Cheap VoIP Providers vs Premium Ones

VoIP services are a game changer when it comes to improving internal communications and gaining credibility with clients and associates, all without breaking the budget. However, there are different types of cheap and premium VoIP service plans that are currently available in the market. Therefore it’s important to skim through them and weigh out your options to find out which one works best for your business size and type.

Luckily, Top 5 Business VoIP has got you covered with the following comprehensive guide to cheap and premium VoIP service plans:

Compare VoIP Pricing and Plans

A VoIP plan is only cheap or premium depending on the size and budget of your business. Most VoIP providers offer flexible and scalable plans that can work around your business’ growth and can accommodate the increase in phone lines. However, the pricier plans come loaded with premium features that the cheap plans lack.

As a business manager, you must factor in all the features that your business might require before signing up for any plan; cheap or premium. Small businesses can do without a lot of features and can save money by opting for a plan that only offers features that they need.

Cheap VoIP Services

Most top VoIP service providers are heedful of your business needs and budget. There are many who offer comprehensive plans at low costs for small businesses. Most of these plans include the standard features and values that your business can benefit from without breaking the budget. These plans can later be upgraded to premium ones as your business sees growth and expands.

For example, RingCentral starts its base-fare plan at $19.99 monthly per user that comes with features like video calling and web conferencing with as many as four people. It also allows for 100 toll-free minutes per month and can be accessed by up to 10 extensions. In other words, cheap plans are great for businesses that run on smaller budgets and only need a handful of extensions to operate their communications. The plans are flexible and can accommodate add-ons as your business grows and needs an upgrade.

If you do wish to upgrade your plan, you can simply purchase add-ons like voicemail to email or online faxing and integrate them into your current plan or even switch to premium plans as per your requirements. However, always go through the terms and conditions of every plan before signing up for them to avoid future troubles.

The size of your business will always factor in when choosing between cheap and premium plans. If you sign up for a cheap plan without taking the size of your business into consideration, you might end up paying more for additional features that you could have availed on a slightly pricier but all-inclusive premium plan.

Disadvantages – Cheap VoIP Services

Not all-inclusive: One major drawback of cheap plans is that they may lack some important and even standard features. For example, cheap plans may not include unlimited calling or lack features like voicemail to email, online faxing, auto-attendant, etc. Most cheap plans don’t include international calling/minutes, which may cause businesses to pay extra for long-distance calling, racking up their phone bills.

Unclear pricing: Another disadvantage of signing up for a cheap VoIP plan is that the pricing may be unclear. The estimate can vary from the actual quotation; therefore it’s smart to request VoIP providers for a clear quote before signing up for anything. However, this research may be time-consuming and frustrating.

Hidden charges and fees: Cheap plans can inadvertently cost more than premium ones. There can be hidden and additional charges that are not clearly stated on the package which can rack up your total costs of maintaining or even discontinuing the plan. Therefore it’s advised to thoroughly read the terms and conditions before signing the dotted line.

Premium VoIP Solutions

What the cheap plans lack is available in abundance in premium ones. Premium plans are ideal for large organizations that could benefit from value features like unlimited international calling and can stand to pay for them. Since larger organizations have thousands of people working on board and their usage is extensive, it’s recommended that they opt for premium plans to ensure premium results. This is due to the wide range of important features that are accessible via premium plans:

Call center for making and receiving calls
Can integrate with desktop, tablet, and iOS and Android platforms
Unlimited minutes
International or 1-800 phone number
Audio conferencing for large groups
Desktop sharing for large groups
Voicemail transcription
Mobile app

Cheap vs. Premium VoIP: Any similarities?

The VoIP market is in a constant spiral of competition and innovation therefore whether you’re signing up for a cheap plan or a premium one, there are some base features that remain the same to attract all sorts of customers. A few of those similarities are:

Month-to-month payment plans:Most VoIP subscriptions don’t require legally binding contracts and businesses can sign up for month-to-month plans.
Cancellation fees:A few VoIP services don’t charge any cancellation fee. However, make sure that’s the case with the plan you’re on to avoid future problems with costs.
Free trials:Most top VoIP service providers offer free trials or 30-day money-back guarantee policy on all plans so you can try out their services and features for free to make the right decision.

Bottom Line: Cheap or Premium?

Cheap or premium, it all comes down to your usage. Gauge your business’s size, needs, and requirements to determine which of the two will make the most sense for you. Remember, the cheaper the plan, the limited it is.

Premium plans may be slightly pricier, but they come loaded with all the important features and save you the trouble of purchasing add-ons down the lane. So go through each VoIP service provider and the plans they have to offer before making any decision.

You can use our reviews to get an overlook of the top names in the market and use our guides to walk you through their various plans. Best of luck!