“handy second number access”

Pros

Having a separate number through this platform has been really useful for calls and texts without needing to carry a second phone. Being able to use it from both my computer and my phone is a big plus and it's convenient that calls, messages and voicemail all stay connected in one account.

Cons

The calling and texting experience feels more limited than with a standard mobile carrier and from time to time notifications or incoming calls are not quite as smooth as they are with my phone's regular number.

“easy wifi calling”

Pros

Even now, I still rely on this regularly. I prefer it over the default phone app on my Android because it gives me Wi Fi calling and visual voicemail.

Cons

I can't think of a single thing I dislike about it and there's nothing I'd want to change.

“reliable client messaging support”

Pros

Handling client communication with this platform has been amazing. It lets me send and receive texts without any extra effort and the background noise reduction really helps during conversations.

Cons

Only real downside I've run into is that it occasionally has glitches and bugs and when that happens it can interfere with communication.

“free second line that delivers”

Pros

Honestly, having a second phone line through Google Voice has been a really solid option. Getting everything set up is quick and being able to pick your own number is a nice bonus. I also really appreciate that it works on both my computer and my phone and stays synced between them. Handling texts and messages from my laptop is much more convenient which makes a big difference. Since it's free, it offers a lot of value and as long as you have internet access, you're connected.

Cons

Occasionally, a text I send from my phone doesn't show up on my laptop right away but outside of that, I haven't run into any major bugs.

“endless spam calls”

Pros

There isn't much I can say I've enjoyed about using it. I've been pretty dissatisfied with it overall ever since I started using it nearly four years ago.

Cons

I barely use the service and even so, I'm constantly getting spam calls. Worse, when one comes in and I press "ignore," it just keeps ringing endlessly until the caller finally hangs up. No matter how many times I've tried to report the issue or fix it myself, nothing has changed. At this point, I'll probably be removing it from my tech stack soon.

“Great VoIP for business”

Pros

It has been a really solid choice for our business as a dependable VoIP solution. It gives us convenient access to text messaging and meetings all in one place which has been very helpful. Whenever something comes up, customer support is available and willing to assist.

Cons

What I noticed is that it doesn't offer some of the background features you can find in other comparable VoIP platforms. The mobile app also has occasional bugs and glitches which can be frustrating when you need communication to work at an important moment.

“simple to use”

Pros

This app is available to use for free as long as you already have phone service with a provider before signing up which is honestly a huge plus. The app doesn't take long to figure out either since the layout and features are pretty logical. Another really useful part is that it can receive verification texts along with normal text and SMS messages.

Cons

Something that would make it better is being able to have multiple Google Voice numbers under the same email account. It was also pretty frustrating that I couldn't recover my old Google number or set up a new one using the email account I had already used before.

“better than other VoIP apps”

Pros

Being able to send and receive texts sets this software apart from most other VoIP calling apps and I really appreciate that it stays connected to my email account.

Cons

there's nothing about it that I dislike. It's easily the best internet calling app available.

“frustrating text limits”

Pros

The only thing thats worked well for me is the convenience. Aside from that, I've been pretty frustrated with it overall.

Cons

A lot of the frustration comes from basic things that should be simpler. If you need to update contact information, you have to go into Contacts instead of changing it directly in the app so if something is entered incorrectly, it just stays that way unless you edit it there. There's no edit button either. Another big issue is the 160 character SMS limit. I had no idea that limitation existed for months because the system never showed an error when messages failed to send. On top of that, links sometimes don't go through either. I end up having to check and double check whether people actually received my texts and sometimes even those follow up messages don't get delivered. It's been incredibly frustrating and has even caused missed appointments. There isn't even a character counter so I have to use a separate document just to make sure I stay under 160 characters. I realize some of this depends on the recipient's carrier and service but it still feels like there should be a better fix. I only learned all of this after reaching out to the Google community and somehow I'm the only person in my organization who has managed to figure it out.

“Voicemail to inbox works brilliantly”

Pros

One of the most useful things about it is how it funnels my voicemails straight into my email inbox. A lot of my business messages come with follow up tasks so having everything collected in one place helps me stay organized and makes it much less likely that anything slips through the cracks.

Cons

There can be a slight lag between an incoming call and the moment I'm actually able to answer it on my cell phone. Because of that, I do miss calls now and then especially when I also have to press a button for the call to go through. It's not a huge problem but it's definitely worth keeping in mind.

“clear audio quality”

Pros

Every call comes through with really impressive clarity which has been one of my favorite parts of using it. Another feature that has been especially useful is the ability to turn on "Do not disturb" outside my regular work hours. I had no idea it offered that at first and before I figured it out, work calls were waking me up in the middle of the night.

Cons

It has quite a few features I have not fully learned yet so stronger training materials or better guidance would definitely help. Other than that, once I discovered the "Do not disturb" feature, there honestly isn't much else I would want to change.

“secure calling”

Pros

Running a solo therapy practice, I needed a secure voicemail and phone solution that wouldn't cost much and this tool's HIPAA compliant option has been a really practical fit. It gives me not just calling but also texting and SMS if I decide to use those features in my practice, all for a low monthly cost. After more than a year of using it, I haven't run into bugs or technical problems so I've never had to contact support. There was a small adjustment at first coming from a traditional phone setup but it's still very user friendly once you start using it. I mainly use Google Voice for receiving calls and reaching out when a patient is late though it would also work very well for voice only meetings.

Cons

One minor thing I've noticed is that if I leave tabs open when I log off and don't restart my computer, this often stops working. I had to build the habit of refreshing it every morning to deal with that. It's honestly a very small inconvenience especially considering how reliably the service works overall.

“helps me seperate my calls”

Pros

Having a free phone number that's always available is really useful and it gives me a simple way to keep a second line for separating my calls.

Cons

The only issue I ran into was when I joined a conference call and it prompted me to use credits even though calling in from my regular phone didn't require any payment.

“budget friendly option”

Pros

Since starting my small business I've found this to be a really cost effective option. As long as I avoid sending messages that seem spammy or repetitive, I rarely run into problems. It's been very useful and has helped me a lot.

Cons

There are a few things that feel a bit frustrating. On my phone, it doesn't indicate whether an incoming call is a regular call or a Google Voice call which can be a little nerve wracking. The web version also doesn't support emojis and while that may not matter for a typical business, I work in weddings so sending the right number of heart emojis is kind of part of the job.

“gives me a useful extra number”

Pros

You're able to get another phone number on the same phone at no cost which is great. That extra number is really useful and having it for free makes the service even better.

Cons

It is easy to use and the fact that it is free makes it even more appealing. There really has not been much for me to dislike about it.

“solid free calling app”

Pros

It has been a really good no cost app for what I need. It was pretty simple to set up and the interface is uncomplicated to use.

Cons

Call quality isn't always the strongest. At times the connection can be unreliable and I've had calls drop unexpectedly.

“handy second number option”

Pros

Having a second phone number linked to my personal cell is really useful especially when I only need to stay in touch with someone for a short time and don't want to share my actual number. It also makes things convenient that the number can be deleted and unlinked from my phone without much hassle once I'm done using it.

Cons

An issue is that the area code you get doesn't always match where you live which can make people question whether it's actually your real number. On top of that, the way charges apply when using a Google number isn't always very clear.

“keeps employee numbers private”

Pros

This works really well for employees who prefer not to share their personal phone number for work especially when they don't have a separate business line available.

Cons

Searching for people can be frustrating so if someone hasn't messaged you first and you didn't save their name or number, tracking down the right conversation can be difficult.

“my experience with Google Voice”

Pros

Being able to stay in touch with people without sharing my personal phone number was something I really appreciated.

Cons

Something I didn't enjoy was needing a consistently strong internet connection to get reliable call quality with this.

“free virtual number”

Pros

One of the best things about this software is that it gives you a virtual phone number for free while still offering the same core features you'd expect from a regular number especially being able to receive verification codes.

Cons

The downside isn't really caused by the software itself but by certain websites or apps that refuse to accept a Google Voice number simply because it's a VoIP service.