Softwr

Communication · head to head

Line vs RingCentral Video

Line logo

Line

Communication

Messaging app that dominates Japan, Taiwan and Thailand, now run by LY Corporation under joint SoftBank and Naver ownership

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
RingCentral Video logo

RingCentral Video

Communication

Connected cloud communications

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Line line has negligible market share outside Japan, Taiwan and Thailand, so it is the wrong choice for reaching contacts in most other regions.; RingCentral Video unlimited calling is limited to the US and Canada markets; other international calls are charged per minute at the published international rates table
  • They diverge on capability: Line covers Line Pay, RingCentral Video covers HD video conferencing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Line and RingCentral Video actually diverge.

Attributes where Line and RingCentral Video differ
AttributeLineRingCentral Video
Pricing modelFree to download, paid stickers and business messaging tierssubscription
PlatformsiOS, Android, Windows, macOS, WebWeb, Windows, Macos, Ios, Android
FoundedUnknown1999

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Communication).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Line

  • Line Pay
  • Official Accounts
  • Stickers and themes
  • Line News
  • Group and open chat
  • Timeline

Only in RingCentral Video

  • HD video conferencing
  • Voice and video calling
  • Screen sharing
  • Virtual backgrounds
  • Recording and transcription
  • Chat and messaging
  • Calendar integration
  • Meeting attendee controls

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Line

  • A business selling to consumers in Japan that needs an Official Account rather than email or SMS to reach customersnot RingCentral Video
  • An individual keeping in touch with contacts in Japan, Taiwan or Thailand where Line, not WhatsApp, is the defaultnot RingCentral Video
  • A brand running promotions through Line stickers or Timeline content aimed at a Japanese audiencenot RingCentral Video
  • A company processing consumer payments in Japan through Line Pay integrationnot RingCentral Video

RingCentral Video

  • Cloud business phone system with video meetings and team messagingnot Line
  • Replacing on-premise PBX hardware for distributed teamsnot Line

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Line

  • Line has negligible market share outside Japan, Taiwan and Thailand, so it is the wrong choice for reaching contacts in most other regions.
  • A 2021 incident exposed that some user data had been accessible from servers operated in China, which led to a formal restructuring of data governance and remains a reference point for privacy sensitive users.
  • Standard chats are not end to end encrypted by default in the way Signal is; Letter Sealing, an opt-in encryption feature, has to be manually enabled per chat.
  • Business messaging through Official Accounts becomes expensive quickly once a company exceeds the free monthly message allowance and moves to a metered plan.
  • Ownership sits inside a SoftBank and Naver joint venture with a history of governance disputes between the two partners, which creates strategic uncertainty for enterprise customers relying on the platform long term.

RingCentral Video

  • Unlimited calling is limited to the US and Canada markets; other international calls are charged per minute at the published international rates table
  • The free trial is only for new subscribers and is capped at five users and two desktop phones, with SMS unavailable during the trial
  • Trial hardware must be returned within 21 days of trial cancellation to avoid hardware charges
  • Phone rental is available only with a multi-year contract
  • Automated, high volume or marketing SMS costs extra as RingCentral High Volume SMS, and TCR registration is required for SMS and MMS
  • A Mobile User extension is free to add but is billed at the same monthly rate as a Digital Line in any month it is used to make or receive a call
  • The Webinar 500 discount lasts one year on a one year commitment, after which pricing reverts to $75 per host per month or the then current retail price
  • Taxes and recovery fees including the Federal Universal Service Recovery Fee, E911 Service Fee and Compliance and Administrative Cost Recovery Fee are added on top
  • The advertised savings of up to 33% require paying annually

Pricing, plan by plan

Line

Free
  • LineFree
    • Free messaging, voice and video calling
    • Individual sticker sets typically cost a few hundred yen each
    • Line Official Account has a free tier with message volume limits, then paid tiers by monthly message count

RingCentral Video

Free
  • AI Receptionist$39/month
    • Starts at $39
  • Conversational Intelligence$60/month
    • Starts at $60
  • Call Queues Booster$35/month
    • $35 per month
  • Business SMS Booster$25/month
    • $25 per month

Which should you pick?

Choose Line if

  • You need line pay.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android, Windows, macOS, Web.
  • You also want official accounts.
Line review

Choose RingCentral Video if

  • You need hd video conferencing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Windows, Macos, Ios, Android.
  • You also want voice and video calling.
RingCentral Video review

Questions people ask

Is Line or RingCentral Video better?
Neither clearly leads. Line starts at Free and RingCentral Video at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Line or RingCentral Video?
Line starts at Free and RingCentral Video at Free.
Does Line or RingCentral Video run on more platforms?
Line runs on iOS, Android, Windows, macOS, Web. RingCentral Video runs on Web, Windows, Macos, Ios, Android.
Can I use Line for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Line best used for?
Line is most often used for a business selling to consumers in japan that needs an official account rather than email or sms to reach customers, an individual keeping in touch with contacts in japan, taiwan or thailand where line, not whatsapp, is the default, a brand running promotions through line stickers or timeline content aimed at a japanese audience, a company processing consumer payments in japan through line pay integration. Of those, a business selling to consumers in japan that needs an official account rather than email or sms to reach customers and an individual keeping in touch with contacts in japan, taiwan or thailand where line, not whatsapp, is the default are not what RingCentral Video is typically brought in for.
What can Line do that RingCentral Video cannot?
Line covers Line Pay, Official Accounts, Stickers and themes, Line News. RingCentral Video covers HD video conferencing, Voice and video calling, Screen sharing, Virtual backgrounds.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Line: Is Line encrypted by default?

Chats use standard transport encryption, but full end to end Letter Sealing encryption must be turned on manually per conversation, it is not the default.

RingCentral Video: How much does RingCentral Video cost?

AI Receptionist starts at $39 per month, Conversational Intelligence starts at $60 per month. Main video plan pricing requires entering your user count on the website for personalized quotes.

Source
Line: Does Line work well outside Japan, Taiwan and Thailand?

Technically yes, but almost nobody uses it as their primary messenger outside those markets, so it is the wrong choice to reach most other audiences.

RingCentral Video: Does RingCentral offer discounts?

Yes, save up to 33% by paying annually instead of monthly. A 14-day free trial is available for new subscribers with up to 20 phone lines.

Source
Line: Who owns Line now?

LY Corporation, formed from a merger of Line and Yahoo Japan businesses, controlled by A Holdings, a joint venture between SoftBank and Naver.

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