In these past few weeks, the Covid-19 virus has altered daily life and public spaces not just in Wuhan, China, where it all started, but around the globe. From deserted streets in Italy to empty trains in London to abandoned shops in South Africa, it’s now widely agreed that worst-hit countries need to impose lockdowns to slow down the spread of this deadly virus. As social distancing becomes the new normal in most parts of the world, companies are forced to conduct their business from home.
If there’s one type of technology that most of us have come to appreciate as we work from home, its video conferencing. We may have used it occasionally before, but now we have to use it regularly as it’s the only way we can have business meetings. This new reality led me to search for the best video conferencing software and online meeting platform that would suit our needs. The two services that kept coming up during my search are Zoom vs. GoToMeeting.
Considering that both services have similarities and offer some of the same features, searchers are torn on which platform to use. So, I decided to provide them with insights, pros, and cons to each platform and a comparison.
About Zoom
Zoom is a comprehensive video conferencing service that’s designed to deliver exceptional video, audio, and screen-sharing experience across a wide range of devices. The platform combines video conferencing, group messaging, and simple online meetings into a user-friendly platform that enables users to host video conferences, webinars, video demonstrations, and virtual meetings, etc.
Pros
- It’s easy to use and works right off the bat
- Connects easily across multiple devices, including mobile devices, desktops, and room systems
- It allows for stable and reliable video conferencing and supports long video calls
- It provides crisp audio quality and high-quality HD videos even in low-bandwidth situations
- It offers a suite of remarkable security features which boost security and confidentiality
- It’s scalable, thus can easily handle your business’ growing needs
- It’s HIPAA compliant
- It supports many languages
- It integrates with a wide range of third-party apps
- It offers a clear-cut pricing structure that’s ideal for all levels and types of businesses.
Cons
- It’s heavy in the use of CPU resources, which tends to decelerate the computer and affect its overall performance
- The free version has limited minutes (40 minutes) of conferencing
About GoToMeeting
GoToMeeting is a cloud-hosted web conferencing solution that enables users to hold online meetings and conferences via the internet in real-time. It’s one of the best online meeting software as it’s packed with many valuable features that all types of businesses operating in multiple locations can benefit from.
Pros
- It has a user-friendly interface that makes it easy to use
- It can be accessed using a wide range of devices, including desktop, Mac, iOS, and Android
- It has PIN-based entry, which makes it more secure
- It offers multiple channels for support and learning materials, including training videos, live training, and PDF guides.
- It is available in four very affordable pricing plans
- It integrates with a wide range of apps
- It supports many languages
- It allows users to host large meetings of up to 250 people
Cons
- Does not work well in low-bandwidth situations
- It requires participants to have current IT equipment for it to work
Comparison
- Affordability: Zoom is the most affordable option as its pricing ranges between $14 and $19, while GoToMeeting pricing ranges between $19 and $49.
- User-friendliness: Both platforms are user-friendly
- The number of participants: Zoom allows you to host up to 200 participants with the Enterprise plan, while GoToMeeting will enable you to host up to 100 participants in its Plus plan.
- Integrations: Both platforms integrate with a wide range of apps
- Compatibility: Both platforms are available on multiple devices
- Ideal for: Zoom is ideal for SMEs and large enterprises, while GoToMeeting is ideal for SMEs, large enterprises, and freelancers.
- Support: Zoom’s support is available via email, phone, and live support, which GoToMeeting’s support is available via phone, live support, tickets, and training.
Conclusion
Video conferencing is an asset to a business, and choosing the best video conferencing software for your business is essential. Features and benefits of each platform are important, so you should choose either one of them depending on the type of features you want, the number of participants you want to be hosted, and your budget, among other factors.
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