Ooma vs Google Voice: Which Is Better for Your Business?

When comparing Ooma vs Google Voice, each provider delivers voice-over-internet-protocol (VoIP) calling services, but are built on different technology. Ooma is designed to replace a team’s traditional landline phone system in an office environment. Google Voice is better suited as a way to support business calls on an individual’s mobile device. So which one comes out ahead in the Ooma vs Google Voice debate depends on your specific business needs.

Based on our comparison, the best use cases for Ooma vs Google Voice are as follows:

• Ooma: Ooma is one of the best VoIP-powered phone systems for small businesses and the better choice for office-based teams who want to take advantage of communications features like call flip and a multi-level auto-attendant.
• Google Voice: Google Voice is a highly rated virtual phone system, making it the better option for solopreneurs and small, remote teams. It’s also a great option for those who use Google Workspace apps as it offers seamless Voice-Workspace app integrations

Ooma vs Google Voice at a Glance

*This plan level is limited to 10 users

Best for Pricing: Google Voice

When considering pricing, Google Voice wins out overall. It offers a free version suitable for solopreneurs as well as three distinct paid plans that have quite a few of the features businesses will need. Ooma only has two plans to select from, though both offer a bevy of business phone system features that could be useful.

While the Starter plan for Google Voice is only $10, it has limitations that probably wouldn’t work for a mid-sized company. For example, at this tier, you are only allowed to have 10 users. Considering that the base tier of Ooma is $19.95, you’ll start to notice the difference in plan value offered by the two providers and which plans are most comparable.

The Ooma Office Plan has no user limits, which is similar to Google’s $20 Standard plan. Still, since Google Voice has a $10 plan option, it wins out in pricing. Additionally, services like number porting are significantly cheaper with Google Voice—with any plan, porting costs $20 per number vs $39.99 with Ooma. To see if it’s the best option for you, read our expert Google Voice review.

Best for Calling Features: Ooma

As far as Ooma vs Google Voice, both provide subscribers with a wide variety of calling features. This includes unlimited domestic calling and texting within the U.S. and Canada, voicemail, and call forwarding. Ooma additionally allows for unlimited calling to Mexico―a territory that Google Voice doesn’t offer unlimited calling to.

Ooma also comes out ahead when it comes to features like call flip, which allows you to transfer to your preferred device mid-call. This makes it much easier to handle customers, even when you’re on the go, and avoid dropped calls if you need to switch from a battery-drained device to a wired phone.

Call routing is handled well by both providers. For example, both Ooma and Google Voice have a multi-level auto-attendant to route callers to the right department or extension. These systems also present customers with vital company information, but neither provider has a dedicated interactive voice response (IVR) routing system that implements voice input and self-service.

If you need a more complex call routing provider, consider a solution like GoTo Connect. GoTo Connect has a dial plan editor that is a very useful tool for small businesses.

Best for International Calling: Ooma

When it comes to international calling, Ooma is the best option for a business that frequently calls outside of the country. There is a free option that offers calling rates similar to Google Voice, but if you pay for the service, you can easily call up to 70 countries for just the monthly fee. With Google Voice, you can only call the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico without paying a per-minute rate.

Some countries are not covered in Ooma’s plans, but if you don’t call excluded locales frequently, Ooma’s international calling plans will save you money in the long run. If you purchase an Ooma Telo for $99.99, which is hardware that you can use to make calls, you will get the Ooma World Plan for a year for $9.99 per month. When it comes to Ooma with an Ooma Telo vs Google Voice with no hardware, it’s clear that Ooma has the better offering.

Best for Uptime Reliability: Google Voice

Uptime is critical when it comes to doing business since any service unavailability means that you could be missing business opportunities or decreasing customer satisfaction. For this reason, many VoIP providers deliver what’s called a service level agreement (SLA), which guarantees that your service will be available for a certain percentage of the time.

With most providers, this starts at 99% uptime. In the Ooma vs Google Voice comparison, Google Voice is the clear winner for the simple reason that Ooma doesn’t provide an uptime SLA. With Google Voice, service is guaranteed 99.9% of the time, which is decent insofar as these things go.

Still, it could be better. With this percentage, you can expect about eight hours of yearly downtime. Compare this with a provider like RingCentral MVP, whose 99.999% SLA amounts to about five minutes in the same period, and you’ll see why Google’s guarantee could be improved.

Best for Virtual Numbers: Ooma

Direct inward dialing (DID) numbers, or virtual numbers, allow your business to set up specific numbers that customers use to reach you. This is significantly more convenient and less intrusive than simply providing clients with your personal cell number. Both Ooma and Google Voice provide virtual numbers; however, virtual numbers vary significantly by type. Here are a few to consider:

• Local virtual number: This provides customers with a phone number that has a local, familiar area code. This way, they can reach you without paying long-distance fees. This is also a useful way to give the impression that your business is more local than it might actually be―your business could be located hundreds of miles away, but you can purchase a number anywhere.
• Toll-free virtual numbers: Instead of giving the impression your business is local, toll-free numbers promote the idea that your company does business on the national level. And callers will still be able to reach you without paying long-distance fees.
• Vanity phone numbers: A popular example of a vanity number is 1-800-FLOWERS. This type of virtual phone number has a marketing aspect to it since, if your number also spells something, it’s that much more memorable. These numbers are also typically toll-free.
• International virtual phone number: International numbers provide overseas customers with a number to reach your business. In a way, they are similar to local numbers.

When it comes to virtual numbers, Ooma wins out. While Google Voice provides a local number for each user, you don’t have options for toll-free, vanity, or international virtual numbers. Ooma, on the other hand, has both local and toll-free numbers. Still, both lack international and vanity number options. If you’re looking for those, a more complete virtual phone number provider like Grasshopper may better fit your needs.

Best Alternatives to Ooma & Google Voice

Both Google Voice and Ooma provide competitive solutions for business communication, but they aren’t the right fit for every team. Both providers lack features like an IVR, international numbers, vanity numbers, and high participant count video conferencing. Before settling on one of these providers, consider other virtual phone systems and VoIP solutions that might be a better fit.

A few of the best Google Voice and Ooma alternatives include:

• Nextiva: Nextiva is a good all-in-one communications solution for businesses. It has features like international calling, international numbers, iOS and Android apps, and high-capacity video conferencing for up to 250 attendees. Nextiva also packs in several integrations, which is very useful for small businesses. Nextiva subscribers also have a much higher number of toll-free minutes, as Ooma only provides up to 500, whereas Nextiva has options for up to 12,500.
• Grasshopper: Grasshopper is a great option for businesses that need a simple and agile business phone system. It comes out ahead against both Ooma and Google voice as a virtual number provider thanks to features like the ability to set custom business hours and customized greetings. Grasshopper also has a call hold option, a feature missing from Google Voice.
• 8×8: While both Ooma and Google Voice offer international calling, and Ooma offers unlimited international calling in 70 countries, neither offers international numbers. 8×8 is the most well-rounded solution for businesses that need unlimited calling in territories like the U.K., Ireland, and Australia as well as international phone numbers in 120 countries. This includes both toll-free and local numbers.

Still want more options? Check out our full list of the best Google Voice alternatives.

How We Evaluated Ooma vs Google Voice

Both Ooma and Google Voice are good options to consider, but the pricing structure and features may not fit your business needs. As we evaluated these providers and what they offer, we took a deeper look into pricing, international calling, calling features, uptime, integrations, and virtual numbers.

Here’s a complete breakdown:

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Do both Ooma & Google Voice support traditional landline phones?

Yes on both counts. With Google Voice, you have to purchase an analog telephone adapter (ATA), such as the Poly Obi202. With Ooma, this is one of their main selling points since Ooma’s Telo device serves as an ATA and comes bundled with unlimited domestic calling.

Does either of these providers offer a free plan?

Insofar as Google Voice, anyone with a Gmail address can utilize the free level of Google Voice to make calls. This is particularly useful if you’re a solopreneur or a freelancer. Still, this might not be as useful for a company with more employees that needs multiple numbers with features like call forwarding, voicemail transcripts, and desk phone compatibility.

Ooma also offers a free calling solution via the Telo ATA when you purchase the hardware for VoIP calling for a flat fee of $99. However, it doesn’t include some of the advanced calling features of higher Ooma small business phone plans. Still, for some, this is a viable option.

Does either offer a free trial?

Neither provides a stellar experience when it comes to a free trial. Technically, you can try the Google Voice platform free using the personal edition, but you won’t have many business-ready features. While Ooma offers a free trial of its Premier Plan, it may be overkill for some businesses. Fortunately, you can try any of the plans and take advantage of their 30-day money-back guarantee.

Bottom Line

With a supporting internet connection, Ooma and Google Voice are some of the best business phone systems for small to mid-size organizations. Each offers free or low-cost VoIP plans for basic business calling with options for scaling upward as needs arise. Each even allows for business overseas with options for international calling.

Still, Ooma comes out in the lead in our head-to-head comparison. This is thanks to more virtual number options, calling features, and unlimited international calling to 79 locations. There’s also better scaling with Ooma vs Google Voice as it’s easy to go from an Ooma Telo-based system to a system with more enterprise-level features.

Also, while it doesn’t have a free trial, Ooma’s money-back guarantee helps businesses evaluate if it’s a good fit for them. Read more in our Ooma review and see if the provider has what you’ll need for business in 2022.

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