With COVID-19 pandemic coming into effect, there has been increasing limits on the face-to-face connection, and meetings, classes, and what not have to a stage where it is being conducted virtually using video calls. People nowadays use video conferencing applications to keep in touch with work colleagues, family, and friends. Video conferencing has also facilitated many companies to resume operate actions by allowing employees to work from home, via conferencing solutions for meetings and updates, as well as general communications. That said if you’re looking for the best video conferencing applications to choose from, this post list out the Top 5 Best Video Conferencing Applications.
Top 5 Best Video Conferencing Applications
While there are a ton of applications one could find for the same with just a simple google search, there are a bunch of applications which we haven’t included, such as Facebook, FaceTime, Telegram, WhatsApp, and FaceTime; the reason being, while these apps allow for video conferencing, they require the user to be on a particular platform.
- Zoom
- Microsoft Teams
- Google Meet
- GoTo Meeting
- Slack
1] Zoom
If you’re in the market looking for a video conferencing application, you would have probably already heard of Zoom. Setting up and using Zoom is quite easy, once installed one can host free 1:1 video calls with no time limit; group calls with up to 100 people for a limited time of 40 minutes. There are also paid plans which let you chat with up to 1,000 people at once.
Zoom is a reliable application, that is even when your internet connection isn’t at its best, Zoom essentially will keep your video going, although it will be at a reduced quality level. Additionally, one can record any call as a full-length video. Next, Participants can also use text chat to talk with each other, either as a group or as individual private messages. There’s support for sharing your screen, choosing to either display the whole screen or just a window you’re running.
2] Microsoft Teams
Built as a competitor to Slack, Microsoft Teams is an especially good option if you’re part of the Office ecosystem. Teams enables users to schedule a video or audio meetings with a single person or a team. There’s complete integration with Microsoft 365, that is calls can be easily scheduled and invites shared among the organization, while external guests can join from their web browser without downloading the application. It also provides a wide range of features expected from a leading video conferencing software provider, including screen sharing and call recording, chat functionalities, live captions, and background blur technology. The exceptional Integration with Microsoft 365 makes the platform the market leader in video conferencing and digital workspace integration.
That said, Microsoft Teams is perfect for businesses who already use Microsoft 365, or who are looking to reinvent their business’s digital communication and collaboration workspaces.
3] Google Meet
Like Microsoft Teams integration with Office 365, Google Meet’s best feature is its deep integration with Google’s other apps. For instance, when you create a meeting in Google Calendar, you’ll get a Meeting link that you and your meeting attendees can click to instantly join a call. Additionally, during a meeting, one can find files search across files from Google Drive and Apps and share them in chat, without leaving your call. With the latest updates, one can even start a call directly from your Gmail inbox.
Google Meet includes live captioning, a bonus for accessibility, tab-sharing that’s great for sharing media, however there’s a minor lag at instances when used to stream a short video as a group. One downside with Meet is its ability to meet in large groups. The video stream quality goes down heavily when there’s some issue with your internet connection is slow. Meet is a decent option when you just need one or two people to present to a large group.
4] GoTo Meeting
A part of LogMeIn’s family of video conferencing apps, GoTo Meeting lets users meet with their team or broadcast a webinar to thousands of viewers. With this application you can schedule meetings online, then use GoToMeeting’s app to join calls, share your screen, and present to audiences. There’s support for scheduling a recurring session or a one-time call, creating a custom link for your meeting, and more. GoToMeeting offers almost all the features that one would expect from a video conferencing tool aimed at professionals, including call recording, dial-in numbers and HD video for up to six participants. Interestingly, one can even monitor their audio levels from the app’s toolbar. However, with these plethoras of features, the app is a little confusing to understand and use. Overall, GoToMeeting is a reliable option that can be a good choice for broadcasting webinars.
5] Slack
Slack, which was recently acquired by Salesforce in a megadeal, is one of the most popular team chat apps and a direct competitor to Microsoft Teams. Slack added support for 1-to-1 voice calls to its desktop and mobile apps back in June 2016, following up six months later by adding video to those calls.
To start call in Slack, just open a channel or direct message and click the call/phone icon, that’s it and then Slack will start the call in a new window and add a notification to the chat. While calls feel a bit more like a normal phone call with video added as a bonus, it gets the job done. However, only up to 15 people can join the call, and you can only make video calls from the desktop app, not mobile. There are all those features such as support for sharing your screen, annotations and more. That said, it is a great option for businesses, small groups of people which prefer text over calls generally.
With that said, which one do you prefer? Do let us know by dropping a comment down below.
