RingBase vs Quo (OpenPhone): Complete 2026 Comparison for Canadian Businesses
Quo (formerly OpenPhone) was one of the first modern VoIP apps built for small businesses. They rebranded from OpenPhone to Quo in 2025, raised prices, and pivoted toward an "AI-powered front office" positioning. But is the new Quo still the right fit for a Canadian small business that just needs a reliable phone system?
What Changed with the Rebrand?
When OpenPhone became Quo in 2025, several things changed:
- Prices increased from $15/user/month to $19/user/month (USD)
- The focus shifted toward AI features and "front office automation"
- The brand caused confusion — many users didn't realize Quo was their existing provider
- Some users reported starting to look for alternatives during the transition
Pricing Comparison
| RingBase | Quo (OpenPhone) | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | CA$17.99/mo | $19 USD/mo (~CA$26) |
| Currency | Canadian dollars | USD only |
| Annual discount | 20% off | ~20% off ($15 USD/mo annual) |
| Free trial | — | 7 days (texting disabled) |
| Contract | No | No |
Even on Quo's annual plan ($15 USD = ~CA$21/mo), RingBase is still cheaper at CA$17.99/mo. And RingBase prices in Canadian dollars — no exchange rate surprises on your credit card.
The Support Problem
This is Quo's most criticized weakness. They offer email-only support. No phone support. No live chat. For a phone company.
G2 reviews consistently mention:
- "When your phone system goes down and you can only email for help, it's a nightmare"
- "Response times can be 24-48 hours during outages"
- "No way to escalate urgent issues"
RingBase provides email support with fast response times. When your phone system is your business lifeline, waiting 48 hours for an email reply isn't acceptable.
Call Quality
Call quality issues are the #1 complaint on G2 for Quo. Users report:
- Dropped calls, especially on mobile
- Audio lag and echo
- Calls not coming through or ringing
RingBase is built on Twilio's infrastructure — the same carrier backbone used by Uber, Airbnb, and thousands of enterprises. Call quality is carrier-grade.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | RingBase | Quo |
|---|---|---|
| Auto-attendant / IVR | Yes, with extensions | Basic (no multi-level IVR on Starter) |
| Desk phone support | Yes (Grandstream, Yealink, Fanvil) | No — app only |
| Call recording | Included | Starter plan only records on-demand |
| Browser phone | Yes | Yes (desktop app) |
| Bilingual EN/FR | Built-in | No |
| SMS/Texting | Included | Included (disabled during trial) |
| Voicemail transcription | Yes | Yes |
| AI features | — | AI call summaries, suggested replies |
| CRM integrations | — | HubSpot, Salesforce, Slack |
Where Quo Wins
Credit where it's due — Quo has strengths:
- AI features — Call summaries, AI-suggested replies, and conversation intelligence
- CRM integrations — Native HubSpot, Salesforce, and Slack integrations
- Shared phone numbers — Multiple team members can share one number with conversation threading
- Polished mobile app — Years of iteration on mobile UX
Where RingBase Wins
- Price — CA$17.99 vs ~CA$26 (monthly) or ~CA$21 (annual USD)
- Canadian pricing — No USD exchange rate markup
- Desk phones — Office workers can use physical phones; Quo is app-only
- Auto-attendant with IVR — Full menu routing, not just basic greeting
- Bilingual — EN/FR auto-attendant for Quebec and bilingual businesses
- Call quality — Built on Twilio infrastructure vs. Quo's reported quality issues
- Support — Not limited to email-only
Who Should Choose What?
Choose Quo if: You need AI call summaries, deep CRM integrations, and shared numbers for a sales team. You're okay with email-only support and USD pricing.
Choose RingBase if: You want a reliable Canadian phone system at a lower price, need desk phone support, serve bilingual customers, or simply want a phone company that picks up the phone.
Try RingBase
Switch to RingBase at CA$17.99/month. No contracts, no USD conversion fees, and support that actually responds when your phones are down.