As businesses continue to embrace virtual work models and remote collaboration, Zoom has become an invaluable tool for staying connected. However, as the market grows more competitive, a range of additional platforms offer similar features.
In 2023, many free Zoom alternatives can help you stay connected with colleagues, clients, and friends worldwide. These Zoom alternatives provide a variety of features and functions, making it easy to find the right platform for your organization's needs.
From secure video conferencing software to team chat apps and more, this list highlights the best 6 Zoom competitors and free alternatives available in 2023. Each option provides different levels of security, functionality, ease of use, and price.
Zoom was launched in 2011 and has since skyrocketed in popularity and success. As a cloud-based video conferencing platform, Zoom offers an intuitive user experience along with high-quality audio and video capabilities.
Additionally, the platform makes it easy to set up virtual meetings via desktop or mobile devices, and provides features like:
Zoom's accessibility, pricing at $149.90/user/year, and scalability make it an attractive option for businesses of all sizes. The platform can support up to 1000 participants at once, making it ideal for large virtual events like webinars or conferences. With its broad range of features, Zoom has quickly become the premier choice for remote business collaboration.
However, as the market grows more crowded, free Zoom alternative platforms are emerging to meet new demands and provide different levels of functionality. While Zoom remains an excellent choice for many businesses, let's explore some of the other top Zoom alternatives available in 2023.
Here are the top 6 Zoom competitors and alternatives for 2023:
Pricing: Starts at $9.99 per month for 100 participants.
Features:
FreeConference is a fast, reliable, and user-friendly collaboration software. It allows users to host and join video calls as well as conference meetings with up to 200 attendees. The software also has tools like tone detection, screen sharing, streaming, and recording video calls, which can be shared later for your convenience.
Also, the software works well with Microsoft Outlook or Google Calendar, making it easy for everyone invited to a meeting to get information about it.
Additionally, FreeConference offers robust training options, such as videos and detailed documentation, to ensure that users can get the most out of their meeting experience.
With its suite of easy-to-use features, FreeConference is an ideal way for remote teams looking to collaborate effectively in an organized setting.
Things to Watch Out For: FreeConference does not have an API available.
GoToMeeting is a powerful online meeting software that enables you to consult and collaborate with colleagues, clients, or customers virtually at any time and from any location! It cuts down on the cost of training, streamlines customer service, and uses advanced AI to provide an even higher level of service.
GoToMeeting can host up to 3,000 participants in one virtual meeting room and let them collaborate on customer-facing issues, enabling clients to share their desktops with the rest of the participants. It also works with popular apps like Slack, Microsoft 365, Salesforce, Google Calendar, and Calendly to make the experience even smoother.
The program also has a virtual classroom feature and lets you record your voice and upload it to YouTube, both of which are essential for teachers today.
Pricing: Starts at $12 per host per month for 250 participants.
Features:
The GoToMeeting software is from LogMeIn and enables presenters to virtually meet with members of their teams regardless of their geographical location. It connects you quickly so you can have instant meetings and gives you a lot of features for a full meeting experience.
People in over 50 countries can join your meetings from their phones by dialing in for free. One can preview their webcam before joining the meeting to make sure the video connection works well during the meeting.
On top of sharing data, it supports drawing on the screens to collaborate, brainstorm, and present in real time, as well as analyze discussion performance through statistics and analysis.
Also, there are extra security measures such as requiring passcodes before entering a meeting room and having all screen-sharing, keyboard, and mouse control data, and text chat information encrypted via TSL in transit and AES 256-bit encryption at rest.
Things to Watch out For: Some users have complained that a tiny hitch in their internet connection disrupts the call, and connecting back is usually challenging.
StartMeeting is an online meeting software that lets up to 1000 people join a meeting by dialing in or using VoIP. Local dial-in is available for different countries. It also offers support options such as phone support, email or help desk, and FAQs or forums.
To take the meeting experience further, StartMeeting allows users to personalize their calls by adding company logos, colors, and profile images. They can also record custom greetings for welcoming participants whenever they join a call.
StartMeeting has tools like screen sharing and drawing to help people come up with ideas, optional access codes to make meetings even more secure, and team management and analytics tools to keep track of progress while on a call.
It also allows meeting room booking that helps schedule your upcoming meetings and brand management capabilities that keep the experience uniform across departments’ meeting rooms. Overall, StartMeeting has something for every team to make the most of their virtual meetings!
Pricing: Starts at $9.95 per month for 1,000 participants.
Features:
StartMeeting supports Web, Android, and iPhone/iPad, so you can get connected instantly regardless of the device you prefer. Also, some plug-ins work with calendars like Google Calendar or Microsoft Outlook and let you add meeting details directly to your invitations.
No need to fumble around with dial-in numbers either—simply type in a simple command on Slack, and your conference call will be opened right away! StartMeeting also works with other popular software, such as Microsoft Outlook, Dropbox Business, Evernote Teams, and more.
This makes it easier than ever to collaborate across all teams, no matter where they are working from. Get started right away and enjoy lag-free communication!
Things to watch out for:
Users have complained about lost video calls and merges and poor audio quality.
API is not available.
Zoho Meeting is a collaboration software that lets you host an unlimited number of web meetings and webinars.
This lets you set up online sales and marketing presentations, personal product demos, and presentations for prospects, collaborate with teams spread all over the world, organize lead-nurturing webinars, and host product launches for audiences wider than the physical space you have access to!
You can also broadcast user education webinars with international dial-in numbers and toll-free addons. Plus, polls with instant results or recordings can be shared with anyone easily.
Most importantly, Zoho Meeting protects sessions by encrypting confidential meetings. When someone tries to join your meeting, you'll be notified and can decide whether to let them in or not.
Pricing: Standard plan starts at $1.20/month/host for 10 participants
Features:
Zoho Meeting is a safe and reliable video conferencing software that makes it easy for businesses, teams, and other groups to hold virtual meetings. This software lets people work together in real-time. It has a whiteboard and lets people come up with ideas, take notes, make flowcharts, and sum up meetings all in one place.
For added convenience, it works well with Gmail, Microsoft Teams, Google Calendar, and Zoho CRM. Additionally, customized registration forms can be used, and registrants can be moderated as needed. There are also options for mobile access and polls or voting for further engagement.
For even greater reach for webinars, Zoho Meeting lets you live stream on YouTube! With polls, Q&A sessions, raising a hand, and speaking permissions built-in, the platform offers everything you could want from an online meeting system. Easily download reports after the meeting as XLS or CSV files if needed.
All of this adds up to an easy-to-use yet powerful system that makes hosting webinars clear and straightforward.
Things to watch out for:
Google Meet is the perfect way to host meetings and video conferences. It offers up to 100 participants, 60-minute meetings for free plan users, and support for Android, iPad, and iPhone devices. For added security and convenience, two-step verification is also available.
Also, whiteboard tools like Google's Jamboard, file sharing, two-way audio and video, and Google's applications like Classroom, Voice, Docs, Gmail, Workspace Slides, and Contacts make it easy for everyone to set up remote meetings quickly.
If you need even more tools for managing your meetings and hosting events online, add-ons such as Meet hardware, Jamboard, Google Voice, and AppSheet are also at your disposal.
Everything offered by Google Meet makes it not just the easiest way to host virtual meetings but also one of the most comprehensive!
Pricing: Starts at $6 per month for 100 participants.
Features:
Google Meet is an easy-to-use, secure video communication software developed by Google. This tool gives users a lot of ways to work together in meetings, such as chat, virtual backgrounds, full cloud recording, and sharing their screens.
Also, features like breakout rooms and Q&A make it possible to get any size of audience involved. The software also has end-to-end encryption to keep data safe and secure. This is called enterprise-grade security.
Security is always the primary concern for remote workers, so the software comes with strong encryption protocols that protect data from malicious activities or intrusions.
Its flexible features allow users to be productive in a variety of digital settings, which makes it useful even when people aren't close.
Things to watch out for: Users can only exchange Google Doc URLs in meeting live chats and not Docs directly.
Microsoft Teams is a powerful collaboration platform that brings together chat, video meetings, file sharing, and more in one easy-to-use hub. It's the perfect way to enable your team to work better together, stay connected, and collaborate from anywhere.
With Teams, you can quickly set up conversations with individual colleagues or entire departments for real-time communication. You can also easily share files and collaborate on documents with built-in Office 365 tools like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote.
Microsoft Teams also integrates with other apps and services, so you can access the information your team needs in one place. With its versatile chat options, easy-to-use video meetings, secure file-sharing capabilities, and more, Microsoft Teams helps you and your team get things done.
Pricing: Starts at $4 per user per month for 300 participants in a meeting.
Features:
Businesses of all sizes may benefit from Microsoft Teams' adaptable features. It supports simultaneous video and audio transmission as well as screen sharing and on-demand webcasting, among other capabilities. The integration of Microsoft Outlook simplifies meeting room scheduling and invitations.
Furthermore, mobile access allows for rapid access to rooms as well as real-time contact with peers, regardless of location. Users who are on the go can use this feature by sharing their displays. Microsoft Teams makes it easy for a lot of people to work together, but each user can still decide how they want to contribute.
Microsoft Teams provides 24/7 customer support with a knowledge base, email and help desk tickets, live chat, and a frequently asked questions forum.
Things to watch out for:
Some users have complained of crashed meetings as a result of too many people.
Does not work with a remote desktop environment.
Zoom was instrumental in the birth of the remote workforce, but as the world of virtual meetings and collaborations continues to be more demanding, there is a need for free alternatives to cater to some of the shortcomings of Zoom.
Such shortcomings include little privacy, as Zoom is known to have had a history of data security breaches, also known as Zoombombing. Zoom also lacks integration with other tools such as CRM, its free plan features are limited, and its customer support is also weak.
Hence, if you’re a business looking to invest in the right video conferencing software, there are many alternatives that you can explore.
When choosing a free Zoom alternative, seven key factors must be considered: security, cost, compatibility, usability, scalability, extensibility, benefits to all parties involved (e.g., integrating with other services), ease of use for non-technical users, and customer service.
In the current digital landscape, security has become paramount, even for the smallest freelancer. No company can afford to be careless about protecting its virtual infrastructure. Because of this, users need to look closely at the security features of each product and make sure that their data is safe from cyber threats.
The cost of running a business can be daunting for both freelancers and large enterprises alike. It is, therefore, essential to consider the costs associated with each of these solutions. Fortunately, most of these services offer a trial period so you can evaluate their features firsthand before opting for a paid plan.
Compatibility is essential for businesses of all sizes. Freelancers, small businesses, mid-sized enterprises, and large organizations need to ensure that the technology systems they use interact with each other to achieve optimal results. Integration with other services can make it easier for users to set up and run meetings, taking away any frustration they might feel.
Video conferencing solutions need to be able to grow and change to meet the needs of the organization. This gives users access to a wide range of features that can meet their needs as they change. The solution should also be able to be added so that third-party apps can work with it to give it more flexibility.
Freelancers, small businesses, mid-size businesses, and large enterprises alike can all benefit from the immense power of features. Typical features of video conferencing software include recording, whiteboarding, polling and surveys, file sharing, audio and video sharing, screen sharing, chat rooms, and more.
Customer service and technical support are important for any product, and users should be able to get help quickly and easily. Customer service that is available 24/7 and can be reached by phone or live chat is preferred.
By considering all these factors, businesses will be able to make informed decisions concerning the best video collaboration software to subscribe to.
Virtual meetings are unavoidable in almost all organizations today; therefore, businesses must select the best free Zoom alternative that meets their needs and budget.
We have explored six reliable Zoom competitors that can be used in place of Zoom Meeting: FreeConference, GoTo Meeting, StartMeeting, Zoho Meeting, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams. These solutions are popularly used by businesses across various industries.
Each of these tools has its unique features, from keeping teams connected to organizing events and meetings online. So go ahead and choose the best Zoom alternative that best fits your organization’s needs.
Create your FreeConference.com account and get access to everything you need for your business or organization to hit the ground running, like video and Screen Sharing, Call Scheduling, Automated Email Invitations, Reminders, and more.
