Based on 23 reviews and ratings
Zoom
Based on 1946 reviews and ratings
Highlights
Whereby and Zoom are both web conferencing tools. They also offer some collaboration capabilities, although Zoom provides a much broader range of collaboration and communication features.
Zoom is the web conferencing giant used across company sizes. It offers a range of capabilities to serve many different use cases, including VoIP and collaboration. In contrast, Whereby is an SMB-focused video conferencing tool that specializes as a web-based platform. It’s designed to be as simple and easy to use as possible, in order to be highly accessible to smaller-scale teams and companies.
Features
Whereby and Zoom both offer feature sets that differentiate their ideal uses for companies.
Whereby specializes as an accessible platform for SMBs and small team use. The interface and mechanics of joining a meeting are relatively streamlined. Users simply create and share a web link that other participants can then use to join. This “one-click access” to meeting rooms, as well as the ability to join without downloading an app, are strong differentiators to Whereby reviewers.
Zoom, rather than overly specializing, provides features and services for a very broad range of organizations and businesses. In addition to a strong video conferencing service, Zoom also allows users to “dial-in” on a traditional phone, and other VoIP capabilities. The platform also delivers collaboration features like breakout rooms for more complex meetings, webinars, and sessions. The range and robustness of Zoom’s feature set make it an appropriate option for nearly any company size.
Limitations
While both products have strong differentiators, there are some limitations to Whereby and Zoom.
Whereby’s focus on the SMB market means that it is not as scalable as competing products. For instance, it lacks VoIP/Dial-In capabilities commonly found in video conferencing tools. The mobile app is also more limited, and its quality is less reliable than the browser-based desktop version. These limitations can constrain companies as they scale up and have to be more flexible to meet the needs of larger teams or clients.
On the other hand, Zoom’s scalability leads to it being a heavier product to manage and administer. User management is more customizable, but also more complex than simpler products. It also requires a download to use since there’s not a web version. This download can be frustrating for one-off users who wouldn’t otherwise need to use Zoom.
Pricing
Whereby offers 3 different plans. The Free version is for personal use, with one user, 1 meeting room, and up to 4 meeting participants, along with basic integrations and screen sharing. The Pro version, at $9.99/month, is for one user and provides 3 meeting rooms, up to 12 participants, branded rooms, premium support, better screen sharing, and recording for a $5 add-on fee. The Business plan, starting at $59.99/month for multiple users and admins and 10 meeting rooms, caps at 50 meeting participants, a custom domain, priority customer support, and additional security and collaboration features.
Zoom offers 4 pricing tiers. The Basic package is free, with a 40-minute cap on group meetings. The Pro version, at $14.99/month/host, extends the meeting length cap to 24 hours and adds user and administrator controls, reporting, and cloud recording. The Business plan, at $19.99/month/host starting at 10 hosts, adds dedicated phone support, dashboarding, SSO, and white labeling. The Enterprise plan, at $19.99/mo/host starting at 100 hosts, adds unlimited cloud storage, a dedicated customer success manager, executive business reviews, and bundled discounts on other Zoom products.
Provided by the TrustRadius Research Team
Published on June 25, 2020
Likelihood to Recommend
Whereby
Zoom
Feature Rating Comparison
Performance & Compatibility of Online Events Software
High quality audio
High quality video
Low bandwidth requirements
Mobile support
Screen Sharing
Desktop sharing
Whiteboards
Online Meetings / Events
Calendar integration
Meeting initiation
Integrates with social media
Record meetings / events
Slideshows
Online Events Collaboration
Live chat
Audience polling
Q&A
Online Events Security
User authentication
Participant roles & permissions
Confidential attendee list
Pros
Whereby
- Easy to use: The app is very, very easy to use. Literally just create a chat room (input a name) and access it to chat.
- Call/video quality: I've experienced better call quality on appear.in than in almost all other chat and video conferencing services out there.
Zoom
- It just works. Biggest complaint with our previous solution is that it took 10 minutes to connect to a meeting. Now, our users connect instantaneously.
- Dashboard is fantasitic. Can access real time information to troubleshoot calls.
- Admin ports offers quite a bit of information. Like that it's a one stop shop to access everything I need to administer the site, users, run reports and access the dashboard.
- Tickets get resolved quickly.
- Feature requests are realized quickly.
Cons
Whereby
- The paid version may have dial-in. But I have always used the free version. Dial-in is typically required for an "official" multi-purpose teleconference platform.
- I did have some trouble with larger groups (5+) when it was Appear.in but almost always use it for small 1-on-1 or 3 person meetings.
Zoom
- There are a few areas of the Zoom Phone functionality that I feel like need improving, such as the 911-calling capabilities and some of the call center solutions.
- Some of the ways in which Zoom interacts with other hardware, such as Cisco room kits and Advocor conference systems, leaves a little to be desired. Those that are partnering with Zoom to bring the meeting conference experience to the next level need to have the "bugs worked out" before launching their products.
Likelihood to Renew
Whereby
Zoom
Usability
Whereby
Zoom
Reliability and Availability
Whereby
Zoom
Performance
Whereby
Zoom
Support Rating
Whereby
Zoom
Implementation Rating
Whereby
Zoom
Alternatives Considered
Whereby
Zoom
Scalability
Whereby
Zoom
Return on Investment
Whereby
- It has made it easy to connect with international clients as well as overseas friends.
- It is a very professional looking setup and gives a good impression that you are businesslike and professional.
Zoom
- Allowed for us to start meetings at a faster speed especially with its Slack integration.
- Integration with HubSpot has made it easy to also set up Zoom webinars and sync any contact data within the CRM.
- Need battery chargers for laptops in a meeting lasting over an hour - drains them fairly quickly.
Screenshots
Pricing Details
Whereby
General
Free Trial
Free/Freemium Version
Premium Consulting/Integration Services
—Entry-level set up fee?
Whereby Editions & Modules
Edition
Free | $01 |
---|---|
Pro | $9.991 |
Business | $59.99 and up2 |
- per user
- per user/room
Additional Pricing Details
—Zoom
General
Free Trial
Free/Freemium Version
Premium Consulting/Integration Services
Entry-level set up fee?
Zoom Editions & Modules
On-premise Edition
Virtual H.323/SIP Room Connector | 49/month |
---|---|
Business | 19.99/month |
SaaS Edition
Basic | $0 |
---|---|
Pro | 14.99/month |
Business | 19.99/month |
Zoom Room Conference Room | 49/month |
Webinar | 54.99/month |