Today, more than ever, we are experiencing the power of conferences call apps and companies that haven’t figured out the best options yet are out in search of the best options.
And with remote working now an important part of our lives thanks to the spread of coronavirus/ COVID-19, a disease declared a world pandemic by the WHO, companies, and individuals are now looking for the best ways of boosting productivity, and basically to get work done, and this is where the conference call apps come in.
If remote working was always a far-fetched idea for you because you preferred working from the office or if you have been raring for this day for as long as you can remember, this review is for you.
We’ll help you identify and select some of the best conference call apps on the market to ensure that your teams enjoy the best level of flexibility, and get work done as they work from home.
Whether your company has multiple office locations or just one, these conference apps will help you bring your teams to one place, allowing for even more collaborative work environments.
Keep in mind that with the best conference call apps, you wouldn’t have to worry about complications during meetings or accessibility. And since these conferencing apps come set up with all the necessary tools, you get to save money and also keep Mother Nature happy by not having to drive to the office.
So, with the ongoing lockdowns in a number of countries around the globe, we present to you some of the best options for conference call apps.
Table of Contents
Best Conference Call Apps
1. Zoom Meetings
We’ve all seen the memes, and everyone knows about Zoom Meetings, including kids.
While COVID-19, or as some prefer, The Rona, is the reason for the popularity of Zoom Meetings, it’s clear that this app has been there for a long time, and definitely, way before the pandemic. But before you join the bandwagon, how do you know where Zoom is the ideal fit for your company or not?
Well, Zoom Meetings is a popular video conferencing and messaging app solution that’s been designed for seamless use on mobile and desktop devices. It boasts a very quick setup, it’s easy to use, and it sports a wide range of highly scalable features and functions.
For starters, Zoom offers HD audio and video, meaning you won’t have to worry about the quality of your calls, and the best part is that it’s an ideal fit for small and large organizations because it supports as many as 1,000 participants all at once.
Zoom Meetings also support the running of as many as 49 videos all on a single screen, though this will be much better for you if you have a big screen monitor.
It also allows for the saving of the meetings either locally on your device or on the cloud, and the best bit is that all the transcripts will have searchable texts that you can all work with and refer to the conversation/ action points from the meeting with ease.
The app features a collaboration tool that allows the meeting’s participants to share their screens, working together with ease, as they provide their own notes as and when required.
It also sports a file-sharing function in the chats areas, as well as a function for searchable history, and the best bit is that Zoom allows you to maintain a 10-year archive. And on top of that, Zoom meetings could be escalated to one-on-one calls with great ease.
You won’t have to worry about the security of your meetings and files since Zoom Meetings boasts a built-in 256-bit TLS encryption.
And to make sure that you never miss a meeting, this conferencing app allows for automated scheduling via iCal, Outlook, or Gmail. So, how much do Zoom Meetings cost?
The good news is that if you are a small company not planning to be on video call for 40 minutes and with not more than 100 participants, you can enjoy the free basic plan.
However, for team management administration, the service costs $14.99/month, and $19.99/month/host for the dedicated and enterprise packages. Generally, Zoom is almost the perfect conference calls app, if only it had more security features. The 256-bit TLS encryption is not enough.
2. CyberLink U Meeting
If you are looking for one of the best browser-based video conferencing apps for your small business, CyberLink U Meeting might be the perfect option for you.
A Taiwanese multimedia software company founded in 1996, CyberLink introduced its video conferencing solution, U Meeting, to help small businesses hold successful meetings for remote working situations.
Being browser-based, it means you don’t need to download anything, and it comes with a host of features to improve the coordination of your meetings.
Some of the features in this app include functions for meeting analysis, end-to-end encryptions, and the PerfectCam allows users to incorporate computer-generated makeup on their faces, hence a more professional look.
Besides the absence of a download option, there is also no need to dial into VoIP systems to get started. It lacks a video recording feature, though.
This app might also be the best option for your business because it comes with a free plan which allows for 30-minute meetings for up to 25 participants.
For more time and support for more participants, you might have to pay $29.99 for the Pro50 plan, which allows use by 50 participants and a time frame of 24 hours per meeting, plus access to admin tools and the Perfect Cam, or the Pro 100 plan for 100 participants.
There also is an enterprise plan with more advanced features.
3. GoToMeeting
You don’t have to be logged into a desktop to join your team in the next class or budget meeting, all thanks to this standalone and mobile-friendly video conferencing app, which also comes with a VoIP upgrade.
GoToMeeting is one of the best mobile-friendly web conferencing apps from LogMeIn. It offers a wide range of beneficial features, including screen sharing, audio plus video conferencing.
Thanks to its mobile-friendliness, you would be able to set up the app and start off being part of meetings from your smartphone, which is a feature that’s missing from even some of the bigger brands.
And since it comes with settings that allow you to maximize the image and the audio quality, not to mention the one-tap invites for joining meetings and chats, this app would easily be the best fit for you.
It works for IOS and Android devices, and the prices are reasonable, starting from $14/month on the basic plan (a maximum of 150 participants allowed), and $19/month for the enterprise plan for as many as 250 participants and a few more admin functions, including mouse sharing and drawing tools.
4. Google Hangouts Meet
If you are looking for the most accessible, cloud-powered conferencing solution, Google Hangouts Meet might be a great option for you as it comes with all the important features and functions you need for easy conference calls.
It’s also competitively priced, easy to use, accessible, and it comes with a G-Suite integration. This conferencing app is part of G-Suite’s office productivity platform that offers one of the best conferencing solutions for small and large businesses.
It has an intuitive user-interface, and since it’s an improved version of the standard Google Hangouts chat function, it would be a great option for you if you are looking for a solution that allows you to work with your external clients with ease.
You don’t have to download any software since it’s a web app, and you might also like it because it comes with a dial-in number that allows your employees to join in on the conversation without worrying about poor line quality or drop-outs.
Using this app also means that you have access to dedicated apps that are available for all mobile users either on Google Play Store or Apple AppStore, and the best bit that is that this conferencing software will work with your existing hardware for conferencing, as long as the hardware follows H.323 and SIP standards, particularly for the Skype business users. It’s affordable ($19.99/month), and you can access and use data from other Google platforms, including Google Calendar.
5. Skype
One of the oldest and the most popular video conferencing apps by Microsoft, Skype might be the best video conferencing app for you, especially if you are looking for a video conferencing solution that offers cross-platform support, as well as live subtitles, and access from a web browser.
While it only supports a maximum of 50 participants, Skype is one of the best video chat tools that’s easy to use, and it also supports simple live invites using their email addresses.
Its screen sharing option means that it’s easy to focus on the person you are speaking to because it will blur the backgrounds automatically. The live subtitling of conversations is pretty cool, and it also allows for recording of chats.
To use Skype with more people, you’d have to upgrade to the Skype for Business option, which supports a maximum of 250 participants, and it also offers stronger security options, as well as Microsoft Office integration.
6. Nextiva
Nextiva prides itself on being one of the best phone services for business use, as it allows for easy and professional-level management of conference calls with the use of virtual business phone numbers.
This app is compatible with all devices, and the best part is that you could use it to receive phone calls while at home or on the go.
You might also like Nextiva because it’s easy to use, and that means that you get to add teams and members on the go, and you can also set up call-forwarding rules for different departments.
It also boasts sone of the best audio functions, great customer support, and integration with CRM and their LiveChat function, among other functions. Unfortunately, video calls functionality is limited.
7. FaceTime
Available on Mac and iOS, FaceTime is one of the best video conferencing apps if you are looking for a solution for one-on-one video calls.
So, if you and your colleague need a simple video conferencing app to get some things out of the way and you don’t need the rest of the office to be involved, then FaceTime would be a great option for you.
The best part is that FaceTime works so well even in poor Wi-Fi conditions, and that means that you can make that quick video call or audio without worrying about the technicalities.
It free on iPhone. But for chats, you’d have to make use of iMessage, and you have to switch apps because it lacks a scree-sharing function.
This app would also be a great option for iPhone users, especially if you just need to talk to someone, one-on-one, especially if you need to see and hear a friendly face during these difficult times.
8. Lifesize
Founded in 2003, and with branches in Texas and Germany, Lifesize is a company that offers one of the best conferencing services, called Lifesize.
The Lifesize app sports HD video conferencing endpoints, cloud0based collaborations, as well as conference room phones (touchscreen). Although it lacks a free plan, its three-tiered paid plans are affordable, with rates starting from $16.95/month/host and access to up 100 people, as well as add-ons like personal meeting support, lone support/ chat, and SSO (Single Sign-On) support.
With such a plan, this app is ideal for small and medium-sized businesses. And if you need a plan that accommodates more hosts, then the $12.95/month plan would be ideal as it supports 50 hosts or the $14.95/month plan, which supports 15 hosts and 300 participants.
These plans also come with additional features like real-time meeting insights, Microsoft integration, 1-hour recording in the cloud for every host, as well as access to email and phone support. Though pricier than other options, it has some of the best-integrated camera systems, and also supports 4K video conferencing.
9. Slack
If you are looking for a conferencing app that allows you to make phone calls directly from the team chat, on Mac, Web, or Windows, Slack might be the best option for you.
Slack is one of those apps that started out as a whimsical idea on team chats, but today it is one of the most popular team chat apps on the market, and you might like it because it offered more than the chat functionality with text, as well as image functions.
One of the newest functions offered by Slack is the one-on-one voice calls function that’s available for mobile and desktop apps. It also supports video chatting for a maximum of 15 participants.
10. Webex
Priced competitively from $13 – $26, Webex is one of the most robust conference apps, and it’s ideal for small and large businesses looking for the best conferencing options.
Some of its features include the polling function that allows you to poll the participants of the conference, and everyone on the conference calls can receive and also answer questions directly, annotate the shared documents while in the presentation mode, share files instantly, and you could also use it to facilitate follow-up and breakout meetings after a bigger conference call, directly.
And with the high-quality video and audio features, Webex is, without doubt, one of the best options for business conferencing.
11. UberConference
UberConference (has nothing to do with the ride-sharing app) is an easy-to-use conferencing platform that’s been designed for use by anyone, regardless of the size of the company. It comes with an easy-to-use interface, there are no downloads necessary, no PIN codes, and no fuss joining a meeting.
The tiered plans are priced from $15, but there’s also a free plan which comes with pretty much anything and everything you may need to run a successful conference call or meeting, and comfortable use for up to 10 people.
The paid plan supports a maximum of 100 participants, and it comes with a number of important features like detailed analytics, call-in numbers, a team management portal, as well as international access.
And the best part is that you get to customize the hold music with a number of options, including some head-bobbing songs like Rick Astley’s Never Gonna Give You Up.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t work too well with other browsers, expect Google Chrome. The good news is that most people use Google Chrome already, and that means that the browser integration should be so much of a big deal.
The other features of UberConference include easy access to call transcripts, scheduled call reminders, access to call transcripts, and it works on all devices.
And since this app is part of DialPad that makes it possible for integrations with business phone services, you can easily integrate it with services like the G-Suite, Slack, or Office 365.
Conclusion
To help you determine which of the 10 apps is the best option for you, you to bear in mind that any of the 10 would be a great option for you, depending on what you are looking for, the size of your team, budget, and the best functions or you.
Some of these apps are great for small businesses; others aren’t. So, to pick one, look at the features of the app and compare them with the functions you need for the best conferencing and remote working.