Zoom Reviews

“reliable webinars and video calls”

Pros

Has been really good for video conferencing, hosting webinars and using virtual backgrounds to hide surroundings especially during the pandemic period.

Cons

Handling remote controls during sessions is not very convenient and the software should provide better feedback when issues are reported.

“made pandemic life manageable”

Pros

During the pandemic and isolation, this software really made everyday life more manageable. It's simple to interact with and made it possible to hold meetings without having to leave home which was exactly what we needed.

Cons

Problem is the chat: if you're not in the room or if your connection drops and you leave the meeting, everything that was written there gets lost.

“simplest option”

Pros

Out of all the conferencing platforms I've used, this has been the simplest one to get running across most devices. It gives you detailed control over audio, video and screen sharing and the feature set feels both powerful and accessible for everyday users. On top of that administrators get access to very extensive customization options which makes it even more capable.

Cons

There really aren't any major drawbacks for regular users. That said the wide range of admin settings are difficult to figure out. There were also some privacy concerns early on during the initial wave of forced remote work like meeting disruptions but those issues were addressed pretty quickly once additional security features were introduced.

“stable and consistent”

Pros

The software has been consistently stable and versatile and it feels like a dependable product I can rely on.

Cons

At times the host-facing interface makes it a little too simple to trigger major mistakes and some of those actions can't be undone.

“my review”

Pros

During the Covid19 era, the software has been a really useful way to collaborate. Over the past year, I've relied on it for meetings with accountants, lenders, people I mentor and even for screening tenants for rental vacancies. It has basically worked as a solid substitute for in-person meetings. I've also used this software for game nights with friends, catching up with people who were self-isolating, parent-teacher conferences and even memorial services. It fills an important need not only for the moment but long term as well and it handles video conferencing better and more simply than competing tools. The reason is pretty clear: it's faster, less cluttered and much simpler to launch, update and use.

Cons

Even after trying several times and fully uninstalling the software more than once, I still haven't been able to permanently change my screen name on the platform. It's a minor annoyance having to update my name at the beginning of every meeting and then go back into the help documentation every few weeks hoping to finally fix it. A permanent change like that really shouldn't be that difficult to make in the software.

“Accessible meetings”

Pros

Joining a meeting is easy and efficient so just about anyone can participate without any trouble. I also really appreciate that personal users can host meetings for free which makes it even more useful.

Cons

At this point, I'm honestly having a hard time coming up with any real downsides to the platform.

“Use it from anywhere”

Pros

Whether I'm on my phone, laptop or desktop, I can use it from anywhere without issues. It performs well even on low internet data and the setup is very simple. It's also easy to integrate with other tools which makes it even more convenient to use.

Cons

Customer service could be better and faster responses would definitely be appreciated.

“sharing files made practical”

Pros

Getting everyone up and running with this software happened very quickly and it made sharing files across our region much more practical. That kind of collaboration would be difficult with travel especially with weather issues and the poor road conditions out toward the edges of our district.

Cons

It pretty much does what I expected it to do. One improvement that would really help would be integrating it into the DHB clinical portals, as that would make things more convenient for doctors and nurse specialists.

“common choice”

Pros

This platform has become one of the most common tools for virtual meetings and remote work and for good reason. It lets users run video conferences, share files and collaborate without much trouble. The audio and video quality are very good especially considering it works well even with lower data usage. I also appreciate that multiple users can share at the same time. Hosts get full control over the meeting including deciding who can speak and who is allowed to share their screen. It also connects well with many third-party applications. Another big plus is that it works across all major operating systems such as Windows, Linux, iOS, Mac and Android. On top of that, it offers several pricing plans to fit different needs, along with a free version. The free plan supports up to 100 participants in one session while the paid version can handle up to 1000 participants.

Cons

I've noticed that a few features available on the desktop version are missing from the smartphone app.

“great for online collaboration”

Pros

Works really well for business meetings, conferencing and online collaboration. It lets people chat while on video calls and makes screen sharing feel very smooth. My favorite feature is being able to share the screen with the audio included which I think is really awesome. The raise hand option is also very useful because it helps people get attention without interrupting whoever is speaking.

Cons

I don't really like that it becomes difficult to use without a very strong internet connection since the conversation tends to break up and disconnect quite often.

“remote work boost”

Pros

Was one of the early platforms that really helped make the shift to working from home possible. It introduced a range of features and updates that gave small businesses and entrepreneurs what they needed to quickly build the skills required to manage and continue their remote work including online job-related tasks.

Cons

Keeping the free plan capped at 40 minutes feels like a poor decision especially when other competitors allow up to 60 minutes. A lot of people using virtual meeting tools especially entrepreneurs, usually want to start with the free version first and only upgrade after they get comfortable with the interface. Because of that, this limit may not work in the platform's favor.

“screen sharing works well”

Pros

The video quality is excellent and screen sharing works really well, even when videos are included. It's also very accessible on a mobile phone which makes joining meetings convenient. The recording feature produces good-quality videos without taking up too much storage and having both private and public messaging is very useful during calls.

Cons

Issue on Android is that if the host starts sharing a video while I'm using another app, the audio doesn't play until I switch back to the platform. There are also some limitations with personal meetings.

“provides a lot”

Pros

Being able to transfer host privileges to anyone in the meeting is one of the most useful features for me. I can also hand over control of my screen during a meeting which is really helpful for collaboration. Screen sharing works well when I need to present something and everyone can view the presentation clearly. The chat option is also very useful especially in situations where my voice is not coming through properly to others.

Cons

A setback is that joining a meeting depends on the host's permission. In other software like Skype, people can usually join directly through the meeting link so that part feels less convenient here.

“excellent for remote classes”

Pros

It has been a very suitable app for running business meetings, university lectures and school classes remotely. Teachers can explain lessons using both audio and video and the sessions can be recorded so they can be reviewed later. It helped us a lot during the quarantine period and because of it, our lessons and education were able to continue without stopping.

Cons

It does not perform very efficiently unless the internet connection is quite strong. When the connection is weak, it can disconnect the user from the meeting.

“good experience”

Pros

Comes with a lot of advantages especially screen sharing, clear picture quality and an interface that's very simple to use.

Cons

The only thing I really can't stand about video meetings is the 45 minute limit since once that time is up, we have to start a new meeting again.

“broad compatibility”

Pros

Has been a really solid space for conferences, meetings and business video communication. It works very well for planning and scheduling upcoming meetings while also being reliable for instant meetings when something comes up quickly. The platform is simple to use and I appreciate that some plans are free while the paid options are still reasonably priced. Another plus is the longer meeting duration it allows. It also handles presentations and virtual classrooms in a very practical, user friendly way. I can use it across most mobile and desktop devices, as well as with most browsers and the installation process is usually fast on both. There is also a wide range of features that make it more useful and flexible overall. Also it integrates well with other applications people already depend on such as Skype Business and Outlook. A nice bonus is that there are no ads interrupting the experience.

Cons

Sometimes meetings with many participants can become slow or the stream may get interrupted. It can also be hard to view all participants on one screen at the same time. For teaching purposes, I think it still needs better tools to help instructors run virtual classes more successfully. The repeated process of asking users for a code adds security but it can sometimes feel annoying. Another limitation is the cap on the number of invited participants especially when the meeting is meant to be a symposium or an international conference. It also does not always work properly with certain browsers. A strong internet connection is definitely needed and the paid plan tends to perform better than the free version.

“Good for virtual training”

Pros

When it comes to running virtual training, the software has been an excellent tool! The interface looks polished and appealing for users and screen sharing is very easy for everyone in the meeting. Sharing audio is just as simple which helps a lot during presentations. Breakout rooms are another standout feature since they can be created in advance and adjusted even while sessions are in progress. Assigning host and co-host roles is uncomplicated and the whiteboard plus on-screen annotation tools are genuinely useful during collaborative sessions. The chat settings are flexible too making it convenient for both hosts and participants to send private messages or communicate with the whole group. I also appreciate the waiting room option since it adds control and prevents anyone from joining without the host's approval.

Cons

The only issue I've run into is with participants who have been removed from a meeting. As far as I can tell, once someone is kicked out, the software does not seem to let them rejoin. I've had situations where a person logged in twice, I removed one of the duplicate entries and then if their remaining connection dropped, they were unable to get back in. In those cases, I've had to create a new meeting link which is inconvenient.

“free meetings”

Pros

Being free is the biggest advantage of this software for me. I can set up either an instant meeting or schedule one for later, depending on what works best. It also connects with my teammates Google Calendar so everyone can see the invite and access the meeting link much more conveniently. Another feature I really enjoy is the Live Chat during video meetings since I can decide whether to send messages to everyone or privately to a specific person.

Cons

The part I like least is that free users are limited to 40 minutes per meeting. Even so, it really does not cause much trouble for me because participants can simply rejoin using the same link and the 40-minute limit starts again.

“excellent screen sharing and alerts”

Pros

The features I enjoy most in the platform are the excellent screen sharing, the contact management that's simple to handle and the notifications which have improved a lot over the past few years.

Cons

From where I stand, the pricing still feels a bit too high especially when it comes to the extra cloud storage which seems too expensive for most people.

“flexible for every setting”

Pros

It's flexible, simple to use for people of all ages and works well in just about any setting.

Cons

During streaming, the co host could use a bit more authority to handle things better while everything is going on.