Zoom became the default for video calls, but its free plan caps group meetings at 40 minutes, and paid licensing is per host - so costs climb with every person who needs to schedule. Webinars, large meetings, and cloud recording are paid add-ons on top of the base license, and Zoom's earlier security stumbles left some teams wary. For many use cases you do not need a dedicated meetings product at all: if you already pay for Google Workspace or Microsoft 365, video is included. The alternatives below split into bundled-with-your-suite, browser-based simplicity, and open-source self-hosting for teams that want to keep calls on their own infrastructure.
Who should switch from Zoom
- You hit the 40-minute cap on free Zoom calls - Google Meet and Microsoft Teams offer longer free meetings, especially if you already use their suite.
- You pay per host for licenses most people rarely use - suite-bundled video removes that separate per-host bill entirely.
- You need calls on your own servers for privacy or compliance - Jitsi is open source and fully self-hostable.
Zoom alternatives compared
| Tool | Best for | Free plan | Starting price | Open source | Key differentiator |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Google Meet | Workspace-based teams | Yes | Free | No | Browser-based meetings included with Google Workspace - no app, no per-host license. |
| Microsoft Teams | Microsoft 365 shops | Yes | Free | No | Meetings plus chat and Office, bundled into Microsoft 365 you may already pay for. |
| Webex | Enterprise compliance needs | Yes | Free | No | Enterprise-grade security, encryption, and admin controls from Cisco. |
| Whereby | No-download quick calls | Yes | Free | No | Persistent meeting room links that open in the browser with nothing to install. |
| Jitsi Meet | Self-hosted video calls | Yes | Free | Yes | Fully open-source video conferencing you can run on your own server. |
Zoom licenses by host, so costs grow with the number of people who schedule meetings. Jitsi is open source and self-hostable - a single server (from roughly $5-20/month depending on load) can serve a whole team with no per-host fees, in exchange for managing the infrastructure yourself.
Google Meet — Best Zoom Alternative for Google Workspace Users
Google Meet runs in the browser and is built into Workspace, so meetings start from Calendar and Gmail with no downloads. For teams already on Google, it removes the need for a separate meetings subscription.
Pricing: Free tier for personal use; included with Google Workspace plans, so there is no extra per-host cost.
Best for: Teams and schools standardized on Google Workspace.
The catch: Advanced webinar and large-event features are weaker than Zoom's dedicated offerings.
Microsoft Teams — Best Zoom Alternative for Microsoft 365 Organizations
Teams combines video meetings with chat and Office files, so calls, documents, and conversations live together. If your organization already has Microsoft 365, the meetings come at no additional charge.
Pricing: Free standalone tier; included with Microsoft 365 business plans from around $4/user/month.
Best for: Enterprises and SMBs already invested in Microsoft 365.
The catch: It is heavier than a dedicated meetings tool and best inside the Microsoft ecosystem.
Webex — Best Zoom Alternative for Enterprise Security and Compliance
Webex targets enterprises with strong encryption, granular admin policies, and compliance certifications. For regulated industries that need rigorous controls around meetings, it is purpose-built.
Pricing: Free tier available; paid business plans are priced for enterprise deployments.
Best for: Large or regulated organizations that prioritize security and administrative control.
The catch: The experience is more corporate and less consumer-friendly than Zoom.
Whereby — Best Zoom Alternative for Browser-Based Simplicity
Whereby gives each user a permanent room URL that guests join in the browser, no account or download required. It is the lowest-friction way to meet with clients and outside collaborators.
Pricing: Free tier for small rooms; paid plans add larger meetings and an embeddable API.
Best for: Freelancers, consultants, and small teams who meet often with external guests.
The catch: It lacks the large-scale webinar and enterprise admin features of Zoom or Webex.
Jitsi Meet — Best Zoom Alternative for Open-Source, Self-Hosted Video
Jitsi Meet is open source and self-hostable, so you can run secure video on infrastructure you control with no per-host fees. There is also a free public instance for quick, account-free calls.
Pricing: Free and open source. Self-hosting costs only the server it runs on.
Best for: Privacy-focused teams and developers who want to own their video stack.
The catch: Self-hosting at scale takes real ops work, and polish trails commercial tools.
How to choose your Zoom alternative
- Do you already pay for Google Workspace or Microsoft 365? If so, video is already included - start there before buying Zoom.
- Is your need internal meetings, external client calls, or large webinars? That points to Teams/Meet, Whereby, or a dedicated webinar tool respectively.
- Do you need to control where call data lives? If yes, self-hosted Jitsi is the clear choice.
Frequently asked questions
Google Meet and Microsoft Teams both offer capable free tiers, and they are essentially free if you already use their suites. Jitsi is fully free and open source, and Whereby is great for quick browser-based calls.
Yes. Self-hosted Jitsi has no built-in time limit, and Google Meet and Teams offer longer meetings than Zoom's 40-minute free cap, especially on paid suite plans.
Jitsi Meet is open source and can be self-hosted on your own server, giving you control over data and no per-host licensing - ideal for privacy-conscious or regulated teams.
Zoom licenses per host, so every person who schedules meetings needs a paid seat, and features like webinars and large meetings are paid add-ons. Suite-bundled options (Meet, Teams) avoid that separate cost.
Yes - meeting links are per-platform, so you simply send new invites. Calendar integrations in Meet and Teams make scheduling automatic, and recordings stay in your old account until you export them.
About Zoom
Reliable video meetings at scale