Due to Novel Coronavirus, working from home and videoconferencing are now important for online and offline companies. Zoom is one of the best tools for real-time videoconferencing. Still, recently, many users have been complaining about how bad the video quality is and how often it breaks. Companies worldwide work online, which puts a lot of stress on the computers, so it’s expected. On top of that, Zoom was sharing info on Facebook without anyone knowing. You can always use some good alternatives to Zoom if you want better videoconferencing or don’t like how it handles privacy. Our team has compiled a list of the six best Zoom alternatives you should try in 2023.
Best Sites like Zoom in 2023
Before we start our list, let’s talk about why Zoom has become so popular so quickly and why you should look for alternatives:
Why We Need A Zoom Alternative
The need for a good video conferencing app has grown significantly due to COVID-19, which has caused millions of employees to work from home. Zoom took advantage of this need by making a solution that works and is simple. Another thing that makes Zoom popular is that it has a good free plan. You can have free 40-minute group calls with up to 100 people. When you put all of these things together, Zoom’s offering seems great. This makes me wonder. We’re looking for alternatives to Zoom because it’s so good.
Zoom is a great example of a product that did well at first but then failed badly. The real problems with Zoom weren’t found until it was small and not widely used. But as the service gained millions of new users, the issues became clear. Many users found that Zoom was sharing data with Facebook without them knowing. The Washington Post also found that thousands of personal Zoom records could be found on the web, and some of them had even been posted to YouTube.
Citizen Lab analysts discovered that some Zoom calls went through China, which is a major security risk in and of itself. Then there are issues of Zoom bombing, in which hackers could join live Zoom calls and disrupt the chats by using NSFW language, racial slurs, and other bad language. As you might expect, finding security holes one after the other could be better for the business.
Employees of many companies and governmental agencies are forbidden from using Zoom. Due to security worries, New York City recently stopped Zoom from being used in schools. If you care about your privacy, you should also look at Zoom alternatives. Let’s get to our list now that you know why.
1. Skype
I know that Microsoft Teams has taken the place of Skype for Business and that it is no longer available. I’m talking about Skype’s free version for home users. Skype can help small companies hold web meetings and workshops in HD and, best of all, for free. Zoom’s free plan allows 100 participants, while Skype can only host 50. While Zoom has a 40-minute limit if there are more than 3 participants, Skype does not have a time limit for group talks.
In some ways, Skype is okay and offers a limited number of features for free. Chatting and calling with your teammates is also possible, but there are fees if you want to call real people in other countries. Besides that, everything else, such as call recording, mobile screen sharing, live subtitles, and more, is free and open to everyone. If you are on the Basic plan of Zoom, try Skype instead.
If you’re happy with Skype’s free features, you can look at Skype alternatives to find similar free video talking services.
Visit Website (Free)
2. Microsoft Teams
If you’re looking for a full web-based option for conversation like Zoom, Microsoft Teams might be the best choice. In some cases, it even outperforms Zoom’s powers in terms of features. You can chat, video call your teammates, view Office 365 files, collaborate in real-time, and call anyone from Teams Calling or the direct phone system. I already said it’s a great way to talk on the web, whether it’s through audio, video, or chat.
In contrast to Zoom’s ability to accommodate up to 1,000 participants, Microsoft Teams only lets you host a web conference with up to 250 participants. Still, Microsoft Teams can hold a live meeting with up to 10,000 teammates, the same number of people that Zoom can hold. Anyhow, Microsoft Teams has a lot of extra benefits, such as the ability to share your screen, use 1TB of cloud storage in OneDrive, connect to Office 365, and more. In conclusion, Microsoft Teams is a good pick if you’re looking for a capable Zoom replacement.
Visit Website (1-month Free Trial, Starts at $5/month)
3. Hangouts Meet
Google‘s new answer to Zoom is Hangouts Meet, and it looks like the tech giant is finally in the fight. Users of G Suite and those who are signed up for the G Suite for Education program are the only ones who can access Hangouts Meet right now. Regarding features, it’s very similar to Zoom in that you can make a meeting and send the link to the participants. They can easily join the meeting without having to make an account. And the best part is that you have apps for almost every platform because it’s Google, which is great.
Regarding the user limit, Hangouts Meet can only host up to 100 participants now. But Google recently said that starting on July 1, users can create meetings with up to 250 participants and stream live lectures to 100,000 people. That’s good news. Hangouts Meet is a good pick right now if you’re looking for a Zoom option. When July comes around, Hangouts Meet will be able to compete with Zoom.
Visit Website (14-day Free Trial, Starts at $6/month)
4. Cisco Webex
Like Zoom and Microsoft Teams, Cisco Webex can be considered another full option. It is jam-packed with features and primarily serves corporations and big businesses. However, you can use its free plan if you are a small business. It lets you host a free Webex meeting with up to 100 participants, and the great thing is that they don’t have to create an account to join. You get HD video, screen sharing, and a password-protected personal room, just like with Zoom’s Basic Plan.
Be aware that Zoom and Cisco Webex have a 40-minute time limit, so keep that in mind. Group calls can be hosted with up to 200 participants if you choose the paid plans. Besides that, Cisco Webex has more, such as an Event Center for workshops, a Training Center for online training, a Support Center for remote support, and more. This videoconferencing service gives you everything you’d expect from a business-oriented one.
Visit Website (Free, Paid Plan Starts at $13.5/month)
5. Jitsi Meet
Jitsi Meet is the best free choice for Zoom that you can find. You can host free group calls with as many users as you like on this open-source video conferencing tool. Additionally, it is private, you don’t need an account, and there is no time limit. It’s cool, but what’s the catch? There’s no catch. 8×8 is a business that fully funds Jitsi and uses its goods, such as Virtual Office and other open-source projects.
Jitsi Meet worked really well for me in the short time I used it, mostly because its design was very light. To start the video call, type the name of the meeting and press “Enter.” The link to your web meeting can be shared with as many participants as you like, or you can set a password. There has been a big increase because of the Coronavirus, but Jitsi still manages to get through it, and you should be able to get good quality without too much trouble. Jitisi Meet is a good choice if you want a free alternative to Zoom that doesn’t give up protection.
Visit Website (Free)
6. BlueJeans
Bluejeans is another great app that you can use instead of Zoom. It has some cool features, like video conferencing, personal rooms, and events, and it is a lot like Zoom. BlueJeans’ Cloud Video Interop technology, for example, lets you join Microsoft Teams meetings from your phone. That’s pretty cool. In addition, you can collaborate in real-time using audio and video on any platform. The best part about BlueJeans is that it increases your output by marking meetings, transcribing them, setting up automatic alerts, and a lot more.
In my opinion, blueJeans is more than just a video conferencing tool, and you’ll have to use it to appreciate it fully. It can host between 25 and 100 participants, which is a pretty good limit for the participation part. All in all, BlueJeans is a good choice if you want smart control. Regarding UI/UX, it’s a lot like Zoom.
Visit Website (Free Trial for 7 days, Starts at $9.99/month)
Top Zoom Alternatives Sorted For You
These are the best Zoom alternatives you can choose right now. As we went through the list, we can see that some businesses offer a fully featured video conferencing tool, while others offer limited video conferencing. Anyway, you can pick a tool from the list based on your requirements and the size of your business. You won’t be let down. That’s all from us for now. Please let us know in the comments below if we still need to include your favorite Zoom option.
