The 4 Greatest Choices for Video Calls

Am I audible? 

We’ve all been there. Video conferencing ought to make collaboration easy, and generally, exploring totally different choices might help discover the right match.

Zoom is a go-to for a lot of, but it surely’s not one-size-fits-all. In case you want fewer closing dates, stronger safety, or higher integrations, another would possibly swimsuit you higher. Regardless of the cause, having decisions is at all times an excellent factor.

With so many choices for video conferencing software program on the market, I needed to see which of them lived as much as the hype, so I put them to the take a look at. I ran conferences, scheduled calls, and pushed totally different options to their limits to see which platforms actually delivered.

After researching and testing the prime 4 Zoom alternate options based mostly on G2 scores and hundreds of Video Calls through the years, I’m right here to interrupt down what works, what doesn’t, and which one would possibly simply be the fitting match for you.

Why these instruments are good Zoom alternate options 

Zoom is a number one video conferencing device, but it surely’s not excellent for everybody. These alternate options stand out by addressing particular challenges that some customers face with Zoom:

• Stronger safety & privateness: Some instruments provide end-to-end encryption and higher compliance options.
• Extra inexpensive pricing: Many alternate options present free plans with fewer restrictions or extra budget-friendly choices.
• Easier consumer expertise: Some platforms are simpler to navigate, lowering the training curve for brand spanking new customers.
• Specialised options: Sure instruments excel in areas like webinar internet hosting, AI-powered enhancements, or real-time collaboration.
• Higher efficiency & integrations: Some alternate options work extra easily with third-party instruments and supply enhanced customization choices.

If Zoom lacks in any of those areas, the instruments on this listing may very well be a greater match to your particular wants. So, how did I slim down the very best Zoom alternate options?

G2’s Video Conferencing class consists of merchandise that fulfill the next standards:

• Present on-line video and audio communication between two or extra events
• Permit video convention hosts to change specs and invite visitors to conferences
• Supply options like display screen sharing and chat inside particular person conferences
• Supply recording capabilities for future references or shows

Prime 4 Zoom alternate options: Ranked by G2 Rating

Not all video calls ought to really feel the identical. Learn on to see how these 4 Zoom alternate options stack up in my expertise. 

With over 2,400 critiques on G2 and a 100% satisfaction rating, I knew Google Meet was price testing. It holds a powerful G2 Rating of 100, making it one of many highest-rated video conferencing instruments, particularly for companies already utilizing Google Workspace.

If I had been in search of a easy, user-friendly resolution that integrates effortlessly with my current instruments, Google Meet could be my first selection. It’s constructed immediately into Gmail and Google Calendar, making it extremely simple to start out and be part of conferences with out further setup.

From my expertise, Google Meet is constructed for accessibility—no downloads, no sophisticated setup, simply click on and join. After I examined it for group conferences, I appreciated how seamless it was to start out a name immediately from my Gmail inbox. The true-time captions labored nicely throughout a loud espresso store name, precisely transcribing conversations. Nevertheless, I did discover occasional video high quality drops when utilizing a low-bandwidth connection, one thing to be aware of for those who usually work in unstable community circumstances.

One among Google Meet’s largest benefits is its seamless security measures. Google’s safety infrastructure ensures end-to-end encryption, defending conferences from unauthorized entry. Whereas not as superior as Webex by way of safety compliance, it nonetheless meets the wants of most organizations.

Google Meet retains issues easy, but it surely does include some trade-offs. It lacks a number of the superior options discovered in additional enterprise-focused instruments like Webex or Zoom. Moreover, Google Meet’s free model has a 60-minute time restrict, which may be restrictive for longer conferences. In case you depend on prolonged conferences or want AI-powered insights, you would possibly end up needing an improve.

Google Meet provides a free model, however for companies that want longer conferences, premium plans begin at $6 per consumer/month as a part of Google Workspace. For small groups, this can be a budget-friendly choice, however for those who want further options like prolonged recording storage or assembly transcripts, you’ll want a higher-tier plan.

What I like about Google Meet:

• Because it’s browser-based, I can simply entry it from any gadget with out further downloads.
• The reside captions and noise cancellation have made my conferences clearer and extra accessible. particularly in noisy environments.
• I discover it to be one of the budget-friendly choices for my group.

What G2 customers like about Google Meet:

Tejas Thakor, IT Engineer within the Schooling Administration business, shares:

“Google Meet is extremely simple to make use of. You possibly can be part of a gathering by merely clicking or tapping on a hyperlink, and there’s no have to obtain any software program. This makes it simple to collaborate with folks on any gadget. It is usually very dependable. I’ve by no means had any points with the audio or video high quality and have at all times been in a position to hook up with conferences with none issues.” Learn full evaluate

What I dislike about Google Meet:

• I discovered the superior options to be fairly restricted. For example, there’s no AI-powered real-time transcription or assembly insights. 
• I additionally observed that video high quality generally dropped when my web connection wasn’t nice. 

What G2 customers dislike about Google Meet:

Deity Puman, Director within the Retail business, mentions:

“We have now been utilizing Zoom earlier than. The one factor I felt Google Meet lacked was some display screen sharing limitations.” Learn full evaluate

In case you want an easy-to-use, no-frills video conferencing device that integrates with Google Workspace, Google meet is your device. Nevertheless, you would possibly discover it limiting for those who want superior options like AI-powered transcription, assembly analytics, or prolonged recording choices.

Webex has earned excessive reward on G2, backed by over 16,000 consumer critiques and a flawless 100% satisfaction score. Its spectacular G2 Rating of 92 highlights its reliability, making it a strong selection for companies that prioritize safety and superior collaboration options.

If I had been in search of a safe, dependable resolution, Webex would positively be on my radar, particularly for enterprises that want an all-in-one collaboration platform. However I additionally needed to see whether or not its intensive characteristic set justified its status or if it had trade-offs that may make me think about different choices.

From my expertise, Webex isn’t only for video calls however serves as an entire collaboration hub. From one platform, I can chat, name, host webinars, and even document video messages. That degree of integration has made my workflow a lot smoother.

I examined Webex’s noise cancellation by becoming a member of a name in a busy café, and it fully filtered out the background chatter, making my voice crystal clear. That mentioned, syncing with Microsoft Outlook can generally be unreliable, inflicting occasional scheduling points. In my checks, 3 out of 10 calendar invitations did not sync correctly.

A few of the AI-powered enhancements have been game-changers for me. For example, Assembly highlights mechanically summarize key factors, making it simpler to observe up on motion gadgets. Equally, Stay transcription was a lifesaver once I wanted to reference a dialog however forgot to take notes. One-click scheduling and seamless gadget switching make collaboration simpler.

Nevertheless, I’ll admit that frequent updates can generally disrupt workflows.

Safety is a serious power. Webex ensures delicate conferences keep non-public with end-to-end encryption. I’ve used Webex for every little thing from group check-ins to confidential shopper conferences, and it has by no means let me down. Internet hosting shopper conferences on Webex reassured me, figuring out that end-to-end encryption safeguarded our delicate discussions.

Webex can really feel overwhelming at first due to its feature-rich interface. At first, it felt like an overcomplicated Swiss military knife, however as soon as I received previous the training curve, the instruments truly made my life simpler. The flexibility to modify units mid-call with out dropping audio was a shock hit for me—tremendous helpful when leaping from my laptop computer to telephone.

Webex provides a free plan, which is nice for smaller groups. However to unlock its actual potential, premium plans begin at $15/month per consumer. 

What I like about Webex:

• I felt assured utilizing Webex for delicate conferences since I knew my conversations had been protected with end-to-end encryption.

• The noise cancellation and reside translation options actually impressed me, making my calls clearer and extra accessible.

• I had no bother integrating it with Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, and Slack—it match seamlessly into my workflow.

• Even when my web connection wasn’t nice, I observed that Webex maintained high-quality audio and video with minimal lag.

What G2 customers like about Webex:

Jorge Mendoza, Logistics Coordinator within the Mid-Market (51-1000 workers):

“For me, Webex Suite stands out for its simplicity. I benefit from the display screen sharing performance, the security measures that bolster privateness and knowledge administration, the easy-to-navigate interface, and the audio and video high quality that make conferences and video conferences very nice.” Learn full evaluate

What I dislike about Webex:

• I discovered the frequent software program updates a bit disruptive at instances, particularly once they rolled out unexpectedly.

• Syncing with Microsoft Outlook wasn’t at all times dependable. I did run into occasional points with scheduling and calendar invitations.

What G2 customers dislike about Webex:

Robert Yparraguirre., Community Administrator within the Mid-Market (51-1000 workers):

“The principle factor I do not like about WebEx is once they push out main updates to the GUI and do not offer you a heads-up! I have been utilizing their software program for over 10 years now, and nonetheless, to this present day, I can not share my display screen and eliminate all toolbars and icons from the display screen.” Learn full evaluate

After utilizing Microsoft Groups, I can see why it’s a go-to selection for companies already within the Microsoft ecosystem. The combination with Microsoft 365 is seamless—I may schedule conferences in Outlook, collaborate on recordsdata in OneDrive, and leap into video calls inside related built-in platforms. The flexibility to modify between chat, video conferencing, and file sharing with out juggling a number of apps was a particular plus.

With over 10,500 critiques on G2, a 100% satisfaction score, and a powerful G2 Rating of 96, it’s clear that loads of others really feel the identical method.

Supply

From my expertise, Microsoft Groups is greater than only a video conferencing device; it’s a full-fledged collaboration hub. The persistent chat, file storage, and deep Microsoft 365 integration make it extremely environment friendly for team-based tasks. Nevertheless, Groups can really feel sluggish at instances, particularly when operating a number of apps concurrently.

One of many strongest elements of Microsoft Groups is its safety and enterprise-level compliance. With end-to-end encryption, knowledge loss prevention, and superior admin controls, it’s well-suited for companies that require strict safety measures.

That being mentioned, Groups does have its downsides. It may be resource-intensive, inflicting lags on lower-end units, and navigating between totally different Groups and channels can generally really feel clunky. Moreover, customers have reported that figuring out themselves repeatedly when logging in will be irritating.

Microsoft Groups provides a free model, however to unlock superior options like webinar internet hosting and bigger assembly capacities, premium plans begin at $4 per consumer/month as a part of Microsoft 365.

What I like about Groups:

• I discovered it deeply built-in with Microsoft 365 and labored effortlessly with Outlook, OneDrive, and SharePoint, making collaboration seamless.
• I felt safe utilizing it, due to its enterprise-grade safety, end-to-end encryption, and sturdy compliance instruments.
• The persistent chat and file-sharing options saved my conversations and paperwork organized in a single place, making group collaboration simpler.
• It scaled nicely for various group sizes. In my utilization, I discovered it simply as efficient for small companies as for bigger enterprises.

What G2 customers like about Groups:

Murillo Lucena Bau, System Engineer within the Mid-Market(51-1000 emp.), shares:

“The standard of video and audio calls is constantly good, even with giant teams, and display screen sharing is clean and dependable. I additionally admire the flexibility to create separate channels inside every group for various tasks or subjects, conserving conversations organized and simple to observe. The platform’s real-time enhancing in recordsdata and simultaneous collaboration instruments have boosted our productiveness considerably.” Learn full evaluate

What I dislike about Groups:

• I observed that efficiency may lag when operating a number of purposes, making it really feel sluggish at instances.
• Navigating between groups and channels wasn’t at all times intuitive—it generally felt clunky and took further clicks to get the place I needed.
• I discovered the repeated login verifications a bit irritating, as I needed to confirm my id extra usually than anticipated.

What G2 customers dislike about Groups:

Mohit Yadav, Senior Software program Engineer in Info Expertise and Companies (Enterprise, >1000 workers):

“No doubt MS Groups is a brilliant cool app, however on previous units, it’d lag. For newbies, the interface is kinda too overwhelming—takes a while to get a grasp of it. At instances, notifications should not acquired, and options like breakout rooms would possibly glitch right here and there.” Learn full evaluate

In the end, Groups is nice for Microsoft 365 customers, but when simplicity is your precedence, you would possibly discover a extra streamlined choice on this listing.

I’ve at all times seen Slack as a go-to for group messaging, however its fast video calling has been a helpful addition. Whereas it’s not as feature-packed as devoted video conferencing instruments, it’s nice for light-weight conferences and check-ins. The seamless integrations make collaboration simple, and with over 2,000 critiques on G2 and a powerful G2 Rating of 90, it’s clear that many groups really feel the identical method.

If I had been in search of a chat-first device that enables for spontaneous video calls, Slack could be a superb selection. The flexibility to rapidly change from messaging to video inside a channel makes group collaboration seamless. Nevertheless, its video name high quality doesn’t match devoted conferencing instruments like Zoom or Webex.

Supply

I examined Slack’s channel system throughout a product launch to coordinate between advertising and growth groups, guaranteeing real-time updates and seamless collaboration. Implementing Slack diminished our inner e mail site visitors by 40%, making communication extra environment friendly.

One limitation I observed was the free plan’s message historical past cap, which made it troublesome to retrieve older conversations. Nevertheless, upgrading to the usual plan resolved the difficulty and supplied the required archive for our group’s wants.

Slack’s integrations have been a game-changer for me. I get undertaking updates immediately in Slack channels via Trello and Asana, which eliminates pointless back-and-forth between platforms. 

The Huddle characteristic has been particularly helpful for spontaneous voice chats that really feel similar to fast workplace discussions, conserving distant collaboration clean and pure.

I examined Slack’s cell app whereas touring and located it dependable for staying linked, guaranteeing I by no means missed vital updates.

What I like about Slack:

• I liked how simple it was to modify between chat and video calls—it made group collaboration really feel seamless.
• I discovered the app integrations extremely helpful since I may join it with instruments like Google Drive, Trello, and Asana to maintain every little thing in a single place.
• The interface was intuitive and simple to navigate, whether or not I used to be a brand new consumer or already conversant in the platform.
• The cell app saved me linked on the go, so I by no means missed necessary updates, even once I was away from my desktop.

What G2 customers like about Slack:

Preetam Singh, Buyer Help skilled within the Pc & Community Safety Trade, shares:

“It is simple to attach with our group members at any time when wanted. We have now a number of choices to set our standing as Energetic, Inactive, or Out of Workplace, so you possibly can select the way you need to replace it. This characteristic additionally permits us to ship notifications to colleagues who’re presently offline. Communication with co-workers is easy, whether or not via calls or video calls, which embody screen-sharing capabilities. This makes it simpler for us to know our work.” Learn full evaluate

What I dislike about Slack:

• The video name options felt fairly primary in comparison with devoted conferencing instruments—it lacked a number of the extra superior assembly choices I wanted.
• I skilled occasional points with video calls randomly disconnecting with out any warning, which was irritating throughout necessary conferences.

What G2 customers dislike about Slack:

Vahagn Sargsyan, Founder and CEO in the Software program Trade, shares:

“Slack will be overwhelming with fixed notifications, making it onerous to deal with different duties. Moreover, the associated fee will be excessive for smaller groups or startups. It may additionally profit from higher video name high quality because it would not at all times match the reliability of different devoted platforms.” Learn full evaluate

So, in case your group depends closely on chat communication and fast video calls. Nevertheless, for those who want full-featured video conferencing, Slack won’t be sufficient.

And now, even Microsoft is acknowledging the tip of an period. In a current announcement, they confirmed that Skype’s legacy is formally being folded into Microsoft Groups. Whereas Skype isn’t disappearing in a single day, it’s clear that its time as a number one video conferencing device has come to a detailed.

It’s going away. However that doesn’t erase what Skype did first—and for that, it’ll at all times have a spot in video conferencing historical past.

So, right here’s to Skype, the OG. Thanks for the reminiscences.

Are you able to hear me now?

Some platforms provide hermetic encryption for personal conversations, others mix effortlessly into your workflow, and some simply maintain it easy and get the job achieved. How do you discover your match? Check just a few. See what clicks. Keep on with what makes your conferences seamless. 

On the finish of the day, the fitting video conferencing device is the one that matches your wants finest—whether or not that’s stronger safety, smoother integrations, or simply one thing that allows you to hop on a name and not using a hitch. Discover, experiment, and discover the choice that retains you and your group linked with out the pointless trouble. 

After all, my particular person evaluate alone about Video conferencing shouldn’t be the one one to think about.

Aside from hundreds of critiques by verified customers on G2 for video conferencing, you possibly can learn this take a look at of the very best video conferencing software program earlier than you make the acquisition.