16+ Zoom Alternatives for a Better Video Conferencing Experience [2023]
Did you know that almost 40% of employees use video conferencing at least once a week? It’s no surprise that video conferencing platforms like Zoom are very well-known in the professional world and within online communities.
However, though Zoom emerged as a strong contender at the beginning of the pandemic, the platform has been plagued with security and privacy complaints, confusing interfaces, and rising price points. This has led Zoom users and individuals looking for the best virtual meeting software to consider Zoom alternatives.
Whether you’re a remote worker, personal coach, business leader, or university student, this article will help you determine which Zoom alternative will best fit your needs.
Let’s get started!
Quick Zoom Review
Zoom is a virtual meeting platform widely used by businesses and schools. The software supports video conferencing, voice calls, screen sharing, and chat functionality, catering to both one-on-one meetings and large events with hundreds of participants.
However, though Zoom saw great popularity during the pandemic, the platform has faced multiple issues since, ranging from privacy concerns to mounting expenses to hypocritical leadership (they’re requiring more and more of their workforce to work in the office).
There have been several reported cases of "Zoom-bombing," where strangers suddenly appear in a Zoom meeting uninvited, disrupting the session. Although Zoom has now begun providing end-to-end encryption for its meetings, it initially did not offer this feature, raising concerns about the privacy and confidentiality of meetings.
It also has recently been in the news for its new customer data policies. The platform’s terms of service automatically assume user consent for the company’s utilization of transcripts, recordings, and engagement data for “machine learning, artificial intelligence, training, testing.”
On top of that, compared to other video conferencing options, Zoom can be expensive, especially if you need a conference tool that can stream high-quality video and audio. Zoom offers 720p video quality on most plans–you need to pay more if you want to stream in 1080p.
Best Zoom Alternatives
So, if you have concerns about Zoom’s privacy standards, pricing, and ease of use, here are some great Zoom alternatives to consider.
AllTakes
AllTakes is a video conferencing software dedicated to improving online communication and fostering community growth for various activities, from meditation meetups to corporate events and more.
The platform offers user their unique product: the Roundtable.
Roundtable offers an interactive and lively video conferencing platform with a unique circular structure to minimize digital exhaustion and enhance involvement. It is ideal for study circles, professional events, family get-togethers, friendly hangouts, and all virtual meetings that emphasize building genuine relationships. With Roundtable, you can benefit from 60-minute sessions at zero cost, promising a refreshing and energetic virtual group experience.
Key Features:
Roundtable Features:
Breakout rooms: Create instant breakout rooms on the fly during meetings.
Custom expressions: Animated expressions, such as a confetti shower or burst of hearts, make online video calls more interactive and engaging.
Fireside chat and panels: Users can bring members of the roundtable up front and center for a fireside chat or panel conversation.
Raise-hand feature: A feature that notifies the host whenever a user wants to ask a question or participate in a meeting.
Sharing: Users can easily share videos, audio, and more during meetings.
Music: Users can share music during their meetings for transitions, to welcome participants, or to match the theme of the meeting. The Roundtable has built-in music tracks for every mood.
Ready to increase engagement and create deeper connections?
2. Microsoft Teams
Microsoft Teams is a communication and collaboration platform developed by Microsoft. It combines a variety of tools, such as workplace chat rooms, video meetings, and file storage. Microsoft Teams is designed to help businesses, schools, and other organizations share documents, communications, and files.
Key Features:
Virtual appointments: This feature enables business-to-customer meetings, analytics, and management options all from one place.
Live events: Users can schedule events that can stream to large audiences.
Cloud voice: Provides businesses with phone numbers for users, attendees, and queues.
Messaging: Send files and photos and react to co-workers, peers, and more in the Microsoft Teams chat room.
Pricing:
Microsoft Team Essential: $4 per user per month
Microsoft 365 Business Basic: $6 per user per month
Microsoft 365 Business Standard: $12.50 per user per month
3. Google Meet
Google Meet is a video conferencing platform developed by Google as part of its Google Workspace suite of productivity tools. It allows users to hold meetings, presentations, and workshops via video and audio calls with friends or colleagues. The platform also integrates with Google Calendar and Google Workspace.
Key Features:
Multiple Co-hosts: The meeting host can add up to 25 co-hosts for a meeting.
Whiteboarding: Users can brainstorm and edit ideas during meetings using the JamBoard feature.
On-the-Go mode: Users can join meetings while driving or on the go.
Attendance tracking: Get reports of who attended their meeting and live streams.
Pricing:
Free
Business Starter: $6 per user per month
Business Standard: $12 per user per month
Business Plus: $18 per use per month
For the Enterprise Plan, customers must contact their sales team.
4. RingCentral MVP
RingCentral MVP offers various tools for meetings, webinars, messaging, calls, and more. Users can participate in online meetings, share files, and track tasks for real-time collaboration. RingCentral MVP integrates with several business applications including Salesforce, Google Workspace, and Microsoft 365.
Key Features:
Advanced Meetings Insights: Users can catch up on recording with meeting summaries, topics, highlight reels, keywords, and transcripts.
Presentation mode: Create an immersive experience for the audience with screen sharing, animations, and more.
Live transcription: Users can keep records of what was said during meetings with automatic voice transcription and speaker identification.
Custom branding: Allows users to add their company logo with drag-and-drop for registration forms.
Pricing:
Core: $30 per user per month
Advanced: $35 per user per month
Ultra: $45 per user per month
5. Cisco Webex
Cisco Webex is a video conferencing solution developed by Cisco Systems that has tools that enable high-quality virtual meetings, webinars, training, remote technical support, and other online events. Cisco Webex also supports basic features like screen sharing, meeting recording, chat, and hosting large-scale interactive meetings.
Key Features:
Webinars: Host webinars with interactive features, HD videos, and audio for up to 10,000 attendees.
Webcasting: Using Webcast mode to host large virtual events for up to 100,00 attendees.
Webex Training: Lead live or on-demand training with breakout room, tests, and automated grading for over 1,000 attendees.
Webex Support: Customer service provided for users and businesses through live chat.
Pricing:
Meetings:
Free
Webex Meet: $14.50 per license per month
Webex Suite: $25 per license per month
Calling:
Webex Call: $17 per license per month
Webex Suite: $25 per license per month
Webinars:
1000 attendees: $275 per license per month
3,000 attendees: $795 per license per month
5,000 attendees: $1,950 per license per month
10,000 attendees: $4,950 per license per month
6. GoToMeeting
GoToMeeting is a web conferencing and online meeting software for businesses. Users can schedule, manage, and host meetings through a web browser or the dedicated GoToMeeting application. It provides options for high-definition video and audio, meeting recordings, transcripts, and features like drawing tools for highlighting information during presentations.
Key Features:
Webcam preview: Users can test and preview their webcam before joining the meeting to check connection and video.
Commuter Mode: Allows users to call into a meeting while on the go and turns phones into a color-coded audio mute button.
Meeting transcriptions: Share automatic transcripts of recorded meetings or use them to take notes.
Smart Meeting Assistant: This feature automatically transcribes meetings, makes highlights, captures presentation slides, and more.
Pricing:
Professional: $12 per organizer per month
Business: $16 per organizer per month
Enterprise: Pricing information isn’t available online
7. BlueJeans
BlueJeans is an online meeting platform specializing in meetings, webinars, and events. With features like Smart Meetings, an AI tool that helps tag discussion points, assign tasks, automate transcription, and more. BlueJeans can also share content, record meetings, run dynamic polls, and host up to 1,000 attendees.
Key Features:
Browser meetings: Offer attendees the option to choose the browser for instant meetings without downloads.
Event security: Requires attendee registration to ensure the event's content and data are secure.
Collab Board: This feature has a toolkit to make brainstorming and collaboration easier and more creative.
Calendar Sync: Users can integrate their meetings into their Google or Microsoft calendars.
Pricing:
BlueJeans Standard: $9.99 per host per month
BlueJeans Pro: $13.99 per host per month
For the BlueJeans Enterprise Plans, users will have to contact the sales team for a quote.
8. Skype
Skype is a telecommunications software owned by Microsoft, offering various services, including voice calling, video calling, instant messaging, and file sharing capabilities. It allows users to communicate with each other from any location with internet access. This software is available on computers, smartphones, and smart TVs.
Key Features:
Live subtitles: Live subtitles for video call recording.
Skype Translator: Offers real-time translation for voice and video calls and instant messages.
Background effects: Users can blur their background or change it with their own pictures.
Raise hand: The raise hand feature allows participants to "raise their hand" to ask questions during a call.
Pricing:
Free
Mobiles and landlines:
United States: $2.54 per month
United States and Canada: $3.39 per month
North America: $5.94 per month
World: $11.89 per month
9. Slack
Slack provides a workspace that allows users to communicate through chat, audio, video, or live gatherings. However, its key feature is its structured messaging channels, promoting cooperation among various departments, locations, and separate organizations.
Key Features:
Huddles: Connect with team members over audio or video while sharing screens.
Slack Connect: Users can connect with their partners faster by booking meetings, sharing content, and simplifying tasks.
File sharing: Share documents, files, and videos from a computer, cloud storage, and any other device with switching tabs.
Security: Protect data through encryption, single sign-on, domain claiming, and governance and risk management.
Pricing:
Pro: $7.25 per person per month
Business+: $12.50 per person per month
For the Enterprise Grid plan, users must contact their sales team.
10. Discord
Discord is a multi-purpose platform facilitating connection and communication among various communities, ranging from academic groups to gaming teams. It features channels dedicated to specific topics and voice channels to promote collaboration and dialogue while organizing group chats.
Key Features:
Voice message: Users can send out audio recordings directly to friends.
Screen reader: Helps visually impaired users understand the text on the screen and announce what's being displayed.
Video backgrounds: Allows users to express themselves by choosing from provided backgrounds.
Video calls: Host calls with screen sharing, voice-only chatting, and stream videos and content.
Pricing: Free, though users can subscribe to Nitro Basic and Nitro for more features and pricing.
11. Zoho Meeting
Zoho Meeting is an online meeting software and webinar solution that helps others collaborate. This software provides their user with round-the-clock support, industry-level security, and interactive tools for web meetings. Some of Zoho Meetings' most notable features are audio, video, and screen sharing, virtual backgrounds, and live polls.
Key Features:
Private meetings: Lock meetings to keep them safe from unwanted attendees and get notified whenever someone tries to join.
Whiteboard: Attendees can collaborate in real time by taking notes, creating charts, and more.
Custom registration forms: Leverage insights with customizable registration forms with specific questions.
YouTube live streaming: Users can connect their webinar to a larger audience using YouTube live streaming.
Pricing:
Free:
Meeting:
Standard: $2 per host per month
Professional: $3 per host per month
Webinar:
Standard: $9 per organizer per month
Professional: $19 per organizer per month
12. Livestorm
Livestorm is a video engagement platform for meetings, virtual events, and webinars. Users can customize their meeting rooms, share files, and send unlimited custom email reminders and follow-up emails with plain text or HTML. This platform can also handle small and large meetings, webinars, events, and more for enterprises ranging from 2 to 3,000 attendees.
Key Features:
Multi-language support: Livestorm supports 24 languages for emails, registration pages, rooms, and more.
Speaking permission: Manage who gets to talk during the event or mute or invite participants to speak.
Breakout rooms: Users can divide attendees up automatically or manually to work in smaller groups.
Instant replays: Allow attendees access to the recording immediately after the meeting or webinar.
Pricing:
Free
Pro: $79 per month
For the Business and Enterprise plans, contact their sales team.
13. Dialpad Meetings
14. Talky.io
Talky.io is a simple online video conferencing and chat tool. Users can start a video chat by simply creating a chat room and inviting others to join via a shareable URL, with no downloads or user accounts required. Talky supports groups of up to six participants for small team meetings, personal discussions, or quick catch-ups with friends.
Key Features:
Screen sharing: Users can add any participant's screen to the conversation.
Locked rooms: Users can have a shared key for rooms for more privacy.
Simple WebRTC: Users can add voice, video, and screen-sharing to their apps while Talky.io handles the UX edge cases.
WebRTC Consulting: Provides users with on-demand support, scaling assistance, and custom development.
Pricing: Free
15. Jitsi
Jitsi is an open-source conferencing software capable of open-source voice, video conferencing, and instant messaging for platforms like Windows, macOS, iOS, and more. The software is free and allows audio and video communication between users. Colleagues can collaborate and share their desktops and presentations or edit documents together using the Etherpad.
Key Features:
Jitsi Videobridge: Passes all participants' videos and audio to other participants instead of mixing them first.
Video routing: Advanced video routing support for simulcasts, video coding, bandwidth estimations, and more.
Custom URLs: Users can pick their URLs and use them to invite users to a conference.
Integrated chat: Users can send messages and emojis to each other during the video conference.
Pricing: Free
16. Adobe Connect
Adobe Connect is a web conferencing software designed by Adobe Systems. It facilitates virtual meetings, webinars, and eLearning modules through its interactive and multi-functional platform. The platform supports sharing audio, video, texts, and slides and offers functionalities such as screen sharing, live polling, and interactive whiteboards.
Key Features:
Accessible videos: Supports embedded MP$ subtitles, descriptive audio hearing, and second language audio track for increased participation.
Content library: User content is stored in the cloud and can be shared from any device.
Event Analytics: Event reports that showcase conversions by event or campaign through attendance, downloads, polls, and more.
Moderated Chat: Users can control and manage the visibility of questions, answers, and attendee identities in the Q&A pod.
Pricing:
Adobe Connect for Training and Webinars:
Standard: $190 per year per host
Premium: $290 per year per host
Enterprise: $390 per year per host
More About Zoom Alternatives
What are free alternatives to Zoom?
There are plenty of Zoom alternatives that have Free plans listed above. These platforms have the most robust free plans:
AllTakes
Talky.io
Google Meet
Jitsi
What are the most secure alternatives to Zoom?
Most of the Zoom alternatives on this list prioritize their security but we want to call out AllTakes’ security efforts. AllTakes takes a serious approach to security with private Studios, an all-in-one solution that helps users and businesses manage private groups, host live sessions, communicate in private chats and collect payments.
AllTakes Roundtable is also committed to protecting the privacy and security of its users. Neither of their offerings use customer content for AI training or any other purposes.
Is there a video conferencing tool with no time limit?
Here are some free Zoom alternatives that allow you to catch up with friends and family, hold professional meetings, and more without a time limit:
Switchboard
Spike
Telegram
Choose the Best Zoom Alternative
There are lots of great alternatives to Zoom video conferencing on the market today. When you’re choosing the best fit for your business, make sure to consider your use cases, budget, and the type of community you’re creating.
If you’re looking for a Zoom alternative that can create a personal and collaborative experience, all while keeping your meetings private and safe, look no further than AllTakes.
AllTakes merges the core of face-to-face interactions with the ease of digital connection, creating a virtual platform that facilitates learning, personal growth, and the establishment of genuine relationships.
