RingCentral vs 8x8: Which one is the best for your business?

October 10, 2023

Prepare for a face-off: RingCentral vs. 8x8. Uncover the ideal communication solution for your business. Let the competition begin!

Introducing RingCentral: Your cloud phone system for seamless communication in all industries. Unify calls, messages, video, faxes on one platform. 4 plans, 4 contact center options, plus exclusive video communication plans.

Moving to the opposite corner, meet 8x8: Your cloud-based partner in business communication. Centralize voice, video, text on one platform. Access unlimited calling, team messaging, call monitoring, analytics. Explore 3 business communication plans and 3 contact center options.

Compare RingCentral and 8x8 plans and features

How many users do you need?

	RingCentral	8x8
Pick up plan
Price for users	/month	/month
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Key features
Support Channel
Pros and Cons
Best For

8x8 may be a more budget-friendly option for small companies

The RingCentral Core plan offers phone and message facilities for up to 20 users. It is priced at $30 per user per month inclusive of unlimited calls within the USA and Canada, limited toll-free minutes, call management and phone system administration and call log reports.

The Advanced plan is an upgrade from the Core plan with no limit on the number of users. Pricing is at $35 per month per user based on the number of users. This includes message, phone and video features like unlimited audio conferencing, unlimited internet faxes, and more.

The Ringcentral Ultra plan offers message, phone, video and an open API with a single sign-on and a range of quality control features such as call recording, advanced call handling, CRM integrations and real-time analytics. Pricing is at $45 per user per month.

8x8 is similar to RingCentral because it also offers 3 monthly subscription plans but the 8x8 subscription fee remains static irrespective of the number of users.

Paying $15 per user per month for a team of up to 5 users gives businesses a subscription to the 8x8 Express plan. This allows them to make unlimited calls to numbers anywhere in the USA or Canada and access basic features such as voicemail and audio/video conferencing.

If you're not satisfied with the Express plan, you can upgrade to the X2 with a $28 monthly user license fee. This allows you to speak to people in 14 countries with no worries of being billed and gives you access to advanced features like app integrations and voicemail transcription.

Subscribing to the X4 plan at $57 per user per month gives businesses access to a wide range of advanced features. This includes CRM integration, supervisor analytics and call monitoring. It also includes unlimited calling to numbers in 48 countries.

A step-by-step comparison between RingCentral and 8x8

To help you find what solution fits best your need between Zoom Phone and Ringcentral, we have conducted an unbiased comparison based on 8 criterias:

#1 Manage your office calls : How will you handle calls while at the office? Can you use computer-based calls or do you require an office phone?

#2 Manage your calls on the go: Does it offer a mobile app with VoIP calls? Do you need to set up call forwarding to your mobile device?

#3 Auto-attendant : Can you easily distribute calls to your team?

#4 Greetings Management : Can you set up company greetings on your own? How easy is it to create and manage announcements?

#5 Call Tracking : How easy is it to monitor your business calls?

#6 Call recording : Can you record and listen to calls?

#7 Call billing : How much does it cost to make and receive calls? Is everything included?

#8 Activation : How easy is it to activate a phone number and set up your phone system?

COMPARE

Manage Your Office Calls
Manage Your Calls On The Go
Auto-attendant
Greetings Management
Call Tracking
Call recording
Call billing
Activation

#1 Manage Your Office Calls

Multi-device access for all RingCentral and 8x8 plans

Ringcentral services are available through a desktop app for Windows and Mac devices as well as a web browser. It also supports desk phones.

Like RingCentral subscribers, you can use either the 8x8 desktop app, IP deskphone or web browser to make and receive calls.

#2 Manage Your Calls On The Go

Comparable features in apps for both service providers

The Ringcentral app can be downloaded and used on Android and iOS devices.

Like RingCentral, 8x8 unifies all business communication in a single smartphone app.

#3 Auto-attendant

Similar call routing options offered by RingCentral and 8x8

IVR/ auto attendant features are not available in the RingCentral Essential plan.

A multi-level auto attendant facility is available in the Standard and Premium plan to route calls to different teams based on the caller's keypad inputs in response to a recorded menu.

The universal availability of call routing through an auto attendant gives 8x8 an edge over Nextiva. When calls are placed to an 8x8 plan subscriber, the caller is greeted by a menu and directed to a user extension based on their keystroke responses to a menu. With both the X2 and X4 plans, you can customize submenus as well to further improve the caller’s experience.

#4 Greetings Management

Easy steps to record custom greetings on both platforms

Admins can choose a default greeting or create greetings on the RingCentral app or from the web browser.

Step 1: Click on edit from the Review Company Call Flow menu in the company set up section.

Step 2: Click record to create a new greeting. You can record a new message or upload a recording.

Greeting customization options by RingCentral and 8x8 are comparable. Depending on your operational hours, you can customize greetings from the admin console.

Step 1. Sign in as admin and navigate to the Admin console.

Step 2. Select Auto attendants and then Edit.

Step 3. Choose from the options Weekdays/ Holidays/ Alternate and Open Hours Menu/ Closed Hours Menu/ Lunch Hours Menu.

Step 4. Click on the Create Audio Files button. You can upload a recorded message or call a number to record a new message.

#5 Call Tracking

Limited call monitoring options by RingCentral puts 8x8 ahead

While RingCentral Essentials plan users cannot listen to live calls, they can access voicemail transcriptions and read previews in their email inbox. This feature is available in English, French, German and Spanish.

In addition to being able to read voicemail transcriptions, RingCentral Standard plan users can also get reports on call analytics. You can get a holistic view on the number of calls made and received each day, as well as reports on the number and duration of calls handled by individual users.

RingCentral Standard and Premium plan users with admin access can monitor agent activity through desk phones that support presence. Along with being able to listen to live conversations, you can speak to an extension while they are on call without the other party hearing, join conversations to convert calls to conference calls or disconnect extensions and take over the call. You must note that the mobile applications do not support the call monitoring feature.

Like RingCentral plans, call monitoring is plan specific for 8x8.

8x8 Eplans include reports on which devices are free or busy and when and how agents log in to their accounts. As X2 plan subscribers, business team supervisors can assess agent productivity through voicemail transcripts and status reports. These voicemail transcripts can be accessed through email inboxes and help supervisors prioritize cases. The status reports tell supervisors which agents are free to answer a call, which agents are busy and who is unavailable. They can also use advanced moderator calls during audio and video conference calls.

Along with access to all the device reports and moderator controls offered by the Express and X2 plans, X4 plan team supervisors can also view advanced call analytics. This is the only 8x8 business communication plan inclusive of live call monitoring. It allows supervisors to listen to calls, whisper to agents, join calls or take them over.

#6 Call Recording

Call recording unavailable for starter plans by both service providers

Ringcentral does not offer a call recording facility for its Essential plan.

The Ringcentral Standard plan offers call recording on demand.

Call recording is automated for the Ringcentral Premium plan.

Both RingCentral and 8x8 take a similar approach to call recording. The X2 or X4 plan can give you access to this feature.

#7 Call Billing

Comparative international call rates by both business communication service providers

RingCentral charges a per minute rate for all international calls to destinations other than the USA and Canada. This is dependent on the type of number being called and the destination. For example, calls to landline numbers in Bombay, India are billed at $0.059 per minute while calls to mobile numbers in Hong Kong are billed at $0.039 per minute.

While RingCentral limits free calls to numbers within the USA and Canada, 8x8 users can make free calls to other locations as well based on the plan chosen.

The cost of international voice calls varies from country to country. For example, calls to Sweden are charged a $0.03 per minute rate while calls to Nepal are charged a $0.39 per minute rate

#8 Activation

Negligible differences in Ring Central and 8x8 plan setups

A RingCentral account can be set up online with your email address or Google account. From the dashboard, you can easily create extensions, custom call handling rules and more for all users. Services can be accessed through applications to be downloaded on smartphones, laptops and desktops on the company network or the user’s own device. RingCentral also works on desk phones that support VoIP connections. You can use your own deskphone or browse through and order desktop, cordless, receptionist, conference and other deskphone devices available on RingCentral.

As with RingCentral, an 8x8 account can be set up online with your email address. You can then define user roles, operational hours, etc. from the 8x8 dashboard. Next, download smartphone and desktop applications or configure your deskphone to work with 8x8. Free applications are available for all Android, iOS, MAC and Windows devices. If your existing deskphone does not support 8x8, you can check out the supported IP desk phones on the 8x8 website.