All the Little Details You Need to Know About Google Voice

With availability in just 14 countries, restricted operating system compatibility, and international capabilities locked behind its highest-tier plan, Google Voice stands out as one of the most limited phone systems available.

When you hear the name Google, you probably envision a tech giant offering comprehensive solutions for every need. But here’s the thing: Google Voice’s limitations are as big as their reputation.

In this guide, we will break down Google Voice pricing, plans and features. Plus, we will give you a detailed look at how Google Voice compares with CloudTalk. Let’s dive in.

Key takeaways:

• Google Voice offers a Personal plan and a Business package with three main tiers: Starter ($10 per user/month), Standard ($20 per user/month), and Premier ($30 per user/month).
  
• Google Voice excels in its effortless integration with Google Workspace tools like Gmail, Google Calendar, and Google Meet, providing unified communication within Google’s ecosystem.
  
• Even at its highest-tier plan, Google Voice’s features are still extremely limited compared to CloudTalk, which provides powerful and practical tools right from its entry-level plans.

Overview of Google Voice Pricing and Plans

Google Voice for business, part of the Google Workspace ecosystem, is a versatile VoIP solution designed to meet the communication needs of businesses and individuals. 
Plans are scalable, starting at $10 per user/month and ranging up to $30 per user/month for enterprise-level features. The plans are Starter, Standard, and Premier. Let’s take a better look at Google Voice Business Pricing:

Starter Plan

Google Voice’s entry-level plan offers basic call functionalities at an affordable rate of $10 per user/month. It serves very small businesses (up to 10 users) focused on domestic operations without international operations.

Key Features:

• Ring Groups
• Multi-level auto attendant
• Desk phone support

Missing from this tier:

• Advanced Reporting
• Call Queuing
• Third-party Integration

Premier

The Premier Plan of Google Voice is designed for organizations with global operations. It provides tools to manage both inbound and outbound calls. Priced at $30 per user/month, it offers a reasonable feature set and leverages data-driven insights for strategic decision-making.

Key Features:

• Advanced Reporting
• eDiscovery
• International Locations

Missing from this tier:

• Power Dialer and Smart Dialer
• API Integrations
• Call Campaign

Google Voice’s Personal

Google Voice’s Personal is a free, individual plan with highly limited features. Basically, it gives you a free phone number suitable for calling, texting, and using voicemail. That’s it.

Google Voice’s Limitations

If you’re considering Google Voice packages because of the brand name alone, you might be setting your business up for some unexpected roadblocks. Here’s why:

Scalability Costs

Google Voice claims to offer unlimited users on its Standard and Premier plans. However, to add more than 50 users, you must purchase additional licenses, which require an upfront payment. The cost of that? Google doesn’t share that openly, leaving you guessing when budgeting for growth.

Limited Availability

If your business operates outside the countries where Google Voice is supported, just forget about it. Google’s phone system is available in a surprisingly limited list of 14 countries. For a global business, that’s a pretty small map.

And if you’re working in Latin America, things get even trickier. To unlock calling features, you will need to pay extra for SIP Link—another hidden cost to factor in.

Missing Integrations

Because Google Voice is part of the larger Google ecosystem, it limits integration with tools outside its network. That means no support for CRM heavyweights like Salesforce or HubSpot, which many businesses rely on to keep their operations running smoothly.

The consequences of this impact everything from employee productivity, making them switch back and forth between platforms, to data connectivity within the company, compromising the strategic vision of your business and data analysis.

Features Gap

If you thought Google would bring a groundbreaking upgrade to its phone system, you are bound to be disappointed. Google Voice offers bare-bones features at the cost of a more advanced plan. Features like Automatic Call Distribution (ACD) and Call Campaigns are missing, making optimizing call handling and team productivity difficult.

Operating System Compatibility

Google Voice has limited compatibility with operating systems, supporting Chrome OS, Apple Mac, Microsoft Windows, and the latest two versions of Android and iOS. Additionally, it isn’t compatible with all web browsers, restricting users to specific platforms for optimal functionality. These limitations can create accessibility challenges for businesses with diverse devices or employees using older systems, potentially disrupting workflows and productivity.

Overview of CloudTalk Pricing and Plans

Starting at $19 and reaching up to $50 per user monthly, CloudTalk’s five main plans cater to a range of needs, with an additional custom plan available for specialized requirements. Here’s a breakdown of the options:

1. Lite: Design for early-stage startups focused on keeping costs low while scaling and companies transitioning from landline to VoIP solutions. For now, it is limited to the Americas (NAM + LATAM).
   
   Key Features: SMS/MMS, Business Hours, Personalized greetings & Music.
   
   Price: $19 per user/month
   
2. Starter: Ideal for small and micro-businesses, the Starter plan is easy to set up and provides essential features to get your call center operations up and running.
   
   Key Features: Click-to-Call, Voicemail, Call Flow Designer (CFD), Automatic Call Distribution (ACD).
   
   Price: $25 per user/month
   
3. Essential: This plan supports growing SMBs and MMBs by enhancing both inbound and outbound operations with advanced automation and customer experience features.
   
   Key Features: SMS/MMS, Interactive Voice Response (IVR), Skill-Based Routing, Callback, Integrations + Open API
   
   Price: $35 per user/month
   
4. Expert: Geared towards MMB and scaling businesses, the Expert plan equips teams with advanced tools to improve customer interactions, boost productivity, and drive operational efficiency.
   
   Key Features: Power Dialer, Smart Dialer, VIP Queues, WhatsApp Inbound & Outbound Messages, Call Monitoring.
   
   Price: $50 per user/month
   
5. Custom: For companies with complex, large-scale requirements, the Custom plan offers a fully tailored solution, allowing businesses to scale seamlessly and operate across diverse markets.
   
   Key Features: Custom Onboarding, Unlimited Outbound Calls with Flat Rates, Enterprise-Level Security, Developer Support
   
   Price: Based on selected features, team size, and other requirements.

CloudTalk vs. Google Voice: A Detailed Showdown

We’ve put Google Voice and CloudTalk head-to-head to help you see how they compare in pricing, features, and adaptability.

CloudTalk Vs. GoTo Connect: Key Takeaways

To make things clearer, we have outlined some key factors to consider when choosing the right VoIP calling system for your business.

Features Offering

There’s a noticeable difference in what these providers bring to the table. CloudTalk packs advanced call management tools right into its entry-level plans, while Google Voice doesn’t even offer basic call-handling features at its top tier.

With CloudTalk, you get powerful tools like the Call Flow Designer, Campaigns, Automatic Call Distribution (ACD), and Interactive Voice Response (IVR)—with no add-ons required. These features optimize both inbound and outbound calls and boost team productivity.

International Coverage and Scalability

CloudTalk’s impressive international reach makes global operations easy. It offers virtual phone numbers in over 160 countries, allowing businesses to establish a local presence in multiple markets and connect with customers and remote teams around the world. 

In the other corner, Google’s phone system struggles to meet the needs of companies with international ambitions. First, your business must be based in one of the 14 countries where the service is available. Second, to access international calling, you will need to upgrade to the highest-tier Premier plan.

CRM and Third-Party Integration

As mentioned, Google Voice only integrates with apps within the Google ecosystem. This restriction leaves businesses without access to essential third-party platforms like CRMs, which are crucial for streamlining workflows and managing customer relationships.
CloudTalk goes in the opposite direction, providing integration with almost 40 industry-leading solutions (HubSpot, Salesforce, Zapier, and more), ensuring your operation is fully connected.

Analytics and Data Connectivity

A key drawback of lacking external integrations is the loss of data connectivity between popular applications, which directly impacts reporting and cross-data analysis. While Google Voice provides access to BigQuery, Google’s data warehouse tool, the process of importing and syncing data becomes a complex and resource-intensive task for your IT team.

CloudTalk takes analytics to the next level with its advanced reporting tools and a robust portfolio of AI-powered features designed to enhance data tracking and analysis. From detailed call insights to predictive analytics, CloudTalk equips businesses with actionable data to optimize performance and decision-making. 

Google Voice’s Best Features

Here’s what users appreciate most about Google Voice:

1. Google Workspace Integration: Users can integrate the phone system with Google Calendar, Drive, and Gmail. 

2. Unlimited text messaging in the US: It provides a straightforward solution for domestic communication needs.

3. Easy to use: Its intuitive and easy-to-use interface allows users to manage calls, texts, and voicemails across devices.
   
4. Data Security: Google Voice benefits from Google’s data security measures, including encryption and compliance with industry standards.

Google Voice Pros & Cons

Google Voice: Cutting Your Voice Short

Most people expect great things from Google. However, its name carries a value that doesn’t match its phone system offering, which lags far behind its competitors. Luckily, you can google this and see the results for yourself. 

As a consequence of this misalignment between branding and offering, we have frustrated customers. One of the biggest complaints from Google Voice users is its limited feature set. The customers report that the platform’s bare-bones approach makes it unsuitable for anything beyond basic communication. 

The lack of advanced features and integrations has been forcing businesses to switch to other providers. Among them, CloudTalk rises as the top choice for growing SMBs with international aspirations and remote teams. 

Choosing CloudTalk over Google Voice isn’t just about getting the best-advanced features, turnkey integrations, and extensive international coverage—it’s about choosing to grow without limits.

Sources:

G2 Reviews – Google Voice