Ooma, Vonage, and Nextiva are, indeed, one of the best VOIP providers. However, they all have their strong and weak sides, which is why we came up with this list. Don’t rush it: go over every single aspect carefully before you commit to either one of these online voice/messaging services.
Vendor Comparison
Ooma
Oooma’s primary focus is on small and medium business owners. This company has been on the market for many years (founded in 2004) and has a strong, trusting, and loyal fan-base. Based in California, it provides services for owners of Windows, Mac, and Linux devices. The list of supported platforms includes desktop, cloud, and mobile. As mentioned, owners of small-/medium-sized businesses are this provider’s target audience. IT services, telecom, retail/wholesale, finance/banking, education, media, and healthcare – Oooma covers is all. This is one of the fastest-growing private companies on the planet, and it’s only about to get bigger. Ooma highlights:
- Free trial (use the link on the official website to download the trial and test the service)
- Mobile Office (this feature allows re-routing office calls to your Smartphone)
- Business Phone (comes packed with a list of useful features)
Ooma pros:
- Highly reliable – offers a live chat (24/7)
- Bulk minutes are always available
- You can buy Bluetooth/wireless adapters for your home
- 30-day MBG (money-back guarantee)
Ooma cons:
- For business owners, wireless extensions and adapters are necessary
- The business system setup routine isn’t very straightforward
Vonage
Vonage, in turn, was established in 2001, with the HQ located in New Jersey. According to the company’s officials, they have over 2.5 million active subscribers at the moment. The list of operating systems is the same: Win, Mac, Linux. But, mobile and desktop platforms aren’t supported – the only cloud. Unlike Oooma, Vonage is available to businesses of all sizes. Forward-thinking tech, networking, automation, media, and entertainment are areas in which this vendor excels. It has many prestigious international awards. In many ways, Vonage is bigger than most rivaling VOIP providers. Vonage highlights:
- Below-average rates (considering the feature set)
- 100% free activation (no extra fees are required)
- Free Vonage box shipping (you get the box for free)
Vonage pros:
- Easy installation routine
- The upfront fee is minimal
- Offers a 14-day free trial
- Adapter shipping/activation is free
- Above-average customer support
Vonage cons:
- Audio quality tends to drop every once in a while
- The mobile app needs some polishing
Nextiva
And what about Nextiva – is it on par with the previous vendors? First of all, it’s intended both for the owners of smaller and larger businesses. Second, it serves a wide range of business types, including manufacturing, organizational institutions, and more. This vendor covers insurance, media, law, healthcare, and real estate. Founded in 2006, this company had an impressive growth rate in 2014, and by 2016, its revenue reached 100 million US dollars. Currently, Nextiva has a staff of 700+ workers and is shaping up to be one of the biggest VOIP companies in the world. Founded in Arizona, it is a US-based business, like Ooma and Vonage. Nextiva supports desktop and cloud platforms; Win, Mac, and Linux are compatible systems. Nextiva highlights:
- No activation/contract fee
- Supports 100K+ international companies (you can check that on their website)
- Enterprise is always available (even if you go with the cheapest plan, Enterprise-level features will still be available)
Nextiva pros:
- Excellent performance
- Decent customer service
- Full support of desktop and cloud platforms
- The app has some impressive features
- Offers a 30-day MBG
Nextiva cons:
- A bit too pricey for smaller organizations
- No free trial
Pricing Comparison
And now that we’ve familiarized ourselves with the providers let’s take a quick look at the prices. But before we do that, it’s important to note that the cost of a VOIP service is comprised of several fees. First of all, you have to buy a license to be able to use the software. The subscription fees follow. Plus, maintenance, customization, and software training also cost money. Here are the available Vonage packages and prices:
- Mobile – $20 per month. Includes desktop and mobile apps, team messaging, and unlimited texting/calling.
- Premium – $30 per month. Along with the Mobile features, it provides video conferencing and CRM integration.
- Advanced – $40 per month. Visual voicemail and instant call recording are the standout extras of this plan.
Nextiva is also quite flexible and versatile when it comes to the packages:
- Basic – $24 per month. Unlimited calling, free online faxing, workflow automation and SLA Management are all a part of the deal.
- Pro – $28 per month. With this package, you’ll also get text messaging, unlimited conference calls, and custom reports, to name a few.
- Enterprise – $35 per month. The ultimate plan also features voice analytics, custom dashboards, spam protection, a live chat, and more.
Compared to the rivals, Ooma is a lot less flexible and only offers one tier:
- Phone Service: $20 per month.
Yes, this is the only available package, but it does provide a decent enough set of features. Still, for business owners looking to get premium-level services, Vonage and Nextiva will be better picks. That’s partially because Ooma is focused more on small-size business owners rather than larger enterprises. However, before committing to the more expensive plans, make sure that you do need what they’re offering.
Features Comparison
After pricing, features are the next most crucial thing to consider when shopping for a VOIP provider. A good service should make the workflow more comfortable, help the staff with reports and other processes. If you go with Ooma, you’ll get unlimited calls in North America (the US and Canada). E911, caller name/ID, low rates (both domestic and international), free number transfer, and toll-free numbers are some of its standout features. Voicemail and call forwarding, along with virtual extensions, are even more reasons to consider this provider over the competition. Forget about wiring or cabling: with Ooma, you can set up an extension in pretty much every corner of the office. Voicemail support, virtual receptionists, and conference bridge turn it into a decent pick. Ooma features include:
- Call Center
- CM (Contact Management)
- VOIP
- IVR
- Multiple IVR Scripts
Vonage comes with an admin portal that allows controlling the phone system from one single source. Plus, with this service, it’s very easy to add new outgoing calls within seconds. Even when there’s a blackout, the call will still be active. And with the ability to redirect incoming calls to mobile devices, you get a lot of flexibility that’s not always there with other VOIP providers. Call transfer, screening, pass, and park are all available with Vonage. Other essential features include dynamic caller ID, caller ID blocking, customized dashboard and tagging, and more. All in all, this is a highly user-oriented VOIP service that’s easy to use and comes packed with a decent set of useful extras. Last but not least, Nextiva is a powerful communication tool that combines the pros of telephones with the advantages of the Internet. For many business owners, it may very well be the best pick, as it offers an optimal balance and suits both smaller and larger organizations. Just like Vonage, Nextiva allows creating and managing a remote workforce. Unlimited calls to North America and Puerto Rico with no charge are one of this provider’s strongest suits. High-definition voice quality and no static, along with an easy setup procedure, are even more reasons to pay for it. Sadly, you’ll have to cash in if you need more than ten extensions. Nextiva features include:
- Call Waiting, Blocking, Forwarding, Transfer, Return
- Call Hunt
- 3-Way Calling
- Repeat Dialing
- Speed Dial
- Called ID (With Name)
- Simultaneous Rings
Verdict
It is it for our review of the best VOIP vendors on the market. We talked about pricing, packages, features, and applications for each service. Use this information to pick the one that suits your current needs best. For example, owners of smaller businesses will appreciate Ooma’s simplicity and effectiveness. Vonage, in turn, is the most feature-packed provider. At the same time, it’s also the most expensive one. Nextiva is the golden middle and will fit a wide range of potential clients. And please don’t forget that while Ooma supports desktop, mobile, and cloud platforms, Nextiva lacks mobile, and Vonage only works with cloud. List out the things that you want to achieve by using a VoIP business communication system, compare with other VoIP providers and then select the one that meets your requirements.