2025 Showdown: RingCentral or Zoom – Which Communication Platform Reigns Supreme?

Zoom and RingCentral are quite comparable when it comes to setting up meetings. Both platforms allow you to quickly switch from messaging to video calls. You can access Zoom via its mobile apps for iOS or Android, as well as through a web browser. Additionally, you can schedule meetings directly within these apps if you’ve integrated Zoom with your Google Calendar or Outlook account. The ability to schedule depends on your subscription plan and your user permissions within the app environment. Once a meeting is scheduled, you have options to enhance security by setting a password. You can also assign a specific name to the meeting, categorize it by topic, and generate a meeting ID to share with others. Zoom provides flexibility with one-time or recurring meetings, and users are notified via email or push notifications to ensure everyone is aware of upcoming sessions.

RingCentral’s Glip offers similar features, allowing users to schedule meetings directly from the app or through various calendar integrations. It also includes a dedicated calendar tool that helps you track upcoming meetings more effectively.

When comparing scheduling features, RingCentral’s Glip has an advantage with its built-in calendar. It enables creating team-specific events, automatically syncs with all participants’ calendars, and offers the ability to color-code meetings for easy identification.

Both RingCentral and Zoom serve as comprehensive team collaboration tools, each offering features designed to facilitate seamless communication and cooperation during meetings.

Zoom’s chat tool supports both direct messaging and group chats, helping team members communicate in real-time. It includes social media-like features such as mentions and tagging, making conversations more targeted. Users can share screen captures, upload files, and use emojis directly within the chat window, supporting a variety of content types from presentations to spreadsheets. Chats are automatically synchronized across devices when using Zoom’s mobile app, enabling easy access to history and quick retrieval of past conversations. The presence indicator shows who is available, busy, or offline, and a virtual whiteboard allows real-time idea sharing. Unique features like remote control and pass presenter enhance the collaboration experience during meetings. Zoom’s screen sharing capabilities are especially detailed, letting participants view specific windows or entire desktops side-by-side with annotation tools, ensuring everyone stays on the same page.

RingCentral’s Office suite integrates messaging, video conferencing, and a business phone system into a single platform. Its Glip application, dedicated to meetings and team collaboration, supports screen sharing and remote control. The chat features are similar to Zoom’s, supporting private and group messages, with options for threading conversations and searching past discussions. You can create team groups before or during calls, making teamwork flexible. File sharing and storage are streamlined through Google Drive integration, providing quick access to project documents. The built-in note-taking tool lets users review shared notes and previous messages, and provides the ability to share notes directly from their accounts. Importantly, RingCentral offers a task management feature where you can create, assign, and monitor tasks for team members, along with simple checklists to track completion.

While both platforms share core collaboration features, RingCentral’s Glip stands out with its more user-friendly interface and built-in task management and note-taking tools, making team coordination more efficient.

offer seamless functionality and ease of use for many users. Both platforms have expanded their compatibility to include mobile devices, supporting iOS and Android operating systems, to facilitate on-the-go communication and collaboration.

Zoom has also made significant strides in integrating with various operating systems and devices, providing apps for Windows, Mac, and Linux desktops, as well as dedicated mobile apps for smartphones and tablets—ensuring users have flexibility regardless of their device preferences.

Similarly, RingCentral’s mobile apps are designed to be user-friendly, offering core features on smartphones and tablets, which makes remote work and quick communication effortless. The desktop versions of RingCentral work smoothly across different operating systems, including Windows and Mac, providing a consistent user experience.

The features offered are accessible on both Mac and Windows platforms but not on iOS or Android devices.

As you may notice, mobile applications tend to have more limitations compared to their desktop versions. For example, the Zoom mobile app restricts you to viewing up to four video feeds at once, aside from chat and screenshot functionalities.

Many users have expressed frustration that the chat features are less convenient on smaller screens. Alongside the core functions, you can also exchange files, share your screen, and annotate documents collaboratively.

In comparison, Glip’s mobile app is more thoughtfully designed than Zoom’s, providing all the features found on the desktop version of Zoom. It also allows seamless switching between desktop and mobile meetings, making it a more flexible choice overall.

The RingCentral Glip app is known for being more user-friendly and intuitive. Its capability to transition effortlessly between mobile and desktop environments makes it the superior option in this category. User reviews corroborate this assessment.

A significant challenge in virtual meetings is monitoring attendance and engagement levels. Fortunately, both RingCentral and Zoom provide analytics tools to track these critical metrics.

RingCentral offers comprehensive data, including attendance rates, participant durations, and actions taken during meetings. Such insights can help improve meeting efficiency and participant involvement.

Zoom, on the other hand, provides even more detailed information—identifying who attended, how long they stayed, and which devices they used. It can also highlight the top ten most interactive participants based on engagement, time spent, and geographical location.

Zoom has the advantage with its more granular data analysis, offering superior insights. Additionally, Zoom includes analytics even on its free plan, whereas RingCentral’s analytics features are limited to paid subscriptions.

Both platforms have their strengths and weaknesses when it comes to usability. RingCentral Glip and Office deliver smooth video experiences through a centralized unified communications platform, while Zoom is typically easier to set up and operate.

However, recent security concerns have been raised against Zoom, which might be a red flag for users dealing with sensitive or confidential content. Hence, if security is a primary concern, this factor could influence your choice.

The better option depends on your specific needs. For quick and straightforward setup, Zoom is preferable. But for secure meetings where confidentiality matters, RingCentral is the safer choice.

Both RingCentral Glip and Zoom operate on a freemium model, offering basic features at no cost. RingCentral Office, however, is a paid-only service. The following provides an overview of their pricing structures.

RingCentral Office Pricing:

Zoom Meeting Plans:

All listed prices are annual, with discounts often available for larger groups or longer-term commitments.

Both platforms offer multiple plans suited to different needs. Zoom provides a wider variety of options, whereas Glip tends to be more budget-friendly. If you’re interested in a detailed comparison of Zoom against other webinar tools, see my review of Zoom vs. other top webinar platforms.

Platforms like RingCentral and Zoom benefit a wide range of users. Companies needing remote team communication, schools facilitating distance learning, and individuals keeping in touch over long distances can all find value in these tools. Using such software can greatly improve collaboration, as physical barriers are eliminated, enabling idea sharing and problem-solving in real time.

Video conferencing also supports face-to-face interactions, where body language and non-verbal cues can strengthen team bonds and trust. Educational institutions can reach students anywhere, providing remote instruction that is especially critical for those with health or financial limitations. Universities and schools can also expand their networks globally, fostering international partnerships.

Even private individuals can stay connected with loved ones through high-quality audio and video, anytime and anywhere on desktops or mobile devices. When used effectively, this technology bridges distances and provides shared experiences despite geographical separation.

In conclusion, both Zoom and RingCentral offer excellent options for video conferencing. Zoom is particularly suited for organizations seeking quick and straightforward meetings, while RingCentral excels in security and enterprise-grade features. Ultimately, your choice should be guided by your specific needs and priorities.