Which Video Conferencing App is Best for Online Classes?

Video conferencing platforms are widely used these days, from accessible Zoom to premium-tagged apps only businesses can afford. Video conferencing is a distinctive collaboration solution from the obscurity of the 2020's pandemic's need for remote video conferencing.

• 95% of video conferencing system users have found it reliable.

• A rise of 115% in the workforce prefers remote work.

• 85percent of people prefer using video conferencing in preference to other communication alternatives.

As the need and usage to secure video conferences online grows, it is impossible to avoid the need to develop these applications for video conferencing. However, it is not the case that all apps have reached one million download milestones. This means that there's an art in making online training app development one of the top performers and also profitable!

Market Stats of Video Conferencing App Like Zoom

• Zoom application produced $2.6 billion in revenue in the year 2020.

• At the time of the pandemic, Zoom was among the most popular apps, in which meeting participants increased by 2900%.

• As of December 2020, the company had over 470,000 customers.

• The value of zoom surpassed $100 billion during the pandemic, representing a staggering 383 percent growth over the value of the stock in January 2020.

Top Video Conferencing Applications for Online Classes

The demand for building video conferencing app has been in the spotlight since the ban on in-person gatherings was lifted. Schools were asked to change to remote learning overnight after the COVID-19 outbreak. But, not all video conferencing applications are designed equally. Some apps like Facebook's Messenger Rooms or FaceTime are better suited for informal chats. In contrast, others like BlueJeans or RingCentral are intended to be used for professional gatherings. What is the most effective video conferencing application for conducting online classes, given that they're often mixed between professional and personal interactions?

Educators need to select a video-conferencing application explicitly designed to be used for educational purposes. It isn't easy to sort through the myriad of excellent video conferencing applications available. This article has compiled six video conferencing applications that are entirely free and efficient in helping you demonstrate your curriculum to maximize the learning experience.

Google Meet

Google Meet is a product designed by Google to facilitate secure business meetings. You can also hold online classes with Google Meet, as it is accessible to everyone for free. Educational institutions can use Google Meet as a part of G-suit's academics. Anyone with a Google account can log in and set up an online meeting through Google Meet. Users can connect to Google Meet using any modern web browser on a computer or laptop to begin or join the meeting. Desktop users don't require additional software to download and use the Google Meet service. If you would like to use Google Meet, get and download the mobile application available on Google Play and the Apple store.

 To initiate a video-based meeting or online class on Google Meet, you need to sign up with your credentials and create a new video conference. Once you've set up the meeting, you need to send the meeting's code or link for an invitation to any other users or students you would like to enroll in the class. You may also invite other participants outside of the class. Students or guests who sent the meeting link can join the call by signing in with your already-established Google account. Members who don't have the benefit of a Google Account must register themselves by signing up free to join or create an event. Users can sign into the meeting and participate in the conference by clicking the link to join from the invitation and entering the meeting's number.

Zoom

Zoom is a video-conferencing platform that has seen a rapid increase in popularity since the beginning of the epidemic of health because it has universal functions to fulfill a wide variety of purposes. Zoom is a favorite among educators due to several reasons. Its trial version, Zoom, lets users conduct video sessions that can accommodate as many as 100 participants (with the possibility of having up to 49 present simultaneously). This is more participants than other applications. Zoom's exclusive screen sharing feature can also allow teachers to make annotations directly on the shared screen of students. Breakout rooms and hands-up options facilitate small group discussions in a way that was previously only accessible in a physical classroom. Zoom's iconic gallery view allows users to see all participants at the conference, mimicking the physical meeting and making it perfect for large-scale gatherings.

However, the central negative aspect of Zoom is the security concerns. Teachers often offer scheduled meetings to their students, who join the meeting without signing up for an account with a Zoom account. Because password protections for these meetings are often removed to simplify processes for large-group gatherings, they can become susceptible to intrusions from unwanted parties. This has led some countries to prohibit Zoom. So, parents might be uncomfortable when their children use Zoom for online learning.

Microsoft Teams

While Microsoft Teams is an enterprise-grade solution, a free version is available for schools and can accommodate up to 300 people. It's undoubtedly an excellent video conference application that can be used for classes online, particularly for institutions that want seamless integration with different Microsoft products, like Office 365 applications. MS Teams provides functions such as:

• Real-time collaboration via the screen as well as digital canvas sharing

• Grading assignments and tracking assignments

• A reader that can be used as an immersive reading device for texts and chats

• Together mode provides a more precise overview of classes.

• The "Raise Your Hand" feature" lets students catch the teacher's attention without disrupting the entire class.

Microsoft Teams' premium plans begin at $5 per month for each user. MS Teams premium is included in the Microsoft 365 plan, where you can access all MS Office apps, including Teams.

Cisco Webex

Beyond the online meeting service, Cisco Webex is preferred by corporate executives when hosting online training and workshop sessions.

The app has options such as hand raising, polling locks, hand raising, and chat that can benefit professionals in the field.

Cisco Webex can also be valid for events and classes that are online. It provides many features that other video conferencing platforms offer, including file sharing, group chat, and record capabilities.

#Pros

• It allows streaming via servers of multimedia files which reduces the time it takes to stream media files.

• A free entry-level service that can accommodate three people or more per session.

Pricing

$ 13+ per month or $15+ monthly for an annual contract.

ClickMeeting

ClickMeeting is a complete package of tools for webinar hosts. For starters, it comes with almost every tool you'd need for the presentation. You can display your screen, play videos and slideshows, and let the audience control your mouse and explore the interactive display. Plus, ClickMeeting supports question-and-answer sessions and interactive polls (opens in a new tab). This means getting your guests involved and gathering valuable information about your attendees is possible.

What's most interesting about ClickMeeting for data-driven businesses is its integration with analytics and other marketing tools (opens in a new tab). It is possible to embed the Facebook pixels on the page that hosts your webinar or link the webpage directly to Google Analytics. The webinar's page can be fully customizable, which allows you to display your company's image.

Lessonspace

Lessonspace can be described as ingenuous and one of the newest newcomers to the video-conferencing app market. Its user-friendly interface, extensive whiteboard, and unique tools have become one of the online classes' most sought-after video-conferencing apps. The app is helpful and efficient for learning languages, tackling arithmetic problems, logic, and many more.

With Lessonspace, it is possible to teach in a shared, infinite canvas with specific tools for your subjects, such as a graph editor, code editor, or syntax highlighter. You can also modify the layout and space and access all resources within the space.

Additional features are:

• Analytics lesson

• Chat history persists across sessions

• Playback lesson recordings

• Developer API access

• Built-in timer

• Emojis, colorful effects themes, and effects

• Control of the profanity filter and

• Unlimited tabs

• MS Office and PDF support with integrated

These exclusive features come at a cost, but. Lessonspace offers two pricing plans that include pay per teacher and pay-per-hour. The pay-per-teacher plan begins at $19.99 each month, while the pay-per-hour plan starts at $29 per year. You can select the plan that you prefer to meet your requirements.

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Must-Have Features in a Video Conferencing Application

A feature-rich video conferencing system will enable your team members to work efficiently regardless of where they are in the world. It can assist your company in improving its communication with customers and key stakeholders. It will also make more efficient collaboration, resolve issues and conduct efficient meetings in real-time.

Here's a look at the main features that will give you the most enjoyable experience.

Multiple Webcam Capabilities

When you're in a video conference, it's more powerful if you can observe the facial expressions of the person speaking so that you can recognize those crucial visual clues. Suppose your company has numerous remote workers or frequently organizes meetings for employees on the move and on the go. In that case, you should look for dynamic webcam features. Ideally, the video conferencing system you choose can work with multiple webcams to ensure that everyone can be visible and heard during the meeting.

Chat Features

When you broadcast to a crowd of prospects via an event for marketing or meetings with employees, the attendees will benefit better value from the experience by interacting. This is why having a robust chat function is so beneficial. Find chat features that let the participants of your video conference send messages, such as messages and emojis, during an online or in-person meeting.

Meeting Scheduling

The schedule feature of the software for video conferencing allows you to keep your business running smoothly. It is possible to email attendees reminders of the schedule for meetings at a variety of times to ensure that they are prepared for the presentations. This helps ensure that attendees arrive on time and avoids deadlines.

Screen Sharing

By using the screen with the screen sharing function, you can draw your audience's attention to deliver more effective presentations and help participants in understanding the purpose. Displaying graphics, statistics, or the capabilities of tools on your screen can help make your virtual discussions more interesting. You can share a portion on your display, your entire whiteboard, your desktop, or record videos.

Audio-Only or Dial-In Option

A group video chat will allow participants to join the audio-only video chat. This is essential for employees who aren't at their desks, at their homes, or at an off-site location or do not have the tools to participate in a video conference. Although most webcams allow users to turn off the webcam, users must be able to dial a telephone number directly via their landline or mobile phones.

Performance Reports

Performance metrics are essential to determine how well-received your presentations are, what aspects are most memorable and how many attend your event. Choose a platform that offers both chat and attendance reports to get a sufficient evaluation from the meetings and webinars.

It's worth the effort to ensure that you're using the best video-conferencing capabilities for your company. The latest technology allows host dynamic and efficient meetings from anywhere around the globe, anytime.

Information Encryption

It is the method of turning data into a format only understood by the recipient. It's used to safeguard information from being accessed by third parties and to ensure that other parties do not alter it.

Cryptography algorithms are used in applications like HTTPS secured email, electronic signatures, and cloud computing.

Active Speaker View

One of the essential characteristics of a video-conferencing application is the view of the active speaker. This feature lets you see who is talking at any point during the conference and can be recognized by a green dot before their name.

Moderators can alter who's talking at any given time in addition to those who want to join in a conversation. In addition, software developers have discovered ways to automatize this feature to ensure that you don't require a moderator to be active:

Cost of Developing a Video Conferencing Application

This is among the most challenging areas to write about on this blog. It's not because we can't write it, but rather because there isn't a precise amount we can use in this section. The price will differ based on the kind of app you are developing and the features you would like to have.

We receive many questions from our clients who want to know the costs for video conferencing app development such as Zoom. However, before we give a quote, we inquire about their requirements. Only then do we present a quotation with them.

To make the process simpler for you, factors such as features, the complexity of the app and how big the development team is, the location of the app development platform, the time required to build an app, and so on. are some of the things that greatly determine the development costs of mobile apps for a video-calling app.

Additionally, whether you're seeking a pre-made solution or purchasing a custom video conferencing solution for development will affect the price. A zoom-like app with a few minor adjustments can cost anywhere from $30k to $50k, whereas customizing a solution in which the team of developers develops all the elements from scratch could cost between $50,000 and even more, dependent on the options you select for features and services.

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The Key Takeaway

Many video-conferencing apps and platforms are available, and selecting the most suitable for your requirements can be challenging. Suppose you're looking to hold a basic video conference online or prefer a desktop system with powerful tools. In that case, there's a solution for all.

Entrepreneurs or students person is seeking reliability, quality, stability, and performance in an online video conferencing platform. Once you've compiled the top video conferencing software and its principal features, consider the most crucial features to your requirements and select accordingly.

You must first consider your actual needs when deciding on the top video conferencing software to select. For example, a person seeking to communicate with just a handful of individuals daily could find a no-cost choice to be the most affordable as it comes with all the essential tools required. Suppose you're looking to use video conferencing to meet commercial or professional purposes, particularly with an extensive number of participants regularly and regularly. In that case, you'll need to consider more expensive alternatives.