The only good thing that the pandemic has brought upon us is the option to work remotely. Today, a large number of companies have adopted a hybrid model. They have given feasibility to employees to work remotely. This is good for employees and businesses alike. While employees enjoy their flexible work timings, employers can collect a pool of talent from around the world.
If you are working remotely, you already know the importance of having reliable video conferencing tools. They allow you to talk to your co-workers and managers in real-time and conduct discussions about projects, take follow-ups, and decide on the way forward. When we say video conferencing, we bet that the only name that will pop in your mind would be Zoom. But there are more!
That said, here we will discuss some of the video conferencing applications other than Zoom that can be equally or more effective. But before we list the applications, you must ensure that in order to use these applications and they run smoothly, your device is updated and connected to a fast internet.
A speedy internet like Optimum is the prerequisite for video conferencing because, with lags and pings, the voice and video will get distorted, leading to ineffective meetings. And that is not all. Besides speed, Optimum offers unparalleled customer service. It allows you to pagar bill Optimum por teléfono, providing more convenience (for Spanish speakers).
Anyway, check out the alternative videoconferencing apps right here.
1. Google Meet
The number one competitor of Zoom is Google Meet, a platform that is designed by Google for quick and smooth video conferences. With a simple user interface and quick accessibility, workers prefer to conduct meetings over it. It comes with a wide range of useful features such as private chat, HD video, and real-time chat.
The best thing about this tool is that it can work in tandem with other Google products like Google Calendar. So, when you schedule a meeting, it will be marked on your calendar, and you will get a reminder about the meeting. Plus, Google Meet can be integrated into Gmail and Google+.
You can share your screen or specific window in the meeting. You can also share presentations, documents, and spreadsheets while presenting. The meeting can be recorded to access it later. The other collaborative features of Google Meet include a Whiteboard and live-captions which make it easy for all the attendees to interact and involve in the meeting.
This app is free to use, and the free plan offers high-quality video streaming. However, there are paid Essentials and Enterprise plans that you can sign up yourself for. With these plans, you get enhanced features. For example, there are poll and question answers, breakout rooms, and so on. The price for the paid plans starts from $6.
2. Microsoft Teams
Another highly competitive alternative to Zoom is Microsoft Teams. As the name says, this tool was developed by Microsoft and offers excellent features for conducting video conferences. It is armed with video calling and document features for people using it on their phones. Like Google Meet, you can automatically record the meeting and share the screen to present a presentation. This means that you can easily present content, including pictures, videos, documents, and PowerPoint slides. You can share information with your team members while being yards away from them.
All in all, the feature that makes it a go-to tool for mobile users is the Call merge feature. This means that when you are on a video call with one or multiple participants, you can merge a new call to add more participants. Moreover, during the meetings, you can start a live transcription of the call. The live captions of the meeting will start appearing on the screen alongside the meeting video. This will allow all participants to understand everything discussed in the meeting.
3. Skype
When the idea of video conferences was introduced, Skype was among the ones to get traction. It is a well-known company owned by Microsoft. Skype is an incredible video conferencing software that offers lots of collaborative features, such as screen sharing, file sharing, real-time translations, and presentation streaming. The exclusive feature of this tool is that it is compatible with Office tools, including Outlook, Word, and Excel. This makes it super useful. Another good thing is that it allows you to send SMS texts and make landline calls.
4. GoToMeeting
The next on our list is GoTo Meeting which is specifically designed for business use. You will have to use this tool through the browser and there is no download required. Some of the valuable features of this tool include HD audio, private and real-time chat, mobile access, and screen sharing. Plus, it comes with recording and playback ability.
5. Dialpad Meetings
Formerly known as UberConference, Dialpad Meetings is another efficient video conferencing tool that you can use instead of Zoom. It comes with an intuitive interface and is super easy to use. It offers remote workers integrations, including Salesforce, Slack, Miro, and Google Calendar, allowing you to collaborate more easily. Its free version allows you to host meetings with up to 10 participants for a maximum of 45 minutes. However, the paid version allows more time and more participants.
Closing Remarks
If you are working remotely, you may need the most efficient videoconferencing tools to quickly communicate and collaborate with team members. So expand your horizons and get any of these tools for seamless video conferences.
