Free Alternatives to Zoom in 2026

Google Meet is the simplest free replacement for most people. You need only a Google account to start or join a call, and guests can join from a browser without installing software in many cases. Screen sharing, chat, captions and reactions cover the basics for classes, family calls and small team meetings.

The 60-minute group limit is the main catch. For a longer meeting, you will need to restart the call or move to a paid Workspace plan. One-on-one calls are more generous, with no time limit in current guides. If your team already uses Gmail and Google Calendar, Meet is the lowest-friction free choice.

Microsoft Teams free suits teams that already live in Microsoft tools. Beyond video calls, you get persistent chat, team channels and file sharing, so a meeting is part of a wider workspace rather than a one-off link. Free group calls support up to 100 people for 60 minutes in current guides, which matches Google Meet for small teams.

For a single casual call, Teams can feel heavier than Meet or Whereby, because it asks guests to use an app or account flow. Paid Microsoft 365 plans add longer meetings, larger capacities, webinars and recording. If your work already runs on Outlook and OneDrive, Teams free is a strong, practical choice.

Jitsi Meet is the most open option in this list. You can start a meeting in a browser, share a link, and join without creating an account in many cases. Screen sharing, chat and reactions cover everyday calls, and the open source code lets organisations host their own server for privacy and control.

The trade-off is polish and support. The public service can vary under heavy load, and recording, streaming and large-meeting tuning need extra setup compared with Meet or Teams. For privacy-focused teams, schools and open source projects, Jitsi free value is hard to beat. For large business webinars, a paid platform may be more reliable.

Cisco Webex free suits business users who want a familiar, secure meeting tool without paying yet. Free meetings support up to 100 participants, with screen sharing, chat and meeting controls that feel designed for work rather than casual chat. Webex also integrates with calendars and business tools that many companies already use.

The 40-minute free limit matches Zoom free plan, so it does not solve the time-limit problem on its own. Paid Webex plans start at $12 per user per month in current guides and add longer meetings, recording and larger capacities. Choose Webex free if you want business controls for short meetings, and upgrade when meetings regularly run longer.

Whereby is built for simplicity. You create a room link, share it, and guests join from a browser without installing an app. That low friction suits client calls, tutoring, interviews and small team check-ins, where you do not want to teach guests a new tool for a 20-minute call.

Free limits are the catch. Current guides put free meetings at a small participant count and a limited duration, with paid plans starting at about $9 per month for larger rooms. Whereby is not the best choice for a 100-person all-hands meeting. For small, frequent browser calls, it is one of the easiest free tools to use.

Discord suits communities, clubs, study groups and gaming teams that meet often. You can create a server, set up voice and video channels, share screens and chat in one place, all for free. That persistent setup means a group does not need a new link for every call.

Formal business users may find Discord less suitable. It lacks some business meeting controls, webinar registration and calendar integration found in Teams, Webex or Livestorm. For a community that wants a free, always-on meeting space, Discord is a strong and popular choice.

Zoho Meeting suits small teams that already use Zoho apps for mail, CRM or projects. The free plan covers small meetings with screen sharing and chat, and it integrates with the wider Zoho suite. That link helps small businesses keep meetings, contacts and projects in one ecosystem.

Free limits mean it is not a large-meeting tool without a paid plan. Paid Zoho Meeting plans add larger capacities, recording and webinar features. If you already use Zoho, its free meeting tool is a convenient add-on. If you do not use Zoho, Google Meet or Teams may offer larger free capacities.

Livestorm suits small webinars, training sessions and audience events, not only internal meetings. Its free plan supports small sessions with registration, polls and Q and A, which helps teachers, marketers and community organisers run a structured event. Hosts and guests join from a browser, which lowers friction for external attendees.

The free plan is for testing and small events, with attendee limits that rule out large webinars. Paid plans scale by attendees and features, so check the cost at your expected audience size. For a first webinar or a small class, Livestorm free is a useful way to test format before you pay.