Whether you're looking to video chat with your friends and family regularly, or if you're simply looking for a visual calling solution for your company, a video conferencing system is a must. Audio phone calls are increasingly out of fashion because who doesn't want to see the reaction on a loved one's face? Or be able to discuss more accurately a vital business matter with potential clients? With the urge to work remotely ever-growing, it's particularly crucial for small businesses to take advantage of video calls, but really, we can all benefit from it.
Find out the best video conferencing software for your needs here, and just why specific solutions are better than others, depending on your situation.
What should I look for in a video conferencing solution?
It's essential that you know why you need a video conferencing solution first and foremost. Is it for your small business? Then a business-based video conference software tool is the best option here. That's even more so the case if you need integration features like support for Office 365 or CRMs. If you just want to make it easier for you and your friends or family to gather online, one of the many free versions out there might be a better option.
It's also worth considering the number of participants you need the video conference software to cater for. Some software has strict limits, while others allow for 100 participants to thousands of users. Whatever software you choose, rest assured that all the recommendations listed here allow for virtual face to face video meetings.
Best for webinars
Image: clickmeeting
The Good
Explicitly aimed at giving presentations • Supports Q&A sessions • Dropbox supportThe Bad
Expensive for large attendance • Can feel overwhelmingThe Bottom Line
If you need to give a webinar to many people, ClickMeeting has every feature you could possibly need. For conversations, not so much.ClickMeeting
Focused squarely on presentations, ClickMeeting is an ideal solution for the education sector.ClickMeeting specifically targets those users who need to conduct webinars and other presentations online. That means you should skip on by if you want software for phone calls or video conferences, but it's perfect for the more specialist side of webinar casting. Look past the intricate exterior, and it's relatively easy to set up a webinar to people you know or even by selling your skills via PayPal integration. The addition of polls, Q&A sessions, a whiteboard, as well as screen-sharing means the process can be just as interactive as a face-to-face seminar too.
ClickMeeting isn't cheap if you want the full set of features or the ability to invite hundreds of attendees, but it's worth it if you're serious about offering webinars.
ClickMeeting isn't cheap if you want the full set of features or the ability to invite hundreds of attendees, but it's worth it if you're serious about offering webinars.
Best for large meetings
Image: Microsoft Teams
The Good
Up to 10,000 participants • Microsoft 365 integration • Useful background featuresThe Bad
Ideally requires Microsoft 365 subscription • ExpensiveThe Bottom Line
Microsoft Teams is flexible and offers lots of plans, but it's during large meetings where it's potentially most helpful — for a price.Microsoft Teams
For existing Microsoft 365 users, it's hard not to ignore the appeal of Microsoft Teams.Microsoft's foray into video conferencing is pretty good, with Microsoft Teams doing everything a business could need, albeit at a price. It offers the ability to conduct meetings with up to a whopping 10,000 participants, with full Microsoft 365 integration, ensuring you can easily schedule meetings, send out invites, and more. It's the little things that soon add up for Microsoft Teams too, like captioning support, the ability to blur your background, and excellent mobile apps support as well as desktop apps.
Microsoft Teams is available for free with limitations, but businesses should expect to fork out extra to get the features they need. That's where the service can get expensive though, because ideally, you need to have a Microsoft 365 business or the enterprise plan to get the most from it and that can be expensive on a per user basis. As an all-in-one solution though, it's quite appealing. Being able to discuss then immediately edit documents is sure to be helpful during an important meeting.
Microsoft Teams is available for free with limitations, but businesses should expect to fork out extra to get the features they need. That's where the service can get expensive though, because ideally, you need to have a Microsoft 365 business or the enterprise plan to get the most from it and that can be expensive on a per user basis. As an all-in-one solution though, it's quite appealing. Being able to discuss then immediately edit documents is sure to be helpful during an important meeting.
Best for mobile users
Image: gotomeeting
The Good
Great support for mobile apps • Remote working tools add-on • Well pricedThe Bad
Some features are a little basicThe Bottom Line
Want to launch a video conference from your smartphone? GoToMeeting is the best way of doing precisely that within seconds.GoToMeeting
Simple to use, GoToMeeting is excellent for making video conference calls wherever you're located.GoToMeeting offers a lot of features that other video conferencing software provides. That includes screen sharing, meeting recordings and transcriptions, and HD video recording. It's a little simplistic in places and lacks certain advanced features like improved note-taking, but it has one massive advantage. It's incredibly easy to set up a meeting right from your smartphone. For at-home use, this is a big plus.
If you don't want to be restricted to making conference calls from your desktop, this is an ideal solution. It's reasonably well priced too, and can accommodate a healthy number of participants. For real flexibility, it's a great way of making video conference calls.
If you don't want to be restricted to making conference calls from your desktop, this is an ideal solution. It's reasonably well priced too, and can accommodate a healthy number of participants. For real flexibility, it's a great way of making video conference calls.
Best free option
Image: google
The Good
Simple to use • Most people already have a Google account • FreeThe Bad
Only ten people on a video call • Limited featuresThe Bottom Line
If you just want to chat with your friends or family, Google Hangouts is the perfect way to do so. Just don't expect many features.Google Hangouts
Simple and easy to use, Google Hangouts is ideal for a quick video call but not much beyond that.Entirely free, Google Hangouts has a lot going for it when it comes to social calls. Almost everyone has a Google account, and it's super simple to set up a Hangouts session. When it comes to regular chats, you can arrange meetings with up to 150 participants, but you're limited to a video call with only up to 10 people. That's only really going to be an issue for the biggest of families though. You can also use the service through your browser as well as via apps, so you don't have to worry about novice users being confused about what to do next.
Unless you invest in an official business account, the free option isn't a good choice for businesses or those trying to complete collaborative tasks together, but it's still a valuable service for when you need something free and effective.
Unless you invest in an official business account, the free option isn't a good choice for businesses or those trying to complete collaborative tasks together, but it's still a valuable service for when you need something free and effective.
Best sound quality
Image: bluejeans
The Good
Great sound quality • 30-day free trial • No need to commit to a year subscriptionThe Bad
Lacks a few key optionsThe Bottom Line
If sound quality is important for you, Bluejeans offers Dolby voice support and is all the better for it, despite a lack of features elsewhere.Bluejeans
For the sharpest audio quality, you can't go wrong with Bluejeans.Bluejeans feels like a service tackling video conferencing from a different perspective to most. On the one hand, it doesn't just offer HD video, it also provides crystal-clear Dolby Vision sound, which is much improved over the competition. Yet it lacks features like background blur, something that you'd almost think would be standard by now. Some users have reported issues with latency too, but when the results come through, they look and sound great.
For a business meeting, tone and inflection can be everything, so it's useful to have such great Dolby Vision support. Elsewhere, Bluejeans has valuable security features, extensive support for various apps and browsers, and well-priced plans. The cheapest plan offers up to 50 participants, for instance, while still allowing for unlimited meetings and five hours of recording. It might not be perfect, but it's undoubtedly useful, and an intuitive admin interface makes it all the better for less tech-savvy businesses.
For a business meeting, tone and inflection can be everything, so it's useful to have such great Dolby Vision support. Elsewhere, Bluejeans has valuable security features, extensive support for various apps and browsers, and well-priced plans. The cheapest plan offers up to 50 participants, for instance, while still allowing for unlimited meetings and five hours of recording. It might not be perfect, but it's undoubtedly useful, and an intuitive admin interface makes it all the better for less tech-savvy businesses.
Best for a virtual office
Image: ringcentral
The Good
Extensive integration features • Advanced analytics • Ideal for business collborationThe Bad
Expensive • Overkill for some businessesThe Bottom Line
If you need a comprehensive VoIP style package as well as video conferencing functionality, RingCentral Video is ideal for your business.RingCentral Video
Potentially too advanced for some, RingCentral Video is ideal for a business looking to collaborate.RingCentral is a big name in VoIP services for good reason, and that's reflected in its video conferencing services. With RingCentral Video, you can easily set up meetings via your web browser or the RingCentral app that's available on multiple platforms. There, you can work on sending messages or setting up video calls with the others on your team. Notice some issues with a caller? In-depth analytics helps you pinpoint the problem. There's also extensive integration with G Suite and Office 365 along with screen sharing tools, so you can easily all work together to get the job done.
For a small business that works remotely around the world, RingCentral Video is an ideal and simple way of acting more like a virtual office setup. The only downside here is that things can get expensive, which may make it not worthwhile for some startups or side hustlers.
For a small business that works remotely around the world, RingCentral Video is an ideal and simple way of acting more like a virtual office setup. The only downside here is that things can get expensive, which may make it not worthwhile for some startups or side hustlers.
Best for small business meetings
Image: Intermedia anymeeting
The Good
Great collaborative features • Good audio and video quality • Free features for a limited timeThe Bad
Unattractive interface • Bit complicatedThe Bottom Line
If you want to set up a video conferencing call with just a few users, Intermedia AnyMeeting is free until 2021.Intermedia AnyMeeting
A little complex to use, but very inexpensive, Intermedia AnyMeeting is the ideal starting point for many businesses.As an incentive for trying out the service, Intermedia AnyMeeting has a lot of content available for free, allowing for up to 4 HD video participants along with 200 phone or web participants. With Pro options like the ability to record meetings, notes, transcripts, and custom branding, all available for free until 2021, it's an unbeatable service even on the free plan. There's integration with Google services, Slack, and others too, so you can quickly work on things collaboratively via the platform.
The only downside? It's not the most intuitive of systems. Intermedia AnyMeeting has the features, but it can be a little clunky to get things done, so you might all need a some time to settle into getting used to how to use it.
The only downside? It's not the most intuitive of systems. Intermedia AnyMeeting has the features, but it can be a little clunky to get things done, so you might all need a some time to settle into getting used to how to use it.
Best for security
Image: zoho
The Good
Great features for both webinars and conferences • Extensive encryption • Simple to use interfaceThe Bad
Doesn't have all the features you may needThe Bottom Line
Zoho Meeting is welcoming and easy to use, making it appealing for a little bit of everything while being the master of none.Zoho Meeting
Simple to use for a variety of purposes, Zoho Meeting is an appealing proposition for many.Zoho Meeting is immediately intuitive and welcoming to use, which is great if you're not super tech-savvy. It's also ideal for setting up a video conference session, or arranging a webinar, making it great for a multitude of uses. We're big fans of how it double checks if you want people to join the call, and how everything is encrypted through SSL and 128-bit AES encryption protocols for added safety.
Lack of advanced integration with third-party services (although some are catered for), along with no shared whiteboards, is a missed opportunity. Still, for some, this will be far from a big issue compared to superior security. The sheer simplicity in using the product is undoubtedly a welcome change compared to others too.
Lack of advanced integration with third-party services (although some are catered for), along with no shared whiteboards, is a missed opportunity. Still, for some, this will be far from a big issue compared to superior security. The sheer simplicity in using the product is undoubtedly a welcome change compared to others too.
Topics: Tech, Work/life, Tech, Mashable Deals, Work From Home, Microsoft Teams, Google Hangouts, Gotomeeting, ClickMeeting, Bluejeans, RingCentral Video, Intermedia AnyMeeting, Zoho Meeting
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