A few days ago the news broke. Zoom, the popular tool for group video conferencing, doesn't encrypt end-to-end conversations, as promised on its website. Just last week we collected some tricks to make Zoom conversations more secure. Still with everything, from tuexperto.com we strongly recommend resorting to some alternatives to Zoom to make group video calls safely, alternatives like the ones we will see below.
Jitsi
It is probably the best alternative to Zoom. It is not only free, but also an open source tool. Likewise, the platform does not require any type of registration to make group video calls. Best of all, it does not have a maximum limit of participants , unlike other alternatives. The limit is set by the bandwidth of the server that we are using or the network to which we are connected.
It also has the possibility of installing a personal server to make calls even more secure. Of course, it has an application for Android and iOS, although we recommend using the web client directly .
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I grumble
An alternative to Zoom little known in the home environment but especially popular in business environments. Although the tool has payment plans, Gruveo offers the possibility of creating group video calls completely free of charge and without any registration on its website, it is enough to generate a name through the web to share it later with other users.
The free version of the platform has a limit of 12 participants. And if this were not enough, it has functions to record video calls and share the screen with other users .
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Google Hangouts
Despite being relegated by other North American giant services, Hangouts is still one of the best group video calling apps. Its free version admits up to 10 participants maximum and up to 25 if we use the version for companies .
As it is Google's own service, we can take advantage of our Gmail account to register on the platform, either through the mobile application or through its web service.
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Webex Meetings
A platform created by Cisco for the business environment but which has become popular in recent weeks due to confinement. The company has recently launched a free 90-day plan with which we can make video calls with up to 100 participants with high definition videoconferences.
Like the rest of the platforms, it has shared screen functions, as well as the possibility of creating a private and secure room. It also has an application for mobile phones, although the web version has a greater number of options.
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Google Duo
Duo is the evolution of Hangouts. It is a kind of vitaminized WhatsApp that mixes instant messaging functions with Skype or Houseparty functions. In fact, it has a maximum limit of 8 people .
It comes installed on all Android mobiles by default, which enables access from any device. By depending on Google services, we can make use of a Gmail account to access the application , similar to Hangouts.
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