Video Conferencing Software: Best Free and Paid Tools (2024)

What is the best video conferencing software?

Here are my picks for the best video conferencing software.

1. Zoho Meeting.

One of the best best video conferencing software.

Zoho Meeting is an online conference platform that offers a complete solution for organizing effective meetings and webinars. Whether you need to collaborate with colleagues, present to customers, or train employees, Zoho Meeting software gives you the tools you need to succeed.

Features

• Real-time audio and video: Communicate face-to-face with your participants no matter where they are.
• Screen sharing: Present documents, images, videos, and apps to your audience.
• Meeting recording: Record your meetings for future reference or sharing.
• Remote control: Take control of a participant's screen to help them solve a problem.
• In-session chat: Chat with participants in real time during the meeting.
• Surveys and Q&A: Engage with your audience and get feedback.
• Webinars: Host webinars and online presentations for a broad audience.
• Security and confidentiality: Data encryption and compliance with international standards.

Pros

• Easy to use: Intuitive and user-friendly interface.
• Rich features: Offers a wide range of features to meet all your needs.
• Affordable: Flexible pricing plans for all budgets.
• Security and reliability: Secure and reliable platform.

Cons

• Limited features in the free version.
• Phone support is not available on all plans.

Pricing

The Zoho Meeting software offers several pricing plans to meet your needs and budget:

• Free: Up to 5 participants, limited features.
• Meeting: $3/host/month, up to 100 participants, 10 recordings.
• Webinar: $16/accommodation/month, up to 250 participants, 100 recordings.

FIND OUT MORE >> Start 100% Free with Zoho Meeting

Zoho Meeting software is a great option for businesses and individuals looking for reliable and affordable video conferencing software.

With its rich features and user-friendly interface, Zoho Meeting is one of the most valuable video conferencing software for collaboration, video for remote work, communication, and training.

2. LiveStorm

Great for webinars and virtual events (starting at $99 per month)

LiveStorm is a webinar and virtual event platform that allows businesses of all sizes to organize engaging and interactive events.

With its advanced features, intuitive interface, and affordable prices, LiveStorm software is an ideal choice for organizations looking to expand their audience and generate leads.

Features

Virtual webinars and events

• Host virtual webinars and events with up to 12,000 participants.
• Customize your interface with your logo and colors.
• Stream live on YouTube and Facebook.
• Record your events and share them on demand.

Engagement and interaction

• Ask questions and surveys to your participants.
• Host live Q&A sessions.
• Create private and public chats.
• Activate emoji reactions for real-time interaction.

Marketing and analysis

• Create custom landing pages and signup forms.
• Track your registrations and your participants.
• Analyze the performance of your events.
• Integrate LiveStorm with your marketing automation tools.

Pros

• Rich features: LiveStorm offers a wide range of features to meet all of your virtual webinar and event needs.
• Easy to use: LiveStorm's intuitive interface makes it easy to get started and use for everyone.
• Affordable: LiveStorm offers flexible pricing plans for all budgets.
• Integrations: LiveStorm integrates with multiple marketing and automation tools.

Cons

• The free plan is limited to 10 participants.
• Some advanced features are only available in paid plans.
• The maximum number of participants is 12,000, which may not be enough for very large organizations.

Pricing

LiveStorm offers four pricing plans:

• Free: $0 per month (up to 10 participants)
• Starter: $99 per month (up to 100 participants)
• Business: $299 per month (up to 500 participants)
• Company: $499 per month (up to 12,000 participants)

FIND OUT MORE >> Start 100% Free with LiveStorm

LiveStorm is a great option for businesses looking for flexible and affordable video conferencing software.

With its advanced features, intuitive interface, and affordable prices, LiveStorm is an ideal choice for organizations looking to expand their audience and generate leads.

3. ClickMeeting.

Best solution for sending personalized invitations ($25 per month, billed annually).

ClickMeeting is a webinar and video conferencing platform that allows businesses of all sizes to organize engaging and interactive online events. With its powerful features and user-friendly interface, ClickMeeting is an ideal choice for organizations looking to expand their audience, share information, and generate leads.

Features

• HD webinars and video conferences: Host webinars and video conferences with up to 25,000 participants.
• Broadcast on social networks: Broadcast your webinar live on Facebook and YouTube for maximum reach.
• Presentation tools: Create interactive presentations with slides, images, videos, and surveys.
• Surveys and Q&A: Engage with your audience in real time and gather valuable feedback.
• Recording and transcription: Record your webinars and video conferences for later viewing or sharing.
• Personalized invitations: Create personalized invitations for your event.
• Virtual waiting room: Allows participants to log in and review the agenda prior to the start of the webinar.
• Real-time translations: Translate conversations in real time for a global audience.

Pros

• Rich features: ClickMeeting offers a wide range of features to meet all of your webinar and video conferencing needs.
• Easy to use: ClickMeeting's intuitive interface makes it easy to get started and use for everyone.
• Customizable: ClickMeeting allows you to personalize your experience with personalized invitations, logos, and brand colors.
• Affordable: ClickMeeting offers flexible pricing plans for all budgets.

Cons

• The free plan is limited in features.
• The maximum number of participants may be restrictive for large events.

Pricing

The ClickMeeting software offers three pricing plans:

• Live: $25 per month, billed annually
• Automatic: $40 per month, billed annually
• Company: On estimate

FIND OUT MORE >> Try ClickMeeting Free for 30 Days

ClickMeeting is a great option for businesses looking for a webinar platform and video conferencing software that is powerful and affordable. With its rich features, user-friendly interface, and customization options, ClickMeeting is an ideal choice for organizations looking to organize engaging and interactive online events.

4. RingCentral.

Best for team management and collaboration ($19.99/user/month).

RingCentral  is a cloud communication solution that offers much more than just a video conferencing platform. Indeed, RingCentral makes it possible to centralize team communication by offering chat, video conferencing, telephony and project management functionalities.

Features

• HD video conferencing: Host high-quality video conferences with up to 100 participants.
• Audio conference: Host conference calls with up to 1,000 participants.
• Instant messaging: Communicate with colleagues in real time through individual or group chats.
• File sharing: Share files and documents directly from your computer or from cloud storage services like Google Drive.
• Project management: Assign tasks, set priorities, and track the progress of your projects.
• Integrations: Connect RingCentral to your favorite tools like Google Workspace, Microsoft Office 365, and Salesforce.
• Detailed analysis: Measure the performance of your team communication through reports and dashboards.

Pros

• All-in-one solution: RingCentral centralizes team communication and replaces multiple tools with a single platform.
• Easy to use: RingCentral's intuitive interface makes it easy to get started and use for everyone.
• Rich features: RingCentral offers a wide range of features to meet all of your communication and collaboration needs.
• Trusted and secure: RingCentral is a reliable and secure platform that provides a high-quality communication experience.

Cons

• The free plan is limited in features.
• Paid plans can be expensive for small businesses.

Pricing

The RingCentral software offers four pricing plans:

• Free: $0/user/month (Limited features)
• Essential: $19.99/user/month
• Standard: $27.99/user/month
• Premium: $34.99/user/month
• Ultimate: $49.99/user/month

FIND OUT MORE >> Get started for free with RingCentral

RingCentral is a great option for businesses looking for a comprehensive, easy-to-use cloud communication solution. With its rich features, intuitive interface, and affordable prices, RingCentral is an ideal choice for organizations looking to improve their communication and collaboration with video conferencing software.

5. GoToMeeting.

Best video conferencing software ($12 per month).

GoToMeeting is a powerful and flexible video conferencing solution that allows businesses of all sizes to connect and collaborate effectively. With advanced features, a user-friendly interface, and enterprise-grade security, GoToMeeting is an ideal choice for organizations looking to improve communication and productivity.

Features

• HD video conferencing: Host face-to-face video conferences with up to 3,000 participants.
• Instant screen sharing: Share your desktop screen, apps, and files for seamless collaboration.
• Meeting recording and transcribing: Record your video meetings for later review or sharing, and get automatic transcripts for better accessibility.
• One-click meeting: Join or organize video conferences with a single click from your Google or Microsoft calendar.
• Mobile app: Participate or organize video conferences from your smartphone or tablet.
• Seamless collaboration: Benefit from instant messaging, virtual whiteboards, and surveys for optimal collaboration.
• Integrations: Connect GoToMeeting to your favorite tools like Salesforce, Slack, and Microsoft Teams.
• Security and confidentiality: GoToMeeting meets the highest security standards and offers advanced security features such as end-to-end encryption and access control.

Pros

• Rich features: GoToMeeting offers a wide range of features to meet all of your video conferencing needs.
• Easy to use: GoToMeeting's intuitive interface makes it easy to get started and use for everyone.
• Trusted and secure: GoToMeeting is a reliable and secure platform that provides a high-quality meeting experience.
• Affordable: GoToMeeting offers flexible pricing plans for any budget.

Cons

• The free plan is limited to 10 participants.
• Some advanced features are only available in the most expensive plans.

Pricing

The GoToMeeting software offers three paid plans based on your needs:

• Starter: $12/month (150 participants)
• Business: $16/month (250 participants)
• Company: Personalized quote (up to 3,000 participants)

FIND OUT MORE >>  Start with a free 14-day GoToMeeting trial

GoToMeeting is a great option for businesses looking for a powerful, flexible, and secure video conferencing solution. With its wide range of features, user-friendly interface, and affordable prices, GoToMeeting is an ideal choice for organizations looking to improve communication and productivity.

6. Zoom.

Ideal for small businesses looking for a free tool with standard features (Freemium plan).

Zoom is a popular and powerful video conferencing platform that offers a wide range of features to meet the needs of businesses of all sizes. With its user-friendly interface, advanced features, and enterprise-grade security, Zoom is an ideal choice for organizations looking to improve communication and collaboration.

Features

• HD video conferencing: Host high-quality video meetings with up to 1,000 participants.
• Content sharing: Share your screen, apps, and files with your participants.
• Meeting recording and transcribing: Record your meetings to review or share later, and get automatic transcripts for better accessibility.
• Meeting rooms: Divide your meeting into several separate sessions for small group discussions and collaborations.
• Linguistic interpretation: Offer live interpretations in multiple languages for your meetings and webinars.
• Broadcast on social networks: Broadcast your meetings and webinars live on Facebook Live and YouTube.
• Integrations: Connect Zoom to your favorite tools like Microsoft Teams, Slack, and Google Calendar.
• Interactions : Use filters, reactions, polls, video sharing, etc. You also have the option of recording your meetings in the cloud or locally, with searchable transcripts (learn more about best transcription software).
• Security and confidentiality: Zoom meets the highest security standards and offers advanced security features such as end-to-end encryption and access control.

Pros

• Rich features: Zoom offers a wide range of features to meet all of your video conferencing needs.
• Easy to use: Zoom's intuitive interface makes it easy to get started and use for everyone.
• Safety and reliability: Zoom is a reliable and secure platform that provides a high-quality meeting experience.
• Free plan: Zoom offers a generous free plan with basic features for smaller teams.

Cons

• The free plan is limited to 40 minutes of meetings.
• Some advanced features are only available in paid plans.
• Security and privacy issues have been raised in the past.

Pricing

Pricing

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The Zoom software offers four pricing plans:

• Free: $0/month (100 participants)
• Pro: $149.90/month (100 participants)
• Business: $199.90/month (300 participants)
• Company: $199.90/month (1000 participants)

FIND OUT MORE >> Give Zoom a try

Zoom is a great option for businesses looking for a powerful, flexible, and secure video conferencing platform. With its user-friendly interface, advanced features, and affordable prices, Zoom is an ideal choice for organizations looking to improve communication and collaboration.

Further reading: Check out my guide to best alternatives to Zoom and my detailed comparison of Zoom, GoToMeeting, Webex, and WebinarJam.

7. Cisco Webex Meetings.

The best solution for extracting participants' personal profiles ($13.50 per host per month).

Cisco Webex Meetings is a powerful and flexible video conferencing platform that allows businesses of all sizes to connect and collaborate effectively. With its advanced features, user-friendly interface, and enterprise-grade security, Cisco Webex Meetings is an ideal choice for organizations looking to improve communication and productivity.

Features

• HD video conferencing: Host high-quality video meetings with up to 1,000 participants.
• Content sharing: Share your screen, apps, and files with your participants.
• Meeting recording and transcribing: Record your meetings to review or share later, and get automatic transcripts for better accessibility.
• AI-based meeting assistant: The voice-activated digital assistant takes notes on all conference highlights and creates summaries after the meeting.
• Multiple backgrounds: Keep backgrounds that are blurry, virtual, or custom so the focus is always on you.
• Video layouts: Customize the way your video meeting is displayed to optimize the experience.
• Integrations: Connect Cisco Webex Meetings to your favorite tools like Microsoft Teams, Slack, and Google Calendar.
• Security and confidentiality: Cisco Webex Meetings meets the highest security standards and offers advanced security features such as end-to-end encryption and access control.

Pros

• Rich features: Cisco Webex Meetings offers a broad range of features to meet all of your video conferencing needs.
• Easy to use: The intuitive Cisco Webex Meetings interface makes it easy to get started and use for everyone.
• Security and reliability: Cisco Webex Meetings is a reliable and secure platform that provides a high-quality meeting experience.
• Affordable: Cisco Webex Meetings offers flexible pricing plans for any budget.

Cons

• The free plan is limited to 1 host and 3 participants.
• Some advanced features are only available in the most expensive plans.

Pricing

Cisco Webex Meetings software offers five pricing plans:

• Free: $0 per host per month (1 host maximum)
• Starter: $13.50 per host per month (1-9 hosts)
• Plus: $17.95 per host per month (1-50 hosts)
• Business: $26.95 per host per month (5-1000 hosts)
• Company: Personalized quote

FIND OUT MORE >> Give Cisco Webex a try

Cisco Webex Meetings is a great option for businesses looking for a powerful, flexible, and secure video conferencing platform. With its advanced features, user-friendly interface, and affordable prices, Cisco Webex Meetings is an ideal choice for organizations looking to improve communication and productivity.

8. Microsoft Teams.

Great for small businesses that know Skype ($5 per month).

Microsoft Teams is a powerful and flexible team collaboration platform that allows businesses of all sizes to communicate and collaborate effectively. With its advanced features, user-friendly interface, and enterprise-grade security, Microsoft Teams is an ideal choice for organizations looking to improve productivity and teamwork.

Features

• Chat and collaboration: Chat instantly with colleagues, share files, and collaborate on documents in real time.
• HD video conferencing: Host high-quality video meetings with up to 10,000 participants.
• Meeting recording and transcribing: Record your meetings to review or share later, and get automatic transcripts for better accessibility.
• Call features: Make audio and video calls to landlines and mobile numbers around the world.
• Application integration: Connect Microsoft Teams to your favorite tools like Microsoft Office 365, Salesforce, and Trello.
• Security and confidentiality: Microsoft Teams meets the highest security standards and offers advanced security features such as end-to-end encryption and access control.

Pros

• Rich features: Microsoft Teams offers a wide range of features to meet all of your communication and collaboration needs.
• Easy to use: The intuitive Microsoft Teams interface makes it easy to get started and use for everyone.
• Safety and reliability: Microsoft Teams is a reliable and secure platform that provides a high-quality meeting experience.
• Integration with Microsoft Office 365: Microsoft Teams integrates seamlessly with other Microsoft Office 365 applications, making it easy to collaborate on documents, spreadsheets, and presentations.

Cons

• The free plan is limited to 300 users.
• Some advanced features are only available in paid plans.
• The learning curve can be a bit steep for users who are not familiar with Microsoft products.

Pricing

The Microsoft Teams software offers four pricing plans:

• Microsoft Teams (free): $0 per month
• Business Basic: $5 per month
• Business Standard: $12.50 per month
• Office 365 E3: $20 per month

FIND OUT MORE >> Give Microsoft Teams a try

Microsoft Teams is a great option for businesses looking for a powerful, flexible, and secure team collaboration platform. With its advanced features, user-friendly interface, and affordable prices, Microsoft Teams is an ideal choice for organizations looking to improve productivity and teamwork.

9. Google Meet.

Great for small and medium businesses ($6 per user per month).

Google Meet (formerly Google Hangouts Meet) is a video conferencing service integrated into the Google Workspace suite. With its intuitive interface, advanced security features, and seamless integration with other Google tools, Google Meet is an ideal choice for small and medium-sized businesses looking to improve their communication and collaboration.

Features

• HD video conferencing: Host high-quality video meetings with up to 250 participants.
• Content sharing: Share your screen, apps, and files with your participants.
• Meeting recording and transcribing: Record your meetings to review or share later, and get automatic transcripts for better accessibility.
• Virtual meeting rooms: Divide your meeting into several separate sessions for small group discussions and collaborations.
• Real-time subtitling: Access automatic subtitling in the language of your choice for better accessibility.
• Noise suppression: Eliminate unwanted background noise for better audio quality.
• Google Workspace integration: Connect Google Meet to your other Google tools like Gmail, Google Calendar, and Google Drive.

Pros

• Easy to use: Google Meet's intuitive interface makes it easy to get started and use for everyone.
• Security and reliability: Google Meet is a reliable and secure platform that offers advanced security features such as end-to-end encryption and access control.
• Google Workspace integration: Google Meet integrates seamlessly with other Google Workspace tools, making it easy to collaborate and communicate.
• Free plan available: Google Meet offers a free plan with basic features for small teams.

Cons

• The free plan is limited to 100 participants.
• Some advanced features are only available in paid plans.
• The maximum number of participants is 250, which may not be enough for larger businesses.

Pricing

The Google Meet software is offered with three pricing plans:

• Basic: $6 per user per month
• Business: $12 per user per month
• Company: $25 per user per month

FIND OUT MORE >> Try Google Meet

Google Meet is a great option for small and medium-sized businesses looking for a video conferencing platform that is reliable, secure, and easy to use. With its seamless integration with other Google Workspace tools, Google Meet is a valuable tool for improving communication and collaboration within teams.

What is video conferencing software?

Video conferencing software facilitates meetings and video seminars with numerous features such as screen sharing, live chat and video recording. The aim of video calls is to enable international or long-distance meetings, improve collaboration efficiency, and reduce the need to travel for meetings.

You can use video conferencing platforms to attend or organize virtual meetings with various stakeholders, including employees, customers, partners, and more.

They eliminate the need for your physical presence, allowing important meetings and quick sessions to be held in a short amount of time. They also ensure effective, consistent, and open communication between the various stakeholders through face-to-face meetings.

Advanced video conferencing solutions now also offer integration with customer relationship management (CRM) and marketing automation to sync business-critical data with relevant meetings. This ensures streamlined updates and follow-up communications for greater efficiency.

Features to look for in video conferencing software

When choosing video conferencing software, there are several key features to consider for an optimal experience. Here are some of the most important ones:

1. Screen sharing

The screen sharing feature is essential for presenting content during meetings or webinars. Make sure the software allows you to share the full screen or only a specific window/application.

2. Voice over IP (VoIP)

VoIP allows you to make audio and video calls directly via the internet. Choose a tool that offers a quality voice/video connection and the ability to easily switch between the different modes.

3. Integrated chat

An integrated text chat facilitates exchanges between participants without disturbing the audio/video. In addition, it generally allows you to share files and links.

4. Unlimited recording

Video meeting recording is a must. Ideally, choose a tool that offers unlimited cloud storage to easily archive recordings.

5. HD video

For clean meetings and a better connection, High Definition video is preferred. But this requires a good Internet connection from all participants.

6. Annotation tools

Annotation functions (adding text, shapes, highlights...) on shared documents/screens facilitate explanation and make presentations more interactive.

7. Multimedia presentation

The ability to share various multimedia formats (PDF, PowerPoint, videos...) makes it possible to create richer and more captivating presentations.

8. Analyses and reports

Detailed reports on the number of participants, their engagement, etc. will help you measure the performance of your meetings/webinars.

In short, focus on these crucial features to choose the video conferencing tool that best fits your specific needs.

Beginner's guide: How to use video conferencing software

Video conferencing software makes it possible to communicate via video and audio with other people remotely. They are increasingly used in professional and personal settings. In this guide, we'll use Microsoft Teams as an example to show you step-by-step how to use this type of software.

Prerequisites

• A computer, tablet or smartphone with an internet connection
• A microphone and a camera (built-in or external)

Step 1: Create an account

1. Go to teams.microsoft.com
2. Click on “Profile” at the top right and then on “Register for free”
3. Choose “For myself”
4. Fill in your personal information (name, date of birth, etc.)
5. Create a Microsoft ID and a secure password
6. Verify your email address
7. Your Microsoft Teams account is now created

Step 2: Download and open the app

1. On teams.microsoft.com, click “Download Teams” at the bottom left
2. Follow the installation instructions for your operating system
3. Open the installed Microsoft Teams application
4. Log in with your previously created account

Step 3: Join or create a team/channel

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1. In the left panel, click on “Teams” or “Create a team”
2. If you are joining an existing team, enter the code provided
3. If you are creating a new team, give it a name and description
4. Each team contains “channels” for different discussion topics

Step 4: Start a video meeting

• In the desired team/channel, click “Join Now” under the chat box
• Click “Join Now” to open the meeting window
• Allow access to the microphone and camera if requested

Step 5: Checks during the meeting

The toolbar at the bottom allows:

• Mute/unmute the mic (mic icon)
• Unmute/unmute the camera (camera icon)
• Share the screen (icon with a rectangle)
• Open text conversation (chat bubble icon)
• More options (icon with 3 small dots)

To end the meeting, click on the red “Hang up” button

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You now know how to create an account, join a team/channel, launch a video meeting, and use basic controls. Feel free to explore other Microsoft Teams features like screen sharing and recording to get the most out of them.

FAQs

What is the best video conferencing software?

The best video conferencing software is GoToMeeting. Sure, there are plenty of other free options out there, but if you want the most reliable platform you can rely on every time, I recommend GoToMeeting.

What is the best free video conferencing software?

Without a doubt, the best free video conferencing software is Google Meet. I've been using Google Meet a lot over the last 12 months and I really like the free platform. It's not as good as GoToMeeting, but for an impromptu meeting that's quick and free, it's hard to beat.

Is Zoom the best video conference?

Honestly, no, that's not the case. Zoom is by far the most popular web conferencing software out there, but for spending countless hours using video conferencing apps, Zoom isn't as good as GoToMeeting, RingCentral, or Google Meet.

Summary.

That's all for my choice of video conferencing tools to try out this year.

These video conferencing platforms help you meet and work remotely through increased flexibility, HD video, and great collaboration tools.

If you are looking for a free video conferencing tool with fewer features, I suggest Skype for Business. However, if you want to host a lot of participants and need an all-in-one web communication platform, GoToMeeting is a great option. For a thorough integration with other tools in the Google suite, you can opt for Google Meet.

My first choice is GoToMeeting due to features such as:

• Possibility to welcome up to 3000 participants.
• One-click meetings.
• Mobile conferencing.
• Meeting recording and transcribing.
• Live screen sharing.
• Free call recording.
• Automatic bandwidth adjustment.
• And more.