10 powerful Zoom alternatives for video calling and conferencing
Are you trying to find free video conferencing options other than Zoom? You’ve arrived at the ideal location.
Even before the coronavirus epidemic, the usage of video chats for personal and professional purposes was becoming more and more common. However, as COVID imposed more and more restrictions on our mobility, individuals came to understand that holding meetings digitally may frequently be just as effective. Zoom was the platform that most people used. Zoom connections increased by 225 percent in March 2020 over the same month the previous year.1.
Read More: Best Zoom Alternatives
Zoom offers a lot of amazing features, but its technological capabilities might not be sufficient for your company’s needs. For instance, Zoom’s free platform only permits 40-minute sessions, which may impede discussions of crucial subjects. Additionally, there have been problems with security like Zoombombing, which is the practice of having an unauthorized person attend a meeting.
Furthermore, the bigger meetings in the free version don’t use HD video (unlike rivals like RingCentral Video), which might lead to slowness and screen freezing problems. That kind of activity can squander a lot of important time in a meeting that is limited to forty minutes.
Fortunately, you have access to a wide range of additional free video conferencing choices, so you’re sure to find one that works for you. We’ll look closely at some alternative video conferencing systems in this article if you intend to stick with online meetings.
The top 5 Zoom substitutes for video conferences and calls
We’ve compiled a list of our best eight Zoom substitutes, together with a summary of their benefits and drawbacks, to spare you the trouble of sorting through the data yourself.
1. RingCentral Video: The greatest all-around integrated platform, including team chat and free video conferencing in one app, among other things.
For several years running, RingCentral has led the UCaaS (unified communications) space. It follows that RingCentral Video Pro, their free video conferencing option, is especially well-suited for distributed and remote teams and includes carrier-grade security and high-quality video as standard features.
The best part is that RingCentral Video offers a totally free alternative. You never feel like you’re sacrificing quality when you have access to such a feature-rich, feature-free option.
2. Webex from Cisco
One of the most extensive free plans available is Webex, which supports up to 100 people for a 50-minute conference.
The conference can go up to 24 hours with the least expensive premium plan, but before the participant allowance rises to 200, you must move up two levels. Unlimited hosts and up to 100,000 participants are possible with the Premium plan.
Principal attributes
The free tier includes screen sharing, an interactive whiteboard, and a messaging tool, making it a terrific option for teamwork. Dial-in access, international call-ins, and recording capacity and storage will still require an update.
Transcribing, file transmission, chat, “raise hand,” and polling functions are all included in the subscription plans. Unlike RingCentral Video, which provides help for all versions, live customer service is offered for all bar the free version.
Similar to RingCentral Video, Webex is highly focused on security, including secure scheduling options, SSO, and interoperability with firewalls.
Some user controls may be difficult to locate due to the minimalist design, and slowness has been reported—especially in screen-share mode.
It is compatible with Google Drive, Microsoft 365, and Salesforce and offers mobile apps for Apple and Android smartphones.
3. Microsoft Teams
This shared workplace, which incorporates file sharing, meetings, chat, and business tools, is seen to be a smart method to mimic the in-office experience. It works well in a setting that emphasizes Microsoft.
Joining a meeting doesn’t need an account, and while there is a browser-based alternative, it works flawlessly on Edge or Chrome only.
Video conversations with up to 300 participants are available with all services, however you can only see nine people at once. You can hold online events for 100,000 attendees with the most expensive package.
Principal attributes
Along with basic video conference features like screen sharing and chat, Microsoft Teams now includes online versions of Microsoft applications and configurable backdrops. Shareable recordings, live captioning, and participation lists are further helpful features.
While security, administration, and compliance capabilities are available in the subscription plans, the free version has limited functionality. Nevertheless, Microsoft 365 Business Premium or Microsoft 365 Enterprise E3 are the only ways to access the higher levels.
Visitors can attend meetings using a phone by using audio conferencing, which is only accessible as an add-on to the premium tiers (something that comes standard with RingCentral Video). Additionally, project management tools can be included.
It’s important to remember that Microsoft Teams will shortly replace Skype for Business for existing users.
4. GoToMeeting
Despite being designed for large groups of users, this long-running video conferencing program provides scalable options.
150 people can attend the least expensive package, which offers endless meeting time. There are 250 users in the next tier (which you may test out for free for 14 days), and 3,000 users in the premium tier.
Principal attributes
With features like screen sharing, an interactive whiteboard, and co-hosting, it’s easy to set up and useful for teamwork.
While the two more expensive subscriptions include limitless cloud recording along with transcripts, sketching tools, and a Smart Assistant, the lowest tier also has a dial-in feature.
Additional helpful options are “Slide to PDF” for quicker presentation sharing and live in-meeting notes that can be shared after the meeting. In addition, there are polling and “raise a hand” functions, as well as a PIN-based access mechanism.
It may be used with Mac, PC, Android, and iOS devices, and plug-ins for Google Calendar and Microsoft 365 are available.
The trade-off is that GoToMeeting consumes more bandwidth than other comparable systems and has some audio quality issues.
The only way to use webinars is to add the sibling product GoToWebinar. However, GoToConnect or RingCentral Video are better options if you require a commercial VoIP service.
5. Google Meet
While Google Hangouts is better appropriate for casual discussions with friends, Google Meet (previously known as Hangouts Meet) is video conferencing software targeted for corporate customers.
Users of Google Workplace (previously G Suite), which includes Meet, may access it directly. Visitors may sign up straight through Gmail, an email invitation, or a Calendar event.
Principal attributes
Up to 100 individuals can meet for free in the basic edition for up to an hour, while 250 participants and 300 hours (plus 100,000 viewers for live streaming) are possible in the top Enterprise tier.
Every Google Workspace product is completely integrated with Google Meet. It is geared for mobile apps on iOS and Android platforms, even if desktop PCs are its primary use.
The recognizable Google UI and excellent security capabilities, such to those provided by RingCentral and effortlessly integrated with Google Workspace, are appealing features.
Even in the free tier, you may enjoy features like screen sharing, customizable layouts, and live captioning in addition to grid view and configurable backdrops. Video meetings may be recorded to Google Drive with paid subscriptions, and premium users can take use of noise suppression and low light mode.
Smaller businesses may be able to get by with the free tier, but as they expand, they may discover that it lacks sufficient sophisticated capabilities and integrations.
One further drawback is that in order to organize or simply attend a meeting, users will need to sign up for a free Google account. This could make it more difficult for users to utilize the system smoothly, particularly if you plan to arrange conferences with customers and stakeholders that use different platforms for their calendars and emails.