Due to the latest developments in the technology world, there are now different ways for employees and managers to stay connected. Such technological convenience has become even more important now that all businesses are trying to work while fighting with the Coronavirus/ COVID-19 pandemic.
Conferencing is not a new tool, but now conferences are conducted in a different way. Before, there used to be legacy telephones placed in the centre of a table for conducting a conference. Now, you can conduct conferences without a phone. And, another great thing is that you are not limited to audio anymore. You can conduct video conferences and talk as if in the same room.
Not all services cost. There are many providers that offer free call conferencing. Businesses, especially small ones, can take advantage of these free services better than anyone else. Conference call services are beneficial for conducting operations whether you have remote employees, an office space, warehouses, distribution centre etc. In order to help businesses, find the best free conference calling services, we have carefully analysed different platforms based on the following factors:
- Call controls:the ability to mute callers, start discussions, mark attendance, and other control features
- Caller recording: ability to record call conferences, option to save recordings on the cloud, transcription facility
- Mobile app: allows participation and management in a conference similar to laptop and desktop versions
We have considered services that have a completely free version and not just a free trial. Some of the VoIP services also have plan tiers but they also have a free version. Here are the three best free conference call services for small businesses.
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Zoom
Zoom is a popular collaborative tool. It offers a range of video calling features like instant meetings, screen sharing, reservations and scheduled meetings along with the group and private chats. It’s mainly known for its video conferencing, but also supports voice calls. They have a desktop and a mobile app. Using zoom participants and schedule and join conferences.
Zoom Call Controls
With Zoom you get the usual call controls including turning the video on and off, control and mute calls, and inviting participants to join a meeting. When you reserve and schedule a video conference call, you can automatically connect to Gmail and Outlook calendars that allow you to send meeting invitations.
Zoom Mobile App
You can download the Zoom app on both Android and iOS phones. As a new user, you can also create your account through the mobile app, or you can log in if you already have one. You get the same feature on the mobile app as the desktop version like hosting and joining meetings, access list of previously attended conferences.
Zoom Call Recording
Zoom also offers call recording. But, remember that with the free Zoom version you only get local M4A or MP4 recording. You will have to update to the paid version to get cloud recording.
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VoIP Business
VoIP Business is a complete hosted phone service provider but they also offer free conference call service. You can use their free version of their platform individually and can also upgrade to any of the available plans based on business needs. The free version comes with web management for up to 5 participants. VoIP Business is one of the best options for small businesses that want a complete call conferencing service without having to pay subscription charges per user. You can sign up for free, get a conference phone number, and share the number with others, simply dial-in and start conducting meetings.
VoIP Business Call Controls
VoIP Business offers a range of features for call control. When you host a conference, you can mute calls, mark attendance, enable join/leave empty conference rooms etc.
VoIP Business Call Recording
VoIP Business does offer call recording but you have to upgrade and subscribe to one of their paid tiers. The recordings are available on your VoIP Business accounts.
VoIP Business Mobile app
VoIP Business mobile app is available for download on Android and iOS phones. It has a user-friendly interface. Also, you get the same features as the desktop version.
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com
Free Conference is a widely known call conference provider and you get a lot of features with their free version. They offer four levels of services including free, starter, plus and pro plans. You can sign up for free, get a conference number, access code, and host PIN and a URL for your conference room in your email.
FreeConference.com Call Controls
With free Conference you get a primary local or an international number, a moderator PIN number and an access code. With this information, you can sign in at any time and start a conference call or you can also schedule one with your participants. You can fairly standard call controls including call mute and screen sharing.
FreeConference.com Mobile App
With freeConference you get the majority of the desktop version feature. You can easily dial into or host a conference call. You can launch a conference call or schedule one for late. You can download the app on iOS or Android phones. However, for now, video conferencing is only available on Android devices.
FreeConference.com Call Recording
This is the one area in which freeConference falls short. Their free plan doesn’t include call recording but you can upgrade to any of their plans to get this feature.
We hope you get the conference calling that best suits your business needs and helps you stay connected with your team.