Top 10 Best Online Meeting Apps in checkspedia com
Online meeting applications arrived not only to bring people together, but also as a fundamental resource for home office or distance learning. With several options, knowing how to choose the one that has the tools you need will make all the difference in this experience.
Among the most famous in the category are Teams, Zoom and Google Duo, with different styles. In this article, you will learn about the 10 best online meeting apps , with a complete guide on how to choose the ideal one. Read until the end to check out all our tips and increase your productivity!
How Do Online Meeting Apps Work?
You may have already seen video calling as an extra feature on apps like Whatsapp and Instagram. However, for work meetings, distance learning, or even chatting with friends in a larger group, you will need to download an online meeting app with more features .
These professional apps give the host freedom to manage what happens on the video call. In addition, they offer options for members to feel as if they were in a face-to-face meeting . There are even apps to hold free online meetings. Find out below!
How to Choose the Best Online Meeting App
To choose the best online meeting application, you should analyze its main features, host control tools, maximum number of participants, call time, among other characteristics. Keep reading to find out more!
① Choose the Video Conferencing Tool with the Features You Need
Mainly for corporate use, where the group videoconferencing experience must be as close as possible to that of the office, the more resources, the better. Options like screen and file sharing, and whiteboarding , make all the difference when explaining a project or giving feedback.
In addition to video, being able to interact via text or audio chat is a plus. Many like to integrate the video conferencing application with platforms like Outlook and calendar to start an online meeting from them. Scheduling events and reminders are resources that help organize your routine.
Have more than one team? Choose a meeting app that supports multiple simultaneous rooms . Enable subtitles and automatic translation so everyone understands the message and use your contacts so you don’t have to create new ones. Polls and automatic reports are also an advantage of this type of app.
② For Unlimited Access to Content, Choose an App with Recording Feature
Being able to record meetings is very useful, both for companies and educational institutions that use apps for online meetings. Thus, it is easy for teachers and administrators to control who participated in group videoconferences , the comments and files sent, and the decisions taken.
In addition to knowing if the videoconferencing application has this feature, it is important to know how many gigabytes it can store . There are options with up to 1TB of space for recorded content. Also check the recording format and where the app stores this file: whether it’s in the cloud, or in its own memory.
③ Check the Maximum Number of Participants Allowed by the Meeting App
The number of participants that the online meeting application supports in each video call is a decisive factor when choosing. If you need a platform to chat in small groups, that’s probably not a problem, as most apps support between 2 and 100 participants .
In lectures for thousands of people (Webinars), or teams with more than 100 participants , a higher limit will be required. Hence, it is important to consider the opinion of those who have been using the application for group videoconferencing for some time, as the connection quality must accompany the size of the event.
④ For Large Streams, Look for an App with Higher Call Limit
As well as the participant limit, knowing how long the online meeting application is capable of sustaining the same video call is essential. Congresses, educational lectures or a company training , for example, can last more than just a few hours.
The time limit of online meeting applications can vary between 40 minutes, 1 day, or even unlimited . Of course, this increases the need for good online support from the company responsible for the application, so look at user comments about this service before hiring.
⑤ As an Online Meeting Host, Know What Control Options You Have Available
Far beyond just being able to add participants and create an online meeting, in professional applications the host has several tools to organize the video call. Starting by setting a password for entry, expelling participants, muting the microphone and removing everyone’s image .
In applications intended for professional use, the host can choose to place another member as a co-organizer , or assign privileges . He is also the one who gives permission for guests to share the screen, use the whiteboard or even record the online meeting for their own use.
⑥ Make Sure Your Devices Are Compatible with the Online Meeting App
One of the features that make online meeting apps more versatile is being able to hold group videoconferences from anywhere, with different types of devices. Some apps even allow you to use two at the same time , or reduce your internet usage when you’re out on the street or in your car.
Most online meeting apps are compatible with cell phones, tablets and have a browser version to open on your computer or laptop. Apps where group videoconferencing is just an extra feature tend to only work on mobile devices. Keep an eye!
⑦ Consider What Subscription Plans the Online Meeting App Offers
Most online meeting apps offer a free version with limited number of participants, limited duration and features , or the full version during a trial period. If its use is only for informal meetings, among friends, it might not be worth closing a plan.
But if you use it for work meetings or distance learning, it’s best to hire a subscription . Payment is usually monthly, but some offer a discount for annual plans. In the most complete software, you can even customize your plan according to the tools used.
⑧ Avoid Crashes Considering the Size of Online Meeting App
Identifying the best online meeting app also involves knowing how much space it will take up on your device. Choosing an app that is too heavy can compromise your experience with the app , in addition to running out of space to save files in general.
In videoconferencing applications for Android, the size tends to vary according to the device , with an average of 36 and 164 MB. On iOS, however , the space occupied is generally larger, from 87 to 286.9 MB . Compare with your smartphone’s free internal storage!