RingBase vs Ooma Canada: Which Business Phone System Is Better?
Ooma is a well-known name in business VoIP, especially in the US. Their Canadian offering (Ooma Canada) targets small businesses with a straightforward phone system. But how does it compare to RingBase for Canadian teams?
Pricing
| RingBase | Ooma Canada | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | CA$17.99/mo | CA$24.95/mo (Essentials) |
| Mid-tier | Mid plan | CA$29.95/mo (Pro) |
| Top tier | Pro plan | CA$34.95/mo (Pro Plus) |
| Contract | No | No |
| Free trial | — | No |
RingBase saves a 5-person team approximately CA$420/year compared to Ooma Essentials.
Feature Comparison
Texting / SMS
This is Ooma's biggest gap. Ooma Essentials has no texting at all. You need to upgrade to Pro ($29.95/mo) to send text messages. RingBase includes SMS on all plans.
For businesses that use texting for appointment confirmations, lead follow-ups, or customer communication, this alone makes Ooma Essentials a non-starter.
Call Recording
Ooma doesn't offer call recording on Essentials or Pro. It's only available on Pro Plus at CA$34.95/mo. RingBase includes call recording on all plans.
Auto-Attendant
Both offer auto-attendant (virtual receptionist). Ooma includes it on all plans, and RingBase does too. This is a draw.
Desk Phone Support
Both support SIP desk phones. Ooma sells their own hardware (Ooma phones), while RingBase works with popular third-party brands like Grandstream, Yealink, and Fanvil — giving you more choice and often lower prices.
Browser Phone / Softphone
RingBase includes a browser-based softphone — make calls from any computer with no software install. Ooma offers a desktop app and mobile app but no browser-based calling.
Bilingual Support (EN/FR)
RingBase has built-in bilingual auto-attendant support for English and French. Ooma doesn't offer this natively — you'd need to manually configure separate greetings or use workarounds.
What Ooma Does Well
- Brand recognition — Ooma has been around since 2004 and is publicly traded
- Video conferencing — Ooma Pro includes video meetings (25 participants)
- Analog phone adapter — If you have existing analog phones, Ooma's adapter lets you keep using them
Where RingBase Wins
- Price — CA$7/user/month cheaper than Ooma Essentials
- SMS included — Not locked behind a $30/mo plan
- Call recording included — Not locked behind a $35/mo plan
- Browser phone — No software install needed
- Bilingual auto-attendant — Built for Canadian businesses
- Canadian-first design — Prices in CAD, CRTC compliant, Canadian support
The Verdict
Ooma is a solid, established provider — but their Canadian pricing puts core features (texting, call recording) behind expensive upgrades. If you're a Canadian small business that needs a complete phone system without paying $35/user/month, RingBase gives you more features at a lower price.
Start with RingBase at CA$17.99/month. No contracts, no surprise upgrades required.