RingCentral vs Zoom Phone: which should you choose?
Quick answer: RingCentral is built for enterprise, while Zoom Phone suits zoom-users. For most users RingCentral is the stronger default, but Zoom Phone can be the better fit depending on your budget and use case. Zoom Phone has the lower entry price.
Both RingCentral and Zoom Phone get recommended a lot, but they solve the job differently. Below we compare them on pricing, strengths and the use cases each one fits, then give a clear verdict.
Side-by-side
| RingCentral | Zoom Phone | |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Ucaas | Ucaas |
| What it's known for | Flagship cloud UCaaS combining business phone, SMS, video and team messaging with the broadest integration ecosystem and enterprise reliability. | Cloud phone tightly integrated into the Zoom Workplace suite, letting teams move between calls, meetings and chat in one app. |
| Pricing | ~$20/user/mo Core, ~$25/user/mo Advanced, ~$35/user/mo Ultra (annual) | ~$10/user/mo US/Canada Metered, ~$15/user/mo US/Canada Unlimited, ~$20/user/mo Global Select |
| Best audience | Mid-market and enterprise teams that need deep CRM/app integrations and proven reliability. | Organizations already standardized on Zoom for meetings and chat. |
| Best for | enterprise, integrations | zoom-users, video-first-teams |
| Entry price | ~$20/user/mo (annual) | ~$10/user/mo |
| Biggest strength | Broadest integration ecosystem in the category (330+ apps). | Seamless for teams already standardized on Zoom. |
| Main caveat | Most CRM/third-party integrations locked to Advanced and Ultra tiers. | Metered plan has no unlimited domestic calling (~$0.0242/min outbound). |
Features compared
Where they really diverge is in the day-to-day feature set:
RingCentral key features
- Cloud business phone with unlimited US/Canada calling, voicemail-to-text, call queues and auto-attendant
- Team messaging, SMS and HD video meetings (up to 100 on Core, 200 on Ultra)
- Automatic call recording and advanced call monitoring (whisper/barge) on Advanced+
- AI features (RingSense) for call summaries and analytics
Zoom Phone key features
- Cloud phone tightly integrated into Zoom Workplace (calls, meetings, chat in one app)
- Metered, Regional Unlimited and Global Select standalone plans
- Voicemail transcription, call recording, auto-attendant and IVR
- AI Companion call summaries and voicemail task extraction
Pricing tiers side by side
RingCentral plans
| Plan | Price | What's included |
|---|---|---|
| Core | ~$20/user/mo (annual) | Unlimited US/Canada calls, 25 SMS/user/mo, 100-participant video |
| Advanced | ~$25/user/mo (annual) | Auto call recording, CRM integrations, 100 SMS, 1,000 toll-free min |
| Ultra | ~$35/user/mo (annual) | 10,000 toll-free min, unlimited storage, 200-participant video |
Zoom Phone plans
| Plan | Price | What's included |
|---|---|---|
| Metered | ~$10/user/mo | Pay-per-minute outbound, no unlimited domestic calling |
| US/Canada Unlimited | ~$15/user/mo | Unlimited domestic calling, unlimited SMS/MMS |
| Global Select | ~$20/user/mo | Unlimited domestic calling in one of 48 countries |
Tiers compiled from the vendors' published plans and independent reviews; prices are approximate and change often, so confirm current figures (and your region's taxes) on each vendor's site.
Strengths compared
Where RingCentral wins
The most integration-rich, enterprise-reliable UCaaS platform in the market.
- Broadest integration ecosystem in the category (330+ apps).
- Enterprise-grade reliability and feature depth.
That makes it the stronger pick for mid-market and enterprise teams that need deep CRM/app integrations and proven reliability.
Where Zoom Phone wins
A phone system that lives natively inside the Zoom Workplace app teams already use.
- Seamless for teams already standardized on Zoom.
- Low metered entry price (~$10/user) for light call volume.
That makes it the stronger pick for organizations already standardized on Zoom for meetings and chat.
Verdict: choose by fit
There is no single winner; it depends on where you sit.
- Choose RingCentral if you fit its core audience — mid-market and enterprise teams that need deep CRM/app integrations and proven reliability.
- Choose Zoom Phone if you fit its core audience — organizations already standardized on Zoom for meetings and chat.
FAQ
Is RingCentral better than Zoom Phone?
RingCentral is the stronger default for most users, but Zoom Phone can be the better fit depending on your budget and use case.
What is the main difference between RingCentral and Zoom Phone?
RingCentral is the most integration-rich, enterprise-reliable UCaaS platform in the market. Zoom Phone is a phone system that lives natively inside the Zoom Workplace app teams already use.
Which is cheaper, RingCentral or Zoom Phone?
Entry pricing differs: RingCentral starts at ~$20/user/mo (annual), while Zoom Phone starts at ~$10/user/mo. Compare the tiers above against your usage.
Sources
Facts above are drawn from these independent reviews and the vendors' own pages for RingCentral and Zoom Phone: