To fill the void of lost interpersonal connection brought on by the global pandemic, businesses and individuals alike have been flocking to video conference tools—the very ones we all used to dread when some faraway flunky wanted to host a meeting. But our sour attitudes toward these remote chats have quickly sweetened. Some businesses are even leaving tools like Zoom turned on from 9 to 5, creating a virtual work environment that simulates the real thing. Sort of.
There’s no shortage of video conferencing tools on the market, and the app you might be asked to use next may well not appear on this list of six key players. That said, here’s a look at a half-dozen of the most common and popular video chat/conference systems available, with a critical eye toward what’s working and what isn’t on each platform. (Remember, while it’s easy to knock video quality and performance, this often has as much to do with the network connection of the users as it does the back-end service.)
Apple FaceTime
Best for: Apple mavens.
FaceTime’s tight integration with the iPhone gives it one absolutely killer feature. If you’re on a voice call with someone, it takes just one tap to turn the call into a video chat. It’s a bit more complicated, but you can also create group chats on FaceTime, though this isn’t particularly convenient on a phone, particularly as you approach the 32-user maximum. (The service has no official time limit beyond your iPhone’s battery life.) The bad news is that all other OSes, including Windows and Android, are not supported, though you can FaceTime on a Mac computer. Sadly, there’s also absolutely nothing in the way of business features (like screen sharing) in FaceTime, unless turning yourself into an Animoji qualifies. Hey, we don’t know where you work.
Supported: iOS, MacOS. Price: Free
Skype
Best for: The Windows old guard.
Yes, Skype is still around, and since its 2011 acquisition by Microsoft it’s become well-integrated with almost all Microsoft products, from Windows to the Xbox. Chances are if you’re a Windows user, you already have it installed. Skype is part IM tool and part real-time chat system, but its killer feature has always been that you can use it to make calls to any telephone worldwide for low per-minute fees. I put $10 of credit into Skype about a decade ago, and I still have $4.53 left. As for video, Skype’s free system has never worked all that well. It’s prone to stutter and disconnects, which means you’ll probably never approach its four-hour or 50-user limit. That said, since Skype no longer requires its software to join or host meetings, it’s one of the easiest ways to get a videoconference going without anybody having to install anything new. Skype for Business has long been a more robust tool, but it’s officially been sunsetted and replaced by Microsoft Teams (see below).
Supported: iOS, Android, Windows, MacOS, Linux, Xbox, Amazon Echo. Price: Free
Zoom
Best for: Just about everyone, though the time limit is a buzzkill.
Abruptly the 800-pound gorilla in this space, Zoom has become the default video conference tool for industry—and individuals who master it at work are following suit at home. Non-paying users can get up to 100 participants on a call, though meetings can last only 40 minutes before you have to start over if you have more than one guest (though this restriction has temporarily been limited this spring). Designed with business meetings in mind, tools like breakout rooms, private back-channel chatter, and screen sharing are all built in. The $15/month plan gets you longer meetings, recording features, and more, with two additional plans running $20/month. Zoom has a small learning curve but most seem to master it quickly—in part because they’ve been forced to by their bosses. Its most popular feature seems to be that, in general, it works pretty well, with few dropouts and high-quality video that seamlessly shifts to show whoever’s speaking. Multiple users can even share their screen simultaneously, a unique feature to Zoom. You can use Zoom via an app or directly on the web, though web users won’t get access to Zoom’s most beloved feature: virtual backgrounds. Do mind the recent discussion about privacy and security on the platform and protect yourself against zoombombers.
Supported: iOS, Android, Windows, MacOS, web. Price: Free to $20/month
Houseparty, from Epic Games, is like a virtual living room where friends can come and go.
Photograph: Epic Games
Google Hangouts
Best for: Gmail power users.
