Grasshopper vs Google Voice: Which Is Better for Small Businesses?

Grasshopper offers a complete voice-over-internet-protocol (VoIP) solution for businesses looking for various call handling capabilities and virtual phone number options. On the other hand, Google Voice is designed for solopreneurs who are existing users of Google Workspace apps and want more budget-friendly plans. In this Grasshopper vs Google Voice comparison, we take a deeper look at how these two VoIP platforms differ based on specific business needs.

The best use cases for Grasshopper vs Google Voice are as follows:

• Grasshopper: Better for small distributed teams looking to provide a calling experience that mirrors those offered by larger, centralized organizations
• Google Voice: Better for solopreneurs and freelancers using Google Workspace apps, like Gmail and Google Meet, for business

Grasshopper vs Google Voice at a Glance

Starting Price	Free; paid plans start at $10 per user, per month	$29 per user, per month*
Free Trial	✕	7 days
Unlimited Domestic Calling	✔	✔
Unlimited Text Messaging	✔	✔
Video Conferencing	Yes, with Google Meet integration	✕
Mobile App	✔	✔
Voicemail Transcription	✔	✔
Auto-attendant	✔	✔
Virtual Phone Numbers	Local	Local Toll-free Vanity
For More Information	Visit Google Voice	Visit Grasshopper

*Fees displayed are for monthly billing. Annual billing is available.

Best for Pricing: Google Voice

Google Voice Pricing* Personal: Free for voice calling, voicemail and voicemail transcription, and call forwarding Starter: $10 per user, per month for unlimited domestic calling, voicemail transcription, call forwarding, and mobile app Standard: $20 per user, per month for multi-level auto-attendant, ring groups, and desk phone support Premier: $30 per user, per month for unlimited international locations and advanced reporting options

Grasshopper Pricing** Solo: $29 per user, per month for 1 phone number and 3 extensions Partner: $49 per user, per month for 3 phone numbers and 6 extensions Small Business: $89 per user, per month for 5 phone numbers and unlimited extensions

*Pricing plans apply to Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. Other regions may vary.
**Rates displayed are for monthly billing. Annual billing is available.

When it comes to pricing, Google Voice takes the lead, offering a free version for solopreneurs or personal use. It has three paid plans affordable enough for small businesses with limited needs. Grasshopper’s Starter plan is only $10 and allows up to 10 users, which is considerably cheaper than Grasshopper’s Solo Plan at $29. However, unlike Grasshopper, Google Voice doesn’t offer an option for annual billing, and rates differ based on region.

While Grasshopper’s plan is more expensive than Google Voice, it provides a suite of tools included in all packages, such as call forwarding, virtual fax, extensions, and custom greetings. Not only that, but Grasshopper also offers plenty of add-on features for unique needs, such as call blasting, voice studio, virtual receptionist, international calling, and additional extensions.

Best for Communication Features: Grasshopper

Unlimited domestic calling Unlimited text messaging VoIP and Wi-Fi calling International calling Virtual fax Voicemail transcription Audio conferencing (10 participants)	Unlimited domestic calling Unlimited text messaging International calling 1:1 video calling Voicemail transcription Audio conferencing (4 participants)

Grasshopper and Google Voice provide excellent communication features with unlimited domestic calling, voicemail transcription, and international calling. However, Grasshopper has the edge over Google Voice, thanks to a few factors. First, Grasshopper supports audio conferencing for up to 10 participants, whereas Google Voice supports only up to four participants.

Grasshopper also offers VoIP and Wi-Fi calling on all packages, allowing users to make and receive calls when cell reception is poor. Virtual faxing is also offered, which enables you to have incoming faxes delivered as portable document format (PDF) attachments straight to your email inbox.

Google Voice’s communication capabilities are limited to calling, texting, voicemail, and one-to-one video calling. This makes Google Voice an effective VoIP solution for small teams with simplified communication needs.

Best for Call Management: Grasshopper

Auto-attendant Call forwarding Custom greetings Incoming call control Call transfers Simultaneous call handling	Multilevel auto-attendant Call forwarding Ring groups

Grasshopper comes ahead as it brings more call management functions for freelancers, solopreneurs, and small business owners. It provides the basic features of a simplified phone system without additional costs. All plans allow access to all its features, such as call forwarding, instant response, and call transfers, making it ideal for businesses with growing needs. Upgrades are only required if you need additional numbers or extensions.

Unlike Grasshopper, Google Voice offers a limited array of phone system features, such as call forwarding and ring groups, that may not be enough for businesses looking for a full-featured VoIP platform. However, one of its major points is the multilevel auto-attendant, which benefits companies where callers want to talk to a specific agent or department.

Best for Virtual Phone Numbers: Grasshopper

Local number Toll-free number Vanity number	Local number

Grasshopper is our best virtual phone number provider and the winner for this category, as it offers a range of different phone number options, such as local, toll-free, and vanity numbers. If you don’t want to change your existing phone number, Grasshopper offers a number porting service for free. This means users get all the benefits of the Grasshopper service without changing their number.

While Google Voice offers a secondary phone number for your business, it only offers one local number as its virtual number option. Users don’t have options for toll-free and vanity. If having a free local number is enough for your small business needs, check out our guide on how to get a Google Voice number.

Best for Usage Reporting: Grasshopper

Usage reports Activity reports Detail reports	Usage and activity reporting Advanced reporting (available in Premier) plan

Both Grasshopper and Google Voice come with usage reporting on all plans, but Grasshopper offers three different types of reports that allow you to delve into every aspect of your calls and understand how your business is doing.

Usage Reports allow you to view call metrics, such as average call length. Detail Reports provide data about calls during a specific period, including extensions, caller IDs, and destination numbers. Lastly, Activity Reports focus on the overview of calls by type, such as faxes, voicemails, and hang-ups.

Grasshopper comes with a reports dashboard that displays detailed call metrics for your call activity. (Source: Grasshopper)

While Google Voice offers an advanced reporting option, this feature is only available on the Premier plan. It uses BigQuery—Google’s multicloud data warehouse designed to help businesses analyze data through machine learning and business intelligence.

Best for Scalability: Grasshopper

Three phone plans with options to add international calling, call blasting, extra numbers, extensions, and virtual receptionists.	One personal plan and two dedicated tiers allow an unlimited number of users and domestic locations with calling-focused features, such as free domestic calling.

In our Google Voice vs Grasshopper comparison, Grasshopper provides users with more options to expand the platform’s capabilities. It has three dedicated tiers for growing businesses, providing more call routing options flexibility. For example, the Partner and Small Business package enable users to select multiple extensions and numbers in different area codes or choose a combination of toll-free and local numbers.

While Google Voice does a good job of offering one personal plan and three dedicated tiers, its features are slightly fewer than Grasshoppers. When it comes to supporting growing businesses, Grasshopper takes the lead.

Best Alternatives

Grasshopper and Google Voice are virtual phone number providers with essential VoIP capabilities for solopreneurs and small businesses. However, neither is a suitable solution for companies looking for video conferencing functionality and a full-featured business phone system. Fortunately, other VoIP providers work better for your small business needs.

A few Grasshopper and Google Voice alternatives include:

• RingCentral: RingCentral is our top business phone system with its robust unified communication features, user-friendly interface, and a wide range of third-party integrations. It has plenty of call management capabilities, such as call screening, call monitoring, answering rules, and overall call queues.
• Nextiva: Nextiva offers a comprehensive phone solution that benefits companies with team collaboration needs. Unlike Grasshopper and Google Voice, Nextiva has a video conferencing feature that lets you host video meetings for up to 250 attendees.
• 8×8: 8×8 is the best VoIP platform for companies that frequently make international calls. It offers unlimited calling for up to 48 countries, advanced call handling and analytics, and a contact center solution.

How We Evaluated Grasshopper vs Google Voice

In comparing Grasshopper vs Google Voice, we considered the most common factors, such as pricing and standard call management features, that small businesses look for when choosing a VoIP service provider. While both providers offer excellent VoIP solutions for small businesses, each one differs in pricing structure and standout features. Take a look below at how we evaluated each provider and what they offer.

Here’s a complete breakdown of these factors:

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What are the Google Workspace apps that integrate with Google Voice?

There are 14 Google Workspace applications that integrate with Google Voice. These include the following: Google Drive, Calendar, Docs, Sheets, Slides, Forms, Sites, Keep, Chat, Meet, Gmail, Apps Script, Cloud Search, and Jamboard.

Will Grasshopper & Google work on mobile phones?

Yes. Grasshopper and Google Voice come with mobile applications for Android and iOS devices. Simply install the app on your mobile device and log into your VoIP account. After that, your phone is ready for use to communicate via voice and messaging.

Do Grasshopper & Google Voice support desk phones?

Only Google Voice comes with desk phone support. However, it’s important to check if your desk phone is listed under Google Voice devices. If it is compatible, set up your desk phone with Google Voice to make and receive calls over the internet.

Bottom Line

Grasshopper and Google Voice are both affordable solutions and excellent virtual phone number providers. Each provider comes with basic call management features, such as call forwarding and a free business phone number. However, Grasshopper wins overall with its comprehensive set of features, communication functionalities, and usage reporting capabilities. Meanwhile, Google Voice is a better fit for solopreneurs with simplified call management needs.

To learn more about Grasshopper, read our comprehensive Grasshopper review. While at it, you may also check out our Google Voice review to help you further decide which provider fits your small business needs.