6 Best Free Conference Call Services for 2023
Corey McCraw is a staff writer covering VoIP and Unified Communications. Corey has over a decade of experience in marketing, tech writing, and corporate communications and has even penned content for the former First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move initiative.
Marianne is a staff writer at Fit Small Business who covers business phone services, VoIP, and video conferencing tools.
This article is part of a larger series on VoIP.
The best free conference call service provides superior call quality, a user-friendly interface, rich collaboration features, and a high participant capacity. Additional functionalities include artificial intelligence (AI) tools, whiteboards, live captions, and meeting transcripts. It also supports scalability to accommodate changing business needs. Even if some tools aren’t completely free, paid plans are affordable enough to fit the limited budget of startups and small businesses.
Based on our expert review, here are the best free conference calling services and their equivalent use cases:
- Zoom One: Best overall for simplicity and user-friendliness
- RingCentral Video: Best for robust collaboration tools
- Dialpad Meetings: Best for AI-powered virtual meeting features
- Google Meet: Best for Google Workspace users and security capabilities
- Cisco Webex: Best for hybrid work collaboration
- FreeConferenceCall.com: Best for large-scale meetings
Best Free Conference Call Services at a Glance
Free Conference Call Services | Free Plan Inclusions | Key Features | Maximum No. of Attendees | FSB Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Up to 100 attendees with a 40-minute time limit |
| 1,000 | 4.50 out of 5 |
 | Up to 100 attendees with a 24-hour time limit |
| 200 | 4.49 out of 5 |
 | Up to 10 attendees with a 45-minute time limit |
| 150 | 4.36 out of 5 |
 | Up to 100 attendees with a 60-minute time limit |
| 500 | 4.22 out of 5 |
 | 100 attendees with a 40-minute time limit |
| 1,000 | 4.20 out of 5 |
 | Up to 1,000 participants with no time limits |
| 1,000 | 4 out of 5 |
Zoom One: Best Overall Free Conference Call Service
Overall Score:
4.50 / 5
What We Liked
- Has little or no learning curve
- Multi-screen sharing
- Rich video meeting tools
Where It Falls Behind
- Limited meeting duration for base-level users
- Automated captions only support English
- Free plan lacks dial-in numbers
Zoom One Monthly Pricing (per User)*
- Basic: Free for 100 attendees with a 40-minute time limit, collaboration tools, local storage, and three whiteboards
- Pro: $14.99 for 100 attendees, 5GB cloud storage, reporting, and streaming
- Business: $19.99 for 300 attendees with a 30-hour time limit, unlimited whiteboards, and recording transcripts
- Business Plus: $25 for up to 500 attendees with translated captions, 10GB cloud storage, unlimited whiteboards, and call management features
- Enterprise Plus: Custom pricing for 1,000 attendees, unlimited cloud storage, and webinar tools
*Avail of annual billing and get up to a 16% discount
Zoom is our overall best conference calling service due to its excellent usability. With its intuitive interface, this platform is undeniably easy to use across web browsers, desktop apps, and mobile apps. This largely benefits companies new to remote work that want to ensure a positive user experience. It provides a straightforward setup, and the meeting dashboard allows quick access to meetings, calendars, and team chat.
Another standout feature of Zoom is its generous free plan for basic conferencing needs. The base package includes whiteboarding, screen sharing, calendar integrations, local recording, and breakout rooms. In-meeting tools, like screen sharing, virtual backgrounds, and team chat, create a collaborative and interactive experience.
The downside is that Zoom’s free plan has plenty of limitations in terms of meeting length, participant capability, and recording capabilities. The meeting duration lasts only 40 minutes, and no cloud recording exists. If your team frequently hosts longer and large-scale conference calls, consider FreeConferenceCall.com. It supports up to 1,000 participants with no time restrictions. This is ideal if you don’t prioritize feature inclusions.
Zoom One Features
Zoom ensures free-flowing creativity using an expandable and digital canvas. (Source: Zoom One)
- Zoom whiteboard: Online whiteboards let you collaborate with anyone with a Zoom account. Brainstorm with your teams efficiently with sticky notes, drawing tools, smart connectors, and comments.
- Translated captions: Host meetings in multiple languages and reduce the need for an interpreter and third-party integrations. It currently supports 12 languages, including German, Italian, and Japanese.
- Post-meeting survey: Schedule a survey to be sent to your attendees right after the meeting ends. This simplifies feedback collection instead of manually collecting responses from participants. Survey results are sent as downloadable reports.
Learn more about Zoom One’s feature-rich offerings in our full Zoom review.
RingCentral Video: Best for Collaboration Tools
Overall Score:
4.49 / 5
What We Liked
- Rich collaboration features
- AI tools are available on the base plan
- Free custom meeting ID
Where It Falls Behind
- Limited file storage
- End-to-end encryption is limited to paid users
- Lacks polling and Q&A
RingCentral Video Monthly Pricing (per User)*
- Video Pro: Free for up to 100 attendees with a 24-hour time limit, team chat, cloud recordings of up to 10 hours with a seven-day retention period, live transcriptions, and whiteboard
- Video Pro+: $14.99 for 200 attendees, cloud recording of up to 100 hours with a one-year retention period, advanced analytics, and custom integrations
- Free trial: 14 days
*Save up to 20% by paying yearly
Known as the leading business phone system, RingCentral Video is another strong contender for the best free conference call solutions, specifically for collaborative teams. Looking at its free entry-level tier, this provider offers everything you need to connect and work together on tasks and projects. Collaboration tools include breakout rooms, whiteboarding, team chat, calendar sharing, and task assignments.
Typically, most free conference call companies lock artificial intelligence (AI) meeting tools in paid tiers. With RingCentral, the free plan includes AI and automation features like live transcription, meeting insights, closed captions, and noise cancellation.
Despite its extensive inclusions, RingCentral only has limited cloud storage. Meeting recording for the free plan only supports up to 10 hours with seven days of cloud recording retention. A better alternative would be Google Meet, which initially offers 15GB of cloud storage for Google account users.
RingCentral Video Features
Meeting summaries provide a glimpse of meeting notes, transcripts, key moments, and audience engagement. (Source: RingCentral Video)
- Auto-follow: Activating this feature will enable your web camera to track where you are and keep you at the center of your video—no need to adjust your camera to stay in the frame.
- Advanced meeting insights: Automatically generates a summary of a video meeting to get a quick review of the previous discussion. It includes video highlight reels, keywords, transcripts, topics, and the list of participants who joined.
- Team Huddle: A persistent audio or video call where teams come and go as they please. Create open channels for urgent issues, casual conversations, and project discussions.
Learn more about RingCentral as the leading cloud communications provider in our RingCentral review.
Dialpad Meetings: Best for AI Meeting Features
Overall Score:
4.36 / 5
What We Liked
- Multiple video layouts
- Unlimited audio/video recordings
- Meeting countdown timer
Where It Falls Behind
- Base plan is limited to 10 attendees
- Maximum meeting duration is five hours
- AI tools exclusive to paid plan
Dialpad Meetings Monthly Pricing (per User)*
- Free: 10 attendees with a 45-minute time limit and unlimited audio recordings
- Business: $20 for 150 attendees with five-hour time limit, unlimited video recordings, live transcription, post-meeting summary, and custom hold music
- Free trial: 14 days
*Annual billing is available for a discounted price
Dialpad Meetings is one of the best free conference call services for companies needing AI features to ensure productive and personalized conference calls. AI-enabled features like post-meeting transcriptions and summaries enable participants to focus on the discussion instead of note-taking. With Dialpad Ai enabled, you can customize action items for your meetings, such as following up with different teams and creating task checklists.
Dialpad has time management features to keep meetings on track and under control. Available only to the organizer, advanced host controls let you manage co-hosts, mute and moderate participants, and activate the meeting timer feature.
This provider’s free plan may not be the best choice for companies hosting meetings for more than 10 participants. Even the paid plan only supports up to 150 attendees. If you want to host large-scale meetings with access to AI meeting tools, try RingCentral Video. Its free version lets you host meetings with up to 100 participants, while the paid plan includes up to 200-person meeting capacity.
Dialpad Meetings Features
Instantly capture what was said in meetings with Dialpad Ai. (Source: Dialpad Meetings)
- Picture-in-picture: Interact with your audience and see their reaction without switching tabs. This allows you to keep your eyes on your presentation and viewers at the same time.
- Custom hold music: Upload your own hold music or choose from Dialpad’s list of pre-recorded music for your conference calls. Hold music will play for participants before the meeting begins.
- Spam prevention: Dialpad users can control what occurs when a spam call arrives during their meetings. Call blocking options include blocking anonymous calls, callers with a high spam score, or those not included in your contacts.
In our Dialpad Meetings review, we provide a more in-depth evaluation of this provider in terms of pricing, feature set, customer support, and integrations.
Google Meet: Best for Google Workspace users
Overall Score:
4.22 / 5
What We Liked
- Seamlessly integrates with Google Workspace apps
- Robust security measures
- Launch instant meetings
Where It Falls Behind
- Limited video meeting features
- No live customer support
- Tile view is limited to 49 people
Google Meet Monthly Pricing (per User)
- Personal: Free for 100 attendees with a 60-minute time limit and 15GB cloud storage
- Business Starter: $5.40 for up to 100 participants with a 24-hour time limit, 30GB storage per user, U.S. or international dial-in phone numbers, and digital whiteboarding
- Business Standard: $10.80 for 150 attendees, 2TB storage per user, noise cancellation, polling and Q&A, and breakout rooms
- Business Plus: $18 for 500 attendees, 5TB storage per user, and attendance tracking
- Enterprise: Custom pricing for unlimited and in-domain livestreaming
Google Meet is the best free conference call service for Google Workspace users who want a secure video meeting platform capable of integrating with Google’s suite of productivity apps. Schedule a session via Google Calendar so you don’t need to send separate team invitations or start an instant meeting directly from Gmail, Google Docs, Slides, or Sheets.
Google has a reputation for taking the security of its global users very seriously. This is why Google Meet users can ensure that all the proper protections are in place to keep their privacy and data safe. Security policies include anti-hijacking measures, Advanced Protection Program (APP), data encryption, and compliance certifications.
The only drawback of Google Meet is its limited collaboration tools. Available features only include whiteboarding, hand raising, breakout rooms, polling, and recording. If you need a robust free plan, check out Zoom One or RingCentral Video.
Google Meet Features
Google Meet works from any mobile device. (Source: Google Meet)
- Live captions: Displays subtitles of the person speaking during a meeting. Translated captions are available in 20 languages and accents, such as Dutch, French, and German.
- Adjustable layouts: Google Meet automatically switches the video feed layout to display the most active participants and content. Layout options include auto, tiled, spotlight, and sidebar.
- Audio and video preview screen: Adjust your camera, virtual background, and mic before entering a live meeting session. It also provides a preview of who already joined the meeting room.
Our Google Meet review provides a more in-depth guide about Google’s no-frills video meeting tool.
Cisco Webex: Best for Hybrid Workforce
Overall Score:
4.20 / 5
What We Liked
- Strong AI features
- Interactive whiteboarding
- Real-time translation
Where It Falls Behind
- Voice command is limited to English
- Limited customer support for free plan users
- Toll dial-in locked behind paid plans
Cisco Webex Monthly Pricing (per User)
- Basic: Free for 100 attendees with a 40-minute time limit, local storage, whiteboard, team chat, and collaboration tools
- Meet*: $14.50 for 200 attendees with a 24-hour time limit, 10GB cloud storage, meeting insights, and post-meeting transcript
- Enterprise: Custom pricing for 1,000 participants with a 24-hour time limit, unlimited cloud storage, and a broad range of customer support channels
- Free trial: 90 days
*Annual prepayment is available for the Meet plan
Cisco Webex is specifically designed for hybrid teams to get equal access to collaborative workflows, meetings, whiteboarding, and AI tools. It features Vidcast, an asynchronous video messaging tool that enables distributed teams to create short video clips to eliminate the barrier of time zones. With on-demand videos, create and record videos at your most convenient time.
Like Dialpad, Cisco Webex provides a rich set of AI tools for optimizing workflows. Real-time translation supports over 100 languages, and gesture recognition lets you send in-meeting reactions with just your fingers. Purchasing any Cisco device comes with voice command features so you can join and schedule meetings without touching your device.
Despite Cisco Webex’s unique capabilities, many video meeting features are locked behind paid plans. It doesn’t compare to RingCentral Video’s free plan, which offers meeting summaries, transcripts, and captions without extra charges.
Cisco Webex Features
Webex real-time translation lets you translate spoken English into more than 100 languages. (Source: Cisco Webex)
- Voice command: Ask the Webex assistant to carry out tasks, such as creating action items, taking notes, and setting up meetings with just your voice.
- Interactive polls: Provides a more engaging form of Q&A through pop quizzes, word cloud, open-text feedback, and prioritization (ranking).
- Interactive whiteboarding: Webex whiteboard features a pointer, drag/move option, pen tool, magic pen, eraser, and stickers, making brainstorming sessions more collaborative.
Discover other reasons that make Cisco Webex the best video conferencing tool for hybrid workforces in our Webex review.
FreeConferenceCall.com: Best for Large-scale Meetings
Overall Score:
4 / 5
What We Liked
- Unlimited meeting duration
- Dial-in numbers for 78 countries
- 24/7 customer care
Where It Falls Behind
- Cloud storage is limited to 1GB
- Clunky interface
- Some features are not working on the mobile app
FreeConferenceCall.com Monthly Pricing*
- Free: 1,000 attendees, 1GB cloud recording, screen sharing, whiteboarding, audio recording, and automatic transcriptions
- Pay what you can*:
- Suggested amount: $4
- Average amount (the amount most people choose): $8.21
- Market rate (what other providers charge): $15
*The provider encourages businesses to contribute, if possible
As the name implies, FreeConferenceCall.com is a completely free conference call service supporting up to 1,000 participants. This is ideal for large organizations that want to host large-scale meetings without getting an enterprise-level video meeting plan. There are no time restrictions, and users have unlimited access to features like breakout rooms, remote control, whiteboarding, and even 24/7 customer care.
Domestic and international dial-in numbers are available for 78 countries. Plus, its conferencing solution features radio streaming, helping small businesses reach a larger audience.
While it’s completely free, this provider has poor usability and insufficient security features. Its website doesn’t provide enough data about its security and privacy policies, except for the presence of data encryption and firewall. Also, its outdated user interface can increase the user’s learning curve, distorting the overall meeting experience. Your best option is Google Meet, one of the most secure and user-friendly conferencing solutions.
FreeConferenceCall.com Features
Screen sharing features include a switch presenter and drawing tools. (Source: FreeConferenceCall.com)
- Meeting wall: A dedicated webpage that serves as your personal meeting room. Share your profile photo, company logo, recordings, and custom meeting link.
- Studio presentation: Record your slideshow presentation with audio. Playback during a conference call or share a link to the recording on your Meeting Wall.
- Broadcaster: Replay previously recorded video, audio, and presentations or display files and documents during live meetings.
How We Evaluated the Best Free Conference Call Service
We compiled a list of conference call providers offering free entry-level plans. From there, we narrowed our options to six providers with the most valuable meeting functionalities, including screen sharing, cloud storage, collaboration tools, and third-party integrations.
Learn how we evaluated the free conference call service providers by clicking on the tabs below:
15%
Pricing
25%
General Features
20%
Advanced Features
10%
Ease of Use
10%
Customer Support
20%
Expert Score
15% of Overall Score
Besides the free plan, we checked whether each provider offers free trials for their paid plans. We gave more weight to vendors with multiple subscription plans, cheaper annual pricing, and volume discounts, which help small businesses accommodate future demands and needs.
25% of Overall Score
We examined each provider’s general features, including participant capacity, meeting duration, and screen sharing. We also prioritized solutions with a mobile app version and a high uptime guarantee.
20% of Overall Score
For niche features, we considered the recording functionality, virtual backgrounds, simultaneous screen sharing, and the number of collaboration tools. Similarly, we awarded additional points for the availability of international dial-in numbers and software integrations.
10% of Overall Score
We assessed each provider’s user-friendliness by testing it and checking user reviews from reliable websites. We considered if there are learning curves experienced during the setup and configuration phase.
10% of Overall Score
We checked each provider’s customer support channels, including phone, live chat, email, help desk, and community forum. Additional points are given if all support channels are available 24/7.
20% of Overall Score
We assessed each provider’s overall quality and performance by looking at its standout qualities and value for money. We also considered their level of popularity and user-friendliness.
*Percentages of overall score
Bottom Line
The best free conference call services effectively support the basic meeting needs of solopreneurs and small businesses. It should accommodate a large number of participants and promote effective team collaboration through app integrations and built-in features.
We chose Zoom as the best free conference call provider thanks to its generous free plan, excellent usability, and abundant collaboration tools. Sign up for a Zoom One account today to see if it’s the right fit for your conferencing needs.
