It's hard to remember that Zoom Meetings, the wildly popular videoconferencing app, was previously known mostly by businesspeople only. Thanks to the social distancing that has become the norm during the COVID-19 pandemic, Zoom has entered the national consciousness, both as a tool for working from home and for communicating with friends and family.
With all the prohibitions against in-person gatherings, and with so much business and education shifting online, Zoom's users have has grown from about 10 million daily to more than 200 million, according to the company's blog. The free version of Zoom lets any group create a video call where they can meet or socialize. People use Zoom to stay in touch with families, hold book club meetings, and even host virtual parties.
The Problem With Zoom
It hasn't been all good news for Zoom. The service has been criticized for privacy and security issues, and the term zoom bombing—when unwanted interlopers interrupt a group video session—has entered the lexicon. Zoom bombing has been a particular problem for schools, some of which have actually banned the app.
Zoom has been working hard to fix these issues, but if you've been put off by these missteps, or you just prefer another service for video calls, there are plenty of excellent choices out there, as you'll see below. Note that we aren't talking here about about business videoconferencing services—BlueJeans, GoToMeeting, Webex, and the like. PCMag has reviewed those apps extensively for the business environment, but here we're looking at the best apps for making personal video calls.
Top Zoom Tips for Better Videoconferencing in a Locked-Down World
Zoom's Limitations for Free Calls
While Zoom certainly has its appeal for some, it comes with several limitations when you use the free version. Free Zoom users can conduct video meetings with up to 100 participants (with up to 49 visible at once) for a maximum of 40 minutes. That time limit can be a killer for social calls and meetings that you want to run longer. Several Zoom alternatives have considerably longer time limits, though sometimes with a smaller number of participants allowed.
The paid version of Zoom starts at $14.99 per month, which removes the time limit, and adds features such as polling, the ability to have a co-host, among others.
All the services included below have free accounts for the public to use, but they vary greatly in functionality. Read on for the details on each—how many participants they allow, the platforms they work on, and their special features or requirements.
Apple FaceTime
FaceTime is a terrific service with great image quality, but it only works if everyone in your chat group is using an Apple device. Group video came to FaceTime in 2018, and quickly met with a privacy scare that has since been resolved. Unlike Zoom and the other services here, you can't simply send prospective attendees a link to join your group video call. You have to add them with their phone number or Apple ID.
FaceTime allows up to 32 participants in a group video chat. Only four other participants besides yourself can appear on-screen at a time, but those talking get larger images in the interface. FaceTime integrates with iMessage, so you can start a video call from a text message. You can add text, stickers, or Animoji during group video chats. For more, read Ready to Video Chat? How to Group FaceTime.
Maximum group video participants: 32
Platforms: iOS, iPadOS, macOS
Use type: Personal
Brave Talk
Brave is known for producing one of the most privacy-focused web browsers around, and the company has expanded its portfolio with the video calling service Brave Talk. Free users can have only up to four people in a video call, but there's no time limit, no login required, and nothing to download.
Brave Talk is a branded version of the open-source Jitsi software (see Jitsi entry below), which is not a bad thing since that service is replete with desirable features: chat with emoji, screen sharing, and polls. It also includes encryption that's in beta, and lets you have a lobby to limit who can join a meeting. You can require attendees to enter a passcode to join the meeting, too.
A Premium version of the service ($7 per month) increases the participant limit to "hundreds" and adds call recordings, YouTube group watch and group streaming, and hosting tools like participant muting. Note that the service requires you to start meetings in the Brave browser, though participants can use another browser.
Maximum group video participants: 4
Platforms: Web browser
Use type: Personal and Business
Facebook Messenger
Facebook Messenger is another alternative to Zoom that's available on a variety of platforms. In 2020, the social network of record launched a Mac desktop version of its popular app and updated the Windows app with goodies like dark mode, a Live Tile, and group video calling. With Messenger, you can continue text chatting, spice up your chat with stickers, and apply filters that adorn your face. The service is also available on Android, iOS, the web, and via the company's own Facebook Portal. There's a kid-specific version, Messenger Kids, which also offers group video, but with parental controls like blocking and monitoring.
You can't simply invite participants by sending a link, however. You need to add them individually via their Facebook usernames or an email address or phone number. And importantly, everyone who joins the call needs an account. On the plus side, you can create persistent groups for quickly and easily starting up meetings. Up to 50 people can join a group call, but only six of them can be seen at a time.
Read our collection of Cool Tricks and Secret Gems Inside Facebook Messenger to help you make the most of your use of the app.
Maximum group video participants: 50 (with six visible at once)
Platforms: Android, Facebook Portal, iOS, macOS, web browser, Windows
Use type: Personal
Google Meet
Google's video chat service, Google Meet, allows up to 100 participants for personal users with a time limit of 60 minutes for more than two participants. You need a Google account (normally in the form of a Gmail account), and can invite participants via email or by sending or posting a public link. By contrast, free Skype Meet Now video meetings don't require any account creation or sign-in, and can last up to 24 hours.
Meet users can share their screens, participate in chat, and get features such as a whiteboard, breakout sessions, and polling. Recording requires a Workspace subscription. You can also blur the background, choose from a good selection of background images, and upload your own. The interface is very simple and clear, though the business-targeted Google Workspace Meet product offers more features. Those accounts start at $6 per person per month.
Maximum group video participants: 100
Platforms: Android, iOS, web browser
Use type: Personal and Business
Jitsi Meet
Jitsi Meet comes from an open-source project from 8x8, so it's free to use and no one using it needs an account. Meetings can have up to 100 participants with no time limit. Participants can share their desktop, use integrated chat with emoji, and even edit documents together. An optional Chrome extension lets you add a Jitsi Meet link easily to events you create in Apple, Google, and Microsoft calendars. While Jitsi runs great in a browser, you can also use it from an app for Android, macOS, iOS, or Windows.
Lots of the features we look for are included: a lobby so you can screen who joins a call, breakout rooms, polls, private chat, background blurring, and virtual backgrounds. Even free users can record meetings and upload them to Dropbox. We liked the crowd sounds that accompany reactions like Clap, Laugh, Surprised, and Boo.
In addition to the lobby, you can password-protect meetings and try the beta end-to-end encryption. The HD video and audio looked and sounded good in our test call. 8x8 offers paid business communication plans as well that come with more features and analytics tools.
Maximum group video participants: 100
Platforms: Android, iOS, web browser, Windows
Use type: Personal and Business
Microsoft Teams
The software giant's relatively recent entry in videoconferencing started as a business-only solution, but now it's free and available to the public at large. Microsoft Teams offers nifty features like background blur and AI-powered noise suppression so that one participant's rattling bag of chips doesn't upstage what people are trying to say.
Teams will soon become part of the Microsoft 365 Personal and Family subscriptions, which also include Office apps and parental safety features. You get a lot for $79.99 per year for a family of six, with each person getting 1TB cloud storage and downloadable Office applications. The business version of Teams starts at $5 per user per month.
As with Zoom, Teams primarily targets business and educational customers, but the free account (which requires a Microsoft account, such as an Outlook.com email address) is available to any organization. For friends and family use, you'll be directed to Skype (see below).
Maximum group video participants: 250
Platforms: Android, iOS, web browser, Windows
Use type: Personal and Business
RingCentral Video
RingCentral has long been known as a VoIP service for businesses, but its videoconferencing app is available to anyone, with generous options for free users. You can hold video calls of up to 100 participants for up to 24 hours. There's no need to download an app, since it can run in a web browser. Apps are available, however, for Android, iOS, macOS, and Windows. Joining by telephone is allowed even in free accounts. You can use a lobby to restrict access, password-protect meetings, and encrypt your data in transit and at rest.
Showing its business focus, RingCentral Video integrates with Google Workspace, Microsoft Teams, and Microsoft 365, and it includes features for sharing files and managing tasks. It also sports HiTrust certification and HIPAA/BAA compliance. The paid Pro+ account level ($11.99 per user per month) adds more business app integrations, single sign-on support, and lets you have meetings of up to 200 participants.
As with Jitsi and Skype, RingCentral lets you reuse a video meeting ID indefinitely, in this case known as a Personal Meeting ID. For us, however, RingCentral's killer feature is that it lets you switch among devices while you're in a video call—something we don't see a lot in this space.
Maximum group video participants: 100
Platforms: Android, iOS, macOS, web browser, Windows
Use type: Personal and Business
Skype has been around longer than any other video chat service in this roundup and has evolved a feature-packed but refined interface. The now-Microsoft-owned (though still Luxembourg-based) service works on more platforms than most, and it allows free group video rooms with up to 100 participants. You can create a Skype video chat room without a Microsoft account, but if you do have one, you'll be able to save your conversation history and contacts.
The new Skype Meet Now feature lets anyone start an ad-hoc video conference. You can start or participate either using a web browser or the Skype app. Additionally, Skype lets you continue text chatting while on a call and share your desktop. You can create polls, send money, share files, and even share Spotify tracks. If you haven't used Skype in a while, you may be surprised at how far it's come.
For more enjoyment with the service, read Skype Tips for Cheap and Easy Chats.
Maximum group video participants: 100
Platforms: Alexa, Android, iOS, Kindle Fire, Linux, macOS, web browser, Windows, Xbox
Use type: Personal
TeamViewer Meeting
TeamViewer Meeting (until recently called Blizz) comes from the well-regarded TeamViewer remote support company. This video calling service uses a simple, friendly, and capable interface. TeamViewer is "free for basic private and business meetings" for up to five participants. Educational institutions can get accounts supporting up to 50 participants. Paid accounts allow up to 300 and include meeting recording features and support. The free service includes chat and screen sharing, end-to-end encryption, as well as HD and even 4K resolution video! You can schedule meetings and import Outlook contacts. One of the best aspects of TeamViewer Meeting is that there's no time limit, unlike the free version of Zoom.
Maximum group video participants: 5 (300 for paid accounts)
Platforms: Android, iOS, macOS, Windows
Use type: Personal and Business
The massively popular texting and calling app WhatsApp, with more than 5 billion installs on Android alone, allows group video chats of up to eight participants. Sure, that's a far cry from Zoom's limit of 100, but it may suit your needs and it doesn't have Zoom's 40-minute time limit for free group calls. The WhatsApp desktop app now supports one-to-one video calling, but you still need your mobile phone nearby for it to work. There are no emoji or text chatting options during group video calls, however.
In a test group call, the image quality on my iPhone X was excellent, with one participant saying she looked better in it than she does in FaceTime sessions. A big plus for privacy fans: WhatsApp video calls are end-to-end encrypted, according to the company's FAQ. A new call screening feature lets you see who's in a group calls before you join.
As an added perk, WhatsApp offers a Coronavirus hub to provide reliable information on the pandemic. For more on WhatsApp, read our Essential WhatsApp Tips.
Maximum group video participants: 8
Platforms: Android, iOS, macOS, Windows
Use type: Personal
Whereby
Whereby is a mostly business-focused service, offering features such as collaboration tools and breakout groups, but you can use it for free for up to 45 minutes with 100 participants. The time limit could be off-putting to those who want a more open-ended video calling tool, but it still beats Zoom's 40 minute limit. Plus, one-to-one meetings have no time limit. The Pro account, which removes the time limit but keeps the 100 participant cap, starts at just $6.99 per month and adds recording capability.
When you sign up for a free account, you get a personal web address in the format whereby.com/your-name. The service is completely browser-based, so there's no need for downloads. When you start a meeting, a QR code makes it easy to join from a mobile device. By default, your room is locked, so would-be participants have to "knock" first, and then you can let them in. You can unlock a room if you want to bypass that laudable privacy feature.
There's group chat with emoji that momentarily appear over the video tile of the participant who sent it. You can apply background blur and a few simple background choices, but you can't upload your own photo for a background as you can with many other services, and the silhouetting isn't the best we've seen. That said, it's an attractive, easy-to-use interface, and the audio sounded good in our test call.
Maximum group video participants: 100
Platforms: Any device with web browser
Use type: Personal and Business
