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Short answer
Zoom Workplace is our top pick among the 6 video conferencing tools we ranked, scoring 93/100. Paid plans start at $14.16/user/mo.
Zoom Workplace (93/100): best overall for meetings, recording and AI notes.
Microsoft Teams (90/100): best value, and best for Microsoft 365 companies.
Google Meet (85/100): best for Google Workspace teams.
Webex (84/100): best for large enterprises with strict security needs.
Zoho Meeting (79/100): best budget pick for small teams.
Every tool here can run a video call. The differences are in the limits: how long a free meeting lasts (30 to 60 minutes), how many people can join (4 to 1,000), whether recordings go to the cloud, and whether AI notes cost extra. Many teams already pay for one of these inside Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace, so the real question is often whether a standalone tool is worth a second bill.
We scored six video conferencing tools on six weighted criteria. For each one we list the free-plan limits, the entry paid price, and the plan where cloud recording, larger meetings and webinars start.
Starting prices are the cheapest paid plan on each vendor's pricing page on Nov 1, 2026, billed annually where shown. Zoom's Pro product page showed $15.99 billed monthly on the same day; we use the pricing page's $16.99. Webex's US pricing page listed only its free plan and Enterprise (priced by quote). Zoho Meeting's price rises with the participant tier. Whereby's page does not say whether its prices are monthly or annual billing. G2 lists Google Meet under Google Workspace.
Zoom Workplace is Zoom's meetings platform, with chat, whiteboards and AI Companion built in. Pro ($14.16 per user billed annually) allows 30-hour meetings for 100 participants with 10 GB of cloud recording per license; Business ($18.33) raises meetings to 300 participants and unlimited whiteboards.
Who it's best for
Teams that meet with clients and partners outside the company and want recordings and AI summaries without extra add-ons.
Why it made the shortlist
Its paid plans include unlimited AI meeting summaries and cloud recording from the first tier, and every paid plan allows 30-hour meetings.
Strengths
AI Companion included at no extra cost on paid plans
10 GB of cloud recording per license from Pro
30-hour meetings on every paid plan
Watch-outs
Free meetings end at 40 minutes
Pro is capped at 100 participants; 300 needs Business
Webinars are listed on Enterprise, priced by quote
Skip it if: Your company already pays for Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace and meets mostly internally.
Microsoft Teams combines meetings, chat and file sharing. Teams Essentials ($4 per user paid yearly) allows 300 participants, 30-hour meetings and 10 GB of cloud storage per user; Microsoft 365 Business Basic ($7) adds business email and Office web apps, and Business Standard with Copilot ($23.50) adds webinars.
Who it's best for
Companies that run on Microsoft 365, or any team that wants large, long meetings for the lowest per-user price.
Why it made the shortlist
It's the cheapest paid plan here by a wide margin, and that $4 plan already allows 300 participants and 30-hour meetings.
Strengths
300 participants and 30-hour meetings from $4 per user
Business email and Office apps from $7 with Business Basic
Free plan allows 60-minute meetings for 100 people
Watch-outs
Paid plans are annual, auto-renewing subscriptions
Copilot is an add-on below Business Standard
Trial needs a credit card and converts to paid
Skip it if: Most of your meetings are with outside guests who don't use Microsoft tools and you want the simplest join flow.
Google Meet is the video meeting app in Google Workspace and runs in the browser with nothing to install. Business Starter ($7 per user on the annual plan) allows 100 participants and 24-hour meetings; Business Standard ($14) adds recording to Drive, noise cancellation, breakout rooms, polls and Q&A; Business Plus ($22) raises meetings to 500 participants and adds attendance tracking.
Who it's best for
Teams on Gmail and Google Calendar that want meetings included with their email and documents.
Why it made the shortlist
It's the easiest tool here to join from a calendar invite, and every Workspace plan includes email, Drive and Docs along with meetings.
Strengths
Browser-based, nothing to install
Email, Drive and Docs included in every plan
Free plan allows 60-minute meetings for 100 people
Watch-outs
No recording, breakout rooms or polls on Business Starter
Attendance tracking needs Business Plus ($22)
Starter caps meetings at 100 participants
Skip it if: You only need meetings and don't want to pay for a full office suite.
Webex is Cisco's meetings, calling and messaging platform. The free plan allows unlimited meetings of up to 40 minutes for 100 attendees with local recording; Enterprise, priced by quote, raises meetings to 1,000 attendees and adds unlimited cloud recording and the AI Assistant. Webex also sells Meet and Suite plans.
Who it's best for
Large organizations, often already on Cisco hardware or calling, that need big meetings and tight security controls.
Why it made the shortlist
Its Enterprise plan covers 1,000-attendee meetings with unlimited cloud recording and AI, and Webex positions its security around a Zero Trust architecture.
Strengths
Up to 1,000 attendees and unlimited cloud recording on Enterprise
AI Assistant on Enterprise
Free plan needs no credit card
Watch-outs
Free meetings end at 40 minutes, with local recording only
Its US pricing page showed no self-serve paid prices on the day we checked
Heavier admin setup than browser-first tools
Skip it if: You're a small team that wants to buy online at a published price.
Zoho Meeting is a meetings and webinar tool from the Zoho suite, priced per host by participant tier (10, 25, 50, 100, 150, 200 or 250). Standard and Professional allow 24-hour meetings and 5 GB of recording storage per host; Professional adds recording transcripts and meeting keynotes.
Who it's best for
Small businesses and freelancers that host small meetings and want the lowest possible bill, especially if they already use Zoho.
Why it made the shortlist
Its per-host pricing starts at $1 a month for small meetings, and the free plan gives 60 minutes rather than Zoom's 40.
Strengths
Paid plans from $1 per host per month
Free plan allows 60-minute meetings for 100 participants
14-day trial with no credit card
Watch-outs
Price rises with the participant tier you pick
Free plan has no recording, co-hosts or breakout rooms
Transcripts need Professional
Skip it if: You regularly host meetings of more than 250 people.
Whereby runs meetings in permanent browser rooms that guests join from a link, with no download or account. Pro ($10.99 per host) gives 1 host 3 rooms, meetings of up to 100 participants with no time limit and unlimited recording; Business ($13.99 per host, minimum 3 hosts) raises meetings to 200 participants with unlimited rooms.
Who it's best for
Consultants, coaches, agencies and small teams that meet clients and want guests to join with one click.
Why it made the shortlist
It's the simplest tool here for guests to join, and it's rated 4.6/5 on G2.
Strengths
Guests join from a link with no download or account
No meeting time limit on paid plans
Unlimited recording from Pro
Watch-outs
Free plan is limited to 4 participants and 30 minutes
Business needs at least 3 hosts
Fewer admin and enterprise controls than Zoom, Teams or Webex
Skip it if: You run large internal meetings or need webinars and deep admin controls.
Video conferencing software lets people meet over video and audio from a browser, desktop app or phone, with screen sharing, chat and recording. Business plans add longer and larger meetings, cloud recordings, AI summaries and the admin and security controls IT teams need.
Key features to look for
Video meetings and screen sharing. HD video calls with screen, window or tab sharing.
Meeting limits. Caps on meeting length and participants, which set which plan you need.
Recording and transcripts. Local or cloud recordings, often with searchable transcripts.
AI notes and summaries. Automatic meeting summaries, action items and in-meeting questions.
Calendar and app integrations. Join links added from Google Calendar or Outlook, plus admin controls such as SSO.
How much video conferencing software costs
Among the 6 video conferencing tools we ranked, published entry prices start at $1/host/mo (Zoho Meeting) and go up to $14.16/user/mo (Zoom Workplace). Units differ by vendor (per user, per agent, per contact tier or flat), so compare at your own team size. Free plans: Zoom Workplace, Microsoft Teams, Google Meet, Webex, Zoho Meeting, Whereby. No published price: Webex.
Entry prices from each vendor's pricing page, as shown in the comparison table above. Higher tiers usually add automation, reporting and admin controls.
Other video conferencing tools to consider
These tools didn't make our ranked shortlist but are worth a look for specific needs. We haven't scored them.
GoTo Meeting: Online meetings for up to 250 attendees, with a 14-day free trial.
RingCentral Video: Video meetings included free with RingCentral's RingEX phone plans.
How we scored video conferencing software
Each tool gets a 0 to 5 rating on every criterion. We weight the ratings below, convert the total to a score out of 100, and only rank tools that score 70 or higher. Open any tool's Score breakdown to see its ratings. Full process on our methodology page.
Meeting features25%
Scale & limits15%
Recording & AI15%
Admin, security & integrations15%
Ease of use15%
Price & value15%
How to choose video conferencing software
Check what you already pay for. Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace plans include Teams or Meet. A standalone tool only makes sense if it does something those don't.
Compare free-plan time limits. Free meetings end after 30 minutes on Whereby, 40 on Zoom and Webex, and 60 on Teams, Google Meet and Zoho Meeting.
Find the plan where recording starts. Google Workspace records meetings from Business Standard ($14), not Starter; Zoom includes 10 GB of cloud recording from Pro; Zoho Meeting from Standard.
Size your biggest meeting. Zoom Pro and Google Business Starter cap meetings at 100 participants, Teams Essentials at 300. Price the plan that covers your largest regular meeting.
Test with outside guests. Run a real client call on the trial and watch how long guests take to join from a phone and a locked-down work laptop.
Video conferencing FAQ
What is the best video conferencing software?
Zoom Workplace scores highest in our ranking (93/100) for its recording and included AI summaries. Microsoft Teams is the best value at $4 per user per month for 300-person, 30-hour meetings.
What is the best free video conferencing software?
Microsoft Teams, Google Meet and Zoho Meeting all allow free 60-minute meetings for up to 100 participants. Zoom's and Webex's free meetings end at 40 minutes, and Whereby's free plan allows 4 participants for 30 minutes.
How much does Zoom cost?
Zoom Workplace Pro is $14.16 per user per month billed annually ($16.99 monthly) for 100-participant meetings. Business is $18.33 billed annually ($21.99 monthly) for 300 participants. The Basic plan is free with a 40-minute limit.
Which video conferencing tool includes recording?
Zoom Pro includes 10 GB of cloud recording per license, Teams Essentials includes recordings, Zoho Meeting Standard includes 5 GB per host, and Whereby Pro includes unlimited recording. Google Meet records from Workspace Business Standard ($14).