Choosing the right phone system for your business can be challenging, especially with two major players in the VoIP market like Dialpad and RingCentral. Both offer cloud-based communication solutions packed with essential features for modern businesses, but they differ in pricing, functionality, and service offerings. This comparison of Dialpad vs RingCentral will help you assess which platform aligns better with your business needs by breaking down their features, costs, ease of use, customer support, and more.
Overview of Dialpad vs RingCentral
| Category | Dialpad | RingCentral |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | AI-powered VoIP with a focus on real-time call insights and transcription. Suitable for small-to-medium businesses. | Comprehensive unified communications for all business sizes, offering extensive integration options and scalability. |
| Voice Calling | HD voice calling with call management tools, available on desktop, mobile, and desk phones. | HD voice calling with advanced call management features, available on all devices. |
| Video Conferencing | Limited to 10 participants in the Standard plan; basic screen sharing and whiteboard functions. | Video meetings for up to 200 participants with features like breakout rooms, whiteboarding, and screen sharing. |
| Messaging | Instant messaging and team chats included across all plans. | Team messaging integrated with phone and video solutions; advanced options available in higher plans. |
| AI Features | Voice Intelligence (Vi™) for real-time transcription, sentiment analysis, and automated summaries. | No built-in AI transcription, but detailed analytics and reporting are available. |
| Integrations | Integrates with Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, Slack, Salesforce, HubSpot, and more. | Over 200 integrations, including Microsoft Teams, Google Workspace, Salesforce, and custom API options. |
| Mobile App | Mobile app with voice, messaging, and video; Voice Intelligence™ available on mobile. | Comprehensive mobile app supporting voice, messaging, and video with feature parity across devices. |
| Call Analytics | Real-time call analytics and reporting with AI insights; call logs and team performance metrics. | Customisable call analytics with performance tracking; no AI-driven features but extensive reporting options. |
| Customer Support | 24/7 support for Pro and Enterprise plans; email support for Standard plan users. | 24/7 support across all plans, with live chat and premium support options for additional costs. |
| Pricing (UK) | – Standard: £12/user/month – Pro: £20/user/month – Enterprise: Custom pricing | – Essentials: £7.99/user/month – Standard: £14.99/user/month – Premium: £19.99/user/month – Ultimate: £22.99/user/month |
| Video Meeting Cap | Up to 10 participants in base plans. | Up to 200 participants in higher-tier plans. |
| Scalability | Suitable for small to mid-sized businesses; custom options available for enterprises. | Highly scalable with options for businesses of all sizes; suited for growing organisations. |
| Free Trial | Yes | Yes |
Dialpad is designed for teams seeking simplicity and efficiency, offering AI-powered call analytics and integration with popular productivity tools. Known for its easy-to-use interface, Dialpad caters to small-to-medium businesses and enterprises, making it a strong choice for companies prioritising seamless integrations and AI-driven insights.
RingCentral has a long-standing reputation in the VoIP market, offering a robust suite of features tailored to support companies of all sizes. It combines phone, video, and messaging into a single platform, focusing on unified communications that scale well as businesses grow. RingCentral is favoured for its extensive list of integrations, security features, and customer support options.
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Key features comparison
1. Calling and communication tools
Both Dialpad and RingCentral deliver core communication features such as HD voice calling, video conferencing, and messaging.
- Dialpad: Dialpad focuses on AI-driven analytics and transcriptions, using Voice Intelligence (Vi™) to provide real-time call insights and automated call summaries. With Dialpad Talk, users can make calls from various devices, including mobile, desktop, and desk phones, which makes it ideal for teams that need flexibility in how they communicate. However, video meeting capabilities are capped at 10 participants in the base plan.
- RingCentral: RingCentral offers an extensive suite of communication tools that includes phone, video, and team messaging. The platform supports high-quality voice calls and video conferences for up to 200 participants, making it suitable for businesses needing larger meeting capacities. Its powerful call management features, including call forwarding, call logs, and analytics, are well-suited for businesses with complex communication needs.
2. Video conferencing and screen sharing
Video conferencing is essential in remote and hybrid work environments. Here’s how Dialpad and RingCentral compare:
- Dialpad: Dialpad Meetings (formerly UberConference) provides screen sharing, call recording, and whiteboard functionalities for collaboration, but its video conferencing capabilities are more limited than RingCentral’s in terms of participant numbers and advanced features.
- RingCentral: RingCentral’s video solution is more comprehensive, with features like meeting recording, breakout rooms, whiteboarding, and screen sharing. The ability to host up to 200 participants is a clear advantage for larger teams or businesses hosting external client meetings.
3. Integrations
Integrations with other software platforms can significantly improve productivity and workflow.
- Dialpad: Dialpad integrates seamlessly with Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, Slack, Salesforce, and HubSpot, supporting small to mid-sized businesses that rely on these tools. It’s known for its smooth integration with CRM platforms, which enhances productivity by allowing users to make calls directly from their CRM systems.
- RingCentral: RingCentral offers one of the most extensive lists of integrations in the industry, with over 200 options, including Microsoft Teams, Google Workspace, Salesforce, and numerous other popular platforms. Its robust API capabilities also make it easier for IT teams to customise and adapt the software to specific organisational needs.
4. Mobility and app functionality
A mobile-friendly VoIP system is essential for today’s workforce, particularly for remote and hybrid teams.
- Dialpad: Dialpad’s mobile app is user-friendly and mirrors most features available on the desktop version, allowing for calling, messaging, and video meetings on the go. Dialpad’s Voice Intelligence™ also works on the mobile app, providing real-time transcription and summaries, which is beneficial for teams that frequently operate from their mobile devices.
- RingCentral: RingCentral’s mobile app provides comprehensive functionality, including call management, team messaging, and video conferencing. The app is optimised for both iOS and Android, offering a consistent user experience across devices, which makes it highly suitable for larger, geographically dispersed teams.
5. Call analytics and reporting
Effective call analytics are essential for monitoring team performance and improving customer interactions.
- Dialpad: Dialpad stands out with its AI-powered Voice Intelligence™, which transcribes calls and analyses sentiment in real-time. This feature is beneficial for customer support teams that want to gain insights into customer satisfaction levels. Reports are easy to generate and include metrics such as call volumes, average response times, and more.
- RingCentral: RingCentral offers robust call analytics, including metrics on call quality, call volumes, and team performance. While it doesn’t have the same AI-driven transcription as Dialpad, it does provide in-depth analytics that is sufficient for most business needs. These reports are customisable and allow businesses to track performance at the individual, team, or department level.
Pricing comparison – Dialpad vs RingCentral
Cost is a significant factor when deciding on a new phone system. Here’s how Dialpad and RingCentral compare in terms of pricing:
- Dialpad: Dialpad’s pricing is straightforward, with plans starting from £12 per user per month for the Standard plan, which includes calling, messaging, and basic integrations. The Pro plan at £20 per user per month adds CRM integrations and advanced analytics, while the Enterprise plan offers custom pricing for larger businesses needing premium support and API access.
- RingCentral: RingCentral’s pricing begins at £7.99 per user per month for the Essentials plan, which includes phone and team messaging for up to 20 users. The Standard plan at £14.99 adds video conferencing for up to 100 participants and unlimited integrations, while the Premium plan at £19.99 includes advanced call management and analytics. For large organisations, the Ultimate plan at £22.99 per user per month offers 200-person video meetings and unlimited storage, making it a good fit for high-demand businesses.
Customer support
Reliable customer support can make a difference when implementing and managing a VoIP solution.
- Dialpad: Dialpad offers 24/7 customer support via phone and email for Pro and Enterprise plans. Standard plan users have access to email support and online resources. Dialpad’s support team is known for being responsive and knowledgeable, which can be reassuring for businesses switching to a new system.
- RingCentral: RingCentral provides 24/7 customer support across all plans, along with a comprehensive help centre and community forums. RingCentral also offers live chat, which can be convenient for quick queries. Premium support options are available for an additional cost, giving businesses direct access to account managers for tailored assistance.
Pros and cons
Dialpad
Pros:
- User-friendly interface
- AI-powered Voice Intelligence for real-time transcription and call analytics
- Seamless integration with Google Workspace and other major platforms
- Flexible mobile app for remote teams
Cons:
- Limited video conferencing features compared to RingCentral
- Fewer integrations overall than RingCentral
RingCentral
Pros:
- Extensive list of integrations with over 200 third-party apps
- Strong video conferencing features, including breakout rooms
- Scalable plans suitable for businesses of all sizes
- Comprehensive mobile app with full feature parity
Cons:
- Slightly higher cost for businesses that need advanced features
- No AI-driven transcription features in its base offerings
Conclusion – Which platform is best for your business?
Choosing between Dialpad vs RingCentral largely depends on your business’s specific needs. Dialpad is ideal for smaller teams or companies looking for an intuitive, AI-powered platform focused on improving call analytics and real-time insights. If your business relies heavily on Google Workspace or similar productivity tools, Dialpad’s streamlined integration and user-friendly approach may be appealing.
On the other hand, RingCentral is a better choice for businesses that need a scalable, all-in-one communications platform with robust video conferencing and extensive integrations. Its scalability and comprehensive feature set make it particularly suited to larger organisations or those planning for future growth. RingCentral’s higher video participant cap and wider integration range provide more flexibility for larger teams or those needing enhanced collaborative capabilities.
In summary:
- Choose Dialpad if you prioritise AI-powered analytics, ease of use, and a cost-effective solution for smaller teams.
- Choose RingCentral if you need a comprehensive, scalable communication platform with strong video conferencing capabilities and extensive integrations.
Both platforms offer free trials, so testing each within your business environment may help clarify the best fit for your team.
FAQ – Dialpad vs RingCentral comparison
Dialpad is highly user-friendly and fits small teams, especially those using Google Workspace. RingCentral’s Essentials plan is affordable, with more integrations and scalability options. For small businesses focused on simplicity, Dialpad may be better, while RingCentral is ideal for growth-focused teams.
Dialpad leads in call analytics with Voice Intelligence™, offering real-time transcription and sentiment analysis. RingCentral also provides call analytics but lacks AI-driven features, making Dialpad a stronger choice for teams that prioritise detailed insights into customer interactions.
RingCentral supports video conferences with up to 200 participants in higher-tier plans, making it more suitable for large meetings. Dialpad’s video capacity on the Standard plan supports up to 10 participants, so RingCentral is the better choice for teams needing larger meetings.
RingCentral’s entry-level Essentials plan starts at £7.99 per user per month, making it more affordable at the basic level. Dialpad’s Standard plan starts at £12 per user. However, the choice depends on the features needed, as both platforms offer value for specific use cases.
RingCentral has over 200 integrations, including Salesforce and Microsoft Teams, supporting broad compatibility. Dialpad offers efficient integrations with tools like Google Workspace and Slack. For businesses requiring a wide variety of integrations, RingCentral offers more options.
Dialpad includes AI-driven Voice Intelligence™ for real-time transcription and sentiment analysis, enhancing customer experience insights. RingCentral, however, does not currently offer AI-powered call features, so Dialpad is better for teams focused on advanced call analytics.
Both platforms offer powerful mobile apps, but RingCentral’s app has full feature parity with desktop, including large video meetings. Dialpad’s app is also well-designed, though it may have limitations in video capacity, especially in the Standard plan.
Dialpad integrates seamlessly with Google Workspace, making it a convenient choice for businesses already using Google tools. While RingCentral also supports Google Workspace, Dialpad is generally easier for Google-centric teams due to its deeper integration focus.
Both platforms support remote work with cloud-based apps and mobile accessibility. RingCentral’s higher video capacity and extensive integrations make it a stronger choice for larger remote teams, though Dialpad is also effective for smaller remote or hybrid teams.
Yes, both Dialpad and RingCentral provide free trials, allowing businesses to explore features and functionality before deciding. Testing each platform can help businesses assess which interface, integrations, and tools best meet their requirements.