Video chat has become a mainstay in our daily lives thanks to services like FaceTime and Zoom. Here’s how to locate the ideal service.
Video chat is here to stay and doesn’t seem to be going back to being a specialized technology. During the epidemic, the phrase “Wanna Zoom?” became part of popular culture, but Zoom is not your only option for video chat. You have various options, including FaceTime, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams. And more apps have added or expanded their video chat features over the past few years.
How do you pick the finest video chat service when so many businesses now provide it? Although it may appear that all video conferencing apps perform the same functions, each one has particular advantages and disadvantages.
With so many options available, you may choose the video conferencing app that best meets your needs rather than having to settle for a one-size-fits-all solution. I put several of the most well-liked video chat services and applications to the test, evaluating their costs, usability, device compatibility, time and participant restrictions, and privacy. In this post, we’ll concentrate on services from the perspective of the typical Zoom user’s personal use. What you should know is as follows.
Zoom
If you want to video chat with friends or coworkers, Zoom makes it simple to sign up and start using it. Although the service offers a variety of premium plans for individuals and corporations, free tier users can still access its essential core functions. This implies that Zoom will still provide good service if all you want to do is catch up with friends.
You can use Zoom Basic without paying after registering. Pro, Business, and Enterprise are the other three premium versions of the software, but for the ordinary user’s casual use, Basic has a lot to offer. Even entering your credit card is optional. The tier provides limitless 40-minute meetings with up to 100 attendees. The app’s in-meeting chat has three Zoom Whiteboards, 25MB of cloud storage for recordings, group messaging, and private direct messages (DMs).
Zoom operates on many different platforms, and signing up is simple. Chatting with friends and family is only a few clicks away once you’ve signed up. There is a lot you can do with Zoom, individually or professionally, without paying anything, thanks to everything the Basic tier has to offer.
FaceTime
It’s nice to have built-in video chat software on a device you already own, similar to Messenger Rooms for Facebook members. FaceTime was previously only available to Apple users, but iOS 15 opened it up to Android and PC users as well.
The software is free, there are no call time limits, you don’t require cellular on your device (just make sure you’re on Wi-Fi to save your data), and end-to-end encryption is used to protect your communications. Even though FaceTime’s group calls can only have a maximum of 32 participants—the lowest participant limit on the list—its features make it a desirable choice.
FaceTime includes a free voice call feature that still allows up to 32 individuals if you still wish to speak without cameras. Additionally, you can answer calls on your HomePod or Apple Watch if you’re using the audio call option.
Google Meet
Google Meet, the company’s free and convenient video chat service, is a good choice, although the majority of its features are geared toward businesses and professionals. The software has a free version, but it lacks bells and whistles compared to Zoom’s free tier.
Google Meet’s free tier will more than suffice if all you’re looking for is a place to digitally catch up with friends. You can spend an hour on the phone for free with 100 of your best friends. It’s almost as simple to use as Zoom, but it goes one step further because Meet is already available to you if you have a Google account without any further sign up or bother. You can still join a meeting if you don’t have a Google account.
My favorite feature of Meet is how well it works with other Google products like Slides, Sheets, and Docs. The quick access to Google apps would be a useful tool for study groups, team tasks, and event planning.
Microsoft Teams
Users of Office 365 are already able to access Microsoft Teams, the company’s built-in video chat programmed, but Windows 11 made it considerably easier to do so. Similar to Google Meet, Microsoft Teams’ free tier enables you to hold an hour-long conference call with up to 100 individuals. if there is only the two of you? The call’s maximum duration is 30 hours, making it the greatest free service available, although being a touch excessive.
I appreciate that Microsoft provides both residential and corporate users with a variety of plans to select from. Using the app for personal purposes might sometimes seem like an afterthought when compared to the glitzy corporate tiers with other services.
Microsoft offers two cost-effective paid plans for individual use. The extra features in Microsoft 365 Personal and 365 Family genuinely make sense for the average user to have, in contrast to expensive subscriptions for some other services. I’d be sure I was receiving the most value for my money if I bought one of these plans.
Facebook Messenger Rooms
You already know how simple it is to begin a video chat from Messenger if you’re one of the nearly 3 billion monthly active Facebook users worldwide. Early in 2020, the social media business introduced Messenger Rooms, upping its video conferencing game. Setting up a Room in the desktop or mobile apps is simple.
Both Facebook’s one-on-one video chat function and Messenger Rooms are appealing choices because they are incorporated into apps you probably already have installed and the calls are free and unlimited in duration.
I definitely use Facebook’s one-on-one video chat feature the most to stay in touch with friends and family. It’s convenient to know that I can quickly switch to a Room and include more individuals, up to 50.
