Video Conferencing: Software Comparison
The Video Conferencing Showdown
With the use of online conference calls growing, people are looking for software that has vivid audio/video, strong connection, meeting feature controls, and something that is universal and easy to use. When it comes to online conference calling software, there are multiple to choose from, and that raises the question, which one is best for me? In this blog, we will be discussing the features that three of the most well-known video conferencing options, Skype/Microsoft Teams, Zoom, and Cisco Webex have to offer. Hopefully, in the end, you will be able to decide with confidence which software will work best for you or your team.
Perception Engineering’s In-House Use
At Perception Engineering we have historically used Skype for all of our internal communication but recently we have been re-evaluating which software will work best for us. Skype allows us to communicate with other team members quickly and easily whether that be through messages or 1 on 1 call. When it comes to connecting with other individuals/companies via conference call, we have found that Skype is not always the best choice. Often other companies have issues with Skype, as do we, and a new form of online conferencing needs to be found. We have ventured out and are testing Zoom currently and we are finding that each software has its advantages and disadvantages. We have been researching which software works best for us and will be sharing some of the pros and cons below for each.
Zoom
Zoom offers a lot of great features for both free and paid licenses. With the free license, you can host up to 100 individuals and host an unlimited number of meetings. The biggest downside to the free license is the limited meeting time of 40 minutes. Some users report individuals “crashing” their private meetings and being able to join locked meeting rooms. It sounds like Zoom currently has some security issues they are working through. Check out the full chart of the pros and cons below for more info on Zoom!
Skype/Microsoft Teams
Microsoft Teams has replaced Skype for Business but has not totally eradicated it. Microsoft teams is more of an all-inclusive solution for collaboration with video conferencing being just one of the many features. Overall, Microsoft teams seem like a very good choice for team collaborations with online meetings and conferences of up to 250 participants being available while having the basic license with a cost of $5.00 a month. With over 250+ additional apps and a large amount of online cloud storage space, Microsoft Teams definitely has some strong points. However, there is little information on their conference calling. It is not listed for the free license how many participants you can have in a meeting and for how long meetings can go. Additionally, in order to get access to audio conferencing, you must have the most expensive license. Check out the full list of pros and cons for Microsoft Teams in the chart below.
Cisco Webex
Cisco Webex has increased its free features currently due to the Pandemic. A free license allows you to host up to 100 participants for an unlimited amount of time! With a number of host meeting options, unlimited file sharing, meeting Q&A/polling, and much more, Cisco has some great features. On the downside, Cisco will be reverting the free license at an undetermined date and reducing the features available. And only the most expensive license allows you to host more than 100 participants per meeting. Cisco does offer additional add-ons to the paid licenses however these do come with an additional monthly cost. Check out the full list of pros and cons for the Cisco Webex license in the chart below.
Overview
Overall, it seems like both Zoom and Cisco Webex are great options for conference calling software. Microsoft teams do have some options available, but it does not seem as though conference calling is the strong point of the software. Zoom and Cisco both offer free and paid plans with multiple features. These options both offer HD audio and video quality along with a number of host/meeting controls. Both have different call durations and participant sizes depending on the license. At Perception Engineering we prefer Zoom over Cisco. With thousands of other companies/individuals using Zoom already, it makes it easy to connect over a standard and understood conference calling software. Ultimately, to find what works best for you or your company, give the free license for each a try.
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