Who are we kidding? Some users may never replace Zoom, even if they raise their prices astronomically and make few improvements over the years. But, there are some amazing alternatives to Zoom they may want to consider if they are going to ditch this giant once and for all. Zoom made it to most news for one key reason: it became the first choice for businesses and government organizations for online meetings and webinars during the pandemic.
It soon came to light for the security concerns of millions of users. Some of you must have heard about the “Zoom bombing”. Another incident added insult to injury when more than 500,000 Zoom accounts were sold on the Dark Web in April 2020 for less than a cent each. There you have it – a reason to switch to any Zoom alternative below.
Reasons to look for a Zoom alternative
- Zoom, although free, can be very expensive when used for business purposes.
- Yes, zoombombing is also a thing. Basically, it is a form of cyber-harassment, when an unwanted person, or group, interrupts an ongoing zoom call.
- There are many users who have complained that Zoom is difficult to use, professionally.
- The video quality is inconsistent and can often be poor.
- The platform is also ripe with security issues.
- The customer support department also needs work.
1. Cisco Webex
Cisco Webex is a cloud-based collaboration platform that enables users to connect, share and work together. It’s not much of a surprise that around 40,000 software companies in the US use it. The platform provides various features, such as video conferencing, online meetings, chat, and file sharing. It also offers internal/enterprise communication solutions, public webinars, and training programs.
On the security front, it uses strong encryption protocols such as Transport Layer Security (TLS) and Secure Socket Layer (SSL) to secure all communication. Moreover, users can optionally protect themselves from phishing attacks with two-factor authentication. Users may also create meetings and share their calendars on the platform.
2. GoTo Meeting
GoTo Meeting is a web conferencing tool that lets you hold online meetings with 10 people and is accessible from 190+ countries. In addition to audio, GoTo users can share presentations, control their meetings remotely, and view and share multimedia. The company says that its software is easy to use and anyone can use it regardless of technical skills or computer experience.
GoTo is an enterprise-class application that companies can use to schedule and conduct training sessions for customer support, sales presentations, recruiting and onboarding, one-on-one collaboration, and other business purposes. GoToMeeting is also compatible with desktop, iOS, and Android. It’s a great tool for conducting private meetings, virtual events, and web conferences. You can choose from Basic, Standard, and Premium plans.
3. Google Meet
Google Meet is the simplest and fastest way to videoconference with your team members or recruiters. This platform lets you meet with colleagues, clients, and friends online. It’s easy to use and has a simple interface that makes it straightforward to connect with others. Google Meet is compatible with all Mac OS X v10.3 or later devices and Windows 2000, XP, Vista, and 7.
Though, since it’s a browser-based tool, you don’t even have to bother with operating system compatibility. It has an unlimited number of participants and 10 minutes of webcam bandwidth. It is also customizable, so groups can share documents and web pages, add notes, and search the history of meetings.
4. Microsoft Teams
Microsoft Teams is a chat-based workspace that lets you easily collaborate with your team. It offers a range of features, including chat, video conferencing, and file sharing, allowing you to remain productive no matter where you are. Microsoft Teams works on all devices running Windows 7 or later and Mac OS X v10.7 or after.
The application is part of the Office 365 Enterprise and Business plans and access to all users either through Outlook or their company’s account, respectively. Its cloud-based storage lets you easily save, share, and download documents within the application. You can chat, video or audio call your associates, and coordinate accordingly.
5. Jitsi Meet
Jitsi Meet is a free web conferencing system that enables users to hold online meetings with connected participants. The interface is similar to that of Google Hangouts and Skype, featuring a view into all users’ webcams, adding or taking down participants on the fly, and the capability to join and leave the meeting through multiple options.
The client software for Jitsi Meet, available as a browser plug-in, is also used to enable two-way video calling within the browser and with other users on the platform. The meeting tool is encrypted and secures your business or personal communication, letting you focus on what’s important. Etherpad, Custom URLs, and Integrated Chat features are its specialties.
6. Skype
Around 66,000 companies in the US alone have Skype for business communication, while its total user-base is estimated to be around a billion by the end of 2024. Microsoft Skype is a software application that allows users to make voice and video calls over the Internet. The client software, available as a browser extension, also enables two-way video calling within the window and with other Skype users.
Skype was originally launched as a VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) product in 2003. Moreover, its client software was first released in November 2003 for Internet Explorer. Skype recently introduced its free video calling feature, which lets you connect to the client regardless of where they are.
It’s compatible with all the popular browsers such as Firefox, Safari, and Chrome. Want to give it a try on a smart device? No problem – get the free Skype mobile app. Reading advantages and disadvantages of Skype will give you a better idea about the tool.
7. BlueJeans for Meeting
BlueJeans for Meeting is a web-based video conferencing service that lets users connect with others in real-time. With BlueJeans, you can see, hear and (almost) feel the other participant, share real-time collaboration with your colleagues, or collaborate on group projects. BlueJeans integrates with your existing infrastructure to reduce time-to-deploy and provide a scalable, end-to-end conference experience. You can use it to present information to groups of people in your company or community and share your best ideas with the team.
BlueJeans provides all the features you would expect from a conference system. Voice conferencing, video and screen sharing, project management, instant messaging, and great support, to name a few.
8. Discord
As a VoIP and instant messaging app, Discord is a perfect alternative to Zoom. In fact, it has a lot more to offer than Zoom. The platform has a rich and thriving community where topic-based channels are used to share files, chat, and collaborate. It was basically invented to provide online gamers with a way to communicate effectively and plan things out. But, since its initial release back in 2015, it has come a long way, especially for the community aspect, as Discord is now filled with topic-rich servers, from popular K-Pop content to several niches.
Discord has reportedly a registered user count of more than 500 million, with almost 150 million monthly active users. As such, it is a great app that is available on most operating systems for free, with a paid subscription model. But the great thing about Discord is its attitude towards user privacy. It has incorporated features that allow you to permanently delete messages, has a policy of not logging any user data, and any photos sent to a contact are automatically checked for inappropriate content.
9. Teamviewer
Teamviewer started out, back in 2015, as a remote access and remote control solution, meant for maintenance work. However, over the years, it has gradually evolved into a total remote working solution, with features like remote access, file transfer, remote printing, WON, screen sharing, text chats, and, of course, video calling. The software has a lot to offer, without feeling cluttered. Furthermore, it has state-of-the-art encryption in place, ensuring data security.
Teamviewer can be used to further streamline official communication, as you don’t have to use a different app. You can find everything needed for remote work under the same umbrella. It also excels at project collaboration.
10. Join.Me
Join.Me is an online meeting platform that lets you host or join online meetings with up to 10 people. With Join.Me, you can share your screen with other participants, and the platform also offers a chat function for further communication. It’s a perfect contact tool for small teams working on a single project or larger groups that need to communicate with multiple people.
Your participants can share your screen, join your meeting and leave comments. The meetings are stored and can be shared as video or audio recordings. Join.Me also offers VoIP technology and full participation. You can be present in the meetings remotely or join them and speak with your team members. When the meetings are over, you can record them for later review and note what was discussed. Recording Zoom calls has been a difficult process for many users.
11. Chanty
Chanty started as a collaboration tool in 2017. However, over time, it has established itself to be a reliable communication software. Today, it gets recognized as a valid Zoom alternative to helm business meetings and conferences. However, it is a bit costlier than Zoom. Although one on one audio calls are free on Chanty, any video calls would require a subscription to at least a Business plan or higher, starting from $3 a month.
But it is a value-for-money deal, as Chanty has numerous features to offer. Some of these are a clean UI, “Teambook,” a single hub for call/task organization, and the Kanban Board for better task management and multitasking amongst different projects.
12. Zoho Meeting
This is a meeting software created by Zoho Corporation and is gaining more popularity in 2022. It is cloud-based, so you don’t need to install anything, and there is no server to set up. This is a simple way to create, edit, or join a meeting from your desktop or your mobile. This tool is also compatible with almost all smartphones and tablets. You can invite your colleagues to join the meeting through a link, effortlessly.
Zoho Meeting’s online meeting platform is the perfect way to hold online meetings with real-time audio, video, and screen sharing at zero costs. Join or initiate free meetings anywhere, and collaborate effectively with moderator controls. Their secure online meeting software enhances your remote collaboration experience, permitting you to work more productively.
13. Dialpad Meetings (Formerly UberConference)
Dialpad Meetings is a powerful online meeting tool that lets you collaborate with colleagues and clients in real-time. Using Dialpad Meetings facilitates easy screen sharing, chatting, and collaboration on files and documents. It uses AI (Artificial Intelligence) Voice technology and advanced web conferencing features, making it the perfect tool for business meetings.
Besides screen streaming, this includes voice intelligence to transcribe meetings and capture important details. It also allows for sending a post-call summary with the call transcript. Dialpad Meetings is one of the top alternatives to Zoom if you’re on a budget but still want to benefit from the premium features of an online conferencing tool.
14. Brosix
Brosix markets itself as a secure app for business, which is what it is. The app is a powerful yet easy-to-use instant messaging app that helps team communication and collaboration without compromising task security. Although there is no basic or minimum user count limit available for Brosix, the software does offer three distinct subscription versions.
Furthermore, the app is versatile, as it can run on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS. It allows for cross-platform collaboration without creating any entry barriers. Hence, any team member from anywhere can contribute without caring for the hardware he is running.
Conclusion
Zoom has a lot of advantages and disadvantages. Once you feel like the disadvantages are far significant than the advantages, it might be the time to switch. While doing that, you should make sure that the new choice has all the features you need in a conferencing or video calling application. We hope you were able to find a good alternative to Zoom.