Choosing business communications: chat, meetings and phone
How to decide between team chat, video meeting and cloud phone tools — and how they fit with Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace.
Desk research from official provider pages, updated 2026-10-11. Not hands-on tested. No supplier paid for or reviewed this content. Plans and prices change — confirm with each provider.
Check what you already pay for
Many businesses already have chat and video meetings as part of Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace. Before adding another tool, check what your current plan includes.
Phone systems need extra checks
For cloud phone systems, ask about moving (porting) your existing numbers, call allowances to UK mobiles and abroad, minimum users, and how emergency calls are handled.
Aircall’s UK pricing page, for example, lists a minimum of 3 users on its Essentials and Professional plans — details like this change the real cost for very small teams.
Integrations matter most for sales and support teams
If calls should appear in your CRM or helpdesk, confirm the integration on an official page and check which plan it needs.
Tools mentioned
- Slack
- Pro: €6.75 per user/month, billed annually (€8.25 billed monthly)
- Business+: €15.00 per user/month, billed annually (€18.00 billed monthly)
Shown in EUR as served — not converted. VAT not stated · Free plan: yes · Source, checked 2026-10-11
Free plan keeps 90 days of message history.
An introductory discount was shown; the estimator uses the standard price.
- Microsoft Teams
Price not verified. Check the provider’s pricing page.
- Google Workspace
- Business Starter: £5.90 per user/month, billed annually (£7.00 billed monthly)
- Business Standard: £11.80 per user/month, billed annually (£14.00 billed monthly)
- Business Plus: £18.40 per user/month, billed annually (£22.00 billed monthly)
VAT not stated · Free plan: no · Source, checked 2026-10-11
GBP prices per user per month from Google’s official plan comparison table: Annual/Fixed-Term Plan (1-year commitment, paid monthly or yearly) £5.90 / £11.80 / £18.40; Flexible Plan (no commitment, billed monthly) £7 / £14 / £22.
“Annual” here means a 12-month commitment, not a different monthly rate you can cancel.
The table does not say whether GBP prices include VAT.
- Aircall
- Essentials: £25.00 per user/month, billing period not confirmed, min 3 users
- Professional: £40.00 per user/month, billing period not confirmed, min 3 users
VAT not stated · Free plan: no · Source, checked 2026-10-11
The page offers annual and monthly billing and says paying annually saves 25%; which one these prices are for was not confirmed.
VAT treatment was not stated next to the prices.
- Dialpad
Price not verified. Check the provider’s pricing page.
- RingCentral
Price not verified. Check the provider’s pricing page.
Switching checklist
- List the numbers you need to keep and request porting timelines
- Check emergency calling support
- Confirm minimum users and contract length
- Test call quality on your office and home connections
- Confirm CRM/helpdesk call logging on your plan
- Plan staff training and a switchover day