- Personal Google Voice is listed at $0 with one number for all your devices and an existing mobile number required; Workspace Voice starts at $10 per user per month.
- Our pick for a shared business line is Quo ($15, $23 and $35 per user billed yearly), chosen on its published pricing; none of the phone tools here were tested by us.
- For one owner over 12 months: Google Voice personal $0, Workspace Starter $120, Quo Starter $180 billed yearly (our arithmetic).
- Stay on free Google Voice if it is just you and the number is not on a public sticker. All prices were read on 2026-10-08.
Google Voice alternatives come up when a free second number stops being enough. Google's own page, read on 2026-10-08, lists the personal plan at $0 a month: one number for all your devices, unlimited domestic calling and US texting, and an existing mobile number required. That is a good deal for one person. It gets thin when a spouse, helper or driver needs to answer the same texts, or you want auto-replies and set hours. Below are the paid options, with prices read from each company's own page on 2026-10-08.
- Why people outgrow free Google Voice
- How we checked
- Side-by-side table (checked 2026-10-08)
- Quo: our pick, not tested by us
- Google Voice for Workspace: stay in Google, not tested by us
- RingCentral and Aircall: bigger than you need, not tested by us
- 12-month cost for an owner, with and without a helper
- Switching checklist
Part of our complete guide: how to find vending machine locations.
The short answer
- Pick Quo if a second person needs to see and answer the same calls and texts. Plans list at $15, $23 and $35 per user per month billed yearly. Not tested by us; this pick is based on its published pricing and features.
- Pick Google Voice for Workspace if you already pay for Google Workspace and want to stay in Google: Starter is $10 per user per month, Standard $20.
- Pick RingCentral Core only if you also want meetings and team chat: $25 per user per month billed yearly.
- Stay on free Google Voice if it is just you, you do not need shared inboxes or set hours, and the number is not on a sticker that strangers call.
Affiliate link. We earn a commission if you sign up through it, at no extra cost to you. It does not change which tool we recommend.
VendBuddy is our product and is not a phone system. We mention it once near the end because phone calls are where many operators win or lose a placement. None of the phone tools here were tested by us, so every number below is a published one, and we mark that each time.
Why people outgrow free Google Voice
We are not going to invent complaints. From Google's page and the situations we see in vending, these are the triggers:
- It is built around one person. The free plan is a single number for all of your devices. When a second person needs to read the same texts, you are on the paid Workspace plans or a different tool.
- It needs an existing mobile number. The page lists that as a requirement. It forwards to a phone you already pay for, rather than replacing one.
- Shared-line features are on the paid tiers. Ring groups and auto attendants appear under Workspace Standard at $20 per user per month. Starter at $10 lists a single number with call forwarding.
- Some services will not text login codes to internet numbers. Many banks and apps behave this way. Keep two-factor codes on your personal mobile number and test before you move anything.
None of that means the free plan is a bad one. It means it is a personal tool, and a machine sticker turns your number into a public one.
How we checked
On 2026-10-08 we read Google Voice on Google Workspace (which also shows the personal plan), Quo's pricing page, RingCentral's plans and pricing page and Aircall's pricing page and copied plan names, prices and limits. We did not sign up for any of them or place a call, so we cannot speak to call quality or support. We give no scores, since a score for a tool we have not used would be invented.
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Start building free →Side-by-side table (checked 2026-10-08)
| What you care about | Google Voice (personal) | Google Voice (Workspace) | Quo | RingCentral Core |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price per user per month | $0 | Starter $10, Standard $20, Premier $30 | Starter $15, Business $23, Scale $35 billed yearly; $19, $33, $47 monthly | $25 billed yearly, $35 monthly |
| Users | One number for all your devices | Starter up to 10 users; Standard unlimited | Shared number for up to 10 paid users on Starter; unlimited on Business and Scale | Prices shown for 1 to 10 users |
| Calling and texting | Unlimited domestic calling and texting* | Unlimited domestic calling and US texting* | Unlimited* in the US and Canada; carrier fees apply | Unlimited domestic calling; 25 SMS per user a month |
| Auto-replies, hours, ring groups | Not listed | Ring groups and auto attendants on Standard | Auto-replies, business hours, shared numbers on every plan | Team features included |
| Needs an existing mobile number? | Yes, per the page | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated |
| Trial | Free plan | Not shown on the page we read | 7 days | Not shown on the page we read |
| Tested by us? | No | No | No | No |
Sources: the pages linked above, read 2026-10-08. The asterisk on unlimited calling and texting links to a fair-use or footnote policy on each page, so read it before you rely on it.
The trial is the cheap way to test whether a shared inbox and auto-replies are worth $15 a user.
Affiliate link. We earn a commission if you sign up through it, at no extra cost to you. It does not change which tool we recommend.
Quo: our pick, not tested by us
Best for: an owner who wants a separate business number on the phone they already carry, plus a shared inbox for a spouse or driver. Price: Starter $15, Business $23, Scale $35 per user per month billed yearly; $19, $33, $47 billed monthly.
What its pricing page lists on every plan: one number per user, voicemail transcripts, auto-replies, business hours and shared numbers. It also lists saved replies it calls snippets, call recording (manual on Starter, automatic on Business and Scale) and integrations with Google Contacts, Zapier, HubSpot, Pipedrive and Jobber. Extra numbers are $5 a month each. Texting needs a one-time carrier fee of $19.50 plus a monthly fee listed at $1.50 to $3.
Downsides from the page: it costs money where Google Voice costs nothing, and the carrier fees add up for a one-person business. We did not test call quality.
Skip it if you are a team of one with no sticker and no need for shared texting. The free plan is enough. The longer setup guide, with text templates, is business phone setup for vending operators.
Google Voice for Workspace: stay in Google, not tested by us
Best for: a business that already uses Google Workspace. Starter at $10 a user a month, for up to 10 users, lists one number for all devices with call forwarding, unlimited domestic calling and US texting, 24/7 support, three-way calling and call recording. Standard at $20 adds unlimited users, auto attendants, ring groups and call queuing. Premier at $30 adds automatic call recording, transcription and AI notes.
Downside from the page: the starter plan lists no auto attendant or ring groups, and we did not check whether you also need a paid Workspace plan to buy a license.
RingCentral and Aircall: bigger than you need, not tested by us
RingCentral Core at $25 a user a month billed yearly is a full phone system with meetings and team chat. Its page lists only 25 SMS per user per month, which is thin for a route that texts a lot. We cover it in RingCentral alternatives. Aircall starts at three licenses at $30 each, so a one- or two-person business cannot buy it as listed; see Aircall alternatives.
12-month cost for an owner, with and without a helper
Our arithmetic from the published prices. It leaves out taxes, carrier fees, extra numbers and any Google Workspace subscription.
| Plan | Owner alone (1 user) | Owner and one helper (2 users) |
|---|---|---|
| Google Voice personal | $0 | One account; not a shared plan |
| Google Voice Workspace Starter | $10 x 12 = $120 | $10 x 2 x 12 = $240 |
| Quo Starter (billed yearly) | $15 x 12 = $180 | $15 x 2 x 12 = $360 |
| Quo Starter (billed monthly) | $19 x 12 = $228 | $19 x 2 x 12 = $456 |
| RingCentral Core (billed yearly) | $25 x 12 = $300 | $25 x 2 x 12 = $600 |
Add $19.50 once and the monthly carrier fee if you turn on business texting with Quo. The jump from free to $180 a year is the real decision for a solo operator. It buys a shared inbox, auto-replies and set hours, and it is worth it only if you will use them.
Switching checklist
- Do not give up your Google Voice number yet. Start the new trial with a new number, or ask the new provider about porting, and keep the old one forwarding until the sticker, website and Google Business Profile all carry the new number.
- Record a new greeting with your business name and when you reply.
- Register for texting early. A business number needs carrier registration before texts flow reliably.
- Keep two-factor codes on your personal mobile number.
- Update every place the number lives: machine stickers, invoices, listings. Do it in one pass.
When to stay on free Google Voice
Stay if it is only you and you answer every call yourself. Stay if you do not text customers or need hours and auto-replies, and if your number is not on a public sticker. And stay if your Google account already holds the number you gave to property managers, because moving it is work for no gain.
How to choose
Ask what the number is for. If it sits on the front of a machine, strangers will call and text it, and the job is to catch those without the refund desk landing on your family dinner. That points to set hours and an auto-reply. Next, count who answers: one person can stay free, two or more point to a shared inbox. Last, check whether you call out. If you pitch properties by phone, a call log and a clean caller ID help, and a few operators care about dialing speed, which is a different tool; see our guide to the best auto dialer for small business.
The calls that matter most are the first ones to a property manager. Need someone to call first? Find them with VendBuddy, our product: searching a ZIP is free, and one credit gets the best contact on file for one business. It is built for vending operators looking for locations and is not a phone system. For what to say, see how to get past the gatekeeper.
More phone guides
- Business phone setup for vending operators: the full setup guide with text templates.
- RingCentral alternatives: pricing for an owner and a helper.
- Aircall alternatives: options when three licenses is too many.
- Best auto dialer for small business: dialers with checked prices.
If a shared business number is the goal, start the trial and keep the free number running until it works.
Affiliate link. We earn a commission if you sign up through it, at no extra cost to you. It does not change which tool we recommend.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best alternative to Google Voice for a small business?
For a shared business number, we pick Quo, because its published plans start at $15 per user per month billed yearly and include a shared number, auto-replies and set business hours. We have not tested it. If you already use Google Workspace, Voice for Workspace Starter lists at $10 per user. Read from each vendor's page on 2026-10-08.
Is there a free alternative to Google Voice?
Personal Google Voice is itself the free option, listed at $0 a month. Paid alternatives are Quo (from $15 per user billed yearly) and Workspace Voice (from $10 per user). We did not check other free apps.
Why would I leave Google Voice?
The usual reasons are a second person who needs to answer the same texts, auto-replies and set hours, or a number that has gone onto machine stickers. The personal plan is listed as one number for all your devices, and ring groups and auto attendants are on Workspace Standard.
Can I move my Google Voice number to another service?
Some providers accept ported numbers, and rules differ. Check the new provider's own porting page, keep the old number forwarding until the new one works, and update stickers and listings in one pass.
Do I need to pay for a business phone number for vending machines?
Not always. A solo operator can use a free number. Once strangers call or text it from a sticker, or a helper needs the same inbox, a paid shared line is worth pricing.
What is selling, which buildings say yes, and the numbers before you buy a machine. Free, confirm from your inbox, unsubscribe in one click. Refer one friend and get 25 VendBuddy credits.
General information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Rules change, so check the official source. Revenue and income figures are examples, not promises. See our terms.