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RingCentral vs Signal

RingCentral logo

RingCentral

Software

Unified communications platform for enterprise

From
$24.99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Signal logo

Signal

Software

Speak Freely

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Signal has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: RingCentral the pricing page shows no per user rate until you enter a user count, so the headline plan cost is not published outright; Signal signal must be installed on a phone before the desktop app can be used, so there is no phone-free desktop-only account
  • They diverge on capability: RingCentral covers VoIP calling, Signal covers End-to-end encryption.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which RingCentral and Signal actually diverge.

Attributes where RingCentral and Signal differ
AttributeRingCentralSignal
Starting price$24.99/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionfree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Windows, Macos, Ios, AndroidWindows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android
Founded19992010

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

  • VoIP calling
  • Video conferencing
  • Team messaging
  • SMS/MMS
  • File storage
  • Call recording
  • Analytics
  • Salesforce

Only in Signal

  • End-to-end encryption
  • Disappearing messages
  • Screen security
  • Group chats
  • Voice calls
  • Video calls
  • File sharing
  • No data collection

Both cover

  • Cloud deployment
  • Windows support
  • Macos support
  • Ios support

What people use each for

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

RingCentral

  • Cloud phone system with business numbers, extensions and call routingnot Signal
  • Combining voice, video meetings and team messaging in one subscriptionnot Signal
  • Adding contact centre and analytics capability to a distributed workforcenot Signal

Signal

  • Private messagingnot RingCentral
  • Secure group communicationnot RingCentral
  • Confidential conversationsnot RingCentral
  • Journalism communicationnot RingCentral
  • Family messagingnot RingCentral

Where each one falls short

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

RingCentral

  • The pricing page shows no per user rate until you enter a user count, so the headline plan cost is not published outright
  • The advertised saving of up to 33 percent requires paying annually rather than monthly
  • Cost centre management, multiple support admins, custom roles and adoption analytics are limited to the Advanced and Ultra packages
  • AI Receptionist starts at $39 a month, Conversational Intelligence at $60 a month, the Call Queues Booster is $35 a month and the Business SMS Booster is $25 a month, all charged on top of the plan
  • SMS is excluded from the free trial

Signal

  • Signal must be installed on a phone before the desktop app can be used, so there is no phone-free desktop-only account

Pricing, plan by plan

RingCentral

$24.99/month
  • Essentials$24.99/month
    • Calls, meetings, messaging
    • Video conferencing
    • File sharing
  • Standard$34.99/month
    • Everything in Essentials
    • Advanced features
    • Call recording

Signal

Free
  • FreeFree
    • End-to-end encrypted messaging
    • Voice and video calls
    • Group chats

Which should you pick?

Choose RingCentral if

  • You need voip calling.
  • You work on Web, Windows, Macos, Ios, Android.
  • You also want video conferencing.
RingCentral review

Choose Signal if

  • You need end-to-end encryption.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android.
  • You also want disappearing messages.
Signal review

Questions people ask

Is RingCentral or Signal better?
Neither clearly leads. RingCentral starts at $24.99/month and Signal at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, RingCentral or Signal?
Signal has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $24.99/month for RingCentral and Free for Signal.
Does RingCentral or Signal run on more platforms?
RingCentral runs on Web, Windows, Macos, Ios, Android. Signal runs on Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android.
Can I use Signal for free?
Yes. Signal has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. RingCentral starts at $24.99/month.
What is RingCentral best used for?
RingCentral is most often used for cloud phone system with business numbers, extensions and call routing, combining voice, video meetings and team messaging in one subscription, adding contact centre and analytics capability to a distributed workforce. Of those, cloud phone system with business numbers, extensions and call routing and combining voice, video meetings and team messaging in one subscription are not what Signal is typically brought in for.
What can RingCentral do that Signal cannot?
RingCentral covers VoIP calling, Video conferencing, Team messaging, SMS/MMS. Signal covers End-to-end encryption, Disappearing messages, Screen security, Group chats. Both handle Cloud deployment, Windows support, Macos support, Ios support.
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Related pages

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