- Of course, there are other services also available, so be sure to read Best video-conferencing apps on Mac to see if they would be better suited to your particular needs. Tags: Mac Software.
- RealPresence Desktop is a powerful, enterprise-grade video app for PC & Mac. The video conferencing software extends communications beyond the typical conference room setting to mobile professionals. RealPresence Desktop combines quality HD video, content, industry-leading interoperability, and security that is both cost effective and highly.
When everyone has to stay at home and work remotely for an indefinite period of time, it could feel pretty isolating: no chit-chat, no in-person brainstorming or spontaneous ideas, no Friday night get-togethers, etc.
Top Video Conferencing Software For Mac In 2020. When everyone has to stay at home and work remotely for an indefinite period of time, it could feel pretty isolating: no chit-chat, no in-person brainstorming or spontaneous ideas, no Friday night get-togethers, etc.
Luckily, high-speed internet is nearly ubiquitous today, and the rise of video conferencing software means we're always just a click away from any meaningful conversation.
The problem for most teams and companies right now, however, is to find the best free conference call services (or paid) for their particular needs as well as supplying everyone with the right video conferencing equipment. How do you go about it? Let's explore.
What Are The Best Video Conference Tools?
There are so many online meeting apps available today that it's easy to get lost in the variety. So you need a structured approach to compare the options available and choose the one that suits your needs the best.
And once you find the right call tools for you, you can keep using them far beyond the current stay-at-home environment. After all, consider how much more effective it would be to simply hop on a call than travel to visit your clients in person. You could also think about extending the work-from-home policy indefinitely, giving your employees more freedom in managing their days. Anyway, here are some qualifying categories to help you choose the best conference call service.
Video and audio quality. Delivering a perfect picture and crisp sound to dozens of participants in real time is no easy feat, and some web call tools do better than others. It's important to try a few options under different conditions (e.g. home WiFi, mobile LTE network) to pick one with the best video quality available.
Screen sharing. One of the most useful features that you'd be likely to use every day at work is sharing your screen with others — for example, running a presentation or walking someone through a certain issue.
Screen recording. Not everyone can attend every meeting, and it's generally considered to be a waste of time to repeat yourself. So the ability to record your presentation once could yield benefits for a long time. Plus, it's a great way to make communication in your company more transparent overall.
Number of participants. Depending on how you want to make video calls, the amount of people you're able to invite is an important constraint. Do you want to keep it small and go with free video conferencing or do you occasionally hold company-wide meetings with dozens or hundreds of participants? The answer will largely determine the free conference call app you need.
Price. Since video conferencing software is so difficult to create, it's no wonder that most of it is not free. If your team is small, you might be able to squeeze into some free online calling plan, but otherwise most apps charge a set price per certain number of seats per month.
Interface. The usability of some free web conferencing tools leaves much to be desired. Thus, it's important to pick a tool that doesn't require a lot of training and is naturally easy to use.
Platform availability. As the work today is done from anywhere, an ideal video conference app would be accessible natively from desktop, but also from mobile devices and the web.
Now let's look at some of the best conference call services on the market right now through the prism of these requirements.
Incumbent: GoToMeeting
As one of the original players in the video conferencing space, GoToMeeting (founded in 2004) is still considered to be a frontrunner by many. This video conferencing software features a straightforward UI that anyone can pick up right away and lets you share your screen and even record meetings (on a Business plan). While not a call free online tool, GoToMeeting costs a reasonable $12 a month on a Professional plan and $16 on a Business one. Full-featured mobile apps are also a great plus.
Challenger: Zoom
Since the start of the pandemic, Zoom probably has been discussed more often than any other app for its suitability to the work-from-home environment.
On the positive side, Zoom has been praised for its call quality, both video and audio, user-friendly interface, the ability to run meetings for free with up to 100 participants (for up to 40 minutes), the screen-sharing as well as screen-recording (for paid users only) functionality.
As for the negatives, Zoom has recently been criticized for its attitude towards privacy and user security. In addition, the paid plans are per host per month and could get pretty expensive if you want to have multiple hosts or run a meeting with more than 100 people.
Office 365 users: Microsoft Teams
Those who use Microsoft Office 365 on a daily basis don't have to look far for a viable option for free calling online. They can already use the Microsoft Teams collaboration software that comes together with the Office suite.
Microsoft Teams is natively integrated with other Microsoft apps, which makes it easy to send invites to your colleagues via Outlook, for example. This secure video conferencing software supports up to 10,000 participants and has some interesting features, such as blurring the background and putting the speaker in focus — perfect for those work-at-home moments when all kinds of stuff can be distracting in the background.
Small teams: Skype
So far the apps reviewed above have mostly targeted medium and large-sized companies. But what if your team is just a few people working remotely and you don't need any extra bells and whistles?
Skype is a free video conferencing software you might've only used in your personal life before, but it actually works great for small teams too. The app is stable and truly multi-platform. The quality is good, and screen sharing is available.
The only limits are video calls that can handle up to 10 people and the price you have to pay for Skype phone if you want people dialling in from a landline (plans are quite affordable). As a bonus, since acquiring Skype, Microsoft has done a good job at integrating it into its own software ecosystem.
Free: FreeConference
When it comes to any type of software, free is the most powerful feature. Similarly, once you know you need a free conference call app, you should definitely give FreeConference a try.
FreeConference allows you to call free online (international dial-in plans are available) and hold online meetings over video with up to five participants. The app works seamlessly just over the browser and doesn't require any installations. And it's free!
How to get your Mac ready for video calls
When you feel like you've found the best free conference call service, your next step should be ensuring that your Mac is up to the task as well. After all, it could've been a while since the last time you gave your Mac a marathon video conferencing workout.
First, check that your Mac camera is working properly. If it's not, refer to this handy step-by-step guide to fix it. Second, inspect your WiFi connection. Streaming video requires a lot of bandwidth, so it's good to make sure that your desk is right at the optimal WiFi spot in your home. How would you know that?
WiFi Explorer is a robust wireless connection analyzer that can not only show you the strength of your reception in any corner of your home but also help you troubleshoot and suggest optimal changes to get the best results possible. Use this app to rearrange your modem or even move your workplace in a way that gets you maximum internet speed.
How to join all meetings in a click
Whether you use Zoom, Google Meet, or both, you can have one consolidated spot on Mac where all your upcoming meetings appear. It's called Meeter. The app pulls meetings information from anywhere on your Mac and puts it into one handy schedule.
When the meeting is about to begin, Meeter sends you a notification with a link. Click on it and get right in. No more pasting meeting links anywhere — you don't even need to open Calendar to find a path to your next video call.
What's more, Meeter has an awesome Speed Dial feature for 1:1 calls. It allows you to quickly jump on a call with your colleague from the menu bar. All you have to do is add the colleague's contact information and dial them in one click from Meeter. You can schedule recurring Speed Dial calls if needed.
Learn to be an excellent presenter
The show-don't-tell rule is still the best — even in the times when virtual conversations prevail over face-to-face ones. This is why you hear 'let me share my screen' so often during video calls. Here are two tips on how to share your screen more effectively.
Use PliimPRO to hide distractions
This is an app that instantly brings your Mac into a presentation mode — hiding whatever might distract your audience's attention. With the presentation mode enabled, there's no desktop clutter, no notifications, no active apps — basically, no sign of your recent activities visible on Mac. You can also use PliimPRO to mute your mic or change wallpapers in a click from the menu bar.
Go holographic with Vidrio
If a clean desktop sounds too boring — either for you or for your audience — you can make screen sharing holographic. Just like the Tony Stark movie. Vidrio is the first app that allows you to put your webcam behind the screen, producing a holographic effect. This is a great way to immerse yourself into the presentation — use gestures to guide your audience or literally point at specific items on the screen.
The real secret for productive meetings
After you choose the best conference call service and configure your camera and WiFi, you'll soon find yourself drowning in meetings, which will be coming at you from all sides. How do you make sense and keep track of all the notes and to-dos?
iMeetingX is an all-in-one, get-things-done solution for managing meetings of any kind. This straightforward but powerful app blends together the ability to plan ahead, assign tasks, track progress, manage people, and more. iMeetingX is the first step to truly effective team collaboration you need to make.
How to share video recordings
Recording meetings and saving them to your shared cloud drive is a great way to promote transparency and make sure everyone in the company is on the same page. Lots of video call tools would let you record the meeting at the click of a button, but doing even the most simple edits to those videos is a complete mystery to most.
Capto is a simple screen recording and (most importantly for us) video editing app that you can use to improve your meeting videos. Easily cut out waiting time, long pauses, add annotations, create transitions, and more. Plus, sharing or uploading your video to your storage (even using FTP/SFTP) after you're done is possible with just a single click.
As you can see, there are plenty of options to choose from when it comes to online meeting software, from traditional players like GoToMeeting to lightweight and free online calling tools like FreeConference. Just don't forget to make sure your internet connection is as fast as it can be with WiFi Explorer, use Meeter to consolidate meeting links in one spot, get PliimPRO and Vidrio to enhance your presentations, take notes with iMeetingX, and lightly edit your videos later with Capto.
Best of all, WiFi Explorer, Meeter, PliimPRO, Vidrio, iMeetingX, and Capto are available to you absolutely free for seven days via Setapp, a platform with more than 190 top-grade apps for your team. Explore the curated selection today and see what your process has been missing all along!
Meantime, prepare for all the awesome things you can do with Setapp.
Read onSign Up
You might be using a video chat app like Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, or Snapchat to communicate with your friends or families on a day-to-day basis.
But when it comes to communicating at work, your requirements are probably going to be very different than that of a family WhatsApp group video chat.
For example, you need a video conferencing tool that allows you to accommodate (at least) two or three people in a meeting at once. You probably also need video conferencing software that allows you to record your meetings, share your screen with others, or automatically back up your recording once the session is over.
And although WhatsApp and Messenger are great consumer video calling apps, you can't expect them to offer the above-mentioned advanced features.
Since we've built a video conferencing platform ourselves, we know a thing or two about what makes a video software click for businesses.
For starters, we know that not all video conferencing software are created equal—especially when it comes to video tools for Mac computers.
If your company uses Macs for work, your choices have to be even more specific to match the productivity and performance levels of Mac computers.
In this post, we're going to show you:
What specifically to look for in a video conferencing software for a Mac
Mac computers are very different from PCs and mobile devices in terms of performance and security. If your company exclusively uses Macs for work, it's likely because you value speed, design, and productivity as must-have features.
The same rule applies when you're looking to invest in a video conferencing software for your Mac. You want a video chat tool that works on par with Mac's performance level.
Mac is primarily known for three things: solid hardware design, faster data processing, and better security against viruses and malware.
Hardware isn't an issue when narrowing down your choice of video conferencing software. But you should certainly prioritize speed and security when choosing a Mac video conferencing app.
Apart from that, here are a few more things that you should keep in mind if you're thinking, 'How do I video conference on my iMac?'
1. A Mac-compatible app
Almost all the major video conferencing software options out there have an app on Apple's App Store. But it's not always the case, especially when you come across a new video chat solution that's free or less costly.
For example, Zoho Meeting has an app for iPhone and iPad, but it doesn't offer an app for Mac computers.
(So, always check the App Store!)
In these cases, one of your options is to find a video conferencing app that doesn't require an app download. But even if you can just have a virtual meeting in your internet browser, that doesn't mean it's the best way to go—you're missing out on a lot of functionality when you don't have a good app.
A better option is to choose with an app that has a dedicated app on Mac, such as the RingCentral app with video conferencing. Apple has a very high bar for featuring apps in its App Store, which means most video conferencing apps in Mac are—by design—user-friendly, reliable, and secure.
2. Does it do more with less?
As a small business owner, you want to choose a video conferencing tool that offers useful capabilities—without compromising on performance.
So, try to find a video conferencing tool that does other things well too—there are apps, for example, that let you make video calls and phone calls and send your team messages, in one place:
The more things your video conferencing platform can do, the fewer apps you'll need to download onto your Mac. Which, ultimately, frees up more space, keeps it running faster, and so on…
3. Does it have HD capability?
This is a no-brainer, especially if you're working at a remote-friendly company that uses videos to collaborate regularly within your team or clients.
Live internet tv for mac. The last thing you would want in the middle of an engaging video chat session is for your participants to see pixelated pop art versions of each other and choppy audio bites echoing in the background.
So, make sure your video conferencing tool offers high-definition (HD) videos and audio capability. Depending on how many people you regularly meet with, you might want to set your expectations to hosting at least 20 (or 50, or even 100) participants at a time without compromising on your audio and video quality.
Zoom School Video Conferencing For Mac
If you're a growing company, it's much better to identify a video chat tool that offers these features right out of the gate. This will prepare you and give you room to grow as you scale, as opposed to leaving you to scramble for a better tool later on.
5 best video conferencing software for Mac
The tools that we've shortlisted below do more than just one thing. (If you want just a standalone basic video conferencing software, then Apple's own FaceTime pretty much covers it all.)
But as a startup owner, you know better. You want tools that let you record your videos, annotate files together while on meetings, store backups, and do a lot more than just have a video call.
We're also going to leave out tools that operate on dubious grounds of data breach and user privacy. Better to just steer clear of those.
Let's get down to the list.
1. RingCentral Video
RingCentral's app is a truly cross-functional platform that packs the power of video conferencing, team collaboration, and a business phone—all into one.
Whether you're using a Mac or an iPhone (or both), you can use RingCentral Video to host video meetings in a few different ways.
You can start a meeting in the desktop or mobile app designed for iOS:
And if your attendees aren't on Macs or don't have the Android app, they can still join your meeting from a web browser without downloading anything:
Anyone can join a RingCentral Video with just one click on the link in the invite.
Best Video Conferencing For Mac
The base plan still lets you have a maximum of 100 participants (designed for if your customers or clients have many stakeholders involved in projects, or if you're planning to grow your team).
Record your meetings and save them in the cloud or on your computer—and oh, there's the chat box that lets you add another conversational aspect to a video meeting…
Plus the real-time annotations that you and your teammates can add while collaborating:
From call scheduling to video recording to screen sharing to messaging, RingCentral Video gives you literally everything you need—and more—to make the most out of your video meetings.
Using RingCentral for your video conferencing needs makes a lot of sense if your startup teams are already using Slack, G Suite, or Microsoft 365 to collaborate and communicate effectively.
Best for: Close-knit teams who want to be able to collaborate tightly with each other in different ways including over the phone, video calls, and chat. RingCentral is also a great fit for your team if you use videos to host webinars or offer customer support. (There's a contact center solution too!)
Price: RingCentral Video comes with the RingCentral Office plan, which starts at $24.99/user/month which gives you an unlimited number of users, unlimited audio conferencing, video meetings with up to 100 people, 24/7 support, and more.
🕹️ Get a hands-on look at how RingCentral works by booking a demo:
2. Zoho Cliq
When it comes down to video conferencing, Zoho offers two options—Zoho Meeting and Zoho Cliq. In this post, we will take a closer look at Zoho Cliq as a video conferencing option.
The good thing about getting a Zoho product for your business is that you can tap into the vast range of other Zoho apps, which means Zoho Cliq integrates with major platforms like Zoho Projects, Zoho CRM, and Zoho Desk.
Zoho Cliq started as a team messaging platform and evolved into a voice and video communication platform later:
Chat continues to be one of its most powerful features which—unlike other messaging apps like Slack—allows you to branch posts from an existing thread and turn it into a 1:1 private message.
This lets you retain the context of the original conversation while saving you time to dig deep into confusing threads of long conversations.
But if chat is too asynchronous (happening in succession instead of real time) for you, use Zoho Cliq's video chat on Mac to collaborate better with your colleagues.
You can also attach and share important files and other documents to make your online collaboration more effective.
Best for: Companies that are looking for a better, more affordable alternative to Slack. If messaging is a core part of your collaboration along with video chat, Zoho Cliq's easy chat interface and contextual thread-branching might be good for you.
3. Google Meet
Google took one of its underdog products—Hangouts Meet—and rebranded it as Google Meet, right on time during the pandemic to cater to the surging demands of video conferencing apps.
And it looks like the rebranding has worked well for Google because several startups are adopting Google Meet as a better alternative to more expensive, less secure platforms like Zoom.
Google Meet also comes with the usual set of features like its Zoho counterpart—mobile compatibility, video meetings on the go, and plenty of integrations within and outside the G Suite ecosystem.
Skype Video Conferencing For Mac
The only downside—it doesn't have an app for Mac. Google Meet is only available for download on iPad and iPhones.
In our view, what makes Google Meet stand out from its competition is the option to enable live text captions on videos—currently only available in English.
So in case you experience video latency or audio issues while in a meeting, you can still make sense of the conversation via the captions that appear along with the speaker.
Sadly, Google Meet missed the mark by not offering an option to download or save the captions, which could have made it easy for users to transcribe their video meetings into text notes.
Best for: If you frequently use videos as a channel to face customers or run instructional video sessions. Joining a meeting through the browser or mobile apps make it easy for users to directly dial from their computer or phone.
4. GoToMeeting
On top of being one of the oldest video conferencing tools out there, GoToMeeting for Mac is also a pretty simple platform to use. It has a basic, intuitive user interface that doesn't confuse you with lots of unnecessary controls.
GoToMeeting automatically adjusts the bandwidth processing for you based on your network speed, which means all meeting participants can enjoy a seamless video experience without the risk of audiovisual breakdown.
GoToMeeting also offers a softphone feature, which is similar to RingCentral's VoIP (voice-over internet protocol) function. You can use the softphone to make audio-only phone calls over the internet:
GoToMeeting has plugins with Microsoft Outlook, MS Office 365, Google Calendar, and the Chrome browser. This allows you to host or join a video call in one click through these third-party platforms.
Other add-on features include live chat, remote access to users, and meeting rooms for smaller groups to join recurring meetings.
Best for: Businesses of all shapes and sizes that are interested in little extra perks like live chat, remote screen access, or a softphone capability.
5. Microsoft Team
This is an app that instantly brings your Mac into a presentation mode — hiding whatever might distract your audience's attention. With the presentation mode enabled, there's no desktop clutter, no notifications, no active apps — basically, no sign of your recent activities visible on Mac. You can also use PliimPRO to mute your mic or change wallpapers in a click from the menu bar.
Go holographic with Vidrio
If a clean desktop sounds too boring — either for you or for your audience — you can make screen sharing holographic. Just like the Tony Stark movie. Vidrio is the first app that allows you to put your webcam behind the screen, producing a holographic effect. This is a great way to immerse yourself into the presentation — use gestures to guide your audience or literally point at specific items on the screen.
The real secret for productive meetings
After you choose the best conference call service and configure your camera and WiFi, you'll soon find yourself drowning in meetings, which will be coming at you from all sides. How do you make sense and keep track of all the notes and to-dos?
iMeetingX is an all-in-one, get-things-done solution for managing meetings of any kind. This straightforward but powerful app blends together the ability to plan ahead, assign tasks, track progress, manage people, and more. iMeetingX is the first step to truly effective team collaboration you need to make.
How to share video recordings
Recording meetings and saving them to your shared cloud drive is a great way to promote transparency and make sure everyone in the company is on the same page. Lots of video call tools would let you record the meeting at the click of a button, but doing even the most simple edits to those videos is a complete mystery to most.
Capto is a simple screen recording and (most importantly for us) video editing app that you can use to improve your meeting videos. Easily cut out waiting time, long pauses, add annotations, create transitions, and more. Plus, sharing or uploading your video to your storage (even using FTP/SFTP) after you're done is possible with just a single click.
As you can see, there are plenty of options to choose from when it comes to online meeting software, from traditional players like GoToMeeting to lightweight and free online calling tools like FreeConference. Just don't forget to make sure your internet connection is as fast as it can be with WiFi Explorer, use Meeter to consolidate meeting links in one spot, get PliimPRO and Vidrio to enhance your presentations, take notes with iMeetingX, and lightly edit your videos later with Capto.
Best of all, WiFi Explorer, Meeter, PliimPRO, Vidrio, iMeetingX, and Capto are available to you absolutely free for seven days via Setapp, a platform with more than 190 top-grade apps for your team. Explore the curated selection today and see what your process has been missing all along!
Meantime, prepare for all the awesome things you can do with Setapp.
Read onSign Up
You might be using a video chat app like Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, or Snapchat to communicate with your friends or families on a day-to-day basis.
But when it comes to communicating at work, your requirements are probably going to be very different than that of a family WhatsApp group video chat.
For example, you need a video conferencing tool that allows you to accommodate (at least) two or three people in a meeting at once. You probably also need video conferencing software that allows you to record your meetings, share your screen with others, or automatically back up your recording once the session is over.
And although WhatsApp and Messenger are great consumer video calling apps, you can't expect them to offer the above-mentioned advanced features.
Since we've built a video conferencing platform ourselves, we know a thing or two about what makes a video software click for businesses.
For starters, we know that not all video conferencing software are created equal—especially when it comes to video tools for Mac computers.
If your company uses Macs for work, your choices have to be even more specific to match the productivity and performance levels of Mac computers.
In this post, we're going to show you:
What specifically to look for in a video conferencing software for a Mac
Mac computers are very different from PCs and mobile devices in terms of performance and security. If your company exclusively uses Macs for work, it's likely because you value speed, design, and productivity as must-have features.
The same rule applies when you're looking to invest in a video conferencing software for your Mac. You want a video chat tool that works on par with Mac's performance level.
Mac is primarily known for three things: solid hardware design, faster data processing, and better security against viruses and malware.
Hardware isn't an issue when narrowing down your choice of video conferencing software. But you should certainly prioritize speed and security when choosing a Mac video conferencing app.
Apart from that, here are a few more things that you should keep in mind if you're thinking, 'How do I video conference on my iMac?'
1. A Mac-compatible app
Almost all the major video conferencing software options out there have an app on Apple's App Store. But it's not always the case, especially when you come across a new video chat solution that's free or less costly.
For example, Zoho Meeting has an app for iPhone and iPad, but it doesn't offer an app for Mac computers.
(So, always check the App Store!)
In these cases, one of your options is to find a video conferencing app that doesn't require an app download. But even if you can just have a virtual meeting in your internet browser, that doesn't mean it's the best way to go—you're missing out on a lot of functionality when you don't have a good app.
A better option is to choose with an app that has a dedicated app on Mac, such as the RingCentral app with video conferencing. Apple has a very high bar for featuring apps in its App Store, which means most video conferencing apps in Mac are—by design—user-friendly, reliable, and secure.
2. Does it do more with less?
As a small business owner, you want to choose a video conferencing tool that offers useful capabilities—without compromising on performance.
So, try to find a video conferencing tool that does other things well too—there are apps, for example, that let you make video calls and phone calls and send your team messages, in one place:
The more things your video conferencing platform can do, the fewer apps you'll need to download onto your Mac. Which, ultimately, frees up more space, keeps it running faster, and so on…
3. Does it have HD capability?
This is a no-brainer, especially if you're working at a remote-friendly company that uses videos to collaborate regularly within your team or clients.
Live internet tv for mac. The last thing you would want in the middle of an engaging video chat session is for your participants to see pixelated pop art versions of each other and choppy audio bites echoing in the background.
So, make sure your video conferencing tool offers high-definition (HD) videos and audio capability. Depending on how many people you regularly meet with, you might want to set your expectations to hosting at least 20 (or 50, or even 100) participants at a time without compromising on your audio and video quality.
Zoom School Video Conferencing For Mac
If you're a growing company, it's much better to identify a video chat tool that offers these features right out of the gate. This will prepare you and give you room to grow as you scale, as opposed to leaving you to scramble for a better tool later on.
5 best video conferencing software for Mac
The tools that we've shortlisted below do more than just one thing. (If you want just a standalone basic video conferencing software, then Apple's own FaceTime pretty much covers it all.)
But as a startup owner, you know better. You want tools that let you record your videos, annotate files together while on meetings, store backups, and do a lot more than just have a video call.
We're also going to leave out tools that operate on dubious grounds of data breach and user privacy. Better to just steer clear of those.
Let's get down to the list.
1. RingCentral Video
RingCentral's app is a truly cross-functional platform that packs the power of video conferencing, team collaboration, and a business phone—all into one.
Whether you're using a Mac or an iPhone (or both), you can use RingCentral Video to host video meetings in a few different ways.
You can start a meeting in the desktop or mobile app designed for iOS:
And if your attendees aren't on Macs or don't have the Android app, they can still join your meeting from a web browser without downloading anything:
Anyone can join a RingCentral Video with just one click on the link in the invite.
Best Video Conferencing For Mac
The base plan still lets you have a maximum of 100 participants (designed for if your customers or clients have many stakeholders involved in projects, or if you're planning to grow your team).
Record your meetings and save them in the cloud or on your computer—and oh, there's the chat box that lets you add another conversational aspect to a video meeting…
Plus the real-time annotations that you and your teammates can add while collaborating:
From call scheduling to video recording to screen sharing to messaging, RingCentral Video gives you literally everything you need—and more—to make the most out of your video meetings.
Using RingCentral for your video conferencing needs makes a lot of sense if your startup teams are already using Slack, G Suite, or Microsoft 365 to collaborate and communicate effectively.
Best for: Close-knit teams who want to be able to collaborate tightly with each other in different ways including over the phone, video calls, and chat. RingCentral is also a great fit for your team if you use videos to host webinars or offer customer support. (There's a contact center solution too!)
Price: RingCentral Video comes with the RingCentral Office plan, which starts at $24.99/user/month which gives you an unlimited number of users, unlimited audio conferencing, video meetings with up to 100 people, 24/7 support, and more.
🕹️ Get a hands-on look at how RingCentral works by booking a demo:
2. Zoho Cliq
When it comes down to video conferencing, Zoho offers two options—Zoho Meeting and Zoho Cliq. In this post, we will take a closer look at Zoho Cliq as a video conferencing option.
The good thing about getting a Zoho product for your business is that you can tap into the vast range of other Zoho apps, which means Zoho Cliq integrates with major platforms like Zoho Projects, Zoho CRM, and Zoho Desk.
Zoho Cliq started as a team messaging platform and evolved into a voice and video communication platform later:
Chat continues to be one of its most powerful features which—unlike other messaging apps like Slack—allows you to branch posts from an existing thread and turn it into a 1:1 private message.
This lets you retain the context of the original conversation while saving you time to dig deep into confusing threads of long conversations.
But if chat is too asynchronous (happening in succession instead of real time) for you, use Zoho Cliq's video chat on Mac to collaborate better with your colleagues.
You can also attach and share important files and other documents to make your online collaboration more effective.
Best for: Companies that are looking for a better, more affordable alternative to Slack. If messaging is a core part of your collaboration along with video chat, Zoho Cliq's easy chat interface and contextual thread-branching might be good for you.
3. Google Meet
Google took one of its underdog products—Hangouts Meet—and rebranded it as Google Meet, right on time during the pandemic to cater to the surging demands of video conferencing apps.
And it looks like the rebranding has worked well for Google because several startups are adopting Google Meet as a better alternative to more expensive, less secure platforms like Zoom.
Google Meet also comes with the usual set of features like its Zoho counterpart—mobile compatibility, video meetings on the go, and plenty of integrations within and outside the G Suite ecosystem.
Skype Video Conferencing For Mac
The only downside—it doesn't have an app for Mac. Google Meet is only available for download on iPad and iPhones.
In our view, what makes Google Meet stand out from its competition is the option to enable live text captions on videos—currently only available in English.
So in case you experience video latency or audio issues while in a meeting, you can still make sense of the conversation via the captions that appear along with the speaker.
Sadly, Google Meet missed the mark by not offering an option to download or save the captions, which could have made it easy for users to transcribe their video meetings into text notes.
Best for: If you frequently use videos as a channel to face customers or run instructional video sessions. Joining a meeting through the browser or mobile apps make it easy for users to directly dial from their computer or phone.
4. GoToMeeting
On top of being one of the oldest video conferencing tools out there, GoToMeeting for Mac is also a pretty simple platform to use. It has a basic, intuitive user interface that doesn't confuse you with lots of unnecessary controls.
GoToMeeting automatically adjusts the bandwidth processing for you based on your network speed, which means all meeting participants can enjoy a seamless video experience without the risk of audiovisual breakdown.
GoToMeeting also offers a softphone feature, which is similar to RingCentral's VoIP (voice-over internet protocol) function. You can use the softphone to make audio-only phone calls over the internet:
GoToMeeting has plugins with Microsoft Outlook, MS Office 365, Google Calendar, and the Chrome browser. This allows you to host or join a video call in one click through these third-party platforms.
Other add-on features include live chat, remote access to users, and meeting rooms for smaller groups to join recurring meetings.
Best for: Businesses of all shapes and sizes that are interested in little extra perks like live chat, remote screen access, or a softphone capability.
5. Microsoft Team
When Microsoft Teams joined the fray of team messaging apps in 2016, many accused it of copying Slack in terms of the UI, features, and other offerings.
Oblivious to the criticism, Microsoft Teams kept positioning itself as a successor of Skype and grew at a steady pace. By the latest 2020 estimates, it grew its daily active users (DAU) to 75 million, and even surpassed Slack in DAUs.
All this to say that Microsoft Teams for Mac is a robust team messaging and video conferencing tool that draws its winning streak from the same fountain of knowledge that has enabled other Microsoft products to succeed:
In addition to the native integration with other Microsoft apps, it offers out-of-the-box integrations with major players like RingCentral, ServiceNow, and Wrike.
This broadens your scope of collaboration across teams if you are already using one of these software in your business.
Best for: Businesses that are already using Microsoft Office 365 as their preferred choice of software. If you were using Skype for your video conferencing needs, it makes sense to upgrade to Microsoft Teams because of the ease of pricing and feature-rich capabilities the latter offers.
Spur your productivity with the best video conferencing software for Mac
If there's one thing we want you to take away from this post, it's this—don't select a video conferencing app that you might find randomly in the Apple's App Store.
There are several non-descript video chat apps for Mac that promise several features. But more often than not, they turn out to be indie apps that are yet to mature into full-fledged video platforms.
Go with apps that have a proven track record or the one that aligns with your specific business needs. Make sure the app that you choose does more than just one thing to ensure you get your value for money.
Zoom Video Conferencing For Mac Download
And if you want to save the time and hassle looking for a good video solution—play it safe with the RingCentral app for Mac.
