- Introducing the Major Video Chat Platforms
- Evaluating the Major Video Chat Platforms
- Which Video Chat Platform(s) Should You Use?
- Which Device(s) Should You Use for Video Chat?
This chapter is from the book
This chapter is from the book
This chapter is from the book
Evaluating the Major Video Chat Platforms
What are the differences between all these video chat platforms and how do they compare? Refer to Table 2.1 for a breakdown of the details of each of the major video chat platforms.
Table 2.1 Features of Major Video Chat Platforms
Chat Platform |
Consumer Plans |
Operating Systems/Devices |
Max Number of Users |
Time Limits |
Pros |
Cons |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Apple FaceTime |
Free |
iOS, Mac |
32 |
Unlimited |
Easy to use, integrated into Apple devices. |
Only for users of Apple devices. |
Facebook Messenger |
Free |
All (Android, ChromeOS, iOS, Mac, Windows) |
8 (50 in Messenger Rooms) |
Unlimited |
Easy to call Facebook “friends,” works with Facebook Portal devices. |
Only for Facebook users, clunky interface, difficult to create and share “rooms,” some privacy issues. |
Google Duo |
Free |
All (Android, ChromeOS, iOS, Mac, Windows) |
32 |
Unlimited |
Easy to use, especially for Android phone users. |
Users must have Google accounts. |
Google Meet |
Free |
All (Android, ChromeOS, iOS, Mac, Windows) |
100 |
60 minutes |
Cross-platform. |
Users must have Google accounts, limit on meeting length. |
Microsoft Teams |
Free |
All (Android, ChromeOS, iOS, Mac, Windows) |
250 |
24 hours |
Largest number of participants, all-day meeting length. |
Business-focused design may not be as user-friendly as other platforms. |
Skype |
Free |
Android, iOS, Mac, Windows |
100 |
4 hours per call, 10 hours per day, 100 hours per month. |
Cross-platform across most devices, good for group meetings. |
Not available for Chromebook. Looks less modern than newer platforms. |
Free |
Android, iOS |
8 |
Unlimited |
Primarily for smartphone users, integrates with Facebook Messenger Rooms for large group chats. |
For smartphones only. |
|
Zoom |
Free |
All (Android, ChromeOS, iOS, Mac, Windows) |
100 |
40 minutes |
Cross-platform across any device, easy to use, easy to share your screen. |
Chats limited to 40 minutes, not able to directly call someone (must send a link). |