Let’s Go . .
What does Zoom have that other video conferencing tools don’t have? Simple, it’s free and just works really well. Moreover, the tool has cool features to get your audience involved. Raise your hand who agrees. But the great popularity of video calling should not be a reason to choose this tool. Now that working remotely is becoming a long-term goal, it may be time to look at the alternatives to Zoom. What other online video conferencing tools have as good a free version as Zoom? I figured it out for you!
Why is Zoom so popular?
100 participants per meeting, high quality HD video and audio, meeting recording in MP4 and M4A format, real-time private and group chat, multi-screen sharing, participant management, breakout rooms for smaller groups, polls, whiteboards, raising hands and mute with the space … The free version of Zoom has it all . It is not without reason that the tool has been used by more than 300 million people every day for the past month . Zoom is especially praised for:
- the many functionalities of the free version
- the quality of the audio / video and the connection speed ( latency of max. 150 milliseconds) with relatively low bandwidth.
- the simplicity of installation and use
- sharing the screen by multiple users
- the good chat function
- the different ways in which you can invite participants
- the different devices on which you can use Zoom
What are Zoom’s negatives?
There is little criticism of Zoom. A few negatives that users mention are:
- The time limit of 40 minutes in the free version for 3 or more users
- Concerns about the safety of online video conferencing with Zoom
- The Zoom app can be improved
- Too little choice of virtual backgrounds
- No possibility to share screen or whiteboard in the break-out rooms
- No permanent link per meeting room
- Apple AirPods as audio does not work
- No live streaming of video recordings on Youtube or Facebook
Continue Reading
5 alternatives to Zoom
Based on the qualities that users highlight in their reviews, I looked for good alternatives to Zoom. All the alternatives for online video conferencing below are therefore characterized by high customer satisfaction (at least 4.4 out of 5 stars) based on at least 70 verified reviews from business users at software comparison site Capterra. All 5 alternatives, like Zoom, have the following features in their free version:
- video conference and audio conference
- realtime chat
- share screen
- cloud based
- accessible via a browser (so no installation required) and a mobile app (iOS and Android)
The order of the list says nothing about the arrangement of the video conference tools.
WE CONTINUE
1. Free conference call: the alternative with the best functions for recording & sharing documents.
Free Conference Call (FFC) has over 800,000 customers and offers free video and audio meetings for up to 1000 participants (Zoom up to 100 participants). You can easily switch presenters and there are some nice features such as the presentation tool Studio, and the live streaming of conferences on the internet. The Freeconferencecall price plan works on a voluntary basis! The video screen shows the active speaker and 5 other participants in the sidebar arranged based on how often the participant speaks. Web Viewer is required to participate via the browser.
Features of the free version
- 1000 free participants per audio or video meeting
- Mobile app and desktop app
- Recording and playback of meetings
- Drawing tools and whiteboard, chat tools
- Meeting Wall where you can upload documents and recordings to share with participants
- Live streaming of conferences
- Remote desktop function
- Integration with Google Calendar, Outlook, Slack, Dropbox, Evernote and more
- Conversation reports
- Break-out rooms
What does Freeconference Call have that Zoom does not have?
- 1000 participants
- No time limit at meetings
- 24/7 customer service
- Free international and local dial-in numbers for audio meetings
- 1GB free storage
- Free live streaming
What do business users say about Freeconferecencall?
FFC users are very enthusiastic about the large number of participants per audio or video conference. That also makes FFC a very suitable tool for webinars. In addition, there are good recording and playback options and you get 1 GB of free storage. Users are also satisfied with keeping the same dial-in number. The interface could be a bit more user-friendly.
2. Lifesize: the alternative to video calling without a time limit
The free version of Lifesize offers unlimited free video meetings for an unlimited duration up to 25 participants. In addition to video calling software, Lifesize also offers a whole set of video and audio hardware to equip physical meeting rooms. They are the only vendor that supports cloud video calling and content sharing in 4K resolution. When using Lifesize hardware, independent updates of other components such as PC, TV, camera, speakers, microphone or tablet are no longer required. All calls and recordings are made with an encrypted connection. You can connect directly from the browser or via the Lifesize app. Upgrade costs start at $ 12.50 (around € 11) per host per month. Some of Lifesize’s major customers include NASA, Toyota, Yale and Disney.
Features of the free version
- Unlimited number of meetings and of unlimited duration
- 25 participants
- Personal meeting ID
- 1-on-1 chat and group chat
- Integration with Slack and Skype for Business
- Online support and community forum
- Link to email and calendar
What does Lifesize have that the free version of Zoom doesn’t have?
- Meetings without time limit
What do business users say about Lifesize?
Lifesize users are very pleased with the high video quality of this tool and the user-friendly interface. The chat function, on the other hand, could have a few more features, such as rich text and images. And there is no native app for Linux systems.
3. Google Meet: the innovative alternative with AI features
Google Meet is the new name for Hangouts Meet, and Google Chat is the new name for Hangouts Chat. It is a safe online video conferencing solution because the tool uses the same infrastructure as Google Cloud to secure data and protect privacy. The free version of Google Meet requires signing in with a Google account. Paying customers with a G-Suite account have Meet enabled by default and can also invite people who do not have a Google account to participate. Inviting participants is via an email with a link or meeting ID.
Meet has some original AI features that the other video conferencing tools don’t have. You can filter out sounds from your environment (for example, if you are in a cafe) and you can switch on live English subtitles. To provide the best video quality, Google Meet automatically adjusts your network speed. Until September 3, you can use the G-Suite essential or enterprise plan for free, after which the costs start at $ 10 (around € 8.80) per user per month.
Features of the free version:
- No time limit on the duration of meetings until September 30, 2020 (normally the limit is 60 minutes per meeting)
- 100 participants
- Participate from a browser
- Live subtitling of meetings in English
- Unlimited number of meetings
- Online self-help and community forums
- Customizable layouts
- Google Docs, Spreadsheets and Forms
- 15GB Drive storage
What does Google Meet have that the free version of Zoom doesn’t have?
- The same high security and privacy as Cloud and two-factor authentication.
- Live subtitling of meetings in English.
- The usual features you get when creating a Google account (Docs, Sheets, forms and 15GB storage).
What do business users say about Google Meet?
Google Meet users find the tool very user-friendly and easy, because it can be operated from Gmail and G-Suite. Meet also offers good synchronization with all devices connected to your Google account (for receiving notifications and messages, for example). Downside is that there is no recording option in the free version (because of corona, that feature is now free until September 30, by the way) and some users are having trouble mastering the screen sharing. Users also report that Meet works less well in non-Chrome browsers such as Internet Explorer because it is a Google product.
4. Zoho Meeting: the alternative to involve your audience
Zoho Meeting for online video conferencing and webinars has features for presenter change, polls, recordings, and account management reports. The free version has a lot of planning tools and tools to get your audience involved, but no way to record or save meetings. The free version also has a very limited number of participants. An upgrade costs € 8 per month per host for 100 participants. That’s cheaper than most of the other tools on this list.
Features of the free version
- 2 participants for meetings and 10 for webinars
- Planning tools: add to calendar, confirm, set reminders
- Moderator features: turn participants on / off sound, remove participants
- Features for the involvement of participants: taking polls, raising hands, question & answer
- Co-presenters in webinars
- Analysis and reports
- Encrypted transmissions with SSL / 128-bit AES protocols
What does Zoho Meeting have in the free version that Zoom doesn’t have?
- Export analysis and reports for webinars
- Two-factor authentication
- Part of a very comprehensive suite of business applications (CRM, Campaigns, Desk, etc.) and can therefore be linked to other systems for better business processes.
What do business users say about Zoho Meetings?
Zoho Meeting users find it a budget-friendly tool if, for example, you do not use the tool every day, but for monthly webinars. Screen sharing and switching is easy. The tool is very user-friendly and easy to start and integrates well with Zoho CRM. The downside is that Zoho Meeting is completely web-based and there is no desktop app.
5. Cisco Webex: the alternative for every device & participate in every possible way
Webex is very similar to Zoom and also has a lot of functionalities in the free version. Maybe that’s because the founder of Zoom (Eric Yuan) worked at Webex before it was acquired by Cisco in 2007. In addition to video calling, you can also organize events and webinars with it. Webex is slightly cheaper than Zoom. Upgrade costs start at € 12.85 per month per host for 100 participants. And there is now a 4-month free offer on the annual plan. Reviews show that Webex is not the most user-friendly tool. Connection can be via the web app, desktop app or browser.
Features of the free version
- Up to 100 participants
- Time limit of 50 minutes per meeting
- Switch screens easily during screen sharing
- Private and group chats during meetings
- Recording
- Own meeting room
- Moderator functionalities
- Interactive boards
- Online support
- Dial-up number
- Integration with Salesforce, Microsoft Office, Teams, Slack, Canvas and Moodle.
What does Cisco Webex have that the free version of Zoom doesn’t have?
- Online support versus ticket support at Zoom
- Time limit of 50 minutes instead of 40 minutes
What do business users say about Cisco Webex?
Cisco Webex users say that Webex works well on both mobile and PC. The automatic adjustment of the meeting time to time zones is very useful for meetings with colleagues in other countries. They are less enthusiastic about the price, which is on the high side compared to other tools. Sometimes the connection via Google Calendar is not automatic and the meeting ID still has to be entered manually. There are also some complaints about image quality and bandwidth with slower networks.
Do you have experience with one of these tools? Or do you have another tooltip? Let me please know in the comments.
