offers a variety of reports and dashboards on call queues, ring groups, active phone calls, and call quality per line.
Determine whether 8×8 is a good choice for your business by reading our comprehensive 8×8 review. Learn about its key features, use cases, and customer reviews to aid you in your decision.
How We Evaluated the Best Ooma Alternatives
We reviewed several providers similar to Ooma, including VoIP and virtual providers offering advanced features, business calling functionalities, and video conferencing. We found six providers with comparable features, value, tools, and trial offerings during our assessment.
Here’s a breakdown of how we measured each provider:
25% of Overall Score
Our comparison of Ooma competitors looked at the availability of free trials, free plans, and volume-based discounts. We also reviewed tiered plan costs for affordability.
25% of Overall Score
We examined essential VoIP calling features, including business and team messaging, auto-attendant, voicemail, and video and audio conferencing. Our review also considered the usability of mobile and desktop apps.
25% of Overall Score
To better understand functionality, we evaluated plans based on integrations, video calling features, voicemail transcription, and the cost for international calls.
25% of Overall Score
We looked at user reviews and matched them with our personal experiences with each VoIP service to identify which providers offer good value and standout features.
Bottom Line
Ooma is one of the top small business VoIP services offering scalable calling features. If you’re looking for international phone numbers and advanced UC features, our top recommendation is RingCentral. Garnering a score of 4.5 out of 5, it offers unlimited calls within the U.S. and Canada and over 200 third-party integrations for lower cost, increased data access, and better productivity.