Vonage Review and Pricing

Why We Chose Vonage for Add-Ons

In recent years businesses have pushed for unified communications, and the best business phone systems have delivered. Many providers incorporate voice, video and messaging services on one platform and add call queues, call recording and advanced features. However, not all users or organizations need these extras. Vonage Business Communications supplies basic capabilities with all its subscriptions, including the mobile-only version. We love that Vonage recognizes that some users only want additional features to scale up or down quickly. 

The Vonage phone service has extensions, add-ons, plugins and hardware available via the admin panel. Users can purchase premium calling features like a receptionist console or call queues as needed. This solution works well for small businesses that need to increase capacity during peak seasons when call volumes rise. Since admins can add or remove an add-on feature or extension at any time, upgrading lines temporarily to meet demand is possible. Vonage provides a flexibility that isn’t often seen in this space, which is why it’s our top choice for businesses that would like to customize their phone system with add-ons.

You can use Vonage on your mobile phone for messaging, conferencing and voice calls. Source: Vonage

Ease of Use

Vonage’s user interface is straightforward for mobile and desktop apps. The uncluttered screens make answering incoming calls and viewing voicemails easy. We also appreciate the suite browser, a free add-on feature that works with Firefox, Chrome and Microsoft Edge. Instead of opening an application, users access contacts, reports and notes from a web page. They can also initiate a call with one click. 

However, desk phone functionality doesn’t come with the base Mobile plan, whereas Vonage competitors like Ooma and Nextiva support desk phones on all subscriptions. Likewise, mobile device users may experience more lag when using data instead of Wi-Fi. Although we didn’t experience problems accessing phone system tools, in our research we noticed that Android and iOS customers mentioned call quality issues and reported that some features don’t work as expected.

Other providers work better for on-site teams and companies switching from landlines to VoIP. Check out our review of Ooma Office to learn why it’s the best business phone system for organizations concerned about ease of use.

Features

Vonage offers more than 50 features for voice, video and messaging. It’s a unified communications service, so users don’t need to switch apps or devices when changing channels or accessing tools. Here are the functions that make this solution stand out and how they compare to rivals.

Vonage Add-Ons

While other VoIP providers let admins purchase toll-free numbers or bundle products, few allow complete customization through calling feature add-ons. We love that Vonage Business cloud services provide a full range of tools for purchase in the admin portal. These include user or company-wide call recording, toll-free paperless or personal fax lines, virtual mailboxes, and conference bridges. As convenient as it is to add these functions to your system, you can just as easily remove them if they’re no longer needed. With Vonage, unlike with other vendors, you can build the exact phone service you want and change it as necessary.

The admin portal gives you a clear view of your business accounts. Source: Vonage

AI Virtual Assistant for VBC

Unlike Dialpad, which includes voice intelligence with all plans, Vonage offers a conversational AI assistant as an add-on feature. It analyzes conversations using natural language understanding, machine learning and natural language processing. The AI virtual assistant captures customer sentiment data while ensuring every customer receives immediate assistance. 

Mobile and Desktop apps

Many business phone systems include mobile apps with subscriptions; some also have a desktop app or web browser portal. We like the layout of Vonage’s applications and found it easy to access the business inbox and make phone calls. The mobile and desktop apps have similar functionality, so users have the same experience whether they’re on a desktop computer or mobile phone.

Vonage’s desktop app keeps essential tools at your fingertips. Source: Vonage

Call Management

Like other VoIP providers, Vonage provides a multilevel auto-attendant on its mid-plan tier or as an add-on feature. This virtual receptionist supports one-time and recurring event schedules and special configurations for temporary business closures, after hours and lunchtimes. Users can configure call forwarding rules and visual voicemail while using up to five devices with the Mobile plan.

Visualize your call routing schedule with Vonage’s calendar feature. Source: Vonage

Video Conferencing

Although Vonage Meetings falls behind Zoom, our first choice for video conferencing, it’s still a viable option for video calls. Depending on the service plan, users can host video conferences from mobile and desktop apps with up to 100 participants. We like that Vonage Meetings supports screen sharing, whiteboards and video recordings. For more video meeting tools, check out our Zoom Phone review.

Use your cell phone to meet with your team. Source: Vonage

Unlimited Team Messaging

Most business phone systems offer unlimited team messaging. Vonage users can access online chat during video conferences or communicate via SMS/MMS through one-on-one or group team messaging services. However, the platform lacks Nextiva’s threaded conversation tools and lags behind RingCentral’s flexible collaboration spaces. Explore more team-oriented solutions in our review of RingCentral and RingCentral comparison.

Keep conversations (and deadlines) front and center with Vonage’s team messaging tools. Source: Vonage

Integrations

Several competitors only provide integrations on mid- or upper-tier plans, so we appreciate that Vonage App Center options come with the vendor’s base subscription. This marketplace can connect your VoIP system to more than 20 third-party applications. Vonage integrates with Microsoft Dynamics and Zendesk for free, whereas Salesforce costs $4.99 per user per month. The Premium plan supports CRM software integrations, and tech-savvy businesses can use Vonage APIs for custom connections.

You can find valuable integrations without leaving the Vonage app. Source: Vonage

Pricing Plans and Subscription Costs

Vonage offers three business communications packages. All allow unlimited calls and include mobile and desktop apps. Prices range from $14.99 to $39.99, depending on the number of users and service plan. The base subscription, Mobile, costs less than most VoIP providers, including RingCentral and GoTo Connect. Only Zoom has a cheaper option at $10 per user, but it doesn’t include unlimited calling.

If you have employees who use desk phones, select the Premium plan. It’s less expensive than similar packages from competitors, yet includes CRM integration and a multilevel auto-attendant. Advanced is the top subscription tier. Although this tier includes on-demand call recording and visual voicemail, Vonage’s rivals offer better pricing with more features at this level.

Compare Vonage’s packages with pricing for five to 19 users below.

After you purchase your plan, you can select add-ons from the admin portal. For instance, if you need a metered extension for seasonal workers, the cost is $14.99 per month plus per-minute fees, or you’ll be able to select an unlimited extension for unlimited calls. You can choose from several other useful add-ons, like a business inbox, call recording or toll-free numbers. Other vendors don’t offer the same breadth of options or limit you to predefined packages.

In addition, Vonage sells VoIP phone equipment. Purchase handsets, conference phones and VoIP adapters during checkout or from your admin page under “Hardware.” We like that Vonage Contact Center integrates with the vendor’s business phone system if you want to scale your customer or sales services. It supports post-call surveys, whisper coaching and IVR (interactive voice response).

Implementation/Onboarding

Companies can deploy Vonage and start accepting business calls within minutes. Most functions are self-explanatory, and Vonage’s in-depth guides cover admin configuration. Setting up call flows and advanced features takes longer, but the process is similar to other VoIP services from RingCentral or Nextiva. 

The Vonage Training Center has quick-start guides and tutorials. Our favorite onboarding feature is the interactive videos for end-users and administrators. These let users view the entire application and choose tabs to learn about a specific aspect, like Vonage Meetings or call recording. You can click different features and learn at your own pace, which is far better than sitting through a whole video if only part of the content is relevant to you.

Another unique implementation and onboarding tool is Vonage’s complimentary live-training sessions. Most subject categories involve three monthly sessions, including end-user training for IP phone models, mobile app features and settings, and call flow setup. Additionally, users can attend live meetings to learn about Salesforce, Microsoft Teams or Microsoft 365 integrations.

Customer Support

Vonage offers customer support via phone seven days a week and provides after-hours emergency service. Account owners can open a help ticket after signing in to their account, or they can report mobile issues within the application. The help center uses Vee, a conversational AI chatbot, to troubleshoot basic phone service issues and assist with setting up phones or accounts. 

We noticed that although Vonage has a community forum, most business product questions go unanswered, and the message board is relatively inactive. If you’re interested in more assistance, admins can add Vonage Support Plus powered by Soluto for $9.99 per user per month. This service is designed for small businesses and covers hardware installation, virus removal and third-party software. Users can click to call or chat to receive tech support seven days a week.

Limitations

Vonage is a customizable phone solution that works well for companies that need to scale capabilities up or down depending on the season. However, the service can cost more than other business phone systems if you need to add several à la carte features. For example, Vonage doesn’t include toll-free numbers with subscriptions, so that would be an additional expense for you, whereas toll-free numbers and minutes come with all Nextiva and Ooma plans. 

Likewise, an alternative system could be less expensive for organizations that rely on faxing or need to host high-capacity video conferences. If faxing is essential to your business, check out our Nextiva review, as it allows unlimited internet faxing on its entry-tier plan. As mentioned above, we prefer Zoom for video conferences, but RingCentral delivers more multichannel collaboration tools.

Methodology

We evaluated dozens of cloud-based phone services in our quest to find the best business phone systems available. We downloaded mobile and desktop apps and contacted customer service departments as part of our investigations. Assessing features was one of the top factors we considered, as was weighing ease of use and pricing. In each examination, we tested tools thoroughly by completing real-life tasks, like messaging or conferencing with team members. When searching for the ideal solution for businesses prioritizing flexibility and customizability, we paid particular attention to add-on options. Discover more ways to judge business technologies in our guide to choosing a phone system.

Bottom Line

We recommend Vonage for …

• Seasonal businesses needing flexible VoIP services.
• Solopreneurs looking for a mobile solution.
• Companies transitioning to VoIP from landlines.

We don’t recommend Vonage for … 

• Small teams on a tight budget.
• Businesses that need multiple toll-free numbers.