Celebrating more than 20 years in business, Ooma has established itself as a significant player in the VoIP market. It claims to be an affordable and reliable communication solution for businesses of all sizes. But is Ooma’s pricing truly as affordable as it seems, or are there hidden costs?
Key takeaways:
- Ooma offers three business phone plans: Essentials ($19.95 per user/month), Pro ($24.95 per user/month), and Pro Plus ($29.95 per user/month). These plans are designed for small—to medium-sized businesses.
- Ooma’s standout features include call recording, video conferencing, call queueing, and auto dialer. Still, availability depends on your chosen plan, with Pro Plus offering the most comprehensive set.
- Although Ooma is affordable, some users have reported inconsistent call quality, buggy mobile and desktop apps, and limited integrations. Moreover, some advanced features are missing, such as power dialers and AI-powered tools.
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Overview of Ooma Office Plans & Pricing
Ooma’s monthly costs range from $19.95 to $29.95, and it offers three plans tailored to different business sizes. However, keep in mind that we’ll focus on SMB pricing, not larger enterprise pricing.
Find below a brief overview of the three plans, including what each one offers:
Feature
Essentials
Pro
Pro Plus
Unlimited Calling in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and Puerto Rico
Advanced Virtual Receptionist
Conference Calling
Up to 10 participants.
Up to 25 participants.
Up to 25 participants.
Video Calls
Up to 25 participants.
Up to 100 participants.
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Essentials Plan
Ooma’s basic plan costs $19.95 /user/month. It’s a good choice for small businesses with limited staff, startups seeking a budget-friendly phone solution, and solopreneurs or freelancers needing a professional phone presence.
KEY FEATURES:
- Unlimited Calling in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and Puerto Rico.
- Virtual Receptionist.
- Basic voicemail.
- Call Forwarding.
NOTE: This plan may be limited if you need essential features like SMS, Call Recording, and Voicemail Transcription.
Pro Plan
Ooma’s Pro plan costs $24.95 per user/month. It’s ideal for small—to medium-sized businesses that require more advanced features than those included in the Essentials plan.
KEY FEATURES:
- Desktop App.
- Video Conferencing (up to 25 participants).
- Text Messaging (up to 250 text messages/month).
- Call Recording.
NOTE: Although the Pro plan offers more features than the Essentials plan, it still lacks some important ones, such as Advanced Virtual Receptionist, Call Queueing, Auto Dialer, and integrations.
Pro Plus Plan
Ooma’s Pro Plus plan costs $24.95 per user/month. It works well for:
- Medium-sized businesses with more complex communication needs.
- Growing companies that find the Essentials and Pro plans too limited.
- Businesses with multiple departments or teams needing advanced collaboration tools.
Key Features:
- Video Conferencing (up to 100 participants).
- CRM Integration (like Salesforce and Microsoft Dynamics 365).
- Call Queuing.
- Auto Dialer.
NOTE: This plan lacks unlimited texting, as the Pro Plus plan only offers up to 1,000 texts/month per user, and it also does not include call recording transcriptions.
Not Sure About Ooma? Check Out These 10 Alternatives
Short Overview of CloudTalk’s Plans and Pricing
CloudTalk offers four pricing plans designed for growing and global teams that need advanced features at an affordable price:
- Starter: It’s a great fit for companies just beginning their operations, small teams with basic communication needs, and businesses working with limited budgets seeking affordable solutions.
Key Features: Unlimited inbound and intracompany calls, Call Flow Designer, Click-to-Call, Voicemail
Price: $25 per user/month - Essential: This plan is ideal for small to medium-sized businesses that need more advanced communication features than those offered in the Starter plan. It provides enhanced capabilities without the complexity of larger systems.
Key Features: Callback, SMS/MMS, Interactive Voice Response (IVR), Skill-Based Routing, Integrations + Open API.
Price: $29 per user/month - Expert: It’s especially suited for companies with complex call routing needs, businesses handling high call volumes, and organizations that require advanced analytics and reporting.
Key Features: Power Dialer, Smart Dialer, WhatsApp Inbound & Outbound Messages, Call Monitoring, VIP Queues
Price: $49 per user/month - Custom: : The Custom plan is tailored for large enterprises’ contact centers and companies needing tailored reporting, integrations, and premium support.
Key Features: Custom Onboarding, Unlimited Outbound Calls with Flat Rates, Enterprise-Level Security, Developer Support.
Price: Varies based on features, number of users, etc.
CloudTalk vs. Ooma: Comparing Features, Pricing, and Value
Let’s take a closer look at how the Ooma and CloudTalk plans stack up against each other:
Aspect/Features
CloudTalk
Ooma
Included in all plans (from $25/user/month).
From the Pro Plus Plan ($29.95/user/month).
Included in all plans (from $25/user/month).
From the Pro Plus plan ($29.95/user/month).
CloudTalk vs. Ooma: Key Insights
Find below the main takeaways to help you choose between Ooma and CloudTalk:
- International Numbers: Ooma offers numbers in 60+ countries, while CloudTalk provides access to over 160+. This is a crucial advantage for businesses looking to expand globally.
- Essential Features: CloudTalk includes features like Call Queuing, Call Flow Designer, and Callback in all plans. Ooma only offers these from the Pro Plus plan onwards.
- Dialers: CloudTalk offers both a Smart Dialer and a Power Dialer, features that can help you reach up to three times more prospects. Ooma, on the other hand, has a basic auto dialer.
- Integrations: CloudTalk supports 35+ integrations compared to Ooma’s 13. Moreover, Ooma lacks integrations with tools like Gong and Pipedrive.
- Inbound Calling: Ooma’s inbound calling is limited to the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and Puerto Rico, while CloudTalk provides global options.
- Additional Features: CloudTalk’s Expert plan includes advanced features like WhatsApp Inbound and Outbound integration, VIP Queues, and Smart and Power Dialers, missing in Ooma. Furthermore, Ooma’s Advanced Virtual Receptionist and Call Queueing are only available from the Pro Plus plan.
- Customization: CloudTalk offers custom plans. Ooma doesn’t.
- Unique Features: CloudTalk’s Essential plan includes Callback and Call Notes, which Ooma doesn’t offer. Additionally, some AI-powered features that CloudTalk offer as an add-on are missing in Ooma’s plan, such as Sentiment Analysis or Call Transcription.
“What I like about the service is that they offer a good price for what you get. The call quality is very clear, which is important for me when talking to customers. Also, the system is easy to use, making it simple to manage all my calls.”- A user review from G2.
“The implementation was simple. It’s a very handy tool that works pretty well, and integration with our CRM works smoothly, too. Customer support is very nice and helpful. The price is also very nice—not too expensive. We use it daily, so we are happy to have this tool.”- Eva H. , Global Business Manager at a small-sized business.
See for Yourself What Users Are Saying
Ooma’s Hidden Costs: What You Need to Know
Although Ooma offers an affordable pricing structure, it’s important to be aware of these additional charges that could increase your subscription cost:
- Limitations on “unlimited” calling: Ooma promotes unlimited outbound calls, but there’s a monthly cap of 5,000 minutes. Heavy users may find this limit insufficient, risking service interruptions or the need to upgrade.
- Text messaging limits: Ooma Office Pro and Ooma Office Pro Plus plans have text messaging restrictions. Ooma Office Pro includes up to 250 text messages monthly, while Ooma Office Pro Plus allows up to 1,000. These limits apply to inbound, outbound, internal, short code, and deleted messages. If you exceed these allocations, you’ll be charged $0.0095 per additional message.
- Extra business phone numbers: Each phone number costs $9.95 monthly.
- Directory assistance: Calls to directory assistance are charged at $0.99 per call.
- Extended warranty: Ooma charges $39.99 annually for an extended warranty to cover your equipment.
“It’s probably not Ooma’s fault, but the taxes and fees double the expected cost.”- Zev, CEO at a small-sized business.
“Due to added fees, my bill is 50% more than what was advertised and discussed on the phone. Instead of sneaking them in, all those fees should be bundled into an advertised fee. I didn’t know about them until I got my first bill.”– A user review from G2.
Ooma’s Best Features
As we’ve seen, Ooma’s VoIP plans are affordable and offer a range of features. However, users see 3 of them stand out:
- Voicemail Transcription: Available from the Pro plan, this feature converts voicemails into text and sends them via email, enabling quick scanning and response.
- Advanced Virtual Receptionist: This feature, available in the Pro Plus plan, helps you boost your professionalism by automatically routing calls and offering custom greetings.
- Videoconferencing: Available in the Pro and Pro Plus plans, this feature supports up to 25 participants (Pro) or 100 participants (Pro Plus) and offers robust video meeting capabilities for teams or client meetings.
Ooma Pros & Cons
In addition to what we’ve already discussed, here are Ooma’s key advantages and disadvantages that users highlight:
CloudTalk: Unmatched Features at the Best Price
As discussed, while Ooma offers affordable plans and videoconferencing features, it’s essential to consider if it meets your business’s needs. It lacks several advanced tools, such as Smart Dialer, Power Dialer, and WhatsApp integration, which can significantly boost productivity and customer engagement.
In contrast, CloudTalk offers all these features, giving your business the cutting-edge communication tools that Ooma simply doesn’t provide.
If you’re looking for more than just basic functionality and want advanced features to streamline your operations and improve productivity, CloudTalk is the best choice for your growing business.
Why Settle? Get Advanced Features at the Best Price.
