Vonage vs Openphone: Which one is the best for your business?

October 10, 2023
phone system for small business

Witness a battle of titans: Vonage vs. OpenPhone. Determine the ultimate phone system for your business. Let the duel unfold!

Welcome Vonage, the communication evolution. Utilizing a cloud-based platform, it blends voice, video, and text in 40+ features, enriching global connections and remote teamwork. Uncover contact center solutions and customizable APIs through three user-focused plans.

Now, let's direct our attention to the contender in the other corner and welcome OpenPhone! Dive into the future of communication with an all-in-one phone system that seamlessly combines calls, texts, and contact management in one app, available across all devices. Embrace features like call recording, voicemail transcription, and streamlined CRM integration.

Compare Vonage and Openphone plans and features

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Cheaper options from OpenPhone

Paying a monthly subscription fee of $19.99 per line gives businesses access to the Vonage Mobile plan. This includes standard features and unlimited calling to numbers in the USA.

To include communication through IP desk phones, Vonage subscribers must upgrade to the Premium plan. The subscription costs $29.99 per line per month. In addition to the Mobile plan features, it includes CRM integration, multi-level auto attendant and other features.

With a user license fee set at $39.99, the Advanced plan by Vonage includes all the features of the Mobile and Premium plan as well as group calls, on-demand call recording and more.
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OpenPhone plans have lower subscription rates as compared to Vonage.

Subscribing to the OpenPhone Standard plan for $17 per user per month gives businesses access to unlimited calling across the USA and Canada and a host of other basic communication features such as shared contacts, call recording, etc.

Premium plan subscriptions are priced at $25 per user per month. This is easier to integrate with other apps and includes all the features of the Standard plan as well as group calling, call analytics, IVR-based call routing and other communication and collaboration features.
phone system for small business

A step-by-step comparison between Vonage and Openphone

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

OpenPhone misses deskphone support; Advantage Vonage

Subscribers can make and receive calls through desktop apps for MAC and Windows devices. The Premium and Advanced plan also includes IP deskphone support.

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The connection interfaces for OpenPhone are similar to those offered by Vonage.

Calls can be made and received through a web browser or desktop application for Windows/MAC devices.

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#2 Manage Your Calls On The Go

Similar support available for mobile apps from Vonage and OpenPhone

Out-of-office calls can be made and received through Vonage smartphone apps.

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Irrespective of the plan chosen, Vonage and OpenPhone agents can stay connected through a smartphone app.

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#3 Auto-attendant

IVR availability puts OpenPhone ahead

While the Vonage Mobile plan offers limited call routing solutions, the Premium and Advanced plans are inclusive of a multi-level auto attendant.

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The exclusion of call routing options in the Vonage starter plan gives OpenPhone an advantage.

OpenPhone includes basic IVR in the Standard plan and advanced IVR in the Premium plan. Basic IVR routes calls to internal/external numbers and repeats the menu if the caller does not take action. Advanced IVR lets calls be routed to internal/external numbers as well as voicemail accounts and lets subscribers choose from 7 possible actions to be taken if the caller does not select a menu option.

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#4 Greetings Management

Comparable support for greeting customization from Vonage and OpenPhone

Extension greetings as well as those for the virtual receptionist, call queues and call groups can be customized from the dashboard.

Step 1: Sign in as admin.

Step 2: Choose phone system > feature.

Step 3: Upload a new recorded greeting or record a new message online.

phone system for small business

Vonage subscribers have more options for greeting customizations as compared to OpenPhone.

Both plans include the ability to customize voicemail greetings from the OpenPhone mobile/desktop app.

Step 1: Sign in to an admin account.

Step 2: Go to My Phone Numbers and select a phone number.

Step 3: Open the voicemail section and click Change.

Step 4: Enter the greeting as text and choose the text to speech option or upload a recorded message.

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#5 Call Tracking

Voicemail transcriptions make quality control simpler for Vonage users

Supervisors can get a quick idea of what they're agents are up to from the Vonage dashboard. In terms of status, they can see which agents are on a call, which extensions are idle and which are unavailable. They also get access to call logs with reports on caller ID, call times and more. Calls can be quickly turned into 3-way conference calls between the agent, customer and supervisor. Along with voicemails, transcribed messages can also be accessed through email to prioritize responses and keep messages from getting missed.

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Both Vonage and OpenPhone do not include live call monitoring in their plans.

In order to shorten response times, OpenPhone subscribers can create templates for follow-up messages. These messages can be used to respond to calls, voicemail, text messages, etc. They can even be customized and scheduled to be sent later. With the Premium plan, users can also redirect calls to other numbers.

Administrators get full control over all phone numbers and accounts in all plans. The Premium plan includes the additional access to reports on account usage. Features to allow administrators to listen to live calls and coach agents while on a call are to be introduced soon.

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#6 Call Recording

Call recording feature more accessible to OpenPhone users

Call recording is available as an add-on pack for the Mobile and Premium plans.

The Advanced plan includes on-demand call recording for up to 15 hours.

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Unlike Vonage, OpenPhone users do not need upgrades or add-on plans for call recording.

OpenPhone includes a call recording facility in all plans. This can be automated or controlled manually.

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#7 Call Billing

Need to buy add on packs for international calling makes Vonage pricing harder to assess

Unlimited calls to numbers in the USA and Canada are included in the Vonage plans. Subscribers wanting to make international calls can purchase add-on international calling packs.

Unlike Vonage, OpenPhone follows a pay-as-you-go model for international call billing.

Calls to numbers outside the USA and Canada are billed at per minute rates based on location. For example, calls to the Bahamas are billed at $0.38 per minute while calls to Cambodia are billed at $0.2 per minute.

#8 Activation

Easy account creation for both virtual phone systems

Companies can set up Vonage accounts online. They can choose to have the account activated automatically or delayed for up to 45 days. Once an account is created, you can define user roles, configure extensions, manage permissions, etc. A free smartphone app for Android and iOS devices and desktop app for MAC and Windows devices can be downloaded and used to handle calls and access other Vonage services. Premium and Advanced plan subscribers can also access their accounts through IP desk phones. If you need to buy a deskphone, a range of options are available on the Vonage website.

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Vonage and OpenPhone accounts can be easily created online.

An OpenPhone account can be created online with a current email address. The admin dashboard can then be used to set user roles. Once activated, OpenPhone services can be accessed through smartphone apps for Android/iOS devices, desktop apps for MAC/Windows devices and a web browser. desk phones cannot be used with OpenPhone subscriptions.

phone system for small business