Line vs RingCentral: which suits a UK small business?
RingCentral RingEX is a full office phone system: call queues, desk phones, video meetings and 24/7 phone support, cheapest on a yearly contract for 20 or more people. It cannot send texts from UK numbers. Line is built for small UK teams whose customers text: SMS and WhatsApp on your business number in one shared inbox, an AI receptionist, and no contract.
Prices and features checked
- Missed call12:31 · the team was on site
Sorry we missed you. This is Brightwell Electrical. Reply here and we will get back to you this afternoon.
Missed-call text, sent automaticallyNeed an EICR for a rental flat in Leeds. Any availability next week?
SMS · 12:33Internal note
Assigned to Priya. Landlord, EICR, LS6.
Hi James, Priya here. Tuesday 10am or Thursday 2pm?
SMS · PriyaTuesday please. I'll WhatsApp you the tenant's number.
WhatsApp · 12:47
Line or RingCentral: the short answer
- Customers text you, or you want to text them, from your UK business number
- You want WhatsApp, texts and calls in one inbox the whole team shares
- You are a team of one to ten and want to pay monthly with no contract
- You want an AI receptionist without a separate add-on bill
- You run an office of 20 or more with desk phones, call queues and hot desking
- You need call recording, video meetings and Microsoft 365 or Salesforce integrations
- You want 24/7 phone support on every plan
- You call across Europe often and want those minutes included
Line vs RingCentral at a glance
Published UK prices and features, checked against RingCentral's own pages.
| Feature | Line | RingCentral |
|---|---|---|
| Price | From £4 a month with one UK number, plus 5p a minute for calls you make and 8p a text | Standard £18.99 a user a month, or £14.99 on a yearly plan, for 2 to 19 users. One user pays £23.99, or £19.99 yearly |
| Contract | Monthly. No contract and no setup fee | Renews for the same length unless you give 30 days' notice. Leaving early costs the rest of the term |
| Texts on a UK number | Yes. Two-way SMS on UK 07 numbers, on every plan | Not available. UK SMS was planned for Q3 2026 and has not launched |
| UK mobile (07) numbers | Yes, included on every plan | Not offered. Local, 0800, 03 and international numbers only |
| Yes, on the same number and in the same inbox | Only in the RingCX contact centre, from £52 a user a month on a yearly plan | |
| Shared inbox | Calls, voicemails, texts, WhatsApp, web chat and email in one thread per customer | Team chat and shared lines. No shared inbox for customer texts on UK numbers |
| AI receptionist | AI receptionist answers calls in a British voice. Included on Pro and Business, an add-on on Starter | AI Receptionist add-on, £32 an account a month for 100 minutes, then 40p a minute |
| AI call notes | Transcripts of voicemails and of calls the AI receptionist answers | AI notes and live transcription free on Standard and above. Voicemail to text on Premium |
| Call handling | Opening hours, ring groups, forwarding and voicemail. No call recording, call transfer or call queues | Multi-level call menu, call queues, recording, transfer, park and paging from Standard |
| Apps and hardware | iPhone app and web app. No desk phones | iOS, Android and desktop apps. Poly and Yealink desk phones, rented only on a multi-year contract |
| Integrations | REST API and webhooks. Google and Microsoft calendars for the AI receptionist | Microsoft 365, Google and Slack from Standard. Salesforce, HubSpot and Zendesk from Premium |
| 999 calls | Does not carry 999 calls. Dial 999 from the phone's own dialler | From desk phones and the desktop app. The mobile app cannot call 999 over Wi-Fi |
| Free trial | Free demo call with the AI receptionist. No free trial | Up to 5 users and 50 minutes each. Length not published |
| Support | Live chat, email, WhatsApp and phone, in UK working hours | 24/7 phone and chat on every plan |
RingCentral pricing UK (2026)
RingCentral prices RingEX per user, and the price falls as the team grows: one user pays the most, then 2 to 19, 20 to 99 and 100 or more. These are the 2 to 19 user prices. One user pays £5 a month more on every plan.
| Plan | Monthly billing | Yearly contract | What it adds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essentials | £12.99 | £7.99 | Under 20 users only. 100 UK and EMEA minutes per user, a business number, team messaging. No call menu, recording or video. |
| Standard | £18.99 | £14.99 | 750 minutes per user, multi-level call menu, on-demand recording, video meetings, AI notes, Microsoft 365 and Google. |
| Premium | £23.99 | £19.99 | 2,000 minutes per user, automatic recording, voicemail to text, overflow queues, whisper and barge, Salesforce, HubSpot and Zendesk. |
| Ultimate | £28.99 | £24.99 | 4,000 minutes per user, device alerts and longer analytics. Sold through sales only. |
What the headline price leaves out
- The AI Receptionist is an add-on: £32 an account a month for 100 minutes, then 40p a minute, billed in 30-second steps.
- Call Queues Booster, with queue position and callback, is a £28 a month add-on.
- Extra local, 0800 and 03 numbers cost £2 a month each. UK calls beyond the bundle cost 3p a minute.
- Desk phones are rented only on a multi-year contract. Hardware prices are published in US dollars.
- WhatsApp needs RingCX, the contact centre, from £52 a user a month on a yearly plan.
Is Line cheaper than RingCentral?
For a team of one to ten, Line usually costs less, and it includes texting and WhatsApp that RingCentral does not sell on UK numbers. One RingCentral user on Standard pays £23.99 a month, or £19.99 on a yearly contract, plus £32 a month if they want the AI Receptionist. For an office of 20 or more on a yearly contract, RingCentral's falling per-user price and included minutes can cost less than Line's per-minute calls. Line's Pro and Business plans have no per-user charge.
Price your own team
200 minutes and 50 texts a month each
- Line£60.25 /mo£723 a year · Pro
- RingCentral£94.95 /mo£1,139.40 a year
Seat prices are each provider's published price for the plan a small team would buy, with UK calls included up to the provider's fair use limit. Line charges a plan fee plus the calls and texts you use. Handsets, extra numbers and add-ons are not included.
Can RingCentral send texts from a UK number?
No. RingCentral does not offer SMS on UK numbers. It marked UK SMS as planned for Q3 2026, and that date has passed without a launch. Line sends and receives texts on a UK 07 number on every plan.
RingCentral
RingCentral's UK request for SMS has been open since 2020. In April 2026 RingCentral said UK SMS was coming soon and would use mobile numbers, but it does not sell UK 07 numbers today. Its July 2026 UK release notes launched texting in Australia only.
Line
Every Line plan includes a UK 07 number that calls and texts. Replies land in a shared inbox, in the same thread as that customer's calls and voicemails, and anyone on the team can pick them up.
- Inbound call, 4 minTuesday · answered by Dan
- Missed callWednesday 18:20
Voicemail transcript
Hi, it's Sarah. Can you call me back about the quote for the bathroom?
Also free Friday morning if that's easier.
WhatsApp · 18:24Thanks Sarah. Dan will call you at 9 tomorrow.
SMS · Jo
How does RingCentral's AI Receptionist compare with Line's?
Both answer calls with AI. RingCentral's is a paid add-on at £32 an account a month for 100 minutes, then 40p a minute, with appointment booking still marked as coming soon in the UK. Line's AI receptionist is included with the Pro and Business plans and is an add-on on Starter.
RingCentral
RingCentral's AI Receptionist launched in the UK in September 2025. It answers in British, American or Australian English, French or Spanish, learns from your website and documents, and routes callers by name or reason. Because UK numbers cannot text, it cannot follow up a call by SMS in the UK.
Line
Line's AI receptionist answers in a British voice, takes the caller's details and leaves the transcript in the inbox. A Send Missed-Call SMS step can also text the caller from your number, so the conversation carries on by text.
- Inbound call, answered by the AI receptionist19:05 · after hours
Hartley Plumbing, you're through to Molly. How can I help?
Molly, AI receptionistMy radiator is cold at the top. Can someone look at it this week?
CallerI can arrange that. What is your postcode, and is this the best number to call you back on?
Molly, AI receptionistCallback request, logged by the receptionist
Radiator cold at the top. CF10. Prefers Thursday.
Does RingCentral support WhatsApp?
Not in RingEX, its phone system. WhatsApp comes with RingCX, RingCentral's contact centre, from £52 a user a month on a yearly plan. Line connects WhatsApp to your business number on every plan.
RingCentral
RingCentral announced WhatsApp for its AI Receptionist in May 2026, but its UK pages do not list it. Today a UK business that wants WhatsApp in RingCentral buys contact-centre licences.
Line
Connect WhatsApp from the Channels page using Meta's own sign-up. Customers message the number they already have, and WhatsApp threads sit next to calls and texts in the shared inbox.
Is RingCentral a contract?
Yes. RingCentral's UK terms renew each term for the same length unless you give notice at least 30 days before it ends, and leaving early means paying the rest of the term. Line is monthly with no contract.
RingCentral
Licences you add mid-term run to the same end date. Price rises take effect at renewal. To cancel, the account owner calls or chats with support, then the account is disabled for 30 days and its numbers, logs, messages and contacts are deleted.
Line
Line has no minimum term and no setup fee. You top up credit for calls and texts, and stop when you choose.
Does Line have the call features RingCentral has?
Not all of them. RingCentral has a multi-level call menu, call queues, call recording, transfer, park and paging. Line covers opening hours, ring groups, forwarding, voicemail and a missed-call text, and does not record, transfer or queue calls.
RingCentral
RingCentral Standard adds the call menu and on-demand recording. Premium adds automatic recording, overflow queues, whisper and barge, and CRM integrations. Essentials has none of these.
Line
Line routes each call through a workflow: a Time Rule for opening hours, a ring group that rings only people set to Available, then a missed-call text and voicemail. If you run a busy office with queues and desk phones, RingCentral fits better.
Can you call 999 on RingCentral's mobile app?
Only over mobile signal. RingCentral says its smartphone app cannot place emergency calls over Wi-Fi and hands 999 calls to the phone's own dialler. Line does not carry 999 calls at all, so dial 999 from the phone's own dialler.
RingCentral
RingCentral's desk phones and desktop app can call 999 with your registered address. Tablets cannot call 999.
Line
Line rings the iPhone app with the business number on the native call screen, and the web app on a laptop. For emergencies, use the phone's own dialler.
Rebuild your RingCentral setup in Line
Each RingCentral feature you rely on, and the Line workflow step that does the same job.
| In RingCentral | In Line |
|---|---|
| Call queues and user groups | Ring Members/GroupsRings everyone set to Available, at once or in turn, for the time you choose. No queue or hold music. |
| Answering rules and business hours | Time RuleSends calls down an Open hours or an Outside hours branch, using your business hours. |
| Visual voicemail and voicemail to text | VoicemailRecords a message after your greeting, transcribes it and emails the team, on every plan. |
| Call forwarding | Forward CallsDials any number and shows your Line number as the caller ID. |
| AI Receptionist add-on | AI receptionistAnswers calls on your number, takes the details and leaves the transcript in the inbox. |
| No UK equivalent | Shared inboxTwo-way texts and WhatsApp on your UK number, shared by the team. |
| No UK equivalent | Send Missed-Call SMSTexts the caller from your number when nobody answers. |
- Inbound CallYour UK business number
- Time RuleMon–Fri, 8:00 to 18:00
- Open hoursRing Members/GroupsEveryone set to Available, for 20 seconds
- No answer, or outside hoursSend Missed-Call SMSTexts the caller from your number
- No answer, or outside hoursVoicemailTranscribed and emailed to the team
Templates to set up on day one
The messages and greetings most teams moving from RingCentral set up first. Copy one, change the details in brackets, and paste it into the step shown.
Sorry we missed your call. This is [Business name]. Reply to this text with what you need and we will get back to you today.
Thanks for calling [Business name]. We are closed now and open again at [8am]. Reply here and we will pick it up first thing, or book online at [link].
You have reached [Business name]. We cannot take your call right now. Leave your name, your number and what it is about, and we will call you back today. You can also text this number.
Thanks for choosing [Business name], [first name]. If you were happy with the work, a quick review helps a small business like ours: [review link]. If anything was not right, reply here and [Name] will sort it.
You answer calls for [Business name], a [trade] in [area]. Take the caller's name, number, postcode and what they need. Offer a visit between [hours] on [days]. If the caller describes [an emergency, for example a leak], say [Name] will call back within 15 minutes and mark the call urgent. Do not quote prices. Say [Name] will confirm the price.
You can now text or WhatsApp us on [number], the same number you call. We reply during [opening hours], and we will see your message even if we are on a job.
How to switch from RingCentral to Line
Most small teams finish in an afternoon, then wait for the number to move.
- 1
Open Line and choose a UK number
Sign up, pick a UK mobile number and make a test call. The new number works straight away, so you can run Line beside RingCentral while you set it up. Nothing changes for your customers yet.
- 2
Rebuild your call flow from a template
Open Workflows and start from a template such as Business Hours Call Routing or Ring Then Voicemail. Set your opening hours in the Time Rule and choose who rings. The table above shows the Line step for each RingCentral feature.
- 3
Invite the team and install the app
Invite each person by email. They install the Line app on iPhone, or use the web app on a laptop. Only people set to Available ring, so nobody gets calls on a day off.
- 4
Connect WhatsApp and switch on the AI receptionist
Connect WhatsApp to the same number from Channels, so texts, WhatsApp and calls land in one inbox. Then switch on the AI receptionist and give it your opening hours, your services and how you take bookings.
- 5
Move your number from RingCentral
Go to Settings, then Porting. Enter the number, the account holder and the address RingCentral holds, upload a recent bill and sign the letter of authority. Our team sends the request and tells you the switch date. UK moves usually take a few weeks. Calls keep reaching RingCentral until that date, and Ofcom rules limit any loss of service on the day to one working day.
- 6
Cancel RingCentral after the move completes
Wait until calls to your number ring in Line, then cancel RingCentral. Cancelling first can release the number before it moves.
- Call logs as CSV, from Analytics and Logs in the Admin Portal. RingCentral keeps them for 12 months
- Call recordings, one at a time from the call log. Automatic recordings are kept for 90 days
- Team chat and files, using the message data export
- Your call menu, call queue and user settings, as screenshots to rebuild from
- Contacts and voicemails you need. RingCentral deletes them when the account is cancelled
What RingCentral customers say
Recurring themes in public reviews, paraphrased and linked to the source.
Automatic renewals
UK reviewers describe multi-year renewals with no warning and unused licences they could not drop. Trustpilot UK
Hard to cancel
Reviewers report hours on calls to cancel, and chat that passes cancellations to another team. Trustpilot UK
Support that does not fix things
A UK reviewer had a phone that did not work for four months despite more than 100 emails. Trustpilot UK
Account checks and suspensions
UK reviewers describe accounts shut down at verification days after sign-up, and requests for passports and bills. Trustpilot UK
No UK texting
UK customers on RingCentral's own ideas board say they are considering switching because UK numbers cannot text. RingCentral ideas board
Helpful onboarding staff
Many 5-star UK reviews name the person who set up their phones or ported their numbers. Trustpilot UK
Reliable once live
Long-standing customers who moved from BT describe a reliable service with few outages. GetApp UK
One app on every device
Reviewers like calls, video and chat in one app on desktop, mobile and desk phone, with CRM click-to-dial. GetApp UK
Our verdict on RingCentral: RingCentral RingEX is a full cloud phone system with apps, call queues, desk phones and deep CRM integrations. It is priced well on a yearly contract, but it has no SMS on UK numbers and its AI receptionist is a separate add-on. See how it ranks
Line vs RingCentral: questions people ask
Keep comparing
RingCentral alternatives
The best RingCentral alternatives for UK small businesses, ranked with prices.
Line vs Aircall
Line gives a small team texts, WhatsApp, a shared inbox and an AI receptionist without a three-seat minimum or a yearly renewal.
Line vs Vonage
Line texts from your UK number inside the app, signs up online with no contract, and answers missed calls with AI.
Business phone systems ranked
14 UK providers scored on published prices and features.
Line wrote this comparison. Every competitor fact comes from the provider's own UK pages or public reviews, linked here. Last reviewed .
- RingCentral UK pricing
- RingCentral AI Receptionist pricing
- RingCentral AI Assistant
- UK SMS request on RingCentral's ideas board
- RingCentral UK release notes
- RingCX pricing
- RingCentral UK terms
- RingCentral emergency services
- RingCentral numbering policy
- RingCentral porting
- Cancelling RingCentral
- RingCentral support
- Trustpilot UK reviews
- GetApp UK reviews
Move from RingCentral without losing your number
Start with a new UK number today and run it alongside your current system. Move your existing number across when you are ready.