One of these is a video platform you buy on its own. The other is a unified phone, video, and messaging system where video is just one feature of a larger subscription, and that changes what the price tag is actually paying for.
Zoom Workplace and RingCentral RingEX rarely compete on equal footing, and that is the point of this comparison. Zoom sells video conferencing as a standalone product. RingCentral sells a unified communications platform where video is bundled alongside business phone service, team messaging, and SMS, and its pricing reflects that broader scope, not just a camera and a meeting link.
Zoom Workplace‘s Pro plan is $14.16/user/month, video-only. RingCentral RingEX‘s cheapest video-capable tier, Standard, is $27.99/user/month, bundling phone, video, and messaging together.
| Feature | Zoom Workplace | RingCentral RingEX |
|---|---|---|
| Entry price | $14.16/mo (Pro, video included) | $19.99/mo (Essentials, no video) |
| Cheapest tier with video meetings | $14.16/mo | $27.99/mo (Standard) |
| Participants on cheapest video tier | 100 | 100 |
| Business phone system included | ✗ | ✓ All tiers |
| AI Assistant included at no extra cost | ✓ (meetings only) | ✓ (calls, chat, and meetings) |
| Our overall score | 4.8/5 | 4.3/5 |
Pricing: what you’re actually paying for is different
RingEX’s entry plan doesn’t even include video meetings.
Bottom line: RingCentral RingEX's cheapest plan, Essentials, is $19.99/user/month billed annually and does not include video meetings at all; it covers phone and messaging only. Video meetings first appear on the Standard plan at $27.99/user/month, supporting 100 participants and 24-hour meetings, nearly double Zoom Pro's $14.16/user/month for the same 100-participant video capability. The gap narrows only once you factor in that RingEX's price also buys a full business phone system that Zoom does not offer at any tier. For a team that only wants video, Zoom is the dramatically cheaper option; for a team that wants phone and video from a single vendor, RingEX's price starts making more sense.
Do not assume RingEX's cheapest Essentials plan includes video meetings. It does not; you need to budget for Standard at $27.99/user/month to get any video calling capability at all.
AI Assistant scope: meetings only vs the whole platform
Both include AI at no extra cost, but over very different surface area.
Bottom line: Zoom's AI Companion is included free from Pro up, covering meeting summaries and in-meeting questions inside video calls specifically. RingCentral has stated its AI Assistant is included in RingEX at no additional cost, and because RingEX spans phone, video, and team messaging, that AI coverage extends further: real-time call transcription, message drafting and translation, and meeting summaries across the whole communications stack, not just inside video. For a team that only cares about AI inside video meetings, Zoom's version is simpler. For a team using RingCentral for calls and chat as well, RingCentral's AI Assistant covers more of the workday.
Participant capacity as you move up each ladder
Both platforms top out around the same number at their mid tiers.
Bottom line: Zoom Pro and RingEX Standard both cap video meetings at 100 participants. Moving up, Zoom Business at $18.33/user/month raises the limit to 300, while RingEX's Premium and Ultimate tiers, at $34.99 and $49.99/user/month respectively, raise the video limit to 200. Neither platform's video capacity is dramatically ahead of the other at comparable price points; the real differentiator in this comparison remains what else the subscription includes, not how many people can join a call.
Should I choose Zoom Workplace or RingCentral RingEX?
Bottom line: Zoom Workplace suits teams that want video conferencing as a standalone purchase at the lowest possible price; RingCentral RingEX suits organizations that want phone, video, and messaging unified under one vendor and one bill.
- You only need video conferencing, not a business phone system
- You want the lowest price for video meetings specifically
- Your team already has a separate phone or UCaaS provider
- You want the higher-rated platform at 4.8/5
- AI inside meetings is all the AI coverage you need
- You want business phone, video, and team messaging under one vendor
- You want AI Assistant coverage across calls and chat, not just video
- You're consolidating multiple communications tools into one bill
- You don't mind paying more per month for a wider feature set
- SMS and team messaging matter as much as video to your workflow
For teams that specifically need video conferencing and nothing else, Zoom Workplace is the clearer value: a higher score, video included from its cheapest paid tier, and a price nearly half of RingEX's cheapest video-capable plan.
But RingCentral RingEX is the right call for organizations consolidating communications tools: a business phone system, video, team messaging, and SMS from one vendor, with an AI Assistant RingCentral says spans the whole platform rather than just meetings.
Before comparing prices directly, confirm what each number buys. Zoom's price is for video alone; RingEX's price, even at its cheapest video-capable tier, includes a full business phone system Zoom does not offer.
The most common questions teams ask when choosing between Zoom Workplace and RingCentral RingEX Zoom Workplace scores 4.8/5 against RingCentral RingEX's 4.3/5 in our testing, and it is also the cheaper way to buy video specifically, with Pro at $14.16/user/month versus RingEX Standard, RingCentral's first tier that includes video meetings, at $27.99/user/month. RingCentral is the better pick for teams that want phone, video, and team messaging bundled into a single unified platform rather than buying video on its own. Zoom Workplace's Pro plan is $14.16/user/month billed annually. RingCentral RingEX's cheapest tier, Essentials at $19.99/user/month, does not include video meetings at all; video only starts on the Standard tier at $27.99/user/month, which supports 100 participants. Buying video alone through RingEX costs nearly double what Zoom charges for the same thing. No. RingEX's entry Essentials plan, at $19.99/user/month annually, does not include video meetings. Video meetings begin on the Standard plan at $27.99/user/month, with a 100-participant limit, rising to 200 participants on the Premium and Ultimate tiers. Yes. RingCentral has stated its AI Assistant is included in RingEX at no additional cost, covering call transcription, meeting summaries, and message drafting and translation across the platform, not just inside video meetings. Zoom Workplace is a dedicated video conferencing platform with its own standalone pricing. RingCentral RingEX is a unified communications platform that bundles business phone service, video meetings, team messaging, and SMS into tiered plans, meaning its price reflects a wider feature set than video alone.Frequently asked questions: Zoom Workplace vs RingCentral RingEX
Is Zoom Workplace or RingCentral RingEX better?
How much does Zoom Workplace cost vs RingCentral RingEX?
Does RingCentral RingEX include video meetings on every plan?
Does RingCentral include an AI Assistant for free?
What is the difference between Zoom Workplace and RingCentral RingEX?
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