Best Video Conferencing Software in 2025
Zoom is the default but not always the right choice. Here's when to use Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, or a dedicated business phone system instead.
The video conferencing decision in 2025
Zoom's brand dominance is so complete that "Zoom call" has become a generic verb for video meetings. But whether Zoom is actually the best choice for your organisation depends on what software you're already using, how large your meetings typically are, and whether you need video conferencing standalone or as part of a broader communications platform.
Zoom — The default for external meetings
Starting price: Free (40-minute limit on 3+ person calls); Pro from $15.99/user/month
Zoom remains the standard for external meetings — with clients, candidates, partners, and vendors — because it's the platform people know and can access without installing anything. The quality, reliability, and ease of use are excellent.
For internal meetings, the calculus changes. If your team uses Google Workspace or Microsoft 365, the built-in video options (Google Meet and Teams) often make more sense than paying for Zoom on top.
Zoom AI Companion automatically generates meeting summaries and action items, which is genuinely useful for reducing the need for manual note-taking.
Best for: Businesses that primarily need video for external meetings. Teams not standardised on Google or Microsoft.
Google Meet — Best for Google Workspace teams
Included with: Google Workspace (from $6/user/month)
Google Meet is good enough for most meeting needs and is completely free for Google Workspace subscribers. If your team is already using Gmail, Calendar, and Drive, Meet integrations are seamless — meetings appear on your calendar, recordings go to Drive, and joining is a single click from a Calendar invite.
For internal collaboration and regular team meetings, the convenience of Meet within the Google ecosystem often outweighs Zoom's slightly better features.
Best for: Organisations already using Google Workspace for email and productivity.
Microsoft Teams — Best for Microsoft 365 teams
Included with: Microsoft 365 Business (from $6/user/month)
Teams combines video conferencing with team messaging, file collaboration, and telephony. For Microsoft 365 organisations, Teams is included in the subscription and deeply integrated with Word, Excel, PowerPoint, SharePoint, and Outlook.
The challenge with Teams is UX complexity — it does a lot, and getting the right configuration for your organisation takes effort. But for teams heavily invested in the Microsoft ecosystem, it's the natural communication hub.
Best for: Organisations standardised on Microsoft 365.
GoTo Connect and RingCentral — Best when you need calling too
If your need extends beyond video meetings to include business phone lines, call routing, IVR, and call recording, dedicated UCaaS platforms like GoTo Connect and RingCentral are worth evaluating. They include video conferencing alongside full business phone functionality, which can simplify your vendor landscape and reduce cost compared to having separate video and phone solutions.
Best for: Businesses replacing a traditional phone system who want video, calling, and messaging in one platform.
How to choose
Mostly external meetings: Zoom.
Google Workspace team: Google Meet. Don't pay separately for Zoom unless you need it.
Microsoft 365 team: Teams.
Need full business phone plus video: GoTo Connect or RingCentral.