Staying connected and informed is a key part of business operations no matter what department or role you’re in. In times since the COVID-19 Pandemic, staying connected and remaining consistent communication has become even more important, however, lockdowns and work-from-home orders have made it more difficult.
Even further, since the initial COVID-19 breakout, a rise in the popularity of remote work has been more than apparent, with more and more shifting to an online work environment. In fact, 97% of employees in the United States alone have polled to prefer remote work over being in-office. While only 18% of the population currently work remotely full-time, that statistic is only set to explode in the coming years.
To digress, not only has the rise in remote work grown tremendously in the last 18-24 months, but many prefer it and most suggest that it’s been more effective with respect to work efficiency and productivity. With more and more companies adopting this remote model, the demand for online meeting platforms has and will continue to grow tremendously as well.
In this article, we’ll be discussing and comparing 5 popular online meeting platforms so that you can have a better understanding of their features and functionalities. If you’re a remote worker or you soon plan to be, this article is for you! Moreover, if you’re a business, CEO, or entrepreneur eager to find the right video communications platform for your needs, this article is for you too!
So, without further ado, let’s get right into it…
The Top Five (5) Online Meeting Platforms
The following online video communications platforms allow users to seamlessly interact with others in a simple, accessible, functional, and reliable fashion.
Whether it’s for a conference call, an interview, a performance review, or simply touching base with a family member or friend from away, online meeting platforms have enabled you to do so remotely via their video application software.
With increasing demands for remote work, increasing concerns surrounding the health of our environment (i.e. travel, transport, carbon emissions, etc.), and increasing considerations to become more financially sufficient, what better way to communicate than via a convenient, easy-to-use video platform?!
Lucky for you, there are several options to choose from, each offering its own unique benefits. With that said, below are 5 popular online meeting platforms that will be compared below:
- Zoom
- Skype
- Webex
- Microsoft Teams
- GoToWebinar
Zoom
Overall Rating: 4/5
Out of all the comparable online meeting platforms to be discussed throughout this article, Zoom is likely the most familiar, in large part due to the explosive growth during the Pandemic (if you’re familiar with stock investments, you know what I’m talking about! Zoom stock saw massive growth!).
Ideal for the passive user and demanding business alike, Zoom is a 100% free video-conferencing application (with paid tiers available at your discretion) that offers its services via both desktop and mobile for your convenience.
The only con? Its security has been lacking since its inception, with several viral instances of hackers joining unsolicited video conferences. This could be the difference-maker between whether or not a business would or would not opt to integrate Zoom as their primary online meeting platform.
Skype
Overall Rating: 3.95/5
Unlike Zoom who has only become popular in the last year or two, Skype is a much more recognizable name, dating back to its launch in 2003. While the reputable name alone is reason enough for most users to adopt the platform, Skype also happens to be a user-friendly conferencing software enjoyed many millions.
The only downside, especially for larger corporations requiring larger online meeting rooms is the fact that it only allows a maximum of 50 participants per conference call. With that said, Skype does provide a business-centered paid tier that allows paid users to invite up to 250 participants, but at a fee.
Aside from its participant limit, however, Skype has proven itself to be a leader in the online video conference software space, offering its users an abundance of beneficial features that have since been adopted by its competitors.
If you’re looking for safe and reliable online meeting software, Skype would be the safe bet.
Webex
Overall Rating: 4.25/5
Yet another powerhouse when it comes to online meeting platforms, Webex provides its loyal users with a premium, HD experience, all at the fraction of the cost of most premium video conferencing applications.
The most speculative differentiator of Webex and its competitors is the fact that Webex provides its users with their very own personal URL to operate. This allows a more exclusive user experience when scheduling, inviting and hosting conference calls and online meetings.
Arguably the most important feature of Webex, however, is its security integration. While we won’t get into the nitty-gritty of security technology, you can expect a secure, worry-free experience when using Webex for your online communication needs.
Microsoft Teams
Overall Rating: 4.75/5
Microsoft Teams is an incredible integration for larger businesses requiring the bandwidth of several important features and functionalities when it comes to communications.
Because Microsoft Teams integrates seamlessly with Microsoft 365, businesses can easily schedule meetings, invite guests both external and internal, screen share during calls, record live video, and messenger chat, amongst other convenient features.
If you’re a large organization looking for higher functioning, easily adaptable software for online meeting communications, Microsoft Teams is exactly what you’re looking for.
GoToWebinar
Overall Rating 3.75/5
Not to be confused with GoToMeeting which happens to also be an online chatroom of sorts, GoToWebinar specializes in a speaker-audience format ideal for hosting events, presentations, guest speakers, and seminar-type experiences.
While GoToWebinar might not be your first choice for a typical video conference call or online meeting, if you’re in the market for an elaborate software specifically designed to function high-capacity online events and presentations, it’s the premier choice. Unfortunately, this article is largely centered around online meeting and conference call applications.
Don’t let this overall rating fool you, GoToWebinar is an incredibly useful application. However, its use case is simply a little different than the focus of this article.
A Final Word of Advice
Not all online meeting platforms are created equal. Because each software company needs to stand out from the rest, each offers its own unique offerings suitable for a specific subset of the population.
In other words, before choosing the platform with the highest overall rating, it’s important to first identify your specific needs as a user or business.
Is the number of participants allowed in each meeting of any importance to you? If so, you’re going to want to choose a platform that allows for larger online rooms. Maybe it’s security that you’re most concerned about. If so, of course, do your due diligence and choose the platform with the greatest bandwidth of security measures.
In summary, these are the questions that must be answered to determine what platform is most suitable for YOU!
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