| Dimension | Microsoft Teams Phone | RingCentral |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Orgs fully invested in M365 needing basic calling | Orgs needing robust UCaaS independent of Microsoft |
| Licensing model | Add-on to M365 ($8–15/user/mo Calling Plan) or Direct Routing | Standalone subscription, $18–30/user/mo negotiated |
| Setup complexity | Low if M365 is already deployed; higher for Direct Routing | Moderate — separate app and admin portal |
| Video conferencing | Teams Meetings (excellent) | RingCentral Video (solid) |
| Call quality | Good; dependent on Microsoft's PSTN network or Direct Routing SBC | Good; carrier-grade SIP infrastructure |
| Contact center | Basic via Queues; third-party CCaaS needed for serious CC work | RingCX included; Contact Center add-on available |
| CRM integrations | Native Dynamics 365; Salesforce via app | Salesforce, HubSpot, 200+ native integrations |
| Admin portal | Teams Admin Center (familiar for M365 admins) | RingCentral Admin Portal (purpose-built for telephony) |
| Call recording | Requires Compliance Recording add-on (extra cost) | Included on Premium+ plans |
| Number porting | Supported; can be slow | Supported; faster in our experience |
| Sweet spot | 25–500 seats, M365-first shops with simple calling needs | 50–1,000 seats, complex routing, contact center requirements |
The bottom line
If your org is already paying for M365 E3 or E5, adding Teams Phone Calling Plans is often the cheapest path to cloud calling and avoids another vendor entirely. The trade-offs are real though: recording is an add-on, contact center capability is limited without a third-party CCaaS, and call routing flexibility lags behind a dedicated UCaaS platform. RingCentral wins on feature depth, integrations breadth, and contact center capability — and it integrates with Teams natively if you want to keep Teams for meetings. Many of our clients end up running Teams for collaboration and RingCentral for calls; the tools coexist cleanly.
Microsoft licensing and pricing changes frequently. Verify current M365 plan inclusions directly with Microsoft or your Microsoft partner. RingCentral pricing reflects commonly negotiated ranges as of Q2 2026. ITG Group is not affiliated with Microsoft or RingCentral.
Getting a real quote
Comparison pages can only tell you so much. Actual pricing depends on seat count, term length, geography, existing carrier relationships, and timing of your contract negotiation. ITG Group can run a real head-to-head quote for your exact situation at no cost to you — we're paid by the carrier you choose, not by you, and the flat commission structure means we have no reason to steer you one direction or the other.
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