6 Free Web Conferencing Tools

You have decided, your next meetings will be via the Web! The idea is, indeed, awesome: saving time, immediate proximity, simplified sharing of documents from your desktop. However, you have a technical apprehension: you are afraid of complicating your life with connections and lots of obscure settings … No panic, here are 6 easy and free web conferencing tools to try the adventure.

ezTalks Meetings, the Powerful One

ezTalks Meetings is one of the best web conferencing tools. With it, you can effortlessly bring up to 100 participants in the same conference without paying anything. The high-definition audio and video make the web conference as if it is a face-to-face one. It features many useful tools to let you share online whiteboard and screen sharing, have cross-platform chat, record the whole or any parts of conference easily. Meeting control and management are also very simple. With it, you can easily start a conference online. Moreover, it can be used on almost any device, say Android and iOS smartphone and tablets, Windows PC and Mac.

It is done for me if: If I’m looking for a cost-effective and powerful web conferencing tool which offers the best results and great work, you ought to select ezTalks Meetings.

Skype, the Most Popular One

Should we still present it? Already installed in many homes (those with remote family know it well), Skype is an international software that allows calls with video from computer to computer, all for free. To do this, each participant simply has to download the software online, launch it and create an account. You can then retrieve and add the required participants one by one, up to 25, to your call list and make a Skype video call… It is also necessary that your correspondents are also online. The latest version also allows live chat as well as file sharing.

It is done for me if: I have a personal computer and a community of contacts already registered on Skype. Calling a non-member remains possible, but is subject to a fee.

Meetings.io, Intuitive and Complete

To use Meetings.io, even punctually, you do not need anything. The homepage, in English, offers a “Get a meeting room” button and provides you with a unique url to share between up to 5 participants. Click, activate your webcam, and you are in a virtual meeting room. The application offers screen sharing, video projection such as YouTube, document sharing and a note-taking that can be saved and received by email. You can also choose to sign up to get your personal virtual room and create a beautifully enhanced profile.

It’s done for me if: I’m looking for a hyper intuitive and instant interface without creating an account.

Hangouts, the Most Collaborative

The messaging application made in Google + is no less a web conferencing tool. To use it, each participant (up to 10) must have a Google+ and Gmail account beforehand because all document sharing functions are inherent in this environment. From there, you can see yourself, speak to your coworkers and above all work together on documents posted for an active working meeting.

It is done for me if: I also want to use the video of the conference. The application makes it possible to broadcast your conference live or delayed to a large public via YouTube or your website.

Webex, the Darling of Pros

WeBex is a good choice on the web for web conferencing, and is an obvious choice for any professional. Its WebEx Meeting solution, designed for small meetings of 3 people, offers video and audio contact, but also all the comforts possible to share your work: whiteboard, document sharing, real-time annotation, meeting recording… In addition, WebEx relies on a powerful support service, online or by telephone, which guides you in your choices and answers all your questions to leave nothing to chance.

It is done for me if: I am in a logic of progression. Designed for professionals and companies, WeBex offers, beyond the free formula, several paid packages involving up to 100 participants.

appear.in, the purest

Little known, appear.in is a solution that could well eclipse its sisters as its simplicity is disconcerting. The homepage of the site proposes to give a personalized name to your meeting room… And that’s all, no software, no registration possible, you only have to issue the famous sesame to your contacts, 8 maximum, via mail or SMS and they are appearing on your screen, live.

appear.in also allows the sharing of written messages. On the other hand, the whole operating in peer-to-peer, and not stored on a server, it is not possible to archive your data.

It is done for me if: I want to contact my colleagues as we make a phone call, share orally and instantly, and without wasting time.