Should you buy the magicJack go or the magicJack express? What’s the difference? Bottom line? Buy the GO.

The magicJack go has a black housing with blue trim. The magicJack express has a white housing with blue trim.

The magicJack go has a one-year service contract. The magicJack express has a three-month service contract.

The only difference other than color is the three-month contract for the express model instead of the default one-year contract for the go. magicJack came out with the express model to try and reach those who wanted to give it a try, but didn’t to spend $60 for the device.

While the express model is no longer available on the magicJack website, it is still in stock at several stores like Walmart or BestBuy. It’s likely that it’s being phased out of the market for a number of reasons.

  1. As of the time of this posting, magicJack go is selling at Walmart or Bestbuy for about $35. The express is sellling for about $22. The renewal price for a year is about the same price for the GO device alone. It’s cheaper in the long run to just buy the magicJack GO. If you don’t like it, you can give it to a nerd friend.
  2. magicJack express may have been seen as an attempt to market to the crowd that would buy something they perceive as sketchy for a lower price. But the problem is, if the buyer already sees it as sketchy, there is a likelihood that most magicJack express devices never get past the three month activation and registration. They sit in a drawer or get tossed in the recycle bin.
  3. The color difference denotes a tiered system of wealth. The implication is that only poor people by the express. Of course, this isn’t true, but it does make one wonder if this is the perception among shoppers in Walmart or Bestbuy.
  4. Just the name “Express” suggests that the device may have physically less capability than the magicJack GO, when in fact there is no difference in physical capability. We’re used to seeing this distinction with everything from cell phones to CPAP machines that are cheaper because they are physically hampered or less capable in some way than a more premium device. In other words, the tiered naming system just confuses people.
  5. For all these reasons, if the magicJack express ends up being perceived as less worthy, it ties up a lot of telephone numbers for no less than three months, and probably longer since there would be a grace period for the time the phone number isn’t available back to the pool of numbers magicJack can offer. That is an expense that can’t be recouped quickly by magicJack. It ends up being more valuable for the company to sell magicJacks that actually get renewed on a regular basis.

Why was the express made white? Probably so that it would be easier for cashiers at big-box stores to be able to tell what they should charge when the scanner isn’t working. It’s harder to fool someone into believing you’re buying the less expensive version when it’s clearly a different color or shape.

Of course the reasons why Express is no longer available directly from magicJack online is all opinion. I’d be curious to hear yours. Tell me in the comments below!

Join the Conversation

5 Comments

    1. Jose, I don’t work for magicJack. You’re going to have to login at my.magicJack.com and use their chat support system.

      Best of luck!

      Chris

    1. Hi Mariano, unfortunately, I don’t work for magicJack. If you are unable to find the answer here, your best bet is to get on magicJack’s website and ask in a chat session.

Leave a comment

Leave a Reply to HENRY ALEJO Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *