Today, almost everything in your office is connected online. From data backup to emails and from social networks to the website you own! Well, there are some important things that still stay offline, though impressive online-powered alternatives are there. Meetings are one of those things.
Even in this internet era, we notify everyone, call them to a conference hall, sit around a circular structure, and start talking what is needed and what not. Why should you do so when some of the best online meeting tools are there ? And, why should you do that when the online meeting can be much productive than the conventional stuff.
So, there are both free and paid online meeting tools that offer variety of purposes such as web conferencing, screen sharing, file sharing etc. There are even some online meeting tools that don’t have sign-up stuff. You can just start an online meeting by sharing links. So, it’s all about whether you are using the best one from the list.
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7 Best Paid and Free Online Meeting Tools for Web Conferencing
In our post, we will list out some of the best online meeting tools, answering your major doubts and queries. So, shall we move on ?
1. GoToMeeting
GoToMeeting is one of the best paid online meeting tools that offer a free version as well. Its free version, however, limits number of users to three. In the free version, you can just create a meeting and share the link to two others, in order to bring them to the meeting.
The best part is that the free version doesn’t curtail access to nice features such as screen sharing or file sharing. Well, coming to the paid section, you can have the basic version of GoToMeeting for $24 per month and you can invite up to five participants. As we go further the plans, we get impressive features.
GoToMeeting is an HD video conferencing tool — no compromise on quality. Also, you can have choice when it does come to the case of Audio and screen sharing. The compatibility with Smartphones and tablet PCs is useful when you are travelling or so.
Other features of GoToMeeting include its option for creating personal meeting rooms, calendar integration, recording of meetings (for further uses). However, if you want to bring more people into your meeting, you should be ready to pay more.
2. MeetingBurner
Here comes MeetingBurner, which is an impressive yet free online meeting tool that doesn’t bring many limits. The tool has Pro & Premier plans — in case if you wanted to have more attendees as well as advanced features. Having it said, the free version of MeetingBurner doesn’t bring those clumsy ads or cut down basic functionalities.
You will get features such as Screen Sharing, Audio Conferencing and multi-device support in the free version, in spite of the fact that number of attendees is limited to 10. If you’re ready to pay and go forward, there’s a plenty of features waiting for you.
You get Meeting Recording capabilities in both the Pro and Premier plans, which cost $39.95 and $99.95 per month respectively but Autopilot Meetings are limited to the Premier version only. In addition, you get support options via phone and email along with related stuff such as automated reminders, Facebook promotion etc.
One of the superb features of MeetingBurner include registration widget, AWeber integration, PayPal integration, automated reminder system through SMS etc. In short, it’s one of the most productive free online meeting tools worth going for.
3. Meetin.gs
Meetin.gs is perhaps the true new generation way of scheduling and executing various types of meetings you would stumble upon. Capabilities of Meetin.gs extend to the use of Artificial Intelligence and all. Nevertheless, Meetin.gs is a paid solution and there’s not even a free version available.
But, best part of the online meeting tool has it that you can add unlimited participants in unlimited number of meetings — is it not awesome? Advanced features of Meetin.gs are also awesome, given that you have a lot of people to bring into a meeting.
Simplified meeting scheduling is a worth-checking feature. You can visit others’ profiles and check whether they are available for a particular date and plan the meeting. Also, you can share your professional calendar with others to let them plan meetings with you.
Meetin.gs works fine with a variety of services such as Google Drive, Outlook.com and Google Apps. Similarly, you can integrate communication tools such as Skype, Lync and Google Hangouts. In short, it can be said that Meetin.gs is one of the best meeting planning solution for BIGGER meetings, though paid.
4. AnyMeeting
AnyMeeting is an effective, well-praised & capable solution you can use for meetings and webinars, for that matter. It comes with a variety of plans and you can choose the most appropriate one depending upon number of attendees you expect, price you can afford and features you expect. Well, don’t worry, basic features are assured in all versions of AnyMeeting.
There are different sections of AnyMeeting within, such as the Video Conferencing part. In this, you get six-way HD video, Smartphone and Tablet PC support, meeting notes etc. Similarly, other types include webinars, web conferencing and conference calls.
Talking of general, useful features, we will first find out the Invitation options — you can either create a registration form or use email invitations. And, if you were planning a Webinar, you can even sell tickets for that, right from the dashboard of AnyMeeting.
In the Pro versions of both Meetings and Webinar, you are going to have features such as unlimited recording, integration with other services, custom branding, file-sharing options etc. A problem we found with AnyMeeting is that the free version is way too limited and lacks basic functionalities.
5. Cisco WebEx
WebEx is the new way of conducting meetings without hassle, and comes straight from Cisco. This web conferencing tools is available in a free version but the number of participants is limited to three. If you don’t mind the capacity, it is preferable to go with Cisco WebEx. Face-to-face meetings offered by the service is impressive and you can count in features such as multipurpose file sharing, meeting recording, options for using Smartphone apps etc.
Unlike most of the online meeting tools mentioned above, you have to download software in your computer to bring meetings. It offers a variety of options, ranging from 7-way video conferencing to side-by-side sharing.
As we go to the higher plans, Cisco WebEx keeps offering advanced features. There will be commendable options for scheduling as well as instant meetings, toll-free and Call Me functionalities etc.
Other features offered by WebEx are remote access to attendees’ computers, integration with Outlook and related products, password protection for the meetings. On top of all, Cisco WebEx has a reasonable pricing plan that doesn’t cut down features if we stay at lower levels.
6. Zoom
Zoom is yet another web conferencing solution that can conveniently be used for conducting meetings in your office, regardless where your employees are! Used by companies like GoDaddy and Flipboard, you can count the tool in when you want simplicity and effectiveness.
The thing we loved most in Zoom is that its free version lets you host a meeting with a maximum number of 50 participants and it’s completely free to use, per se. However, when it comes to the case of duration, group meeting limited to 40 minutes.
When we explore video conferencing aspect of Zoom, you get superb functionalities such as HD video and voice, and the different viewing modes and dual-screen options, for that matter. As we come to the case of Web Conferencing, you get options such as the one to share your desktop screen and running applications.
Also, there are plugins to get things smoother than they may seem to be. However, as you go towards the paid plans, you’re going to get webinar-based capabilities such as company branding, managed domains, Lync integration, customization, cloud-based video recording etc.
7. Fuze
We have the last online meeting tool in the list — Fuze! It’s a wide-acclaimed online meeting solution that offers an incredible variety of plans, suiting different purposes. For instance, if you just want a meeting that brings only three participants, you can go with the free version of Fuze and you will have all the features offered by Pro version.
Or, in case if you wanted more, you have other plans at $20 and $40 that offer 25 and 250 participants respectively. So, if it is possible to suffer the limit of lower participant number, you should get going with Fuze, and it would be one of the best free online meeting tools out there.
Fuze also offers some integration that lets you manage variety of aspects — content, meetings and conversations — at a single space and it should make sense. Some of the notable features of Fuze include the multi-device support, its collaboration-based options, a powerful software interface etc.
Also, you can integrate the service with some other apps such as Dropbox, Box, Google Calendar, Microsoft Outlook etc. Altogether, considering the pricing plan, Fuze is all good.
The Pro Review from TechReviewPro
The main factor that distinguishes between paid & free online meeting tools listed here is the number of participants you can add into one meeting. For instance, except the case of Zoom, almost every online meeting tool sets a limit of 3 participants in a single review. Well, that having said, there are some webinar-based features you are going to get in the long run.
In any case, however, you can choose an affordable plan depending upon the features you need. For instance, if you’re a lazy-kind-of startup, there’s no point in going for a scheduling-oriented meeting tool. As opposed to this, you can get a basic meeting solution and it would make sense.
So, we do hope this list will help you to find out what are the best free online meeting tools, or the paid ones for that matter.
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Comments on this entry are closed.
Hello Rahul,
I need to, first of all, thank you for sharing with us these tools. I seem to be in awe as most of the tools mentioned are just new to me.
I will, of course, be checking them out.
Hello Rahul,
Am pretty new into blogging just started with my blog, I got your blog link from another blog top comment of Month “Enstine Muki Sir” I was just looking at the blog post and got One question what I was thinking while being on one of the Webnair in the past.
I have attended one of the Webnair which was on “GoToMeeting” but the problem was it was live and we can’t see the video again.
Is their I missed something or any tool you suggest through which we can record the Webnair for future reference.
Hope to hear from you soon, I apologize it it sounds dumb am still new in blogging sill exploring the ocean.
Back to you.
Thank you, Rahul.
Hi Ashok,
Here, I have listed the top tools for conducting online meetings and the post is written for organizers. In that case, it is the webinar organizer’s wish to choose a platform for conducting the webinar. For instance, as online meeting tools, MeetingBurner and AnyMeeting are offering recording capabilities in the pro version.
However, when you’re conducting a webinar, you can choose any of these platforms. When you’re attending one, it’s the other way round.
Thanks!