10 Google Voice Alternatives + Why They Are Better

Google Voice is a simple cloud phone system providing virtual phone numbers for calling and texting from mobile or desktop.

The Google Voice phone system includes business features like call forwarding, multi-level IVR, and ring groups. It integrates smoothly into Google Workspace, with a simple interface that makes it easy for users to manage voicemail, send SMS, and scale a business by adding new users.

However, many Google Voice users feel limited by its limited feature offering. We tested and compared dozens of other VoIP phone systems to rank the best Google Voice alternatives.

TL;DR: Best Google Voice Alternatives

Here are our rankings for the top Google Voice alternatives:

• RingCentral: Best for internal team collaboration
• Nextiva: Best for a user-friendly phone system
• Grasshopper: Best for simple calling and texting
• Dialpad: Best for AI support and analytics
• GoTo Connect: Best for international calling
• Zoom Phone: Best bang for your buck
• 8x8: Best for supervisor support
• Ooma Office: Best for business SMS features
• Aircall: Best for routing and call distribution
• OnSIP: Best pay-per-minute option

Our Research Methodology

GetVoIP individually tested dozens of business VoIP systems to compile our rankings for Google Voice alternatives. We signed up with each provider and used each platform for several days–making and receiving calls, sending texts, building IVR menus, and customizing analytics dashboards. We communicated with each provider’s customer support to see what your business experience would be like.

After almost a decade of testing and evaluating virtual phone systems, we know what to look for when determining a VoIP provider’s value. We prioritize user-friendly and feature-rich platforms, while considering cost and value.

Why Look for a Google Voice Alternative?

While easy to use, Google Voice doesn’t offer as many extensive features as other business phone systems. It doesn’t support toll-free numbers, real-time business analytics, call queues, or CRM integrations.

Here are a few reasons you might consider an alternative:

• Call queueing: Google Voice doesn’t have call queues, which limits a company’s ability to separate phone system departments
• Routing: Google Voice lacks some of the call distribution and call routing tools that alternatives have
• Team collaboration: Some alternatives offer team chat, video meetings, and other features that enhance team collaboration–in addition to voice telephony
• Customer support: Other cloud phone systems have more responsive customer support options, providing round-the-clock service through live chat, phone, and email
• Integrations: Alternative solutions integrate with more third-party software, syncing the tools and data you already use
• Analytics and data: Many Google Voice alternatives offer more comprehensive, AI-based analytics systems that track deeper insights about customers and users

The Best Google Voice Alternatives

Based on our research, here are the top Google Voice alternatives:

1. RingCentral: Best for Team Collaboration

RingEX is a unified communications platform and virtual phone system that supports unlimited calling in the US and Canada. The desktop and mobile app enables team chat and video meetings, providing better team collaboration than Google Voice. It offers comprehensive routing features like queueing and multi-level IVR, business analytics, and call monitoring for supervisors.

Here are some of the ways RingCentral stands out when compared to Google Voice:

• Team chat: Built-in team chat on desktop and mobile enhances collaboration with 1:1 chat, group threads, file-sharing, and task assignment. Create channels, organize files in folders, and jump directly into group huddles–similar to Slack.
• AI video meetings: Create and host video meetings for up to 200 participants and 24 hours. Advanced meeting features include live captions, AI-generated summaries, breakout rooms, shareable whiteboards, and more.
• Call routing: All RingCentral plans including multi-level IVR, giving inbound callers a menu to reach their intended department. The drag-and-drop designer is easy to use.
• Queueing and ring groups: Organize users into call queues, each with a digital hold queue that agents can view and monitor. Ring groups let you bundle agents to share inbound call responsibility with a custom ring order, like simultaneous, round-robin, or skill-based.
• Strong value on low-tier plans: At $20 per month, the Core plan is in the lower price range for phone systems. Still, it includes all the key communication channels, multi-level IVR, ring groups, and AI video meetings–a strong value.

Best for: RingCentral is the best phone system for teams that want more comprehensive call routing features and team collaboration channels than Google Voice has.

2. Nextiva: Most User-Friendly UCaaS

Nextiva is a cloud phone system that bundles VoIP calling, texting, video conferencing, and team chat on desktop, mobile, and browser. It offers more channels than Google Voice, plus a wider variety of integrated apps and better built-in contact management features.

Here’s what makes Nextiva a strong Google Voice alternative:

• Toll-free numbers: Each signup includes a local number and a toll-free number, with 1,500 to 12,500 toll-free minutes depending on the plan.
• Team chat: Send 1:1 chat messages, comment on calls and contacts, and create three team chat rooms with file storage, threads, and one-click video huddles.
• Routing features: Like Google Voice, Nextiva has IVR–except Nextiva’s IVR features a drag-and-drop designer that enables stronger customization. Nextiva also offers ring groups to create pseudo-departments that share inbound call responsibility.
• User-friendly app: Nextiva’s desktop, mobile, and web apps have many more phone and team collaboration features than Google Voice. However, you quickly become familiar with the new capabilities and interface after a few days.
• Contact management: Use Nextiva to create in-depth contact profiles for your customers. Extract info from a CRM system, leave notes on contacts, and customize each contact’s info and preferences.

Best for: Nextiva is great for teams that want unified communications features like team chat and video, but with a simple phone system that doesn’t feel as overwhelming as other alternatives.

3. Grasshopper: Best for a Simple Phone System

Grasshopper is a simple VoIP solution that allows calling and texting on a desktop and mobile app. The phone system has voicemail and call forwarding, but no other advanced features or channels. While just as user-friendly as Google Voice, Grasshopper provides extensions that let multiple users share a single phone line.

Here’s what makes Grasshopper a strong Google Voice alternative:

• Phone and text only: While other providers offer team chat and video, Grasshopper is just VoIP and SMS. The interface feels simple and uncluttered.
• Shared numbers: Grasshopper’s account-based pricing structure allows multiple teammates to share one phone number, using as many extensions as they want. This can provide strong value.
• Unlimited texting: While some alternatives limit each user’s monthly text allotment, Grasshopper supports unlimited SMS in the US
• Voicemail transcription: Visual voicemail transcribes voicemails into text, emailing users the text transcript and audio file through email, text, or Grasshopper app
• Uncluttered app: Those who like Google Voice’s simplicity will appreciate Grasshopper’s app interface, which makes it easy for new users to manage calls, voicemail, and text.

Best for: A simpler alternative to Google Voice, focused on unlimited domestic calling and texting

4. Dialpad: Best For AI Features and Analytics

Dialpad is a business communications platform bundling VoIP calling, SMS texting, 10-participant video meetings, and team chat on desktop and mobile. It offers solid routing features and outperforms Google Voice with advanced AI features like call transcription and real-time analytics.

Here’s what makes Dialpad special: 

• AI video meetings: Dialpad meetings host 10 participants for up to five hours. They include advanced features like waiting rooms, chat, whiteboards, and screen sharing.
• Routing, queuing, and ring groups: Create unlimited IVR menus, call queues, and ring groups in a user-friendly design studio
• Real-time analytics: All plans include business analytics that track call volume, channel usage, texting and messaging trends, and customer self-service details
• International phone numbers: Choose virtual phone numbers from 70 countries–including toll-free, local, and vanity numbers
• Call transcriptions: Dialpad AI transcribes each call in real time, giving users live captions, translations, and speech suggestions. These transcripts also support stronger analytics and coaching, as supervisors can review and search transcripts afterward.

Best for: An advanced business communication app with analytics, comprehensive call routing, queueing, and team collaboration through video and chat.

5. GoTo Connect: Best For International Calling

GoTo Connect is a business communication platform with an impressive 50+ country calling area, plus unlimited auto attendants, dial plans, and ring groups. While the dashboard can feel overwhelming, GoTo beats Google Voice with call queues, analytics, and better team collaboration via video and team chat.

Here’s what makes GoTo a good Google Voice alternative:

• Video conferencing: Video meetings support 250 users with no time limit. Host up to 50 on-screen cameras simultaneously, with engagement tools like in-video chat, smart notes, and whiteboard integrations.
• Ring groups and call queues: Create unlimited ring groups and call queues, building departments and choosing how agents share call responsibility. Integrate these groups with IVR and dial plans.
• Drag-and-drop IVR dial plans: Design call flows via a drag-and-drop interface, setting conditions and business hours, and creating routing paths between auto attendants, voicemails, and agents
• Analytics and reports:  Custom analytics dashboards track real-time KPIs for call volume, channel usage, and agent performance. Sort reports by day, week, time, length, location, agent, and metric.
• International calling: The Standard plan supports unlimited calling to 50+ countries, which could lead to major savings compared to Google Voice and other alternatives

Best for: GoTo Connect is best for more advanced call routing features and a much larger unlimited calling area than Google Voice offers.

6. Zoom Phone: Best Value

Zoom Phone is a cloud-based phone system with VoIP calling, SMS, and team chat on mobile and desktop. Each plan includes IVR, call queues, voicemail, and call monitoring, with flexible domestic calling options. It integrates well with Zoom meetings, but the abundance of features feels more overwhelming than Google Voice’s simple dashboard.

Here’s what makes Zoom Phone a strong Google Voice alternative:

• Metered, domestic, and unlimited calling areas: Choose from metered per-minute pricing at a very cheap $10 monthly per user, unlimited domestic calling in the US for $15, or unlimited domestic calling in a country outside the US for $20
• IVR, call queues, ACD: Design phone routing menus, call queues, and call distribution to customize how your system handles calls
• Monitor, whisper, barge, and takeover: Administrators can monitor and listen silently to agents’ calls, speak to the agent privately, or join the call as a 3rd party
• Zoom app: Switch between team chat, video, and phone calls in an easy-to-use desktop and mobile app. The chat interface feels similar to Slack, with the option to create channels, customize message formatting, and store files.
• Connection to Zoom Meetings: Zoom Phone integrates with Zoom Workplace, integrating video meetings seamlessly alongside phone, chat, and SMS. Elevate calls and SMS conversations to video.

Best for: Zoom Phone is best for teams that want team chat and a more advanced phone system than Google Voice provides, while retaining simplicity and a user-friendly feel.

7. 8x8: Best for Supervisor Support

8x8 is a business phone system with VoIP calling, SMS, team chat, and large-capacity video meetings. In addition to team collaboration, it offers more comprehensive phone features than Google Voice–call monitoring, call queues, and supervisor analytics–plus unlimited calling to 14 or 48 countries.

Here’s what stands out about 8x8’s phone system:

• Video meetings and live streaming: All 8x8 plans include video conferencing with 500 participants. Meetings have interactive features like polls, hand raising, breakout rooms, and team chat. Use 8x8 to live stream on Youtube.
• Large unlimited calling area: 8x8’s X2 and X4 plans support unlimited calling to 14 and 48 countries, respectively
• International phone numbers: 8x8 beats Google Voice by offering international phone numbers from 100 countries
• Contact center upgrade: The 8x8 app easily upgrades into a call center, with added features like live chat, post-call surveys, and queue callbacks
• Monitoring and supervisor tools: 8x8 supports supervisors with call monitoring and real-time supervisor analytics, which provide a live view of call volume, queue activity, and agent performance

Best for: 8x8’s call monitoring and real-time analytics make it a much stronger option than Google Voice for supervisor assistance and team visibility.

8. Ooma Office: Best for Hybrid Teams

Ooma Office is a virtual phone system with VoIP, SMS, team chat, and 100-participant video conferencing. It has a basic and user-friendly phone system with similar routing features to Google Voice. However, it offers more advanced business SMS features than Google Voice.

Here’s what stands out about Ooma:

• Call routing: Customize your call distribution system with multi-level IVR and ring groups
• Advanced business texting: Send unlimited texts across North America, with features like text templates, volume and delivery analytics, and bulk texting
• Video meetings: Create video meetings, invite participants with an invite link, and join meetings directly from Ooma’s app. Meetings support up to 100 participants with background noise cancellation and screen sharing.
• Enhanced call blocking: Ooma Office Pro offers enhanced call-blocking features. These include automatic call screening from a massive database, anonymous call blocking, and a custom block list.
• Call queueing: Create call-holding queues to organize overflow callers when agents are busy. This reduces the number of hangups and missed business opportunities.

Best for: Ooma Office is best for those who want team chat, video, better routing features, and more advanced SMS capabilities than Google Voice provides.

9. Aircall: Best for Routing and Call Distribution

Aircall is a cloud phone system with unlimited voice calling and SMS within the US. Aircall omits video or team chat, but teammates can comment on calls, tasks, and share a task inbox. It has more advanced call center features than Google Voice, like analytics, auto-dialers, and automated queue callbacks.

Here’s what we like about Aircall compared to Google Voice:

• Team collaboration tools: No team chat, but users have a shared call inbox that enables multiple teammates to respond to SMS, calls, and emails
• Flexible call distribution: Create multi-level IVR menus that route calls in custom ways–based on agent availability, business hours, or CRM data like the last touchpoint
• Advanced analytics: Aircall has unique in-depth analytics that cover email, call, and SMS reports, plus a live feed of queue activity
• Queue callbacks: When agents are busy, customers can hang up and keep their place in line, leaving a callback number for when a team member becomes available
• In-depth call logs: The Conversation Center compiles data and logs for all calls and messages, along with each call’s transcript. Supervisors can search this data by keyword to review and provide feedback.

Best for: Voice and SMS only, with call center features that Google Voice doesn’t have, like advanced routing rules and queue callbacks.

10. OnSIP: Best Pay-As-You-Go Option

OnSIP is a simple, scalable VoIP platform with voice calling, video calls, plus a web chat tool that Google Voice does not have. The phone system offers routing tools like IVR, ring groups, and an add-on for call queues. It has a larger unlimited calling area than Google Voice, and a per-minute pricing option.

Here are some of the key specs for OnSIP:

• International calling: The Unlimited plan supports calls to over 20 countries. These include Australia, the UK, France, Hong Kong, Spain, and more.
• Sayso web chat: Plans include Sayso’s starter web chat feature. This enables you to embed calling and web chat into your website, so customers can call or chat with one click
• Video conferencing: Host video conferences with up to 5 participants, with link and one-click participant joining. In-call host options include hold, mute microphone, and stop video.
• Free desk phone: Each user that signs up for the unlimited plan receives a free VoIP desk phone
• Custom ring order: Create ring groups and call queues to bundle agents together, then customize how they receive calls. Choose from a simultaneous ring, longest idle, or a custom order.

Best for: OnSIP is best for teams with low call volumes that want a pay-as-you-go pricing structure, which Google Voice does not offer.

Which Google Voice Alternative Should You Pick?

Here’s a quick breakdown to help you decide which Google Voice alternative is best for your business needs:

• Simplicity: Grasshopper and Ooma make strong options if you want simple, easy-to-use phone systems
• Team collaboration: RingCentral, Nextiva, and Dialpad are strong unified communications platforms that encourage collaboration via chat and video
• International calling: GoTo Connect, 8x8, and OnSIP all provide large unlimited calling areas that span multiple countries
• Routing and queueing: Zoom and Aircall provide intricate routing and queueing systems to customize how you handle inbound calls

Google Voice FAQs