When Zoom experiences an outage, it can bring meetings, webinars, and virtual collaboration to a halt—especially for remote teams, educators, and businesses. That’s why it’s important to have reliable alternatives ready to go. Below are some of the best Zoom alternatives you can turn to during an outage or for general use.
1. Google Meet
Google Meet is a free and reliable video conferencing tool that integrates seamlessly with Gmail and Google Calendar. It supports screen sharing, real-time captions, and up to 100 participants on the free plan.
Pros: Easy integration with Google Workspace, no software needed
Cons: Fewer advanced features compared to Zoom Pro
2. Microsoft Teams
Part of the Microsoft 365 suite, Microsoft Teams is ideal for businesses already using Office products. It offers video meetings, chat, file sharing, and collaboration features.
Pros: Great for enterprise users, tight integration with Word, Excel, and Outlook
Cons: Slight learning curve for new users
3. Whereby
Whereby is a simple and user-friendly browser-based meeting tool. It requires no downloads and allows you to create a custom meeting room URL to share with participants.
Pros: Super easy to use, browser-based, custom meeting URLs
Cons: Limited participants on the free plan
4. Cisco Webex
Webex is a robust platform trusted by large organizations for secure and scalable video conferencing. It supports up to 100 participants on the free plan and includes features like breakout rooms and real-time translation.
Pros: Enterprise-grade security, strong feature set
Cons: Can be resource-heavy on older machines
5. Jitsi Meet
Jitsi is a free, open-source video conferencing platform that doesn’t require an account to use. You can host meetings directly from your browser, and even self-host it for full control.
Pros: 100% free, open-source, no account needed
Cons: Lacks some polish and integrations of commercial platforms
Tips for Handling a Zoom Outage
Always have at least one backup platform tested and ready. Use email or messaging apps (like Slack or Teams) to communicate the backup plan quickly. Save recurring meeting links for alternatives in advance.
Conclusion
Zoom is a powerful platform, but no service is immune to downtime. Having reliable alternatives like Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, or Whereby ensures you can keep business running smoothly even when Zoom is temporarily offline.