When it comes to finding the correct business phone system for you, there are a ton of options to choose from. Not to mention, many businesses offer unique and uniform features across the business phone system landscape.
Two of the most popular business phone systems are Grasshopper and RingCentral. Both of these businesses are well known to the public and offer great features at their price points. However, while these businesses may offer some of the same features they are directed at different types of audiences.
For starters, Grasshopper is a VoIP virtual phone system that can connect to your personal phone. You don’t need any extra gear. You’ll receive a business phone number and extensions. You can be up and running in minutes. If you have a cellphone, you can be good to go with a professional business phone number.
Additional Readings: Grasshopper VoIP Business Phone System
RingCentral is a unified communication system that can not only handle outside calls for businesses but internal communication as well. It is designed to handle all lines of communication from video chat to phone calls. RingCentral can also integrate into third-party applications.
Additional Reading: RingCentral Business Phone System
Let’s break down the Grasshopper vs. RingCentral debate and figure out what is exactly best for your business.
Grasshopper vs. RingCentral Top Features
Grasshopper can offer many useful features for small business owners. They can also be implemented easily with little to no equipment. Grasshopper makes establishing a business phone presence easy. While the system may not be as feature-rich as RingCentral, it’s simple and straightforward.
| Grasshopper Top Features |
| Business Phone Number |
| Desktop & Mobile Application |
| Voicemail and Voicemail Transcription |
| Simultaneous Call Handling |
| Custom Greetings |
| Reporting |
| Automated Receptionist |
| Business Texting |
| VoIP/Wi-Fi Calling |
| Virtual Fax |
| Incoming Call Control |
| Call Forwarding |
| Extensions |
| Call Transfers |
| Instant Response when customers call but you can’t answer their call |
Additional Readings: Is Grasshopper HIPAA Compliant?
RingCentral is a global cloud platform designed to handle all of your communication needs. They are a virtual PBX system, which means you can use your communication tools anywhere you have access to Wi-Fi. You can implement this system into your existing hardware, competitors, phones, or purchase physical equipment should you need it. RingCentral is also known for integrating with third-party apps, providing in-depth analytics, and customizing their services to your needs. RingCentral breaks its plans down into three main categories:
- RingCentral MVP (Message. Video. Phone)
- RingCentral Video (Free video meetings and messaging)
- Contact Center (Inbound. Outbound. Omnichannel, UCaaS, and more)
Within each category, there are multiple plans. Most businesses choose the RingCentral MVP category which has 4 plans. The features you receive will be based on the plan you choose.
| RingCentral Top Features |
| Business phone or toll-free numbers |
| Desktop and Mobile Application for internal and external communication. |
| Call Routing |
| Toll-free minutes (number of minutes dependent on plan) |
| VoIP/Wi-Fi Calling |
| Live Chat, Video Chat, Text Messaging |
| Unlimited calls within the US/Canada |
| Visual voicemail, voicemail-to-text, voicemail to email |
| Team messaging |
| Document sharing |
| Call management and phone system administration |
| Mobile apps for IOS and Android |
| High-definition voice |
| Call log reports |
| Phone rental options: desk and conference phones |
| Video Pro and Video Pro+ users |
| Unlimited internet fax |
| Unlimited audio conferencing |
| Video meetings |
| HD Video |
| Quality of service reports |
| Popular integration includes Microsoft 365, Google Workspaces, Slack, and more. |
| Multi-level auto attendant |
| Call recording |
| RingCentral Rooms add-on |
| RingCentral Room Connector add-on |
| Up to 8-digit extensions with site codes |
| Real-time analytics |
| Call handling including Whisper, Barge, and more. |
| CRM integrations with Salesforce, Zendesk, and more. |
| Industry-specific integrations with apps like Canvas, Smarsh, and more. |
| Unlimited Storage |
When it comes to Grasshopper vs. RingCentral, both offer competitive features. However, if you are looking for the most features for your organization RingCentral has more to offer. RingCentral also provides all-encompassing solutions for call centers and large-scale business communications.
On the flip side, Grasshopper gives a small business owner the tools to launch a successful business phone system in minutes. Not only that, but the tools are immediately useful for a business owner. It will help simplify your workflow and keep you focused on running your business. You won’t need to purchase extra hardware unless you feel it is necessary.
Grasshopper vs. RingCentral Pricing and Plans
Both Grasshopper and RingCentral offer several plans for businesses, and you can choose between being billed monthly and annually.
| Grasshopper Pricing | |||
| Plans | Billed Monthly | Billed Annually | What’s Included |
| Solo | $29 a month | $26 a month | 1 Phone Number 3 Extensions |
| Partner | $49 a month | $44 a month | 3 Phone Numbers 6 Extensions |
| Small Business | $89 a month | $80 a month | 5 Phone Numbers Unlimited Extensions |
Each plan does contain all of the top features Grasshopper has to offer.
Unlike Grasshopper, not all features are implemented within each price package. This pricing is based on the RingCentral MVP, if you’d like to find out the category pricing for RingCentral Video or Contact Center, you can do that here.
| RingCentral Pricing | |||
| Plans: | Billed Monthly (per user/month) | Billed Annually (per user/month) | What’s Included |
| Essentials | 1 user/$29.99 2-20 users/$22.49 Not available for clients 21+ users | 1 user/$22.49 2-20 users/ $14.99 Not available for clients 21+ users | 1. Up to 20 users only 2. Business phone or toll-free numbers 3. Unlimited calls within the US/Canada** 4. Business SMS 5. Voicemail-to-text 6. Team messaging 7. Document sharing |
| Standard | 1 user/$37.49 2-20 users/$28.49 21-50 users/$28.49 51-99 users/$34.99 100-999+ users/$32.99 | 1 user/$26.24 2-20 users/$20.99 21-50 users/$20.99 51-99 users/$27.99 100-999+ users/$22.99 | 1. Everything in Essentials 2. No limit on the number of users 3. Business phone numbers in over 100 countries 4. Unlimited internet fax Unlimited audio conferencing 5. Video meetings with up to 100 participants 6. Up to 24-hour meeting duration 7. Quality-of-service reports 8. Popular integrations including Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, Slack, and more. 9. 24/7 support |
| Premium | 1 user/$41.24 2-20 users/$33.74 21-50 users/$33.74 51-99 users/$44.99 100-999+ users/$42.99 | 1 user/$33.74 2-20 users/$26.24 21-50 users/$26.24 51-99 users/$34.99 100-999+ users/$32.99 | 1. Everything in Standard 2. Automatic call recording 3. Single Sign-on 4. Multi-site admin and management 5. Up to 8-digit extensions with site codes 6. Hot desking 7. Advanced call handling including whisper, barge, and more 8. Video meetings with up to 200 participants 9. Real-time analytics 10. Popular CRM integrations with Salesforce, Zendesk, and more Industry-specific integrations with Canvas, Smarsh, and more 11. Developer platform and custom integrations |
| Ultimate | 1 user/$69.99 2-20 users/$59.99 21-50 users/$59.99 51-99 users/$59.99 100-999+ users/$52.99 | 1 user/$59.99 2-20 users/$49.99 21-50 users/$49.99 51-99 users/$49.99 100-999+ users/$42.99 | 1. Everything in Premium 2. Device status reports 3. Device status alerts 4. Unlimited storage |
Additional Readings: RingCentral vs. Zoom
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Additional Reading: Vonage Business vs. RingCentral
Grasshopper vs. RingCentral 3rd-Party Integrations
When it comes to Grasshopper vs. RingCentral on 3rd party integration, there is a clear winner—RingCentral.
While Grasshopper does allow you a mobile and desktop application to manage your communication needs, whether that be text or phone call, it won’t integrate into something like Salesforce.
RingCentral can integrate with:
- Salesforce
- HubSpot
- Canvas
- Google Chrome
- Microsoft Teams
- Microsoft Outlook
- RingClone
- Liquid Voice SmartExperience
- Slack
- Zendesk
- Genesis Emergency Notification
- And more!
RingCentral has an App Gallery you can view here.
Grasshopper vs. RingCentral Customer Service and Call Quality
Grasshopper officially states on their website that all customers are guaranteed “24/7 US-based access support”, but that’s not all. They also offer a generous Grasshopper support site that answers general FAQs and in-depth answers for specific problems. You can also contact them on that site by hitting the button “Call Support” on any of the articles. Grasshopper is a VoIP which means that it sends phone call audio in “packets” over the internet. VoIP is standard across the business phone system industry. You can expect high-quality calls and little downtime if at all!
RingCentral offers 24/7 support to its standard and higher plans. The essentials plan is not included in this. While you may contact support, it should be during normal business hours. RingCentral also offers a robust support center as well. You’ll find FAQs, helpful guides for setting up services or integrating 3rd party apps, and even video tutorials to help you tackle any problem that comes your way. RingCentral is regarded as one of the highest regarded virtual PBXs in the industry. You can expect clear and crisp calls when using their services. Furthermore, RingCentral also provides you with a routine way to test your connection and voice quality so you’re always giving your customer’s the best product.
Grasshopper vs. RingCentral for customer services is about the same. Both companies offer easy-to-access FAQs and support centers. RingCentral’s support center may offer video content, but Grasshopper offers 24/7 US-based support, regardless of which plan you choose.
Grasshopper vs. RingCentral Pros and Cons
| Grasshopper | RingCentral | |
| Pros | - Easy setup. - You can launch a business phone system right from your phone with relative ease. - Relatively inexpensive for small business owners. - Desktop and mobile application. - 24/7 US-based support | - Feature-rich with desktop and mobile application, third-party app integration, video conferencing. - Can scale as your business grows. - An all-in-one platform for both your internal and external communication. - Many plans and payment options are available to fit your company’s needs. |
| Cons | - Not designed for large-scale businesses. - Lack of video chat or conferencing. - Little to no third-party integrations. | - No 24/7 support for their lowest plan. - Can take some to learn. - The system can make integrations complicated. - Can be difficult to reach support by phone. |
Grasshopper vs. RingCentral: Which is Right for You?
The right system for you depends on your size and what you need.
Grasshopper can be a great option if you are a small business looking to establish a professional business phone number and system. You’ll be able to easily manage the system from your phone or desktop. It’ll make taking calls streamlined all through one app and give your business a phone number that isn’t your private number. All for a reasonable price. Yet, Grasshopper may not be suitable for medium or large-sized businesses that need video conferencing and third-party app integration.
RingCentral can handle just about every communication need your business could want. You can integrate this product at every level of your business and streamline all of your communication. RingCentral can offer you many plan options so you can find the right tools for your business. From video conferencing to file sharing, RingCentral has you covered. This can be a great option for medium to large businesses who want a unified communications platform.
Before choosing, make sure to check out each support page for the respective service. That can help you determine which services might be right for you.
Ready to Find the Business Communication System That’s Right for You?
At 360Connect we can help provide you with quality quotes from high-quality suppliers. We’ll match you with top suppliers based on your needs and help you get back to what you do best—running your business.
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