TrustRadius: an HG Insights company

Save this comparison

Save this comparison

Add Product

Recommended Comparisons

    Overview
    ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price

    Google Hangouts (Classic)

    Score8.3 out of 10
    N/AThe classic version of Google Hangouts included messaging, voice, VoIP, and video call capabilities. It was replaced by the Hangouts Chat collaboration tool, and Google continues to support conferencing via the new Hangouts Meet.N/A

    Ring4

    Score10 out of 10
    Small Businesses (1-50 employees)
    Ring4 headquartered in San Francisco offers a VoIP app that allows business owners and others to add a second (or third) phone line to their mobile phone.

    $9.99

    per month

    Pricing
    Google Hangouts (Classic)Ring4
    Editions & Modules
    No answers on this topic
    Call Recording (add-on, business line only)
    $.05
    per recording
    Transcripts (add-on, business line only)
    $.05
    per transcribed minute
    Personal Line
    $9.99
    per line
    Business Line
    $9.99
    per line
    International Calling (available on personal + business lines)
    country dependent pricing
    Offerings
    Pricing Offerings
    Google Hangouts (Classic)Ring4
    Free Trial
    NoYes
    Free/Freemium Version
    NoNo
    Premium Consulting/Integration Services
    NoYes
    Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup fee$9.99 per phone line, per month
    Additional Details——
    More Pricing Information
    Community Pulse
    Google Hangouts (Classic)Ring4
    Considered Both Products
    Discontinued Products
    No answer on this topic
    Ring4
    No answer on this topic
    Key User Insights
    Would buy again
    83%
    Would buy again
    44 Answers
    No answers on this topic
    Delivers good value for the price
    98%
    Delivers good value for the price
    46 Answers
    No answers on this topic
    Happy with the feature set
    89%
    Happy with the feature set
    47 Answers
    No answers on this topic
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    91%
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    31 Answers
    No answers on this topic
    Implementation went as expected
    98%
    Implementation went as expected
    41 Answers
    No answers on this topic
    Features
    Google Hangouts (Classic)Ring4
    Cloud PBX
    Comparison of Cloud PBX features of Google Hangouts (Classic) and Ring4
    Feature
    Google Hangouts (Classic)
    6.3
    57 Ratings
    23% below category average
    Ring4
    10.0
    1 Ratings
    23% above category average
    Hosted PBX6.915 Ratings00 Ratings
    Multi-level Interactive Voice Response (IVR)7.725 Ratings00 Ratings
    User templates5.022 Ratings00 Ratings
    Call reports9.034 Ratings00 Ratings
    Directory of employee names3.045 Ratings10.01 Ratings
    Call Management
    Comparison of Call Management features of Google Hangouts (Classic) and Ring4
    Feature
    Google Hangouts (Classic)
    8.0
    66 Ratings
    3% below category average
    Ring4
    10.0
    2 Ratings
    20% above category average
    Answering rules8.033 Ratings00 Ratings
    Call recording7.937 Ratings10.01 Ratings
    Call park7.018 Ratings00 Ratings
    Call screening9.036 Ratings00 Ratings
    Message alerts8.058 Ratings10.02 Ratings
    VoIP system collaboration
    Comparison of VoIP system collaboration features of Google Hangouts (Classic) and Ring4
    Feature
    Google Hangouts (Classic)
    8.6
    84 Ratings
    8% above category average
    Ring4
    10.0
    2 Ratings
    23% above category average
    Video conferencing9.079 Ratings00 Ratings
    Audio conferencing9.079 Ratings00 Ratings
    Video screen sharing7.148 Ratings00 Ratings
    Instant messaging9.052 Ratings10.02 Ratings
    Mobile apps
    Comparison of Mobile apps features of Google Hangouts (Classic) and Ring4
    Feature
    Google Hangouts (Classic)
    8.0
    85 Ratings
    2% above category average
    Ring4
    10.0
    2 Ratings
    24% above category average
    Mobile app for iOS8.173 Ratings10.02 Ratings
    Mobile app for Android8.071 Ratings10.01 Ratings
    Best Alternatives
    Google Hangouts (Classic)Ring4
    Small Businesses
    CallFire
    Score9.7 out of 10
    CallFire
    Score9.7 out of 10
    Medium-sized Companies
    Fuze
    Score8.2 out of 10
    Fuze
    Score8.2 out of 10
    Enterprises
    Cisco Unified Communications Manager (Call Manager)
    Score8.3 out of 10
    Cisco Unified Communications Manager (Call Manager)
    Score8.3 out of 10
    All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
    User Ratings
    Google Hangouts (Classic)Ring4
    Likelihood to Recommend
    8.0
    (91 ratings)
    10.0
    (2 ratings)
    Likelihood to Renew
    10.0
    (1 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Usability
    8.0
    (7 ratings)
    9.1
    (1 ratings)
    Support Rating
    8.0
    (36 ratings)
    9.1
    (1 ratings)
    User Testimonials
    Google Hangouts (Classic)Ring4
    Likelihood to Recommend
    Discontinued Products
    Had I completed this review a couple years ago, I would have given a rating of 9 or 10 as Hangouts (Classic) is an excellent product. However, now that Google Chat has succeeded Hangouts, I would not recommend that any new users begin using it where other more modern options are available. Android users who want an internet based instant messaging that also supports calling and video calling could benefit from using Hangouts (Classic) as Google Chat requires the user to also have Google Meet installed to make video calls and there is no voice only calling option.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Ring4
    Good for creating a new business or branching a business abroad.
    Read full review
    Pros
    Discontinued Products
    • Google Hangouts (Classic) is embedded within Gmail's scheduler, so setting up the link is as quick as a click of the button. It's a one-step process.
    • Google Hangouts (Classic) is user-friendly and [has] features to share screens easily.
    • Google Hangouts (Classic) is much easier to use than its competitors.
    • Google Hangouts (Classic) have [a] good connection time and there are few glitches.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Ring4
    • Manage Team Lines
    • Transcribe calls
    • International Calling
    • Call Recording
    • Free video conferencing
    Read full review
    Cons
    Discontinued Products
    • I would like to see improved video support, so that saved videos can be sent back and forth via Hangouts more easily, without having to start a separate meet chat
    • More pronounced notifications of messages would be helpful; pop up notifications are good, but once there is one, additional messages do not pop up
    • Custom muting times would be great, so that if I am in a 90 minute Zoom meeting, I can set it for that time; right now, it is 1 hour or 2 hours. Easy to forget.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Ring4
    • I've sometimes seen text messages being sent in double.
    Read full review
    Usability
    Discontinued Products
    The tool is almost self-implemented. It is likely to be available in every pc or mobile device a user or potential user might have, and all you need to do is adding the company's account and you are done. Once you are setted up, you have almost all actual communication methods available in one tool
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Ring4
    It's super easy and simple to use, and very straightforward.
    Read full review
    Support Rating
    Discontinued Products
    Google Hangouts works great and does not require a lot of work to troubleshoot. Everything is simple and easy to use. Google provides all of the tools that one requires to utilize Google Hangouts and any information can be found in the built-in help tools. There is also a forum for users to report issues and typically, Google responds well and will try to work out any issues.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Ring4
    I had a question, and had my answer that same day.
    Read full review
    Alternatives Considered
    Discontinued Products
    Google is the white cotton socks of the conferencing world. It’s a great ad-hoc tool, but not too much more. If you are not looking to spend money or operate completely on WiFi (without data charges), it’s a great free option as well. The benefit of being free and open is also the liability. It doesn’t have a great integration story with other corporate tools, but [it doesn’t have to] if you aren’t looking for that. All in all, it’s as helpful and ubiquitous as a public payphone…without the pay…and with a video capability.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Ring4
    Ring4 had everything we need in a business phone line in a more simple format and less expensive.
    Read full review
    Return on Investment
    Discontinued Products
    • I believe it was part of the google suite that was purchased. It was worth the cost as it was cheaper. I believe it is now free, but also becoming deprecated. It is much better to use Teams, Discord, Telegram, etc. Google does not provide enough support or features to make using hangouts worth it these days.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Ring4
    • Less expensive business phone
    • Can answer on the go
    • Less to manage, more simple
    Read full review
    ScreenShots

    Ring4 Screenshots

    Product screenshotProduct screenshotProduct screenshotProduct screenshotProduct screenshotScreenshot of The Ring4 admin console, allows business to manage their phone lines as simply as emails. Ring4 Business lets admins create and assign a new phone line to an employee in seconds.