10 Google Voice Alternatives for Communication

Effective communication is key in today’s digital world, whether for personal or business purposes. Google Voice has been a staple in communication for many years; however, several other alternatives offer a diverse range of features, like Google Voice, to meet various communication needs.

Whether you are looking for advanced call management, international calling capabilities, or a comprehensive, unified communication solution, the internet has some alternative and similar options.

Google Voice is a great way to keep your phone calls organized in one place. You can use your computer, phone, or tablet to make or receive calls and see all your voicemails and text messages with the help of Google Voice.

It also provides helpful features such as the ability to schedule calls, HD video calling, call screening, call forwarding and unlimited free calling within the United States and Canada. But, it is also helpful to check other VOIP services for managing your communication more effectively.

In this article, we explore the top 10 Google Voice alternative services, the comparison of these similar products with Google Voice, the advantages and disadvantages, the other services and the key features to consider before selecting a VOIP service. Let’s delve into these options to find the one that best suits your requirements.

10 Alternatives to Google Voice as a VOIP

If you are looking for reliable alternatives to Google Voice, check out these options that offer a variety of features for seamless communication.

1. Ooma
2. Sideline
3. Skype
4. Line2
5. TextNow
6. Zoom Phone
7. Grasshopper
8. Vonage
9. Dialpad
10. Freshcaller

These Google Voice alternatives are available online and can be used for various communication needs. Consider your preferences and requirements to pick the VOIP service that best suits you.

1. Ooma

Ooma is a VoIP service provider offering communications services, home phones and internet security cameras. The company Ooma was founded in 2004 by Andrew Frame, headquartered in Sunnyvale, California. Ooma has received numerous awards, including the 2013 Inc. Magazine Editors’ Choice Award for Best Overall Small Business Phone System and the 2014 CNET Top Picks Award for Best VoIP Service.

Ooma is a great home phone service that offers excellent HD video call quality and a wide range of features. Plus, the Ooma Basic Plan has no monthly contract or hidden fees so you can cancel your subscription license anytime.

Let’s explore the key features, pricing plans and differences between Google Voice and Ooma.

Key Features

Below are some of the key features of Ooma:

• Provides landline-quality voice calling without needing landline and workflow automation.
• Calling feature includes caller ID, call waiting, 3-way calling, and anonymous Robocall call blocking.
• Offers voicemail with email notification and online voicemail accessible from any device.
• Do not Disturb feature blocks all incoming robocall calls while allowing outgoing calls and messaging.
• There is no need for a contract or monthly fees in the Ooma Basic Plan, you pay only for the calls you make at highly competitive rates.

Pricing and Plans

Ooma offers several pricing plans for its VoIP phone service and related products. Below is the table of pricing and plans offered by Ooma:

Google Voice vs. Ooma

Google Voice and Ooma are communication services, but they have different purposes and separate features. Below is a comparison between Google Voice and Ooma based on various features:

Number Porting: Ooma allows you to port your existing virtual phone number to their service for free, while Google Voice does not and charges a $20 fee.

International Calling: Ooma offers international calling starting at $0.014 per minute, and Google Voice charges start from $0.01 per minute for international calling.

Scalability: Ooma is suitable for small businesses and individuals, and Google Voice offers scalability for companies of various sizes, integrating into Google Workspace for enhanced collaboration and communication.

2. Sideline

Sideline is a mobile application that gives you a second number that you can use for work calls and texts. It is a great way to stay connected with friends and family in real-time.

Sideline allows you to voice calls, team communication, and text messaging without using your primary phone number. That way, you can keep your number private.

Let’s discover the key features, pricing plans and differences between Google Voice and Sideline.

Key Features

Below are some of the key features of Sideline:

• It gives you a second phone number that you can use for business or personal calls.
• Offered Vanity numbers, and these phone numbers are great for people who want to keep their personal and professional lives separate.
• You can customize your voicemail greeting to sound professional even when you cannot answer the phone.
• Create a custom voicemail greeting for each line.
• Sideline integrates with your existing contact list, so there is no need to add contacts manually.

Pricing and Plans

Sideline is a perfect choice if you are looking for a pricing plan that fits your business. It has several plans to choose from, so you can find the one that is right for you. Moreover, prices are highly competitive. Here’s a breakdown of Sideline’s pricing plans in the table:

Google Voice vs. Sideline

Regarding Google Voice vs. Sideline, there are a few key factors to consider. First, both apps offer unique features, such as making and receiving calls, conversing, and texts from your number on any internet-connected device.

Second, both apps are relatively user-friendly and easy to use. With Google Voice, you can record calls and transcribe voicemails into text messages, while Sideline does not offer call recording.

3. Skype

Skype is a telecommunication application that allows users to communicate via voice and video calls over the Internet. Skype provides anonymity, instant messaging, and document/file sharing. The software is available on various platforms, including Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, and iOS app devices.

Let’s find out the key features, pricing plans and differences between Google Voice and Skype.

Key Features

Below are some of the key features of Skype:

• Share your screen during calls
• Send instant messages
• Drag-and-Drop the files
• Enjoy VOIP calling to any phone worldwide
• Conveniently switch between audio and video call or video tutorial modes
• Integrate with other popular apps

Pricing and Plans

Skype has a few pricing plans available for users. There is a free plan that allows people to call other Skype users free, and there are telephony paying plans that enable people to call landlines and cell phones. The paid plans vary in price, depending on the country you call. Here’s a breakdown of Skype pricing plans in tables:

Google Voice vs. Skype

Google Voice and Skype are popular VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) services that allow users to make voice and video calls online. Both services offer free options, although Skype’s paid bundle and plans are generally more expensive than Google Voice.

Functionality-wise, Google Voice and Skype are quite similar. Both allow users to make calls from their computers or mobile devices, and both support features like call forwarding, visual voicemail, and conference calling.

One significant difference is that Google Voice offers unlimited free calling within the U.S. and Canada, while Skype charges per minute for calls made to landlines and mobile phones. Skype is also a great way to keep in touch with family and friends.

Whether you need to host an online meeting, webinars, or whiteboard conferences or want to live chat with a client, Skype is the perfect reboot tool. If you’re not already using Skype for business, try it today!

4. Line2

Line2 is an app that provides a second phone number for your Android and smartphone. It’s great for people who want to keep their personal and business lives separate or those who travel frequently and need a local number in each country they visit.

It offers useful features for individuals and businesses, including call forwarding, VoIP calls, MMS, and SMS messaging. Let’s check out the key features, pricing plans and differences between Google Voice and Line2.

Key Features

Below are some of the key features of Line2:

• Get a separate business number on your mobile device.
• Make and receive calls over Wi-Fi or cellular data.
• Send and receive text messages using your Line2 number.
• Auto-attendant, forward calls and texts to any device, including your cell phone or computer.
• Access voicemail and receive voicemail transcriptions.
• Customize voicemails that allow you to greet, set up call screening, and more.
• Display your Line2 number as the caller ID.
• Low rates for international calling.

Pricing and Plans

Line2 is a cloud-based VoIP phone system that offers various budget plans to fit any business’s dial plan needs. Here’s a breakdown of Line2 pricing plans:

Monthly: The monthly pricing starts at $15.99 per month.

Annual: The yearly pricing begins at $13.75 per month.

Google Voice vs. Line2

When choosing a VoIP service, there are many receptionist factors to consider. Here, we compare two popular open-source options: Google Voice and Line2.

Both services offer many features, including voicemail to text, call forwarding, conference calling, MMS, and SMS texting. However, Line2 is more expensive than Google Voice.

5. TextNow

TextNow is a telecommunications company that provides phone services, including text messaging and voice calls, over the internet. It’s primarily known for offering a web platform and mobile apps that allow users to send text messages and make phone calls using Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology.

Let’s inspect the key features, pricing plans and differences between Google Voice and TextNow.

Key Features

Here are some key features and aspects of TextNow:

• Choice of a free phone number
• Free text messaging and calling in the U.S. and Canada
• TextNow wireless plans for mobile data
• TextNow Premium for an ad-free experience and more features
• International calling with affordable rates
• Wi-Fi calling
• Unlimited picture messaging

Pricing and Plans

TextNow offers various pricing plans for its services. Here’s a breakdown of TextNow pricing plans in a table:

Google Voice vs. TextNow

Google Voice and TextNow are both popular communication apps, but they cater to different needs. TextNow offers a full-fledged mobile service with free and paid plans, including data for texting and calling, making it suitable for those seeking an all-in-one mobile communication solution.

In contrast, Google Voice primarily focuses on call forwarding, voicemail, and text messaging, making it ideal for individuals and small businesses who want to manage multiple phone numbers and prioritize these features.

Ultimately, the choice between Google Voice and TextNow depends on your specific communication requirements and whether you need a full mobile service or a versatile call management tool.

6. Zoom Phone

Zoom Phone is a cloud-based phone system offered by Zoom Video Communications, the company known for its popular video conferencing platform, Zoom. It is designed to provide a comprehensive communication solution for businesses, including video conferencing, voice calling, and messaging capabilities.

Zoom Phone is a part of Zoom’s broader unified communications and collaboration (UCC) suite, which aims to streamline communication and collaboration for organizations of all sizes.

Let’s examine the key features, pricing plans and differences between Google Voice and Zoom Phone.

Key Features

Here are some of the key features of Zoom Phone:

• See the availability status of your contacts for more effective communication.
• Access detailed call analytics and reporting to monitor call quality and usage.
• Make international calls and access global phone numbers and calling plans.
• Enable emergency calling services with location tracking.
• Use Zoom Phone as a softphone on desktop and mobile devices.
• Support for both Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) and Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) calls.
• Set up customer support or sales team call queues to manage incoming calls efficiently.
• Depending on your plan, Zoom Phone supports compliance requirements, including HIPAA and GDPR.

Pricing and Plans

Zoom Phone offers various pricing and plans. Here’s an overview of Zoom Phone’s pricing and plans in the table:

Google Voice vs. Zoom Phone

Google Voice and Zoom Phone are both communication platforms but have distinct features. Below is a comparison of Google Voice and Zoom Phone in terms of various aspects:

7. Grasshopper

Grasshopper is a voice app that lets you make and receive phone calls without frustration and ever having to use your hands. It’s a great backend option for busy professionals who are always on the go for group chat.

With Grasshopper, you can have a local number that rings directly to your cell phone or computer. You can also use the desktop app to record messages, call screening, and caller ID.

Look at the key features, pricing plans and differences between Google Voice and Grasshopper.

Key Features

Grasshopper is a virtual phone system designed primarily for entrepreneurs and small businesses. It offers a range of features to help manage and enhance communication. Here are some key features of Grasshopper:

• Grasshopper is a virtual phone system that will give small and medium businesses a professional phone number for a better user experience.
• An automatic call routing system that will direct calls to the right person.
• Integrated email addresses voicemail, messaging, conversation, and fax to email.
• Customizable greeting messages.
• Unlimited minutes and texting for the U.S. (including North America) and Canada.

Pricing and Plans

Grasshopper offered three pricing plans designed to cater to different business communication needs. Here’s an overview of Grasshopper pricing plans in the table:

Google Voice vs. Grasshopper

Google Voice and Grasshopper are great options for setting up a desk phone system for your Real-time queue business. Both offer features like call forwarding, voicemail, and call recording.

For starters, Google Voice is free, while Grasshopper costs $31 monthly for the Solo plan. Google Voice may suffice if you require a simple and cost-effective solution for personal use. However, if you run a business and need advanced call management tools, Grasshopper offers the functionality and professionalism necessary to enhance your communication.

8. Vonage

Vonage is a telecommunications company founded in 1998 that provides a variety of communication services for individuals and businesses. It’s best known for its Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services, which allow users to make voice and video calls over the internet rather than traditional phone lines.

Let’s see the key features, pricing plans and differences between Google Voice and Vonage.

Key Features

Here are some key features of Vonage:

• Vonage makes and receives calls from any onboarding device anywhere in the world.
• Low international rates to call more than 60 countries.
• Connect with others through free group video chat or instant messaging.
• Keep in touch with Vonage’s voicemail and caller ID.

Pricing and Plans

Vonage offers a variety of pricing plans to fit your tech support needs. Here’s an overview of Vonage pricing plans in the table:

Google Voice vs. Vonage

Google Voice and Vonage are two of the most popular VOIP service providers, but each has advantages and disadvantages to monitor. Here’s a closer look at how Google Voice and Vonage sources stack up:

Have you tried Vonage for your business like many entrepreneurs? What has been your customer experience and complaint? Let us know in the comments.

9. Dialpad

Dialpad is the world’s most advanced AI-powered mass business phone system. It enables businesses to manage their calls, text messages, and voicemails through a user-friendly online dashboard and simple interface. Dialpad is designed to allow for voice communication over the internet and is commonly used to make and receive VoIP calls.

Let’s see the key features, pricing plans and differences between Google Voice and Dialpad.

Key Features

Dialpad is a cloud-based business phone system that offers various features to enhance communication and collaboration within organizations. Here are some unique features of Dialpad:

• It uses AI to transcribe and analyze calls, providing real-time insights.
• Offers voice recognition, sentiment analysis, and coaching tools for sales and support teams.
• Integrates seamlessly with popular apps like G Suite and Microsoft 365.
• Get insights into call volumes, agent performance, and customer satisfaction.
• Includes messaging, video conferencing, and screen-sharing features.

Pricing and Plans

Dialpad offers a variety of pricing plans for various business needs. Here’s an overview of dialpad’s pricing plans in the table:

Google Voice vs. Dialpad

Google Voice and Dialpad are both communication platforms, but they have different purposes and distinct features. Here’s a comparison of Google Voice vs Dialpad across various aspects:

10. Freshcaller

Freshcaller is a cloud-based phone system developed by Freshworks Inc. that helps businesses manage and monitor their calls. With Freshcaller, companies can easily track the performance of their sales and customer service teams and measure the effectiveness of their marketing campaigns. It is designed to help businesses set up and manage their call centre operations efficiently.

Let’s see the key features, pricing plans and differences between Google Voice and Freshcaller.

Key Features

It is a cloud-based phone system for small businesses. It offers a variety of features at an affordable price, making it one of the most popular choices among business owners for digital marketing. Here are some key features and aspects of Freshcaller:

• Its built-in virtual receptionist greets your callers and forwards them to the right extension or department.
• Offers automated escalations of calls to supervisors or higher-tier agents based on customizable criteria.
• Unified messaging that collects all your voicemail transcription, conversation, and faxes in one place.
• HD voice quality that makes your calls sound clear.
• Allows agents to make calls without revealing their personal phone numbers by masking caller IDs.
• Supports multi-level Interactive Voice Response (IVR) systems to route calls efficiently.
• Calls can be routed based on business hours, ensuring efficient handling of inquiries.

Pricing and Plans

Here’s an overview of Freshcaller pricing plans in a table:

Google Voice vs. Freshcaller

Google Voice and Freshcaller are excellent phone services and competitors, but they differ. Here’s a comparison of Google Voice and Freshcaller in terms of their key features and use cases:

Whether you’re looking for a Google Voice alternative that offers more features or wants to change your communication game, we hope all above mentioned ten options have given you some good ideas.

Why Google Voice and Should You Use It?

Google Voice is a free VoIP (Voice over IP) service, and you can use it on any compatible device to make and receive calls and send and receive texts. You can use Google Voice virtual number to tether your phone number to multiple devices so that you can make and receive calls on your work phone, home phone, personal cell phone, and more.

With Google Voice, you get awesome features like voicemail transcriptions, automatic call distribution, messaging, call transfer, call metrics, and call forwarding, all in one place. Google Voice makes it easy to manage information and all your unified communications in one spot!

Google Voice is the perfect solution if you’re looking for a business phone system that is easy to use for group chat and packed with features. You can be up and running in minutes with a simple online setup process. With the authoritative platform, you will have everything you need to manage your calls and messages like a pro.

Google Voice Pros

Here are some of the top benefits of using Google Voice numbers:

• Offers free-of-cost calling and messaging within the United States and Canada and low rates for international calls
• Allows users to use a single phone number for all types of communication.
• Set up the voicemail greeting so that your callers will gladly leave the messages for you.
• Keep your personal phone number private and use a separate number for business.
• Help you in many different communication scenarios, from your business to your personal life.

Google Voice Cons

Here are some weaknesses of using Google Voice numbers:

• In some regions, number porting may not be available.
• Google Voice is primarily known in the United States.
• Google Voice does not support emergency calling (911 in the U.S.).

Are There Any Disadvantages to Using Google Voice as Your Communication Platform?

While Google Voice offers many advantages, there are also some disadvantages to using it as your communication platform. These drawbacks may vary in significance depending on your specific needs and preferences. One notable area for improvement is its limited international calling capabilities, which can result in higher costs for frequent international calls.

Additionally, dedicated business communication platforms may be less feature-rich than Google Voice, making it less suitable for complex business needs. Some users also report occasional call quality issues.

You May Also Like: Common Google Voice Problems and How to Solve Them?

Why Consider Alternative VOIP Services to Google Voice?

Because Google’s tendency to change or discontinue services means there can be uncertainty about the long-term availability of Google Voice features. Only this limitation may make businesses and power users consider more specialized alternatives for their communication needs.

Which Key Features are Important to Consider When Choosing a VoIP Service?

When choosing a VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) service, several key features are important, ensuring that the service meets your communication requirements. These features can vary between providers, so it’s essential to evaluate them carefully. Here are key features to consider when selecting a VoIP service:

1. Look for a service that offers HD voice and minimal latency to ensure clear and reliable calls.
2. The service should have a strong uptime and reliability track record, ensuring your communication remains uninterrupted.
3. Ensure the service can scale with your needs, whether you’re an individual, a small business, or a large enterprise.
4. Verify that the service is compatible with your devices and platforms, such as smartphones, tablets, and desktop computers.
5. Consider features like call routing, auto-attendants, conferencing, and call forwarding to tailor the service to your needs.
6. Look for encryption and security features to protect your calls and data from unauthorized access.
7. Think about your long-term communication needs and whether the service can accommodate your future growth and changing requirements.