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RingCentral is a feature-rich and highly rated business communication platform.
However, the many features come at a cost.
The base plan, for instance, starts at $20 per user per month, yet it leaves out essentials like automatic call recording.
Furthermore, to get file sharing, messaging, and recording storage, you’d need the Ultra plan at $35 per user per month.
For a small business or solopreneur, this pricing model often means paying for features you don’t need.
And if you’re looking for a RingCentral alternative for whatever reason, we’ve handpicked five top-rated options.
But before we dive in, let’s go over what RingCentral offers.
💡iPlum is a good RingCentral alternative if you’re in for a business phone system with overlapping features, such as business texting, call forwarding, and voicemail.
The best part…. iPlum comes at nearly half the cost.
Table of Contents
3. RingCentral Reviews—What Do Users Say?
4. Why Consider a RingCentral Alternative?
5. Best Alternatives to RingCentral
6. How to Port Your Number to iPlum
7. Best Alternatives to RingCentral — Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
8. RingCentral Alternatives — Why Choose iPlum?
RingCentral Features
Notable features in RingCentral’s feature suite include:
- Calling – Allows you to make and receive calls on your phone, desktop, or tablet.
- Texting – Lets you send and get SMS messages from your business number.
- Voicemail – Enables you to listen to or read voice messages.
- Call forwarding – Lets you send calls to other numbers or devices.
- Mobile App – Gives you access from both desktop and mobile.
- Auto-attendant – Helps direct callers to the right person or department.
RingCentral Pricing
RingCentral pricing is structured in 3 tiers as follows:
- Core Plan at $20/user/month — Features include unlimited domestic calling, SMS/MMS, IVR call menus, video meetings (up to 100 participants), and a shared voicemail.
- Advanced Plan at $25/user/month — Includes everything in Core plus auto call recording and internet fax.
- Ultra Plan at $35/user/month — Comes with everything in Advanced plus custom analytics, 12 months of reporting history and 200-participant meetings.
RingCentral Reviews—What Do Users Say?
RingCentral reviews point to a platform whose costs can quickly rack up as your needs increase.
In addition, users report poor customer service, with the support team often struggling to resolve issues.
❌ Service reliability issues, especially with texting and calling
“Sometimes for almost one whole week, the text messages don’t work... They just tell you to restart the app and wait.” – Joe M., Capterra
❌ Frequent connection problems despite stable internet
“I get a lot of complaints of people not being able to hear me… even though I am hardwired in and have a perfect connection.” – Verified User, Capterra
❌ Call monitoring is choppy and not effective for managers
“I didn't like the call monitoring. It was very choppy and not easy to use at all.” – Verified User, G2
❌ Dropped calls during transfers
“Calls getting dropped during transferring.” – Mandee T., G2
On the flip side, some RingCentral users had this to say:
✔ Decent integration with other tools and apps
“A decent amount of features and extensions you can use to integrate with other applications.” – Gustavo T., G2
Why Consider a RingCentral Alternative?
Some common reasons most users look for an alternative to RingCentral include:
- Poor customer support, as reported by many users.
- Call quality issues, including dropped calls and audio problems.
- Hard-to-cancel contracts, which some users say lock them into longer-than-expected contracts.
- Too many features for small teams, making the platform feel overwhelming.
- Limited flexibility, especially for teams that want more control or customization.
- Integration problems, particularly with newer or niche software tools.
- Slow bug fixes, with users noting that problems can take a long time to resolve.
- Inconsistent performance, especially between the mobile and desktop apps.
- Better value elsewhere, with similar features offered at lower prices by competitors like iPlum.
…moving on,
Best Alternatives to RingCentral
Before we dive into the best alternatives to RingCentral, let’s start with a quick comparison table.
1. iPlum (Best Value)
iPlum is the best RingCentral alternative if you need a secure, efficient, and budget-friendly business phone solution.
It gives you a dedicated mobile second line for calls and texts, industry-specific compliance, and innovative business features without leaving a hole in your budget.
Why is iPlum a Good Alternative to RingCentral?
iPlum thrives on its ability to simplify business communication. With its mobile second line, you can be reachable during work hours and send calls straight to voicemail when you're off the clock.
RingCentral, by comparison, bundles calls, messaging, and video meetings into one app. That’s great for large enterprises. However, if you want a streamlined, mobile-friendly setup, it might be overkill, especially since video conferencing is only available on higher-tier plans.
iPlum also stands out with HIPAA-compliant texting and call recording, which is crucial for professionals in healthcare and other regulated industries. Furthermore, its secure texting feature lets you communicate through a free, encrypted iPlum app.
While RingCentral offers general security measures, iPlum is specifically designed for compliance-intensive fields, supporting regulations such as Dodd-Frank and CMS.
Besides compliance, iPlum helps get organized with phone trees, virtual receptionists, team account management, and auto-text replies with professional signatures. Meanwhile, voicemail transcription and online faxing add even more efficiency.
And, while RingCentral offers similar tools, it tends to cater to enterprises with dedicated IT teams.
iPlum Key Features
- HIPAA-Compliant Communication – Secure encrypted calls, texts, and voicemails, ensuring privacy for healthcare and legal professionals.
- Auto-Attendant (IVR) and Virtual Extensions – Create a professional phone tree with custom greetings and call routing.
- Dual Calling Reliability – Use Wi-Fi calling or switch to your carrier’s network for uninterrupted service.
- Call Recording and Compliance – Record business calls with secure storage options and legal consent prompts.
- Auto Text Reply and Out-of-Office Alerts – Keep clients informed with automated messages for missed calls and after-hours inquiries.
iPlum Pricing
iPlum pricing starts at $8.99/month per user for the Standard Plan, making it a good RingCentral cheaper alternative (which costs $20/month per user).
With iPlum, you only pay for the features you need, allowing you to keep costs low while maintaining professional communication.
2. Nextiva
Nextiva is a reasonable alternative to RingCentral if you want an option with robust AI capabilities.
Why is Nextiva a Good Alternative to RingCentral?
Nextiva combines VoIP calling, business SMS, and team chat into one app for a more organized communication experience. Compared to RingCentral, its user-friendly interface makes navigating features easier.
Nextiva also takes the lead in AI functionality. Its Caller AI delivers real-time customer insights, helping teams personalize interactions and speed up response times.
While RingCentral offers AI-driven assistance, Nextiva focuses on call intelligence and CRM integration—ideal for businesses that rely on customer engagement.
Moreover, its integration with Salesforce, HubSpot, and Microsoft Teams allows for a seamless workflow as businesses scale. While RingCentral offers a similar range of integrations, Nextiva provides a more intuitive experience with fewer add-ons needed.
Nextiva Key Features
- Caller AI for Customer Insights – Gain real-time caller data to personalize interactions and improve response times.
- CRM Integrations – Syncs with Salesforce, HubSpot, and Microsoft Teams for seamless contact management.
- Voicemail Transcription – Converts voicemails into text for easier review and faster responses.
Nextiva Pricing
Nextiva pricing starts at $18.95 per user per month, cheaper than RingCentral at $20/user/month. When placed next to iPlum, however, Nextiva looks more like a mid-tier business solution. Nextiva is pricier than iPlum, which costs $8.99/user/month.
iPlum vs. Nextva vs. RingCentral
Compared to Nextiva and RingCentral, iPlum takes a refreshingly different approach to managing business calls and texts.
With business calling, texting, and compliance features wrapped into a simple, cost-effective package, iPlum delivers what modern professionals need without unnecessary and expensive extras.
However, what sets iPlum apart is its focus on security and compliance, which aligns with the core communication features found in Nextiva and RingCentral.
This means you’re not paying for bells and whistles you don’t need—just solid, secure communication for users who can’t afford to take risks with privacy.
3. Dialpad
Dialpad is a robust RingCentral alternative if you’re in for an AI-driven communication experience that centralizes calling, messaging, and meetings into a single platform.
Why is iPlum a Good Alternative to RingCentral?
Dialpad promises to help its users transform their business with AI-powered automation.
And, true to these claims, it leverages artificial intelligence to simplify business communication from call transcriptions to meeting summaries. Compared to RingCentral, its AI capabilities are deeply integrated, making collaboration more efficient.
Dialpad’s AI Recap, for instance, eliminates the need for manual note-taking, automatically generating call summaries and action items.
And, although RingCentral offers AI-assisted messaging and call transcripts, Dialpad takes it a step further with real-time voice intelligence for enhanced team engagement.
In addition, its native integrations with Google Workspace, Microsoft Teams, and Salesforce allow for a more connected workflow.
Dialpad Key Features
- AI Recap for Calls & Meetings – Get instant call summaries, action items, and highlights without taking notes.
- Live Speech-to-Text – Transcribes conversations in real-time for accurate record-keeping.
- Reliable Global Calling –Clear voice quality with a 100% uptime SLA.
- Built-in AI Writing Assistant – Helps refine messages and translate conversations on the fly.
Dialpad Pricing
Dialpad’s pricing starts at $15 per user/month, making it a cost-effective choice compared to RingCentral’s $20/user/month. Against iPlum’s $8.99/user/month, Dialpad falls into the mid-tier pricing range.
iPlum vs. Dialpad vs. RingCentral
Indeed, RingCentral and Dialpad are solid business phone systems. But how does iPlum compare?
For starters, iPlum is more affordable than both. It also packs a punch in security, compliance, and flexibility. For example, iPlum includes 800 toll-free vanity numbers in its base plan, while RingCentral and Dialpad require a formal request.
In addition, it offers longer text archiving (1 year), a significant advantage for regulated industries. And then there’s HIPAA-compliant texting, Dodd-Frank call recording, and encrypted messaging, making it one of the best options for privacy-conscious businesses.
To top it all off, iPlum’s dual calling technology lets users switch between VoIP and carrier networks for the most reliable connections.
4. Ooma
Ooma is a solid alternative to RingCentral for small businesses that want a phone system with robust call quality. It offers calling, voicemail, virtual receptionist features, and basic mobile access at a relatively lower cost.
Why is Ooma a Good Alternative to RingCentral?
Ooma focuses on delivering dependable business calling without the complexity of enterprise-level tools.
While RingCentral includes advanced features like video conferencing and AI-driven tools, many of those are tucked away in higher-priced tiers. Ooma, on the other hand, offers core VoIP functionality right out of the box.
With Ooma, you get a virtual receptionist to direct incoming calls, call forwarding, voicemail transcription, and call blocking. It also includes desktop and mobile apps, allowing you to manage calls on the go, a feature also offered by RingCentral, but with additional capabilities.
That said, Ooma doesn’t include HIPAA compliance or advanced team collaboration tools. It’s not ideal for heavily regulated industries or companies needing analytics and integrations with CRMs.
But for small businesses who just want a reliable second line and easy call routing, Ooma does the job well.
Ooma Key Features
- Virtual Receptionist – Automatically routes calls based on business hours or caller input
- Voicemail Transcription – Converts voice messages into text for easy reading.
- Call Blocking – Filter out spam calls with customizable settings
- Mobile and Desktop App – Make and receive calls from anywhere
- Call Logs and History – Track missed calls, voicemails, and call duration
Ooma Pricing
Ooma Office plans start at $19.95 per user per month.
This includes unlimited calling, voicemail, call forwarding, and virtual receptionist features. There are no contracts, and hardware is optional depending on your setup.
iPlum vs. Ooma vs. RingCentral
Ooma is a reliable alternative to RingCentral if you’re looking for a straightforward phone system for small teams or solo operations.
It offers the basics—calling, voicemail, call forwarding, and a virtual receptionist—at a lower price point than RingCentral.
However, it lacks more comprehensive compliance tools, integrations, and advanced features such as analytics or video meetings.
RingCentral, on the other hand, goes all-in on features. It’s built for large teams with layered communication needs, offering AI tools, advanced routing, video conferencing, and integrations with 300+ apps.
But all that power comes at a cost. Even the entry-level plan can feel bloated for small businesses or solo professionals.
Now, let’s bring in iPlum.
iPlum keeps things simple without skimping on essentials.
It offers secure texting, HIPAA-compliant calling, voicemail transcription, and auto-replies—features that neither RingCentral nor Ooma fully delivers at the same price point. It’s mobile-first, low-cost, and ready for regulation right out of the box.
So, while Ooma is best suited for those who want simplicity and affordability without complex tools, and RingCentral is ideal for large teams with bigger budgets, iPlum is the better choice if you need secure business communication without overspending.
5. Grasshopper
Grasshopper is a virtual phone system that promises to help you “put your best foot forward with the right number for your business.” It’s a worthwhile alternative to RingCentral for toll-free, vanity, and local numbers.
Why is Grasshopper a RingCentral Alternative?
Grasshopper covers enough ground with custom greetings, voicemail-to-text, and unlimited business texting on its Solo Plan ($18/month). It even offers professional phone greeting recordings and live receptionist services.
However, it lacks international calling, team chat, and video conferencing capabilities. Hence, it may not be the perfect fit if you’re looking for a full communications suite.
Apart from providing business numbers, Grasshopper is more beginner-friendly than RingCentral, which has a steep learning curve. It is worth noting, though, that RingCentral has more advanced features, including voice, video, messaging, and AI-powered call management.
Still, Grasshopper is a great choice if you need a simple virtual phone system. It’s great for solopreneurs and small teams that value ease of use.
Grasshopper Key Features
- Custom Greetings – Record or use a professional voice actor to create custom phone greetings.
- Business Texting – Send unlimited SMS/MMS with auto-replies for missed calls.
- Voicemail Transcription – Read voicemail messages instead of listening to recordings.
Grasshopper Pricing
Grasshopper plans start at $14.99/month for a single user, making it a budget-friendly choice compared to RingCentral’s plans, which cost $ 20 or more per user per month.
However, features are more limited, with no options for comprehensive reporting or multi-user collaboration tools.
iPlum vs. Grasshopper vs. RingCentral
Sure, Grasshopper is a good choice if you want a memorable toll-free, vanity, or local number. The platform even includes features such as business texting, call forwarding, standard VoIP, and voicemail transcription to get you started.
But Grasshopper isn’t HIPAA compliant? That’s a dealbreaker for healthcare professionals and businesses handling sensitive data.
So, if compliance is central to your business, iPlum is your best bet. It offers HIPAA-compliant calling, secure messaging, and fax solutions—all at a lower cost than Grasshopper and RingCentral.
Speaking of cost, Grasshopper charges a flat fee for unlimited users, but its features are limited. RingCentral, on the other hand, is expensive and not user-friendly for beginners.
iPlum strikes a balance between affordability and functionality, providing a mobile-first business communication system tailored for modern businesses.
How to Port Your Number to iPlum
You can transfer your existing number to iPlum in a few steps, as outlined in the video below.
Best Alternatives to RingCentral — Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Is There Anything Better Than RingCentral?
Yes. There is something better than RingCentral.
iPlum, for instance, beats RingCentral with lower pricing, fully HIPAA-compliant texting and call recording, and a mobile-friendly design that works without expensive add-ons.
Can I Use RingCentral for Free?
No, RingCentral does not offer a free plan; its VoIP services start at $20 per user per month. If you're on a budget, iPlum provides a more affordable option with monthly plans starting at $8.99 per user.
Does RingCentral Record Calls?
Yes, RingCentral offers call recording features, allowing users to record business calls with secure storage options and legal consent prompts.
RingCentral Alternatives — Why Choose iPlum?
RingCentral has its strengths.
It’s built for enterprises juggling large teams, IT departments, and corporate budgets.
But not every business needs—or wants—that kind of setup.
iPlum takes a different route, offering a leaner, more practical phone solution that doesn’t weigh you down with bloated costs or features you’ll never use.
It’s about control.
Control over your business line, your spending, and how you communicate with clients.
Whether you’re a solo professional or running a team, iPlum delivers what actually matters—reliable and professional business communication at an affordable price.
Disclaimer: This article is intended for general informational purposes and may not reflect the most current features or capabilities of the products or companies mentioned. For the most accurate and up-to-date information, please refer to the official sources of each company.
