Best Video Conferencing Software 2021

Webex Competitors & Alternatives

Are you considering Webex for your company’s video conferencing platform? Before choosing a software, it’s important to learn about other video conferencing software platforms for small businesses.

The top six Webex alternatives are listed below, along with valuable insights about their features, pricing, and usability.

The information in this article is based on our research, interviews with customers of the platforms, and dozens of hours hand-testing each platform. The details of our review process can be found in this description of our research methodology.

Webex is a powerful, mid-tier video conferencing software with a useful free plan. Freelancers and small businesses will appreciate how user-friendly the tool is, and those who want combined video and calling plans will find the best choices with Webex.


Webex has all the features required for businesses to utilize video conferencing software, including screen sharing, video recording, and chat. Because of the wide range of features and low monthly cost, this software provides a fantastic value for small corporations.

There are six video conferencing tools we believe are worth consideration before you choose Webex. They differentiate based on participant limits, webinar features, and additional capabilities. It’s important to understand who each solution was built for as that will dictate how well each tool will mesh with your business.

For example, though Webex is more advanced than some competitors, it isn’t best for all small businesses. Google Meet is cost-effective and more user-friendly, so it may be more beneficial.

Here’s a breakdown of our review criteria. We rate each software tool based on their features, usability, pricing, and customer support availability. Here’s how Webex’s competitors rank in each category.

Software CompanyAnalyst RatingFeaturesUsabilityPricingCustomer Support
Webex889989
Zoom9210989
BlueJeans8798810
GoToMeeting869988
Google Meet89810108
Microsoft Teams9110898
Skype8797108

Throughout this article, we’ll provide a comprehensive overview of Webex and list the most popular competitors and alternatives for you to consider. For a more in-depth description of the platform and features, read the full Webex review.

Table of Contents

Webex’s Top Features

Webex has powerful video conferencing features, webinar capabilities, and combined video and voice calling plans. The variety of plans make it easy for companies to find a cost-effective software that fits their needs.

Webex FeatureDescription
Meeting Time LimitThe free version of Webex is a bit restrictive compared with competitors, with only 50 minutes allowed. The paid plan has much more flexibility with 24-hour meetings.
Unlimited MeetingsWebex’s free plan allows for unlimited group and one-on-one meetings, which is a massive benefit for businesses.
100-200 Participant LimitThe free plan allows 100 participants to be on a call at once. The paid video plan allows for 200 participants, which is likely more than enough for most small businesses.
Screen SharingWith Webex, hosts or participants can share one tab, an entire window, or their whole screen with the group.
WebinarsWebex, like many other video conferencing platforms, includes webinar features. This is helpful for businesses that would like to host larger-scale events.
Meeting and Call PlansWebex has a more robust calling plan available than most alternatives, save for Skype, offer.
Real-Time Translation Add-OnWebex has a real-time translation add-on for more than 100 languages. As people speak, what they are saying is translated in real time and captions will appear.

Webex Competitor Overview: Features

The chart below displays the main features found in video conferencing platforms and shows which solution offers what. You’ll want to pay close attention to meeting durations and participant limits, as those are specific to each organization’s personal requirements.

Webex feature comparison chart vs. competitors

Webex Competitor Overview: Pricing

Webex has a free plan, which not every competitor offers. Other than that, the paid plans range from $15 per month to $25 per month.

The table below displays the pricing for just video conferencing features. Add-on features and separate webinar pricing are not included here, and will come at an additional monthly or yearly price on top of these rates.

Video Conferencing SoftwarePricing
Zoom
  • Free Plan: Free
  • Pro: $149.90 per license per year
  • Business: $199.90 per license per year
  • Enterprise: $240 per license per year
BlueJeans
  • Standard: $12.49 per host per month
  • Pro: $17.49 per host per month
  • Enterprise: $19.99 per host per month
GoToMeeting
  • Professional: $14 per organizer per month
  • Business: $19 per organizer per month
  • Enterprise: Custom pricing
Google Meet
  • Standalone App: Free
  • Google Workspace: Starts at $8 per user per month
Microsoft Teams
  • Standalone App: Free
  • Microsoft 365 Business Basic: $5 per user per month
  • Microsoft 365 Business Standard: $12.50 per user per month
Skype
  • Standalone Product: Free
  • United States Calling Subscription: $2.99 per month
  • India Calling Subscription: $7.99 per month
  • North America Calling Subscription: $6.99 per month

Top Webex Competitors

Webex is fairly similar to other well-established platforms like Zoom and BlueJeans. It’s more nuanced than Google Meet and Microsoft Teams, but is less user-friendly and therefore better suited to larger businesses.

The top Webex competitors are:

  • Zoom
  • BlueJeans
  • GoToMeeting
  • Google Meet
  • Microsoft Teams
  • Skype

1: Zoom

Zoom is more advanced than Webex, with plans that allow hundreds more participants and thousands more webinar attendees. Zoom is uniquely powerful, but Webex may be better for small businesses who prefer a slightly more user-friendly option. For a more flexible month-to-month option, opt for Webex.

You'll prefer Webex if:

  • You’d like to make use of a combined video and call plan
  • You want a free plan with 50-minute calls and 100 participants
  • You want a more user-friendly platform
You'll prefer Zoom if:

  • You don’t mind a 40-minute meeting limit on the free plan
  • You have a higher budget for your software
  • You need much higher participant limits than Webex offers


2: BlueJeans

BlueJeans is similar to Webex, though it does not offer a free plan. Because of this, many businesses will likely prefer to choose Webex. BlueJeans does include helpful integrations with Slack and Microsoft Teams, among others.

You'll prefer Webex if:

  • You want to use a free video conferencing plan
  • You won’t be hindered by 50-minute time limits
  • You want a more popular software
You'll prefer BlueJeans if:

  • You don’t need to utilize a free plan
  • You want flexible licensing and plan options
  • You want integrations with Slack and Microsoft Teams


3: GoToMeeting

GoToMeeting also does not offer a free plan, so those who want a free tool should opt for Webex instead. GoToMeeting does offer value to businesses because it has integrations with tools like Salesforce, and pricing is manageable at between $14 and $19 per organizer per month. The two are fairly comparable in terms of plans and pricing.

You'll prefer Webex if:

  • You want to use a free plan
  • You have a slightly higher budget for your software
  • You’re interested in combined video and calling plans
You'll prefer GoToMeeting if:

  • You want more powerful webinars
  • You don’t need a free plan for your video conferencing software
  • You want more available customer support


4: Google Meet

Google Meet is a more basic platform than Webex, but it’s entirely browser-based and is highly useful if your business already uses Gmail or Google Workspace. Webex is more advanced than Google Meet and offers webinars, which Google Meet doesn’t. Pick Webex for a slightly more sophisticated option.

You'll prefer Webex if:

  • You want to use webinars for your business
  • You have a higher budget for your video conferencing software
  • You want more sophisticated calling options
You'll prefer Google Meet if:

  • You want to conduct hour-long meetings for free
  • You already use Google Workspace or utilize Gmail for your business
  • You do not have any use for webinars


5: Microsoft Teams

Microsoft Teams is similar to Google Meet in that it’s very user-friendly and fits in with a suite of tools, which is Office365. If you already use Microsoft products, Microsoft Teams is the most logical choice of video conferencing tools.

The Microsoft Teams free plan is more valuable than the Webex free plan, because meetings are capped at 60 minutes rather than Webex’s 40 minutes.

You'll prefer Webex if:

  • You don’t mind 50-minute meetings on the free plan
  • You have a slightly higher budget for video conferencing software
  • You want more advanced webinar functionality
You'll prefer Microsoft Teams if:

  • You already use other Office365 tools for your business
  • You want 60-minute meetings on the free plan
  • You don’t need more than 1,000 participants on webinars


6: Skype

Skype is similar to Webex in that it combines a powerful free video calling plan with voice call plans. Skype is better for international and landline calling, or if you’re on the hunt for a personal communication platform.

You'll prefer Webex if:

  • You need a video conferencing tool for your business
  • You don’t mind 50-minute meetings on the free plan
  • You want to host webinars for your business
You'll prefer Skype if:

  • You want high-quality international calls
  • You’re interested in free four-hour video calls
  • You will mostly use Skype for personal communication


Bottom Line

Webex is a reliable choice for many small businesses. However, because the free plan caps meetings at 50 minutes, it may not be the best option for everyone.

Here’s a quick recap of who we recommend each video conferencing software for:

  • If you’d like the most power and functionality available, check out Zoom
  • If you’d like a mid-tier video conferencing platform with a webinar add-on, consider using BlueJeans
  • If you’re interested in bundling your video conferencing platform with webinar or phone software, consider GoToMeeting
  • If you’re looking for a user-friendly software or already use Google Workspace, look into Google Meet
  • If you want a high-power platform for a relatively low monthly cost or already use Office365, check out Microsoft Teams
  • If you want the highest-quality international and landline calling plan, consider Skype
Katelyn Anderson

Katelyn is a Junior Research Analyst at SoftwarePundit, where she conducts in-depth analyses of technology markets & products and writes software-related content. She graduated summa cum laude with degrees in English and Psychology. Her main areas of interest are content creation, user experience, and search engine optimization. You can connect with Katelyn on LinkedIn.

Katelyn is an expert in several software categories including:

  • Accounting software
  • Integration software
  • Live chat software
  • Vacation rental software
  • Video conferencing software

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