Free Video Conferencing
There are many free video conferencing services available. Some are great resources, while others may not be worth your time. Many free video conferencing apps have limited features and functionality, so it's worth your while to test software and search for something your organization can use.
In this article, you can read more about how free video conferencing works and a few of the features it offers. You can also find out how it may benefit your business to sign up for a free video conferencing plan. From there, you can decide if a free plan or a paid plan might be a better fit for your needs. You can also decide if perhaps you really need a new business communications system.
What is Free Video Conferencing?
Free video conferencing is a video conferencing option that may work for some businesses. Typically, it is designed for a small number of participants and usually works best for small companies, owing to its limitations. That said, you may find enough of the features you need for occasional conferences. Some paid UCaaS subscriptions also offer free video conferencing, and these plans may have better features overall depending on the vendor and plan you choose for your organization.
To learn more about free video conferencing, you may want to check with your VoIP vendor and ask about the services they use—or see if your UCaaS plan includes video conferencing.
How Does Free Video Conferencing Work?
Video conferencing generally works in a similar fashion to other types of video conferencing, although free plans usually have fewer features and may have multiple limitations.
For instance, here are some of the more common limiting features:
- Small participant size: Generally, free video conferencing includes just a few participants. If you need larger groups of participants (for instance, more than 10 people) then it may be worthwhile to subscribe to a paid service.
- Usage limitations: Limited use is included, which could be a great option for businesses that only use video conferencing occasionally for meetings. If you need to use video conferencing more frequently, then these limitations may be be frustrating and limiting factors.
- Few operating systems, platforms, and browsers supported: You may have few operating system and browser options for using free video conferencing. For instance, only PC or Mac may be supported by some video conferencing platforms.
- Limited support: While some level of support may be available for free, it's likely to be fairly minimal.
Keep in mind that a free plan could be enough for your needs—it's worth trying, especially if you're prepared to experiment with a variety of plans. However, be prepared for the possibility that the free features of free software aren't quite enough for your business needs.
Can You Use Free Video Conferencing with UCaaS, CCaaS, and VoIP?
Free video conferencing is included as a feature with some UCaaS (Unified Communications as a Service) and CCaaS (Contact Center as a Service) systems, or with VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol). In this case, the software may have fewer limitations than free stand alone video conferencing, although this may depend on the vendor and service you choose. The features included really depend on the software you use.
Before you choose a service, think about how much you'll be using your video conferencing and communications software. As you talk with vendors, ask about which systems may be best for someone who uses software the way your business does. If possible, find out about their experience working with your industry. You may want to ask around and find out what your peers or competitors are using to help you make your decision.
Getting Started with Free Video Conferencing
Free video conferencing might be the right option for some businesses, since it reduces the cost of video conferences. However, since there are significant limitations to free videoconferencing solutions, it won't be a feasible solution for every business. Your organization will need to shop around and consider how you'll be using your software to get the most benefit. With help from your vendor, you can find a video conferencing plan that fits your needs.
Collaboration is key to the success of any business. Easily collaborate from anywhere on any device using the most integrated video and audio conferencing with HD quality and instant screen sharing. Call 1-833-694-4238 or fill out an online form to request a no-obligation quote from an 8x8 product specialist.
