The recent pandemic has taken the world by storm. There is no doubt that Covid-19 has drastically changed business dynamics across the globe and has defined a ‘new normal’ for most people.
With social distancing being the need of the hour, businesses had no option but to revamp their existing operations to sustain themselves without posing any threat to the workforce or other people involved in the business operations.
Hence, many companies have shifted to work from home, where online networking platforms are the only means of staying in touch with other office colleagues.
Zoom is a platform that has remarkably increased in popularity over time, essentially because it offers solutions for people to meet over the internet without having to be physically present at a given location.
However, there are still a couple of other players in the market, which also have a considerable market share and prove to be very strong alternates to Zoom in terms of competition, and overall service delivery. These competitors are listed below:
1) Cisco Webex
Cisco Webex Meetings has recently seen a sharp increase in demand, primarily because it gives users modern, video-first meetings that are considered more intuitive and productive.
It is widely possible that the secure, flexible, and seamless experience that Cisco offers helps it set itself apart from other people in the industry.
2) Google Meet
Google Meet is a relatively newer platform, best described as the newer, cleaner, and faster version of the previously known app with similar functionalities called Hangouts.
However, Google Meet is targeted specifically towards businesses and organizations, which makes it easier for businesses to have their setups virtually without much hassle.
It was made free in May 2020, after the exponential increase in demand for Zoom due to the pandemic. In this regard, they also offered the functionality of including as many as 100 meeting participants simultaneously, with 16 participants visible.
What sets it apart from Zoom and other platforms is that it allows users to join in the meeting using a dial-in phone number, which means that meeting participants can attend the meeting even if they don’t have access to the internet.
3) GoTo Meeting
GoTo Meeting is another highly popular software that was in demand because of its ability to host meetings with as many as 250 participants. It also allows functionality using screen sharing and whiteboard, which helps to make the classes even more interactive.
On the pricing front, it offers users a free trial, after which the paid plans begin from as low as $12 per month.
4) ClickMeeting
ClickMeeting is another platform that has highly increased in popularity. It is considered an excellent tool for webinars and other relevant sales-related meetings. It also provides cross-platform functionality with Facebook and YouTube.
The best part of this software is that they offer a free plan with limited features. However, depending on the required functionality, there are paid plans too, which start from around $25 per month, and can further be tailored as per the need.
5) Adobe Connect
Adobe Connect is also a very useful alternative to Zoom and has proven to as a stiff competition against Zoom and other competitors. It is a web conferencing solution structured for online meetings, educators, and those who conduct online webinars.
The greatest advantage of this platform is the ease with which this can be used, in addition to the fact that it offers screen recordings. However, it is relatively more expensive than other products in the market.
6) Microsoft Teams
Microsoft Teams has also managed to create a substantial ripple effect in onboarding users because of the brand name associated with this particular software.
This was also coupled with the fact that they enabled integrations with Office 365, which helped manage work across a single platform with controllable privacy across assets.
On the grounds of pricing, they also offer a free trial, and the paid plans start from as low as $5 per month.
7) Zoho Meeting
Zoho Meeting is more popularly referred to as a collaboration suite, offering users meetings and webinar solutions.
It helps organize meetings and webinars for the users and enables screen sharing and remote access for IT teams.
They offer a free trial plan, after which users can choose from various plans, depending on their usage.
8) Skype
Skype was probably one of the most widely acclaimed software back when the demand for video conferencing was relatively stabilized. It is free but has limited functionalities as compared to other competitors.
The greatest disadvantage it poses is that it has a slower interface compared to other platforms in the market.
9) Blizz
Blizz is a product that Teamviewer introduces. It includes indexed messaging functionality and a video call that can be covered with as many as 300 people.
In the same manner, it includes features like HD Calling, screen sharing, as well as recording. As far as the pricing is concerned, it has a free plan but limited functionality.
10) Mikogo
Mikogo is another highly popular platform and is considered in demand because it’s browser-based. The fact that it does not have to be downloaded in software tends to be a very important feature.
It also includes a session scheduler, enabling users to schedule their meetings well in advance.
