Free Alternative to Zoom

Google Meet is the go-to choice for anyone already in the Google ecosystem. The free version allows 60-minute group calls with up to 100 participants—20 minutes longer than Zoom's free tier. No software installation required; it runs entirely in your browser with excellent audio and video quality supporting up to 1080p HD resolution.

The deep Google Calendar integration makes scheduling effortless, and AI-powered live captions work remarkably well for accessibility, supporting multiple languages with impressive accuracy. The platform has undergone significant improvements in 2025-2026, adding features like noise cancellation for paid plans and improved low-light video enhancement. For one-on-one calls, the free tier offers unlimited duration up to 24 hours per meeting, making it ideal for extended coaching sessions or pair programming. The mobile apps for iOS and Android provide a consistent experience across devices, and the companion mode allows you to join from multiple devices simultaneously for enhanced participation.

Jitsi Meet is the privacy champion—fully open-source with end-to-end encryption and no time limits whatsoever. No account required to host or join; just go to meet.jit.si, create a room, and share the link. For organizations with strict data policies or compliance requirements like GDPR or HIPAA, self-hosting on your own servers gives you complete control over data sovereignty and storage.

It's the only truly unlimited free option that doesn't compromise on security. The platform supports up to 75 participants on the public instance, though quality may degrade with larger groups depending on server load. Self-hosted instances can be optimized for higher participant counts with proper infrastructure.

Jitsi's open-source nature means the code is transparent and auditable, with active community development adding features regularly. The platform supports live streaming to YouTube for webinars and large events, making it versatile beyond standard meetings. For technical teams comfortable with server administration, Jitsi offers unmatched flexibility and complete ownership of your video infrastructure.

Microsoft Teams' free plan is surprisingly robust—60-minute group meetings with up to 100 participants plus integrated chat, file sharing, and collaboration tools all in one platform. If you're already in the Microsoft ecosystem using Outlook, OneDrive, or Office 365, Teams integrates seamlessly providing a unified workspace. Live captions and transcription are included even on the free tier, supporting multiple languages with impressive accuracy for accessibility compliance.

The collaboration features make it more than just a Zoom replacement—it's a full productivity platform combining persistent chat channels, file repositories with version control, and video meetings in a single interface. Teams has evolved into Microsoft's primary communication hub after the shutdown of Skype in May 2025, inheriting Skype's user base and continuing to add features. The mobile apps are full-featured, allowing you to participate fully in meetings, access files, and collaborate from iOS or Android devices. For one-on-one calls, the free tier offers up to 30 hours per meeting, suitable for extended work sessions or mentoring.

Webex has been doing video conferencing longer than almost anyone, pioneering the space since the 1990s, and their free plan delivers enterprise-level quality with decades of optimization. The same 40-minute limit as Zoom free, but with noticeably better noise cancellation and audio clarity that makes participants sound more natural and professional. Webex holds DISA Level 5 security clearance (Zoom has Level 4), making it the choice for government agencies, defense contractors, and security-conscious organizations requiring the highest certification standards.

The whiteboard collaboration feature is excellent for visual brainstorming with drawing tools, sticky notes, and real-time collaboration. The platform supports local recording on the free tier, allowing you to save important meetings without needing a paid subscription. Webex's AI-powered features include real-time transcription, noise removal that filters out background sounds like typing and barking dogs, and voice enhancement that optimizes vocal clarity. The platform has maintained strong reliability with 99.99% uptime historically, making it dependable for mission-critical communications.

Discord started for gamers but has evolved into a legitimate team communication tool used by millions of developers, creative teams, educators, and communities. Video calls support up to 25 participants with no time limit, and screen sharing with Go Live streaming works beautifully for demos, presentations, and watch parties. The persistent voice channels are unique—team members can drop in and out naturally without scheduling formal calls, creating an always-on presence similar to being in a physical office.

This makes it perfect for remote teams that want spontaneous collaboration. Best of all, everything is completely free with no meeting duration limits. The platform combines text chat, voice channels, and video in a unified interface organized around servers and channels, allowing communities to segment conversations by topic.

Discord Nitro ($10/month) adds HD streaming, larger file uploads, and custom emojis, but the free tier is remarkably full-featured. The bot ecosystem allows automation and integrations with GitHub, Trello, and hundreds of other services. Screen sharing quality reaches 1080p 60fps on free tier, excellent for gaming streams or detailed technical demonstrations.

Whereby's killer feature is simplicity—you get a personal meeting room URL that never changes, like whereby.com/yourname. Share it once with clients and they can always find you at the same link, making it memorable and professional like having your own video office. The free plan includes unlimited one-on-one calls and 45-minute group meetings for up to 100 participants.

Everything runs in the browser with no downloads required for anyone, which removes all friction for external participants—they just click and join instantly. This makes it ideal for client-facing professionals like consultants, therapists, tutors, and salespeople who want to minimize technical barriers. The interface is clean and minimalist, focusing on the conversation without overwhelming participants with controls.

Whereby's design philosophy prioritizes user experience over feature bloat, resulting in remarkably stable connections and intuitive operation even for non-technical users. The platform can be embedded directly into websites, allowing businesses to offer video consultations without sending users to external platforms. For paid plans ($6.99+/month), you get longer meetings, more rooms, and branding customization.

Skype, one of the original video calling platforms, officially shut down on May 5, 2025 after Microsoft migrated most functionality to Teams. However, the Skype brand and basic calling features were preserved in a lightweight consumer version for personal use. The free version supports up to 100 participants in video calls with no time limit for one-on-one conversations and 24-hour limits for group calls.

What sets Skype apart is the ability to call landlines and mobile phones worldwide at competitive rates through Skype Credit, making it valuable for international communication. The platform still maintains a large user base, particularly in regions where it was historically popular. Screen sharing, file transfers up to 300MB, and recording are all included free.

The interface has been simplified and modernized while maintaining the familiar Skype experience. For users who grew up with Skype, the platform remains a viable option for personal video calls, though Microsoft actively encourages migration to Teams for business use.

FaceTime is Apple's built-in video calling solution, pre-installed on every Mac, iPhone, and iPad. For users in the Apple ecosystem, it offers the most seamless experience with zero setup required. The platform supports up to 32 participants in group FaceTime calls with no time limit, though quality is optimized for smaller groups.

Video quality is exceptional, leveraging Apple's hardware integration for superior performance and efficiency on Mac devices. The Portrait mode (on newer Macs) blurs backgrounds naturally, and Center Stage (on M1+ Macs with appropriate cameras) automatically keeps you centered in frame. FaceTime links allow non-Apple users to join via web browser, though with reduced features.

The integration with iOS and macOS is unmatched—calls appear across all your Apple devices, you can hand off calls between devices seamlessly, and SharePlay enables synchronized watching of movies or listening to music together during calls. For Mac users who primarily communicate with other Apple device users, FaceTime is the path of least resistance with premium quality.

Signal is the gold standard for private communication, recommended by security experts and privacy advocates worldwide. While primarily known as a messaging app, Signal offers high-quality video calls with end-to-end encryption that not even Signal can decrypt. The platform supports group video calls with up to 40 participants, all with the same uncompromising encryption.

Unlike commercial platforms that may analyze call metadata or content for advertising, Signal collects virtually no user data—not even metadata about who you're calling or when. The non-profit foundation behind Signal ensures there's no commercial incentive to compromise privacy. Video quality is excellent, with automatic quality adjustment based on network conditions.

For activists, journalists, whistleblowers, healthcare providers handling sensitive information, or anyone who values privacy above all else, Signal provides the most secure video calling available. The platform is completely free with no ads, no tracking, and no data harvesting, funded by grants and donations rather than user data monetization.

Slack Huddles brings spontaneous audio and video conversations into your existing Slack workspace, eliminating the friction of scheduling and joining separate video calls. On the free plan, Huddles support audio conversations with unlimited participants and video with up to 2 participants. For teams already using Slack for messaging, Huddles provides the fastest path to real-time conversation—just click the headphone icon in any channel or direct message to start an instant call.

Paid plans expand video to 50 participants and add screen sharing, making it suitable for larger team meetings. The beauty of Huddles is the context—you're already in the conversation thread, so jumping to audio or video feels natural and immediate. The lightweight audio-first design uses minimal bandwidth and system resources compared to full video platforms. For remote teams that live in Slack, Huddles recreates the experience of tapping someone on the shoulder for a quick chat, reducing the ceremony around communication and increasing spontaneous collaboration.

Brave Talk is a privacy-respecting video calling feature built directly into the Brave browser, requiring no account or signup whatsoever. The free tier offers unlimited one-on-one calls with no time restrictions, while group calls are limited to 4 participants for 60 minutes. Built on Jitsi infrastructure but optimized for privacy, Brave Talk blocks trackers and doesn't collect user data.

Calls are encrypted and don't require creating an account, downloading software, or providing personal information—just click the Brave Talk icon in your browser and generate a meeting link. For users already using Brave browser for its privacy features and ad-blocking, this adds video calling without introducing another platform or vendor. The premium version ($7/month) removes participant limits and adds recording, but the free tier handles most personal use cases effectively. The integration with Brave browser means you can start a call from any tab with one click, and the browser's security features extend to your video calls.

Pumble is a team collaboration platform offering unlimited free messaging, task management, and importantly, unlimited one-on-one video calls with no time restrictions. While group video calls with more than 2 participants require the paid plan ($2.49/user/month), the free tier is generous for teams that primarily need messaging with occasional video. The platform combines persistent chat channels, direct messages, threads, and file sharing in a clean interface similar to Slack but without the free plan's message history limits.

For small teams and startups budget-conscious about tools, Pumble provides essential collaboration features including unlimited message history, unlimited integrations, and unlimited members—all free. The video calling quality is solid, with screen sharing and recording available on paid plans. Pumble positions itself as a cost-effective alternative to Slack and Teams, offering comparable features at a fraction of the price, with the free tier suitable for many small teams indefinitely.