RingCentral vs Zoom: $30 vs $13.33/mo (2026)
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Team size
25 seats

RingCentral vs Zoom

Communication pricing comparison · 2026

RingCentral pricing ranges from $30–$45/user/month, while Zoom ranges from $0–$18.33/user/month. Zoom is typically 62% more affordable, though your actual cost depends on tier and team size.

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Above-the-fold path — each link opens the vendor's pricing page in a new tab.
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2 products · Communication
Side-by-side · live
RingCentral
RingCentral pricing starts at $20/user/month for the Core plan when billed annually ($30/m
verified 27d ago
$520 $12K
View pricing →
Zoom
Zoom is the world's most recognized video conferencing platform, used by millions of organ
verified 27d ago
$520 $12K
View pricing →
Verdict · Vendr median · year 1
RingCentral saves $11K vs Zoom · 25 seats
Cheapest $520
Spread 95%
Estimated license cost
at 25 seats
List price × seats. Click a tier below to lock it.
Advanced
$11K/yr
year 1 license · $35/seat
Business
$5.5K/yr
year 1 license · $18/seat
What buyers actually pay
median, annual
Vendr deal-flow data. The real benchmark, not list price.
↓ Lowest median
Median annual
$520/yr
Vendr · n=36
Median annual
$12K/yr
Vendr · n=1,335 avg 17% negotiated
REF · 01

Sources & confidence

Every dollar amount and contract clause below traces back to a sourced fact. We don't manufacture composite scores.

Where this data comes from
Vendr · TrustRadius · Reddit · BBB · official docs
Sources 9 sourced facts
5 hidden-cost · 3 contract · Vendr median
Last verified 3w ago
Confidence High confidence
Sources 41 sourced facts
35 hidden-cost · 5 contract · Vendr median
Last verified 3w ago
Confidence High confidence
REF · 02

Plans at a glance

Every tier per product. Lock one to drive the cost row above and reveal a tier-specific outbound CTA.

Tier ladder
Click a tier to lock the cost row to it. Locking surfaces a tier-specific Visit CTA.
REF · 03

Hidden costs

Each cost is severity-ranked, with the dollar range quoted from its source (Vendr, Reddit, TrustRadius, BBB, official docs) — never our estimate.

Beyond the sticker
Severity-ranked, sourced
4 documented
  • Taxes and Regulatory Fees Not Included in Advertised Price
    25% of license costs
    1 source
  • International Calling Charges
    $0.04-$0.17/minute
    1 source
  • Call Recording and Advanced Features Require Higher Tier Plans
    $5-$15/user/month
    1 source
  • Onboarding and Setup Time Investment
    5-15% of license costs
    2 sources
5 documented
  • Aggressive renewal price increases (5-40% uplifts)
    5-40% of annual contract value
    6 sources
  • Free license elimination (forced upgrade to paid)
    $13-$18/user/month
    4 sources
  • Auto-renewal with no refunds
    $160-$2,640 in unwanted renewal charges
    5 sources
  • Descope penalties (rate increases when reducing licenses)
    Per-user rate increases of 7-50% when reducing license count
    4 sources
  • Forced upgrade from legacy plans to new SKUs
    20-40% increase from previous pricing
    2 sources
REF · 04

Contract terms

The fine print, surfaced. Green = buyer-friendly. Each clause backed by a quoted source.

RingCentral
Zoom
Auto-renewal
Yes
Yes
Cancellation
Must cancel before renewal date
Must cancel before renewal date; specific window not disclosed but users report difficulty canceling even weeks in advance
Commitment
Typically 1-3 years
12 months typical; 24-36 months for discounted rates
Price escalation
Reports of significant mid-contract price increases - one user reported doubling from $45/month to $85/month
No published schedule but users report 5-51% annual uplifts at renewal, with 14-18% described as 'average' by sales reps; Zoom has instituted widespread price increases across accounts
Can downgrade
No
REF · 05

What users say

Aggregated, with sample sizes. We use whichever review platform has data.

User reviews
TrustRadius · Trustpilot · G2
No public ratings yet
Best for
Small businesses
Watch out
Pricing transparency and unexpected fee increases
TrustRadius
9.3/5
Best for
Individuals and small groups
Watch out
Auto-renewal and billing issues - charged without warning or after cancellation attempts
Decide
Get a quote from each vendor
Each link opens the vendor's pricing page in a new tab.
License cost is computed from publicly listed plans (real math, list price × seats). Median annual cost is from Vendr's deal flow when available — see source badges. Hidden costs and contract terms each cite their own sources. We do not invent composite scores.
Communication

RingCentral

$30–$45
/user/month
3 plans
Full pricing breakdown →
VS
Communication

Zoom

$0–$18.33
/user/month
4 plans · Free tier
Full pricing breakdown →

Choosing between RingCentral and Zoom for your communication needs? This detailed pricing comparison breaks down the costs, features, and value of both platforms to help you make an informed decision.

RingCentral pricing ranges from $20 to $35 per user/month, while Zoom costs between $0 to $21.99 per user/month. Both platforms offer different tiers designed for teams of varying sizes and needs.

Plan-by-Plan Pricing

Plan RingCentral Zoom
Core $30 /user/month Free /month
Advanced $35 /user/month $13.33 /user/month
Ultra $45 /user/month $18.33 /user/month
Enterprise Custom

Cost at Scale

Total cost of ownership — licenses, implementation, and hidden costs included.

RingCentral

6 scenarios
$30/month
Starter Setup
$35/month
Growing Business
$45/month
Enterprise Setup
See all 6 scenarios →

Zoom

3 scenarios
$3,000 Year 1 ($2,400 licenses + $600 onboarding)
Small Team (15 users, Pro)
$17,100 Year 1 ($11,000 licenses + $3,600 Zoom Phone + $2,500 Zoom Rooms)
Mid-Size Company (50 users, Business + Phone + Rooms)
$70,300 Year 1 ($44,000 licenses + $18,000 Zoom Phone + $7,500 Zoom Rooms + $800 Webinar)
Enterprise Deployment (200 users, Business + Phone + Rooms + Webinar)

Market Intelligence

RingCentral

Median annual cost
$520
Based on
36 deals

Zoom

Median annual cost
$11,551
Average negotiated discount
17%
Based on
1335 deals

Hidden Costs

Beyond the sticker price — what catches buyers off guard.

RingCentral 4 hidden costs

high
Taxes and Regulatory Fees Not Included in Advertised Price 25% of license costs
medium
International Calling Charges $0.04-$0.17/minute
medium
Call Recording and Advanced Features Require Higher Tier Plans $5-$15/user/month
medium
Onboarding and Setup Time Investment 5-15% of license costs
See all RingCentral hidden costs →

Zoom 9 hidden costs

critical
Aggressive renewal price increases (5-40% uplifts) 5-40% of annual contract value
high
Free license elimination (forced upgrade to paid) $13-$18/user/month
high
Auto-renewal with no refunds $160-$2,640 in unwanted renewal charges
medium
Descope penalties (rate increases when reducing licenses) Per-user rate increases of 7-50% when reducing license count
high
Forced upgrade from legacy plans to new SKUs 20-40% increase from previous pricing
See all Zoom hidden costs →

Contract Terms

Term RingCentral Zoom
Auto-renewal Yes Yes
Cancellation Must cancel before renewal date Must cancel before renewal date; specific window not disclosed but users report difficulty canceling even weeks in advance
Minimum commitment Typically 1-3 years 12 months typical; 24-36 months for discounted rates
Price escalation Reports of significant mid-contract price increases - one user reported doubling from $45/month to $85/month No published schedule but users report 5-51% annual uplifts at renewal, with 14-18% described as 'average' by sales reps; Zoom has instituted widespread price increases across accounts
Can downgrade No

Continue researching

Our Verdict

Choose RingCentral if you need advanced features and are willing to invest $28 per user/month. Choose Zoom if you want to minimize costs at $13.33 per user/month, with the option to test the platform for free.

Frequently Asked Questions

01 Which is cheaper, RingCentral or Zoom?

Zoom is generally more affordable with a median price of $13.33 per user/month, compared to RingCentral's $28 per user/month. However, actual costs depend on your team size and required features.

02 Do RingCentral or Zoom offer free plans?

Yes, Zoom offers a free tier starting at $0, while RingCentral's starting price is $20 per user/month.

03 What are the enterprise pricing options for RingCentral vs Zoom?

RingCentral's top-tier pricing reaches $35 per user/month, while Zoom goes up to $21.99 per user/month. Both platforms typically offer custom enterprise pricing with volume discounts, dedicated support, and advanced security features. Contact their sales teams directly for accurate enterprise quotes tailored to your organization's specific needs.