Google Voice is a VoIP service by Google, available in the UK only through its paid Google Workspace plan, which is designed for businesses. Since the free version is limited to the U.S., many users in the UK look for alternatives that offer more affordable and flexible options. In this article, we'll explore the best alternatives to Google Voice in the UK and why they may be a better fit for your needs.
Google Voice is available in the UK, but only the paid business version for Google Workspace customers. The free, consumer version is not supported in the UK. This business-class version offers enterprise-level features for companies using Google Workspace, formerly known as G Suite.
If you're trying to use the app for personal calls, you will see a message indicating that it's not available in your country. However, businesses in the UK can access the paid service.
Google Voice is a telephone service that provides their services to Google Account customers in the U.S. and Canada. This service was released in 2009 by Google.
The user is provided an American phone number, based on the availability in the selected area codes, or the user has the possibility of changing their current number. This call management software comes with a mobile application and a desktop/tablet interface enabling users to log calls, block callers, create logs, and perform regular telephone functions.
Other features like voicemail, texting, transcribed and audio voicemails can be activated by the user. PC-to-phone calling is available within Canada and the United States.
No, Google Voice is not free in the UK. The paid business version is available for Google Workspace customers, offering enterprise-level features. However, the free consumer version of Google Voice is only available in the United States and is not supported in the UK. So, if you're looking to use Google Voice in the UK, it will require a subscription through Google Workspace.
Source: Google Voice pricing on cloud.google.com on the 10/17/2024
Google Voice's monthly plans for businesses range from $10 to $30 per user.
The base model is only applicable to emerging startups as it has a limit of 10 users.
The standard plan is priced at $20 per user per month and has no limits on the number of users but does not offer international calling.
If you have more than 10 users and need to make international calls, the premier plan at $30 is the only option. aaaWhile all plans offer free calling to the USA from any country, Google Voice is not available in all countries.
Google Voice is a great software for quickly gaining a new phone number and making VoIP calls. But the offer remains very limited and there is a possibility that individual entrepreneurs will need to replace their mobile number with a new number.
Google Voice is oriented towards business, but the features are weak compared to other solutions on the market. For example, you won't be able to set up phone support or voice menus to manage customer calls, even with the $30 per month/per user package.
Pros: Google Voice is good for making VoIP calls
Cons: The features offered by Google Voice are weak compared to other solutions
When you want to place calls overseas, you'll need to add credits to your account to pay for service. In most cases, however, the fees are minimal and just a couple of cents per minute.
Here's a handy tool from Google on call rates. You can input the country you're planning to contact and see associated costs.
International calling might not matter at this point for your business, but things can move quickly if you have an international phone number. Whether you start using foreign providers to manage your business or expand internationally, having a business phone that covers international calls will undoubtedly make a difference at some point.
With Quicktalk, enjoy unlimited outbound and inbound calling towards 36 countries.
When it comes to Google, privacy has been a concern for everyone. When using Google Voice, you unknowingly endup sharing your call logs, information about your callers, the text exchanges between you and your clients or any such details with them.
Unfortunately for us, these details will be forever stored on Google's servers. Can Google publish or sell your data? The answer is a big no. Typically, the stored information will be used to offer you personalized ads making you purchase unwanted products. Learn more about Google Privacy policy.
However, in a world of increased scrutiny and where the debate of block-chain based and privacy-oriented Web 3 is gaining momentum, it is not desirable to have your personal and business critical information stored on third party servers owned by the GAFA.
If privacy matters to you, you need to consider a different service provider that you are sure that they won't save and use your data to further their business.
When choosing a business communication service provider, it is important to go for a provider that gives the utmost importance to addressing customer complaints. However, Google Voice doesn't even have a dedicated phone number where you can reach their customer care for immediate resolution of your concerns.
So, how do you contact Google Voice's customer care? You can reach them through their Workspace community, social media or the support at Google Admin console. Here is a guide to reaching Google Voice's support https://support.google.com/a/contact/gsuite voice_complaints.
And once you raise a complaint they take around 10 working days to resolve it. Unfortunately, a business can't wait for 10 days to resolve an issue, especially when it is related to call quality that can affect your daily business.
So, you need to ask yourself, should reaching a support center be this complicated?
Integrating your phone number system into your office CRM or e-commerce software can be highly beneficial for your business. It not only saves time and costs but also improves your business's overall efficiency and customer experience.
Google does not integrate with anything other than Google Workspace. However, being able to integrate your phone system with other tools unleashes a lot of potential in your customer service. Here are some examples:
Since Google Voice does not have these integrations, and alternative like Quicktalk would be a better option.
Many users complained about outbound portability issues. When customers usually port their numbers to Google Voice, it works most of the time, even if it costs them a $20 fee. But if you need to switch from Google Voice to another provider, porting your Google Voice number can be complicated. You can't reach out to someone at Google and get it fixed quickly. Everything is happening online, and you may face certain issues.
To manage customer calls, established businesses must have their team trained on how to answer the phone. You can't really do that efficiently without call recording and live call listening.
Then, in order to monitor your call activity with efficiency, you need the minimum call statistics options. How many calls did your business miss last month? How is that improving? How much business are you losing every month because of missed calls? How can you manage to take more calls with smarter call routing? etc.
Whenever you choose a new software solution for your business, you must always go for something that is simple, yet highly advantageous. When it comes to virtual phone systems, you need to choose a provider that can offer state-of-the-art solutions to help you set up a cloud phone system in a matter of 3 minutes or less.
If Google Voice takes longer to connect, worry not; there are many other alternate providers such as Quicktalk who offer fantastic solutions.
Are you looking for a better option than Google Voice? Compare the other solutions on the market to select the best tool for your small or medium-sized business. Below, you will find a review of the competitors in terms of price, features, and ease of use:
If you are a small business looking for a virtual phone number system that is easy to set up, at affordable rates, consider Quicktalk. With over 15 years' experience in the telecom industry, Quicktalk has the expertise to help small and medium businesses manage their customer calls effectively, making it an excellent alternative to Google Voice.
As of now, they have just one unique pricing plan which comes with fantastic features, including call recording, live monitoring, and call statistics.
Discover how it works here.
Enjoy mobile and desktop unlimited calling from anywhere: Quicktalk allows you to take calls from your desktop and also redirect calls to your own mobile phone which makes it super easy to manage your customer calls from anywhere.Pricing: enjoy unlimited calling for only 19€ per month per company (up to 3 users included).
Connect your number to your workspace: Run your business efficiently by connecting your number to your CRM, e-commerce software, and other workspaces like Slack.
Keep your existing phone number: Got customers who identify your business with your number? You can keep your same number when you use Quicktalk!
Spoke Phone does away with the traditional PBX and cloud phone systems and uses a modern solution, a software application for Twilio.
BOnline’s VoIP system is designed with over 45 features aimed at small businesses. These include call queues, hold music, and local search-friendly numbers to help businesses appear more professional. The platform is user-friendly with a quick 2-minute setup, mobile and desktop apps, and options for scaling as your business grows. However, some limitations include a lack of unlimited outbound calling on lower plans and issues with caller ID when using call diversion.
BOnline offers affordable VoIP plans tailored for small businesses, starting at £7.00/user/month + VAT for the Starter Plan, which includes a digital phone line, unlimited inbound calls, and 100 outbound minutes to UK landlines. The Unlimited Calling Plan costs £13.95/user/month + VAT, providing unlimited UK landline and mobile calls, while the Unlimited Calling Plus Plan at £15.50/user/month + VAT adds an IP desk phone to the features.
Skype is one of the leading VoIP communication service providers and comes with many useful features.
CircleLoop provides a range of features tailored for small and growing businesses. With its cloud-based VoIP service, you get essential tools like call recording, conference calling, and call menus. The platform is accessible via desktop and mobile apps, allowing users to make calls on any device.
While CircleLoop is appreciated for its ease of use, some users have reported issues with the app’s stability, call quality, and occasional software bugs. Despite this, CircleLoop’s intuitive interface and flexible options make it a solid choice for teams looking for affordable VoIP solutions.
CircleLoop offers two pricing plans to suit different business needs. The Unlimited Plan costs £15 + VAT per user per month, which includes unlimited inbound and outbound UK calls, one UK number, and access to all features such as call recording and voicemail-to-text. For those with lighter usage, the Pay As You Go Plan is priced at £5 + VAT per user per month, though outbound calls are charged at 3p per minute. Both plans offer a 7-day free trial with no setup fees.
Google's Voice has a starter pack with basic calling features priced at $10 per user per month. This is for up to 10 users. The standard pack is priced at $20 per user per month for unlimited users. If you need to upgrade to permit international calling, you will need the Premier pack priced at $30 per user per month.
Google Voice has many other UK based competitors that offer cloud communication solutions like business phone systems, call center solutions, video calling, etc. Google Voice is generally compared to Quicktalk, bOnline or CircleLoop that provide similar features.
Top 5 Google Voice competitors in the UK
1: Quicktalk
2: bOnline
3: CircleLoop
If you are an entrepreneur or small business wanting another alternative to Google Voice, Quicktalk could be a great alternative for you. It is easy to set up, affordable, and will help improve your customer experience.
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].
