The Best Alternatives to Google Voice for 2023

8×8 is the best Google Voice alternative, offering a far greater feature catalog than Google Voice, while retaining equally strong security. With plans starting from $24 per month, it's not as cheap as Google – but you'll get plenty more bang for your buck.

But just because our impartial research suggests 8×8 is the best overall Google Voice alternative, doesn't mean that it's right for your business. Pricing for Zoom Phone, for instance, starts as low as $10 per month, matching Google's low cost – but with better features. Plus, there are some lesser-known but growing options such as GoTo Connect or Ringblaze.

We've collected the top 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.

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 
• Should I Choose Google Voice Anyway?
• Pros and Cons of Google Voice
• Switching from Google Voice
• Verdict: Which Google Alternative Is Best?
• Frequently Asked Questions

Best Google Voice Alternatives Compared

Like the providers shown above, 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 as you can see, there are a lot of VoIP providers out there — some good, some bad, some expensive, and some cheap.

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 setup 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 and 8×8 are the best VoIP options overall. They have better features and will cater to both medium-sized and large businesses in a way that Google Voice can't – but naturally, they cost a little more too.

We'd also recommend the likes of 8×8 to sales teams over Google Voice, as it has more features for managing outbound calls and training staff on the job, like call whisper and call barge, as well as video conferencing for up to 500 participants. RingCentral performed better than Google Voice in every category aside from security and customer score and has lots of inbound call features that make it a better choice for healthcare, hospitality, and retail entities.

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 – although it scores poorly for security (1/5), and that's an area where Google Voice excels.

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.

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 $24 per user, per month
Downside: Pricier than Google Voice
Key takeaway: Incredible features, 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 integrations, 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 queues, ring groups, local numbers, and a whole host of tools for training staff.

The only spot where 8×8 isn't as great as Google Voice is its cost, as it provides all these features in higher pricing tiers. 8×8 offers two pricing plans for standard VoIP use —  X2, and X4 — which cost $24 per user per month and $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.

8×8 will also let you build APIs to manage multiple communication channels simultaneously, and offers advanced tools that large sales and marketing teams will find useful, such as the analytics dashboard below:

Why is 8×8 a good Google Voice alternative?

8×8 scores well for scalability, gaining the provider a 4.9 out of 5 for that assessment area 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.

8×8's biggest selling point as a Google Voice alternative, however, is that it 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 (these were the only two providers awarded full marks in this assessment area). 8×8 offers everything from password rules and multi-factor authentication to TLS/SRTP encryption and a vast array of compliances across all plans.

You can also check out our 8×8 pricing and review guide for more information.

RingCentral – Best for Hospitality, Retail, Customer service

Price: from $20 per user, per month
Downside: pricier 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 is very much a safe pair of hands, particularly as a Google Voice alternative. Those hands will cost you $20 per user, per month for its Core VoIP package or $25 per user, per month for its Advanced plan.

The Core plan nets you up to 20 lines (any more, and you'll have to contact sales), 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.

Find the best price for your business using our free VoIP quotes comparison tool.

There's also an Advanced plan from RingCentral which comes in at $25 per user, per month and could be the smarter choice depending on your needs and business size. For this price, you'll get features like automatic call recording, whisper, barge, and more CRM integrations such as Salesforce, Zendesk, and more. Those interested in the unlimited storage, as well as device status reports and alerts, might even consider the Ultra plan, at $35 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. As you can see from the image below, the interface is pretty friendly, tidy and won't take you long to get to grips with:

Why is RingCentral a good Google Voice alternative?

On our testing, RingCentral scores higher (5/5) for customer support than Google Voice (31/5) – you can contact RingCentral by live chat, phone, or email, and there's 24/7 live support on offer too, as well as onboarding support for new customers. There's no onboarding support for Google Voice, nor live chat or email support.

“We've been happy with RingCentral because they offer instant closed captions on the video chat and they are quite accurate,” explains Sajeed Javed, founder and CEO of Vehicles Bro. “It gets noisy around the workshop and offices in town, so we prefer to have the captions on all the time,” he explained.

RingCentral may be a slightly pricier prospect than some of the other Google Voice alternatives on our list, but there's no doubt that it's a fully-featured platform that won't leave your business wanting.

Zoom Phone – Best Value for the Money

Price: from $10 per user, per month
Downside: Poor security
Key takeaway: No-brainer solution for a great price

There's no doubt you've heard of Zoom before. The video conferencing tool that was used fervently throughout the pandemic for everything from happy hours to work meetings has built out its business offerings and now also offers a VoIP system in the form of Zoom Phone.

Having only launched in January of 2019, Zoom Phone has erupted in popularity almost as quickly as Zoom's video platform, hitting 3 million users in July of 2022. It's not hard to see why. Our independent research found Zoom Phone to be the third best VoIP option on the market, scoring an impressive 4.4/5 in our research analysis, thanks to its easy-to-use interface and strong feature set. In fact, we found Zoom Phone to be the best value for the money across the entire industry, with prices starting on the lower end of the spectrum.

Zoom pricing for the Metered plan comes in at $10 per user, per month, the Unmetered plan costs $15 per user, per month, and the Pro Global Select plan costs $20 per user, per month, all of which are more affordable than some starter plans on this list.

Why is Zoom Phone a good Google Voice alternative?

That low price doesn't take away from the functionality — Zoom Phone scored highly on our testing, achieving a 4.2/5 score, along with a 4.3/5 for scalability, which means it offers features that can grow with your business as it gets bigger. Zoom offers spam prevention, custom hold music, training features such as ‘call whisper' and call recording, as well as integrations with Google Workspace, Salesforce, Microsoft Outlook, and sales-based functionalities.

The downside? Zoom doesn't offer as many security features (2/5) as its competitors, so wouldn't be suitable for businesses communicating large amounts of sensitive data, and it charges extra for customer support (3.3/5).

It's also worth noting that although Zoom Phone is still sold as a standalone product (and this is the cheapest way to purchase it) Zoom Phone is also part of Zoom One, the provider's new product which combines Zoom Phone with Meetings, Team Chat, and other Zoom video conferencing features. However, you'll need the Zoom One Business Plus plan ($25 per license, per month) or the Enterprise plan (no public pricing) if you want VoIP features.

Check out our Zoom Phone review for more information about this VoIP solution 

Ooma – Great Customer Experience

Price: from $19.95 per user, per month
Downside: Terrible security compared to Google Voice
Key takeaway: Ooma customers are well-supported and satisfied

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. Here's a quick look at the interface:

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 integrations that are available with Ooma, such as Salesforce, Microsoft Dynamics, Zendesk, Microsoft 365, and ServiceNow. It's not an exhaustive list, which is why the provider only scores 2.7/5 for external connections compared to RingCentral's 4.3/5 and 8×8's 4.2/5, but it does check off the majority of the big-name software that your company is likely to use.

Why is Ooma Office a good Google Voice alternative?

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. Ooma scores just 1 out of 5 in our research compared to Google Voice's whopping 5 out of 5 rating for security, which was better than RingCentral (4/5). Google Voice will let you enforce password rules, manage user permissions and protect all your staff with multi-factor authentication.

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.

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.

GoTo Connect – Best Value for Larger Companies

Price: from $24 per user, per 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. All in all, it's one of the stronger Google Voice alternatives.

While the starting price for GoTo Connect is a bit high at $24 per user per month, its other plan is only $29 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. What's more, if you add more than 10 employees, the above prices will be reduced slightly.

Why is GoTo Connect a good Google Voice alternative?

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. GoTo Connect was also awarded a 4.4/5 for scalability, meaning it's a better choice than Google Voice (2.9/5) for businesses looking to grow, thanks to management features like call recording and security features like multi-factor authentication. As you can see from the image below, it's a much more business-focused platform than Google Voice:

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.

Nextiva – Great for Professional Services

Price: from $23.95 per user, per 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 for Google Voice alternatives. 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, as well as the friendly UI:

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.

Learn more in our 8×8 vs Nextiva comparison guide

Why is Nextiva a good Google Voice alternative?

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 valuable insights 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.

OpenPhone – An Equal-Cost Swap for Small Businesses

Price: from $13 per user, per month
Downside: Limited customer support, integrations, and scalability
Key takeaway: Same cost, better value

OpenPhone is another Google Voice alternative worth checking out, not least for the affordable price it sets its first paid plan at ($13 per user, per month).

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 directly impact 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 $13 tier only get email and SMS support, while Premium ($20) 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.

Why is OpenPhone a good Google Voice alternative?

When it comes to price, OpenPhone's Standard package is a good swap for Google Voice, coming in at the same price of just $13 per month. On the surface, this seems like great value, as it offers unlimited calls. When you look at the features included for the entry price though, you'll see that it's not just a pretty face.

Grasshopper – Great Range of Features on Solo Tier

Price: from $28 per user, per 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 $28 per month and offers one phone number and 3 extensions. Here's what the user interface looks like on desktop and mobile:

The second “Partner” tier includes all of the above features but comes with three phone numbers instead, and six extensions. It's priced at $46 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.

Why is Grasshopper a good Google Voice alternative?

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 entrepreneur.

Read our guide to the top VoIP apps.

Monster VoIP – An Alternative with Dedicated Apps

Price: from $25/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 $25 per month is on the pricier side. You can get this down to $250 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 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 or fees are included.

Why is Monster VoIP a good Google Voice alternative?

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).

It 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.

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 of 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 are 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 lineup 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.

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.

As you can see, Ringblaze's UI tacks pretty close to Google Voice alternatives like Zoom and RingCentral:

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.

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

Phone.com is a very decent Google Voice alternative, although it's pretty far down our list for a reason. 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).

Phone.com's user interface is pretty simple, but not quite as clean as Google Voice:

Why is Phone.com a good Google Voice alternative?

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.

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.

Why is Line2 a good Google Voice alternative?

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.

About our Research

At Tech.co, we have a full-time research team that creates the testing frameworks that we use to assess all of the software and services we write about, including business telephone systems. These frameworks are based on in-depth market research as well as interviews with small and medium-sized businesses currently on the hunt for new software solutions.

Once they've created a framework for a specific type of product, Tech.co's researchers use it to perform a usability test and score the product based on how it performs in a number of key areas across the testing framework. After that, they collaborate with our team of expert writers, who then produce articles like this Google Voice Alternatives article.

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 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?

Now that we've looked at paid providers, it's only logical to ask: is there a free alternative to Google Voice? Well, the best free alternative to Google Voice is Facebook Messenger, which offers a familiar interface and is incredibly simple to use. Other options include Line, Just Call and WhatsApp, but their business features are limited.

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. On the surface, then, it's a pretty good Google Voice alternative.

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 has 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, and isn't really an alternative 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.

Should I Still Choose Google Voice Anyway?

Quite possibly! Google Voice still has some key advantages over the Google Voice alternatives we've been discussing. For one, Google Voice has excellent security options, including multi-factor authentication and password rules on all plans, to ensure your business is secure at every end-point. This helped Google Voice to a 5/5 score for security, which was better than Ooma (1/5), Vonage (3/5), and even RingCentral (4/5).

Google Voice also achieved a 4/5 value for money score, thanks to a starting plan available for just $10 per user, per month – this is cheaper than pretty much every other provider's starting plan, including 8×8, Nextiva, and GoTo Connect. Some of these top VoIP providers offer very expensive plans and keep some of their best features locked away on them – but you'll be able to access Google Voice's full range of features for a lot less, so it's ideal for small teams.

Another reason to choose Google Voice over a Google Voice alternative like Zoom Phone is the range of integrations. While Zoom Phone integrates with Salesforce, Zendesk, Microsoft Teams, Zoom, and both Microsoft Outlook and Gmail, Google Voice integrates with all of these (aside from the Microsoft products) as well as Google Meet, Google Worskapce and even more CRM systems than Zoom Phone, such as Pipedrive and HubSpot.

This alludes to another reason to choose Google Voice – if you're already a Google Workspace subscriber and you'd like a VoIP system that seamlessly slots in amongst your other Google programs. If you're already all paid up for Workspace, it'll be a much easier process than introducing your team to a completely new piece of software.

What is Google Voice like to use?

“I use Google Voice for my VOIP and it is easy to use,” says Tim Connon, Founder of ParamountQuote Insurance Advisors. “I really like the call forwarding and the fact that I can have it tell me it is from my Google Voice number on my mobile phone. I also like the user interface and how basic it can be, which keeps things simple.”

However, it's not all plain sailing with Google Voice. “My biggest dislike of it is the fact that not all inbound calls come through on it in real-time,” Connon explains. “I will receive a missed call on my Google Voice phone and never even hear it ring. That is my biggest frustration with Google voice I would hope it gets fixed soon.”

Bonnie Whitfield, Human Resources Director of Family Destinations Guide, said Googlve voice was “cost-effective” and eliminated her company's need for “traditional phone lines and equipment”, which she said saved her business “money on phone and communication expenses.”

However, Whitfield said that she's found the voicemail transcription service offered by Google Voice isn't always useful. “While it is a convenient way to quickly read and respond to voicemails, I have found that the accuracy of the transcription is not always up to my standards,” she remarked.

Pros and Cons of Google Voice

We've spent quite a bit of time going through the merits and pitfalls of the best Google Voice alternatives – so it would only be fair if we did the same with Google Voice itself. Here's a rundown of the key pros and cons of Google Voice:

Switching from Google Voice

Although Google Voice has adequately supported numerous businesses for several years, competition is increasing from other firms that can deliver improved features, better quality, and increased reliability.

Here are the key considerations to make before switching to a Google Voice alternative.

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.

FAQs