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10 Best Conference Calling Services Of 2025
Conference calling software lets you conduct audio, hybrid andvideo meetings for groups of all sizes. This enhances remote communication with collaboration tools, clearer audio and quick setup.
I tested and compared 13 of today’s most popular conference calling solutions, evaluating their calling features, ease of use and value. Here are my top choices for the best conference calling services of 2025.
Featured Partners
1
Zoom
$10 per user per month, $15 unlimited calling
U.S. and Canada
Unlimited in the U.S. and Canada
2
RingCentral
$20 per user
HD Voice, SMS, Team chat, HD Video meetings
U.S. and Canada
3
Intermedia Unite
$27.99 per user
Voice, SMS, Team chat, Video meetings
33 countries, including the U.S., Canada, U.K., Hong Kong, Italy and India
Compare the Best Conference Calling Services of 2025
| Company | Forbes Advisor Rating | Best For | Starting Monthly Price | Learn More |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 4.9   | Best for Captions and Transcripts | $7.20 per user | ||
4.6  | Best for a Complete Phone System | Free | On RingCentral’s Website | |
4.4 | Best for Team Collaboration | Free | On Zoom’s Website | |
4.3 | Best for Attendee Engagement | Free | Read Forbes' Review | |
4.3 | Best for International Calls | $30 per user | Read Forbes' Review | |
4.1  | Most User-Friendly | Free | On Google Meet's Website | |
3.8 | Best for Large Conference Calls | Free | ||
3.8 | Best Video Quality | $27 per user | On Dialpad Connect's Website | |
3.6 | Best for a Multichannel Contact Center | $23 per user | Read Forbes' Review | |
3.5 | Best for a Basic Phone System | $18 per user |
Why You Can Trust Forbes Advisor Small Business
The Forbes Advisor Small Business team is committed to providing unbiased rankings and information with full editorial independence. We use hands-on testing, product data, strategic methodologies and expert insights to inform our content to guide you in making the best decisions for your business journey.Learn More:How We Evaluate VoIP Services
- 13 Companies Evaluated
- 40 Decision Factors Considered
- Four Levels of Fact-Checking
- Hands-On Testing
Best Conference Calling Services of 2025
Microsoft Teams
Best for Captions and Transcripts
Microsoft Teams
Starting Cost (Billed Monthly)
$7.20 per user
Call Capacity
300
Time Limit
30 hours
$7.20 per user
300
30 hours
Microsoft Teams is a complete team collaboration platform that supports conference calls through its video meetings feature. The audio conferencing is feature-rich with collaboration like whiteboards, live polls and AI features like transcripts and summaries. You can translate live captions into 30 languages, a selection that dwarfs the language variety of other options.
In addition to audio conferencing, you also get many other features: team chat, video meetings, tons of cloud storage for recordings and transcripts, Microsoft Office apps and a custom business email. While these features offer value for those seeking a full business communication suite, they may be overkill for companies that just make the occasional conference call.
Microsoft Teams offers real-time audio transcriptions during video meetings and conference calls.
We gather and analyze consumer sentiment from a range of sources to create the Consumer Sentiment Index to determine customer satisfaction levels for each feature outlined below. This data is designed to give you an idea of real consumer experience of the services and product we review. This data is currently separate from our overall rating out of 5.
- #5Customer SupportRanked 5 out of 10For Customer Support
- 50%of people had positive sentiments
- 0%of people had neutral sentiments
- 50%of people had negative sentiments
50%50%Ranked 5 out of 10For Customer Support- 50%of people had positive sentiments
- 0%of people had neutral sentiments
- 50%of people had negative sentiments
- #4Pricing and Cost-EffectivenessRanked 4 out of 10For Pricing and Cost-Effectiveness
- 83%of people had positive sentiments
- 0%of people had neutral sentiments
- 17%of people had negative sentiments
83%17%Ranked 4 out of 10For Pricing and Cost-Effectiveness- 83%of people had positive sentiments
- 0%of people had neutral sentiments
- 17%of people had negative sentiments
- #7Ease of Use and SetupRanked 7 out of 10For Ease of Use and Setup
- 63%of people had positive sentiments
- 10%of people had neutral sentiments
- 27%of people had negative sentiments
63%10%27%Ranked 7 out of 10For Ease of Use and Setup- 63%of people had positive sentiments
- 10%of people had neutral sentiments
- 27%of people had negative sentiments
- #4Reliability and PerformanceRanked 4 out of 10For Reliability and Performance
- 48%of people had positive sentiments
- 10%of people had neutral sentiments
- 42%of people had negative sentiments
48%10%42%Ranked 4 out of 10For Reliability and Performance- 48%of people had positive sentiments
- 10%of people had neutral sentiments
- 42%of people had negative sentiments
- #3Features and IntegrationRanked 3 out of 10For Features and Integration
- 77%of people had positive sentiments
- 13%of people had neutral sentiments
- 10%of people had negative sentiments
77%13%10%Ranked 3 out of 10For Features and Integration- 77%of people had positive sentiments
- 13%of people had neutral sentiments
- 10%of people had negative sentiments
Microsoft Teams receives mixed feedback from users, reflecting both praise and criticism. Many users appreciate its features for video conferencing and call recording, considering it superior for collaboration and communication tasks. However, others report issues with call management, guest access and platform compatibility, particularly with Windows 11 and Mac devices. Overall, the experience appears to be a blend of positive features tempered by technical challenges and usability concerns.
- Transcripts and captions in 30 languages
- Background noise suppression
- Integrates smoothly with other Microsoft apps
- No free plan
- Confusing pricing structure
- Requires you to purchase a whole team collaboration platform
RingCentral
Best for a Complete Phone System
RingCentral
Starting Cost (Billed Monthly)
Free
Call Capacity
1,000
Time Limit
50 minutes to 24 hours, depending on plan
Free
1,000
50 minutes to 24 hours, depending on plan
While RingCentral’sVoIP phone systemincludes conference calling, it also offers video meeting software that works great for conference calls. It’s ideal for internal team collaboration, with excellent whiteboard functionality featuring tons of drawing tools, sticky notes and templates. You can take live notes, and RingCentral AI transcribes meetings in six languages, making it effective for multilingual meetings if your attendees speak a different language. The AI transcription is accurate and distinguishes each speaker, providing a thorough record for post-call reviews.
If you want a complete phone system, not just conference calls, I’m a big fan of RingCentral’s VoIP service. It’s a little costly at $30 monthly but bundles robust features to handle inbound calls withIVR menusandqueues, so you can set up an automated and organized phone system for however many employees you have.
You can take notes, view transcripts and invite participants to dial in to RingCentral meetings.
Learn More:Read our fullRingCentral review.
We gather and analyze consumer sentiment from a range of sources to create the Consumer Sentiment Index to determine customer satisfaction levels for each feature outlined below. This data is designed to give you an idea of real consumer experience of the services and product we review. This data is currently separate from our overall rating out of 5.
- #2Customer SupportRanked 2 out of 10For Customer Support
- 44%of people had positive sentiments
- 10%of people had neutral sentiments
- 46%of people had negative sentiments
44%10%46%Ranked 2 out of 10For Customer Support- 44%of people had positive sentiments
- 10%of people had neutral sentiments
- 46%of people had negative sentiments
- #6Pricing and Cost-EffectivenessRanked 6 out of 10For Pricing and Cost-Effectiveness
- 29%of people had positive sentiments
- 25%of people had neutral sentiments
- 46%of people had negative sentiments
29%25%46%Ranked 6 out of 10For Pricing and Cost-Effectiveness- 29%of people had positive sentiments
- 25%of people had neutral sentiments
- 46%of people had negative sentiments
- #4Ease of Use and SetupRanked 4 out of 10For Ease of Use and Setup
- 59%of people had positive sentiments
- 19%of people had neutral sentiments
- 22%of people had negative sentiments
59%19%22%Ranked 4 out of 10For Ease of Use and Setup- 59%of people had positive sentiments
- 19%of people had neutral sentiments
- 22%of people had negative sentiments
- #9Reliability and PerformanceRanked 9 out of 10For Reliability and Performance
- 33%of people had positive sentiments
- 19%of people had neutral sentiments
- 48%of people had negative sentiments
33%19%48%Ranked 9 out of 10For Reliability and Performance- 33%of people had positive sentiments
- 19%of people had neutral sentiments
- 48%of people had negative sentiments
- #2Features and IntegrationRanked 2 out of 10For Features and Integration
- 76%of people had positive sentiments
- 15%of people had neutral sentiments
- 9%of people had negative sentiments
76%15%9%Ranked 2 out of 10For Features and Integration- 76%of people had positive sentiments
- 15%of people had neutral sentiments
- 9%of people had negative sentiments
Overall, users have mixed opinions about RingCentral. Many appreciate its ease of use, variety of features and the seamless integration with other systems, which have streamlined communication processes and enhanced remote work capabilities. However, a significant number of reviews highlight issues with customer service, software reliability and unexpected fees, which have led to some dissatisfaction among users. While some find the software effective and beneficial, others express frustration over technical difficulties and support challenges.
- Feature-rich phone system
- Great for multilingual calls
- Large meeting capacity, even on free plan
- Phone system is on the pricier side
- Short time limit on the free version
- Meetings encryption only on paid plans
Zoom
Best for Team Collaboration
Zoom
Starting Cost (Billed Monthly)
Free
Call Capacity
300
Time Limit
30 hours
Free
300
30 hours
Zoom’s video- and audio-based meetings are probably the most feature-rich of any conferencing system I tested. I was most impressed by the annotation tools, which allow you take notes by hand or use the AI companion for automatic notes, like action items and summaries.
Zoom’s Workplace plans include not just conference calls but the full Zoom app, which bundles other collaboration features such as team chat and document co-editing, which allows you to draft and publish complete articles. The app also includes a built-in task-management platform with due dates and various planning templates, which can extract data and action items from your meetings. Zoom is a complete internal collaboration platform for rich team collaboration and note-taking, but it might be overkill if you just want to host the occasional conference call.
In addition to conference calling and video, Zoom’s app lets you create and publish documents and articles.
Learn more:Read our fullZoom review.
We gather and analyze consumer sentiment from a range of sources to create the Consumer Sentiment Index to determine customer satisfaction levels for each feature outlined below. This data is designed to give you an idea of real consumer experience of the services and product we review. This data is currently separate from our overall rating out of 5.
- #9Customer SupportRanked 9 out of 10For Customer Support
- 7%of people had positive sentiments
- 5%of people had neutral sentiments
- 88%of people had negative sentiments
7%5%88%Ranked 9 out of 10For Customer Support- 7%of people had positive sentiments
- 5%of people had neutral sentiments
- 88%of people had negative sentiments
- #8Pricing and Cost-EffectivenessRanked 8 out of 10For Pricing and Cost-Effectiveness
- 28%of people had positive sentiments
- 13%of people had neutral sentiments
- 59%of people had negative sentiments
28%13%59%Ranked 8 out of 10For Pricing and Cost-Effectiveness- 28%of people had positive sentiments
- 13%of people had neutral sentiments
- 59%of people had negative sentiments
- #8Ease of Use and SetupRanked 8 out of 10For Ease of Use and Setup
- 46%of people had positive sentiments
- 10%of people had neutral sentiments
- 44%of people had negative sentiments
46%10%44%Ranked 8 out of 10For Ease of Use and Setup- 46%of people had positive sentiments
- 10%of people had neutral sentiments
- 44%of people had negative sentiments
- #5Reliability and PerformanceRanked 5 out of 10For Reliability and Performance
- 29%of people had positive sentiments
- 13%of people had neutral sentiments
- 58%of people had negative sentiments
29%13%58%Ranked 5 out of 10For Reliability and Performance- 29%of people had positive sentiments
- 13%of people had neutral sentiments
- 58%of people had negative sentiments
- #7Features and IntegrationRanked 7 out of 10For Features and Integration
- 45%of people had positive sentiments
- 27%of people had neutral sentiments
- 28%of people had negative sentiments
45%27%28%Ranked 7 out of 10For Features and Integration- 45%of people had positive sentiments
- 27%of people had neutral sentiments
- 28%of people had negative sentiments
Zoom generally receives mixed feedback from users. Many reviews highlight the platform’s ease of use, reliable video and audio quality and its significance in facilitating virtual meetings and communications during the pandemic. However, there are also frequent complaints about connectivity issues, struggles with Bluetooth audio and difficulties with updates and installations, which frustrate users and negatively impact their experience. While it is praised for accessibility and functionality, these technical issues and customer service concerns temper the overall satisfaction with the product.
- Includes collaborative document annotation
- AI-based note-taking tools
- Productivity and task assignment tools
- Phone system is a separate product
- No phone dial-in on the free plan
- May feel overwhelming if you don’t need advanced features
Cisco Webex
Best for Attendee Engagement
Cisco Webex
Starting Cost (Billed Monthly)
Free
Call Capacity
200 participants
Time Limit
24 hours
Free
200 participants
24 hours
Using Webex Meet, you can set up conference calls with dial-in codes for 56 countries, making it a pretty good option for international calls. All meetings and recordings are encrypted, utilizing HIPAA-compliant data storage, which provides excellent security for companies discussing sensitive data, such as personal health information. The whiteboarding tools are also pretty good, but my favorite part about Webex is its polling functionality, with the included Slido integration. You can pose many different question types—including multiple choice, number scales, word clouds and rankings—to engage your audience and gather information.
If you want not just conference calling but internal team collaboration with video and chat, Webex is a strong choice.
Webex lets you administer live polls during conference calls, with different question types that can be answered by attendees, whether they join by phone or web.
Learn More:Read our fullWebex review.
We gather and analyze consumer sentiment from a range of sources to create the Consumer Sentiment Index to determine customer satisfaction levels for each feature outlined below. This data is designed to give you an idea of real consumer experience of the services and product we review. This data is currently separate from our overall rating out of 5.
- #5Pricing and Cost-EffectivenessRanked 5 out of 10For Pricing and Cost-Effectiveness
- 50%of people had positive sentiments
- 50%of people had neutral sentiments
- 0%of people had negative sentiments
50%50%Ranked 5 out of 10For Pricing and Cost-Effectiveness- 50%of people had positive sentiments
- 50%of people had neutral sentiments
- 0%of people had negative sentiments
- #6Ease of Use and SetupRanked 6 out of 10For Ease of Use and Setup
- 82%of people had positive sentiments
- 0%of people had neutral sentiments
- 18%of people had negative sentiments
82%18%Ranked 6 out of 10For Ease of Use and Setup- 82%of people had positive sentiments
- 0%of people had neutral sentiments
- 18%of people had negative sentiments
- #2Reliability and PerformanceRanked 2 out of 10For Reliability and Performance
- 62%of people had positive sentiments
- 4%of people had neutral sentiments
- 34%of people had negative sentiments
62%4%34%Ranked 2 out of 10For Reliability and Performance- 62%of people had positive sentiments
- 4%of people had neutral sentiments
- 34%of people had negative sentiments
- #6Features and IntegrationRanked 6 out of 10For Features and Integration
- 83%of people had positive sentiments
- 8%of people had neutral sentiments
- 9%of people had negative sentiments
83%8%9%Ranked 6 out of 10For Features and Integration- 83%of people had positive sentiments
- 8%of people had neutral sentiments
- 9%of people had negative sentiments
Overall, the opinions about Cisco Webex are mixed, highlighting both positive experiences and areas for improvement. While many users appreciate the platform for its ease of use, sound and video quality and practicality in professional settings, there are also frustrations with issues such as audio failures, lagging and occasional clunkiness in the interface. Users express a desire for improvements in these problem areas, suggesting that although the software is strong in many aspects, reliable performance can be inconsistent.
- Encryption on all meetings and recordings
- Advanced noise removal
- Team chat included
- Costly paid plans
- Free plan doesn’t offer phone dial-in
- Free plan limits meetings to 40 minutes
GoTo Connect
Best for International Calls
GoTo Connect
Starting Cost (Billed Monthly)
$30 per user
Call Capacity
250 participants
Time Limit
No time limit
$30 per user
250 participants
No time limit
GoTo Connect is aunified communicationsplatform that bundles VoIP, team chat and video meetings—similar to Dialpad, RingCentral and Nextiva. You can use the meetings feature to host up to 250 participants, with numerous engaging features, including whiteboards for drawing, AI summaries and an effective note-taking tool.
While Dialpad and RingCentral match GoTo’s collaboration tools, GoTo also supports dial-in numbers for 50+ countries, which is among the most of any conferencing platform I tested. Even better, GoTo Connect’s phone system supports unlimited calling to over 50 countries, while most othercloud phone systemson our list only enable unlimited calling to the U.S. and Canada. GoTo is well-suited for companies with international clients or customers. If you want a business phone system for international conferencing and business calls, GoTo is a good option.
GoTo Connect Meetings let you host up to 250 participants by video or audio dial-in.
Learn more:Read our fullGoTo Meeting review.
We gather and analyze consumer sentiment from a range of sources to create the Consumer Sentiment Index to determine customer satisfaction levels for each feature outlined below. This data is designed to give you an idea of real consumer experience of the services and product we review. This data is currently separate from our overall rating out of 5.
- #3Customer SupportRanked 3 out of 10For Customer Support
- 60%of people had positive sentiments
- 0%of people had neutral sentiments
- 40%of people had negative sentiments
60%40%Ranked 3 out of 10For Customer Support- 60%of people had positive sentiments
- 0%of people had neutral sentiments
- 40%of people had negative sentiments
- #5Ease of Use and SetupRanked 5 out of 10For Ease of Use and Setup
- 50%of people had positive sentiments
- 8%of people had neutral sentiments
- 42%of people had negative sentiments
50%8%42%Ranked 5 out of 10For Ease of Use and Setup- 50%of people had positive sentiments
- 8%of people had neutral sentiments
- 42%of people had negative sentiments
- #6Reliability and PerformanceRanked 6 out of 10For Reliability and Performance
- 41%of people had positive sentiments
- 6%of people had neutral sentiments
- 53%of people had negative sentiments
41%6%53%Ranked 6 out of 10For Reliability and Performance- 41%of people had positive sentiments
- 6%of people had neutral sentiments
- 53%of people had negative sentiments
- #5Features and IntegrationRanked 5 out of 10For Features and Integration
- 36%of people had positive sentiments
- 36%of people had neutral sentiments
- 28%of people had negative sentiments
36%36%28%Ranked 5 out of 10For Features and Integration- 36%of people had positive sentiments
- 36%of people had neutral sentiments
- 28%of people had negative sentiments
User feedback on GoTo Connect and its related services suggests a mixed experience. While some users appreciate its effectiveness and clarity in audio and video during virtual conferences, others express dissatisfaction regarding the app’s reliability, audio quality and user interface, citing issues like lag, bugs and challenges with setup and joining meetings. The sentiment leans towards negative, as many users encounter technical difficulties and feature limitations, indicating areas for improvement despite some positive remarks about ease of use and functionality.
- Includes phone system with unlimited calling to 50+ countries
- AI action items and highlights from meetings
- Take notes directly within meetings
- Costlier than average
- Requires the host to have an internet connection
- No meeting recording on the low-tier plan
Google Meet
Most User-Friendly
Google Meet
Starting Cost (Billed Monthly)
Free
Call Capacity
100 to 1,000, depending on plan
Time Limit
60 minutes to 24 hours, depending on plan
Free
100 to 1,000, depending on plan
60 minutes to 24 hours, depending on plan
I found Google Meet to be the most user-friendly conference call tool, particularly for setup, dial-in and meeting management. It’s also great for teams that want hybrid meetings combining video and dial-in participants.
Initiating or creating a conference call with Google Meet is incredibly easy. You can start an instant meeting with one click or schedule one for later. Google provides you with a one-click access link that you can easily email to participants. Each meeting has dial-in phone numbers for over 70 countries, a helpful feature for geographically distributed teams. The meeting host controls are intuitive, allowing for easy captioning and attendee management with simple buttons.
It’s included with Google Workspace’s paid plans, but any Google account user can create and schedule conference calls for free directly through the Google Meet webpage.
Google Meet’s conference call setup page lets you generate invite codes and dial-in numbers with one click.
Learn more:Read our fullGoogle Meet review.
We gather and analyze consumer sentiment from a range of sources to create the Consumer Sentiment Index to determine customer satisfaction levels for each feature outlined below. This data is designed to give you an idea of real consumer experience of the services and product we review. This data is currently separate from our overall rating out of 5.
- #8Customer SupportRanked 8 out of 10For Customer Support
- 16%of people had positive sentiments
- 9%of people had neutral sentiments
- 75%of people had negative sentiments
16%9%75%Ranked 8 out of 10For Customer Support- 16%of people had positive sentiments
- 9%of people had neutral sentiments
- 75%of people had negative sentiments
- #7Pricing and Cost-EffectivenessRanked 7 out of 10For Pricing and Cost-Effectiveness
- 59%of people had positive sentiments
- 17%of people had neutral sentiments
- 24%of people had negative sentiments
59%17%24%Ranked 7 out of 10For Pricing and Cost-Effectiveness- 59%of people had positive sentiments
- 17%of people had neutral sentiments
- 24%of people had negative sentiments
- #9Ease of Use and SetupRanked 9 out of 10For Ease of Use and Setup
- 79%of people had positive sentiments
- 7%of people had neutral sentiments
- 14%of people had negative sentiments
79%7%14%Ranked 9 out of 10For Ease of Use and Setup- 79%of people had positive sentiments
- 7%of people had neutral sentiments
- 14%of people had negative sentiments
- #1Reliability and PerformanceRanked 1 out of 10For Reliability and Performance
- 80%of people had positive sentiments
- 8%of people had neutral sentiments
- 12%of people had negative sentiments
80%8%12%Ranked 1 out of 10For Reliability and Performance- 80%of people had positive sentiments
- 8%of people had neutral sentiments
- 12%of people had negative sentiments
- #9Features and IntegrationRanked 9 out of 10For Features and Integration
- 50%of people had positive sentiments
- 28%of people had neutral sentiments
- 22%of people had negative sentiments
50%28%22%Ranked 9 out of 10For Features and Integration- 50%of people had positive sentiments
- 28%of people had neutral sentiments
- 22%of people had negative sentiments
Overall, users have mixed feelings about Google Meet as a conference calling app. While some praise it for its ability to connect people across different devices, appreciating features like video quality, user-friendly interface and the ability to communicate with non-iPhone users, others report a range of technical issues. Common complaints include frequent glitches, connectivity problems after updates, difficulty with features like screen sharing and frequent app crashes. Despite these challenges, Google Meet is valued for facilitating communication among friends and family who use different phone systems, but the repeated technical problems leave a notable amount of user dissatisfaction.
- Free plan supports 100 participants
- International dial-in support
- Noise cancellation for clear audio
- No waiting room
- Not a phone service
- Free plan has a one-hour time limit for meetings of 3+ people
FreeConferenceCall.com
Best for Large Conference Calls
FreeConferenceCall.com
Starting Cost (Billed Monthly)
Free
Call Capacity
1,000
Time Limit
Six hours
Free
1,000
Six hours
FreeConferenceCall.com lets you host meetings that participants can join by phone, video or a blend. You have to sign up to create an account, but once you do, it’s easy to create instant meetings or schedule them for later.
The free platform’s 1,000-participant capacity is remarkable—a number that most alternatives, such as Google, can’t match—even on paid plans. During meetings, hosts have access to basic collaboration tools such as screen sharing, drawing and virtual backgrounds.
Once you create a FreeConferenceCall.com account, you receive a custom dial-in number that works for all your calls. While some alternative conference calling platforms require the host to have an internet connection, FreeConferenceCall lets the host dial in by phone over landline or internet—just like a participant.
Each FreeConferenceCall meeting includes personal dial-in numbers for attendees to join your call.
We gather and analyze consumer sentiment from a range of sources to create the Consumer Sentiment Index to determine customer satisfaction levels for each feature outlined below. This data is designed to give you an idea of real consumer experience of the services and product we review. This data is currently separate from our overall rating out of 5.
- #6Customer SupportRanked 6 out of 10For Customer Support
- 36%of people had positive sentiments
- 9%of people had neutral sentiments
- 55%of people had negative sentiments
36%9%55%Ranked 6 out of 10For Customer Support- 36%of people had positive sentiments
- 9%of people had neutral sentiments
- 55%of people had negative sentiments
- #3Pricing and Cost-EffectivenessRanked 3 out of 10For Pricing and Cost-Effectiveness
- 70%of people had positive sentiments
- 0%of people had neutral sentiments
- 30%of people had negative sentiments
70%30%Ranked 3 out of 10For Pricing and Cost-Effectiveness- 70%of people had positive sentiments
- 0%of people had neutral sentiments
- 30%of people had negative sentiments
- #2Ease of Use and SetupRanked 2 out of 10For Ease of Use and Setup
- 94%of people had positive sentiments
- 6%of people had neutral sentiments
- 0%of people had negative sentiments
94%6%Ranked 2 out of 10For Ease of Use and Setup- 94%of people had positive sentiments
- 6%of people had neutral sentiments
- 0%of people had negative sentiments
- #3Reliability and PerformanceRanked 3 out of 10For Reliability and Performance
- 62%of people had positive sentiments
- 10%of people had neutral sentiments
- 28%of people had negative sentiments
62%10%28%Ranked 3 out of 10For Reliability and Performance- 62%of people had positive sentiments
- 10%of people had neutral sentiments
- 28%of people had negative sentiments
- #8Features and IntegrationRanked 8 out of 10For Features and Integration
- 87%of people had positive sentiments
- 4%of people had neutral sentiments
- 9%of people had negative sentiments
87%4%9%Ranked 8 out of 10For Features and Integration- 87%of people had positive sentiments
- 4%of people had neutral sentiments
- 9%of people had negative sentiments
Overall, user opinions on FreeConferenceCall.com are mixed, with a combination of positive experiences and notable criticisms. Many users appreciate the service for being a reliable, easy-to-use and cost-effective tool for conducting free conference calls, particularly praising its clarity and functionality for group meetings. However, there are frequent reports of technical issues such as difficulties connecting, dropped calls and audio quality problems, as well as frustrations with customer support and unanticipated charges from mobile carriers, reflecting dissatisfaction among a considerable portion of users.
- Huge capacity
- Quick setup and invite process
- Dial-in from 80 countries
- Occasional ads on the free version
- Dial-in users have to enter an access code
- Hard to reach live customer support
Dialpad Connect
Best Video Quality
Dialpad Connect
Starting Cost (Billed Monthly)
$27 per user
Call Capacity
150 participants
Time Limit
Five hours
$27 per user
150 participants
Five hours
Dialpad Connect is a unified communications platform that bundles a VoIP phone system, team chat and video meeting platform that can host audio conferences for 150 participants. I was impressed with its crystal-clear audio and HD video, which seemed to be the highest clarity of any conferencing platform I tested. Dialpad includes a Miro integration that gives you various whiteboard tools, including post-it notes, shapes and templates.
Dialpad’s phone system has an impressive suite of AI features, with call transcriptions and instant summaries included on all plans. Ring groups and IVR menus let you route inbound calls, with the same great audio clarity as the video meetings. If you want an AI-supported phone system for all business calls—notjustconference calls, Dialpad’s a good choice. But if you just need an occasional group call, I’d go for a free alternative like Google Meet or FreeConferenceCall.com.
Dialpad combines solid collaboration tools, like whiteboard, with excellent audio and video clarity for conference calls that mix the two modalities.
Learn More:Read our fullDialpad review.
We gather and analyze consumer sentiment from a range of sources to create the Consumer Sentiment Index to determine customer satisfaction levels for each feature outlined below. This data is designed to give you an idea of real consumer experience of the services and product we review. This data is currently separate from our overall rating out of 5.
- #4Customer SupportRanked 4 out of 10For Customer Support
- 53%of people had positive sentiments
- 25%of people had neutral sentiments
- 22%of people had negative sentiments
53%25%22%Ranked 4 out of 10For Customer Support- 53%of people had positive sentiments
- 25%of people had neutral sentiments
- 22%of people had negative sentiments
- #1Pricing and Cost-EffectivenessRanked 1 out of 10For Pricing and Cost-Effectiveness
- 78%of people had positive sentiments
- 13%of people had neutral sentiments
- 9%of people had negative sentiments
78%13%9%Ranked 1 out of 10For Pricing and Cost-Effectiveness- 78%of people had positive sentiments
- 13%of people had neutral sentiments
- 9%of people had negative sentiments
- #1Ease of Use and SetupRanked 1 out of 10For Ease of Use and Setup
- 89%of people had positive sentiments
- 5%of people had neutral sentiments
- 6%of people had negative sentiments
89%5%6%Ranked 1 out of 10For Ease of Use and Setup- 89%of people had positive sentiments
- 5%of people had neutral sentiments
- 6%of people had negative sentiments
- #7Reliability and PerformanceRanked 7 out of 10For Reliability and Performance
- 50%of people had positive sentiments
- 21%of people had neutral sentiments
- 29%of people had negative sentiments
50%21%29%Ranked 7 out of 10For Reliability and Performance- 50%of people had positive sentiments
- 21%of people had neutral sentiments
- 29%of people had negative sentiments
- #1Features and IntegrationRanked 1 out of 10For Features and Integration
- 83%of people had positive sentiments
- 8%of people had neutral sentiments
- 9%of people had negative sentiments
83%8%9%Ranked 1 out of 10For Features and Integration- 83%of people had positive sentiments
- 8%of people had neutral sentiments
- 9%of people had negative sentiments
The user reviews for Dialpad highlight a mixed experience, reflecting both positive and negative aspects. While many users appreciate Dialpad for its reliable calling software with features like seamless integration with HubSpot, call recording and conference calling, others express concerns over issues such as billing challenges, limited scalability and occasional technical glitches in certain features like HD calling and video conferencing. Although some find the system easy to use and affordable, others report delays and integration difficulties, leading to a somewhat average user sentiment overall.
- Includes a complete phone system
- Excellent audio and video quality
- Free version
- Limited capacity and time on free plan
- Features have a learning curve
- Some users report dropped calls
Nextiva
Best for a Multichannel Contact Center
Nextiva
Starting Cost (Billed Monthly)
$23 per user
Call Capacity
250 participants
Time Limit
No time limit
$23 per user
250 participants
No time limit
Nextiva includes unlimited audio and video conferencing as part of its Core and Engage plans. While they lack advanced collaborative features like whiteboards and AI assistance, Nextiva conference calls are easy to set up, with instant invites and seamless calendaring. You can share files and chat during meetings, and record as many as you want, but not much else.
The main thing that’s special about Nextiva is that, beyond conference calling, you get a complete multichannel customer service platform that includes social media channels, email, live chat and a robust business phone system. I was blown away that one dashboard gave me access to all these channels, and it was only $23 or $50. Compared to other contact center software, either plan is a steal if you’re looking for multichannel service.
More than just conference calling, Nextiva lets you connect with customers through social media channels, live chat and a full VoIP phone system.
Learn more:Read our fullNextiva review.
We gather and analyze consumer sentiment from a range of sources to create the Consumer Sentiment Index to determine customer satisfaction levels for each feature outlined below. This data is designed to give you an idea of real consumer experience of the services and product we review. This data is currently separate from our overall rating out of 5.
- #1Customer SupportRanked 1 out of 10For Customer Support
- 79%of people had positive sentiments
- 7%of people had neutral sentiments
- 14%of people had negative sentiments
79%7%14%Ranked 1 out of 10For Customer Support- 79%of people had positive sentiments
- 7%of people had neutral sentiments
- 14%of people had negative sentiments
- #2Pricing and Cost-EffectivenessRanked 2 out of 10For Pricing and Cost-Effectiveness
- 84%of people had positive sentiments
- 7%of people had neutral sentiments
- 9%of people had negative sentiments
84%7%9%Ranked 2 out of 10For Pricing and Cost-Effectiveness- 84%of people had positive sentiments
- 7%of people had neutral sentiments
- 9%of people had negative sentiments
- #3Ease of Use and SetupRanked 3 out of 10For Ease of Use and Setup
- 79%of people had positive sentiments
- 11%of people had neutral sentiments
- 10%of people had negative sentiments
79%11%10%Ranked 3 out of 10For Ease of Use and Setup- 79%of people had positive sentiments
- 11%of people had neutral sentiments
- 10%of people had negative sentiments
- #8Reliability and PerformanceRanked 8 out of 10For Reliability and Performance
- 57%of people had positive sentiments
- 22%of people had neutral sentiments
- 21%of people had negative sentiments
57%22%21%Ranked 8 out of 10For Reliability and Performance- 57%of people had positive sentiments
- 22%of people had neutral sentiments
- 21%of people had negative sentiments
- #4Features and IntegrationRanked 4 out of 10For Features and Integration
- 81%of people had positive sentiments
- 10%of people had neutral sentiments
- 9%of people had negative sentiments
81%10%9%Ranked 4 out of 10For Features and Integration- 81%of people had positive sentiments
- 10%of people had neutral sentiments
- 9%of people had negative sentiments
Overall, user opinions on Nextiva in the context of hosted PBX services are mixed. While some users appreciate the system’s integration capabilities, clear call quality, robust analytics features and competitive pricing, others report consistent issues with call quality, billing and service reliability, describing their experiences as problematic. Customer support receives varied feedback, with some finding it superior to competitors, while others encountered significant challenges and dissatisfaction.
- Unlimited recordings
- Social media channels
- Customer screen sharing
- A complete contact center may be too much for most teams
- No free option
- Lacks advanced in-meeting AI and whiteboarding
Phone.com
Best for a Basic Phone System
Phone.com
Starting Cost (Billed Monthly)
$18 per user
Call Capacity
100
Time Limit
No time limit
$18 per user
100
No time limit
Phone.com bundles a VoIP phone system with video conferencing, and you can use either method to host conference calls. The conference calling functionality is pretty good, with features like screen sharing, document sharing, and whiteboards. However, I felt like Phone.com’s app interface and conferencing dashboard seemed a bit outdated and plain compared to more modern-feeling alternatives like Dialpad, RingCentral and Google Meet.
Phone.com’s phone system dashboard also feels a bit outdated, with just basic analytics and IVR menus for call routing. While it lacks the robust channel and feature variety of other phone systems like Nextiva and RingCentral, Phone.com’s simplicity may be a welcome feature for companies that don’t want too many bells and whistles.
However, if you just want to host occasional conference calls—not a complete phone system—go for a free alternative like Google Meet.
Phone.com’s VoIP system lets you dial multiple numbers and merge several conversations into a conference call with multiple parties.
We gather and analyze consumer sentiment from a range of sources to create the Consumer Sentiment Index to determine customer satisfaction levels for each feature outlined below. This data is designed to give you an idea of real consumer experience of the services and product we review. This data is currently separate from our overall rating out of 5.
- #7Customer SupportRanked 7 out of 10For Customer Support
- 18%of people had positive sentiments
- 1%of people had neutral sentiments
- 81%of people had negative sentiments
18%1%81%Ranked 7 out of 10For Customer Support- 18%of people had positive sentiments
- 1%of people had neutral sentiments
- 81%of people had negative sentiments
- #9Pricing and Cost-EffectivenessRanked 9 out of 10For Pricing and Cost-Effectiveness
- 25%of people had positive sentiments
- 11%of people had neutral sentiments
- 64%of people had negative sentiments
25%11%64%Ranked 9 out of 10For Pricing and Cost-Effectiveness- 25%of people had positive sentiments
- 11%of people had neutral sentiments
- 64%of people had negative sentiments
- #10Ease of Use and SetupRanked 10 out of 10For Ease of Use and Setup
- 13%of people had positive sentiments
- 3%of people had neutral sentiments
- 84%of people had negative sentiments
13%3%84%Ranked 10 out of 10For Ease of Use and Setup- 13%of people had positive sentiments
- 3%of people had neutral sentiments
- 84%of people had negative sentiments
- #10Reliability and PerformanceRanked 10 out of 10For Reliability and Performance
- 5%of people had positive sentiments
- 2%of people had neutral sentiments
- 93%of people had negative sentiments
5%2%93%Ranked 10 out of 10For Reliability and Performance- 5%of people had positive sentiments
- 2%of people had neutral sentiments
- 93%of people had negative sentiments
- #10Features and IntegrationRanked 10 out of 10For Features and Integration
- 45%of people had positive sentiments
- 10%of people had neutral sentiments
- 45%of people had negative sentiments
45%10%45%Ranked 10 out of 10For Features and Integration- 45%of people had positive sentiments
- 10%of people had neutral sentiments
- 45%of people had negative sentiments
Phone.com is commonly described as an affordable VoIP service with a range of features that appeal particularly to small businesses. Users often highlight its cost-effectiveness and ease of use, noting positive experiences with customer support and the usefulness of features like simultaneous ringing. However, there are frequent reports of service reliability issues, including glitches, dropped calls and software complaints, which have led some users to express dissatisfaction with the platform. Overall, while some find it to be a viable and economical choice, concerns about service stability and functionality are prevalent.
- Simple, user-friendly dashboard
- All video meetings are HIPAA compliant
- AI-based call handling and appointment scheduling
- Only has basic features—no AI or live notes
- No free plan
- Complete phone system may be unnecessary
Methodology
When creating this list of the best conference calling services, we evaluated pricing, my hands-on testing experience, general features and how real users rated the software. Here is a more detailed look at the categories we used to score and rank the providers that made our list.
| Decision Factor | Scoring Weight | Description |
|---|---|---|
General Features | 30% | We identified the most critical conference calling features such as video and audio accessibility, toll-free dial-in, recording and meeting transcripts. We evaluated the quality and availability of these features in each plan. |
Value | 17% | This considers not just a software’s price, but what you get for it. We gave higher scores to conferencing solutions with longer meetings and better features in relation to their price point. |
Expert Score | 20% | I tested these products, evaluating their ease of use, features, call quality and overall value. |
Customer Service | 6% | It’s critical that you have the ability to speak with a real person about your software if you run into issues. We compared each software’s customer service offerings, reaching out to each provider’s support staff to evaluate accessibility and effectiveness. |
Security Features | 12% | Many companies use conference calls to discuss sensitive and private information. We placed some value on a product’s security, including factors such as password protection, encryption and HIPAA compliance. |
User Feedback | 15% | We gathered data and reviews from real small-business users that utilize each solution, aggregating this feedback to help us accurately score providers. |
How To Choose the Best Conference Calling Service
When choosing a conference calling service for your company, determine which calling features you need, such as video accessibility, recording or post-call transcription, or engagement features such as active note-taking. Consider if you’d make best use of a complete phone system, a paid video-conferencing solution, or just a free video-meeting platform for occasional conference calls.
Here’s a more detailed breakdown of what to look for when choosing a conference calling system:
Essential Conference Calling Service Features
Conference calling services may include various features for meeting capacity, accessibility, security and participant engagement. It’s important to find a cost-effective platform that includes your must-have features without making you pay for extra bells and whistles you won’t use.
Here’s a look at the most critical conference calling features.
- Video and audio accessibility: Most conference calling solutions let participants join meetings by video or dial-in audio. Audio access through a conference line provides flexibility by letting users join through mobile devices, while video access enables face-to-face communication and better engagement.
- Toll-free international numbers: Toll-free dial-in numbers enable participants to join your meeting from around the globe for free. Keep in mind that, as the host, you usually bear the additional expense when international callers dial into your meeting toll-free.
- Meeting scheduling and invitations: With conferencing software, creating a conference call is the same process as scheduling a video meeting. You can give the call a title, schedule it on a calendar and automatically email invites with the join link and dial-in number.
- End-to-end encryption: An important security feature, end-to-end encryption protects your meeting data and storage from getting accessed by an unauthorized party. This is especially valuable when you’re in an industry discussing private information such as health records, educational reports or financial data.
- Call recording: Many conferencing software systems let you record the video and audio for your meeting, storing recordings in the cloud or privately in your own data systems. Recordings can catch up those who may have missed the meeting and enable you to review information as many times as you want.
- Captions and transcription: Call captions transcribe speech in real time and display the running text on each participant’s screen. After the call, transcriptions provide a record of what was said during the call. Transcriptions are a useful way of logging people’s quotes for later reference.
- Host controls: During a conference call, the host typically has access to meeting controls—either with a video panel or a dashboard. The host can mute or unmute participants, let people in or remove them from the meeting.
- Whiteboards and note-taking: Video-based users can collaborate during calls by co-editing whiteboards or taking real-time notes on a communal pad. These tools help engage participants and keep them involved while getting the most out of meetings with creative record-keeping.
- Third-party software integrations: Many conference calling solutions integrate with other software systems, including CRM platforms, calendars and communication apps such as Slack. These integrations can assist with scheduling conferences and populating your customer interaction history.
Ease of Use
It’s important that your conference calling service is easy to use—both for you and the participants you call. Look for a platform that allows you to easily start instant meetings or schedule calls for later with automated participant email invites.
While on call, the host display tools should be easy to navigate. Ideally, you can see the active caller count and manage mute settings for each participant. Before choosing a provider, aim to use free trials for your top two or three choices to get a feel for each one’s setup and meeting hosting process.
Callum Gracie, founder of Otto Media, a digital marketing and SEO agency, uses conference calls to connect with clients and plan campaign strategies. He prioritizes ease of use, saying, “I focused on one thing: client accessibility. My clients range from tech-savvy founders to local trade businesses. So, the platform had to be simple enough for anyone to use without IT support. Screen-sharing, call recording and integration with our project management tools were a major factor.”
Customer Support
It’s helpful to have a provider with accessible support staff, in case you run into issues with setup, call uptime or meeting administration. Many conference call providers offer 24/7 live support by chat and phone; however, some systems reserve these live options for paid users. Free plans generally support ticket-based requests, but these may take a day or two for a reply.
Before choosing a provider, consult its pricing page or our list above to ensure that you’re comfortable with the support options available on your plan.
Reputation
It’s helpful to choose a reputable conference calling solution, because platforms with large user bases tend to be more active in keeping their products up to date. Further, if you run into any issues, a reputable platform will provide you with a larger community for guidance.
Before choosing a conference calling service, check out your top choices’ ratings on review sites such as G2, Capterra and Trustpilot. Compare the ratings, recency and number of reviews among your top choices to get a feel for what recent customers’ experiences have been like.
Featured Partners
1
Zoom
$10 per user per month, $15 unlimited calling
U.S. and Canada
Unlimited in the U.S. and Canada
2
RingCentral
$20 per user
HD Voice, SMS, Team chat, HD Video meetings
U.S. and Canada
3
Intermedia Unite
$27.99 per user
Voice, SMS, Team chat, Video meetings
33 countries, including the U.S., Canada, U.K., Hong Kong, Italy and India
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How many people can join conference calls?
Conference calls can host up to 1,000 participants simultaneously, depending on the service you choose.
How secure are conference call services?
Nearly all conference call services protect your meetings with passwords and access codes. Further, many conference call services offer end-to-end encryption for all meetings and stored data, making them very secure.
Is there a free conference call service?
Yes. Google Meet, FreeConferenceCall.com, RingCentral and Dialpad each offer free conference calling services.
How much does a conference call cost?
Some conference calling platforms have no monthly cost, while some charge a monthly subscription fee. With a conference call line, all conference calls in the U.S. are free. International dial-in participants incur an additional fee for long-distance rates.
Forbes Advisor adheres to strict editorial integrity standards. To the best of our knowledge, all content is accurate as of the date posted, though offers contained herein may no longer be available. The opinions expressed are the author’s alone and have not been provided, approved, or otherwise endorsed by ourpartners.
With three years spent researching, comparing, and testing software products, Tyler Webb is an expert on all things telecommunications. With work featured on GetVoIP.com, he's written over 150 articles on topics including VoIP, contact centers, unified communications, and CRM platforms.
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