Especially in times of COVID 19, the interpersonal aspect is very important. Since the personal exchange of information is severely limited by the current situation, video conferencing platforms such as Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Skype, Jitsi, Google Meet and many others are a good alternative. Whether it's a meeting with a client to plan the next steps of a project or the weekly briefing with colleagues for internal coordination, video chats or meeting platforms are a great help.
In today's blog, we will introduce some of these platforms to give a small overview of their features. The basic functions of video conferencing are free for individuals almost everywhere. If, on the other hand, you want to use such a tool in your company, then there are license costs for the company administration.
Microsoft Teams
In the free version, Microsoft Teams offers meetings with 60 minutes and normal meetings with a duration of up to 24 hours a solid basis. Through the connection of other Microsoft services, 10 GB of cloud storage is included here in the free version. Microsoft Teams is especially interesting for those companies that, for example, have a plan from Microsoft Business or other Microsoft products from the subscription model.
Microsoft Teams
- Microsoft account required
- End-to-end encryption (optional)
- Screen sharing
- Video recording
- Group video chat up to 100 people
- Enterprise control with Microsoft Teams or other compatible plans
- Direct calls via VoiP possible
- Premium features with Microsoft Business Basic from €4.20 per user/month
Skype
Skype is probably one of the better known video chat programs. With Skype, not only video calls, but also calls to mobile networks are possible. In addition, Microsoft provides a web-based application via its website. With "free conference call", conferences and video calls with 99 participants and up to 24 hours are possible without registration. Calls to the mobile network, on the other hand, are not free.
Skype
- Use without account possible
- End-to-end encryption
- Screen sharing
- Video recording
- Group video chat up to 50 people
- No company control
- Direct calls via VoiP possible
- 400 minutes from 6,70€
Zoom
Compared to other platforms, Zoom offers very limited features for group meetings in the free version. With 40 minutes of runtime for group calls, but unlimited runtime for private calls, Zoom is extremely attractive for holding direct video chats that can last a little longer.
Zoom can be integrated into many tools. These include Slack, Outlook, Microsoft Office, Gmail, and a variety of Internet browsers. For administrators, Zoom can be managed individually through its extensive dashboard.
Zoom
- Skype or Microsoft account required
- End-to-end encryption
- Screen sharing
- Group video chat up to 100 people
- Group meetings up to 40 minutes
- No business control in the free version
- Direct calls via VoiP possible
- Integration with Microsoft or Google services
- Video recording in Premium model
- Premium functions from approx. 140€ per user/year
- Direct calls from approx. 90€ per user/year
Google Meet
Apart from Microsoft Teams, Google also offers a widely used video conferencing solution, Google Meet.
Meet can be used by users who have access to a Google account. Basic functions, such as screen sharing with other participants, any number of conferences and the use of clients for mobile devices are free of charge. Those who opt for the Google complete package have extensive options. For example, users of Business Standard can rely on 2 TB of cloud storage, Gmail with its own domain and other helpful tools, such as Google Meet with all its functions.
Google Meet
- Google account required
- End-to-end encryption
- Screen sharing
- Video recording with subscription model
- Group video chat up to 100 people
- Business control with Google Workspace (formerly G-Suite)
- Business Standard from approx. 9€ per user/month
- Basic from approx. 5€ per user/month
Jitsi Meet
For companies with their own servers, Jitsi Meet can be extremely attractive. This is because Jitsi can be hosted on a local server or on an external server. For companies with high requirements for data protection, personalization and full control, Jitsi is a good and independent alternative to other products, such as Microsoft Teams, Zoom or Google Meet.
Jitsi Meet
- Self Hosting
- No registration necessary
- End-to-end encryption
- Screen sharing
- Video recording (only with add-in module for Self Hosting)
- Group video chat up to 50 people
- Recommended for max. 8 participants (self hosted)
In conclusion, it is difficult to determine which platform is "the best". It very much depends on whether a company is already using services from Microsoft, Google or other providers.
For a company that works with Exchange Online or Business products and relies on Microsoft's cloud services, Microsoft Teams is the better choice. Similarly, if a company already uses services provided by Google, Google Meet is a good way to share information.
If you don't want to rely on video conferencing software providers at all, then Jitsi Meet in the self-hosted variant is an effective option.
You have questions about how to use the various video conferencing providers? No problem! Contact us now, and we will be more than happy to provide you with reliable IT support!
Sources: www.zoom.us, https://meet.jit.si/, www.skype.com, https://apps.google.com, www.microsoft.com