I don’t know about you, but I am very happy that technology allows us to keep connected these days and even create amazing content. I believe working from home is here to stay and I thought I would do a little research on all the various visual/video platforms and provide a summary of what I found to share with you. I picked two of the most common for this post: Zoom, Google Meet, and StreamYard. Of course, as it goes these days, the app offerings may change with a blink of an eye, so check their website for the latest and greatest.
Zoom
Zoom Video Communications, Inc. is an American communications technology company headquartered in San Jose, California. It provides video telephony and online chat services through a cloud-based peer-to-peer software platform and is used for teleconferencing, telecommuting, distance education, and social relations.
Free Offer
- Host up to 100 participants
- 40-minute maximum group meetings
- Unlimited 1:1 Meetings
- Record sessions
- Screen share
- No credit card needed
Hacks & Tips
- Double check your timezone default setting when you set up your account. Mine defaulted to Pacfic Time and caused a lot of headaches when I tried to initially schedule sessions for meetings.
- You can record tutorials to share with clients on quick ‘how tos’.
- Establish a meeting protocol to share with attendees prior to the meeting and at the start of the meeting. For example, muting the mic when not speaking.
- I use it for my podcast and dual purpose the session – audio for the podcast and video for my Youtube channel.
Additional Information
- Recommended for larger groups. Will host up to 500 attendees via paid plans.
- You can share files and links through a chat feature.
- You must have the app on your device in order to participate.
- You can use this for online learning and virtual visits.
- You can share your screen as can your other attendees.
- You can share your personal meeting room for repeat events and you can set up individual sessions as well.
- Additional features available for paid subscriptions. For about $150 ($12 per month), you can stream to your social media channels and have an unlimited number of people in the meeting
- Other plans offer audio support and cloud storage.
- Phone app is available but with limited features.
- Call-ins cost extra.
- Break out rooms are only available through paid subscription.
- There are two viewing options.
- There is a chat option.
- Closed captioning can be used with a third party interface.
- Training is available: https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/360029527911
Google Meet
https://meet.google.com/
Google Meet is a video-communication service developed by Google. It is one of two apps that constitute the replacement for Google Hangouts, the other being Google Chat. Google planned to begin retiring Google Hangouts in October 2019.
Free Offer
- Host up to 100 participants
- 60-minute maximum group meetings
- Screen share
- Closed captioning
Hacks & Tips
- Establish a meeting protocol to share with attendees prior to the meeting and at the start of the meeting. For example, muting the mic when not speaking.
- The dashboard and features are a little clunky, so be sure to get familiar with the set up before your meeting.
Additional Information
- Recommended for quick visits. Will host up to 250 attendees via paid plans.
- You do not have to use app on your device in order to participate but only have to access this URL: https://meet.google.com/
- You cannot record using the free version.
- MAC users will possibly run into tech issues.
- You can use the Google Calendar Invitation feature/button.
- Any attachments added to the Google Calendar Invitation
- You can activate a background blur feature..
- You can utilize a Whiteboard Jam feature which become attachments on the meeting for all to access.
- There are several viewing options.
- There is a chat option.
- Closed captioning is available.
StreamYard
https://streamyard.com
StreamYard is a live streaming studio in your browser. Interview guests, share your screen, and much more. Stream directly to Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, and other platforms.
Free Offer
- A maximum of 20 hours of streaming per month
- Only one platform interface
- Screen sharing
- On-screen comments
- 6 on-screen participants with a total of 10 people in the room
- Green screen
- Stream anywhere
- StreamYard branding in your streams
Hacks & Tips
- You can create graphics to use in the session on the green screen. Templates also available.
Additional Information
- Paid plan starts at $240 per year ($20 per month).
- Plans with fees allow multiple platform interfaces except Instagram.
- You can place your logo while streaming for branding purposes.
This is not an exhaustive list of comparisons but something to get you started. There are more options out there for different uses and I encourage you to do some research:
- Loom – a video messaging tool that helps you get your message across through instantly shareable videos. With Loom, you can record your camera, microphone, and desktop simultaneously.
- BeLive – you can broadcast together with your friends and teammates, and create a high quality live broadcast directly through Facebook Live™ on your wall or page. Stream live video into a BeLive production.
- Vimeo – an optimized online video streaming site that allows users to upload and promote their videos with a high degree of customization not found on competing sites. … Over 170 million monthly viewers are watching videos on Vimeo
RESEARCH LINKS
https://gadgets.ndtv.com/apps/features/google-meet-vs-zoom-comparison-free-version-features-2220570
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