Now more than ever, it’s easy and efficient to conduct a formal business meeting or casual call from just about anywhere. Forget the expense and inconvenience of travel. Thanks to video conferencing technology, people all over the world can easily communicate face-to-face within a matter of seconds from the comfort of their homes or offices. Video-conferencing is a tool that employs audio, video, and internet technology to make communication possible when two or more people are not in the same place. Here’s what you need to know about the top five video conferencing services on the market today.
Top 5 Video Conferencing Services
Zoom
One could not make it through the global pandemic without participating in, or at least hearing about, Zoom. Zoom is essentially an all-in-one online communications platform that allows users the ability to chat with text, host audio-only calls, or meet via two-way video. The platform is available for free with certain limitations, and here’s what you’ll get without paying a dime:
- Hosts can include up to 100 participants
- Users can host unlimited meetings for up to 40 minutes each
- Viewers can enjoy automated, on-screen captions
- Hosts can enhance their communications with a virtual whiteboard
- Participants have access to chat
Google Meet
Google Meet is a communication tool by Google that makes setting up a video call easy if you’ve got a Google account. Google Meet allows users to share videos, desktops, and presentations with teammates and customers while meeting. Like Zoom, the platform offers chat, video calls, and audio calls. Accessible right within the Google browser, here are the features you get for free with Google Meet:
- Anyone with a Google account can create a video meeting
- Hosts can invite up to 100 participants
- Meetings can last up to 60 minutes at no cost
- Participants can use the chat feature to communicate anytime before, during, or after a video call
Skype
Perhaps the grandfather of video calling, Skype is the OG of online video conference services. Thanks to some of their latest updates like “Meet Now,” anyone in the world with internet capabilities can host or join a Skype video call for free without downloading the software. While Skype’s business edition, Skype for Business, got picked up by Microsoft a couple of years ago, Skype continues to make improvements and updates to its platform, making it a solid resource for individual and business users looking to connect via video conferencing. Some of Skype’s features:
- Hosts can enhance their communications with Skype’s on-screen drawing tools
- Users can screen share
- With Skype Translate, users who do not speak the language of the host can still understand what is being said
- Participants can use the instant messaging and group chat features
Microsoft Teams
Speaking of Microsoft and Skype for Business, Microsoft took the best of Skype’s business video conferencing tool, along with elements of SharePoint and Yammer, and created Microsoft Teams. Not only does Microsoft Teams integrate all the best features from these platforms, but it’s also not the most expensive video tool on the market, and to some extent, it can be used for free. No matter where you go, you can collaborate with mutual users or other individuals who may not have Teams and enjoy online meetings and video calling. Some features to note include:
- Users can use screen sharing to enhance communication
- Users can blur their background or choose a digital image background
- Together mode makes users all appear in the same room or fun space
- Microsoft Teams members can share and edit files together
- Microsoft Teams members can use the platform’s chat feature to communicate anytime before, during, or after video calls
BlueJeans
If you’ve ever been invited to a webinar or online event, you likely received a BlueJeans link upon registration. This is because BlueJeans is known as one of the best cloud-based platforms for hosting video events. While not free, BlueJeans offers hosts differently priced plans to meet any budget. And guests can join meetings for free using the BlueJeans Mobile Apps without needing to sign in or create an account. Some of the most popular ways the video conferencing app is used are:
- Virtual meetings
- Live streaming webinars or events
- Connected digital workspaces
- Telehealth virtual care sessions
All five of these video conferencing services are desktop and mobile-friendly, making it incredibly convenient to host or participate in personal or professional face-to-face video meetings from anywhere. To figure out which service is right for your business or individual video conferencing needs, head over to each of their websites to get more info on their features, plans, and pricing.