Most employees have experienced technical difficulties in at least one online business meeting. Obstacles such as poor sound quality or confusing software interfaces can make it impossible to work productively with geographically dispersed colleagues. The stakes become even higher when video conferencing with a potential business partner or employee. To avoid negative experiences and get the most out of every online meeting, it’s important to choose the online video conferencing software that works best for your company. Each of the top-rated platforms below includes features and price plans that companies can customize based on their needs.
Online Video Conferencing Software Options
Join.me
This robust platform provides excellent support for meetings with multiple participants. The Business price plan, which costs $30 per month, allows up to 250 participants to join a meeting at once. A “video bubble” functionality displays small images of each participant’s feed, making it easy to monitor the group’s attention level. Additional price plans allow companies to pay less while still enjoying access to features such as VoIP and international conference calls.
Zoho Meeting
Lightweight and fully browser-based, this platform features standard tools such as screen sharing and audience polling. It also includes an integrated calendar application to help users manage their meeting schedules. The calendar even sends email reminders to users so they don’t miss a meeting. With a free option and a $12 per month professional plan, Zoho Meeting is a great choice for small businesses.
Skype for Business
Skype’s online video conferencing software is well-known among casual home users. The Skype for Business version offers a simple, streamlined interface with an integrated chat bar. Subscriptions to Skype for Business, which cost $5 to $12 per month depending on price plan, also include access to the Microsoft Office 365 suite.
GoToMeeting
This heavy-duty platform offers Starter, Pro, and Plus price plans for $19, $29, and $49 per month respectively. Meeting attendees can participate for free if invited by a GoToMeeting user. Special features include whiteboard and drawing functionalities. GoToMeeting also supports selective screen sharing, which gives presenters the option to share specific applications rather than the entire screen.
Zoom
Perhaps the most flexible platform on this list, Zoom provides extensive customization options in addition to its standard features. Special plans include the Education plan, designed with professors and students in mind, and the Telehealth plan, which allows doctors to consult with patients remotely. Standard plans range in price from free to $19.99 per month for the Enterprise plan.
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