6 Best Virtual Meeting Platforms for 2024

Why we chose Zoom

One of Zoom’s definitive advantages is its streamlined setup and meeting initiation processes. Unlike Google Meet, which requires users to be embedded within the Google ecosystem, or Microsoft Teams, which is heavily integrated with Office 365, Zoom operates independently. This independence allows Zoom to offer a frictionless entry into meetings without the need for navigating through or integrating multiple software systems. Users can start or join meetings with a simple link, and the platform does not require attendees to install software or have an account, reducing barriers to participation significantly.

Zoom’s interface is intuitively designed, ensuring features such as screen sharing, accessing recorded meetings, or setting up breakout rooms are straightforward and accessible within one or two clicks. This contrasts with Microsoft Teams, where navigating through multiple tabs and menus can be necessary, and Google Meet, which often integrates controls into the Google Workspace toolbar, making them less apparent to casual users.

Zoom regularly continues to optimize its performance across a variety of network conditions, which helps maintain smooth video and audio quality during meetings. This is crucial for businesses that cannot afford interruptions during client calls or team collaborations.

Why we chose Google Meet

When it comes to accessible, no-frills virtual meeting solutions, Google knocks it out of the park with their free Meet offering. This streamlined experience seamlessly intertwines with Gmail, Calendar, and the rest of Google’s ecosystem that so many of us live and breathe each day. Scheduling meetings, firing off invites, and joining calls becomes a one-stop shop—putting Meet a step ahead of Zoom’s free version which often requires separate plugins to connect with productivity tools.

Both Google Meet and Zoom allow up to 100 attendees to join a session, but for those fully submerged in Google’s platforms, Meet serves up a cleaner, more cohesive experience tailored to your existing workflow. 

Another standout aspect of Google Meet is its perfect balance of accessibility and security. You get all the ease of use and snappy Google integration, fortified by encryption and authentication that enterprises demand for confidential meetings. 

For professionals, families, freelancers, or anyone looking to leverage Google’s services, Meet is tough to beat. It masterfully combines quality video conferencing capabilities with the convenience of an all-in-one Google experience. It’s an ultra-accessible virtual meeting space without frustrating compromises. 

Why we chose Microsoft Teams

Microsoft has taken a full-court press approach with its Teams platform, aiming to create an all-encompassing virtual workspace that goes far beyond just enabling video calls. This powerful offering brings a whole suite of collaborative tools to bear, from shared workspaces and deep integration with Office 365 to sophisticated team channel management.

While Zoom has rightly earned praise for its user-friendly video conferencing paired with stellar audio/visual quality, its streamlined approach can fall short when collaboration demands extend into project management and real-time document co-authoring. In these areas, Zoom often requires supplementing with third-party productivity apps.

Cisco Webex touts strong security controls and hosting features but frequently requires tedious integration efforts and workarounds to sync smoothly with the everyday workplace software tools teams rely upon. Teams, on the other hand, provides a truly unified experience by granting direct access to the entire Microsoft productivity suite—from SharePoint and OneNote to Planner—all within a single interface. No more disruptive app-juggling required.

For organizations already deeply invested in the Microsoft ecosystem, Teams represents a holistic virtual headquarters environment. High-definition video meetings blend seamlessly into privacy-conscious file sharing, collaborative cross-team document co-authoring, delegating tasks on shared project boards, and persistent chat streams for ongoing ideation. All without ever disrupting workflows by exiting the Microsoft universe.

Why we chose Webex Meetings

Cisco Webex raises the bar with its comprehensive security arsenal tailored for enterprise and highly regulated environments. This platform distinguishes itself through stringent encryption protocols, certified compliance with stringent government standards, and integration with advanced third-party security solutions.

Webex provides end-to-end encryption across all meeting communications—video, audio, screen shares, you name it. This ensures content remains secure and inaccessible to outside parties. But Webex goes a step further by achieving FedRAMP authorization, a key compliance requirement for government agencies and contractors bound by strict security mandates. While Microsoft Teams offers enterprise-level security controls, it lacks this direct FedRAMP certification included with Webex.

Underpinning Webex is Cisco’s secure global infrastructure comprised of SOC2 and ISO-certified data centers outfitted with multi-layered physical and cybersecurity protections. This level of transparency into their hardened data centers provides assurance often lacking from other virtual meeting providers like Switchboard, which is less forthcoming about security compliance and infrastructure details.

For organizations operating in highly regulated sectors like finance, healthcare, or government—or any enterprise that regards ironclad security as paramount—Cisco Webex stands out as the virtual meeting solution architected from the ground up with compliance and data protection as priorities. Its multi-layered security approach provides the peace of mind that sensitive communications remain secure without compromise.

Why we chose Jitsi Meet

Jitsi Meet carves out a unique niche by leveraging the power of open-source freedom. This platform distinguishes itself from mainstream solutions like Google Meet and Cisco Webex through unparalleled customization capabilities and a cost-effective, scalable architecture.

One of Jitsi’s biggest draws is its open-source nature, which allows developers and organizations to modify the platform’s source code to create tailored virtual meeting experiences. This level of customization simply can’t be matched by Google and Cisco’s more closed, proprietary environments, which restrict significant changes and third-party integrations.

While Meet and Webex excel at reliable out-of-the-box video conferencing, their feature roadmaps are largely dictated by the parent companies’ priorities. Jitsi, on the other hand, allows teams to adapt the platform’s capabilities to their specific workflows and systems without being beholden to corporate development cycles.

Another key differentiator is Jitsi’s fluid scaling abilities and unlimited free pricing structure. From small internal meetings to massive public conferences, the platform can scale up seamlessly without incurring incremental usage costs—a stark contrast to Meet and Webex which gate larger attendee capacities and advanced controls behind paid subscriptions.

Perhaps most crucially for security-conscious teams, Jitsi provides the coveted ability to host meetings entirely on-premises or via private cloud deployments. This ensures complete data autonomy compared to Google and Cisco’s more opaque multi-tenant architectures, which inherently involve some dependency on third-party servers and networks.

Why we chose Switchboard

Switchboard is emerging as a standout solution by redefining meetings as immersive, collaborative workspaces.

While Zoom undoubtedly excels as a reliable video conferencing platform with widespread adoption, its strengths primarily lie in enabling clear audio/visual communication. Features like breakout rooms and whiteboards allow some level of interaction, but users often get relegated to passive observation roles, especially during presentations.

Switchboard flips this paradigm by integrating a multiplayer browser environment directly into the meeting space. Participants become active collaborators able to interact with documents, apps, and tools together in real time without constantly switching views or screen-sharing. This first-of-its-kind approach keeps everyone engaged and significantly boosts productivity during meetings.

Another key advantage is Switchboard’s persistent virtual workspace and “meeting memory” capabilities. Rather than having transient, disposable sessions like Zoom calls, Switchboard provides teams with an always-available environment to leave projects, notes, and works-in-progress exactly as they were. This eliminates the friction of needing to redundantly set up and circulate materials each time.

For remote teams that prioritize active collaboration over passive communication, Switchboard provides an unmatched experience. Instead of video conferences, where productivity gets disrupted by constant screen shuffling, Switchboard melds meetings and work into one seamless multiplayer flow.