RingCentral vs. Grasshopper – What Is Better?

At the moment, most businesses are choosing Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) systems over traditional ones. There are two reasons for this switch – reduced costs and increased functionality. The VoIP technology utilizes the Internet as a transmission medium for both calls and data, it saves the businessowners from the inconvenience of buying a separate telephone plan, making it cost-effective.

What’s more, VoIP systems enable you to communicate with clients and employees from anywhere, which is impossible with a traditional phone system. So, whether you are traveling or working from home, VoIP can reroute every call to your smartphone as long as you have a reliable Internet connection.

There are several VoIP providers for businesses at present. Among them, RingCentral and Grasshopper are two names that have become quite popular. Both have their own set of pros and cons. Let’s take a closer look at their features so that you can decide which service fits your business better.

RingCentral vs. Grasshopper

One of the best aspects of RingCentral is that it has a variety of features to offer. From price plans for teams having less than 10 people to offices having more than hundreds of people, this VoIP service has options for any size of business.

On the other hand, Grasshopper is suitable for freelancers, startups, or small businesses that require phone features that could turn their mobile or personal landline into a business phone. It’s a cost-effective way for small businesses to stay relevant in competitive markets as it makes the communication professional via any device.

Pricing

Currently, RingCentral has the following four plans that you can choose from:

Phone – $24.99/month/user (For up to 20 users)
Standard – $34.99/month/user (unlimited users)
Premium – $44.99/month/user (unlimited users)
Ultimate- $59.99/month/user (unlimited users)

Alternatively, Grasshopper offers the following three plans:

Solo – $29/month (1 number and 3 extensions)
Partner – $49/month (3 numbers and 6 extensions)
Small Business – $89/month (5 numbers and unlimited extensions)           

RingCentral and Grasshopper, both offer similar standard features such as unlimited domestic calling, multiple phone numbers, and voicemail in a monthly package. Furthermore, these providers offer discounts on annual contracts.

Though their prices are more or less similar, you will get more features from the RingCentral VoIP plan such as toll-free calling minutes, unlimited audio and video meetings, and integration with apps like Salesforce, Desk, and Zendesk. However, Grasshopper makes a better fit for very small businesses or entrepreneurs who want their business line to be connected to their personal devices.

Features

Both of the providers offer valuable features like a virtual receptionist, time-based call routing, and call transfers without extra costs. The feature of toll-free numbers can add volume to inbound inquiries for many organizations. If this is a critical feature for you, you will be happy to know that both these providers offer the 800 number at an economical price.

Though Grasshopper offers multiple phone numbers and extensions, RingCentral has an upper hand with its additional features mentioned below. These can be beneficial if you have multiple teams.

– Integration with Box, Google, and Microsoft that increases productivity, especially for call centers and sales teams.

–  The multi-level auto attendant that greets and forwards callers to a specific person or department.

–  A call log report that contains information on incoming and outgoing calls. Faxes for the company number and extensions that can be filtered with factors including the type of call, time period, recorded or blocked calls.

–  Unlimited audio and video meetings along with screen sharing, a useful collaborative feature for big or distributed teams or employees working remotely.

Grasshopper, on the other hand, provides features such as call forwarding, voicemail and voicemail transcription, unlimited domestic calling, business texting, custom greeting, and Wi-Fi calling. You can get additional numbers on the plan by paying an inexpensive fee. Likewise, international calling is available on a per-minute basis. The rate of international calling will vary based on the location. 

One impressive thing about Grasshopper is that it offers the incoming fax-to-email feature free of cost, whereas, RingCentral charges $7.99. So, if you frequently use fax, you might not want to overlook plans offered by Grasshopper.

Ease of use

RingCentral employs account specialists that assist new customers to learn the setup process and train users on how to manage calls. It is simple to arrange video conferences and thankfully, the user interface isn’t elaborate. Though, the dashboard icons can be confusing for some.

It takes around half an hour to set up the Grasshopper system and it can be done on the provider’s website or over the phone with the help of a customer support executive. Once the account is active, a greeting is recorded, and extensions are assigned so that the businesses can begin accepting calls.

Customer support

RingCentral offers support over the phone and chat. Also, it has a support specialist ticketing system and an online knowledge base. For users with a single-handset, support is somewhat limited, i.e., they get assistance over call and email only between 5 am to 6 pm. In contrast, for customers with two or more connections, RingCentral offers 24/7 support. They also have an interactive support community where you can ask advice to fellow users and get feedback about RingCentral’s VoIP solutions.

Grasshopper’s customer support comprises 24/7 phone support and an online knowledge base. Additionally, the site offers a quick start guide and video tutorials that help you set up the desktop and smartphone apps.

Final thoughts

Both RingCentral and Grasshopper are excellent virtual phone services that offer reasonably priced VoIP plans. However, RingCentral is a more feature-intensive option that enables you to upgrade plans as your business grows. Its features like video conferencing, multilevel auto attendants, and CRM integration are available at an affordable price. Moreover, the company provides you with a free trial of their products and a 30-day money-back guarantee in case their solutions don’t fit well for your business. Grasshopper is fitting for businesses that only need standard features and multiple phone lines and extensions for a small team. The service offers a free trial like RingCentral, but only for a week.