Published : December 20, 2021VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) solutions have become crucial to business communications. In fact, 61% of businesses have already switched to a VoIP system.
And why not? Companies that switch to a VoIP system experience a significant reduction in communication costs.
However, picking the right VoIP solution for your business is crucial. If not, it will do more harm than good. For instance, it can hurt the customer experience and disrupt your services.
RingCentral and Grasshopper are among the two most reliable VoIP providers, serving businesses for years. Both cloud business phone systems are feature-rich, provide decent customer support, have a variety of third-party integrations, and offer multiple pricing options.
But the question remains: which solution fits your business best? Or is there an even better choice out there?
This article will thoroughly compare the features, pricing, user experience, and customer support of both RingCentral and Grasshopper, empowering you to make a well-informed decision.
So, let’s get started!
Disclaimer: The comparison between Grasshopper vs. RingCentral is based solely on the information available on their website, with no bias against the providers.
RingCentral vs Grasshopper: An Overview
Ideal for small businesses and solopreneurs, Grasshopper offers versatile calling and messaging features. With Grasshopper, you can choose from a wide range of toll-free, vanity, and local numbers to facilitate business communications. You can also port your existing business number to Grasshopper. That way, your number stays private, enabling you to separate your personal and business communications.
On the other hand, RingCentral is a leading name in the business phone system industry, ideal for companies of all sizes, and offers many advanced features. RingCentral provides toll-free minutes on every plan (starting from 100 minutes and going up by as much as 10,000 minutes per month). It offers extensive integration options, making it perfect for businesses that use various cloud-based tools. You can also collaborate with your team members, assign tasks, share calendars, and more.
Regarding similarities, both Grasshopper and RingCentral have a mobile app that enables you to facilitate business communications on the go. Also, you get unlimited calls within the US and Canada.
Another similarity between Grasshopper and RingCentral is that they offer 24/7 support regardless of your chosen plan.
But these are the only similarities. Grasshopper and RingCentral differ in features, plans, ease of use, and integrations. And that’s what we will discuss now.
RingCentral vs. Grasshopper: Features
Let’s begin with analyzing the features of RingCentral.
RingCentral Features
RingCentral makes communication seamless by integrating all the channels – message, phone, and video. Plus, it works on all your devices as long as you have an internet connection.
That said, here are some of the notable features of RingCentral
- Business phone or toll-free numbers
- Business SMS
- Unlimited inbound and outbound calls
- Voicemail-to-text
- Team messaging
- Document sharing
- Analytics
- Live reports
- Desktop and mobile app
- Audio and video conferencing
- Intercom
In addition to these ten features, RingCentral offers many basic and advanced functionalities, such as extensions, call screening, call forwarding, answering rules, and roles & permissions (for security).
These features help you offer your customers the best possible experience. For instance, call forwarding enables you to redirect the call to another number when unavailable. Similarly, call analytics help you understand and improve your agent’s performance over time.
Moving on to what Grasshopper has to offer.
Grasshopper Features
Grasshopper is also a cloud-based VoIP system that offers several innovative features to make business communications quick and more effective.
All Grasshopper plans include
- Mobile & desktop apps
- One business phone number
- Business texting
- Call forwarding
- VoIP + WiFi calling
- Virtual fax
- Voicemail
- Extensions
- Instant response
- Custom greetings
- Call transfer
The premium plans offer more business phone numbers and extensions. You can also purchase add-on features to enhance the functionality of your phone system further. For instance, you can buy a virtual receptionist to deliver a personalized experience to callers. You can also purchase additional phone numbers at $10 per month.
Note: The features vary depending on the plan you pick.
You will also be charged as per international rates if you call your customers in a different country (which we will discuss in the following sections).
You May Also Read : Ringcentral Vs Zoom: All That You Need To Know
RingCentral Vs. Grasshopper: Plans & Pricing
VoIP systems are based on the cloud, meaning you must pay a monthly fee to continue using your phone system. Thus, price is crucial in choosing the right VoIP tool for your business.
That said, let’s look at how Grasshopper vs. RingCentral compares pricing.
Grasshopper Pricing
It offers three plans: Solo, Partner, and Small Business.
Source: forbes
- Solo: $29 monthly and offers all the basic features mentioned in the previous section, i.e., one business phone number, business texting, call forwarding, custom greetings, call transfers, etc.
- Partner: $49 per month, and you will get all the above benefits, plus three phone numbers and six extensions.
- Small Business: $89 monthly and offers five phone numbers with unlimited extensions.
RingCentral Pricing
It offers four plans: Essentials, Standard, Premium, and Ultimate.
- Essentials: $29.99 monthly and offers basic features like a business/toll-free number, business SMS, voicemail-to-text, team messaging, and document sharing.
- Standard: $34.99 monthly and offers business phone numbers in over 100 countries, unlimited audio conferencing, video conferencing (with up to 100 participants), quality-of-service reports, or 24/7 support.
- Premium: $44.99 monthly and offers automatic call recording, single sign-on, multi-site admin & management, hot desking, advanced call handling (whisper, side barge, and more), and real-time analytics.
- Ultimate: $59.99 monthly and includes all the above features, device status reports, alerts, and unlimited storage.
Tip: Choose annual plans to get a discount on your VoIP package.
RingCentral offers more features than Grasshopper if you are a rapidly growing business. However, if you are a solopreneur looking for a cost-effective solution, Grasshopper could be the ideal choice.
You May Also Read : RingCentral Vs Nextiva– Which One Is The Best?
RingCentral Vs. Grasshopper: International Calling
As mentioned above, the subscription fee is only for the features you get with your VoIP system. You must pay more every minute, especially when making long-distance calls.
For instance, when calling your customers in the UK, you will have to pay $0.02 per minute in Grasshopper. In RingCentral, the price starts from $0.039 per minute.
Similarly, to call Australia, Grasshopper’s prices start from $0.03 per minute while RingCentral charges $0.039 per minute.
While the differences look very small, the bill could increase significantly, especially if you make hundreds (or thousands) of monthly international calls.
Therefore, it is crucial to compare the international charges of both vendors before choosing one.
In conclusion, Grasshopper offers more cost-effective international calling rates than RingCentral. But it is worth checking the cost of calling in countries where you have customers.
RingCentral Vs. Grasshopper: Customer Support
Like features and pricing, customer support is a crucial factor to consider when choosing a VoIP provider.
After all, it is pointless to partner with a VoIP vendor that offers many features but doesn’t offer help when needed.
Let’s start with RingCentral customer service.
RingCentral Customer Support
RingCentral offers support via multiple channels: phone, live chat, support case online, and community support. You can also contact the RingCentral team via social media for any queries. It is worth mentioning that RingCentral offers 24/7 phone support.
Note that all these channels are designed to solve issues based on urgency. You can browse their community support for answers or even ask questions about simple problems. You can also reach the team via live chat. However, support cases online are the right choice for complex queries that need escalation but are not time-sensitive.
Grasshopper Customer Support
It also offers 24/7 phone support to all its customers. Additionally, you can find solutions to your queries in its knowledge section. Here’s the Grasshopper customer service number: 800-820-8210.
In conclusion, RingCentral offers more support options than Grasshopper. However, this doesn’t mean Grasshopper lags.
RingCentral Vs. Grasshopper: Integrations
Integration is also a crucial aspect of a VoIP solution. The more integrations a VoIP tool offers, the better. That’s because integrations help connect all your tools, thereby enhancing the efficiency and productivity of your employees.
RingCentral Integrations
RingCentral allows you to integrate popular communication tools like Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, Slack, Salesforce, Zendesk, and more. RingCentral also offers industry-specific integrations such as Canvas and Smarsh for premium users.
The RingCentral APIs let you seamlessly integrate your business processes with the VoIP solution.
Grasshopper Integrations
When it comes to Grasshopper, it has very limited integration options. It includes:
- Skype
- Zapier
- LiveChat
- Shift
- Firepoint
In conclusion, RingCentral offers more integration options than Grasshopper. If you are looking to create a connected environment, RingCentral is the ideal choice.
RingCentral Vs. Grasshopper: Key Advantages
RingCentral and Grasshopper are two popular phone system providers that cater to the needs of businesses of all sizes. Both offer a range of features and tools to help businesses manage their communications effectively.
Let’s explore the key advantages that separate them from the competition and make them the best in their game –
RingCentral Key Advantages
Most companies consider RingCentral a top choice, but what exactly sets it apart? One reason is that RingCentral offers premium features at a reasonable price, making it an attractive option. Below is what makes RingCentral particularly appealing:
1. Video Conferencing
RingCentral Video conferencing offers standard features such as whiteboarding, screen sharing, and file sharing and several distinctive advantages. One notable benefit is the ability for users to switch devices during a meeting, effectively avoiding potential technical issues. The platform also allows for meeting scheduling, eliminating the necessity for external tools like Calendly or Google Calendar. This feature enables hosts to modify, reschedule, or cancel meetings as required without the hassle of manually updating each participant.
For those seeking larger meeting capacities, upgrading to the Pro+ version doubles the conference size and provides additional perks such as increased cloud storage, advanced analytics, and more integration options.
Furthermore, RingCentral supports third-party integrations, allowing users to seamlessly incorporate video conferencing with applications like Salesforce, Slack, Skype, Microsoft Teams, and Google Workspace.
2. Team Collaboration
RingCentral’s integrated collaboration solution enhances productivity by consolidating team communication, collaboration, and task management within a single platform. It offers many team chat features such as task management, direct messaging, audio calling, and conferencing.
Administrators can create channels dedicated to distinctive departments or projects, streamlining workflow and segmenting teams. Users can attach files to their messages and conveniently pin them for later review or ensure visibility among team members.
Suppose you already utilize a third-party project management software and prefer not to migrate entirely to RingCentral. In that case, you can integrate tools like Asana, Monday, or other preferred platforms.
3. Analytics
RingCentral Analytics Portal offers real-time and historical data insights for agents, clients, and departments. With the ability to customize reports and specify date ranges, you can effortlessly access and analyze key metrics. Some premade report topics include –
- Call answer rates
- Average call duration
- Performance reports with predictive analytics
- User activity metrics
- Usage patterns
- First call resolution
- CSAT monitoring
The Feedback Management tool also enables monitoring customer service responses, agent patterns, coaching plans, and peer benchmarking. Gain useful insights and make data-driven decisions with RingCentral’s robust analytics capabilities.
Grasshopper Key Advantages
After carefully assessing various factors such as features, pricing, integrations, and more, it’s time to explore what makes Grasshopper unique and what sets it apart from the competition:
1. Unlimited Calls/Texts
No matter which pricing plan you opt for, Grasshopper offers unlimited calls and texts, setting it apart from other VoIP providers. This feature gives Grasshopper a distinct edge over its rivals.
You won’t have to keep track of the number of texts you’ve sent or the duration of your phone calls. Instead, you can focus on building relationships with your callers and converting them into loyal customers.
2. Custom Numbers
Grasshopper offers users considerable flexibility in creating phone numbers to enhance their brand image. There are three types of numbers available through Grasshopper, designed to create a positive and lasting impact on customers:
- Vanity Numbers: These phone numbers are an excellent way to make your business stand out, as they incorporate a word or phrase. For example, 1-800-FLOWERS is easy to remember and prompts customer action.
- Toll-Free Numbers: These numbers help businesses appear more established and project a national presence rather than a local one. Prefixes such as 800 can significantly influence how customers perceive your brand’s legitimacy.
- Local Numbers: Alternatively, focusing on a local approach can be beneficial. Customers who prefer supporting local businesses are more likely to call local numbers, allowing you to expand your demographic reach without additional physical locations.
3. 99.999% Uptime
Reliability is of utmost importance when selecting a VoIP provider, and Grasshopper excels in this aspect. With numerous backup servers across various geographic locations, Grasshopper’s system boasts sufficient redundancy to ensure a 99.999% uptime.
In the rare occurrence of a service disruption, the Grasshopper Status page provides updates and information. Reviewing the page’s history section reveals that Grasshopper outages are infrequent and sporadic.
Organizations can transition to cellular data if their local network experiences connectivity problems, allowing Grasshopper devices to function as usual until the WiFi connection is re-established.
You May Also Read : Grasshopper vs. Google Voice: Which is Better?
RingCentral Vs. Grasshopper: Which One Should You Choose?
In the battle of Grasshopper vs. RingCentral, the right VoIP solution depends on your business’s unique requirements.
Both RingCentral and Grasshopper are undoubtedly efficient and reliable. They also offer several advanced features to make your communications seamless.
To make things easier for you, here’s when to choose which one.
Choose RingCentral If:
You are looking for a VoIP system that integrates with all your existing business solutions and offers advanced features such as business texting, audio & video conferencing, and document sharing.
Choose Grasshopper If:
You are looking for a cost-effective solution for your communication needs. It also has several advanced features to make business communication seamless for you.
However, if you are unsatisfied with either VoIP provider: Grasshopper or RingCentral, we have the perfect solution for you – CallHippo.
Let’s understand what makes CallHippo better than Grasshopper and RingCentral.
CallHippo – The Perfect Alternative To Grasshopper And RingCentral
CallHippo is a cloud-based business phone system similar to RingCentral and Grasshopper but with more robust features, integrations, and affordable pricing plans.
Trusted by more than 5,000+ global brands, CallHippo allows you to purchase local and toll-free numbers in over 190 countries. You can also port your business number to CallHippo and leverage all the advanced call center communication features.
Here are some reasons that highlight what makes CallHippo a better choice than Grasshopper and RingCentral on any given day.
1- Affordable
CallHippo offers enterprise-grade features at a fraction of the price of competitors. Plans start at just $16 per month per user and include a toll-free or local number, call forwarding, auto-attendant, voicemail-to-email, call recording, and more. Compared to Grasshopper’s $28 per month plans or RingCentral’s $19 monthly plans, CallHippo can save businesses up to a great deal on a cloud phone system solution.
In addition, CallHippo provides an easy-to-use web interface and mobile apps to manage your business phone system. You don’t need a technical background to quickly set up auto-attendants, call queues, schedules, etc. CallHippo’s simplicity and user-friendly system beats the sometimes overly complex interfaces of systems like RingCentral and Grasshopper.
2 – Advanced Features
Designed for SMEs and enterprises alike, CallHippo offers a wide range of advanced features. Plus, you will get a free phone number on every plan.
Here are some notable features of CallHippo.
- One free number
- Call forwarding
- Business texting
- Voicemail
- Teams
- Shared inbox
- Skill-based call routing
- Webhook
- IVR
- Call Queuing
- After call work
- Internal team calling
- Holiday routing
- Call barging
- Intelligent reports/analytics
Moreover, CallHippo is available on multiple platforms and devices, including the web, iOS, macOS, Windows, and Android.
The CallHippo VoIP starts at $16 per month. It offers features like a free number, call forwarding, voicemail, shared inbox, skill-based call routing, and more.
Should you need more advanced features like user working hours, IVR, call reminders, after-call work, and reports via email, you can upgrade to the Silver plan, which costs $24 per month.
Here are some key features of CallHippo that RingCentral and Grasshopper lack:
- Power dialer
- Smart switch
- Warm transfer
- Multi-level IVR
When RingCentral offers the basic features at around $29, CallHippo offers it for $16.
3- Seamless Integrations
CallHippo integrates with more than 85+ business tools. No matter which software you use, it can be integrated with CallHippo, making connecting all your business processes easy.
For instance, CallHippo integrates with
- Zoho CRM
- Zapier
- Pipedrive
- HubSpot
- Salesforce
- Zendesk
- Shopify
Check the entire list of CallHippo Integrations here.
This is more than what RingCentral and Grasshopper offer.
4- Compliant With Necessary Regulations
Meeting compliance requirements related to customer data handling could be challenging. You must keep track of the changing laws and regulations in all the countries you operate in.
The good news is, CallHippo makes it easier for you. Suppose you are in the Insurance or healthcare industry. In that case, you won’t have to worry about ensuring compliance with HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act), as CallHippo takes care of that. CallHippo ensures that your patient’s sensitive information remains private and secure even when they share their details with your agents.
Additionally, CallHippo complies with the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation), protecting your data safely and increasing the credibility of your services.
5- Local & International Numbers
Customers are highly likely to pick up your phone when you call them from a local number. Plus, it reduces your calling costs drastically.
At CallHippo, we understand that. Therefore, we allow you to purchase local phone numbers of more than 190 countries. This means even though you are in a different country, you can access a local number of another region.
You can also consider purchasing various numbers for your marketing campaigns. You can then assign each campaign a unique number to determine the ROI.
All the qualities of CallHippo certainly make it better than RingCentral and Grasshopper. CallHippo is cost-friendly and offers more features and integrations than Grasshopper and RingCentral.
Wrapping Up
The comparison between RingCentral and Grasshopper reveals distinct features and advantages that cater to different business needs. RingCentral stands out for its comprehensive communication and collaboration tools suite, making it a robust choice for larger organizations requiring advanced features such as video conferencing, team messaging, and integrated workflows.
On the other hand, Grasshopper offers a simplified and user-friendly virtual phone system, making it an attractive option for small businesses and entrepreneurs. Its emphasis on-call management, professional greetings, and mobile functionality provide flexibility and convenience for individuals on the go.
However, even though they offer advanced calling features, they both lack one or the other thing. For example, RingCentral lacks affordable pricing plans, while Grasshopper is not very good with integrations.
Fortunately, CallHippo addresses all these shortcomings, making it the perfect alternative to both VoIP providers.
FAQ
Which Are RingCentral’s Biggest Competitors?
Some of RingCentral’s biggest competitors in unified communications and cloud-based business communications solutions include CallHippo, 8×8, Nextiva, and Vonage.
How Many Users Do RingCentral And Grasshopper Have?
RingCentral and Grasshopper are popular VoIP phone service providers but do not disclose their exact user numbers. Some estimates based on their revenue and growth numbers suggest RingCentral & Grasshopper has hundreds of thousands of users.
Is Grasshopper HIPAA Compliant?
No, Grasshopper is not HIPAA compliant, as stated on their website. The platform acknowledges that its support team members have access to clients’ account data and settings to provide technical services, which raises concerns about the security of protected health information (PHI).
More Comparisons:
- Ultimate Shakedown: 3CX vs. FreePBX vs. CallHippo
- Ooma Vs Google Voice: Which Is The Better VoIP System In 2023?
- OpenPhone vs. Google Voice: Which is Better?
- Ooma vs. magicJack: An In-depth Comparison
- Dialpad vs RingCentral: Which Is Better?
- Ooma Vs Vonage– Which VoIP System Is Best For Your Business?
Updated : June 21, 2024
Rohit Rajpal is a technical content writer with hands-on experience in the VoIP and telephony space. His expertise comes from closely collaborating with product teams to craft clear, technical documentation and user guides for telecommunication software. Rohit’s deep knowledge of VoIP technology allows him to address complex technical issues and provide insightful solutions.
Subscribe to our newsletter & never miss our latest news and promotions.
+24K people have already subscribed