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

October 10, 2023
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Witness a battle of giants: Zoom Phone vs. Vonage. Determine the best communication solution for your business. Let the showdown begin!

Zoom, hailed globally for its video conferencing tool, also features Zoom Phone: a cloud-powered communication platform spanning 47 countries with 3 plans. Crafted for global enterprises and remote teams, Zoom Phone amplifies smooth voice/video calls, conferences, messaging, and beyond.

However, on the flip side, meet Vonage, the communication reimagined. Utilizing a cloud-based platform, it merges voice, video, and text in 40+ features, heightening global connections and optimizing remote teamwork. Discover contact center solutions and customizable APIs across three user-centric plans.

Compare Zoom Phone and Vonage plans and features

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Zoom Phone Vonage
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Best For

An annual commitment with Zoom or pay more for monthly plans from Vonage

The Zoom Phone Metered Pack offers unlimited internal calls within the USA and Canada for $10 per user per month. Outbound calls are metered. In addition, it includes features such as voicemail transcriptions, call recording and integration with specific apps.

Businesses can work on improving their external communication with the Zoom Phone Unlimited Pack. Priced at $15 per user per month it included internal and external calls to numbers in the USA and Canada. Add-on packs for calls to 19 other countries will let you make unlimited calls to these numbers too.
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While ZoomPhone plans seem cheaper, they require an annual commitment unlike Vonage.

Businesses on a budget can subscribe to the Vonage Mobile plan for $19.99 per line per month. This includes all the standard features and unlimited calls to numbers in the USA.

The Premium plan has a $29.99 monthly per line subscription rate. This plan includes all the features of the Mobile plan such as unlimited domestic calling and other features such as CRM integration and unlimited meetings with up to 100 participants.

For a monthly subscription of $39.99 per line, Vonage users can upgrade to the Advanced plan. This gives them access to all standard features as well features like on-demand call recording, group calls and more.
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A step-by-step comparison between Zoom Phone and Vonage

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

Comparable desktop and desk phone support by both telecom service providers

Zoom Phone services for all plans are available on MAC/ Windows desktop apps and certain IP desk phones.

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Office connectivity is comparable for ZoomPhone and Vonage subscribers.

A desktop application to make and receive calls is available to all Vonage subscribers. In addition, Premium and Advanced plan subscribers can handle calls through IP desk phones.

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#2 Manage Your Calls On The Go

Mobile applications by Zoom Phone and Vonage to keep you connected on the go

All Zoom Phone plans include access to Android and iOS apps to make and receive calls.

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Similar to ZoomPhone, Vonage offers assured on-the-go connectivity through smartphone apps for Android and iOS devices.

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#3 Auto-attendant

Easier call routing by Zoom Phone

Zoom Phone subscribers can use auto attendants or IVR menus to route incoming calls.

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Unlike ZoomPhone, not all Vonage plans include call routing. Call routing through a multi-level auto attendant is limited to the Vonage Premium and advanced plans. A virtual receptionist is available for Mobile plan subscribers.

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#4 Greetings Management

Not much difference between custom greeting capabilities of both service providers

Zoom Phone has several greeting and hold music options available in their audio library. Else, you can upload your own recordings.

1. Click on Settings and navigate to Call Handling

2. Select an existing message from the audio library or upload a new recorded message

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Like ZoomPhone, Vonage offers solutions for call routing.

Incoming call greetings offered by your virtual receptionist for extensions, call groups and call queues can be customized from the dashboard.

Step 1: Sign in as admin.

Step 2: Click on "phone system" and then the feature.

Step 3: Upload an mp3 or .wav form recorded message or record a new message online.

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#5 Call Tracking

Live call monitoring options by Zoom Phone and Vonage

Zoom Phone account admins can monitor live calls made over user accounts, shared line groups and common phones. All plans include call monitoring services such as listening to calls, call whispering, call barging and call takeovers.

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ZoomPhone's live call monitoring features make it easier for supervisors to assess team productivity as compared to Vonage.

Vonage user statuses are available from the admin dashboard. Those with admin access can see which agents are currently on a call, who is free to take a call and who is unavailable. They can also study reports with details such as call times, caller ID and which extensions are ringing. The availability of call conferencing also allows team supervisors to join a live call and have it transition to a 3-way conference call. Further, voicemail transcriptions are available as email messages to help agents prioritize responses.

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#6 Call Recording

Call recording for all Zoom Phone users but only upgraded Vonage plan users

Businesses that subscribe to Zoom Phone communication plans can monitor all calls made and received through the smartphone or desktop devices. This feature is disabled by default and can be manually enabled for any call made through shared line groups, call queues, common area phones, etc. Company supervisors can listen to calls without either participant knowing, speak to agents without the other participant’s knowledge, join a conversation to make it a conference call or take over calls. Calls can be monitored only by one supervisor at a time. Those calls that cannot be monitored live can be recorded for later analysis.

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While ZoomPhone plans include call monitoring, add-on call recording packs are available to Vonage Mobile and Premium plan subscribers. This feature is included in the advanced plan but limited to 15 hours of recording.

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#7 Call Billing

Fairly similar call rates by Zoom Phone and Vonage

Zoom Phone metered plan subscribers can make unlimited internal calls and are billed outbound calls as per usage. Calls can be made to landline and mobile phones in 150+ countries. Call rates are based on location and the type of number being called. A 10-minute call to a landline number in Denmark costs $3.27 while calls to mobile numbers in Denmark are billed $14.04.

Calls to all numbers in the USA and Canada are included in the Unlimited pack. This can be extended to include 19 other countries by purchasing an add-on pack. Calls to the remaining countries are billed as per usage.

Calling is more budget-friendly with Vonage as compared to Zoom Phone.

Any number within the USA or Canada can be called without additional fees. To make international calls, subscribers must purchase international calling packs.

#8 Activation

Online activation for Zoom Phone and Vonage plans

Irrespective of the plan chosen, you can set up a Zoom Phone account online with your existing number or a new number. You can then start making and receiving calls through the Zoom Phone application for desktops and smartphones or supported desk phones. These are available on the Zoom Phone website or market retailers.

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Like ZoomPhone, businesses can sign up for Vonage services from the website. The account can be activated automatically or at any time within 45 days of creating the account. The next step is to define user roles, configure extensions, manage permissions, etc. Company users can then download and use smartphone or desktop apps to make and receive calls and access other Vonage services. In the case of Premium and Advanced plan subscribers, the choice extends to certain IP desk phones. A range of supported desk phones are available on the Vonage website.

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