RingCentral vs Sonetel (2026): which should you pick?

Pick RingCentral if

• Fits if you want calls, fax, meetings and chat from one company on one bill
• Works for Microsoft Teams shops that want RingCentral calling inside Teams

Look elsewhere if

• Tight if you text customers a lot, with 25 texts a person a month on Core
• Pricey if you add the extras: AI Receptionist from $39, SMS Booster $25, Call Queues Booster $35
• Not for you if you want to try texting first, since it isn't in the free trial
• Tight if you want calls recorded automatically or logged in a CRM, as both need Advanced at $25
• Watch out: listed prices are for 1-5 users, they change for 6-100, and texting needs TCR registration that may carry fees

Pick Sonetel if

• Fits if you want local numbers in a few countries forwarded to your phone
• Works for small teams that want pay-as-you-go calling with no contract

Look elsewhere if

• Tight if you stay on Basic, because every number and call is charged and the bill follows the countries you pick
• Skip it if you want your business number shown on app calls without paying, as that needs a paid plan and verified identity
• Watch out: SMS is only available on some types of numbers
• Watch out: prices exclude VAT, and the default yearly rates are per user per month

RingCentral

• The listed prices are for 1-5 users; the page switches to other prices for 6-100 users, and 100+ users must contact sales.
• Automatic call recording and CRM integrations need Advanced; Core records calls on demand only.
• Add-ons are extra: AI Receptionist from $39, Business SMS Booster $25 and Call Queues Booster $35, as shown on the pricing page.
• Texting needs TCR registration, which may carry fees, and is not available during the free trial.

Sonetel

• Basic charges separately for each number and for calls, so cost depends on the numbers and countries chosen.
• Showing your business number on outbound app calls needs a paid plan and verified identity.
• SMS is available only on some types of numbers.
• The page lists prices excluding VAT, and the yearly rates shown by default are per user per month.

RingCentral

Calling and numbers

Unlimited calling within the US and Canada. The plan includes one company number; each extra local or toll-free number costs $4.99 a month.

Business texting

Texts from the business number: 25 per user a month on Core, 100 on Advanced and 200 on Ultra and the bundle. SMS needs carrier (TCR) registration first.

Call menus and routing

Multi-level phone menus, call queues and rules by business hours or availability, managed for several locations from one admin portal.

Video meetings, chat and fax

The same app runs video meetings for up to 300 people, team messaging with file sharing, and fax from the business number.

AI assistant

Included at no extra cost: real-time call and meeting notes, transcription, meeting summaries, and help writing and translating messages.

AI Receptionist

Answers calls around the clock, handles FAQs, books appointments and routes callers to staff. An add-on starting at $39, included in the AI Customer Engagement Bundle.

Sonetel

Numbers in many countries

Local, national and toll-free numbers can be rented in many countries, with existing numbers ported in. Prices start at $1.79 a month.

Calls in the app or forwarded

Calls ring in the iPhone and Android app or the web app, or forward to any phone. SMS works only on some number types.

Recording and AI call notes

Premium and Business record calls and add transcripts, written summaries, a 1 to 5 score for customer calls and suggested follow-up emails.

Voice menu and voicemail

Voice response menus route callers to people or teams. Voicemail arrives by email on every plan, transcribed and summarised on paid plans.

SIP trunking and API

A Communications API and SIP trunking are offered, with the per-minute trunk rate lower on higher plans.

RingCentral

• Core$20

  per user / month, billed annually ($30 billed monthly)

  Price for 1-5 users. Unlimited US and Canada calling, on-demand call recording, 100 toll-free minutes, 25 texts per user a month, 300-person meetings and MCP connectors.

• Advanced$25

  per user / month, billed annually ($35 billed monthly)

  Price for 1-5 users. Adds CRM integrations, multiple sites, automatic call recording, reports, 1,000 toll-free minutes and 100 texts per user a month.

• Ultra$35

  per user / month, billed annually ($45 billed monthly)

  Price for 1-5 users. Adds 10,000 toll-free minutes, 200 texts per user a month, RingCentral Webinar, historical and real-time insights and unlimited storage.

• AI Customer Engagement BundleCustom

  Everything in Ultra plus AI Receptionist, AI Conversation Expert call scoring and coaching, automatic call summaries and the SMS and call queue boosters.

Sonetel

• Basic$0

  No plan fee. Number subscriptions and call charges apply, 1,000 AI credits shared across the account, SMS-to-email, 2 GB of storage.

• Premium$9.95

  per user / month, billed annually ($13.95 billed monthly)

  1 free number per user, free calls to 40+ countries, 40% off other calls, recording, transcripts, summaries, voice menu, 1,000 AI credits.

• Business$29.95

  per user / month, billed annually ($39.95 billed monthly)

  5 free numbers per user, 50% off other calls, extended support, 5,000 AI credits a month and 1 TB of storage per user.

RingCentral

• Annual discount

  Save up to 33% by paying annually

  The pricing page lists Core at $20 per user a month billed annually against $30 billed monthly, Advanced at $25 against $35, and Ultra at $35 against $45.

Sonetel

• Annual discount

  Yearly billing lowers the monthly rate

  Premium is $9.95 a month billed yearly against $13.95 billed monthly, and Business is $29.95 against $39.95, according to the plan data on the pricing page.