Zoom Phone vs Grasshopper: Which one is the best for your business?

October 10, 2023
phone system for small business

Experience the ultimate match: Zoom Phone vs. Grasshopper. Uncover the perfect phone system for your business. Let the battle commence!

Known worldwide for video conferencing, Zoom introduces Zoom Phone: a cloud-based communication system accessible in 47 countries via 3 plans. Tailored for global enterprises and remote teams, Zoom Phone enables smooth voice/video calls, conferences, messaging, and more.

Presenting Grasshopper: Your affordable professional phone solution. Designed for entrepreneurs and small businesses, it delivers unlimited USA and Canada calls/texts, call queue management, extensions, and more. Plans based on phone and extension numbers.

Compare Zoom Phone and Grasshopper plans and features

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Best For

Cheaper offers at Zoom Phone but are you prepared for the annual commitment

The Metered pack by Zoom Phone costs $10 per user per month. This includes unlimited international calling within the USA and Canada and metered outgoing calls. Some of the services included in the pack are IVR call routing, voicemail transcriptions, app integrations and call recording.

Upgrading to the Zoom Phone Unlimited Pack costs businesses $15 per user per month. With this pack, subscribers can make unlimited internal as well as external calls in the USA and Canada. Calls to 19 other countries can be included in the pack with an add-on pack.
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Entrepreneurs can take advantage of the Grasshopper True Solo and Solo Plus plans. For just $16 per month, the True Solo subscription provides entrepreneurs with access to a suite of services via 1 extension (or 3 with Solo Plus).

For businesses in need of additional extensions, there's the Partner plan, which includes 3 phone numbers and 6 extensions.

Opting for the Small Business plan grants subscribers 5 phone numbers and unlimited extensions.
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A step-by-step comparison between Zoom Phone and Grasshopper

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

Desktop application support by both service providers with additional deskphone support for Zoom Phone users

Along with a desktop app, Zoom Phone services can be accessed through configured desk phones.

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As with ZoomPhone, calls can be made and received through a Grasshopper desktop app.

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#2 Manage Your Calls On The Go

Easy-to-use mobile applications for Zoom Phone and Grasshopper

Inbound and outbound calls can be managed through a Zoom Phone app for Android and iOS devices.

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Like ZoomPhone, Grasshopper allows all plan subscribers to make and receive calls through a mobile app.

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#3 Auto-attendant

Inbuilt auto attendants from Zoom Phone vs Ruby virtual receptionist by Grasshopper

Zoom Phone subscribers have the choice to route incoming calls through IVR menus or auto attendants.

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Varied call routing options are available to ZoomPhone and Grasshopper subscribers.

A Ruby receptionist service add-on pack is available for all Grasshopper service users.

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#4 Greetings Management

Customized message recording with the additional benefit of professional voice artists by Grasshopper

Businesses can upload custom greetings and hold messages for incoming calls. Alternatively, they can pick from the options available on the Zoom Phone library.

1. Go to Settings and click on Call Handling

2. Upload a new message from the Add Audio option or choose from existing audio files in the library

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Like ZoomPhone. Grasshopper gives subscribers the option of customizing greetings.

To customize greetings, you can upload a recorded message, record through the phone or computer or have your script professionally recorded for an additional fee.

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#5 Call Tracking

Grasshopper users get advanced call metrics while Zoom Phone permits live call monitoring

With Zoom Phone, all inbound and outbound calls can be monitored live for quality control and compliance. Call monitoring services include listening to live calls, whispering to company agents, joining conversations and taking over calls if required.

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Like ZoomPhone, Grasshopper does not include live call monitoring features in its plans. However, it does have a few other helpful features. Voicemail messages are transcribed and can be read from email inboxes. This allows agents to prioritize responses and resolve queries faster. If an agent is unable to solve a query while on call, he/she can forward the call to a supervisor or another agent. Grasshopper also includes reports on KPIs such as average call length and call type.

phone system for small business

#6 Call Recording

The absence of call recording holds Grasshopper back

All incoming and outgoing calls made by Zoom Phone interfaces can be monitored by supervisors for call quality. For compliance requirements, this feature is disabled by default and must be manually switched on. Call monitoring options include listening to live calls without either call participant’s knowledge, coaching agents through a call without the other person’s knowledge, joining a call and taking it over. A call can be monitored only by 1 supervisor at a time. Calls can also be recorded.

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In contrast to ZoomPhone, Grasshopper plans do not include the ability to record incoming or outgoing calls.

phone system for small business

#7 Call Billing

Unlimited calling for domestic American audiences with per minute international call rates

Outbound calls made by Zoom Phone metered plan subscribers are billed at a per minute rate. Rates are specified for 150+ countries according to the location of the number being called. For example, calls to landline numbers in Bhutan are billed at a $0.1257 per minute rate while calls to mobile numbers in the same location are billed at $0.1025 per minute.

The Unlimited plan extends the unlimited calling option to outbound calls to numbers in the USA and Canada. Calls to 19 other countries may also be included with an optional add-on pack. Other calls are billed according to a location-specific per minute rate.

Unlike ZoomPhone, Grasshopper includes calls to certain locations in all plans.

While calls within the USA and Canada are mostly included in Grasshopper plans, international calls are billed additionally. For example, calls to Madrid are billed at a 4¢ per minute rate while calls to Paris are billed at a 5¢ per minute rate.

#8 Activation

Easy account creation processes by Zoom Phone and Grasshopper

You can set up a Zoom Phone account on the website with a short, easy sign-up process. You can port your existing number or get a new number for your Zoom Phone account. The account can then be accessed through a desktop or mobile application or IP desk phones. These desk phones can be purchased online on the Zoom Phone website.

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ZoomPhone and Grasshopper follow similar account creation strategies.

Subscribers can set up Grasshopper accounts by porting their existing numbers to the platform or getting a new phone number. You can get a local or toll-free number. Once the account has been set up, you can access Grasshopper services from a free smartphone/desktop app. You can also use a landline phone once the calling card has been registered and activated for use.

phone system for small business