Apps which are powerful alternatives to Zoom app

Zoom has gained a lot of popularity in a short time. The reason behind this is that a large number of people are working from home and the Zoom app helps dozens of people make group video calls simultaneously. You all are aware that for some time now, many countries including India are facing lockdown-like situations and are working from their homes due to social distancing. Due to this, Zoom video conference app received 200 million i.e. more than 20 crore daily active users last month. Earlier this figure was maximum 10 million i.e. 1 crore. However, despite its skyrocketing growth, the app has come under question regarding security. From schools and authorities to many different governments, people have been asked to refrain from using the app. The Indian government also recently warned its officials about Zoom. Also, some of its users have alleged that the app sends data to some third parties based in China.

Some of the key features of this app like being able to video-conference up to 100 people simultaneously (up to 500 users in the premium subscription) and recording support make it a great tool for virtual office meetings. The application is available on all platforms and allows video calling through mobile devices as well. But if you don’t trust Zoom and are looking for other alternatives with similar features, then you are in the right place.

Here we have brought a list of five free video conferencing apps like Zoom to help you with your video calling needs.

Cisco Webex Meetings

Cisco is offering free access to its Webex Meetings in all countries. The decision to provide free access was taken recently by the company, the reason behind which was to encourage people to work from home during the coronavirus outbreak. Despite being available for free, you get all the premium features, including unlimited usage with no time restrictions, support for group calls of up to 100 users, and Voice-over-Internet-Protocol (VoIP) capabilities, plus a toll Dial-in features included. All you need to do is sign up on the Cisco Webex Meetings portal and you can start a meeting for free.

Skype Meet Now

Skype is a popular name in almost all countries. It is aimed at users who want a simple and straightforward app rather than a business-focused service like Cisco Webex. Microsoft recently introduced Skype Meet Now, which serves as an alternative to Zoom. It works without the need for an account and allows up to 50 users to make video calls simultaneously, all for free. In this you also get features like ability to record calls, option to blur background before calling and screen sharing. All you need to do is visit the dedicated webpage to get started with Skype Meet Now.

Microsoft Teams

If you don’t want to be limited to just video calls, you can try Microsoft Teams. It is available for free during the pandemic. The free version features unlimited chat and search, group and single audio and video calling, and 10GB of team file storage with 2GB of personal file storage per person. If you already have an Office 365 account, you’ll also get real-time support with Office apps for the web, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote.

Discord

The Discord service has emerged as a strong alternative to Zoom. Its video conferencing capabilities help you connect with up to 50 users simultaneously. This platform is very popular among gamers. However, you can also use it to chat with your office team or some friends. You can also download its mobile app to connect with your contacts through your smartphone. It also has features for screen sharing or making voice calls. Like other free alternatives to Zoom, Discord offers the benefits of video conferencing without the money.

Google Hangouts

If you don’t want to use Discord for any reason, you can opt for Google Hangouts, which is a good free alternative to Zoom. In this, you can add maximum 10 users in a video call or chat with 150 users simultaneously. Google also gives you the option of mobile app to use it on mobile devices. Additionally, being a Google product, you only need your Gmail account to get started with Hangouts. If you are willing to pay, you can also take its premium subscription, in which you can connect 25 users simultaneously in a video call.