Virtual phone providers RingCentral and Grasshopper both offer features like unlimited calling, voicemail and phone numbers at an affordable price. Grasshopper is a good fit for solopreneurs who want a business line on their personal phone, but we believe RingCentral is the best virtual phone provider for its range of features and superior customer support.
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Quiz: Which VoIP Provider is Right for You?
In-depth Review: RingCentral vs Grasshopper
How RingCentral Beats Grasshopper
RingCentral ranks high on our list of best business phone systems for businesses that want a VoIP provider option with a variety of features. With price plans for teams of fewer than 10 or companies with hundreds of employees, RingCentral has options for any size business and features that grow with your company. Grasshopper offers unlimited extensions but not a full-featured business phone service.
Pricing
RingCentral offers four plans at $29.99 per user, per month for up to 10 users and $34.99, $44.99 and $59.99 per user, per month for unlimited users depending on the combination of features selected. Annual contract discounts are available. Grasshopper’s pricing is $29 to $89 per month. Annual contract discounts are available.
Although RingCentral and Grasshopper prices are similar, customers get more bang for their buck with RingCentral’s virtual phone service that includes a variety of features like unlimited audio and video meetings with screen sharing, toll-free calling minutes and integration with Salesforce, Zendesk and Desk. Grasshopper offers toll-free calling at an additional charge.
Features
RingCentral beats Grasshopper with its wide range of more robust features like call forwarding, call hold and voicemail. Grasshopper offers multiple phone numbers and extensions but isn’t as feature-forward as RingCentral.
RingCentral also offers a number of other features with its virtual phone service, including:
- Unlimited video and audio meetings with screen sharing: Online meeting collaboration tool for teams and remote workers
- Integration with Microsoft, Google & Box: Productivity tools for call center agents and sales teams
- Multilevel auto attendant: An automated receptionist that greets and routes callers to specific departments or agents
- Call log reports: A record of incoming and outgoing calls and faxes for the company phone number and all extensions; drill down by time period, type of call, blocked call or recorded call
Ease of Use
RingCentral’s account specialists walk new customers through the system setup and train users on how to use call management features. Customers say video conferences are easy to arrange and the system interface isn’t overly complex. However, some users say the dashboard icons can be confusing.
Customer Support
RingCentral’s customer support includes an online knowledge base, support specialist ticketing system, phone and chat support. RingCentral also hosts an interactive support community where users can ask advice and get feedback from one another about the company’s products and services. Online reviews of the virtual phone service provider frequently mention its superior customer service and support.
What Users Think About RingCentral
Our readers are positive overall about RingCentral, with an average rating of four out of five stars. Customers say the call management tools are easy to use and customer service is responsive and helpful. However, some users report the reporting dashboard is cluttered and sometimes lags.
When Grasshopper Beats RingCentral
Grasshopper is a good option for solopreneurs who want phone features that turn their mobile device or personal landline into a business phone. Grasshopper is a quick and affordable way for very small businesses to stay competitive in larger markets by making phone communication appear professional from any phone. You might also want to take a look at our article RingCentral alternatives to learn more about other phone options.
Pricing
Grasshopper offers three plans priced between $29 and $89 per month. RingCentral’s prices range from $29.99 to $59.99 per user, per month. Both providers’ base plans are similarly priced, but Grasshopper’s plan is a better choice for soloprenuers and small teams who don’t want to pay for extra features they don’t need.
Grasshopper’s plan choices are:
- Solo: $29: one number and three extensions
- Partner: $49: three numbers and six extensions
- Small Business: $89: five numbers and unlimited extensions
Grasshopper beats RingCentral as a service that offers multiple phone numbers and the same standard features as RingCentral like a free local phone number, unlimited domestic calling and voicemail for one monthly price. Grasshopper may be a good fit for very small businesses or solo entrepreneurs who want a business line on their personal phone.
Features
Grasshopper’s features include unlimited domestic calling, call forwarding, voicemail and voicemail transcription, inbound fax, business texting, custom greeting, desktop and mobile apps, Wi-Fi calling and inbound fax. Additional phone numbers are available for a small fee by contacting customer support and international calling is available at a per-minute rate based on location.
Grasshopper comes out ahead of RingCentral for very small businesses and solo entrepreneurs who want their phone communications to look like they’re originating from a professional business system instead of a mobile device or home landline. Multiple extensions and call forwarding ensure calls are routed to the right employee while voicemail and voicemail transcription helps business owners stay on top of missed calls and messages.
Ease of Use
Grasshopper setup takes about 30 minutes and can be done on the company’s website or over the phone with a support team specialist. Once an account is set up, a greeting is recorded and extensions are assigned, the phone number or numbers are ready to receive calls.
Customer Support
Grasshopper’s customer support includes an online knowledge base and 24/7 phone support. It also offers an online quick start guide and video tutorials for setting up the desktop and iPhone apps.
What Users Think About Grasshopper
Our readers are generally positive about Grasshopper and give it an average rating of three out of five stars. Customers say accounts are easy to set up and easy to use and find the pricing affordable. However, some users report difficulty with consistently connecting phone calls, which is definitely worth taking into consideration when making purchasing decisions.
How We Evaluated RingCentral and Grasshopper
RingCentral and Grasshopper are virtual phone systems with similar features like unlimited domestic calling, local and toll-free numbers, extensions and voicemail. RingCentral ranks high on our list of best VoIP phone services while Grasshopper is best known as a virtual phone number service with additional features that can help soloprenuers stay competitive in larger markets.
Therefore, we evaluated RingCentral and Grasshopper based on:
- Price: We evaluated the price of both service and compared package costs on a per-user basis
- Features: We assessed the types of features each provider offered, including video and audio meetings, mobile apps, call recording and integration with business apps
- Ease of use: We evaluated how easy the service is to set up and use
- Customer support: We evaluated the type of customer service support of each provider offers and hours of availability
Making the Most of Your VoIP Business Phone System
VoIP business phone systems typically include all the basic features a company needs for routing and managing calls, like voicemail, call logs and a multilevel auto attendant. However, there are some add-ons worth considering that could maximize worker productivity or improve the customer experience.
VoIP Desk Phones
Once you’ve chosen a VoIP business service, you may need phone hardware and equipment to access it. There is a wide range of VoIP desk phones on the market, from three-line phones with a small set of basic features to 16-line handsets with advanced features like video cameras and Bluetooth wireless technology.
When choosing the right phone for your business, you’ll want to consider questions like how many lines you’ll need, does your service provider have any specific requirements and what’s your budget. You’ll also want to determine which features will be most useful, like wireless headset capabilities for call center agents who spend long hours on the phone or high-quality displays for workers who use the phone for video calls.
CRM Integration
Many VoIP service providers offer customer relationship management (CRM) integration tools to help businesses automatically track and unify customer data from all points of contact, including phone calls. Integration with CRM software platforms like Salesforce, Zendesk or Freshsales allow sales agents to work inside a single ecosystem instead of switching between platforms.
Some VoIP service providers include the feature in their basic plan price level, while others offer it at higher tier levels or as an add-on feature for an additional cost. When evaluating whether CRM integration tools are a good fit for your VoIP system, consider the ways in which it can help improve workflows among team members and give business owners greater insight into the customer experience.
Audio & Video Conferencing
Audio and video conferencing are popular collaboration tools for remote workers, distributed teams and businesses with offices in multiple locations. Depending on the VoIP service and business phone equipment, calls are set up and run via desktop phones or through VoIP provider’s desktop computer or mobile app.
Audio and video conferencing features are offered at different pricing tiers, depending on the service provider. For businesses that don’t need conferencing tools frequently enough to include them in a monthly or yearly service agreement, pay-as-you-go conference calling software may be a better option.
The Bottom Line
RingCentral and Grasshopper both deliver excellent virtual phone service at an affordable price. They each offer standard features like a local phone number, unlimited domestic calling and voicemail to businesses that want professionally polished phone communication. For basic features and multiple phone lines, Grasshopper is a good choice.
We recommend RingCentral as the best overall choice for virtual phone service for its variety of features, including video conferencing, CRM integration and multilevel auto attendant at an economical price. The company offers a free trial of its product and 30-day money back guarantee when you purchase an account. Check out RingCentral’s website for details.
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