The 11 best free video conferencing software to use

By Indeed Editorial Team

Published 28 March 2022

The Indeed Editorial Team comprises a diverse and talented team of writers, researchers and subject matter experts equipped with Indeed's data and insights to deliver useful tips to help guide your career journey.

Video conferencing software plays an important role in the way businesses operate post-pandemic, with many businesses using this software to connect staff that are working remotely. There is a variety of paid and free video conferencing options that businesses and private individuals can use. Knowing the free video conferencing platforms, and their features can help you organise productive meetings cost-effectively. In this article, we cover 10 of the best free video conferencing software programmes that you can use in your business.

11 of the best free video conferencing software

These leading online meeting platforms provide consistent and reliable performance for a range of video conferencing sessions including team meetings, collaboration sessions and online learning. They can all host meetings with multiple participants and deliver additional features to help you and your colleagues work effectively online. Here is our selection of free video conferencing software:

1. Meet

Meet is an enterprise-grade video conferencing software that is part of the G-suite collection of cloud-computing powered productivity tools. This high-resolution video conferencing platform is free to use for meeting with up to 250 participants and 100,000 viewers of streamed content. Here are the key free features of Meet:

running an unlimited number of meetings on Meet for free
auto-captioning your meetings as it streams them
functionality across the major classes of devices including laptops, tablets and smartphones
participants can measure among themselves
controls that include adding or blocking meeting participants
adjustable layouts and screen settings
G-suites Meet encrypts all data transferred with TRL and SSL-based transit-level encryption

This is an intuitive platform that integrates well with online scheduling, appointment setting and task management software.

2. Microsoft Teams

Microsoft Teams is a video conferencing software that is available as part of the Office 365 suite of business tools and software. It is available free as a platform that people can use as a shared workspace and for chat, videoconferencing, and application integration. Here are its main features:

running an unlimited number of meetings of up to 60 minutes
up to 100 participants per meeting
5 gigabytes of cloud storage
additional features including chat, file sharing and polling
encrypting all data in transit

The free package from Microsoft teams delivers all the functionality necessary to host and manage productive online meetings with colleagues throughout your workday.

3. RingCentral

Use RingCentral for free video and auto conferencing. This cloud communications platform provides several integrated solutions for messaging, video and VoIP phones, including free video conferencing packages. Notable features of Glip, RingCentral's smart video meetings include:

meetings for up to 100 participants of a maximum 24-hour duration
high-quality video and audio
integrated team messaging
sharing files among meeting participants
pre-meeting and post-meeting functionality
end-to-end encryption of video conferences

RingCentral is advantageous for meetings where some of your participants use audio or want to call in from a landline.

4. Skype

Skype (now owned by eBay) is a well-known free conferencing software. It provides both free and premium VoIP-based audio and video calling, including calls to landlines and mobile telephones for a metered fee. These are the free features of Skype's telecommunications software:

online meetings with up to 100 participants
screen-sharing between devices like smartphones or desktops
delivering presentations or other images on screen a meeting
drag-and-drop file sharing
recording meetings
Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) to encrypt meetings

5. Zoom

Zoom is an increasingly popular video conferencing option that is known for its extensive range of features. You can use Zoom for a variety of videotelephony, online chat and collaborative applications. Great features of the free version of Zoom include:

the ability to host meetings with up to 100 participants for free
group meetings that can continue for more than 24 hours
full-featured virtual whiteboards to use in meetings
the ability for meetings and presentations to stream to social media
record videoconferencing content with up to 1 gigabyte of cloud storage
all video conferences on Zoom are end-to-end encrypted

6. Cyberlink U Meeting

U Meeting is a reputable webinar platform for business communication that you can use with both Mac and PC. You can use U Meeting to deliver live or pre-recorded presentations, meetings and collaborative sessions. Leading features of this free video conferencing software include:

a simple interface that is accessible for novice users
free meetings hosted on the platform for up to 25 participants
a free meeting length of up to 30 minutes
the ability to schedule and sync your meetings with online calendars
a recording setting and digital whiteboard

7. Slack

Slack is a popular collaborative platform that Salesforce owns. You can use it for a variety of business communications including meetings, training, real-time project management and direct messaging in a single platform. Here are some outstanding features of Slack:

one-to-one voice and video calls between team members or collaborators
a project-friendly interface
easy integration with email and online calendars
automated alerts and reminders
collaborative posts and instant messaging
the ability to create lists of tasks

8. FreeConference

FreeConference is an audio and video conferencing software by iotum that provides all the necessary features to host online meetings, interviews and presentations. It is extremely convenient because it is cloud-based and does not require any downloads or software installation. Key features of FreeConference include:

a capacity of 100 audio participants or five video conferencing participants
instant messaging during meetings
hosting of video and audio participants simultaneously
screen sharing, annotation and online whiteboard
breakout virtual spaces

FreeConference is probably best for one-to-one meetings rather than larger or scale events as they limit you to a maximum of five participants in your video meetings.

9. BigBlueButton

BigBlueButton is an open-source video conferencing software that you can use as a virtual classroom. BigBlueButton Inc. has specifically developed this platform for the delivery of online learning, but you can also use it effectively for teleconferences and interviews. Here are its main features:

capacity for up to 150 participants in a single meeting or across virtual breakout rooms
video conferences that leading web browsers including Safari, Firefox and Chrome support
custom solutions for companies or learning institutions that they can scale
essential collaboration tools that include chat, polling, whiteboards and breakout room
recording of web conferencing sessions

This is a great tool for organising and running creative projects or training sessions.

10. Dialpad Meetings

Dialpad Meetings offers high definition video and audio conferencing on a browser-based platform that requires no installation. It is an effective solution for people who need cross-device conferencing, calls and messaging. On a free trial basis, you can enjoy a wide range of features of this conferencing app that include:

a smart high-resolution interface for hosting your meetings
automatic reduction of background noise for voice clarity
custom backgrounds and music to enhance your online gatherings
schedule meeting using G-suite or Microsoft calendars
Screen and content sharing

Related: How to become an online tutor

11. Cisco Webex Meetings

Cisco Webex is an enterprise-level teleconferencing solution, that includes training sessions, seminars and events. It also supports cross-device real-time collaborations. For free, you can enjoy features of Cisco Webex that include:

unlimited meetings with up to 100 participants of up to 50 minutes duration
fullscreen video with multiple layouts
MP4 recordings of your meetings
mobile and computer screen sharing
transcription of meetings
scheduling and syncing with leading online calendars
virtual backgrounds
whiteboards and virtual breakout sessions

Cisco Webex is highly scalable and ideal for productive team working. If required you can use the premium packages for large-scale coordinated programmes and events.

Top tips for a successful online meeting

Here are some tips for making a success of an online meeting on any of these platforms.

Ensure you have an Internet connection of suitable quality for supporting your video conference. It may be necessary to connect your computer to the Internet via Ethernet cable rather than Wi-Fi for a more consistent connection.
Test your microphone and camera before your meeting begins. It is easy to forget that you've switched off your mic and camera in your computer's settings.
Create the ideal setting for your meeting. Make sure that your lighting is good and your room is uncluttered so it does not distract other participants.
Maintain professional presentation and behaviour. Dress as you would in your work environment and familiarise yourself with the mute button so you can mute your mic when other participants are speaking.

Please note that none of the companies mentioned in this article are affiliated with Indeed.

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