7 Top-Rated Video Conferencing Software
Are you a sales manager or human resource personnel who frequently conducts virtual meetings with clients and customers? In the process of doing so, do you feel bogged down with challenges that might include connection issues, security concerns, limited accessibility, and a lack of collaboration features? If this is what you are currently going through, it’s time to consider a video conferencing solution.
Video conferencing software is an online tool that enables parties to communicate via two-way audio and video using an internet connection. The software offers encrypted connections that help you connect with people in a secure virtual meeting environment. Moreover, it offers a range of collaboration features, such as file and screen sharing to facilitate collaboration in a remote work setting.
We highlight the seven best video conferencing software products for business professionals, in alphabetical order, based on verified software reviews. Read more.
Check out the complete list of video conferencing tools in Software Advice's software directory.
1. 11Sight: Video conferencing solution for revenue teams
11Sight is an online video meeting and customer engagement software that allows users to schedule, host, and join audio or video group meetings. In addition to the basic video conference features, such as presentation streaming, screen sharing, and recording ability, the tool also offers call monitoring, call routing, and tagging that help revenue teams track and convert lead sources.
Product features of interest*:
Omnichannel communication: Connect and engage with your customers over video calls from any online channel, such as Facebook and LinkedIn. This helps you connect with prospects across multiple channels and close deals faster.
End-to-end encryption: Maintain your data and conference call privacy with end-to-end encryption. This security feature ensures that only those who have attended the call have access to the call’s content and no other user has access to important details.
Web and mobile apps: Make audio and video calls with one click from anywhere and any device, including your laptops and mobile phones. The software offers a mobile app for both iOS and Android users.
Customer support options: Phone, email, and chat
Event analytics in 11Sight (Source)
2. BigMarker: Offers 9-way HD video for online meetings
BigMarker is an online meeting and web conferencing software that allows users to schedule online talks, classes, workshops, and presentations with different stakeholders. The software offers webinar recording, screen sharing, polls, and Q&A to make your webinars more interesting. It also offers 9-way high-definition audio/video and chats that help you interact with a large group of participants. As a BigMarker user, you can host up to 1,000 attendees with 9-way HD video.
Product features of interest*:
HD screen sharing: Share a single application, a browser window, or an entire screen in high-definition during online sessions. The system also allows you to add video files to your presentations and share them with the attendees during live webinars.
Unlimited recording: Record and store unlimited webinars to build a content library of your own. You can either offer your recordings for free or even monetize them by selling them to your premium subscribers.
Online whiteboard: Edit presentations and collaborate with team members using the whiteboard tool during presentations. The tool helps attendees draw, highlight, and upload their own Word or PDF files up to 20MB.
Customer support options: Phone, email, and chat
Live polls and Q&A with BigMarker (Source)
3. Consolto: Facilitates voice message communication
Consolto is an online video chat solution that offers video conferencing, live chat, and screen sharing functionalities to help you communicate with clients. The tool features a voice message inbox that enables users to send and receive client messages directly on their Consolto platform. These messages are automatically saved to the cloud and can be accessed later at your convenience. This feature is in addition to the live and video chat options offered by the system.
Product features of interest*:
2-way scheduling: Schedule a virtual meeting or appointment with your clients while still chatting with them. The feature also enables your clients to send you online meeting requests via your Consolto widget or ClickNTalk page.
File transfer: Share important files, including PDF, Word, Excel, and video files to boost the efficacy of your remote work meetings. The software offers drag-and-drop functionality to facilitate file sharing in between meetings.
Live chat: Communicate with clients and partners over a live chat center. All chat messages in Consolto are automatically saved after the video meetings to the chat center so that you can easily access them whenever you like.
Customer support options: Help desk, knowledge base, and chat
Live chat in Consolto (Source)
4. GoBrunch: Provides comprehensive admin controls for meetings
GoBrunch is a video chat solution with an interactive interface to drive engagement among virtual attendees. The software offers comprehensive administrative controls that allow you to control the mics, cameras, and screens of all the attendees in a video call. When using this software, users can create multiple breakout rooms and sessions for virtual meetings with different facilitators assigned to each session.
Product features of interest*:
Thematic meeting rooms: Set up various meeting rooms and allot unique themes to make your meetings more interactive. You can choose room layouts, add self decoration, and even give participants a chance to select their own seats, similar to in-person meetings.
Frequency report: Generate and download a detailed spreadsheet report that displays important session metrics, such as the total number of participants and how long each of your attendees participated in the live sessions.
Cloud recording: Record your webinars and online sessions on the cloud. You can also download your sessions later and generate shareable links with the participants. As a GoBrunch user, you can also select a language for your recorded sessions.
Customer support options: Phone, email, and chat
Dashboard overview in GoBrunch (Source)
5. Livestorm: Offers multi-language support for online events
Livestorm is a video communication platform that enables users to organize engaging webinars and virtual meetings. The software offers 24-language support for your online events, including English, Arabic, and German, which means that you can translate everything visible to your registrants, including the notification emails, landing page, and event room information into different languages. You can also change the language for your event dashboard to English, French, and Spanish.
Product features of interest*:
Recording control: Start, stop, or pause your video recordings to include what is relevant and skip the confidential details. Automatically record and save your online events with unlimited cloud storage.
Analytics: Analyze all your meeting data, including the event status, number of registrants, number of replay viewers, guest speakers, average duration, and number of sessions. The software features an event dashboard to showcase all your important details.
Event automation: Create automation rules for your online event using the automation feature. You can start or end an event, play a video, or redirect to a page to create an engaging online experience. While setting up an automation rule, you can also set the automation time, which will be calculated on the basis of your start time.
Customer support options: Email, chat, and knowledge base
Event recordings in Livestorm (Source)
6. Zoho Meeting: Locks confidential meetings
Zoho Meeting is a video conferencing solution that enables users to conduct sales presentations, product launches, webinars, educational training, and online meetings. The software allows users to lock confidential meetings to keep them private and keep them safe from unwanted attendees, such as hackers and intruders. As the presenter of the meeting, you get a notification every time someone requests to enter the meeting and you can accordingly accept or deny their requests.
Product features of interest*:
RSVP and reminders: Collect RSVPs from invitees that are likely to attend your meetings. You can accordingly edit or re-plan your meetings based on the list of attendees. As a Zoho user, you can also send automated meeting reminders to invitees, along with meeting links and details to remind them of the upcoming meeting.
Live polls: Create and launch live polls for participants to understand audience opinion on a particular matter. You can obtain insights by analyzing the results of the poll or share the results with other participants to get their feedback. Your participants can also participate in the online polls using their smartphones.
YouTube live streaming: Connect with a larger audience by streaming your videos on YouTube in real-time. Choose your attendees for the live video streaming session, share screens, and conduct Q&A sessions to communicate effectively with the audience.
Customer support options: Email, Knowledge base, and chat
Scheduling a meeting in Zoho Meeting (Source)
7. Zoom Meetings: Comes with multiple video layouts
Zoom Meetings is a cloud-based video conferencing platform that allows users to conduct online audio/video meetings and collaborate using integrated communication tools. As a Zoom Meeting user, you can virtually host unlimited meetings, up to 40 minutes each for free. The platform offers different video layouts for online meetings when no one is sharing screens. These include a speaker view, an immersive view, and a gallery view that enables you to view up to 49 participant videos on the screen at the same time.
Product features of interest*:
Encryption: Secure all your audio and video meetings with 256-bit AES GCM and end-to-end encryption options. Security features offered by the platform allow users to manage participants and secure the information shared during meetings.
Translated captions for meetings: Remove language barriers and connect with team members across different locations and having different languages. The feature is currently available in 12 languages, including French, German, and Russian.
Mobile access: Join your online meetings via your mobile device. With the mobile app installed on your smartphone, you can also turn on meeting reminders and customize upcoming meeting notifications.
Customer support options: Phone, email, and chat
Chat option in Zoom Meetings (Source)
How to choose the best video conferencing software for your business
Selecting the best communication tool for your business requires careful planning. Here are some important considerations to keep in mind while evaluating potential video conferencing apps for your business.
Understand your video conferencing requirements: Different businesses have different video conferencing requirements. For instance, if you have a small business with a relatively small team, you may want a video conference tool that merely helps you connect with remote individuals. In this case, you might just want a solution with basic screen-sharing and recording features. Likewise, if you have a large team with global offices, you might need a tool that supports a large number of participants and international calls. Whatever the case, understand your specific requirements before investing in a solution.
Evaluate the team collaboration features: If you are looking at the best video conferencing software or web conferencing software solutions available on the market, make sure to check the collaboration features offered by the tool in order to have the best collaboration experience. Some of the features you can consider here include screen sharing, file sharing, presentation mode, whiteboard, and an integrated live chat option.
Consider the audio and video quality: Low-quality audio and video can considerably impact the effectiveness of an online video meeting. The right video conferencing platform should offer high-quality audio and video, regardless of the number of participants in an online conference or their location. Before you invest in a potential video conferencing tool, make sure to check its audio and video quality so as to ensure that your meetings are engaging and effective.
How much does video conferencing software cost?
Most products in the market are priced on a "per month" basis and can be broken down into three common pricing tiers based on their starting price.
Price ranges*:
$7 - $14
$15 - $32
$32+
*The pricing included is for the entry-level/lowest-priced offering found on vendor websites on January 31, 2023. These ranges correspond to the 25th, 75th, and 100th percentiles of pricing information gathered from vendor websites of sample products.
Hidden costs associated with video conferencing software
The above pricing list summarizes pricing for the base plans of most products. An enterprise or premium product that is priced higher may include additional features, such as reporting and statistics, event scheduling, and polling. A free plan may also require users to incur some additional costs, such as integrations, implementation, and customization costs. Make sure to check all these costs before finalizing a video conferencing solution for your needs.
Frequently asked questions when selecting video conferencing software
You can ask the following questions to the software providers before finalizing the best video conferencing apps for your needs:
What is the limit to the call size supported by the platform?
Different video conferencing solutions support a different number of participants in a video call. While evaluating potential solutions, make sure to ask the vendor about the number of users supported by the tool in all its plans. Consider a solution that helps you connect with and present to the desired number of customers or teams without restrictions.
Does the tool offer video recording?
The right video conferencing tool should allow you to record, download, and save your online videos for future reference. Make sure that the tool you select offers high-quality audio and video recordings that can be reviewed later by internal or external stakeholders. Several tools also offer password protection to secure your recordings from unauthorized usage. Similarly, there are tools that offer automatic deletion of saved recordings after a certain period. Ask your vendor about all such recording features of the software before investing.
Does the platform offer automatic meeting transcripts?
The best video conferencing solutions available on the market automatically capture the speech in your videos and convert them into written text in real-time. This feature is especially helpful when you are having a connection with people across multiple geographies or with hearing impairments. It also makes it easier for stakeholders to review a recording later.
Survey methodology
To be included in this list, products must:
Have at least 20 unique product reviews published on Software Advice within the past two years, with an average rating of 3.0 or higher, as of January 31, 2023. We selected the top seven products from Software Advice’s FrontRunners report for video conferencing software, having the highest ratings to feature in this article.
Include presentation streaming, screen sharing, and two way audio and video as core features.
Meet our video conferencing software market definition: “Video conferencing software allows businesses to host remote meetings and conferences through two-way video and audio display.”
* Product features have been highlighted based on the features available on the vendor website as of January 31, 2023.
We select and rank products based on an objective methodology developed by our research team. While some vendors may pay us when they receive web traffic or leads, this has no influence on our methodology.
Products evaluated for the pricing calculation were taken from Software Advice’s video conferencing software directory. The pricing ranges exclude freemium versions of the products. The features highlighted were identified based on their relevance and the percentage of products in the Software Advice directory that offer them.