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RingCentral vs. Zoom: Overview
Before we start comparing RingCentral to Zoom, let's take some time to understand each business and product.
What is RingCentral?
With regard to interurban communication and videoconferencing, RingCentral is one of the market leaders. The company offers businesses cloud-based communication and messaging solutions, ranging from video conferencing to screen sharing tools.
RingCentral was founded in 1999 by Vlad Vendrow and Vlad Shmunis and has established itself as an expert in this field. The company offers services like VoIP, fax, and PBX systems for small and large businesses.
While I'll mostly be talking about the brand's video conferencing solutions, it offers much more than that. There are several products under the RingCentral brand, like RingCentral Meetings, RingCentral Office, and their latest acquisition: Glip.
Here are some of the key features of RingCentral's video communication solutions:
- Multiple attendees: Ringcentral's video solutions allow you to invite up to 200 attendees.
- Superb Clarity: High Definition Audio and Video Experience.
- Complete Security: Password-Protected Meetings That Prevent Unauthorized Access
- Ease of Use: Simple and Intuitive Meeting Set-Up
- Global coverage: Presence in over 80 countries worldwide
What is Zoom?
zooming No longer needs to be presented in today's world, where online conferences are an integral part of work. It is a cloud-based team communication tool used by small and medium-sized businesses as well as large corporations.
In addition to video calling, the company launched Zoom Phone, Zoom Rooms, and Zoom Video Webinars. She is also popular around the world for organizing online courses and real-time training and onboarding.
As a platform, Zoom is very easy to use and flexible. You can use it to launch business communications in seconds. It also has a number of other features such as file sharing, remote access, and real-time editing features.
Key features of Zoom include:
- Global Coverage: Audio and Video Calls Around the World
- Detailed analytics: Post-meeting reports and analytics that reveal critical information.
- Multiple integrations: Easily integrated with critical applications like Slack and Gmail.
- Recording functions: Screen capture and session recording
- High Clarity: Extremely Clear Audio and Video Reception
In summary, both apps are great for video meetings, but I've found that their goals are slightly different.
While RingCentral focuses on providing solutions for Unified Communications Based on its VoIP ecosystem, Zoom is more concerned with fast video and audio meetings.
Another difference is that to use Zoom, all participants need to download and install the Zoom app. In the case of RingCentral, only the host needs to download the app, and other participants can join via any browser such as Chrome.
If you feel like RingCentral or Zoom aren't exactly the tools for you, check out my article on Alternatives to Zoom.
RingCentral vs. Zoom: Pros and Cons
When looking for the best HD video tool, you need to consider a lot of complementary and competing features. After all, each platform has so many features that it can get a bit disconcerting.
To help you get through this confusion, here's a quick overview of the pros and cons of each.
RingCentral.
Benefits
- High video quality
- Simple and intuitive interface
- Easily switch between mobile and office
- Great messaging features including GIFs, emojis, and memes
- Easily adjustable
- Multiple invitation channels
- Integration with applications such as Google Workspace, Microsoft Office 365, and Microsoft Teams.
- Group Chats with a Single Click
- Fully customizable dark mode
Disadvantages
- Too many updates
- Multiple products can be confusing
Zoom.
Benefits
- High quality video
- On-site and cloud call recording
- Easy-to-use video call and group conferencing features
- Create meetings with a single click
- Dedicated Zoom Meetings hardware in the form of Zoom Rooms
- Dedicated customer support
- Extremely easy to use
- Taking care of a large number of participants
- Seamless integration with third party applications such as Google Calendar.
Disadvantages
- A large number of subscriptions and add-ons
- The need to download and install the application
RingCentral vs. Zoom: Comparing Features
Now that you know the basics of RingCentral and Zoom and have a clear idea of each platform, let's compare each platform based on its important characteristics. Here I am going to cover the essential aspects of both platforms.
Before we start the comparison, let's get one thing straight: Zoom and RingCentral both have multiple products to facilitate team communication. In order to keep the comparison at the same level, I decided to compare Zoom Meetings with RingCentral Meetings and Glip.
Another reason we're focusing on Glip is that when comparing Zoom with RingCentral Meetings or RingCentral Office, it's really an apples versus oranges comparison. Glip and Zoom Meetings, on the other hand, are both dedicated to video meetings and can be compared.
1. Video and audio quality.
RingCentral reported nearly 100% uptime, and it's rare for the service to experience failures. With HD video calls at 30 frames per second and dynamic resolutions, you'll feel like you're face-to-face, just like in a real meeting.
In addition to the above, RingCentral allows you to test the live stream before starting the meeting. This allows you to ensure that your connection is stable and that you don't have to struggle to maintain communication.
Another aspect of the RingCentral app that I like is that it offers multiple screen views such as sliding and adjustable screens, an active speaker, and a gallery. It even provides you with tools to reduce background noise to improve the audio experience.
Like RingCentral's video app, Zoom also offers high-quality video at 30 frames per second and multiple screen views. However, Zoom has an advantage over RingCentral because it can show up to 49 active screens, while RingCentral only supports 16.
The Zoom app allows you to apply multiple video filters that improve how you look on video. You can even adjust the quality of the video to suit the ambient lighting. Both Zoom and RingCentral allow you to use virtual backgrounds like a business logo or custom wallpaper.
Winner: Zoom
While both apps offer similar capabilities, Zoom has the edge over RingCentral in that it offers a greater number of simultaneous meeting screens. It is also more customizable since it offers video filters and changes in ambient lighting.
2. Scheduled meetings
Zoom and RingCentral are once again comparable when it comes to scheduling meetings. Both services allow you to easily switch from chat messages to video conferencing. For Zoom, you can use either the iOS or Android mobile app or the web app.
If you've integrated Zoom with Google Calendar or Outlook, meeting scheduling can also be done from these applications. It all depends on the plan you subscribe to and the level of permission you have in the application ecosystem.
After you schedule the Zoom meeting, you can password-protect it. You can also name and categorize the meeting by topic, then generate a meeting ID to share with other participants.
With Zoom, you can organize one-off or recurring meetings. To alert participants, you can use email or push notifications.
If you're using RingCentral Glip, the features are similar in that it also allows you to schedule meetings from the app and other calendar integrations. Glip even comes with a dedicated calendar that you can use to keep track of meetings.
Winner: RingCentral
When it comes to planning, RingCentral's Glip has the edge over Zoom thanks to its native calendar. It allows you to create events as a team, automatically link to each participant's calendar, and even color code meetings.
3. Collaboration during video meetings
Both RingCentral and Zoom are team collaboration solutions, and each app offers multiple features to facilitate smooth team communication.
zooming
Zoom has a built-in team chat tool that allows you to send direct messages as well as team-wide messages.
Zoom allows you to use social media features like mentions and tags. You can also share screenshots, use emojis, and upload files, all from the comfort of your chat box. Zoom takes care of everything from presentations to spreadsheets.
If you use the Zoom smartphone app on multiple devices, your cats are automatically synced across all of those devices. You can also search your chat histories and tag important channels and contacts to find them quickly.
Users also have a presence indicator that allows them to know the exact status of all team members. You can share ideas using the virtual whiteboard, and use unique features like remote access and the courier. All of this makes Zoom ideal for Webinars and training courses.
Finally, one of the aspects where Zoom exceeds the competition is its screen sharing feature. Zoom meeting participants can share a view of individual windows or the entire desktop. Screens can be shared side by side, with detailed annotations.
Overall, Zoom takes every step of the way to ensure that you and your team members are on the same page every step of the way.
RingCentral
The RingCentral Office Pack offers messaging and video calling as well as a phone system. Glip, which is dedicated to video calls and meetings, offers screen sharing and remote access features.
Its chat tool is similar to Zoom in terms of usability and supports private and public messages. You can also create message threads and search for past messages for retrospective communication.
RingCentral Glip makes it possible to create teams before and during video calls. It also allows you to share and store files through a Google Drive integration. Thus, you can access all essential project documents from a single interface.
The RingCentral app offers a note-taking tool that I think is extremely useful, especially for long-term meetings. The tool allows users to see past messages and shared notes and even share notes in their accounts with others.
Another aspect where RingCentral's Glip has the edge over Zoom is its built-in task management feature. With it, you can create, assign, and track tasks for your team members. It even provides a simple checklist to keep track of all the tasks performed.
Winner: RingCentral
Both Zoom and RingCentral offer similar features when it comes to core functionality. I think the Glip interface is more user-friendly and intuitive. Add task management and note taking features, and you've got a collaboration tool like no other.
The only thing missing from the RingCentral app is a whiteboard tool. However, you can overcome this limitation by using third party integrations.
4. Recording features (including screen sharing)
Recording live meetings is a critical requirement for posterity and reference, and RingCentral and Zoom both allow for recording. However, the length of the recordings and the storage provided varies depending on the tool and the plan.
Zoom offers local recording features with its free plan, while paid plans give you the choice between local and cloud storage. It's important to remember that only hosts can start recording: participants simply receive a notification to let them know.
In addition to recording meetings, Zoom automatically stores a meeting log. Meetings can be recorded on both iOS and Android devices. You also get features like automatic audio transcription, the ability to record audio only, and even the ability to automatically delete.
RingCentral allows you to record audio and video like Zoom, but if you use Glip, you'll be able to record a maximum of 100 hours of video in the cloud. In addition, all meetings are automatically deleted one year after they are recorded.
Both applications have the option of sending meeting recordings and excerpts to team members. Thus, participants can gather valuable information from meetings and even share it with management if necessary.
If you want to skip recording parts of the meeting, you have the option to pause and resume. This allows privacy to be maintained and offers the possibility of engaging in informal conversations.
Winner: Zoom
While RingCentral is the easier to use of the two, Zoom's recording and sharing features are superior. Additionally, the fact that Zoom offers the ability to automatically transcribe meetings gives it the edge.
5. Integrations
Let's talk about the Glip app first. It integrates naturally with numerous applications such as Office 365 and G-suite. But to be able to use these integrations, you need to upgrade to a paid plan.
Here is a list of a few applications that Glip can integrate with:
- Microsoft Teams
- Slack
- Asana
- Zendesk
- Salesforce
- Zapier
- Mailchimp
- Social media applications (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, etc.)
In contrast, Zoom's free plan allows you to integrate multiple applications and offers a greater number of integrations than Glip. It even has a dedicated Zoom marketplace, where you can find apps to integrate with Zoom.
Here's a list of a few apps that integrate with Zoom:
- Salesforce
- Skype
- Google Drive and G-Suite
- Dropbox
- Zapier
- Office 365
- Glip
Winner: Zoom
When it comes to integrations, Zoom is the big winner. It provides dedicated APIs to enable such integrations, even on the free plan. In contrast, RingCentral often faces a lot of criticism from users due to integration issues.
6. Compatibility
Both Zoom and RingCentral started as desktop apps, and it's no wonder that the desktop versions are more functional. The services are available on Mac as well as Windows, as well as iOS and Android.
As you can see, mobile apps are a bit limited compared to desktop apps. For example, the Zoom mobile app allows you to view up to four video screens at a time, not including screenshots and chat features.
However, most users have complained that chat functions are difficult to use on a small screen. You can also send and receive files, share screens, and co-annotate documents.
The Glip mobile app is better designed than Zoom's and offers all the features of the Zoom app. Plus, because it allows you to switch seamlessly between desktop and mobile meetings, I'd say it's the more versatile of the two.
Winner: RingCentral
RingCentral's Glip app is more user-friendly and intuitive, and because it allows you to go from mobile to desktop, it's definitely the winner in this category. User reviews also testify to this.
7. Analytical features
Two of the biggest problems with virtual meetings are the lack of participation and commitment. Additionally, RingCentral, and Zoom both offer analytics and reporting features that track these metrics.
RingCentral gives you detailed data about attendance, duration of attendance, and actions taken during a meeting. This data can help you develop strategies to improve efficiency and attendance at meetings.
Zoom offers a greater level of granularity because it not only tells you who was in a meeting, but also for how long and from what device. It even lets you know the top ten participants based on the level of interaction, time spent, and geographic location.
Winner: Zoom
When it comes to analytics, Zoom takes the lead thanks to its more detailed data points. Plus, Zoom offers decent analytics even on the free plan; in contrast, RingCentral only provides analytics features with paid options.
8. User experience
In terms of user experience, both applications have their pros and cons, as we saw above. While RingCentral Glip and Office provides smooth video using a centralized UCaaS framework, Zoom is easier to set up and use.
In recent times, however, Zoom has been the subject of severe complaints about security breaches. That means if you're a security-conscious person, or if your meetings involve exchanging confidential data, Zoom might not be the ideal option.
Winner: Zoom and RingCentral
The winner in this category depends on the use case. If you're looking for a quick and easy way to set up online collaboration, look for Zoom. If security is the main concern in a meeting, RingCentral is better suited.
9. Pricing
Both RingCentral Glip and Zoom follow the freemium model, while RingCentral Office is a fully paid option. In the following sections, I will detail the pricing plans for each service.
RingCentral Office pricing plans:
- Essential plan for $19.99/user/month
- Standard plan for $24.99/user/month
- Premium plan for $34.99/user/month
- Ultimate Plan for $49.99/user/month
RingCentral Glip pricing plans:
- Glip Pro plan for $0/month
- Glip Pro+ plan at $11.99/user/month (up to 99 users)
- Glip Pro+ plan for $10.99/user/month (100+ users)
Zoom meeting pricing plans:
- Basic plan for $0.
- Pro plan for $149.90/year/license
- Business plan for $199.90/year/license
- United Business Plan at $300/year/license
- $240/year/business plan license
All prices mentioned are for annual payment cycles; you can get discounts if you buy for a large number of participants.
Winner: RingCentral and Zoom
In terms of pricing, RingCentral and Zoom both offer multiple plans that users can choose from based on their needs. Personally, I Think Zoom offers more variety, while Glip is the more affordable of the two.
If you want to see how Zoom compares to the others Video conferencing tools And of Webinar, see my evaluation of Zoom compared to three other competitors.
Final Review
Now that we've come to the end of this comparison, it's pretty obvious that Zoom and RingCentral both offer top-notch products.
In general, if you're a big business looking for quick and easy video meetings, Zoom is ideal.
RingCentral Office is a better competitor when it comes to security.
In summary, you should make the final choice based on your needs and possible preferences.
