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Senior Writer: Supriya Bajaj
Date: February 13, 2024Relying on Google Voice in Canada to engage in business communication with customers, prospects, or teams at a fixed price is a wise choice. But there’s a catch—using Google Voice in Canada is challenging due to its unavailability.
Also, Canada’s phone plans are expensive, and because phone calls are an indispensable part of businesses, business owners pay high phone bills. In fact, Canadian wireless prices are the highest in the world.
So, we have curated this actionable guide to help you understand Google Voice’s cost breakdown and step-by-step process of how to use it. We have also included the steps to get a Google Voice number and the limitations that Google Voice has. Towards the end of this guide, we have revealed a solution to help you overcome Google Voice’s limitations and let you have seamless business conversations at a modest price. Let’s get started!
"Calling is an integral part of all kinds of businesses. Relying on a solution that is difficult to use in your location, like Google Voice in Canada, can result in huge bills, more complex processes, drained energy, and low productivity due to added restrictions. The best way out is to shift to an efficient business phone system provider like CallHippo. It can streamline your business conversations in minutes with its advanced features, scalability, and affordability!"
Does Google Voice Work in Canada?
Yes, Google Voice works in Canada. However, it’s not available to use separately. Only G Suite/ Google Workspace customers in Canada can access it by signing up and investing in an additional Google Voice license as a part of their G Suite package.
If you have a Google Workspace account, you can easily sign up for Google Voice and assign your employees (Google Voice users) a Canadian number (+1 country code).
How Much Does Google Voice Cost?
You can only use Google Voice with a Google Workspace subscription in Canada. Wondering how much would Google Voice cost as a part of G-suite? Well, here are the three pricing plans available for you to choose from:
| Pricing Plan | Cost | Number Assignment Limit |
| Starter | $10/user/month | 10 Users max |
| Standard | $20/user/month | Unlimited users |
| Premier | $30/user/month | Users across multiple international locations |
Google Voice within Google Workspace is charged in USD. So, with dynamic exchange rates, your total for workspace and Voice can vary from month to month.
You May Also Read : OpenPhone vs. Google Voice: Which is Better?
How To Get A Google Voice Number In Canada?
Getting a Google Voice number in Canada is easy if you follow the right process and access the right resources. We will explain the step-by-step process of how you can do that. Let’s get into the details:
Step 1: Setup the base
As a resident of Canada, you need a US phone number to access Google Voice’s services. For that, you need to apply for a US phone number, which takes just 5 minutes. After getting the number, activate it via the Express Talk softphone app.
Step 2: Visit the Google Voice website
Once you have a US phone number registered against your name, it’s time to head to Google Voice to choose your GV number. If you face any geo-restrictions error, try clearing your browsing history or cache and then accessing the website again.
Step 3: Log into your Voice account
Tap the Get a Voice number option after logging into Voice with your Gmail account. Next, it’s time to choose your new voice number. For that, you must enter a US area code and select your desired number (including word, phrase, and digits). Now it’ll show you a list of available numbers (including the area code and the number string) from which you must choose one.
Step 4: Key in the pin code
After selecting your new number, it’s time to enter the 4-digit pin code and accept the terms and conditions. Following this screen, a new window will show up asking for your US mobile number, which will ring when someone calls your Google Voice number.
Step 5: Start routing calls
Once your new US number is sorted, hit the Call Me Now option. Google Voice will route your call to your Canadian numbers and ring it via the Express Talk software. Enter the confirmation code to verify your Voice number using the ET software’s dial pad.
Once your number is verified, you can use it to make local and international phone calls, free of cost, using Google Voice (free) service in Canada.
You May Also Read : Is Google Voice HIPAA Compliant & Safe for Healthcare Use?
Is it Possible to Get a Free Google Voice Number in Canada?
Eager to get your questions answered? Well, allow us to help you with them. Is Google Voice free in Canada, or Is getting a free Google Voice number possible in Canada?
No, Google Voice is not free in Canada, but getting a free Google Voice number in Canada is possible. However, the process is challenging. If you sign up from Canada’s IP address, Google Voice will instantly detect it during the signup process (IP address location checking) and block you.
To avoid getting blocked, you must have a valid US IP address on the device you’re signing up from. You can get it from any valid Canada VPN that has its servers in the US. Also, as part of the signing-up process, you must verify your account. For this purpose, you must have a US-based landline or phone number so Google Voice can easily call and verify your account.
Even if you successfully get a free Google Voice number using a VPN and a US phone number, remember that getting a local Canadian number (with area code) isn’t possible with a free account.
Also, Google Voice free plan isn’t really a great match for businesses as it was launched to cater to personal users and not business professionals. So it gives access to no key features–call recording, phone menu, and more. To use these features, you must consider investing in their paid plans.
You May Also Read : Grasshopper vs. Google Voice: Which is Better?
How To Use Google Voice In Canada?
As Google Voice’s separate/free version isn’t available in Canada, you must use a paid Google Voice account (as a part of Google Workspace) to access its services. So, obviously, to even be able to buy Google Voice’s paid plan and get a Voice number, you must first have a Workspace membership.
With Google Workspace, you get a stack of useful business services–Google Cloud storage and custom email addresses at just CAD 7.80 /user/month. This plan is Business Starter, the lowest of all, giving you access to decent features.
However, if your business requires better storage, management, and security features due to its size or type, you can use their Business Standard plan (CAD 15.60 /user/month) or Business Plus plan (CAD 23.40 /user/month).
After comparing the different plans and choosing the best one, it’s time to get Google Voice numbers for your employees. For that, you need to sign up for Google Voice and invest in a relevant Google Voice plan that perfectly matches your business needs.
You May Also Read : Ooma Vs Google Voice: Which Is The Better VoIP System In 2023?
Limitations Of Google Voice In Canada
Investing in Google Voice’s paid version doesn’t promise seamless access to all the services. So, it’s only wise to be aware of all the limitations of using Google Voice in Canada. Let’s dive right in –
1. Does not offer toll-free numbers
If your business is expanding and aims to attract prospects from faraway countries, one of the best ways to do this is to have a toll-free number. This can encourage them to reach out to you instantly in case of any queries. As Google Voice doesn’t offer toll-free numbers, it can prevent you from availing of these benefits.
2. Limited availability
Do you have employees scattered in different countries with whom you must connect frequently? Well, then, Google Voice is not your best bet. Why? Because there are just 14 Google Voice supported countries. So, if your employee lives in a country that Google Voice doesn’t support, you might be unable to give them access to a business line.
3. No texting feature
Is staying connected with employees or catering to customer queries over text messages the need of the hour for your business? Then you should eliminate Google Voice from your communication platform list as messaging (unlimited) feature is only available for the US Google Voice app (accounts linked to Google Workspace).
Also, the texting feature is too important to miss out on, as 60% of customers actively reach out to businesses over texts when a customer support issue arises.
You May Also Read : Google Voice Not Working: 8 Common Issues With Google Voice
Switch To CallHippo: The Top Google Voice Competitor in Canada
Than 3 Minutes
- 1Buy Numbers
- 2Add Users
- 3Start Calling
- 4Track Calls
Now that you know that using Google Voice in Canada is challenging and comes with its own set of restrictions, we believe you are eagerly looking for an efficient alternative. We have you covered with Canada’s top-trusted, affordable, productive, and scalable business phone system–CallHippo.
CallHippo’s pricing plans start from $16/user/month, a more profitable deal than Google Voice with Google Workspace at the same price. Well, it’s about what you get in exchange for the price you pay.
With CallHippo’s bronze plan, you get the following features and facilities:
- One standard number is free for each user. You can further assign numbers to an unlimited number of users to make and receive calls (unlimited calls) using just an internet-enabled mobile phone. Get a Canadian virtual phone number today!
- Easy portability from other carriers to CallHippo
- Option to send text messages using the SMS feature (not available with Google Voice in Canada)
- Call recording just at $0.005/min to keep a log of all your conversations with teams/customers/prospects
- Smart call forwarding to your desired devices at standard rates or for free with the CallHippo app to take calls even on the go
- Skill-based call routing to best solve customer queries by connecting them to an agent possessing problem-specific expertise
- Power dialer helps in fulfilling your daily call commitments
- Virtually unlimited voice mailboxes to receive voicemails separately for every number
Other features like smart switch (switch between telephony providers to have the best call connectivity) and call monitoring (track agent performance in real-time) are unavailable with the Google Voice app.
Clearly, this Google Voice alternative (CallHippo) caters to your communication needs and streamlines conversations while helping agents be productive and save time.
You May Also Read : Best Virtual Phone Number Providers in Canada
Wrapping Up
Seamless communication is integral for any business, and using a platform that requires you to get VPN plus a foreign country’s number (US) to operate can be a hassle. That happens when you use Google Voice in Canada, as its free version isn’t available there, so to access Voice, you have to buy a Google Workspace subscription even if you don’t need it.
Wasting your resources like that is not wise. So, your best bet is to shift to an affordable, more flexible, and feature-rich phone system like CallHippo that streamlines your business communication like magic.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What are the benefits of using Google Voice in Canada?
The biggest benefit of using Google Voice in Canada is its cost-effectiveness compared to Canada’s expensive phone plans. This helps businesses save a chunk of money that would otherwise be wasted on paying huge calling bills every month.
2. What to use instead of Google Voice in Canada?
The best Google Voice alternative in Canada has to be CallHippo. It is an affordable, scalable, and feature-rich phone system for all business types and sizes.
3. Can I use Google Voice for business in Canada?
Yes, you can use Google Voice for business in Canada if you are a member of Google Workspace and have bought the Google Voice plan as a part of the workspace.
Supriya is a highly skilled content writer with over 8 years of experience in the SaaS domain. She believes in curating engaging, informative, and SEO-friendly content to simplify highly technical concepts. With an expansive portfolio of long-format blogs, newsletters, whitepapers, and case studies, Supriya is dedicated to staying in touch with emerging SaaS trends to produce relevant and reliable content.
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