Top Video Conferencing for Digital Nomads, Expats, and Working Remotely
If there鈥檚 one thing that expats excel at, it鈥檚 keeping in touch. No matter where they are in the world, expats always seem able to rustle up a WiFi connection and find the bandwidth necessary to keep in touch with friends and family and maintain a close connection with colleagues and collaborators, from their apartment, a coffee shop, or co-working space. Video conferencing tools are now more important than ever in the wake of the COVID-19 public health crisis.
Suddenly, millions of businesses are working remotely, and foreigners living overseas desperately want to see their family members. These are the best tools for video conferencing, complete with pros and cons and favorite features, to consider when planning how to keep in touch.
Zoom
Designed for hosting webinars, teaching online courses, and conducting online training, the already-popular has gained even more fans and followers.
During the COVID-19 public health crisis, entrepreneurs are connecting to teach online seminars, art classes, and even exercise videos.
Zoom is one of the best video conferencing tools, offering easy online connections that integrate video conferencing, online meetings, group messaging, and more.
The program is built to host meetings with up to 100 interactive video participants and 10,000 view-only attendees. This is becoming a popular choice for online conferences, virtual classes, and volunteer organizations.
Adding to Zoom’s functionality is the ability to share chats and screens, keeping everyone in the group on the same page, so to speak.
With a mobile app for both Android and iOS, it鈥檚 a great choice for expats on the go who want to stay connected wherever they are.
Some common complaints about Zoom are that customer service options can be slow and irresponsible. Another concern is that the number of integrated functions could be expanded.
Finally, while Zoom offers a free version, it鈥檚 only for connections of 40 minutes or less, which really limits the user experience.
Skype
Hugely popular and used worldwide for everything from personal connections to corporate communications, is a web-based communications tool that offers video chat, international calls, and web-based texting.
It has a strong collaboration function that includes document and image sharing. Is it compatible with landline use?
As the company is owned by Microsoft, it offers easy integration with all Microsoft Office products and apps, including Outlook, Word, and PowerPoint.
Skype is tremendously popular in part because it is available for free in its basic form and as a business model (with extra features and functions) for as little as $2 a month. As such, startups love it because it鈥檚 so affordable and flexible.
Because it鈥檚 so well known and an established leader in videoconferencing, Skype is easy to use and set up. However, it does have some drawbacks.
Users complain that Skype鈥檚 software is intrusive. Every time your computer powers on, the software launches.
This is an ongoing annoyance, and many users would prefer to launch it themselves when necessary. Another common complaint is that Skype drops calls when network connections are slow.
lets up to 150 people meet virtually for a team chat. The program also allows for messaging and video calls.
As a Google program, it integrates seamlessly with all other Google apps and programs and also comes as a Chrome extension.
Users particularly love that it integrates with Gmail, making it easy to follow up with individual users after a video call.
Overall, Google Hangouts is very easy to use and offers simple options for screen sharing and project collaboration.
However, users would love to see improvements in sharing files of different types. Also, a longstanding complaint is that it鈥檚 not easy to share multimedia documents.
While Google Hangouts has long been an industry leader in video conferencing, rumors have long held that several program features are on the verge of change. The 鈥渘ew鈥� Hangouts will be radically different from the old version.
GoTo Meeting
Simple, streamlined, and straightforward, is particularly strong on international features, making it a strong choice for digital nomads and businesses with locations all around the world.
With a user-friendly interface, GoTo Meeting can usually be set up and have a meeting underway in a matter of minutes.
Even those who are new to video conferencing describe it as very easy to adapt to. It integrates well with Slack, Zapier, and Microsoft Office, and is often described as a more heavy-duty alternative to so-called 鈥渓ightweights鈥� like Skype.
One unique feature of GoTo Meetings is its security, which is maintained through PIN-based entry. Users must enter a code before joining a conversation, which enhances privacy and security for meeting participants.
However, in fairness, some users complain that this system can be cumbersome and doesn鈥檛 allow people to quickly join ongoing meetings.
Another possible downside is that many users complain the phone system for conference calls feels rather 鈥渃lunky,鈥� and that GoTo Meetings feels slower than similar programs.
For many expats who have long relied on video conferencing software, is not only their go-to solution 鈥� it鈥檚 the only solution they鈥檇 consider.
Lifesize offers the first and only 4k video conferencing tool on the market. Their program offers an unparalleled level of high-quality resolution, to the point that it gives the illusion that all team members are collaborating in the same room.
Lifesize is set up to offer a scalable suite that can accommodate anything from one-on-one meetings to large forums and seminars.
It鈥檚 especially prized by people in creative and design-based fields, as the superior resolution makes it easier to see and thus discuss project progress.
It鈥檚 also a top choice for businesses that place a high value on communication and collaboration, as users really do feel more connected.
Lifesize users love that the program offers many features designed for IT professionals and administrators. For instance, they can check call quality across devices, monitor meeting rooms, and configure home screen layouts.
Other pros include a dual display showing the presenter and the document being worked on, and a wide-angle lens that automatically adjusts.
One drawback of Lifesize is that to take advantage of all its features, you have to subscribe to their software and purchase hardware, such as microphones.
And, of course, Lifesize鈥檚 fantastic resolution depends in part on bandwidth, so this can be an important consideration, especially if you need to make many calls.
Vanessa Chiasson is an award-winning Canadian travel writer with over ten years of experience. Her work has appeared in major publications, and she draws on living in France, Ireland, England, and Malawi to bring global insight to her stories.
Gain valuable insights and practical tips for navigating international health insurance while living abroad. From coverage details to expert advice, this comprehensive guide helps travelers…
Travel insurance protects your health, travel expenses, and belongings while abroad. It can also cover costs if your trip is canceled and provide protection for adventurous activities. Discover…
Returning home after living abroad can bring a mix of emotions, but these repatriation tips will help you settle back into everyday life more smoothly.
We use cookies to make your experience better, learn how our website is used, and help with our marketing. You can choose to accept all cookies, reject non-essential ones, or set your preferences.
Functional
Always active
Required for the website to function properly and securely.
Preferences
Used to remember your settings and preferences.
Statistics
Used to understand website usage and improve performance.The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
Used to measure advertising performance and personalize marketing.
