14 Best Web Video Conferencing Software for Small Business (Free + Paid) | How To

Having good video conferencing software is an important need
that many small businesses fail to consider.

Remote work is increasing and is predicted to
continue to increase. According to a study
from FlexJobs, many
hiring managers predict that more than 33% of their employees will be working
remotely within the next decade.

With
workers located in different places, and sometimes even in different countries,
how can your small business make sure that everyone is communicating? With a geographically diverse team, getting
everyone together in the same room for a traditional meeting is impractical
(and expensive).

Holding
a web meeting solves the communication problem. With online meeting software,
you can schedule regular meetings for your team to get together through the
internet to share information and ask questions. With the right web
conferencing software, you can even hold training sessions.

Getting
live video conferencing software can be a major decision for your small
business, but it’s an important one since it can help your team stay connected.
In this post, you’ll learn what you need to know to choose the web conferencing
software for your needs. First, I’ll explain what web video conferencing
software is. Then, we’ll explore some conferences software features that
business owners often look for. Finally, I’ll list 14 of the best video
conferencing software tools for small businesses.

What
Is Web Video Conferencing Software?

Web
video conferencing software allows you to hold a variety of types of online
meetings regardless of where meeting participants are located. The online meeting software makes use of the Internet, so anyone with a connection can take part. A live web conference may include a video
element where participants can see each other using their webcams. Or, the
meeting may be audio only. Sometimes the online meeting is also available by
phone, which makes it even easier for all team members to attend.

Web video conferencing software can be used to conduct various types of meetings
including:

• traditional
  staff meetings
• web
  seminars
• webcasts
• collaboration
• training

To
conduct a successful web meeting, your business will need good web conferencing
software.

Core
Web Conferencing Software Features

As
you select your video conferencing software, you’ll want to pay close attention
to what the software can do. To get the most from your web meeting tool, make
sure to select a package that has features that you need. Some common features
that small businesses often need include:

• Meeting Initiation. This
  is the capability to start a meeting as opposed to just being a meeting
  participant. This is very important if you’ll be hosting the video conferences
  yourself.
• Screen Share. If
  you want meeting participants to be able to look at what’s displaying on your
  computer during the web conference, you’ll need this feature.
• Recording. The
  ability to be able to record your live web conference can be useful for members
  who can’t make your meeting. It can also serve as a record of what took place.
• Audio. If
  some of your team members don’t have a webcam, you’ll want them to at least be able to take part through audio.
• Slideshow. A
  slideshow can be a great way to organize the information you present during
  your web meeting. Consider using a slideshow template for a more professional
  presentations (see section below).
• Private Chat. Private
  chat is the ability for several team members to communicate privately during
  the main meeting. This can be useful for answering questions. 
• Video Conferencing. This
  feature allows meeting participants to enable their webcams so that they can
  see each other during the meeting.
• Technical Support. If
  this is your first time hosting a live video conference via the web, make sure
  the package that you select has good technical support available to help you
  overcome any hurdles.
• Cost. Last,
  but not least, you’ll want to choose video web conferencing software that fits
  in your budget. The list below includes web meeting tools for a variety of
  budget needs including free software.

While
you may not need all of these capabilities in your conferencing software,
chances are that your business will need at least some of them. Be sure to pick
a tool that offers what you need (and don’t forget to consider your future
needs).

Use
a Slideshow Template for Your Video Conference

slideshow
template to make sure that your video conference feels well-organized and
professional. You can find top-notch
presentation templates created
by professional designers on Envato Elements and GraphicRiver.

Here’s
a peek at some of our best-selling slideshow templates on Envato Elements:

Now
that we’ve explored what web video conferencing software is and discussed
features that businesses often need, it’s time to look at some of the best
video conferencing software tools available for small businesses.

Best
Web Video Conferencing Software Tools

Here
are fourteen of the best web video conferencing tools for small businesses:

1. Skype
for Business 

You
may think of Skype as a convenient way to make long-distance calls using your
computer, but the Skype for Business product allows you to use Skype to run video
conference meetings. With Skype for Business, your web meeting can include up
to 250 people (with a Microsoft Office 365 subscription). Use the tool to share
your desktop and collaborate online in real-time. You can also record your
meetings.

To
learn more about Skype, study the following tutorial:

• Skype

  How to Record Skype Calls on a Mac

  Harry Guinness

2. Meet by
Google Hangouts

Hangouts
Meet is a more business-friendly tool than classic Google Hangouts. To use this
meeting software, however, you’ll need a G Suite Account. Meet
by Google Hangouts allows you to hold live video conferences. The number of
people you can host for your video conference varies. If you’ve got G Suite
Enterprise, you can host up to 50 people. But with G Suite Basic and Business,
you can only host 25.

To
learn more about Google Hangouts, study the following tutorials:

• Video Conferencing

  Create and Host a Webinar for Free Using Google+ Hangouts

  Stef Gonzaga

3. Cisco WebEx

With
this live video conferencing software you’ll enjoy many features including screen sharing, cloud
recording, personal meeting rooms, and more. The number of people you can
include in your web meeting depending on the level of package your purchase.
With the starter level, you can include 50 participants. At the enterprise
level you can have up to 1000 meeting participants. A free trial is available.

4. GoToMeeting 

This
web conferencing software is designed specifically for online meetings. It
includes a toll-free option to make your meetings more accessible. You can also
set up a personal meeting room with your own URL. Share your desktop in real-time, so your attendees can see exactly what you’re talking about. Record your
meeting and store it in the cloud. You can also download a free trial version of
this video conferencing software.

5. Zoom

This
popular online meeting software is a great choice for small businesses since
the most basic level is free. At the most basic level, you can host up to 100
meeting participants for up to 40 minutes. You can also use screen sharing to
collaborate. And there are breakout rooms for private discussions. To get more
features, such as unlimited meeting duration or more participants, choose one
of their premium plans.

5. Join.me 

This
relatively new online meeting software also has a lot to offer for very small
businesses. It’s free for individual users (with limited features). For
example, at the free level you can have up to three meeting attendees. There
are three levels of premium plans that offer additional features. The Business
level plan, for example, let’s you host up to 250 in your meeting and includes
recording capabilities.

6. RingCentral
Office 

include
unlimited video and audio meetings as well as screen sharing. At the most basic
level, you’re limited to four people per meeting. At the most advanced level,
include up to 200 people in your meeting. Also nice is that fact that you can
get a free trial of any level of service—even the most basic.

7. ClickMeeting 

ClickMeeting
is a feature-rich web meeting tool that not only lets you hold online
meetings, but also lets you run webinars. Your meetings can accommodate up to
25 participants, but if you host a webinar you can include more people (based
on your plan level). This tool also lets you share screens for collaboration. Plus,
record your meetings for those who couldn’t attend.

8. Adobe Connect 

While
you may think of Adobe as having great design tools, they also offer online
meeting capability through Adobe Connect. You’ll meet in an online meeting room
with a custom URL that’s always available. You can record your meetings and
even republish them. Plus there are add-ons (pods) that allow you to do more.
Use the Video pod to share a webcam feed, for example. A free trial is available.

9. Zoho Meeting 

Use your Webcam to talk to your meeting participants through a video feed. You can share all or part of your screen to help illustrate your points. Plus, you can record screen shares and the audio part of your meetings. This web conferencing software is compatible with both Google and Zoho calendars. Set up automated email reminders to maximize meeting attendance.

10. Amazon Chime

Here’s
another well-known company with online meeting software you may not be aware
of. Set up secure web meetings with pay-as-you-go pricing. You can even use
Amazon’s Alexa to start your meeting. It’s also easy to share screen content using
Amazon Chime. Make a recording of your online meeting and store in in the cloud
for later reference. Add meetings to the MS Outlook calendar.

11. HighFive 

HighFive
offers a unique integration of a hardware and software platform for all your
online meeting needs. This can be a lot for a small business, but if your
business is growing fast and you hold a lot of meetings. This can be a good choice. The software includes many of the video conferencing software options
you would expect such as screen sharing and the ability to schedule meetings
from your calendar.

12. AnyMeeting 

This
online meeting software offers two plans. One plan allows you to hold a
meeting of up to 10 people, the other allows you to host up to 30. All levels
include screensharing, chat, and the ability to send email meeting invitations
and reminders. With the larger plan you can also have a toll-free number for
your meeting as well as the ability to create a meeting recording.

13. UberConference 

If
you mostly host small web meetings and you’re looking for free web conferencing
software, this option may be for you. The free version of UberConference allows
you to have up to ten meeting participants. Each meeting participant will need
a PIN to access the meeting. The free level even includes screen sharing and
the ability to record a call. For now, the tool is limited to audio conferencing,
though.

14. BlueJeans 

Here’s another price-conscious online meeting software tool
for a small business owner. This one has a plan for single individuals that
allows you to meet with up to 50 people a month with an unlimited meeting
duration. You can use Outlook, Office 365, or Google calendar to schedule the
meetings. Plus, you can share your desktop and even stream your meeting to
Facebook Live.

Learn More About Web Meetings

As you begin to hold more and more web meetings, you’ll want to learn how work with team members through video conferencing tools. The following tutorials are specific to webinars, but many of the same principles apply:

• Webinars

  How to Successfully Host an Online Webinar (With Free vs Paid Tools)

  Brenda Barron

• Webinars

  How to Set Up & Run a Professional Online Webinar

  Brenda Barron

Start
Holding Live Web Meetings for Your Business

We’ve
just explored 14 of the best video conferencing software tools for small
businesses. You’ve also learned about some of the most popular web conferencing
software features. If you’re looking video conferencing software, there’s no
reason to hesitate—even
if you’re a small business. Go ahead and use this information to choose the
right meeting software for your needs.