Top 10 paid Video Conferencing Tools for 2021

by Sara Cooper Tips On Video Conference Online

With COVID situations easing across the world, some countries are looking at 2021 as the year when things start getting back to normal. However, there are many organizations that are still opting to invest in the ‘Future of Work’ taking the trend of work from home and making it a permanent fixture in how companies are run.

 

Though emails may be the preferred choice of official communication because they are quick and direct, there is still an extra benefit of face-to-face meetings. Research reports state that face to face meetings is 34% more successful than emails. With employees across time zones, the need for official and personal conversations can really only be done with video conferencing software.

 

Luckily, there’s a massive market of infinite options for different types of video conferencing software. The best one for your company will depend on several factors, such as the number of employees you have, your budget and any special features you may need.

 

Some parameters organizations need to consider to finalize an appropriate video conferencing tool are:

 

●       Provide online video and audio communication between employees across geographies and network bandwidths.

 

●       Allow video conference hosts to modify specifications and invite guests to meetings

 

●       Offer features like screen/document sharing and chat options for in-call conversations

 

●       Real-time recording facilities for future reference

 

Here we’ve put together the Top 10 paid video conferencing tools for 2021 that would help organizations in their endeavor of adopting the ‘Future of Work’:

 

1.   GoTo Meeting

 

An industry leader in online video conferencing for companies around the world, GoToMeeting is trusted by millions of people every day for real time virtual communication and collaboration. GoToMeeting provides a fast, easy and reliable professional online meeting solution that enables customers to meet face to face, share presentations and chat with colleagues, all with the click of a button. Nothing can match the momentum of your team or business when it’s fueled by an award-winning collaboration solution; GoToMeeting pairs productivity with flexibility to let employees work effectively anytime, anywhere on any device.

 

Pros

 

●       Extremely user friendly

●       Great quality audio and video

●       Offers various tools like chats and polls to engage the audience

●       Professional looking platform

●       Add ons: Live polling features makes it stand out from the rest

 

Cons

 

●       Limit of 100 participants per video conference

●       Not ideal for remote work

●       Doesn't work well on mobile devices

 

2.   Blue Jeans  Meetings

 

BlueJeans is the meeting platform for the modern workplace. It brings video, audio and web conferencing together with the collaboration tools people use every day. The first cloud service to connect desktops, mobile devices and room systems in one video meeting, BlueJeans makes meetings fast to join and simple to use, so people can work productively where and how they want. It is the meeting solution teams trust to do their best work.

 

Pros

 

●       Great to use for virtual meetings highly dependent on screen sharing

●       Easy to use and navigate

●       Full of functionality

●       Secure video conferencing platform

 

Cons

 

●       Fewer features than other video conferencing tools available in the market

●       Not suitable for all network connections

●       All participants need to have a BlueJeans account to log in

 

 

3.    Click Meeting

 

ClickMeeting can be trialled without signing up with a credit card, which is handy if you’re still on the fence. It’s well suited to webinars, with custom branding, invitations, and a waiting page available.

 

The variety of modes available—Q+A mode, listen-only, and discussion mode—make it easy to control the meeting. Additionally, it has YouTube integration, meaning you can play videos within a meeting. This range of features means it’s a great solution for running remote training sessions.

 

Pros

 

●       Free trial without credit cards – convenient for small business to try it out

●       Multiple modes of use

 

Cons

 

●       Not robust for internal communication

●       Not secure as other options available in the market

 

4.    Join.me

 

This member of the LogMeIn family should be on the video conferencing software shortlist for businesses on a tight budget. Audio meetings with screen sharing for up to three participants are free, with a unique interface that puts each participant's face in a bubble that bounces around the screen. Paid conferencing plans start with Lite ($10 per host per month, five meeting participants, no time limits), with no webcam streams but support for screen and window sharing. Upgrading to Pro ($20 per month) increases the number of meeting participants to 250 and adds 50GB of cloud storage plus recording options. Go to the ($30-per-month) Business plan for 1TB of storage, single sign-on support and Salesforce integration.

 

Pros

 

●       Practical, simple and powerful functions

●       Join a video call with just one click

●       Application includes numerous resources useful for virtual meetings

●       Low cost product

 

Cons

 

●       Difficult to use it on smartphones/ tablets

●       Connection issues on different bandwidths

●       Limited on call chat features

 

 

5.    Team Viewer Meeting

 

TeamViewer Meeting is a video conferencing software and collaboration solution developed by TeamViewer. With the aim of boosting productivity and simplifying remote team work, TeamViewer Meeting is the perfect tool for any-size team collaboration. Main features: - HD Video and Audio - 4K Screen Sharing - Scales to meetings with 300+ participants - Conference Recording - Secure Chat - Mix VoIP and Audio Conferencing - Free of charge dial-in numbers for more than 50 countries.

 

Pros

 

●       One of the most secure video conferencing tools currently available in the market

●       Communication system agile for new working methods

●       Two step verification system

●       Simpler system than others

 

Cons

 

●       Accessibility to join video conferences

●       Only Team Viewer users are allowed to join in on the call

 

6.   3CX

 

The award-winning software enables companies of all sizes to cut telco costs, boost employee productivity, and enhance customer experience. With integrated WebRTC video conferencing; apps for Android, iOS, the web and desktop; a full suite of collaboration features, and website live chat, 3CX offers companies a complete communications package out of the box. Easy to install and manage. Low cost to buy and maintain either On-premise or in the Cloud.

 

Pros

 

●       Intuitive application which is easy to manage

●       Cost effectiveness for organizations

●       Good audio quality

 

Cons

 

●       Minor daily glitches

●       Firewall issues, making it difficult for certain users to access the application

●       No data monitoring panels

 

7.   BigMarker

 

BigMarker is a fully customizable virtual event platform that combines powerful video technology with robust marketing and interactive experience capabilities to create unique branded virtual events. Companies across the world use BigMarker's all-in-one virtual event platform to create immersive and interactive virtual events. BigMarker also provides integrations, APIs, and white label services that enable companies to integrate powerful interactive video experiences into their marketing, sales, and learning stacks. Founded in 2010, BigMarker is headquartered in Chicago and powers virtual events for thousands of companies and organizations around the world.

 

Pros

 

●       Unmatched video quality for both pre-recorded and live video conferences

●       Reliable platform for businesses

●       Easy to use video conferencing tool

 

 

 

Cons

 

●       The interface is detailed but not interesting enough for the new generation employee

●       Call invite details could be made more enriching

 

8.   Intermedia Unite

 

Intermedia Unite is an award-winning, highly reliable, fully integrated, cloud-based phone system that helps small businesses keep employees connected, lower costs, simplify management and increase employee productivity anywhere, anytime. With complimentary mobile and desktop apps, it’s users can stay seamlessly connected wherever they go, on just about any communication device. Getting started has never been easier with 100% remote setup and no hardware required. Additionally, Unite is backed by Intermedia's J.D. Power-certified 24*7 support and a 99.999% uptime service level agreement.

 

Pros

 

●       Intuitive video conferencing platform

●       Easy to use, especially for screen sharing presentation

●       Good customer service team

 

Cons

 

●       Reliant on internet connection, so may need to upgrade bandwidth

●       Complicated for some sections of employees (non-tech savvy)

●       Tutorials are not currently helpful