Grasshopper alternative

The selection of a VoIP provider might be one of the most important decisions for your business. Whether your priority is a price, set of tools or other, with such a wide range of VoIP service providers this might become a time-consuming task.

This article is aimed to make this task easier for you. We will compare two of the major VoIP providers: Grasshopper and Zadarma.

What Is Grasshopper?

Grasshopper is a virtual phone service launched in 2003, focusing exclusively on the USA and Canadian markets. It is best suited for solopreneurs, small local or remote businesses in the USA or Canada, and small teams on a budget that don’t require an extensive set of communication tools. It can only be used within the USA or Canada.

What is Zadarma?

Zadarma has been on the market since 2006 and has grown to over 2 000 000 users during its 19 years of service. The platform serves private users, small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), and enterprises. Zadarma is available globally and can be used from any country with just an internet connection.

Feature Comparison: Grasshopper vs. Zadarma

Features Zadarma Grasshopper
Phone number coverageOver 110 countriesUSA and Canada
Phone number typesMobile, landline, toll-free, nationalVanity, local or toll-free (no mobile)
Unlimited calling to the USA and CanadaIncluded in Office and Corporation plansIncluded in each plan
VoIP international callsGloballyTo some countries
PriceFrom $5From $14
Unlimited texting to the USA/CanadaPaid separately per SMS (USA $0.02, Canada $0.035). Global SMS available.Included in plans. No international texting.
Customized greetings++
Call forwarding and transfer++
Voicemail to email++
Extensions++
SenderID registration++
AppsFor Android, iOS, macOS, WindowsFor Android, iOS, macOS, Windows
Voicemail transcription++
Call recording++
Call flow++
Call blasting++
Hold music++
Business hours++
Customer service and support24/7 human support by chat, phone, ticket, and emailChat is bot-only. 24/7 human support requires a call
Can be used from anywhere+From the US and Canada only
Free trial14 days7 days
E-faxReceive, sending is not guaranteedReceive only
Instant response toolVia API+
Number portingFrom 40 countries, including the USA and CanadaUSA and Canada
Speech recognition+-
Video conferencing+-
CRM+-
CRM and AI integration+-
SIP-trunk+-
Team chat+-
Multi-level auto attendant+-
Call monitoring+-
Pay as you go+-
Auto dialer+-
Desk phone integration+-
Website widgets+-
Virtual receptionist-Plans include some minutes. Additional minutes are charged separately.

Grasshopper Pros and Cons

Pricing plans

Grasshopper offers three plans - True Solo, Solo Plus, and Small Business - starting at $14 per month with annual billing. Plans include phone numbers, unlimited domestic calling, unlimited business texting, IVR, voicemail to email, call recording, instant response tool and more. Monthly payments are also available. Pay-as-you-go option is not available.

The service primarily supports incoming and outgoing calls. As well as business texting, once the SMS registration process is complete. You can also make international calls to certain countries for an additional fee.

Still, Grasshopper can only be used within the US and Canada. Therefore, if you travel or work from abroad, service cannot be guaranteed.

However, Grasshopper ranks among the most straightforward and lightweight solutions currently available on the market.

Virtual receptionist

One of the great features that Grasshopper offers to its customers is a Virtual Receptionist. It is a human receptionist who can handle simple tasks such as answering calls, taking messages, transferring callers, and more. The basic plan includes 50 free minutes. You can obtain additional minutes by upgrading your plan or paying per minute.

Customer support

At Grasshopper, customer support is available 24/7 by phone. However, there is no live human chat - only a bot with limited capabilities. While you can submit a support ticket, the process requires filling out a form and then following up with a phone call.

The takeaways

Overall, Grasshopper is a user-friendly, simple, and affordable phone system. It is designed for small businesses in the USA or Canada seeking a straightforward solution with a basic set of tools.

Zadarma Pros and Cons

Pricing plans

Zadarma offers several pricing plans for 8 different regions. Economy and Standard (pay-as-you-go), and Office and Corporation, available on a monthly or annual basis. The Corporation plan allows for up to 20× the standard plan size.

Zadarma price plans

Pay-as-you-go plans start from as little as $5. For the USA and Canada, the Office and Corporation plans include phone numbers and unlimited VoIP calls within the region. They also provide additional minutes to certain international destinations. Prices start at $39 per month when billed annually.

These plans also include multilevel IVR, video calls, a built-in CRM, integrations with leading CRM and AI platforms, and much more. Zadarma also offers phone numbers in more than 110 countries, as well as low-cost international calling worldwide.

One limitation is texting: plans do not include unlimited SMS. Similar to Grasshopper, you can send text messages after completing the SMS registration process. Zadarma charges $0.02 per SMS in the USA and $0.035 per SMS in Canada.

With Zadarma, you can register a Canadian or USA toll-free number as a Sender ID. Whereas, Grasshopper also allows registration of landline numbers.

Advanced features

The company’s main focus is to provide a cost-effective, advanced set of tools for building a customized phone system. Zadarma offers multilevel IVR and integrations with major CRM and AI platforms. Along with other advanced features, it stands out as a global communications provider. Zadarma supports the use of third-party services businesses are already familiar with.

Customer support

Zadarma offers 24/7 human support via chat, tickets, email, and phone.

Mobile phone numbers

The company provides mobile phones in 27 countries, including the USA and Canada.

The takeaways

Overall, Zadarma is an all-in-one VoIP communication service suitable for both private users and businesses that need a user-friendly yet powerful set of tools to operate locally or globally.

Final Thoughts

As these VoIP reviews show, Grasshopper is a great choice for solopreneurs or small businesses in the USA and Canada. It provides a simple, straightforward phone system. In contrast, Zadarma provides a unified communication platform suitable for users locally or globally. It offers both customizable simple and complex phone systems.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Grasshopper works?

Grasshopper mainly uses your cellular provider for calls. But you can also switch to VoIP or Wi-Fi calling in areas with poor reception. To start using Grasshopper, you need to sign up and choose a plan.

With the plan, you will receive a business phone number, or you can port an existing one. Next, download the application, and start using Grasshopper. You can use Grasshopper from the USA and Canada only.

How Zadarma works?

To use Zadarma, you need an internet connection or mobile data. Register for an account and select your desired plan and phone numbers. Set up additional tools, such as the cloud PBX with the setup assistant, download the app, and start making and receiving calls.

You can also port your existing phone number. You can use Zadarma from any location worldwide.

What is the best VoIP for small business?

Both Grasshopper and Zadarma can be used by small businesses, depending on the set of tools you require. Grasshopper offers a simple, straightforward system for the USA and Canadian markets. In comparison, Zadarma supports both local and global reach. It provides a wide range of communication tools for businesses of any size.

How to choose the best VoIP provider?

First, decide which market you will be targeting - USA and Canada, or other countries. Consider all the features you might need. Such as texting, CRM, integrations, single or multi-level IVR, voicemail, budget, and more.

Then, based on your list of requirements, visit the websites of VoIP service providers. Or contact their support teams for quick assistance.