OpenPhone is a calling app that is designed for small scale businesses and start-ups. The company was founded in 2018 and is situated in California. OpenPhone is available in both Android and iOS systems. OpenPhone lets their customers get a new number or use their current number. Features like text messaging, call recording, call routing, etc are available on their platform.
The software connects through their customers WiFi or mobile data. No additional installation or hardware is required. OpenPhone can be integrated with HubSpot and Zapier and allows their users to make international calls and send group messages among teammates along with sharing and syncing information within the organization.
More recently, they have shifted their focus toward larger businesses, introducing additional call center management features and adjusting the pricing structure, which has made it slightly less attractive to their original customer base.
Source : OpenPhone pricing on www.OpenPhone.co on the 11/16/2023
OpenPhone offers 3 monthly plans: a Standard plan priced at $17 per user, a Premium plan priced at $25 per user and a customized Enterprise plan. The Standard plan includes basic features like unlimited calling within the USA and Canada, group messaging and call recording but for features like call transfers and analytics, you will need to upgrade to the Premium plan. International calling is billed additionally at a per minute or per message rate irrespective of the plan. You can also get a second number at an additional fee.
OpenPhone has evolved in recent years from targeting primarily very small businesses and individual entrepreneurs to offering a comprehensive business phone solution suitable for larger companies. However, lacking crucial features like live call listening, the limited functionality makes it less cost-effective for companies seeking robust customer call management.
The pricing structure at $17 per user per month may attract individual entrepreneurs, but it's insufficient for most businesses. Their $25 per user per month plan, while offering additional features, remains quite expensive for small businesses. This pricing model can become costly for businesses with multiple users, especially when compared to more feature-rich alternatives.
If you are looking for an alternative to OpenPhone, Quicktalk can be one of best bets. From a basic business phone line to advanced call center features, Quicktalk has got everything you are looking for from a communication solution partner.
The platform is easy to install and is perfect for small and medium-sized businesses. From unlimited calls to a simple call management system, Quicktalk offers everything that you need to improve the caller experience.
The platform offers two packages offering unlimited inbound and outbound calls to 36 countries including:
The all-in-one Quicktalk plans allow you to make unlimited international calls from any local number along with videoconferencing and texting.
Pricing
Quicktalk offers a simple yet all-in-one pricing plan with unlimited calling at 19$/month (up to 3 users).
Why Choose Quicktalk
Grasshopper is a virtual phone system that helps small businesses improve their internal and external communication. By porting an existing number or getting a new local, toll-free or vanity number, businesses can easily distinguish between personal and business calls.
These numbers can be used to handle incoming and outgoing calls as well as send text messages and are connected to virtual fax systems.
Go through our comparative analysis of Grasshopper and OpenPhone service
Grasshopper services are inclusive of free porting service for existing numbers or a new secondary number for calling and messaging. This can be accessed through desktop and mobile apps.
Grasshopper includes a range of communication features to answer incoming calls with customized greetings and route them to relevant departments. Unanswered calls can be directed to voicemail from where transcripts can be made available.
Other features common to Grasshopper subscriptions include call forwarding, multi-extension support and customized hold music. Features such as call recording are exclusive to higher-tier plans.
Businesses can choose between 4 Grasshopper monthly subscription plans. These are priced at $16, $31, $51 and $89 per user per month. Additional numbers and certain features may also be subscribed to at add-on rates. Subscription fees are inclusive of a range of features and calls to certain destinations. Other international calls are billed at per minute rates.
While OpenPhone plans are marginally cheaper than Grasshopper plans, the latter includes more features in their subscription packages.
Google Voice is a virtual phone service available in the USA, Canada and certain other countries. It is part of the Google Workspace and thus fully integrated with other Google apps like Gmail and Google Calendar. It is a popular choice for entrepreneurs and startups.
Check out our Google Voice vs OpenPhone comparative analysis
As with OpenPhone, Google Voice subscribers can port their existing number or get a new number. However, this service is limited to a few countries. Subscribers can make and receive voice and video calls through desktop and mobile apps as well as VoIP desk phones.
Automated attendants with customized messages can direct incoming calls. Calls can also be transferred from one user to another without being disconnected. Other features available with Google Voice subscriptions include voicemail transcription, built-in integration with Google Workspace and usage reporting. Access to features such as call recording and multi-level auto attendants is plan specific.
Like OpenPhone, Google Voice offers 3 monthly subscription plans. However, the starter plan is much cheaper. Google Voice plans start from $10 per user per month. Higher-tier plans are priced at $20 and $30 per user per month.
These plans include domestic calls and calls between Google Voice subscribers. Other calls to international locations are billed at a per minute rate.
The low prices for Google Voice subscriptions are a major distinction between Google Voice and OpenPhone plans.
Dialpad is an AI-powered business communication platform available in 70+ countries. Subscribers can use VoIP technology to handle incoming and outgoing calls with teammates, customers, vendors and more. Dialpad also supports communication through text messaging and offers a wide range of productivity enhancing features.
Get in-depth
Dialpad supports voice, video and conference calling as well as internet fax, SMS, MMS and team messaging. Subscribers can get a new local or toll-free number with their subscription or port an existing number to the platform.
All plans are inclusive of features like call routing through a multi-level auto attendant, call recording, real time call transcriptions and visual voicemail. Limits for features like ring groups, office maximums and live support vary from plan to plan. Other features like Salesforce integration and quality of service reports are exclusive to higher-tier plans.
Dialpad offers three plans with a monthly subscription rate starting from $23 per user per month. This makes the plans significantly more expensive as compared to OpenPhone plans. The Dialpad Pro plan is priced at $35 per user per month. However, these plans are inclusive of a wider range of communication and productivity enhancing features.
Dialpad plans are inclusive of unlimited calling to the USA and Canada. Calls to other destinations are billed at location-specific per minute rates. Pro and Enterprise plan subscribers also have the option of subscribing to add-on local or international numbers.
RingCentral leverages VoIP technology to help businesses improve internal and external communication. It can be used for voice and video calls, conference calling and text messaging. RingCentral subscribers can get local numbers in 46 countries. Along with communication tools, it includes features that aid with collaboration and omni channel customer service.
Read through our feature comparison of RingCentral and OpenPhone services
RingCentral subscribers can use a local or toll-free number for communication through mobile and desktop apps as well as supported desk phones. Features like visual voicemail, end-to-end encryption, team messaging and call log reports are included in all plans. Limits for toll-free minutes, business SMS and a few other features vary from plan to plan.
Higher-tier plans also include exclusive features like unlimited storage space and device analytics. Dialpad also offers add-on features like live reports, high volume SMS and Ring Sense conversation intelligence.
RingCentral offers 3 subscription plans priced at $30, $35 and $45 per user per month. This makes the plans more expensive as compared to OpenPhone. However, the number of features offered by RingCentral is higher.
All RingCentral subscribers can handle unlimited domestic calls in the USA and Canada and use a limited number of toll-free minutes. Calls to other destinations and over the toll-free minute limit are billed as per usage.
Zoom Phone is a popular business communication platform based on VoIP technology. Their services are available in 47 countries. Businesses can follow pay-as-you-go models or pick a prepaid plan that offers unlimited outbound calling to certain locations. Zoom Phone supports voice and video calling as well as text messaging and conference calling.
Read our comparative analysis between Zoom Phone and Open Phone
Zoom Phone subscribers can port existing numbers to the platform or sign up for a free new number. Subscribers can pick between plans offering metered outbound calls and those including unlimited calling. These calls can be handled through mobile and desktop applications.
Some of the other features included in Zoom Phone plans are call routing through auto attendant/ IVR, call monitoring, call recording, voicemail transcription and hot desking.
Zoom Pone monthly subscription plans are priced at $10, $15 and $20 per user per month. These plans differ minimally in terms of features offered but vary by the outbound call billing. Subscribers wanting to make international calls can get add-on packs.
Services such as additional local or toll-free phone numbers, workspace reservations, etc. are also available as add-on packs.
When compared, Zoom Phone plans appear cheaper than OpenPhone subscriptions but features available with ZoomPhone may seem limited.
Nextiva is a cloud communication platform that helps businesses improve communication and team collaboration. With variable pricing plans, it caters to the needs of small and large organizations.
supports communication through voice, video and conference calls as well as messaging. Other features and services included in the subscription plans are directed towards collaboration and productivity.
Review our in-depth comparative analysis between Nextiva and OpenPhone
All Nextiva plans are inclusive of unlimited voice calling throughout the USA and Canada via numbers ported to the Nextiva platform or new virtual phone numbers. Services are accessible through mobile and desktop applications as well as VoIP desk phones and web browser extensions.
Some of the features common to all Nextiva plans are call routing through auto attendants, contact integration, call log reports, threaded conversations and internet fax. Other features like call recording and CRM enterprise-level integration are exclusive to higher-tier plans.
Unlike OpenPhone, Nextiva does not have a flat rate for its monthly plans. Prices are determined by the number of users. Subscription for the Essential plan ranges from $17.95 per user per month for teams of 100+ users to $23.95 per user per month for teams of up to 4 users.
Similarly, the highest tier plan, the Enterprise plan subscription rates range from $39.95 to $45.95 per user per month.
For small teams, OpenPhone subscriptions may be cheaper but organizations with growing teams may prefer Nextiva plans.
Vonage is a cloud-based business communication platform that supports voice and video calls as well as text messaging. It is beneficial for large organizations with remote teams as well as customer-facing companies.
Businesses can get a virtual phone number from Vonage in 96 countries to cement their local presence. A wide range of optional features gives Vonage customers the option of tailoring plans to suit their budgets.
Check our comparative analysis between Vonage and OpenPhone
Vonage offers all subscribers unlimited domestic calling and SMS. In addition, there are 50+ features included in the base plan. This includes call conferencing, call blocking, routing through an auto attendant and team messaging.
Upgrading to higher-tier plans provides access to features like a virtual receptionist, call reporting and analytics. Call recording and virtual phone extensions are some of the optional add-on features also available.
Vonage does not follow a fixed subscription cost. Prices vary with the number of users. Monthly subscription fees for the base plan range from $14.99 for 99 users to $19.99 for a single user.
In the case of the Advanced plan, it ranges from $24.99 to $39.99 per user per month depending on the number of users. Thus, Vonage and OpenPhone subscription costs for small teams are comparable but Vonage is more cost-effective for larger teams.
This is exclusive of international outbound calls that are billed as per location-specific per-minute rates. Vonage also offers add-on packs for a virtual mailbox, on-demand call recording and so on.
8x8 is a cloud communication solution for internal and external business communication. It is a unified platform that supports voice and video calling and text exchanges. 8x8 services are available in over 55 countries and are well suited to customer support teams and mid-sized organizations with remote teams. They also offer contact center solutions.
Read our in-depth comparison between 8x8 and OpenPhone
8x8 services can be accessed through mobile and desktop applications as well as web browsers and VoIP desk phones. Subscribers to any plan can make unlimited voice calls to numbers in 14 countries. The higher tier plans include unlimited calls to 48 countries. Other features common across plans include multi-level auto attendant, hot desking, voicemail and voicemail transcription, document sharing and call monitoring. The higher tier plans have access to exclusive features such as speech analytics, IVR-based call routing and call analytics.
As compared to OpenPhone, 8x8 offers more choice for monthly subscription plans. 8x8 subscribers can pick between 2 unified communication plans and 3 contact center plans.
Plans vary in terms of the number of countries businesses can make unlimited calls to and access to other productivity features. As with OpenPhone, calls to numbers in other international destinations are billed according to use.
Phone.com is a cloud communication platform for businesses. It is well suited to entrepreneurs, start-ups and growing businesses. This versatile solution supports voice, video and conference calling as well as fax and text messaging.
With access provided through mobile and desktop applications and desk phones, it ensures that remote teams stay connected from wherever they may be.
Read our comparative analysis between Phone.com and OpenPhone
All Phone.com subscribers have the option of getting a new phone number or porting their existing number to the platform. The first 500 calling minutes to certain numbers are free. Additional call minutes are billed as per usage. Higher tier plans include unlimited calls to numbers in the USA and Canada. Additional minute plans may also be purchased.
Some of the other features common to all plans include voicemail, call routing, voicemail, video meetings and customized greetings. Other features such as shared phone lines, live receptionist and inbound faxes can be subscribed to as add-on packages.
Phone.com offers 3 monthly subscription plans priced at $14.99, $21.99 and $31.99 per user. This makes the phone.com plans cheaper than OpenPhone plans with similar features.
The Phone.com plans are inclusive of 500 pooled minutes to specific locations. Higher tier plans also include unlimited calls to the USA and Canada. Other calls are billed as per usage according to a location-specific price.
The Ooma cloud communication platform offers options for personal and business communication. Subscribers can pick between 3 monthly subscription plans that suit their budget. These plans include 50+ features that can be accessed through a local or toll-free number. Subscribers can also port existing numbers to the platform.
Take a closer look at our comparative analysis between Ooma and OpenPhone.
Ooma accounts can be accessed through mobile and desktop applications. Subscribers to all plans can make unlimited calls to the USA, Canada, Mexico and Puerto Rico. Some of the key features available across plans include call logs, voicemail, extension dialing, virtual receptionist and video conferencing.
Subscribing to higher tier plans provides access to exclusive features like hot desking, call recording and CRM integration. Upgrading also increases limits for features like the number of participants allowed in video conferences.
Ooma offers 3 subscription plans with monthly fees starting from $19.95. Higher tier plans are priced at $24.95 and $29.95 per month. These are fees for a single user. Subscription fees for teams with more users vary according to the number of users. Businesses can also mix and match plans for their teams.
While the base level plans offered by OpenPhone are cheaper, Ooma highest tier plans are cheaper.
OpenPhone targets very small businesses and individual entrepreneurs. It defines itself as a viable alternative to Google Voice, which is more geared towards personal use rather than professional. OpenPhone lacks many essential features to effectively manage customer support, even for very small companies calls such as, live call listening, or direct integration with popular CRMs and ecommerce software. There are many alternatives on the market that offer these features for businesses.
Pros: OpenPhone is easy-to-use once installed.
Cons: OpenPhone is not efficient in managing customer calls and lacks most essential features, they aren't really cost-effective.
At $10 per month per user, OpenPhone is a very attractive option and could be sufficient for some individual entrepreneurs. However, companies should consider an alternative. OpenPhone offers a $25 per month per user plan, which adds some additional features, but they are quite limited in managing customer calls efficiently. Most companies with 2 to 3 employees should choose a package with more features to better manage their customers' calls.
Pros: OpenPhone does provide call distribution for companies
Cons: Business features are only included in the upper plan that can end up being quite expensive with several users. There are other solutions on the market that would offer more comprehensive plans at a similar price.
When it comes to business, communications can get easily complicated. However, your business communication system doesn't have to be a complex one. This is why you need to go for an easy to setup calling app.
If you are looking for an easy to setup cloud phone, OpenPhone might not be the phone system for you. For example, configuring the app's auto-attended menu, with its submenus, makes set up unnecessarily complicated.
In addition, their call forwarding options are limited compared to the competitors. The platform only supports call forwarding to the US, Canadian numbers. If you have customers from the European region, you may end up missing callbacks from potential customers.
Openphone is designed for teams that require one phone number per user. The system has been designed for internal teams to collaborate and work together in a better way.
Most small and medium companies who are looking for a phone system to manage their customer calls just need one company phone number that routes or forwards calls to the relevant team member. This is where Quicktalk comes to play.
Quicktalk is a phone system designed to manage customer calls. With Quicktalk, you can use the company's phone for outbound calls. That way, when a customer misses your call, the company's number will be displayed for them. When they return the call, they will be calling your landline, not the specific employee or department that tried reaching the customer. This way you can make sure that, even if the employee is not available to attend the line, you won't miss a call.
Openphone systems, like Aircall and other most business communication system providers are plugged to a third-party operator (like Twilio for instance) that handles calls and all the telecommunication services. In short, Openphone is just a software provider that relies on third-party telecom lines and services.
As opposed to Openphone, Quicktalk is a telecommunication service provider. Unlike other service providers, Quicktalk manages their own global telecommunication network. Quicktalk's infrastructure is directly plugged into the major telecommunication operators like Verizon or Colt without getting any technical third-party operators involved in the process.
You might ask yourself, what difference does it make? Let's find out:
Faster tech support
This means that when you're having a call or a quality issue and notice Openphone tech support, they will not be able to find the problem and fix the issue themselves. They will have to open a ticket with Twilio customer support and wait for their answer. On the other hand, when you report an issue to the Quicktalk's customer support, our technical team can directly check infrastructures and solve problems faster with full transparency.
Better call quality
Being directly plugged with the telecom providers ensures the best possible call quality. Our telecom engineers are working hand in hand with national and international telecommunication operators to provide crystal-clear call quality every day.
Infrastructure's cost is lower
Not using a third-party service provider for telecommunications generates substantial savings on the communications cost. That way, Quicktalk can offer unlimited calling to more destinations at a much lower price.
Portability is managed better
As a telecom service provider, Quicktalk directly provides and manages phone numbers. We have an internal team entirely dedicated to portability to proactively get the administrative process clean and quick. Companies like Openphone can't manage portability procedures themselves, they use third party API to manage phone numbers. They have to make portability requests to their service providers for you and then wait. That way, portability issues happen more often and delays are effectively longer.
OpenPhone offers 2 VoIP plans: a Standard and a Premium plan priced at $10 and $25 per user per month and an Enterprise plan that can be customized to the organization's needs. The Standard and Premium plans offer a single local or toll-free number, unlimited calls within the USA and Canada, voicemail transcriptions, call recording, auto-replies and slack integration.
OpenPhone has many other U.S. based competitors that offer cloud communication solutions like business phone systems, call center solutions, video calling, etc. OpenPhone is generally compared to Quicktalk, Skype or magicJack that provide similar features.
Top 5 OpenPhone competitors
1: Quicktalk
2: Grasshopper
3: Google Voice
4: Dialpad
5: RingCentral
6: Zoom Phone
7: Nextiva
8: Vonage
9: 8x8
10: Phone.com
11: Ooma
OpenPhone might not be the best option for a small or medium-sized business. Quicktalk's monthly plan may be a better choice. It is all-inclusive and budget-friendly for businesses of all sizes.
Paul is a tech and business phone system enthusiast always open to discuss ideas. If you’re interested in collaborating on content projects or getting a product listed on our blog, don’t hesitate and reach out to us: [email protected].
