Vonage Review: Great VoIP choice for US SMBs?

Vonage is a well-known VoIP provider offering US businesses a range of calling features, mobile-friendly tools, and team training capabilities – but how does it compare to its top VoIP rivals?

In this Vonage review, we break down its features, pricing, support, and performance based on our research. Read on to find out whether Vonage is the right fit for your small business communications.

Vonage’s Setup, Interface, and Navigation

Getting started with Vonage is straightforward. Once your account is activated, the platform walks you through setup via its browser-based dashboard. You won’t need to install desktop software, and there’s minimal tech expertise required (beneficial for smaller teams that want to be up and running quickly).

The Vonage interface keeps things clean and minimal. The main menu is pinned to the left-hand side and features straightforward icons for key features: Calls, Voicemails, SMS, Fax, Team Messaging, Meetings, Contacts, and Reports.

Each section is clearly labelled, and the navigation structure, with sub-sections viewable on click, is intuitive enough that even a VoIP newcomer won’t get lost. For instance, you can add and edit contacts under the Phone System drop-down as shown here.

Overall, I’d say that while it’s not my favourite aesthetic design (that honour would have to go to either RingCentral or Dialpad, in a UK context), it certainly isn’t archaic. Furthermore, it remains highly functional and, importantly, it is consistent across the web, its desktop app, called Vonage Business Communications (VBC), and mobile apps.

Vonage Review: Key Features

Vonage’s US VoIP offering is split into three plans: Mobile ($19.99), Premium ($29.99), and Advanced ($39.99). Each unlocks a growing list of features – from mobile-first communication tools to integrated call analytics – and overall, the platform performs well in the areas that matter most to small, growing businesses. Here’s what we found when assessing its core feature set.

Calling tools and routing options

Even Vonage’s entry-level Mobile plan includes 30-plus call features, including voicemail, caller ID, forwarding, and access to a virtual receptionist, along with unlimited domestic calling across the US. Unlike the UK offering, unlimited outbound calling is included from the Mobile tier, making it viable for solo users and small teams without the need to upgrade.

The Premium and Advanced plans add useful upgrades like call groups and on-demand call recording (15 hours/month), helping teams handle higher volumes more efficiently. You can also display local or toll-free numbers when calling out, which improves pick-up rates for outbound sales or support calls.

Call routing is customisable via Vonage’s virtual receptionist, letting you set schedules, add menus, and assign overflow numbers based on business hours. You can also set pre-recorded prompts and direct calls based on keypress selections, all for different phone lines and numbers in your account.

One useful inclusion at all levels is voicemail screening and transcription, which lets you listen in live or read messages back later. The former is something missing in competitors like 8×8 Work, and can be useful for teams that receive lots of inbound calls.

All the other discussed calling features are fairly standard on the VoIP scene, however. RingCentral, for instance, has a more advanced package on its lower tiers that includes multi-level interactive-voice-response (IVR) features and custom hold music on all plans. Vonage’s routing tools are slightly more basic, though they remain suitable for most SMB needs.

Powerful virtual agents with Vonage AI Studio

While Vonage’s virtual receptionist feature provides basic routing, businesses that want a more conversational and automated approach to call handling, especially across multiple channels, can use its AI Studio to replace basic routing menus with smarter workflows.

AI Studio is a no-code, drag-and-drop conversation designer where you can build voice and messaging-based virtual assistants for customer support, FAQs, order tracking, and more across voice, SMS, WhatsApp, and web chat.

In practice, users interact with bots using natural phrases (not just pressing numbers or keywords), via built-in NLU (natural language understanding) and ASR (automatic speech recognition) tools.

Like Dialpad, you can also tailor the AI to your industry or business lingo by training it on your own terms and phrases. Plus, you can access post-conversation insights to monitor performance and optimise flows over time.

There’s also an API integration system built in, allowing your virtual assistant to send data to third-party platforms or trigger events (such as sending an email or pulling order details).

The catch is that usage is capped at 10 AI agents and 10,000 sessions per month for the free tier. To scale to higher usage (up to 100 agents and 300,000 sessions), you’ll need to upgrade to the AI Studio’s Advanced plan, which costs a hefty $1,100 per month.

That won’t make sense for small businesses, but having 10 AI agents should be a solid starting point. And compared with the more limited automation options from providers like bOnline or GoTo Connect, this all adds a serious degree of customisability, particularly for those smaller startups or support teams trying to reduce manual workloads.

Strong training tools for scaling teams

Vonage’s Advanced plan is the best option when it comes to live coaching functionality. It supports all five key coaching tools: call monitoring, whisper, barge, call recording, and analytics.

These tools are particularly helpful for contact center teams or small businesses growing their customer support functions. For example, managers can silently listen to calls and offer advice mid-conversation via whisper, or jump into the call directly via barge if necessary. Combined with Vonage’s built-in analytics and reporting, the platform offers a scalable framework for improving agent performance without needing to invest in separate training software.

By contrast, platforms like GoTo Connect (recording and analysis; others available on its high-cost contact centre plan) and Dialpad (lacks whisper and barge entirely) support only a subset of these tools, while bOnline and Google Voice fall even shorter, offering little beyond call recording.

Messaging, meetings, and mobile-first features

Vonage’s Mobile plan includes SMS and MMS messaging, plus support for the Vonage Business Communications (VBC) mobile and desktop apps. However, only the Premium and Advanced plans offer team messaging, single sign-on, and app integrations.

Video meetings (up to 200 participants) are included from the Premium plan onward. This includes useful features like meeting locks, blurred backgrounds, team chat, and whiteboarding – all within the same interface used for calling and messaging.

Advanced also adds WhatsApp for Business readiness and Visual Voicemail, which transcribes audio messages to text, making it a strong option for mobile users and distributed teams.

However, one limitation is that SMS messages don’t sync across devices (e.g., mobile and desktop), and some automation (e.g., WhatsApp workflows) may require third-party tools.

Limited software integrations on lower plans

To access CRM integrations and the Vonage App Center (with 20+ third-party tools), you’ll need the Premium or Advanced plans. These include connections to tools like Salesforce, HubSpot, and Microsoft Teams.

The Mobile plan is more limited in this respect – a common trade-off at this price point – but it means Vonage trails behind RingCentral (with over 500 integrations) and GoTo Connect (which includes basic calendar and CRM access on lower plans).

Still, Premium users will find enough key integrations to connect VBC to most small business workflows.

Basic reporting, but good analytics for training

Reporting dashboards, call summaries, and user analytics are available from the Premium plan upwards. While these aren’t as advanced as AI-powered summaries on Dialpad or RingCentral’s wallboards, they still provide a clear view of call volumes, durations, agent performance, and hold times.

For training purposes, the analytics pair well with Vonage’s live coaching tools. But if you need sentiment analysis, call topic tagging, or real-time alerts, you’ll want to look at Dialpad or 8×8 Work instead.

Decent hardware support

Vonage integrates smoothly with a range of business desk phones, including models from Poly, Yealink, and Cisco.

Our research found that it supports more out-of-the-box hardware compatibility than Google Voice, making it a good fit for businesses with existing VoIP desk phones.

Albeit, that’s still less compatibility than found with RingCentral, 8×8, and Dialpad, or better yet, GoTo Connect’s wide-ranging Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policy (our favourite for niche hardware).

Vonage Review: Customer Support

Vonage offers a range of support options tailored to different business needs as part of its Business Communication plans in the US:

• Phone support: Available for US customers at 1-866-901-0242, with support hours from 8am to 12am (ET) Monday to Friday, and 9am to 9pm (ET) on weekends. Emergency support is also available outside these hours.
• Live chat support: Accessible via the Vonage Business Support portal, from 9am to 9pm (ET), Monday to Friday.
• Email support: Accessible through their online contact form.
• Self-service resources: Vonage provides a comprehensive support portal with articles, videos, and troubleshooting guides.
• Forum: Vonage also has a VBC Community forum for customers to help one another.

While core support hours are extensive, 24/7 live support isn’t standard on all plans. Unlike competitors like RingCentral and 8×8 Work, which include full-time support as part of their offering, Vonage reserves round-the-clock assistance for emergency or enterprise needs (it’s not stated under what circumstances this is relevant, however).

Vonage Review: How Much Does Vonage Cost?

Vonage offers three clearly structured VoIP plans for US businesses: Mobile, Premium, and Advanced. Each builds on the last, adding more advanced communication features such as video meetings, app integrations, call recording, and voicemail transcription.

Are there any add-on costs or setup fees?

Vonage doesn’t publicise its add-on features or setup fees very clearly on its US website, but some optional extras (like call analytics or international numbers/minutes) may be priced separately or reserved for custom packages, according to our research. For instance, international minutes are priced in bulk-minute packages and vary depending on the nation (e.g. 5,000 minutes calling to a ‘tier one’ nation is €230).

Vonage also offers the AI Studio tool, as discussed earlier in this review, available for free under its entry-level Standard Plan, though its Advanced plan costs $1,100 per month.

We suggest you ask a Vonage representative for exact pricing details on areas not covered in the main monthly fee cost.

Does Vonage offer a free trial?

No, we couldn’t find access to a free trial at the time of writing. However, you can book a demo or speak to sales to trial certain features, especially if you are considering its Advanced plan.

How does Vonage’s pricing compare to other providers?

With its entry-level Mobile plan priced at $19.99 per user, per month, Vonage is competitively placed among US VoIP providers, particularly since unlimited outbound calling, mobile app access, and SMS are included from the outset. However, other platforms may offer better value in certain areas:

• Zoom Phone starts at $10 per month, but many key features require add-ons.
• Dialpad costs around $23 per month for its Standard plan, with built-in AI tools but fewer support options.
• RingCentral Core begins at $30 per month, but includes 24/7 support, more extensive integrations, and better reporting tools.
• 8×8 reportedly starts at $15 per month, with video, messaging, and some call centre features included.

If budget is your top concern, providers like Zoom Phone or 8×8 offer strong alternatives. But for businesses that prioritise mobile use, SMS, and user-friendly admin tools, Vonage’s Premium and Advanced plans are well worth considering.

Vonage versus Alternatives

Vonage, particularly its Advanced plan, delivers a solid mix of mobile-first features, admin tools, and virtual agent capabilities. But it’s not the only option on the US VoIP market.

Let’s compare our top-rated VoIP plans at a glance, before looking more closely at how Vonage stacks up against the best alternatives.

➡️ RingCentral – Better for scalability and integrations

RingCentral Advanced is our top-rated VoIP provider plan in the US for a reason. It’s particularly well-suited to medium and large businesses that need deep system control, extensive CRM and workflow integrations, and enterprise-grade administrative features.

Where RingCentral is stronger

• App integrations: Includes over 500 third-party apps across CRM, project management, helpdesk, and scheduling software, far beyond Vonage’s VBC App Center.
• Training tools: Whisper, barge, live monitoring, and sentiment scoring are all included, with wallboard-style reporting to track agent performance in real-time.
• Call management: Features like voicemail transcription, call flip between devices, time-based call routing rules, and automatic spam call screening elevate its enterprise readiness.
• Admin controls: Role-based access, audit logs, and departmental permissions allow for granular management across teams and locations.

Where Vonage pulls ahead

• Mobile-first features: Vonage Advanced offers eSIM business numbers, native SMS support, and WhatsApp for Business readiness, which RingCentral lacks natively.
• Price: Vonage’s pricing is more accessible for smaller businesses not needing large-scale integrations or enterprise admin control.

Overall, RingCentral is better suited to growing businesses that need deep software integration and more advanced administrative tools. Vonage is simpler, slightly cheaper, and better tailored to smaller mobile teams.

➡️ Zoom Phone Regional Unlimited – Best for affordability and large video meetings

Zoom’s Regional Unlimited plan is ideal for budget-conscious businesses that still need strong voice and video capabilities.

Where Zoom Phone is stronger

• Lowest-cost plan among top providers, starting at just $15/month for unlimited domestic calls in the US and Canada.
• Video conferencing: 500-participant capacity built in, with tools like chat, annotation, and meeting notes included.
• Ease of use: Familiar interface for Zoom users, with no contracts or user minimums – making it attractive for lean or remote teams.

Where Vonage pulls ahead

• Mobile integration: Vonage’s native SMS support and mobile eSIM capabilities offer better on-the-go communication.
• AI tools: While both platforms support basic voicemail transcription, Vonage’s AI Studio opens the door to more advanced automations.

How We Reviewed Vonage