When team members need to come together, in-person meetings aren’t always the right answer. But neither is spending countless hours on the phone or sending email after email. And, as remote work continues to rise, you need a solution that plugs the growing gap.
The alternative to energy-sapping back-and-forth communication is getting together using a virtual meeting platform.
You can schedule meetings, start impromptu meetings, and benefit from a wealth of features that make your meetings (and your day) super productive.
In this guide, we round up a dozen of the best online meeting platforms worth evaluating and open your eyes to the unique features available with each one.
What Are Virtual Meeting Platforms?
Virtual meeting platforms are a digital method of coming together online. Using cloud technology, you remove the need to meet in person and change the burden to software. Meeting participants join via an app or their browser, and the meeting itself is hosted over the internet, hence the virtual part.
You can start hosting and joining meetings online as long as everyone is connected to the internet and has the same virtual meeting software.
The adoption of virtual meetings skyrocketed in the late 2010s and early 2020s. This is thanks to three main factors:
The pandemic accelerated the need for an “off-site” meeting solution.
Remote work is proving to be more productive for some business types.
New generations entering the workplace prefer digital-first solutions.
In fact, Gartner predicts that only 25% of business meetings will take place in person by 2024, driven by the demand for remote work and changing workplace demographics.
For example, digital natives, like millennials and Generation Z, have used virtual meeting technology on personal apps like Google Hangouts (now Meet), Instagram, and TikTok for years. The ability to meet people in any country online in just a few clicks is not a new concept for digital natives. They’ve grown up with access to online technology and expect it in their workplace environment.
Features To Look For in a Virtual Meeting Platform
When looking for your next virtual meeting software, you can expect high-quality audio and video conferencing to be the norm.
The ability to meet with your video on or choose to run an audio-only meeting is commonplace in most virtual meeting platforms. Some people, especially those new to virtual meetings, may not be comfortable with or have enough bandwidth to run a video meeting.
In the list below, discover the key features you can expect from a top-grade virtual meeting platform:
Video conferencing: at the core of any virtual meeting platform is video conferencing , the ability to bring multiple people together on a single video call.
Screen sharing: sharing presentations, documents, or anything pertinent to the meeting with other participants. All members can see your screen when this feature is turned on.
File sharing: send documents, PDFs, audio files, etc., during the meeting to all or some participants.
Audio conferencing: for quick meetings that don’t need face-to-face interaction, like the traditional conference calls you may be used to.
Virtual phone system: as businesses move away from landline calling, the modern alternative is a virtual phone system service, taking your phone system and hosting it in the cloud.
Mobile apps: some virtual meetings might take place on the move. Mobile apps provide the ability to join a meeting from mobile devices without being at your desk.
Meeting recording: available to all or just the host after a meeting ends. Usually stored in the cloud and available for download.
When virtual meeting platforms cater to all these needs, they’re often called collaboration tools or unified communications. You may discover these terms are used interchangeably while searching for virtual meeting software.
Inside the best virtual meeting platforms, you’ll find unique features. Some might be blue sky requirements for the future, but others might be deal breakers.
We’ve reviewed the top 12 virtual meeting platforms regarding features, pricing, unique perks, and who they’re best for below.
Top 12 Virtual Meeting Platforms
Nextiva
Google Meet
Zoom
Microsoft Teams
Cisco Webex
GoTo Meeting
Skype
Slack
Lifesize
Jitsi
Zoho Meeting
Tella
At a Glance: Top Five Virtual Meeting Platforms
Platform Key features What we like Monthly pricing Nextiva HD video with free telephone dial-in Instant conference option Cloud-based meeting recording Integration with phone system and call center Live streaming and webinars Great for small to medium businesses with light meeting needs. Easy install and neat interface. Starts at $17.95 per user per month, including phone system and meeting platform. Google Meet Google Meet is now included as part of the wider Google Workspace program , and all apps are now better integrated. Great for small to medium businesses with light meeting needs. Easy installation and neat interface. Starts at $6 per user per month with a one-year commitment. Free trial for 14 days. Zoom Whiteboard during meetings and standalone Artificial intelligence (AI) meeting companion Native email and calendar solutions Zoom has moved from meetings-only to providing calling, chat, events, and conference room solutions. Starts at $15.99 per user per month. Free tier includes up to 40-minute meetings and limited access. Microsoft Teams Live streaming and webinars Live caption translation Integration with Microsoft apps like SharePoint, Lists, and OneNote If your business is all-in on Microsoft apps, everything is tightly integrated. Starts at $4 per month with an annual commitment. Cisco Webex Live streaming and webinars Live polling and Q&A during meetings Integration with in-room Cisco equipment If you’ve been using Cisco phones or meeting equipment for years, Webex is the natural step for collaboration and virtual meetings. Starts at $14.50 per month. Free version allows meetings up to 40 minutes and 100 attendees.
1. Nextiva
Nextiva is the ideal virtual meeting software for small to medium-sized businesses.
If you’re looking for a quick setup and an easy-to-use interface, Nextiva provides just that alongside a powerful suite of features to make your meetings productive.
Outside of video conferences, you also get a cloud phone system , which allows you to make and receive calls over the internet. In some cases, your teams or certain individuals may prefer audio-only meetings.
You can turn off the video with the click of a button to cater to each specific scenario — be it low bandwidth or shy teammates.
Features
Nextiva has HD video and audio meetings on one of the industry’s most reliable networks. We help 4.3 million people stay connected every day.
We strive for 99.99% uptime and have 24/7 monitoring to ensure your virtual meetings are dependable whenever needed.
Inside your meetings, you get screen sharing and file sharing, which are secure and encrypted. You also get access to team chat, both inside and outside of your meetings.
Whether scheduling or joining a meeting, Nextiva allows you to gather your team, run webinars, or live stream from a single app.
If you need to host a meeting immediately, Nextiva’s instant conference feature allows you to create a virtual meeting with a single click, inviting everyone in your team chat .
You also get a business phone app , which allows you to use your business phone number for making calls and accessing all the features of your online meeting software.
Pricing
Choose from our Essentials plan (starting at $17.95 per month) to access audio and video meetings; phone system functionality, including voicemail and toll-free numbers; and unlimited internet fax.
As you move up to the Professional plan (starting at $21.95 per month) and the Enterprise plan (starting at $31.95 per month), add functionalities like auto attendant for intuitive call flows, with room to grow with other features like call recording, app integrations, and single sign-on.
Unique perks
Nextiva offers virtual call center software , ideal for small businesses to operate a sales or support team without paying big-business prices.
