5 Best Webex Alternatives
This article is part of a larger series on Unified Communications.
Webex alternatives with feature-rich free versions or lower-priced plans are excellent options for small businesses, solopreneurs, and any budget-conscious company. The best Webex alternatives support more integrations, work seamlessly across various browsers, and provide more cloud recording storage, team collaboration, and productivity tools. The right one for your business will fit your budget without skimping on must-have video conferencing features.
Here are the best Webex alternatives:
- BlueJeans: Best overall Webex alternative for small to mid-sized businesses wanting a video and messaging platform with advanced analytics
- Zoom Meetings: Most beginner-friendly option for organizations needing with many integrations
- RingCentral Video: Most robust choice for small teams or companies looking for use with short meetings
- Microsoft Teams: Best Webex alternative for mid-sized businesses and enterprises wanting an all-in-one communication and collaboration tool
- Google Meet: Best video conferencing alternative to Webex for organizations wanting higher meeting attendee and breakout room capacity, and is free for nonprofits
Webex and Best Alternatives at a Glance
Webex & Alternatives | Starting Price | Key Features | Free Plan |
---|---|---|---|
$15 per user, per month |
| ✓ | |
$12.49 per user, per month |
| ✕ | |
$14.99 per user, per month |
| ✓ | |
$14.99 per user, per month |
| ✓ | |
$5 per user, per month |
| ✓ | |
$6 per user, per month |
| ✓ | |
BlueJeans: Best Overall Webex Alternative
What We Like
- Intelligent meeting features with all plans
- Command center analytics supply more than 70 meeting performance metrics
- Works in five web browsers, whereas Webex supports only two
What's Missing
- No free video conferencing options
- Real-time transcription only available on the Enterprise plan
- Not Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP) certified
How It Compares to Webex
- The starting price for BlueJeans is $3.51 cheaper per user, per month when paid annually than Webex’s base paid package.
- BlueJeans supports meetings of any length while Webex caps them at 24 hours.
- Both services provide Windows and Mac desktop apps, but BlueJeans also supplies Linux apps.
- Webex restricts recording storage to 10GB. In contrast, BlueJeans offers plans with 5 hours, 25 hours, or unlimited storage.
BlueJeans is the best Webex replacement because it offers more flexibility in meeting length, cloud storage, and browser use. It’s the only video conferencing tool that supports the Opera browser. Plus, it’ll work with Chrome, Edge, Firefox, and Safari browsers, whereas Webex recommends Chrome or Firefox. If you’re an Internet Explorer (IE) user, Zoom is the only provider with full IE support.
BlueJeans’ base plan has five hours of cloud storage, which, depending on the video size, amounts to about 5GB, which is lower than Webex (10GB on paid plans) or RingCentral Video (100 hours). However, BlueJeans increases storage limits to 25 hours on its BlueJeans Pro package. This plan costs just 49 cents more than Webex Meet per license, per month when paid annually.
You’ll need the Enterprise package for real-time transcriptions on BlueJeans, starting at $16.66 per host, per month with annual billing. In contrast, this feature comes on Microsoft’s Business Basic plan, which is $5 per user, per month.
BlueJeans isn’t FedRAMP-certified for government use. Zoom would be a better Webex alternative for this use case. Additionally, BlueJeans lacks a free video conferencing plan. RingCentral Video offers the most features on its free version compared to other providers, including 10 hours of recording, dial-in numbers, and 24-hour meetings if you sign up by December 2021.
BlueJeans Pricing at a Glance*
- BlueJeans Standard: $12.49 per host, per month for unlimited meeting length with 100 participants, five hours recording storage, dial-in numbers, Slack and Microsoft Teams integrations, and smart meeting features
- BlueJeans Pro: $17.49 per host, per month for 150 participants, 25 hours of recording storage, Okta and Splunk integrations, and command center analytics
- BlueJeans Enterprise: $19.99 per host, per month for 200 participants, unlimited recording storage, brand customization, and command center live
- BlueJeans Enterprise Plus: Custom pricing for everything in the Enterprise package plus advanced support options and add-ins for committed audio and meeting assist
*Prices are based on monthly payments; select annual billing to save up to 20%.
BlueJeans Features
BlueJeans’ user-friendly interface looks equally clean in browsers as it does on the soft- or smartphone app.
(Source: BlueJeans)
- Smart meeting tools: Get more out of your meetings by tagging important points during the conference and assigning tasks before it ends. Automatic alerts and follow-up reminders keep teams informed. Likewise, in a central meeting hub, employees can review meeting recaps, including 40 seconds of live transcripts per highlight.
- Collaboration: Like Webex, BlueJeans supports internal and external collaboration with tools like screen sharing, remote desktop control, a digital whiteboard, and document annotation. You can also chat during a conference with the group or one-to-one.
- Interactive dashboards: Make sure your meetings run smoothly with a console dedicated to conference metrics. You can learn what devices people use and their location. Download your analytics as a comma-separated values (CSV) file to share with co-workers or stakeholders.
Zoom Meetings: Best Webex Alternative for Integrations & Ease of Use
What We Like
- Dial-in numbers available for more than 90 countries
- A user-friendly interface that’s great for internal and external collaborators, even those new to remote conferencing
- 1,660 available integrations for Zoom Meetings
What's Missing
- Branding features for meeting pages aren’t available for small businesses with nine or fewer users
- Only 1GB recording storage on paid plans
- Must purchase 10 or more licenses to access administrative and usage dashboards
How It Compares to Webex
- Zoom supports livestreaming to Facebook, YouTube, and other third-party apps while you can only livestream on Facebook Live with Webex.
- Pin and spotlight up to nine participant videos on Zoom compared to only one with Webex.
- View 49 meeting participants on the screen at once with Zoom versus 25 on Webex.
- Both offer plans that are FedRAMP certified.
Zoom is one of the best Webex alternatives thanks to its comparable feature set, a larger range of service plans, and intuitive interface. Zoom offers four video conferencing plans and provides voice-over-internet-protocol (VoIP) services, unified communications packages, webinar plans, and solutions for conference rooms. In contrast, Webex has one meeting plan, or you can select a voice-over-internet-protocol, VoIP/meeting combo, or standalone VoIP.
Zoom’s streamlined user interface and multi-browser support make it a top choice for companies looking for a simple, universal solution. It also stands out for dial-in numbers, offering more than 90 compared to 56 with Webex and 46 with BlueJeans.
Zoom’s drawback is that it locks many important features behind higher-tier packages. For example, you must purchase a minimum of 10 licenses to access customer service via phone, an admin portal, and a single sign-on (SSO) option.
If these are must-have features for your small team, look at Microsoft Teams. The Microsoft 365 Business Basic package costs less than Zoom and provides single sign-on (SSO) and 24/7 phone and web support. You’ll also get more cloud storage with Microsoft Teams, whereas Zoom provides the least among these Webex alternatives.
Zoom Meetings Pricing at a Glance*
- Basic: Free for 40-minute meetings with 100 participants, private and group chat, self-help support, screen sharing, breakout rooms, and filters
- Pro: $14.99 per license, per month for up to nine licenses and 30-hour meetings with 100 attendees, 1GB recording storage, social media streaming, text and live chat customer support, dial-in numbers, polling, and live transcription
- Business: $19.99 per license, per month with a minimum of 10 licenses for 30-hour meetings with 300 participants, SSO, branding, phone customer support, administrative portal, and recording transcripts
- Enterprise: $19.99 per license, per month with a minimum of 50 licenses and an annual contract for 30-hour meetings with 500 attendees, unlimited cloud storage, Webinar 500 software, and bundle discounts
*Prices are based on monthly payments, and you can save up to 17% with annual billing.
Zoom Meetings Features
Zoom’s “safe driving mode” is usable while listening to video conferences from your smart device.
(Source: Zoom)
- Ease of use: Zoom receives high ratings because it supports Internet Explorer, Edge, Firefox, Chrome, and Safari browsers and doesn’t require a download. The meeting interface includes labels for icons and puts tools like screen sharing, chat, and reactions right under the display, making it easy for beginners to interact even if they’ve never used conferencing software.
- Mobility: Zoom supports a wide range of devices, including iOS and Android phones, Amazon Echo Show, and Nest Hub Max. Google Meet and Microsoft Teams also work with Nest Hub Max devices. Plus, your team can enable safe driving mode or use Apple CarPlay to join a meeting while traveling.
- Integrations: Like Webex, Zoom integrates with Microsoft Outlook, Gmail, or iCal. You can schedule or view meetings when using calendar and email apps. However, the Zoom app marketplace connects you to 1,660 Zoom Meetings integrations, whereas Webex offers just 108.
RingCentral Video: Best Webex Alternative for Short Meetings
What We Like
- Ability to export team messages from chat sessions
- Excellent presentation features, including glassboard and overlay modes
- The only Webex alternative that earned the McAfee CloudTrust rating of Enterprise-Ready
What's Missing
- Lacks smart meeting highlights like those found with Zoom and Webex
- After December 2021, the free version may reduce the conferencing duration to 40 minutes
- Fewer integrations than offered by Microsoft Teams or Zoom
How It Compares to Webex
- RingCentral’s free plan comes with dial-in numbers for 54 countries, whereas only paid Webex users can access dial-in numbers in 47 countries.
- You can start two meetings at once on RingCentral compared to one with Webex.
- RingCentral offers more cloud storage, including 10 hours on the free plan versus none on the free Webex version.
- Webex supports 100 breakout sessions, whereas RingCentral allows 50.
RingCentral Video stands out as the best Webex alternative for free video conferencing because it’s the only provider offering dial-in numbers and cloud recording storage on the free version. In addition, the free RingCentral Video Pro plan comes with many features Webex users like, such as calendar integrations, team and one-to-one chat, and mobile screen sharing.
Like Webex, RingCentral received the McAfee CloudTrust rating of Enterprise-Ready, which means it meets rigorous standards for identity verification, business practices, data and legal protection, and service security. No other Webex alternatives received this rating, although one of the best business phone systems, 8×8, did.
If you subscribe to RingCentral Video’s paid plan, you’ll get a feature set comparable to Webex at a lower cost. Annual prepayment for RingCentral is around $18 less than paying Webex upfront for a year.
RingCentral Video lacks social media livestreaming like Zoom, and only allows 50 breakout sessions compared to 100 from Google Meet and Webex. And while it supports popular integrations with Microsoft Teams and Google Workspace, there are only around 38 integrations versus 108 with Webex, 1,660 for Zoom, and 1,177 with Microsoft Teams.
RingCentral Video Pricing at a Glance*
- RingCentral Video Pro: Free for 24-hour meetings with 100 participants, 10 hours of recording storage saved for seven days, Google Workspace and Microsoft Teams integrations, and dial-in numbers
- RingCentral Video Pro+: $14.99 per user, per month for 24-hour meetings with 200 participants, 100 hours of cloud storage, one-year recording retention, 24/7 live agent support, SSO, and user management
*Prices are based on monthly payments. Save 33% with annual prepayment and volume discounts for more than 100 users. RingCentral Video Pro meeting duration may change after December 2021.
RingCentral Video Features
RingCentral’s user interface (UI) provides Message Export, a feature that allows you to save messages for later.
(Source: RingCentral)
- Security certifications and awards: Like Webex, RingCentral Video is Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)-compliant. It also holds a Health Information Trust Alliance (HITRUST) certification, meaning a third-party verified RingCentral uses a common security framework (CSF) suitable for phone, messaging, and video services handling protected health information (PHI). It’s the only Webex alternative backed by the prestigious McAfee CloudTrust rating of Enterprise-Ready.
- Presentations: Screen sharing is a must-have feature for many businesses, which is why all Webex alternatives support it. However, RingCentral Video goes further by offering glassboard and overlay modes. The former puts your video image behind your presentation, whereas the latter keeps your video in front.
- Message export: If you’re a fan of saving meeting messages in Webex, you’ll appreciate this feature in RingCentral Video as well. Webex exports chats as a text file (TXT), whereas RingCentral’s download is a compressed ZIP file. This format supports compliance requirements for regulated industries, such as financial firms.
Microsoft Teams: Best Webex Alternative for Virtual Collaboration
What We Like
- Lowest-priced base plan for video conferencing and chat
- Provides advanced auditing and management tools used by larger organizations
- Hold events with 10,000 people with the Office 365 E3 plan for $20 per user, per month
What's Missing
- May be less user-friendly for workplaces and participants that don’t use Microsoft software
- Only 50 breakout rooms, fewer than Webex and BlueJeans
- Doesn’t support Firefox or IE browsers, and Safari users can’t meet in a one-on-one video meeting
How It Compares to Webex
- Microsoft Teams supports 1,177 integrations versus 108 from Webex.
- The Microsoft 365 Business Basic plan allows 300 participants compared to 200 with Webex Meet.
- Both services offer free versions, but Microsoft Teams provides 10 more minutes of meeting time than Webex.
- Webex supplies video and chat services, whereas paid Microsoft Teams plans add office tools such as document and task management software.
While Webex provides video conferencing and VoIP services, Microsoft is perhaps best known for its Office software suite. However, Microsoft Teams has quickly become a favorite among remote workforces, as it facilitates teamwork by providing a central platform for managing projects and interacting with co-workers. As such, it offers persistent chat, presence, and video meeting features alongside Word, Excel, and PowerPoint programs.
All packages support screen sharing and integrations. Paid versions come with meeting recordings, 1TB cloud storage per organization plus 10GB per user, the social networking tool Yammer, and Planner, Microsoft’s project management software. If you need the higher breakout room capacity like Webex offers, try Google Meet as it also supports 100 sessions, whereas Microsoft Teams only allows 50.
If your company doesn’t use Microsoft products, you may want to consider Zoom. It’s more user-friendly for beginners yet offers a similar number of integrations. Google Meet is also a good alternative, as paid plans include Google Workspace and like Microsoft Teams, it supplies a central work area for remote teams.
Microsoft Teams Pricing at a Glance*
- Microsoft Teams: Free for 30-hour meetings with 300 participants, 10GB file storage, screen sharing, unlimited chat messages, and integrations
- Microsoft 365 Business Basic: $5 per user, per month for 24-hour meetings with 300 participants, 10GB storage per user plus 1TB per organization, email hosting, SSO, Planner, web and mobile versions of Office apps, and administration tools
- Microsoft 365 Business Standard: $12.50 per user, per month for 24-hour meetings with 300 participants, ability to host webinars, 1TB cloud storage per organization plus 10GB per user, desktop versions of Office tools, and Microsoft Booking
- Office 365 E3: $20 per user, per month for everything in the Business Standard plan plus unlimited personal cloud storage, four-hour events with up to 10,000 attendees, and Core eDiscovery for additional compliance requirements
*All plans require an annual commitment. In March 2022, prices increase to $6 for Microsoft 365 Business Basic, and Office 365 E3 will cost $22. Free plan features reflect COVID-19 changes. Originally the limits were 60-minute meetings and 100 participants.
Microsoft Teams Features
Sharing content with colleagues is easily done in Microsoft Teams.
(Source: Microsoft Teams)
- Integrations: Your remote team relies on multiple tools throughout the day, and Microsoft Teams can reduce the constant switching between apps. It’s easy to start a meeting from your team’s software, like Salesforce. Microsoft Teams supports the second-highest number of integrations, with only Zoom offering more.
- Mobility: Microsoft Teams users can record meetings and share screens from their cell phone, an option also offered by Webex and RingCentral but not Google Meet. Likewise, you can join video meetings from two devices, like Webex. This is helpful when you want to present from your cell phone but monitor reactions on a larger screen.
- Large event capacity: Microsoft Teams provides the largest event capacity without restrictions about the minimum number of users like Zoom. You can connect with up to 10,000 people during a Microsoft Teams meeting, whereas Webex caps out at 500.
Google Meet: Best Webex Alternative for Hosting Breakout Sessions
What We Like
- Allows 100 breakout rooms, the most among all Webex alternatives
- The intuitive user interface is easy for beginners to use in web browsers or mobile apps
- Google Workspace users can dial into meetings using a number in their country at no additional cost
What's Missing
- Unless you’re a nonprofit, you’ll need a paid plan to access breakout rooms
- Can’t save and export messages from video meetings
- Question and answer (Q&A) feature is only available on the Enterprise plan
How It Compares to Webex
- Google Meet offers up to 5TB of cloud storage on its Workspace plans, versus 10GB with Webex.
- Webex stores your recordings for one year, whereas Google Meet lets you set a custom time frame, up to 36,500 days.
- During a Google Meet, you can see 49 videos on the screen, while Webex only shows 25.
- Both services support 100 breakout rooms. Webex includes this feature with its free plan, but Google doesn’t.
If you frequently use breakout sessions during your video conferences, all Webex alternatives offer them. However, only Google Meet supports 100 rooms like Webex. BlueJeans comes close at 75, but you’ll pay a higher monthly fee. In comparison, Google Meet plans start as low as $6 per user, per month for the Business Starter version.
Eligible nonprofits can get popular features like breakout rooms, polling, and dial-in numbers for free when using Google Workspace for nonprofits. Likewise, other nonprofit plans cost about half of the business versions. Microsoft also reduces the cost of business plans for nonprofits but only offers 50 breakout rooms.
On November 16, 2021, Google began rolling out capacity increases for Google Workspace Business Plus and Enterprise users. Once rolled out, these plans will support up to 500 participants per meeting, doubling the previous capacity. However, Google Meet lacks a persistent team chat function. Instead, messaging only works when you’re in a meeting, and you can’t save the transcripts. Microsoft Teams is a good alternative for ongoing chats in and outside of video meetings.
Paid Google Meet plans come with dial-in numbers for 69 countries, which is more than offered by Webex (56) or BlueJeans (47), but fewer than RingCentral (79) and Zoom (over 90). It also integrates with Google products and Microsoft calendars but lacks the in-depth connections supplied by Zoom or Microsoft Teams.
Google Meet Pricing at a Glance*
- Google Meet: Free for one-hour conferences with 100 participants, 15GB cloud storage, live closed captions, screen sharing, and adjustable meeting layouts
- Google Workspace Individual: $7.99 per user, per month for solopreneurs for 24-hour meetings with 100 attendees, intelligent noise cancellation, dial-in numbers, breakout rooms, 15GB storage, and polls, and includes Google Meet, Calendar, and Gmail
- Business Starter: $6 per user, per month for 24-hour meetings, 30GB storage, Gmail business email, productivity suite (calendar, chat, docs, sheets, and slides,) dial-in numbers, and whiteboarding
- Business Standard: $12 per user, per month for 150 participants, 2TB storage, polling and Q&A, noise cancellation, and breakout rooms
- Business Plus: $18 per user, per month for 250 participants, attendance tracking, Gmail, productivity suite, advanced endpoint management tools
- Enterprise: Contact sales for custom plans with enterprise-grade endpoint management, in-domain live streaming, and unlimited storage
*As of January 2022, Google Workspace Individual increases to $9.99 per month. Business Plus users’ meeting capacity will increase to 500 once Google finishes rolling out the updated limits.
Google Meet Features
Google Meet’s clean interface looks great compared to its competitors and allows for extensive fine-tuning.
(Source: Google Meet)
- Breakout rooms: Create smaller sessions before your meeting from your Google Calendar event or during it using the Activities menu icon. Assign people to rooms or switch them to a new one from either location. Individuals who dial into meetings can join breakout sessions, and all participants can request moderator assistance.
- Usability: Like Zoom, Google Meet is rated highly for ease of use. The interface is intuitive and streamlined, with minimal icons on display. It also works across four browsers, including Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Safari, and provides apps for Android or Apple iOS devices. Windows, macOS, Chrome OS, and Linux users can download the Google Meet Progressive Web App (PWA), which puts the Google Meet icon in the app doc of your Chrome browser.
- Large event capacity: Microsoft Teams provides the largest event capacity without restrictions about the minimum number of users, like Zoom. You can connect with up to 10,000 people during a Microsoft Teams meeting, whereas Webex caps out at 500.
How We Evaluated the Best Webex Alternatives
We compared the best Webex alternatives by looking at pricing, free trials, and overall value. In addition, we examined the general and advanced features found on free and paid plans and compared them to those offered by Webex.
BlueJeans scored 4.38 out of 5, making it the best Webex alternative. Although it doesn’t offer a free version, the base plan costs less than Webex Meet and lets you host a meeting for an unlimited length of time. Other tiers more than double the cloud storage limits imposed by Webex and provide advanced conference insights with dashboards that track more than 70 metrics. Explore BlueJeans by signing up for a 14-day free trial.
Here’s a breakdown of how we measured each provider:
25% of Overall Score
We examined subscriptions plans from each Webex alternative and rated them according to price. We scored software offering a free version, free trial, or cheaper annual pricing higher than providers that don’t.
25% of Overall Score
We looked at the video recording storage capacity at each plan tier and the availability of desktop apps for Windows, Mac, and Linux devices. We assessed video and audio quality while reviewing security measures like encryption in-transit and at-rest.
30% of Overall Score
We considered Webex replacements based on meeting capacity on free and paid plans and the number of supported breakout rooms. We checked out mobile apps for Android and iOS devices and verified that all solutions supported file and document sharing.
20% of Overall Score
We determined our expert score by using various features and rating them on ease of use. Plus, we identified standout features and calculated the overall value for the price. Lastly, we considered each platform’s popularity among current and former users.
Bottom Line
The best Webex alternatives enable seamless virtual meetings with clear audio and video while allowing participants to chat and share screens. The best solution for your company depends on your budget and required features. Many Webex replacements offer free trials, and some even offer free versions, making it easy to check out the apps and make sure it supports your business objectives.
BlueJeans is an excellent Webex alternative because it offers unlimited meetings without time constraints and four affordable service plans. Mobile and desktop applications, along with multi-browser support and dial-in numbers, provide flexibility, so your team and external collaborators can join using their preferred devices. Learn how BlueJeans could improve your virtual meetings by signing up for a 14-day free trial.