In today’s world where hybrid and remote work are prevalent, team collaboration is almost unimaginable without the right video conferencing solution.
Virtual meetings not only contribute to improving communication and strengthening relationships, but they also make collaboration more efficient and effective, thus increasing productivity.
To help you find the ideal solution for your team, I’m sharing with you the top 8 video conferencing software that stand out in terms of options and features.
So, let’s dive in!
Table of Contents
Pumble — Best for internal video conferencing
Pumble is an all-in-one video conferencing software that streamlines team communication and helps teams achieve seamless collaboration.
With its extensive set of collaboration and communication features, Pumble is the ideal solution for distributed teams of all sizes.
As someone who uses Pumble on a daily basis to keep in touch with colleagues, I can say that Pumble is an easy-to-use and comprehensive tool that helps my team communicate smoothly and enhances our productivity.
Aside from the user-friendly interface, another feature that stands out is the video call feature, thanks to the extensive audio and video quality.
Starting and joining a meeting via Pumble is such a piece of cake — all you have to do is create a link to host a meeting or click the link if you’re an attendee.
With Pumble, you can also take advantage of video messages to cut down on unnecessary meetings and share updates with your team.
With the most popular Pumble plan — Business plan — you have unlimited group meetings for up to 50 attendees for just $3.99 per user per month, billed annually! Plus, you can take advantage of:
- Meeting recording,
- Guest access permissions, which allow you to invite external contributors to your workspace,
- Unlimited integrations, etc.
Pumble Pros:
- No meeting time limit with the Business Pumble plan
- Extensive list of collaboration features
- Easy to use
- Affordable paid plans
Pumble Cons:
- Limited integration options in Free and Pro plans
Highlight feature:
- Unlimited message history for free
Pumble recently added an external access to meetings feature, which allows you to invite guests from outside of your organization to meetings with a shareable link.
Available for:
Desktop — Windows, Mac, and Linux; Mobile — Android and iOS
Pricing:
Free plan available; Paid plans from $2.49 per user per month
💡 PUMBLE PRO TIP
If you want to learn more about how Pumble can help your team streamline communication, make sure to read our article:
Google Meet — Best for Google Workspace users
As a web-based audio and video conferencing tool, Google Meet integrates with other Google apps (Google Docs, Google Calendar, etc.). Hence, it’s a good choice for teams that use the Google Workspace suite.
Its free plan includes:
- Unlimited number of hour-long meetings for up to 100 participants,
- Screen sharing option,
- Breakout rooms,
- Chat box, etc.
To be able to use the meeting recording feature and increase your attendee capacity, Google Meet requires an upgrade to at least the Business Standard plan, which costs $12 per user per month.
And, if you want to utilize all the features that Google Meet has to offer, you’ll have to subscribe to its most comprehensive plan — Enterprise. This plan offers advanced security and attendance tracking, along with:
- 1,000 attendee capacity,
- Noise cancellation,
- In-domain live streaming, etc.
For me, the biggest advantage of Google Meet is the intuitive interface.
I especially like that it’s very easy to launch or join a meeting directly from Google Calendar or Gmail. Plus, I can send out meeting invitations via email or message.
Google Meet pros:
- Features that encourage engagement (e.g. “raise hand”, emojis, and a chat box for sharing comments and links during meetings)
- Breakout rooms
Google Meet cons:
- Disappearing chat after the meeting
Highlight feature:
- 15 GB of cloud storage per user in the free plan
What’s new in Google Meet:
Avoiding video distraction in meetings — this feature allows you to focus your meeting view on the presenter, and hide the video feeds of other participants that might distract you.
Pricing:
Free plan available; Paid plans from $6 per user per month
Available for:
Desktop — Windows, Mac, and Linux; Mobile — Android and iOS
Zoom — Best for external video conferencing
With rapid user growth worldwide since the pandemic started in 2020, Zoom has now established itself as one of the most popular video conferencing software.
Aside from 4 paid plans, Zoom offers a free version that has quite a robust set of features and options, including:
- 40-minute meetings with up to 100 attendees,
- Whiteboard, and
- Team chat.
What’s more, you can take advantage of Clips Basic for free, which allows you to:
- Record,
- Edit, and
- Share up to 5 short-form video messages up to 2 minutes each.
I believe this is a great way to significantly reduce unnecessary meetings and convert them to an asynchronous format — for example, you can deliver training or onboarding experience in that way.
However, to do that, you’ll need to remove the limit restriction by buying Clips Plus as an add-on.
All Zoom paid plans allow holding meetings for up to 30 hours per meeting. But, if you want to increase your attendance capacity to 300, you’ll need to upgrade to a Business, Business Plus, or Enterprise plan.
Zoom pros:
- User-friendly
- Many integrations with third-party vendors
Zoom cons:
- Download required
- Security concern
Highlight feature:
- High-quality video and audio
What’s new in Zoom:
Zoom’s newest feature is the screen share presenter layout, which combines your video and shared screen in one frame.
Available for:
Desktop — Windows, Mac, and Linux; Mobile — Android and iOS
Pricing:
Free plan available; Paid plans from $11.66 per user per month ($139.90 per year per user)
💡 PUMBLE PRO TIP
If you want to learn more about how Zoom compares to Google Meet, make sure to read our blog post:
And, if you’re looking for the right Zoom alternative for you, check out this blog post:
Microsoft Teams — Best for Microsoft 365 users
Microsoft Teams is a video conferencing software that’s an integrated part of the Microsoft Office 365 suite of applications.
Teams offers a free version only for personal use (in the “Home Plans” section), and 4 paid plans for businesses, starting from $4 per user per month.
The most affordable option ― Microsoft Teams Essential ― provides an extensive set of collaboration features and options, including:
- 30-hour video conferencing with up to 300 attendees,
- Whiteboard,
- Meeting recordings with transcripts, and
- 10 GB storage per user.
What’s more, to encourage everyone to participate as a meeting facilitator, you can take advantage of public or private chats where attendees can ask questions and share comments or files.
Before you start with Teams, you will have to set up an account, after which you can schedule a meeting via your Outlook calendar or chat.
Microsoft Teams pros:
- Great integration with third-party apps
- Free 30-day trial on all paid plans
Microsoft Teams cons:
- All paid plans require an annual subscription
- Less intuitive interface
Highlight feature:
- 34 different language options for transcription, which makes collaboration easier in international teams
What’s new in Microsoft Teams:
Copilot app that uses chat and meeting content to generate takeaways and actionable suggestions to help improve collaboration.
Available for:
Desktop — Windows, Mac, and Linux; Mobile — Android and iOS
Pricing:
Free plan available; Paid plans from $4 per user per month, billed annually
💡 PUMBLE PRO TIP
If you want to discover the best Microsoft Teams alternative, check out this blog post:
And, if you want more information about how Microsoft Teams compares to Pumble, check out the following resource:
Webex — Best for organizations that need enterprise-level features
Webex Meeting is a video conferencing tool that provides high-definition video and audio quality.
Aside from a 100-attendee capacity, its free version provides quite an extensive set of features, such as:
- Breakout rooms,
- Unlimited whiteboard,
- Video messaging, and
- Local meeting recording.
Keep in mind that the free option allows holding meetings up to 40 minutes long — if you want to extend the meeting length, you’ll need to upgrade to one of the paid plans that allows holding meetings up to 24 hours long.
With the most comprehensive plan — Enterprise — you can store unlimited amounts of recorded data in the cloud and hold meetings with up to 1,000 attendees. What’s more, this plan includes FedRAMP-authorized security, which ensures enhanced security and reduced risks.
When it comes to the registration procedure, I noticed that it’s quite complicated, as it involves multiple steps. Once you fill up the registration form, you’ll receive an email with the confirmation code. When you enter the code, it will take you to the next step where you need to enter your information and create a password. Therefore, arm yourself with some patience before you start with Webex.
Webex Meeting pros:
- High-quality video and audio
- Meeting time for up to 24 hours
Webex Meeting cons:
- Less intuitive user interface
- Pricey paid options
Highlight feature:
- AI capabilities that include language translation, closed captioning, and transcription
What’s new in Webex Meeting:
AI features for improving audio and video quality — Audio Codec and Super Resolution make great audio and video quality even with poor network conditions.
Pricing:
Free plan available; Paid plans from $14.50 per month per license
Available for:
Desktop — Windows and Mac; Mobile — Android and iOS
💡PUMBLE PRO TIP
If you want to learn more about the differences and similarities between Webex and Microsoft Teams, read our blog post:
And, to learn about the best Webex alternative, check out the following resource:
Whereby — Best for simple video conferencing
Whereby is a browser-based video meeting platform with a simplified way of joining and hosting meetings.
To start with Whereby, you need to create your personal meeting room and get your personalized meeting link, which you can then share with participants. Therefore, participants can jump on a call with just one click, without creating an account.
With Whereby’s free plan, you have access to the following features:
- 45-minute meetings with up to 100 participants,
- Unlimited 1-on-1 meetings,
- Breakout rooms, and
- Screen sharing.
If you need your meeting and recording time to be unlimited, you’ll need to purchase the Whereby Pro, which allows you to create 3 meeting rooms.
However, if you want to expand the number of participants to 200 attendees per meeting and have an unlimited number of rooms, you’ll have to purchase a Business plan, which offers a 14-day free trial.
Whereby pros:
- No download or login required
- User-friendly interface
Whereby cons:
- Unstable video quality
- No file-sharing option
Highlight feature:
- Breakout rooms
What’s new in Whereby:
Co-location groups, which allow participants to join from the same physical location. Hybrid teams will find the feature beneficial, as it removes echo and improves audio and video quality.
Pricing:
Free plan available; Paid plans from $8.99 per month
Available for:
Web
Jitsi Meet — Best for unlimited video calls
Jitsi Meet is an open-source video conferencing software that offers unlimited free video sessions for up to 100 participants.
This completely free and straightforward video conferencing tool allows you to utilize the following features:
- Screen sharing option for multiple users,
- Meeting recording,
- Whiteboard, and
- Chat and poll.
My first impression is that the interface is quite intuitive and streamlined ― you don’t need to make an account or download anything, and it only takes one click to launch or join a meeting from any browser.
To invite people, you can simply share a generated link or send an invitation via email.
However, note that audio and video quality is significantly lower compared to other video conferencing software like Pumble or Zoom.
Aside from that, one of the biggest disadvantages of this software is the lack of a file-sharing option, which can decrease meeting effectiveness.
Jitsi Meet pros:
- Free, simple, and secure
Jitsi Meet cons:
- Any participant can control the meeting and mute all other participants.
- No file-sharing option
Highlight feature:
- Unlimited meetings for free
Available for:
Web
Pricing:
Free
Zoho Meeting — Best for webinars
Another primarily web-based video conferencing tool is Zoho Meeting — an online meeting and webinar software that provides a wide range of collaboration and communication features.
With Zoho’s free version, you have an unlimited number of 60-minute video meetings for up to 100 participants. Plus, it allows you to share files through the meeting chat and share your screen.
While I was testing out the free option, I noticed that the interface is quite straightforward. On the left sidebar, you can choose the meeting or webinar section to start a session immediately or schedule one for later.
The audio and video quality is outstanding — the audio is clear, and I didn’t notice any video lagging.
If you want to extend the meeting length, you need to upgrade your plan. The great advantage is that Zoho offers a 14-day free trial, so you can test out the paid features to figure out whether they are working for you.
With Meeting and Webinar paid plans, which are divided into Standard and Professional categories, you have:
- Meeting/Webinars up to 24 hours,
- Meeting/Webinar recording,
- VoIP & Phone (which allows you to join meetings over the telephone), etc.
Zoho Meeting pros:
- Easy to sign up and use
- 14-day free trial
- Affordable paid plans
Zoho Meeting cons:
- Limited third-party integration options
Highlight feature:
- Live polls (you can share the results with meeting participants)
What’s new in Zoho Meeting:
Zoho Meeting now offers a Rooms add-on, allowing users to create dedicated virtual meeting spaces. This option is currently only available for the Meeting Professional paid plan.
Available for:
Desktop – Web, Windows, and Mac; Mobile – Android and iOS
Pricing:
Free plan available; Meeting paid plans from $1.09 (€1) per host for 10 participants per month, billed annually
Top 8 video conferencing software: An overview
So, let’s take a look at the summary of the most important features of our top video conferencing software.
Pumble | Google Meet | Zoom | Microsoft Teams | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Ease of use and setup | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
No download required | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ |
Intuitive interface | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ |
(Almost) unlimited meeting length | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
High-quality video and audio | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Chat | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Meeting recording | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Screen sharing | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
File sharing | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Breakout rooms | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Webex | Whereby | Jitsi Meet | Zoho Meeting | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Ease of use and setup | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
No download required | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Intuitive interface | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
(Almost) unlimited meeting length | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
High-quality video and audio | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
Chat | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Meeting recording | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Screen sharing | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
File sharing | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
Breakout rooms | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ (add-on) |
FAQ about video conferencing software
Now that we’ve listed the best 8 video conferencing tools with their features and options, let’s answer some frequently asked questions about this type of software.
What is video conferencing software?
Video conferencing software is a solution that allows 2 or more parties to have real-time face-to-face meetings remotely.
What makes the best video conferencing app?
When choosing the ideal solution for you, consider the following features that define strong video conferencing software:
- User experience,
- Meeting length limitation,
- Video and audio quality,
- Attendee capacity,
- Collaboration tools and features such as chat, screen sharing, etc.
How much does video conferencing cost?
Most video conferencing software solutions offer free versions to introduce users to the functionality, key features, and value proposition.
However, free offerings come with limited collaboration features and options in terms of meeting length or participant capacity.
Because of that, businesses often opt for more fully-featured paid plans, which are designed with different organization sizes and the complexity of their needs in mind.
Most video conferencing software charge by the number of users. Some of them, however, like Zoho Meeting and Whereby, charge by the number of hosts.
When it comes to software reviewed in this blog post that charge by the number of users, the medium price is $7.59 per month.
Zoom is the most expensive one, with the starting price of $11.66 per user per month, and Zoho Meeting is the cheapest video conferencing software, starting at $1.09 per month.
As the best and most comprehensive video conferencing tool for internal communication, Pumble is the most affordable solution with a starting price of $2.49 per user per month.
What are the benefits of video conferencing software?
Video conferencing software blurs the line between in-person and virtual face-to-face communication. As such, they connect remote teams and increase communication effectiveness and efficiency.
Consequently, video conferencing solutions lead to better employee engagement and improved productivity.
Consider your business needs and collaboration features when choosing the ideal video conferencing solution
Video conferencing software does more than just contribute to overall team productivity and performance — it brings people together and fosters teamwork and collaboration.
Hence, to choose the right video conferencing software, make sure to consider your team’s needs.
Explore our list of top video conferencing tools and test out different options before you choose the right fit for your business.
Want to see how Pumble can level up your team’s engagement and productivity? Sign up for free and start with Pumble today!