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RingCentral Video vs Telegram

RingCentral Video logo

RingCentral Video

Software

Connected cloud communications

From
$19.99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Telegram logo

Telegram

Software

Pure instant messaging — simple, fast, secure, and synced across all your devices

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Telegram has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: 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; Telegram end-to-end encryption applies only to Secret Chats; private and group Cloud Chats use server-client encryption, so Telegram holds the data
  • They diverge on capability: RingCentral Video covers HD video conferencing, Telegram covers Cloud-based messaging.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where RingCentral Video and Telegram differ
AttributeRingCentral VideoTelegram
Starting price$19.99/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Windows, Macos, Ios, AndroidWeb, Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android
Founded19992013

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

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 RingCentral Video

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

Only in Telegram

  • Cloud-based messaging
  • Self-destructing messages
  • Large group chats
  • Voice and video calls
  • Bot platform
  • Channels and broadcasts
  • Cross-platform sync
  • Bot API

Both cover

  • End-to-end encryption

What people use each for

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

RingCentral Video

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

Telegram

  • Group messaging and large channels with files of any type and sizenot RingCentral Video
  • Private device-bound conversations with self-destructing messagesnot RingCentral Video
  • Running bots and broadcast channels for an audiencenot RingCentral Video

Where each one falls short

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

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

Telegram

  • End-to-end encryption applies only to Secret Chats; private and group Cloud Chats use server-client encryption, so Telegram holds the data
  • Secret Chats are device-specific and are not part of the Telegram cloud, so they can only be read on the device they started on
  • Logging out destroys all of your Secret Chats
  • The Secret Chat self-destruct timer applies only to messages sent after the timer is set and has no effect on earlier messages
  • Telegram states screenshot detection cannot be guaranteed on some Android and Windows Phone devices, so screenshots of Secret Chats can be taken silently
  • Messages cannot be forwarded out of Secret Chats
  • The self-destruct timer in cloud chats covers media only, not text

Pricing, plan by plan

RingCentral Video

$19.99/month
  • Essentials$19.99/month
    • Video meetings
    • Phone service
    • Text messaging
  • Standard$27.99/month
    • Everything in Essentials
    • Advanced meeting controls
    • Call recording
  • Premium$34.99/month
    • Everything in Standard
    • Advanced security features
    • Compliance recording
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Unlimited everything
    • Custom deployment
    • Dedicated account manager

Telegram

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Unlimited messages
    • 2GB file sharing
    • Group chats up to 200K members
  • Telegram Premium$4.99/month
    • Everything in Free
    • 4GB file uploads
    • Faster downloads

Which should you pick?

Choose RingCentral Video if

  • You need hd video conferencing.
  • You work on Web, Windows, Macos, Ios, Android.
  • You also want voice and video calling.
RingCentral Video review

Choose Telegram if

  • You need cloud-based messaging.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android.
  • You also want self-destructing messages.
Telegram review

Questions people ask

Is RingCentral Video or Telegram better?
Neither clearly leads. RingCentral Video starts at $19.99/month and Telegram at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, RingCentral Video or Telegram?
Telegram has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $19.99/month for RingCentral Video and Free for Telegram.
Does RingCentral Video or Telegram run on more platforms?
RingCentral Video runs on Web, Windows, Macos, Ios, Android. Telegram runs on Web, Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android.
Can I use Telegram for free?
Yes. Telegram has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. RingCentral Video starts at $19.99/month.
What is RingCentral Video best used for?
RingCentral Video is most often used for cloud business phone system with video meetings and team messaging, replacing on-premise pbx hardware for distributed teams. Of those, cloud business phone system with video meetings and team messaging and replacing on-premise pbx hardware for distributed teams are not what Telegram is typically brought in for.
What can RingCentral Video do that Telegram cannot?
RingCentral Video covers HD video conferencing, Voice and video calling, Screen sharing, Virtual backgrounds. Telegram covers Cloud-based messaging, Self-destructing messages, Large group chats, Voice and video calls. Both handle End-to-end encryption.
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