If you cannot (or do not want to) use Zoom, the best Zoom alternative will meet all your video calling and conferencing needs. Many video chat users are looking for alternatives to Zoom because of security or privacy concerns, wanting features not available in Zoom, or simply wanting to try something different.

With social distance restrictions still in effect across the country, everyone still needs these services to continue working from home and stay in touch with family and friends.

Since spring, millions of people have been using Zoom, one of the best video chat apps and video calling software solutions during the pandemic. However, Zoom's privacy and security issues have caused some users to look for other apps.

In recent months, video calling services such as Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, and Skype have added new features in an attempt to catch up with Zoom. So if you are looking for a video conferencing service to replace Zoom, here is a good place to start.

Google Meet is the most well-known and widely used Zoom alternative; Meet was previously only available to paying G-suite customers, but in this pandemic era, the company has added a free tier through the end of 2021. It allows users to make video calls with up to 250 participants, give presentations, and record and save meetings to Drive. It also allows users to easily send a link to the meeting to participants outside the company.

Google has also recently added Zoom-like features to Meet, such as grid views and custom backgrounds. In addition, Meet is now integrated with Gmail, allowing users to initiate video calls from the left column of their email browser window. Google plans more upgrades in the future.

Go to Google Meet

Microsoft Teams allows paid users to hold video conferences with up to 300 people; unlike Microsoft-owned Skype, Teams offers standard video Teams is included in two Office 365 plans, which also include Office apps and 1TB of OneDrive storage.

Teams also has a free version, but it offers fewer features than the paid version. However, Microsoft has launched a free 6-month trial of the paid version to meet the high demand caused by the pandemic.

Microsoft Teams is free for six months, and paid plans start at $5 per user per month.

The popular video chat software Skype is well-known and widely used, and its new Skype Meet Now feature is challenging Zoom. Meetings can include up to 50 users, and users do not need an account to sign in, just a link. For more information, see Skype vs. Zoom Showdown.

There is a text chat window, but otherwise, Skype does not have the meeting composition tools of other Zoom alternatives; Skype is free and available for the web, Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android.

Download Skype for free.

Facebook never cedes the digital realm, so it is enhancing its video chat options with Messenger Rooms. This new feature allows Facebook members to create public or private video chat rooms that can accommodate up to 50 people for an unlimited amount of time. In comparison, Zoom's free calls can accommodate up to 100 people for up to 40 minutes. In a very unusual move, Facebook allows people who do not have an account to join a messenger room via a link.

Participants can use Facebook's augmented reality filters, similar to Snapchat's filters. Other features can be used to brighten up dark rooms and improve appearance. Room calls are end-to-end and unencrypted, but Facebook says it does not eavesdrop on calls. Room creators can also remove participants at any time.

Go to Facebook Messenger

If you need a free Zoom alternative, check out Discord. This communication app is popular with gamers, but anyone looking for encrypted chat, messaging, and video calls can use it. Users can set up dedicated "servers" and organize them into rooms (similar to Slack) that host video and text-based chats.

Discord recently raised the limit for Go Live video calls from 10 users to 50. The app is available for Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS, and Android, as well as most web browsers.

Download Discord for free.

This open source video conferencing service allows users to host end-to-end encrypted video conferences and calls with up to 100 people. Participants do not need to sign up for a login and can access the meeting via link or dial-in from a web browser, desktop client, or mobile app; Zoho also provides a handy chart comparing their product to Zoom.

Zoho Meeting offers a variety of meeting tools, including screen sharing, call recording capabilities, and moderation (e.g., mute participants). It also integrates with Zoho's Office suite, so documents, spreadsheets, and presentations can be easily imported. Be aware, however, that there is a separate pricing plan for webinars, which may be too costly.

Pricing for Zoho Meeting starts at $8 per month.

One of the first video conferencing services, GoToMeeting, is a feature-packed Zoom alternative. The entry plan allows up to 150 participants, while the enterprise plan allows up to 3,000 participants.

GoToMeeting offers all the standard tools, including the ability to record meetings and share screens. It also allows users to have multiple meeting facilitators. It can also be accessed via web browser, Mac, PC, Linux, iOS, and Android.

GoToMeeting prices start at $12 per month.