Here is our list of good online meeting platforms.
Online meeting platforms are software applications folks can use to meet or communicate virtually. Examples include Zoom, Skype, and Google Meet. These applications aim to create a virtual environment where teammates, colleagues, families, and friends can chat, video call, and share ideas.
Beyond meetings, you can use this software for virtual team building, online icebreakers, and remote coffee breaks.
This list includes:
- free online meeting platforms
- online meeting platforms for large groups
- online meeting platforms like Zoom
- online video meeting platforms
Let’s get to it!
List of online meeting platforms
From Jami to Google Meet to Zoom, here is our list of online meeting platforms.
1. Google Meet
Google Meet is a video conferencing platform owned by Google. The software is one of the most used free online meeting platforms and offers various services that make communication between large groups easy.
Unique Features:
- Hand Raising: this unique feature allows attendees to signal if they have questions or contributions to add to the meeting.
- Q and A Channel: this channel allows meeting attendees to ask questions without disturbing the meeting. Other teammates can also upvote questions, and you can scroll through and give answers to the questions with the most upvotes.
- Live Translations: this unique feature breaks the language barrier between teammates in different regions. Teammates can now translate other languages into English captions that other meeting attendees can read and understand.
Folks with a Google account can create a meeting and send it to up to 100 other users. You can also chat for up to an hour for free.
Find out more about Google Meet.
2. Zoom
Zoom is among the most popular online meeting platforms for large groups. The program’s easy-to-use interface makes it easy to organize live chats, webinars, video and audio conferences and meeting recordings.
Unique Features:
- Touch Up Your Appearance: if you are worried about how you look or have no time to work on your appearance before a meeting, this unique feature allows you to beautify your face, get rid of eye bags, and smoothen out your skin for a brighter look.
- Breakout Rooms: this feature comes in handy during meetings with large groups. The host can break attendees into smaller and more manageable subgroups. You can assign a host to each of the subgroups to better manage the meeting.
- Audio Transcript: Zoom makes it easy to go over parts of your meeting when it’s done. This feature allows you to go over conversations and compare notes.
Zoom is a user-friendly platform that allows individuals and businesses to communicate seamlessly. Folks can now disable audio or video during meetings without drawing attention to themselves and change their backgrounds to static images or videos.
Find out more about Zoom.
3. Slack
Slack is an instant messaging platform that makes communication between teams or large groups easy. This messaging platform is grouped into direct messages and channels, which puts all your conversations in one place and makes it easier to organize chats. You can also share files, documents, and images and also react to messages.
Unique Features:
- Third-party Integration: with this feature, you can use some of your favorite applications within Slack. Some major integrations include GitHub, Google Drive, Dropbox, Zapier, and Zendesk. Putting these applications in one place makes working online seamless for large teams.
- Public and Private Messaging: this feature makes sending sensitive messages to different departments and groups within a team easy. You can also share announcements or important to all groups notices through public messaging.
- Default Channels- this feature allows you to set a default channel where new teammates will automatically be assigned when joining your team.
This platform can host up to 1000 users in a channel at a time. Subscription costs up to $12.50 per user for some businesses with a wide range of benefits. Subscribing to this platform offers each teammate extra space, security, and round-the-clock support from a dedicated specialist.
Find out more about Slack.
4. GoToMeeting
GoToMeeting is one of the most user-friendly online meeting platforms like Zoom. You can meet with clients and colleagues virtually at any time of the day. This platform is highly recommended for corporate teams because it has many tools employees and teammates can use for work.
Unique Features:
- Drawing Tools: these tools come in handy during group presentations and lectures. The online drawing materials make it easy to illustrate while explaining during a meeting.
- Call Notice: when you are due for a meeting, GoToMeeting can call you to remind you. This feature ensures you do not forget or come late for a scheduled meeting.
- Screen Sharing: screen sharing allows you to share important notes, details, and other materials with other attendees or teammates.
- Presenter Control: this feature allows you to offer any meeting attendee presenter control, which enables them also to share their screens with other teammates and help manage and coordinate the meeting.
It is important to note that GoToMeeting does not have a free plan. Instead, the platform’s monthly subscription plans range from $19 to $49 per user, with each plan offering different benefits.
Find out more about GoToMeeting.
5. Webex by Cisco
Webex by Cisco is a video conferencing platform where corporate teams and individuals can host webinars, virtual meetings, and cloud calling. This platform also allows users to integrate their favorite applications in one place.
Unique Features:
- Advanced Meeting Reports and Analytics: this feature allows you to analyze meeting statistics and gives you data covering the length of the meeting, the number of meeting attendees, and when meeting attendees leave the session.
- Secured Meetings: this feature ensures that your meeting room is only open to those to whom you give access.
- Remove Participants: during a meeting, you can remove participants who disrupt or disturb the meeting without struggle. This feature ensures the smooth sailing of any online meeting, lecture, or conference.
This software allows teammates to connect from any device, send messages via box, share screens, and collaborate with colleagues. In addition, this platform encourages productivity and creativity in users through its centralized and user-friendly interface.
Find out more about Webex by Cisco.
6. Jami
Jami is a peer-to-peer instant messaging platform with a decentralized server. Communicating on this platform is fast and secure as it does not rely on a central server. Folks can communicate through video calls, group and individual text chats, and screen sharing.
Unique Features:
- File Size Limits: with Jami, you can send audio, video, documents, and files of any size.
- Privacy: the platform allows you to maintain privacy and protects users’ details during conferences, video calls, and file sharing.
- Calls: on this platform, you can communicate with unlimited participants for as long as you want.
The highlight of this platform is the high level of privacy and security it offers its users through its decentralized server. This feature is unique compared to other video conferencing platforms. It is also important to note that using Jami is entirely free.
Find out more about Jami.
7. Lifesize
Lifesize is a telecommunications company that offers video conferencing solutions to businesses and corporate groups. This platform allows physical, hybrid, and remote teams to join and host conferences seamlessly. This video conferencing tool is among the best online video meeting platforms because of its exceptional video quality, ensuring a pleasant meeting experience for attendees.
Unique Features:
- Calendar Integrations: with this feature, users can schedule and plan for meetings. You will get notifications alerting you to upcoming events or scheduled meetings
- Unlimited Meeting Attendees: with this unique characteristic, users can host events for large groups quickly and securely. This feature is helpful during large online events such as summits, online shows, and seminars.
- Audio and Video Account: with this feature, you can share files with audio and video content during presentations. This unique attribute ensures that webinars, seminars, and online lectures are more explanatory and better illustrated.
- Waiting Room: this unique characteristic allows meeting hosts and moderators to filter meeting attendees. You can use the waiting room feature to manage attendees once a meeting begins.
For a more secure meeting experience, the host can apply passcodes. The platform also offers background image changes for a more personalized meeting presence. Lifesize’s monthly subscription per user ranges from $12.50 to $14.95 for their standard and plus packages. As a result, large corporations may need to contact the company to choose a plan that best suits their business interests.
Learn more about Lifesize.
8. Microsoft Teams
Microsoft Teams is a business communications platform that allows corporate teams to communicate effectively through video conferencing and text. The platform also allows teammates to share files, work, and use their favorite applications in one place.
Unique Feature:
- Audio Conferencing: this feature allows teammates to meet via audio call. Folks can attend meetings on their phone at any time and anywhere.
- Channels: group your teams into channels according to their jobs. This feature makes it easy for teammates to collaborate on specific assignments and share information effortlessly.
- SharePoint Document Storage: Businesses using Microsoft Teams will automatically get an account on Sharepoint with a document folder where all documents shared during conversations and collaborations are saved. You can also change your security settings for more sensitive files. This characteristic makes it easy for teammates to find documents and files without worrying about backing them up.
Microsoft Teams creates a simple and well-organized workspace where teammates can share ideas, communicate and collaborate on assignments and projects.
Learn more about Microsoft Teams.
9. Gatheround
Gatheround is a meeting space that promotes conversation and interactions between individuals and teammates. This platform makes meetings and online events fun by encouraging team bonding with various templates and tools specially designed for a unique virtual meeting experience.
Unique Features:
- Customizable Templates: hosts can create fun activities designed for their teams with this feature. These templates are designed to promote genuine human interactions and take anywhere from 30 to 60 minutes to complete. There are 14 templates that you can use during different events and activities.
- Round-the-clock Support: you can get assistance or support for any issue you may be having on the platform to ensure a pleasant experience.
- Member-matches: this unique characteristic pairs meeting members to promote interaction and ensures that meeting attendees do not feel left out. Meeting guests will get several cards with prompts to help steer their conversations in the right direction.
You can use Gatheround to organize icebreaker activities or host events where remote teammates can meet and get to know each other. Subscribing to the platform is affordable and costs $5 per user monthly.
Find out more about Gatheround.
10. Toasty.ai
Toasty is a video conferencing platform that promotes team interaction, collaboration, and engagement. This platform offers a variety of customizable templates that you can use to kick-start conversations among meeting participants and enhance communication.
Unique Features:
- User-friendly Interface: the platform is easy to use and understand and requires no prior knowledge to plan meetings, customize templates and arrange events.
- Collaborations: the platform makes it easy for teammates to communicate, share documents and collaborate on specific projects and assignments.
- Customizable Templates: this feature allows teammates to customize templates to suit the teams’ needs and activities. These templates are designed to promote engagement and improve interaction among meeting attendees.
You can use Toasty for free on the basic plan with some available features. On the other hand, you can subscribe to the plus or premium plan to host 100 to 200 meeting attendees at a time, meet for three to six hours per session, and integrate your favorite applications into the platform.
Find out more about Toasty.ai.
11. Around.co
Around.co is a video collaboration platform that allows teammates to brainstorm, develop new ideas, and work together on projects. In addition, teams can play music, play games, and have interactive sessions that aim to improve team relationships and engagement.
Unique Features:
- Fun Features: this platform offers an icebreaker fun feature where meeting attendees can listen to music or use different background visuals to enliven the event.
- Echo Cancellation: this characteristic helps to remove irritating echoes or ringing noise that often comes up due to microphone issues. This feature ensures the smooth sailing of online meetings and removes any distractions or disruptions.
- Face-mask Mode: this feature ensures that meeting attendees can be heard when they speak with a face mask on during a meeting.
Around.co is among the most user-friendly online meeting platforms like Zoom, but it offers more fun features and is affordable considering its limitless benefits. You can subscribe to a premium package for only $9.
Find out more about Around.co.
12. Whereby
Whereby is a video conferencing software that is suitable for businesses with small teams, as it can only accommodate 12 users at a time. You can record meetings, share screens, and communicate with teammates without passwords or login details.
Unique Features:
- Customizable Rooms: this feature allows you to customize or decorate meeting rooms to your liking. This characteristic will come in handy during themed events or themed game nights with teammates.
- Session Recording: with this feature, teammates can go over important parts of a meeting to take notes or listen to parts they may have missed. You can also send or share this recording with other members of the team who may have been absent during the meeting.
- Switch Presenters: with this feature, multiple hosts can take turns addressing attendees. This characteristic ensures that meeting hosts can share their message or present without disrupting the meeting flow.
Subscribing to this platform is free on a basic plan with minimal features but costs up to $8.32 per month for premium access with added access and features.
Find out more about Whereby.
Conclusion
Online meeting platforms aim to facilitate communication between geographically dispersed individuals, remote teams, and organizations with a hybrid working system. These platforms help folks communicate via video calls, host lectures and seminars, and play games virtually.
Some of these platforms offer a variety of features, such as the whiteboard tool for drawing or illustrations, sharing screens for presentations, hand-raising features for contributions, and customizable background images to give users a more personalized meeting experience. You can use any of the listed meeting platforms depending on the size of your team, your meeting needs, or the type of virtual event you are hosting.
Read about how to make virtual meetings fun next.
