Host free HD video calls with advanced features to ensure high-quality online meetings anytime, anywhere.
You’re hosting online meetings, probably every day. Whether you’re working in a remote work or hybrid work environment, most meetings now happen online.
To communicate and collaborate with your team, you need an online platform with high-quality video capabilities that keep everyone connected. The good news is, if you’re just starting out, there are a few free conference calling services that are still feature-rich, secure, and reliable.
Even free conference call services come with a wide range of features and functionalities.
The best free conference call services will offer:
Keep in mind that in exchange for these calling features being free, providers often restrict the number of users in a conference and have a time limit on how long you can use the conferencing room as well. There may also be restrictions on bandwidth and dial-in options.
Some services work better than others for different teams. So it’s worth trying several options until your team comes together around one they all like.
Most free conference calling solutions are made available by companies that also offer paid plans. Free tiers are a great starting point and will give you access to basic features like those mentioned above.
But, if you’re looking to upgrade, these are just some of the advanced collaboration and communication features:
It’s easy to set up a conference call. Some call providers will require you to download and install a mobile or desktop app to host your conference. Your participants may have to do this as well, depending on whether they’re dialing in with audio or video, and which conferencing service you choose.
With RingCentral, you don’t need to download any software, though you could use the RingCentral app. Meeting guests can join from anywhere on any device using a supported web browser such as Google Chrome or Firefox.
Here’s how set-up generally works:
The best free conference call services always depend on the unique needs of your team. If video conferences are an important part of your day-to-day work, you should look for a solution that provides high-quality video meetings without interruptions or jitter. If you regularly have voice calls with customers or prospects, you may also want HD audio conference calls.
Make sure to check the reviews of any conference calling service before deciding to use it, for example, on software review sites like G2 or Gartner.
Distributed remote teams might have meeting participants call in from different countries. If this is the case, there may be some extra steps involved to ensure no one winds up getting charged extra on their mobile bill for calling an international number.
For audio conferencing calls, you’ll want to have a toll-free phone number instead of a local number for international dial-ins. Your conferencing service might also offer special local access numbers in each team member’s country of residence, which they can dial into to join a single meeting.
If you’re hosting a video conference, access for international users might not be any different than it is for local users. Anyone in the world should be able to join a video conference via the same access link, particularly if they’re using a PC or laptop rather than mobile devices.
Not all free conference call service providers are created equal. You have to consider what you and your team need out of the platform, both now and in the future. This—along with your budget, of course—will help determine which solution you go with.
Here are some key factors to consider: