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RingCentral is a legitimate, publicly traded cloud phone company (NYSE: RNG) founded in 1999, with $657 million in revenue last quarter and an A+ BBB rating. RingEX suits businesses that want a full-featured phone system with video, messaging and many integrations, and its 14-day trial lets you test up to 20 lines first. The problem area is billing and exits: its terms auto-renew each term unless you give 30 days' notice, ending a term early leaves you owing the rest of it, and that is the top complaint among its 543 BBB complaints and on Trustpilot, where it scores 1.7 out of 5. Put your renewal date in your calendar the day you sign.
- Company
- RingCentral, Inc., Belmont, California; NYSE: RNG; founded 1999; founder, chairman and CEO Vlad Shmunis3
- Size
- Revenue of $657 million in the quarter ended June 30, 2026, up 5.9%3
- RingEX price
- Core $20, Advanced $25, Ultra $35 per user a month billed annually; $30, $35 and $45 billed monthly, for one user, as listed October 20261
- Free trial
- 14 days for new subscribers only; up to 20 lines and up to 2 desk phones2
- Auto-renewal
- Service renews for the same term unless either side gives notice at least 30 days before the term ends4
- Early termination
- If you end service for any reason other than RingCentral's material breach, you owe the rest of the current term plus taxes and fees4
- BBB
- A+, accredited since August 25, 2004; 543 complaints in the last 3 years5
- Trustpilot
- 1.7 out of 5 from 2,006 reviews; 64% one star6
Pros
- Large public company with an A+ BBB rating
- 14-day free trial with up to 20 lines
- Calling, video and messaging in one app
- Monthly billing available on every plan
Cons
- Auto-renewing terms with a 30-day notice window
- Leaving early means paying the rest of the term
- Core plan includes only 25 SMS per user a month
- Trustpilot 1.7 out of 5, mostly over billing and cancellation
Best for: Multi-user businesses that want a full phone, video and messaging system with many integrations and can manage contract dates.
Skip it if: You want to be able to leave any month without paying out a term, or you text customers heavily on a small budget.
RingCentral vs. competitors
| Company | Entry price per user a month | Monthly option | Trial or guarantee | BBB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RingCentral | $20 billed annually | $30 | 14-day free trial | A+ |
| Nextiva | $15 billed annually | $23 | 30-day money back (limits apply) | A+ |
| Ooma Office | $19.95, no contract | $19.95 | A+ | |
| Dialpad | $15 billed annually | $27 | 14-day free trial | D- |
| Zoom Phone | $16 billed annually | $18 | D- |
RingCentral pricing at a glance
RingCentral RingEX plans, as listed October 2026 (price per user a month, 1 user, US)1
| Plan | Billed annually | Billed monthly | Adds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Core | $20 | $30 | Unlimited U.S. and Canada calling, 100 toll-free minutes and 25 SMS per user, video meetings, team messaging |
| Advanced | $25 | $35 | Admin and analytics features such as cost centers, custom roles and adoption analytics |
| Ultra | $35 | $45 | Top tier; full feature list on RingCentral's compare page |
| AI Receptionist add-on | $49 (one license) | $49 (one license) | AI answers and routes calls |
| Conversation Intelligence add-on | From $60 | From $60 | AI call insights for sales teams |
| Business SMS Booster | $25 | $25 | Shared texting inbox and templates |
Prices change with user count. Taxes and fees are extra, including the Federal Universal Service Recovery Fee, E911 Service Fee and a Compliance and Administrative Cost Recovery Fee. International calls are billed per minute. RingCentral says annual billing saves up to 33%.
RingCentral, step by step
Start a free trial or call sales
New customers can trial RingEX for 14 days with up to 20 lines, or get a quote for larger teams.
Pick a plan and term
Choose Core, Advanced or Ultra and monthly or annual billing. Your Order sets the initial term, which then auto-renews.
Port numbers and set up
Move your existing numbers, set up call routing and install the app on desktop and mobile, or add desk phones.
Add features as needed
AI Receptionist, Conversation Intelligence and SMS add-ons are billed on top and run on the same term.
Cancel or switch
Give written non-renewal notice at least 30 days before your term ends, and port your numbers out before service stops.
RingCentral legitimacy and licensing
Yes. RingCentral, Inc. was founded in 1999, is based in Belmont, California, and trades on the New York Stock Exchange as RNG. For the quarter ended June 30, 2026 it reported $657 million in revenue, up 5.9%, and $180 million in free cash flow. Founder Vlad Shmunis is chairman and CEO.
The BBB rates RingCentral A+ and has accredited it since 2004, though it logged 543 complaints in the last three years. We found no FCC or FTC enforcement action against RingCentral from 2024 to 2026.
RingCentral pricing explained
RingEX, the phone product formerly called MVP, has three plans for one U.S. user: Core at $20 a month billed annually or $30 monthly, Advanced at $25 or $35, and Ultra at $35 or $45. Core includes unlimited U.S. and Canada calling, 100 toll-free minutes and 25 business texts per user a month. Prices can change with the number of users, so check the price for your headcount.
Taxes and fees come on top, including the Federal Universal Service Recovery Fee, E911 Service Fee and a Compliance and Administrative Cost Recovery Fee. AI Receptionist is $49 a month for one license and Conversation Intelligence at $60. RingCentral can raise recurring charges at renewal if it gives notice at least 30 days before the term ends.
How RingCentral works
RingEX is a cloud phone system: calls route over the internet to the RingCentral app on your computer or phone, or to desk phones. It includes video meetings, team messaging and call routing in the same app. RingCentral says its phone service is 99.999% reliable. The 14-day trial is for new subscribers only and supports up to 20 lines and two desk phones.
What customers say about RingCentral
Recurring themes across the review sites and complaint records listed above, not individual quotes.
Common praise
- Smooth initial setup
- Reliable core calling features
- Wide feature set and integrations
- Helpful account managers in some cases
Common complaints
- Auto-renewals customers didn't expect
- Being billed after cancelling, or for the rest of a term
- Hard-to-reach support and long waits
- Difficult cancellation process
RingCentral complaints
On Trustpilot, 64% of RingCentral’s 2,006 reviews are one star. The same themes show up there and in its 543 BBB complaints over three years: renewals customers didn’t expect, billing after cancellation or for the rest of a term, slow support and a hard cancellation process. RingCentral replies to every negative Trustpilot review. Praise focuses on setup and call quality.
Most of these disputes come from the contract terms rather than service outages, so read your Order Form for the term length before signing.
How to cancel RingCentral without surprise charges
RingCentral’s Terms of Service say recurring services renew for a term of the same length unless either side gives notice at least 30 days before the current term ends. If you end service early for any reason other than RingCentral’s uncured material breach, you must pay, within 30 days, everything still owed for the rest of the term plus taxes and fees.
- Find your term end date in your Order Form or admin portal.
- Send written non-renewal notice more than 30 days before that date and keep proof.
- Port your phone numbers to the new provider before service ends, or you can lose them.
- If RingCentral breaches the contract, give written notice; it has 30 days to fix the problem before you can terminate for cause with a pro-rata refund.
Who should skip RingCentral
Skip RingCentral if you need the freedom to leave any month, if you send many texts on the Core plan, or if you’re a one-person business that only needs a second number. Ooma Office has no contract, and Nextiva and Dialpad list lower entry prices.
Alternatives to RingCentral
- Ooma Office No contract on any plan, which avoids RingCentral's auto-renewing terms for small offices. Read review
- Nextiva Lower entry price and a 30-day money-back guarantee, with similar 30-day renewal notice rules. Read review
- Zoom Phone Cheaper if your team already lives in Zoom meetings. Read review
- Free Google Voice for one person A solo owner who only needs a second number can start with a free personal Google Voice number before paying for a business system.
RingCentral reviews
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Frequently asked questions
Is RingCentral a legitimate company?
Yes. It's a public company on the NYSE, founded in 1999, with an A+ BBB rating and accreditation since 2004.
How much does RingCentral cost per month?
RingEX costs $20, $25 or $35 per user a month billed annually, or $30, $35 or $45 monthly, as listed October 2026 for one user. Taxes and fees are extra.
Does RingCentral have a free trial?
Yes. New subscribers get 14 days with up to 20 lines and up to 2 desk phones.
Does RingCentral auto-renew?
Yes. Service renews for the same term length unless you give notice at least 30 days before the current term ends.
Is there an early termination fee?
In effect, yes. If you end service early, the terms say you owe the rest of the current term plus taxes and fees, unless RingCentral materially breached the contract.
Why does RingCentral have bad reviews?
Most one-star reviews on Trustpilot and BBB complaints involve unexpected renewals, billing after cancellation and slow support, not call quality.
How do I cancel RingCentral?
Check your term end date, send written non-renewal notice at least 30 days before it, and port your numbers out before service ends.
What is RingEX?
RingEX is RingCentral's cloud phone, video and messaging product, formerly called RingCentral MVP.
Can RingCentral raise my price?
Yes, at renewal. Its terms say it will give notice of any increase at least 30 days before the term ends, effective on the first day of the next term.
RingCentral vs Nextiva: which is cheaper?
Nextiva's Core plan starts at $15 per user billed annually against RingCentral's $20. Both auto-renew unless you give 30 days' notice.
Sources (6)
Facts on this page come from company websites, government agencies and regulators, checked on the dates shown. Editorial standards
- RingCentral: RingEX plan price data used by its pricing page (US, 1 user) (accessed October 13, 2026)
- RingCentral: RingEX plans and pricing (accessed October 13, 2026)
- SEC: RingCentral second quarter 2026 results (Form 8-K, Exhibit 99.1) (accessed October 13, 2026)
- RingCentral: Online Terms of Service (accessed October 13, 2026)
- BBB: RingCentral, Inc. (accessed October 13, 2026)
- Trustpilot: RingCentral reviews (accessed October 13, 2026)
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