Web conferencing has been on the rise especially for people who wish to embrace social distancing due to unavoidable circumstances. The good thing about web conferencing programs is that they can be used by employees who are working from home as well as students who are studying from home. These programs have both audio and video conferencing features.
As a presenter, you can use these programs during training sessions, HD video meetings, toll-free calling or webinars either recorded or live. Web conferencing programs also offer free screen sharing for convenience and you can set up virtual conference rooms for your audience to join and collaborate.
Some of the top 7 free web conferencing programs with screen sharing are:
1. Zoom
It was founded in 2011 and since then, it has become one of the most sought-after web conferencing solutions which focuses on instant sharing, clear audio and flawless video quality. Once you access this program you can have the options of either hosting a meeting or joining a meeting with screen sharing or video functions. This program also includes virtual whiteboard, group and private chat, application-specific sharing, personal meeting ID and MP4 recordings of meetings.
Pros
- It has the capability of hosting video conferences where you can engage a maximum of 100 participants.
- It is an open API-based and cloud-hosted program which supports Android, Apple or web. Thus, if you have any of these devices you can easily use this program for any of your web conferences.
- When conducting one to one meetings, you will not be limited to a specific time duration.
- You are not limited to the number of meetings that you can hold.
- User-friendly interface.
Cons
- Some of the useful features are usually hidden in the paid version.
- The free service limits all calls to 40 minutes.
- It does not allow you to mute calls in case they have background noise.
- It does not have a control setting on the people who can and cannot make notes on the screen.
2. Join.Me
Join.Me is one of the best web conference programs that even beginners can use. It was designed and powered by a wonderful team which is behind the LogMeIn suite. Its one-click feature appears to be one of the motivating tools that have made many people who work at home use it as it extends beyond basic office communications.
In this case, it integrates Google calendar and Outlook so that you can easily send and monitor all your invitations. If you are a businessperson then you will be at a better position in extending your web conference chats to prospects, clients or full-time customers.
Pros
- It has a feature which allows you to create a permanent web meeting location so that you can save the address and continue staying in touch with your meeting participants.
- It has an online whiteboard feature that offers an extra level of presentation, screen sharing and collaboration.
Cons
- You are limited to 10 video calls even when you are using the highest paid plan.
- Although more than 10 people are allowed to attend the meeting, only 10 are allowed to appear on camera.
- It may hang sometimes, especially when you wish to engage many people in your web conference.
3. GoToMeeting
It’s one the popular web meeting solutions which has screen sharing capabilities. Through this program, you can perform any type of online conference regardless of where you are. You can either use a free plan or the paid one.
The good thing is that even when you are using the free plan, this program will offer you the easiest method of hosting all your web conference calls. You can easily customise it so that any person in your organisation or team can join directly from the organisation or company page.
Pros
- In case you are a beginner, you should not worry as this program has a one-click meeting solution for you to easily configure.
- You can start your meeting easily using email, chat links and Microsoft office programs.
- There are various email templates which are generated automatically and you can use them in sending attendance invitations to your co-workers.
- If you are looking for a program that you can use for web conferencing with a small group, you can consider using GoToMeeting.
Cons
- GoToMeeting limits the chat function such that you will only chat within a meeting. Thus, you will not be allowed to create any chat rooms to assist your teams in collaborating before starting your meeting.
- Limited to only 3 call participants in any web conference, therefore if you are dealing with large enterprises then it can be challenging.
4. TeamViewer
Founded in 2005, the current version is 14.2 and is now supported by all operating systems. It has the capability of recording audio, video, transferring files, taking screenshots, running remote scripts and using a VPN for more secure links.
Pros
- It’s supported on iOS, Android, Chrome OS, Linux, Mac and Windows.
- You can access the QuickJoin add-on so that you and your audience can easily and quickly join presentations and meetings even if you do not have administrator rights.
- There is a two-factor authentication in case you wish to lock your solutions and make them secure.
- Teamviewer does not have a limit for the file size that you can transfer.
Cons
- Although this program is compatible with many devices, these features do not have standard packages.
- Teamviewer only allows 3 concurrent sessions. Thus, if you need more sessions, you may be required to spend more money.
5. Google Hangouts
Hangouts is a communication tool which was developed by Google to assist users in initiating and engaging in online communication through video chats, voice and text. This platform has been integrated into Gmail and Google+.
With Google Hangouts, you can video call up to 10 people and even decide the users you wish to include in your list by using the search function. Some of the other features offered in this platform are screen sharing, custom administrative control, intelligent muting, auto screen focus, and it also is supported by many computing devices.
Pros
- You can attach photos or embed an emoji as you chat.
- Hangouts users can send and receive messages instantly, host VoIP calls and video chat.
- The app can detect automatically and display the picture of the person whom you are talking with.
- When using them in your company’s work, employees can feel comfortable sharing any information as they will be assured secure protection of the information.
- Since it’s a Google product, it can easily integrate with any of your business applications and systems.
Cons
- You can only host 10 participants during a group video chat.
6. Skype
This is a web-based communication solution which offers international calls, video chats and text messaging. Users must download Skype, create a username and add each other before they can start the conference. This program offers image sharing, group video conferencing, instant messaging, screen sharing, forwarding calls, sending contacts, file transfer, calls to landlines and more.
Pros
- Although you will be charged when making calls from Skype to mobile phones and landlines, the rates are minimal.
- You can host video and audio conferences of up to 25 participants.
- Skype supports many platforms such as Android, iOS and Windows.
- Good image quality and sound.
Cons
- It offers outbound SMS only, thus you can only send a message but you cannot receive any.
- Due to its popularity, many attackers and hackers are targeting it to steal personal information like passwords.
- Although you can use a free account, you cannot access many of the interactive features without paying for them.
- If parents fail to monitor children, they may be exposed to cyberbullying when chatting online.
7. Cisco Webex meetings
It was developed and hosted by Cisco. It’s one of the web conferencing programs which will not require you to download and install before using. All you have to do is to open your browser and start joining a meeting with a maximum of 1000 participants.
Pros
- 25 simultaneous video feeds.
- Minimal video and voice lag which can enhance group brainstorming and collaboration.
- You will not be required to download and install anything to use.
- It’s compatible with VolP services from the outside.
- It allows screen sharing and you can integrate this platform with Cisco Spark.
- It’s one of the best platforms that you can use for educational sessions and large product launches.
Cons
- The free version limits you to only three participants.
- Only one presenter is allowed in one license.
- To access the Call Me facility, you will incur an additional cost.
