The Best Video Conferencing Software for 2023

Zoom

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Zoom is our best choice overall, thanks to extensive support for all major platforms, ease of use, a long list of integrations, and a free tier that could meet the needs of many personal and business video calls.

Pros

• Free tier for calls with up to 100 participants

• Multiple price tiers for longer and larger meetings to fit your needs

• Wide adoption and easy to use

Cons

• Free accounts cut meetings off after 40 minutes

• Some issues around meeting security

• Download required to join a meeting

The term “Zoom” has become almost synonymous with a video call. It lands our best overall pick because its ease of use, generous free tier, and extensive integrations with calendars and other third-party tools have made it a staple for both business and personal use.

Part of the appeal of Zoom is that it’s fairly easy to use on any device, including almost every major computer and mobile device platform. Meeting participants can join with a hyperlink, phone number, or code. It takes just seconds to create a meeting, invite your guests, and click the link and join.

The biggest downsides are free tier limitations and questions around security. Paid plans start at $150 per year, but they can reach into the thousands with add-ons for additional features. The features that make Zoom easy to use also make it susceptible to some security issues. Notable are the “Zoom bombers” who drop into meetings uninvited to eavesdrop and cause trouble.

Getting the most out of Zoom also requires a download, a turnoff for some users who prefer the web-based platforms offered by competitors. However, the download is free and quick to set up on most devices. And because it’s so widely used, it integrates with a ton of different additional productivity apps.

At the end of the day, Zoom is a workhorse for a lot of people and comes with reasonable pricing for those who want more than the free offering. It has become popular with families, businesses, schools, and other groups for a good reason. While you may run into an occasional technical issue, as with any digital platform, Zoom earns high customer ratings and is a default choice for many modern video calls.