Zoom is the best known video meeting platform, with reliable HD video, breakout rooms, webinars, recording and AI, loved for its ease and quality, the all round standard for video conferencing. Founded in 2011 and now Zoom Workplace, it provides real time HD video and audio meetings joined by a link from a browser or app, with screen sharing, recording and transcription, breakout rooms, virtual backgrounds, chat, webinars for large audiences, and AI Companion for summaries and notes. Famous for its reliability and ease of use, which drove its explosive growth, Zoom is used by individuals, teams and organisations worldwide and is the default name in video meetings. For all round video conferencing, Zoom is the benchmark.
Zoom's distinction is reliable, easy, high quality meetings for everyone. Its video quality, reliability across devices and connections, and simple join experience made it the default for video meetings, with a full feature set (breakout rooms, webinars, recording, AI) and a generous free tier, which no rival matched for ubiquity and ease. That reliability, quality and ease set it apart.
Zoom is best for individuals, teams and organisations that want the best all round, reliable, easy and high quality video meetings, especially those not tied to Microsoft or Google meetings or wanting a best of breed meeting tool, plus webinars. It suits anyone wanting dependable, easy video meetings. It is a weaker fit for Microsoft 365 organisations where Teams is bundled, Google Workspace ones using Google Meet, or privacy conscious and technical teams wanting free, self hosted meetings, where Jitsi fits.
The core strengths are reliable HD video and audio meetings, screen sharing, recording and transcription, breakout rooms, virtual backgrounds, chat, webinars for large audiences, and AI Companion for summaries and notes, joined easily by link. Zoom offers a generous free tier, high capacity, and Zoom Workplace with team chat and more. Its reliability, quality, ease and full feature set are its defining advantages.
Zoom has a free plan (unlimited one to one, group meetings up to 40 minutes), with paid Pro from around 13.33 US dollars per user a month (no time limit, more features), Business and Enterprise tiers, and add ons for webinars, larger capacity and AI. So many use it free, upgrading for longer meetings and features. Costs scale with users and add ons. Confirm current figures on the Zoom pricing page.
Zoom integrates with calendars (Google, Outlook), Slack, Microsoft Teams, CRMs and a large app marketplace, plus an SDK and Zoom Apps, and now Zoom Workplace adds team chat, phone and more. Its broad integrations and the Zoom Workplace platform, which connect meetings to the tools organisations use and expand beyond meetings, support its ubiquity.
Reliable, easy, high quality meetings are the signature strength: Zoom's video quality, reliability across devices and connections, and simple join experience make meetings smooth and effortless, which drove its explosive adoption and made it the default name in video. For anyone wanting dependable, easy video meetings, this is the main reason to choose Zoom.
Zoom is highly rated for ease of use, video quality and reliability, the most reviewed and recognised video tool, with strong support. Its G2 reviews praise reliability, quality and ease, with the free tier's 40 minute limit and advanced AI behind paid plans the main considerations.
For individuals, teams and organisations that want the best all round, reliable, easy and high quality video meetings, Zoom is the benchmark choice. The main caution is the free tier's 40 minute group limit and separate cost versus bundled Teams or Google Meet, so Microsoft organisations may use Teams, Google ones Google Meet, and self hosted needs Jitsi, but for all round video conferencing Zoom leads.
These video conferencing tools come up most often against Zoom.
Browser-based video meetings in Google Workspace
Meetings and video calls in Microsoft 365
Enterprise video conferencing and meetings