Best Video Conferencing Software To Use in 2021
More present in everyday relationships, especially since the start of the pandemic, video conferencing is in demand for both family and professional reasons. To do this, you need more professional tools that are better suited to your needs. Here below you will find the most reliable and best video conferencing software to use in 2021 for family and business meetings.
However, there is much other software exclusively reserved for videoconferencing that offers more advanced and professional features. To this end, discover our selection of the best video conferencing software, whether for family or professional conversations.
3 Best Video Conferencing Softwares of 2021Â Â
1. Skype
Software exclusively reserved for video and telephone calls via the Internet, Skype was created in 2003 in Luxembourg. With its seniority and the evolution it has known, we cannot speak of videoconferencing without mentioning Skype.
If it was only accessible on Windows, Skype ended up becoming cross-platform: computer (Windows, Mac, Linux), mobile (Android, iOS), Amazon Alexa, and on Xbox One console. Its acquisition by Microsoft in 2011 allowed it to integrate many other features. Before, it was only possible for two people to exchange, using their webcam and microphone.
Skype has long been the video conferencing software of choice for Americans and many other Europeans. It is both intended for the professional and family world. Today, it is possible for users to record a conversation to listen to it later. A very practical feature for the family and the professional world.
The other very practical Skype Feature is the fact that it allows calls to traditional phone numbers. By subscribing to a package, this software allows you to make calls to phone numbers, regardless of where the person is in the world.
Also, Skype allows you to buy a regular phone number to make calls. This feature called Skype-to-phone is much cheaper than solutions offered by mobile phone networks and remains very practical for those who travel a lot.
2. Zoom
Zoom was created in 2011 for the professional world. It has a variety of features for collaborative work. But it is also possible for families to use it. This videoconferencing software is a turnkey solution for videoconferencing. It allows calls to be made in pairs, in groups, and even in a conference room.
Zoom is also cross-platform. It offers more flexibility than Skype. You can install the application on mobile and the software on a PC. If you need to work on a PC while making a call, you can install an extension on your Chrome or Firefox browser. Also, on a computer, you can centralize communication thanks to a system similar to Slack. It also allows screen sharing, as is the case with Skype, for giving presentations.
This videoconferencing software is both paid and free. The subscription is variable between 15 to 20 dollars per month, per user. With this version, users have free access to a phone number and can call each other. They can also record video calls to the cloud for later viewing. Unfortunately, the free version of the software does not offer as many features.
3. Google Hangouts
Google Hangouts is one of Google’s lesser-known apps. And yet, it remains very useful as well as the two videoconferencing software mentioned above. As Google services, anyone with a Gmail address can use Hangouts. The latter completes the messaging service by offering instant conversations, written messages, audio or video calls. You can communicate with a single interlocutor by video or with a group of people.
Even though Hangouts is similar to WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger in its basic functions, it has other features that make it stand out from the crowd. First, we have the Google Hangouts Phone feature which allows you to inexpensively call physical numbers.
This feature is also integrated into Gmail on a computer. You can also get a virtual number linked to a physical number to make and receive calls. Second, Google Hangouts lets you automatically transcribe your audio messages, if you don’t want to listen to them. A very practical feature when you are in a meeting or at work.
Third, Google Hangouts comes with a feature called Google Meet. It is intended for companies for a discussion between company managers and employees. With a subscription, professionals can greatly appreciate this solution.
