Video conferencing software at a glance

Ready to find the best video conferencing platform for your small business? But where do you start? We have tried to chew and compile the work for you! We have have looked into 8 different video conferencing softwares for you in the table below. We looked into the free software versions and their limitations. We also added the first level of each upgraded version. Video conferencing software at a glance
	participants	limitations	Operating Sys.	free features	paid features
gotomeeting.com	150 max	£114	Mac, PC or mobile device	-	HD Video Screen Sharing Web Audio Dial in Conference Line Unlimited Meetings No Meeting Time Limits Business Messaging Personal Meeting Room Mobile Apps
Zoom Meeting	100 max	40-minute limit for larger meetings  upgrade for £119.90 before taxes to upgrade unlimited meeting time)	Available for Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android	desktop and application sharing, whiteboarding and annotations	recording meetings in MP4 or M4A format.
Cisco Webex Meetings	100 max	See up to 25 participants in a meeting	Windows, Mac, and Linux. Join meetings from Internet Explorer, Safari, Firefox, Chrome, and Edge browsers.	Up to 100 participants in each meeting Meet as long as you want Unlimited number of meetings Call-in for audio 1 GB of cloud storage Video conferencing features Webex Teams collaboration features Mobile features Security features Online support	contact Cisco
Skype	20 max	Skype does not work well for multi-party calling. Skype is not easy to connect to a meeting room AV system. Quality of Audio and Video not great compared to Cisco Webex for eg.	Windows, Mac, Ipad, Phone and Linux	Live chat subtitle, screen sharing option,  ability to record chats	Up to 250 people, Fully integrated into Office 365, Outlook, and SharePoint
Google Hangouts	10 max	Chat and Meet are different but special ATM	Google Mail Account	Google responded by making it easier for people around the world to world and learn remotely, offering extended Hangouts Meet capability to G Suite and G Suite for Education users for free. Until July 1 2020, Enterprise-level features such as meetings of up to 250 people, recording to Google Drive and more are available for free
freeconference.com	Up to 15 Web Participants	Free plan max >100 Minutes/Month upgrade for £250 per year approx for Up to 50 Web Participants . Audio recording only (not video on free plan)	APP iPhone or Android	Free Video Conferencing. Free Screen Sharing. Access to Toll-Free & International Dial-In Numbers (100 Minutes/Month*) Audio Recording Smart Summaries Higher Security Phone Support. International dial-in available, not requiring any software to be installed, You can participant in text or video chats, and use features such as screen and file sharing , option of recording calls	Up to 1,000 Call Participants Audio & Video Recording Smart Summaries Higher Security Phone Support Up to 50 Web Participants
Streamyard.com	6 max , 2 live destinations, 20 hours per month max	upgrade for £199 per year approx	Chrome (best), Firefox and Opera	6 on-screen participants Screen sharing Banners On-screen comments Brand colors Green screen Stream anywhere StreamYard branding in your streams Streaming limits	No StreamYard branding in your streams Unlimited streaming Logo Overlays Backgrounds Custom RTMP destinations Recording - 4 hours Multistream - 2 destinations
Be.live	2 max  on the screen & 3 shows per month max & only one live destination only	upgrade for £249 per year approx	Computer/laptop Web camera Facebook account Chrome/Safari browser Stable internet connection.	3 shows per month 5 assets for overlay and theme Two selected branding colors Up to 2 people on the screen cannot download	Unlimited shows Add your brand logo Customize your design Up to 4 people on the screen

Lastly, we would like to share or remind you of few basic videoconferencing tips below:

• Each participant should have a video camera, microphone, and speakers mounted on his or her computer.
• Ensure your technology works correctly. You might what to test all of it out beforehand!
• Frame the camera correctly: sit at eye level to the lens, and try to position yourself so that it shows midsection up.
• Mute yourself when not speaking and ask your participants the same.

You can also check out this extensive comparative table from owllabs.com  >>> https://www.owllabs.com/blog/video-conferencing-platforms

We hope this has helped you clarify few questions you might have had in regards to video conferencingm and that it has helped you come a step closer to making a decision in choosing your video conferencing software. 

It is  of course always advisable to try out the software to get a full experience of it! Don't be scared to ask the software company for a free trial of their upgraded version even if this is not something they advertise!

To your success!

Ariane Eva Morin Transformative Leader & Startup/SmallBusiness Expert at  CCJM Consulting Ltd E info@ccjmconsulting.com  W www.ccjmconsulting.com