✔️Licensing Overview

Understand Zoom Phone licensing types and choose the right licenses for your users. This guide explains the different license tiers, calling plans, and how to determine what your organization needs.

⏱️ Estimated Time: 15 minutes

👤 Who's This For

IT Admins, Procurement Teams, Finance/Budget Managers

💼 Use Case

Understanding licensing before assigning users, budgeting for Zoom Phone deployment, or optimizing existing license allocation.

✔️ Prerequisites

  • Access to Zoom account billing information

  • Understanding of your organization's calling needs

  • User inventory from Step 1 (Planning Guide)

License Types Explained

Zoom Phone uses a two-part licensing model: Base License & Calling Plans

Base Licenses

Basic License (No Calling Plan)

  • Extension-to-extension dialing only

  • Internal calling within your organization

  • Voicemail and call history

  • Best for: Warehouse staff, contractors, internal-only users

  • Cost: Included with Zoom Phone purchase

Licensed User (With Calling Plan)

  • Everything in Basic, plus outbound calling

  • Inbound calls from external numbers

  • SMS/MMS messaging (US/Canada)

  • Requires a calling plan (see below)

Common Area License

  • For shared devices, not individual users

  • Conference rooms, lobbies, reception areas

  • Limited features, optimized for walk-up use

  • Cost: Lower than standard user licenses

Calling Plans

Choose the calling plan that matches each user's needs:

US & Canada Metered

  • Cost: $10/user/month

  • Includes: Pay-per-minute for calls

  • Best for: Very light calling users (<100 minutes/month)

  • Watch out: Costs add up quickly with regular use

US & Canada Unlimited

  • Cost: $15/user/month

  • Includes: Unlimited calling to US & Canada

  • Best for: Most standard business users

  • Most popular option

Pro Global Select

  • Cost: $20/user/month

  • Includes: Unlimited US & Canada + 40+ countries

  • Best for: International teams, sales calling overseas

  • Includes: Popular countries like UK, Australia, India, Mexico

💡 Pro Tip: 90% of organizations use US & Canada Unlimited for most users. Only assign Global plans to users who actually call internationally.

Bundled vs. Unbundled Licensing

Unbundled (Phone Only)

  • Purchase Zoom Phone licenses separately

  • Good for: Organizations only needing phone service

  • Flexibility to mix and match plans per user

Bundled (Zoom Workplace)

  • Combines Zoom Meetings + Phone in one license

  • Zoom Workplace Pro Plus: $18.32/user/month (includes Meetings + Phone Unlimited)

  • Zoom Workplace Business Plus: $22.49/user/month (adds advanced features)

  • Saves 15-20% vs. purchasing separately

  • Best for: Organizations using both Zoom Meetings and Phone

💰 Cost Tip: If 50%+ of your users need both Meetings and Phone, bundled plans save money.

Steps to Determine Your License Needs

1

Review Your User Inventory

  • Pull your user list from Step 1 (Planning Guide)

  • Categorize users by calling behavior:

    • High volume (sales, support, executives)

    • Moderate (standard office workers)

    • Minimal (warehouse, part-time)

    • Internal only (extensions only)

2

Match Users to License Types

  • Power users (sales, executives, support) → US & Canada Unlimited or Global

  • Standard office workers → US & Canada Unlimited

  • Light users (warehouse, part-time) → Basic (no calling plan)

  • International callers → Pro Global Select

  • Shared spaces → Common Area License

3

Calculate Your Costs

Create a simple breakdown:

License Type
Quantity
Cost per License
Total Cost

US & Canada Unlimited

150

$15

$2,250

Pro Global Select

20

$20

$400

Basic (extension only)

30

$0

$0

Common Area

10

$10

$100

Total

210

$2,750

4

Check Your Current Inventory

  • Log into Zoom Admin Portal

  • Go to Account Management > Billing

  • View your purchased licenses

  • Compare to your needs (do you have enough? Too many?)

5

Plan for Growth

  • Add 10-15% buffer for new hires

  • Consider seasonal staffing needs

  • Budget for license flexibility

💡 License Optimization Tips

Right-size your licenses Don't give everyone the highest tier. Match licenses to actual usage patterns.

Monitor usage regularly Review call analytics monthly. Downgrade users who aren't using premium features.

Reclaim inactive licenses When employees leave, remove their license immediately to reassign.

Use Basic licenses strategically Internal-only users don't need calling plans. Save $15/user/month.

Bundle when it makes sense If you're buying both Meetings and Phone, bundles save 15-20%.

Plan for add-ons Some features (Power Pack, SMS) may require additional costs. Budget accordingly.

🚀 Common Licensing Scenarios

Scenario 1: Small office (25 users)

  • 20 users → US & Canada Unlimited ($15/mo)

  • 3 executives → Pro Global Select ($20/mo)

  • 2 conference rooms → Common Area ($10/mo)

  • Total: $380/month

Scenario 2: Mid-size company (100 users)

  • 75 users → Zoom Workplace Pro Plus bundle ($18.32/mo)

  • 15 power users → Zoom Workplace Business Plus bundle ($22.49/mo)

  • 10 part-time/contractors → Basic (no cost)

  • 5 common areas → Common Area ($10/mo)

  • Total: $1,787/month

Scenario 3: Enterprise (500+ users)

  • Custom Enterprise Pricing

  • Volume discounts available

  • Typically includes dedicated support and custom terms

🎯 What's Next

✨ License planning complete! You should now understand:

  • Different license types and calling plans

  • How to match licenses to user needs

  • Your total licensing costs

  • Optimization strategies

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