Fare The Well, Zoom!

Almost all of us have become familiar with the video calling platform, Zoom, during this lockdown period. Be it online classes or client meetings, be it family evening or virtual birthday celebrations, the use of Zoom has exponentially shot up during this pandemic much so that it recorded a staggering 200 million daily active users during the last month.

However, despite all the advantages and ease, it provided, its security policies have been criticized time and again. Be it data breeching or privacy intrusion, experts have constantly questioned the credibility of this platform ever since its skyrocketing growth.

And thus, for you to continue the gala time with friends, families, and beloveds or to host sequential official meetups without the fear of data leakage, we bring you 6 amazing alternatives to the Zoom platform.

1. Cisco Webex Meetings

Cisco Webex Meetings

One of the most trusted brands, Cisco, hasn’t been far behind in this lockdown period too, to win peoples’ hearts. To support the work from home culture, it has gone a step ahead in offering free access to its Webex Meetings, across all the countries. Not only this, unlike other platforms, it gives an array of premium features even though being free. From having unlimited usage and no time restrictions to 100 participants being allowed and a toll dial-in in addition to Voice-over-Internet-Protocol (VoIP) capabilities, this platform has all that is needed to have the perfect video conferencing experience.

2. Skype Meet Now

Skype Meet Now

Another familiar application – be it on desktops, phones or tablets is Skype. Skype has been extensively used by several organizations to conduct seminars, conferences, group meets, etc… However, its group calling feature is available only in the premium Skype version. And so, to help the people struggling with their work-life balance in this pandemic, Microsoft recently introduced the all-new Skype Meet Now that serves as an amazing alternative to Zoom. Supporting around 50 participants, it has all the basic features which are needed to run a video call smoothly and conveniently.  Be it recording calls, blurring background before entering, or be it screen sharing, this easy-to-use app has it all.

3. Microsoft Teams

Microsoft Teams

If you are looking for an application that allows much beyond video calling, the Microsoft Teams is the perfect choice for you. Available for free during the pandemic, this app includes unlimited chat, 10GB of team file storage with 2GB of personal file storage, and group/one-on-one audio and video calling. Not only this, but it is also packed with other features like calendar-oriented meeting scheduling, real-time collaboration with office apps, etc… which makes using it much convenient and easy.

4. Discord

Discord

Though new to league, Discord has emerged as a strong alternative to Zoom in quite a short span of time. Be it simple video conferencing or online gaming, this app has gained popularity amongst youngsters in the recent past. Besides, it also has other features like screen sharing, voice calling, interest-specific channel creation facility, etc… And, the best part is that all this and more is available at no cost. Haven’t tried this platform yet? If not, then now is the right time to do so.

5. Google Hangouts And Duo

Google Hangout

Duo

If you don’t like any of the alternatives, then fret not, for Google is always there for you all. From the era of Google Talk (GTalk) to the present-day Google Hangouts and Duo, Google has been progressing at an unbelievably faster rate. With the video calling feature supporting 10 and 11 participants respectively, Google makes both these apps absolutely easy-to-use across all devices. Besides, if you are open to paying, then be prepared to enjoy a plethora of other features, thus giving more power to you.

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