Video calling is a viable option for business and personal use, but the inconvenience of video conferencing often deters people from opting for it in favor of cheaper alternatives such as phone calls or instant messaging. Technology has made it possible, allowing you to make group video calls with relative ease. This blog post will discuss ways to work out which applications are right for your needs, and the best kind of large group video calling that each application allows.
Table of Contents
Best Apps For Large Group Video Calls
- Zoom Meeting
Best all-around video chat and conferencing app
SPECIFICATIONS
Works with: iOS, Android, Windows, Mac, WebMaximum free users: Time limit for 3 or more
TODAY’S BEST DEALS
GET ZOOM
REASONS TO BUY
+Good for friends and colleagues alike
+Comprehensive feature set
+Works on all platforms
REASONS TO AVOID
-Free tier imposes time limits for 3 or more people
The pandemic proved to be a big deal for Zoom, since it became the de facto video chat app for a lot of people and businesses — and with good reason. Zoom’s extensive feature set and extensive platform support has made it a popular choice across the world. Whether you’re on desktop, mobile, or prefer a web client, Zoom offers something for you.
Screen sharing, encryption, and live annotations all come a standard with Zoom, regardless of whether you pay or not. But while a simple one-on-one chat doesn’t have any restrictions, having more than three people in a meeting restricts free users to a 40-minute time limit. If you want un restricted access for up to 100 people, you’ll need to pay $15 a month for the Pro tier, while the pricier Business tier raises that cap even higher.
Zoom suffered from a number of high-profile security issues in the early days of the pandemic, but things have since changed for the better. Calls are protected by end-to-end encryption, there are new privacy-focussed notifications, and an updated privacy policy makes it clear who can save and share meetings recordings. You can read more about the app’s ongoing issues, and measures that have been taken to rectify them, on our Zoom security issues page
Skype video call on laptop
(Image credit: Skype)
- Skype
Best easy-to-use multiplatform video chat
SPECIFICATIONS
Works with: iOS, Android, Windows, Mac, Web, XboxMaximum free users: 50
TODAY’S BEST DEALS
GET SKYPE
REASONS TO BUY
+Max 50 people allowed on video call
+Supports international call and text
+Available on all platforms
REASONS TO AVOID
-Business tier costs money
Skype has been in the video chat business for a very long time, and still offers a robust set of features for up to 50 people at a time. It also costs absolutely nothing to use, and is available on just about every device you might need to use.
What’s more Skype is well known for being able to connect to landlines and basic cell phones, and supports both international calling and texting. You do have to pay for this, but it’s especially useful for keeping in touch with friends and family several countries away.
Skype offers a lot of common features too, including screen sharing, live transcription, and in some cases real-time translation of in-chat audio.
google duo call on tablet
(Image credit: Google)
- Google Duo
Best video chat for Android users
SPECIFICATIONS
Works with: iOS, Android, Windows and Mac via webMaximum free users: 32
TODAY’S BEST DEALS
GET GOOGLE DUO
REASONS TO BUY
+Preinstalled on most new Android phones
+Easy and fun to use
+Completely free
REASONS TO AVOID
-32 person limit is smaller than most
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While Apple has had Facetime for years, Google’s Android operating system lacked its own native equivalent. Instead people had to rely on third party apps that were downloaded from the Play Store, and hope their friends were willing to sign up as well.
Thankfully Duo came along to address that problem, with a video chat app that is remarkably easy to use and accessible within Android’s native phone app. What’s more, Duo supports a lot of fun features, including the ability to record and send video messages that let you connect with friends and family — even if they’re not available at that exact moment.
Duo is even available on iOS, so you can keep in touch with your iPhone-toting friends without having to buy an Apple device for Facetime access. And it even has the same 32 person limit as Facetime, so they don’t have much of an excuse to stay away.
Discord video chatting
(Image credit: Discord)
- Discord
Best video chat for gamers
SPECIFICATIONS
Works with: iOS, Android, Windows, Mac, WebMaximum free users: 25 on video call; 50 while streaming
TODAY’S BEST DEALS
GET DISCORD
REASONS TO BUY
+Great for gaming
+Robust PC and mobile apps
REASONS TO AVOID
-Lacks more work-friendly features
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Gamers already know Discord as a great resource for connecting with their friends over text, but did you know Discord supports video chat, too? Additionally, because it allows for streaming in the app itself, it’s a great way to play some games with friends, by streaming one user’s screen content to the rest of the group.
In fact, the Tom’s Guide staff did exactly that multiple times during the COVID lockdowns, with one user sharing Quiplash from their PC’s display to the rest of us playing along by phone. Thankfully, Discord has even gone so far as to raise its Go Live built-in streaming service from a maximum of 10 people to 50 people temporarily.
If you upgrade to Nitro, which costs $10 per month, you can raise the streaming quality to 1080p/60 fps, up from a max of 720p/30 fps for the free tier.
facetime calls on videos
(Image credit: Vincenzo Pinto/Getty Images)
- FaceTime
Best video chat app for iPhone users
SPECIFICATIONS
Works with: iOS, MacMaxmium free users: 32
TODAY’S BEST DEALS
GET FACETIME
REASONS TO BUY
+Supports up to 32 people on a video call
+Built into every iPhone, iPad and Mac
+FaceTime Audio makes voice calls easy, too
+SharePlay lets you watch or listen to streamed content with other callers
REASONS TO AVOID
-Android and Windows will only get limited access va a web browser
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It’s no surprise that FaceTime should appear on this list of the best video chat apps. Apple’s software wasn’t the first in video chatting, but it was the one that started it all for mobile users, and led the industry toward making video chat easier and more accessible.
Today, FaceTime is preinstalled on all Apple hardware and supports a number of really fun and useful features, from cute Animojis, Memojis and stickers to allowing up to 32 people on a single call. And because FaceTime also has a voice call component — FaceTime Audio — you can easily route calls over data or Wi-Fi whenever you like, where your conversations will sound infinitely better than they do over your cellular provider’s voice network.
The only downside to FaceTime is of course that you’ll only get the full experience on Apple hardware, including iPhones and Macs. Android and Windows users can join in calls from a web browser, but they can’t actually host them. Still it’s better than being completely locked out, as was the case before.
facebook messenger video calls
(Image credit: Facebook)
- Facebook Messenger
Best cross-platform FaceTime alternative
SPECIFICATIONS
Works with: iOS, Android, Windows and Mac via webMaximum free users: 50
TODAY’S BEST DEALS
GET FACEBOOK MESSENGER
REASONS TO BUY
+Accessible with every Facebook account
+Available on web and phone
+Max 50 people allowed on video call
REASONS TO AVOID
-Lacks more work-friendly features
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The beauty of using Facebook Messenger for video chat is that you’re probably already signed up to use it. As long as you have a Facebook account and the Facebook Messenger mobile or web app, you can start video chatting with your Facebook friends right now. Even if you had a Facebook account at one time and have since deactivated it, you can still use Messenger.
Just tap the little video camera icon in the upper-right corner of the screen, and you can start a call with an individual or chat group. And just like Skype, up to 50 people can be present on a Facebook Messenger video call at the same time — a good sight greater than the maximum 32 video chatters supported by Apple’s FaceTime and Google Duo.
Plus, even while you video chat, you can still use Facebook Messenger’s myriad other functions, like sending chat messages, stickers and so on.
Whatsapp video calling
(Image credit: WhatsApp)
- WhatsApp
Another cross-platform video calling solution
SPECIFICATIONS
Works with: iOS, AndroidMaximum free users: 50
TODAY’S BEST DEALS
GET WHATSAPP
REASONS TO BUY
+End-to-end encrypted
+50-person group calls
REASONS TO AVOID
-Desktop calls require an active phone connection
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WhatsApp is one of the most popular messaging alternatives on smartphones today, both because you can join with only a phone number and because many of your friends and family are probably already using it.
Up until recently, WhatsApp’s video calling feature wasn’t the most robust out there. But that changed once the max participant limit was raised to 50, thanks to an integration with Facebook Messenger’s new Rooms feature.
WhatsApp video calls are also end-to-end encrypted, just like chat messages. In other words, you’ll never have to worry about any of your conversations being intercepted by nefarious interlopers.
Previously video calling was also only available on mobile devices, but recently that changed. It is possible to make and receive video calls through WhatsApp’s desktop client. Everything works exactly the same way, the only difference if you’re using a desktop instead of a mobile device.
Microsoft Teams group video call
(Image credit: Microsoft)
- Microsoft Teams
Like Skype, but more professional
SPECIFICATIONS
Works with: Android, iOS, Web, WindowsMaximum free users : 100
REASONS TO BUY
+Free and paid plans
+Office integration
+100 person group calls on free tier
REASONS TO AVOID
-Primarily for business use
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Best app for video calling
Messenger
Best for Facebook devotees
Facebook has streamlined Messenger, which has been separate from the main Facebook app for several years now. Messenger is used by many individuals and businesses for communication and you can even use it without a Facebook account. Messenger is also set to support Instagram messaging, too, shortly.
You can video or voice chat with an individual or a group very easily. Need to know how to use it for video calling? Check out: How to video call on Facebook Messenger
Messenger also has recently announced Messenger Rooms, a way to join group video calls with up to 50 people – yes, it’s like Zoom or Skype.
Facebook’s Messenger Rooms: The Zoom-like video calling feature explained
ZOOM
Zoom
Best for large group/workplace video conferencing
Zoom is a cloud-based video conferencing service you can use to virtually meet with others – either by video or audio-only or both, all while conducting live chats – and it lets you record those sessions to view later.
A Zoom Meeting is a video conferencing meeting that’s hosted using Zoom while a Zoom Room is a physical hardware that companies can install in meeting rooms.
What is Zoom and how does it work? Plus tips and tricks
One of the best features is the Gallery view, so you can have everybody on screen at the same time – even if you have tens of participants.
If you want to know if you’re in good company when using Zoom, you are: over half of Fortune 500 companies reportedly used Zoom in 2019 and in 2021, it’s reached a huge 300 million daily meeting participants.
Zoom meeting passwords explained: Why are they now on by default?
WHATSAPP
WhatsApp
Best for small group calls – up to eight people
Facebook-owned WhatsApp may well be second to Messenger in North America, but, from a global perspective, it sits atop the pile. It has over two billion users worldwide, which is quite an incredible reach for an app that started as a paid-for premium offering.
WhatsApp’s strength, outside of just having mountains of users already embedded, is that it is easy to make new group chats and search for messages in the past. You can also see when messages are received and read and it’s great with media.
It can be used for video and voice calls. You can start a call with one individual and then add other participants easily. The limit on group video calls is now eight.
How to make WhatsApp group voice and video calls
APPLE
FaceTime
Best for Apple-to-Apple calls
We don’t know how many users FaceTime video has, but it’s massive between Apple users and you can easily flip back and forth between video and voice.
Of course, being Apple-only is a disadvantage not shared by any of the other apps here, but it is available across both iOS and macOS.
As well as individual calls, you can now easily make a Group FaceTime call – if everyone you’re talking to is on an Apple device, it’s mega easy to sort out.
How to make a Group FaceTime video call
WHATSAPP
Google Meet
Best for G Suite users
While Google Duo (below) is more of a one-to-one solution, Google Meet is Google’s option for video calling and sits alongside Google Chat. It does have a separate app, but most people who use it are customers of Google’s G Suite, which is basically Gmail, Calendar and Docs but for business.
You can start meetings from Gmail or Google Calendar and you can video chat with individuals, conference or just text chat.
Google Meet now has a Tiled option so you can view a group of users just like you can in Zoom.
What is Google Meet Chat, how do they work, and when can you use them?
SKYPE
Skype
Best for cross-device calling across PCs, Macs and mobile devices
Microsoft-owned Skype remains one of the most ubiquitous ways to make a video call and as such it’s a good option just because so many people have it. As well as PC and Mac, it’s also available for iOS and Android of course.
And you can even now access it via a web browser and also set up instant meetings with people who don’t have an account using Skype Meet Now. The group calling feature is also really powerful.
As in Zoom, you can also change your Skype background.
It also integrates nicely with Office 365 and if you use this for work you’ll be familiar with Skype for Business.
How to use Skype: A beginner’s guide for complete Skype novices
POCKET-LINT
Slack
Best for perpetual office chat and one-to-one calling
Slack is a little different to the competition as it’s more of an open platform. It works as a central place for communication that pulls in third-party apps to make it work. Slack’s voice and video calling has recently received a leg-up from Amazon’s Chime meeting service.
Slack is meant for team communication – we use it here at Pocket-lint – and is a great way to share files (it also integrates with Google Drive or Dropbox). The free version enables you to make calls but only one-to-one; you need a paid subscription to call a group (and it’s expensive). It’s also been redesigned recently to make it easier to use.
Another great feature of Slack is its ability to search entire conversations for certain words so finding what’s been talked about is easy. The app is iOS and Android friendly and autocompletes friends’ names making tagging them simple.
What is Slack and how does it work? Plus plenty of Slack tips and tricks
GOOGLE/POCKET-LINT
Google Duo
A WhatsApp alternative for easy calling between devices
Google Duo is free to use, enables one-to-one video and voice calls and it works across both iOS and Android devices – unlike Apple’s FaceTime. It’s primarily an app for consumers rather than business – Google Meet and Chat are Google’s work calling solution.
Like WhatsApp. Duo relies on your number, lets you reach people in your phone’s contacts list, offers end-to-end encryption, and has nifty features like Knock Knock, which allows you to see live video of your caller before you answer.
What is Google Duo? What you need to know about Google’s video and voice call app
POCKET-LINT
WeChat
Another great Skype alternative
WeChat is being hailed as the one-stop-shop alternative to most communication apps. It’s like combining text, Skype, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram into one app.
WeChat enables you to share photos and videos directly with other users or they can be posted to their profile, like the Facebook wall. Another feature, called Shake, allows users to find others nearby to chat locally.
Conclusion
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