Remote work has transformed team collaboration, making online conference call services essential for modern businesses. These tools enable seamless communication across geographical boundaries, supporting productive meetings and better teamwork regardless of location.
However, not all conference call solutions are created equal. Poor call quality, dropped connections, and limited participant capacity can disrupt crucial meetings, frustrate users, and damage your professional image.
This comprehensive guide will help you choose the perfect conference call service for your business. We’ll explore essential features, compare top-rated options, and offer valuable tips to drive better communication and collaboration.
Whether you’re a small business owner or part of a large enterprise, you’ll find the information you need to make an informed decision and enhance your collaboration capabilities.
What Is a Conference Call Service?
Conference call services are communication platforms that enable multiple participants to join a single audio or video conversation simultaneously. These services have evolved from traditional phone systems to sophisticated internet-powered solutions.
Modern conference call services typically offer:
- Audio and video capabilities
- Screen sharing and presentation tools
- Chat features
- Recording and transcription options
- Integration with other business software
These platforms use Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology to make calls over the internet. The shift to conference calling has dramatically improved accessibility, reduced costs, and expanded feature sets compared to traditional phone systems.
Conference call services cater to various business needs, from small team meetings to large-scale webinars, and are indispensable tools for remote collaboration, client communications, and virtual events.
Must-Have Features for Effective Conference Calling
Plenty of video meeting platforms offer a wide range of functionality, from basic to advanced features. No matter which platform you choose, make sure that it offers these essential conference call features.
- Screen sharing and collaboration: Conduct interactive online meetings by sharing screens and using virtual whiteboards and drawing tools for brainstorming and annotating ideas.
- Recording and transcription options: Capture valuable discussions for future reference and ensure inclusivity for team members who prefer summaries of calls and written content.
- Dial-in numbers: Provide flexibility for participants with limited internet access or those who prefer joining by phone.
- Breakout rooms: Facilitate smaller group discussions within large conferences, ideal for focused brainstorming or team projects.
- Enhanced audio and video features: Look for noise cancellation, high-definition video, and virtual backgrounds for a professional conferencing experience.
6 Best Conference Call Services
Here’s a quick overview and comparison of some popular conference call services we’ll discuss:
| Feature | Nextiva | Vast Conference | Dialpad | Cisco Webex | Zoom | Microsoft Teams |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price (per user/month) | $32.95 (Enterprise) | $31.99/month (Professional) | $15 (Business) | $14.50 (Webex Business) | $18.32 (Business) | $10 (Business standard) |
| Participants | Unlimited | Upto 250 participants | Upto 150 participants | Upto 200 participants | Upto 300 participants | Upto 300 |
| Key Strengths | Unlimited participant capacity, Integration, scalability | Cost-effective, large calls | AI features, integrations | Security, scalability | User-friendly, free plan | Collaboration, affordability |
Let’s dive deeper into these six top conferencing services for 2024, each offering unique features to meet diverse business needs.
1. Nextiva
Nextiva is a comprehensive VoIP provider offering reliable conference call solutions as part of its Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) product. It’s a popular choice for remote teams of all sizes.
Key features
- Unlimited calling and video conferencing with unlimited participants (Enterprise plan)
- Enterprise-grade security with industry-standard encryption
- Cloud-based platform for seamless accessibility and scalability
- Calendar scheduling and integration
- Collaboration features: team chat, meeting rooms, and screen sharing
Nextiva reviews
Nextiva has a 4.5 rating on G2 with 3182 reviews. Those customer testimonials often highlight the following:
- Seamless integration with Nextiva’s unified communications platform
- Excellent scalability for large organizations
- 24/7 customer support, including a dedicated team for enterprise customers
- Outstanding service and performance
- Great value for the price
- High-quality video and audio conference
Where can Nextiva improve?
- The 45-minute time limit on conferences
- The limit of three team collaboration rooms across all plans
Pricing
Nextiva offers an all-in-one communications platform, and conference calls are available in our Professional and Enterprise plans.
- Professional plan: $22.95 per user/month (up to 40 participants)
- Enterprise plan: $32.95 per user/month (unlimited voice and video participants)
2. Vast Conference
Vast Conference specializes exclusively in conference calls and virtual events, unlike full-service VoIP providers.
Key features
- High-quality audio and video conferencing (up to 1,000 participants)
- Unlimited call recording and transcription
- Custom greetings and hold music for professional branding
- International call forwarding
- Up to 49 simultaneous video feeds with 250 participants
Vast Conference reviews
Vast Conference has a 4.6 G2 rating but only 17 reviews. Customers appreciate:
- Cost-effective pricing for large organizations
- User-friendly interface and features
Where can it improve?
When considering Vast Conference’s conferencing software, you will want to consider these potential disadvantages:
- Limited third-party integrations
- Customer support may not meet enterprise-level needs
- Focused solely on conferencing; not an all-in-one communication platform
Pricing
Vast Conference’s paid plans are based on the number of participants. The Essentials plan is $13.19 per user per month but only includes 10 participants.
3. Dialpad
Dialpad is a reputable VoIP and conference call provider, offering a standalone conferencing solution that must be purchased separately.
Key features
- AI-powered transcription and note-taking
- CRM and business tool integrations
- Mobile app for Android and iOS
Dialpad reviews
Dialpad’s Ai Meetings product has a G2 rating of 4.4 stars and 2,069 reviews. Highlights include:
- Flexible enterprise pricing plans
- Dedicated customer success team for enterprise clients
Where can it improve?
When considering Dialpad, you should consider the following potential downsides:
- The AI platform may require additional training
- Some features might not integrate fully with all third-party apps
- Certain features are standalone products or add-ons
Pricing
Dialpad’s Ai Meetings offers the following two plans:
- Free plan: Up to 10 participants
- Business plan: $15 per user/month (up to 150 participants)
4. Cisco Webex
Cisco Webex offers a comprehensive cloud-calling solution with dedicated products for various communication needs. Its Meetings product is what you’ll focus on for audio and video conferencing.
Key features
- Secure, reliable video conferencing
- Collaboration tools: whiteboarding, file sharing, polling
- Real-time transcription
- Integration with other Cisco products WebRTC support for wide device compatibility
Cisco Webex reviews
Cisco Webex Meetings has a 4.3 G2 rating, with 15,360 reviews. Here’s what customers were happy with:
- Unparalleled security and reliability for high-stakes meetings
- A scalable platform to accommodate the needs of large enterprises
- Extensive collaboration tools for enhanced team productivity
Where can it improve?
Here are some potential drawbacks of the Cisco Webex conference service provider.
- Pricing may be high for some organizations
- Complex setup for large deployments
- Steep learning curve for new users
Pricing
Webex’s Meetings product offers the following three plans:
- Free plan: Up to 100 participants (40-minute limit)
- Paid plans: Starting at $14.50 per license/month (200 participants)
- Enterprise plan: Up to 1,000 participants (contact sales for pricing)
Related: Cisco Webex Contact Center Pricing: Is It Worth It?
5. Zoom
Zoom skyrocketed in popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic, offering a free video meeting solution for businesses shifting to remote work. It’s a simple but effective platform for those who don’t need advanced features.
Key features
- An easy-to-use interface for quick and efficient meeting setup
- A free basic plan allowing up to 100 participants
- A mobile app for Android and iOS for on-the-go collaboration
Zoom reviews
Zoom has a 4.5 G2 rating, with over 53,000 reviews. Users appreciate:
- Intuitive, easy-to-adopt interface
- Affordable pricing for large-scale deployments
- Industry leadership in video conferencing
Where can it improve?
Keep in mind some potential considerations with this conference call service:
- 40-minute limit on free plan meetings
- Past security concerns (though many have been addressed)
- Limited features on the free plan
- Occasional reliability issues
Pricing
Zoom One, which includes the Meetings platform offers three main plans:
- Free plan: Up to 100 participants per meeting
- Pro plan: $149.90 per user/year (up to 100 participants)
- Enterprise plan: Up to 1,000 participants (contact sales for pricing)
6. Microsoft Teams
Microsoft Teams provides robust video conferencing, meeting, and conference calling software, ideal for businesses already in the Microsoft ecosystem.
Key features
- Seamless integration with other Microsoft products, such as Office 365
- Unlimited calling and video conferencing for up to 300 participants
- Live translation and transcription for global collaboration
Microsoft Teams reviews
Microsoft Teams has a 4.3 G2 rating with 15,103 reviews. Users highlight:
- Tight integration with Microsoft products
- Cost-effective unlimited calling and video conferencing
- Live translation for global collaboration
Where can it improve?
Before choosing Teams as your conferencing solution, consider these downsides:
- Navigation can be challenging for those unfamiliar with Microsoft products
- Some features may not fully integrate with third-party applications
- Occasional performance issues reported
Pricing
Microsoft Teams starts at $4 per user per month, with up to 300 participants per meeting.
What To Look for in a Conference Call Service
Many conference call solutions come from business phone providers, especially if you’re looking for high-quality call and video conferencing options with strong reliability and consistent performance.
When choosing a conference call provider, look for a solution with the following 10 qualities.
📈 Scalability for large teams
Scalability is essential when choosing a conference call provider. You want a tool that supports a large number of participants in a single call, catering to the current size and potential expansion of your business.
Keep in mind that many conferencing solutions — for video and audio calls — may struggle to support a large number of participants. Choose a business plan that allows for the number of callers you need and actually supports them when you host conference calls.
Consider future growth as well – a solution that can accommodate your needs now and scale up as your business expands is ideal.
✅ Reliability and performance
When it comes to conference calls, nothing is more frustrating than poor audio quality or dropped connections. Look for a provider that offers stable, consistent audio and video quality with minimal latency.
Don’t just take their word for it — check customer reviews to get a real sense of the service’s performance. Remember, reliability is key to ensuring smooth, effective communication.
Also, check for published uptime statistics and service level agreements (SLAs).
🔏 Security & encryption
Every conference line should be secure so no one else can listen in. Choose a conferencing solution that offers strong data encryption and security measures to protect sensitive corporate and customer information.
Ideally, look for the following features:
- Security standards such as those included in ISO/IEC 27001
- End-to-end encryption on relevant features, such as SMS messaging
- Protected transmissions with Transport Layer Security and Secure Real-Time Transport Protocol encryption
- Password protection for meetings
- Waiting rooms to control participant entry
- Hosts to remove participants if needed
♻️ Strong integration ecosystem
A strong integration system will give more functionality to your conferencing tool of choice.
Seamless integrations with your existing tech stack and cloud systems are essential, so look for a tool that works with the business tools and systems you’re already using, including the following:
- CRMs, such as HubSpot or Salesforce
- Google Workspace, along with tools such as Google Calendar
- Email software, such as Microsoft Outlook
- Project management software, such as Asana
- Collaboration tools like Slack or Microsoft Teams
- Calendar apps for easy scheduling and reminders
🤙🏻 User-friendliness for all skill levels
Not all employees are naturally tech-savvy, so it’s essential to have a user-friendly audio and video conference tool that is easy for managers, employees, and executives to use.
While you should offer training, the goal is to minimize the time spent on implementing the new tool and ensure that everyone can use it without issues.
Look for features like one-click meeting joins, easy screen sharing, and intuitive meeting controls.
Strike a balance between the number of features a tool has and the complexity of the interface. The tool should have as many features as possible while providing basic features, such as making a simple call, but it should also have an intuitive interface that won’t overwhelm anyone.
📞 Responsive customer support
Reliable and responsive customer service is a must for any tool your business relies on.
A provider’s customer service should ideally meet these standards:
- Available 24/7 via email, online chat, and phone
- Capable of troubleshooting and offering technical assistance
- Proven track record of happy customers with resolved issues
- Offer comprehensive documentation and knowledge bases
- Provide regular updates and communicate about service changes or improvements
🖍 Customization options
Every business has unique needs when it comes to conference solutions, so there’s no perfect one-size-fits-all solution.
The ability to tailor your service to your specific business needs and preferences should be a priority. Find a tool that supports your desired number of call participants, meeting time limits, collaboration features, and pricing.
At the most basic, your conference calling system should let you customize virtual backgrounds, brand your meeting rooms with company logos, set up recurring meetings with saved preferences, and create custom meeting templates for different types of calls
💰 Cost-effectiveness
There are plenty of outstanding conferencing solutions on the market, but they aren’t all within your budget.
Consider the cost and pricing models of different tools. One platform may seem appealing at $15 per month, with solid features and unlimited meetings included, until you realize the price only covers five callers.
When assessing cost-effectiveness, consider the total cost of each plan by looking at the following factors:
- Number of participants
- Features offered
- Number of meetings per month
- Meeting time limits
- Contract adaptability, i.e., the ability to scale up or down as needed
- Additional costs for add-ons or premium features
🌎 Global accessibility
The ability to have secure and stable conference lines with employees, vendors, and clients all over the world has never been more important.
Make sure that the tool you choose provides access to multilingual customer support and can connect global locations with ease, even if your business is located within the U.S.
Consider features like:
- International dial-in numbers
- Support for multiple time zones
- Real-time language translation options
- The ability to host meetings in different countries without significant quality loss
🪜Cross-platform and cross-device compatibility
While people love debating the benefits of iOS vs. Android, you don’t want to pick a conferencing tool that only works on one or the other.
Ensure ease of use by choosing a conferencing solution that works on both iOS and Android, as well as on multiple web browsers and mobile devices. Conference bridge lines are a perfect way to ensure everyone can dial into your next conference call.
Choosing the Right Conference Call Service Provider
Here are a few more tips to close out on choosing the right conference call provider.
- Number of participants: Different services cater to different group sizes. Consider the average number of participants in your typical meetings.
- Features needed: Identify the features that are most important for your team, such as screen sharing, recording, or international calling.
- Pricing plans: Compare different providers’ pricing plans to find one that fits your budget. Many services offer freemium plans for small teams, while subscription and enterprise plans cater to larger organizations.
- Ease of use: Choose a service with a user-friendly interface that allows your team to easily access and utilize conference call features.
While features are important, consider your company culture and employee comfort level. Opt for a service that aligns with your team’s technical proficiency and provides adequate training materials. A good practice is to evaluate free demos before committing to a paid plan.
Power Your Virtual Meetings With Nextiva
Large and growing businesses need to choose a conference call service that’s so reliable you don’t have to think about it again. You should never be worried about faltering or dropped calls or whether you can get through to customer support if you need assistance.
We offer all the solutions needed for video and audio conferencing, including team chat, whiteboards, call recording, and screen sharing.
Nextiva also comes with extensive integration options along with an entire suite of VoIP functionality. These features include virtual business phone numbers, toll-free numbers, SMS messaging, auto-attendants, voicemail transcription, call routing, and more.
Collaborating, disseminating information, and sharing insights is a breeze with Nextiva’s scalable conference call services. Our Enterprise plan allows for unlimited conference calls up to 45 minutes with an unlimited number of participants. Get started today.
Conference Call Service FAQs
Yes, many free conference call services are available. However, free services often come with limitations, such as a limited number of participants per call, limitations on call length, and a lack of key features like screen sharing, recording, or international dial-in numbers.
Conference call cost varies depending on the provider, features offered, and the number of participants. A subscription-based conference call service could typically cost anywhere between $20 to $50 per user per month (depending on features and participant capacity).
You can also choose free plans (with limitations) and freemium services with a basic plan. Large organizations with extensive needs might require enterprise plans with dedicated support and custom features. Pricing is usually determined through quotes based on specific requirements.
It’s simple to make conference calls on mobile (iOS and Android) using mobile apps from popular conference call services. The mobile network connects all participants into a single conversation.
Most of these mobile apps have built-in conference calling capabilities, allowing multiple people to join the same audio call simultaneously.
Dedicated conference call services provide a virtual meeting space in the cloud. Users connect via mobile apps or web browsers, with the service handling the routing of audio and video streams between participants.
These platforms typically offer features like screen sharing, chat, and participant management. They require only a device with a camera, microphone, and internet connection, making it easy for people to join from various locations and enjoy web conferencing. Security measures and additional features like cloud storage and cloud recording are often included.
To improve conference call quality, focus on technical aspects and etiquette. Use a reliable internet connection, invest in quality audio equipment, and choose a quiet location. Test your setup before calls, encourage muting when not speaking, and use video to enhance engagement.
