The search engine giant Google has invented several tools to help businesses and they are really powerful to run your company smoothly. But what about Google Voice? Is it worth as like Gmail, Google Business Profile, or Google Analytics?

Before you hit that download button, let’s take a closer look at the pros and cons of Google Voice for business.  Just like any tool, Google Voice has its strengths and weaknesses.  In this article, we’ll break down both so that you can be sure whether it’s the right fit for keeping you connected with your customers.

What is Google Voice?

Before going into the details, we have to start with some basics. Let us make it clear what Google Voice is.

Google Voice is a cloud-based telephony solution that functions through Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology. In simpler terms, it provides a business phone number that operates over the Internet. This allows you to make and receive calls, as well as send and receive text messages, using any internet-connected device like a computer, smartphone, or tablet.

Google Voice gives businesses the flexibility to manage communication from a central location. So, if you have multiple locations, you can have a smooth communication system thanks to the Google Voice tool.

How does Google Voice work?

Unlike some internet-based phone systems, Google Voice isn’t a separate product you get on its own. It is basically an add-on feature that comes with your existing Google Workspace subscription.  You have to be a Workspace user to get Google Voice.

There is a good and bad side to this. If you are already using Workspace, the interface of Google Voice will feel familiar and easy to use. But, if your business doesn’t need the Workspace yet, you might have to pay for features you don’t need just to get Google Voice.

Pros and Cons of Google Voice for Business Needs

At first, we will talk about the advantages Google can bring to your business. 

Google Voice Benefits

Familiar Interface

If you are already using other Google business tools then the UX/UI design of Google Voice seems familiar to you.  You can also get Google customer support if you run into any problems.

Free Phone Numbers 

Google Voice lets you get a free phone number for your business with a personal account. As the number comes with a local area code, it makes your business look more professional. However, it only covers the phone numbers in the 48 states. Hawaii, Alaska, and some other areas are not included yet.

Ability to Port Number

Google Voice lets you keep the old number. You can bring your existing numbers from cell phones, landlines, and even other internet calling services (VoIP) over to Google Voice. It costs only $20 to port each number and the transfer usually takes only 48 hours. If you decide to leave Google Voice later and take your number with you, there is a $3 fee to unlock it first.

Remember, you can’t move your number between different Google Workspace accounts. Also, it is not allowed to transfer numbers linked to personal Gmail addresses, mobile numbers from Europe, or numbers from areas Google Voice doesn’t cover.

Free Calls to the US Customers

Google Voice plans come with free calls to anywhere in the US, no matter where you are in the world. If you have a lot of customers in the States, you will get remarkable benefits because of this. But there are some limitations. You can’t have a free call facility outside of the US. 

Free calls to Canada are only available if you are in the US or have a Canadian Google Voice number.  And You have to pay Google Voice’s international rates for calling other countries.

Cheaper Rate for International Calling and Sending Texts

Google Voice lets you call internationally using your main Google Voice number.  The tool allows calls and texts to many other countries, like Spain, Britain, Australia, and more. You will need to add credit to your account to make these calls and texts. But the good part is, this Google Voice’s rates are generally cheaper than what a regular phone company charges.

Another thing that needs to be kept in mind is that if you make international calls from outside the US, you might have to pay extra charges. Also, texting internationally is only available for US customers with Google Voice. So, while international calling and texting is a great feature, there are some things to keep in mind before you get started.

Sharing Calls with Your Team

A cool feature of Google Voice for business is ring groups. It’s a feature that ensures multiple phones ring at the same time when someone calls your Google Voice number. Whoever is free can pick up the call and do the conversation. You can even make it ring in a specific order, like going to the salesperson first, then ringing the manager if no one else answers. Pretty cool, right?

You need to upgrade to the Google Voice Standard plan to have this amazing feature. It costs $20 per person on your team, every month.

Cons of Google Voice

Now let’s take a look at the not-so-perfect part of Google Voice.

Texting is limited to the US

The main disadvantage of Google Voice is that you can only send texts to US phone numbers. Even with the paid version, you can’t use it for other countries.

Works with Google Apps only

Google Voice plays well with other Google products like Gmail and Calendar. But you can’t connect it with other business apps you already use. Altough Google Voice is good for customer communication, you can’t use it with your existing CRM software,

On top of that, you can’t even use other Google apps with Google Voice unless you pay for a Google Workspace subscription.

Pricey compared to others

The free plan might seem attractive, but it’s for personal use only. For businesses, Google Voice is part of Google Workspace, which comes with extra costs. If you plan to get Google Voice for your business, you have to be ready to spend the following amount,

Starter plan: $10 per person, monthly

Standard plan: $20 per person, monthly

Premier plan: $30 per person, monthly

And that’s not all! To use Google Voice with Workspace, you need a separate Workspace subscription which is an additional $6 per person, monthly.

Not Suitable for Large Team

Google Voice might not be the best fit for your business if you have a larger team. The free plan and even the paid Starter plan for Google Workspace only allow up to 10 users. If you have more than that, you will need to upgrade to a more expensive plan to get unlimited users. This upgrade doubles the price per person to $20 per month.

Besides, if you want to see the report of your team’s activity, you have to pay extra. The reporting feature is only available on the most expensive Google Voice plan, which costs $30 per person, monthly.  In a word, Google Voice might be okay for small teams, but it gets pricer for larger ones.

No Message Templates

Google Voice is missing some key features for businesses. Often, businesses find themselves answering the same questions repeatedly. Message templates help maintain your brand’s tone, allow quick responses to customers, and keep things organized. Unfortunately, Google Voice doesn’t have this.

Moreover, the tool doesn’t support emojis. In case, your business needs to maintain a casual and friendly tone, it might be a big problem for you.

No Business Hours

One of the notable benefits of Google Business Profile is that it lets you manage your store hours. But Google Voice doesn’t include this feature. Here you can’t set up automatic responses for text messages received outside of your working hours.

Limitations on File Sharing

Google Voice is missing another important functionality. Here you can’t share videos. Many businesses rely on videos and reels nowadays. It’s a huge drawback for them. Besides, PDF sharing is also not allowed. So, you can’t share receipts, quotes, or service-level agreements.

No Free Trial

Trying a new product without a free trial can be tough, especially when you have to consider the budget and need to compare your options.

With Google Voice, businesses might find themselves in a tricky situation. You could end up locked into the Google ecosystem without a chance to explore other solutions or compare features with other services.

Final Words

No tool is 100% perfect or disadvantages-free, and Google Voice is not an exception. Even with all the drawbacks, Google Voice is still a valuable asset for your business. If you are just starting out with a small team, this tool can literally improve your brand image.

So, why wait? Try out this amazing tool of Google today. For a seamless setup and expert guidance, reach out to a trusted Google Voice service provider.