The Best Conference Call Services of 2021

While many of today's unified communications and business phone systems include audio conferencing services, you can sign up for a separate conference calling service in conjunction with your phone system.

With these add-on services, you are typically provided a local or toll-free phone number you and attendees call to access the conference line. Each caller is then prompted for a host or participant access code. Depending on how you set up the service, participants are either placed immediately in the meeting room or put on hold until the meeting's host starts the call.

There are two separate types of conference call services: reservationless and operator-assisted.

Reservationless

Reservationless services are used for your everyday conferences and meetings. These calls can be planned in advance or held instantaneously. Your conference line is free to use 24/7.

Reservationless service generally includes features like call recording, the ability to manage calls online, options to dial out to attendees once a meeting has started, and a "call-me" tool that dials participants when the meeting is set to start.

Additionally, many reservationless conference call providers include the ability to host web meetings for no added cost. This allows for virtual face-to-face meetings via HD video, where you can share screens, which can helpful when making presentations or discussing documents.

The benefit of a reservationless service is that it is simple to use and available whenever you need it. Need to host an impromptu conference call? The conference line is ready to go. These services are also very cost-friendly; some are available for free. Those that aren't free typically offer unlimited monthly plans, which allow you to host unlimited conference calls each month for a flat fee, or pay-as-you-go options that charge you for each call based on how long it is and how many people are attending.

The biggest downside to reservationless services is that the host bears the responsibility of planning and running the call. An extra set of hands can be helpful in some situations, which is why businesses may prefer operator-assisted conference call services in some instances.

Operator-assisted

Operator-assisted services are generally used for more formal meetings, such as an investor call, and can accommodate thousands of callers at a time.

This type of service provides you with a dedicated operator to assist you before, during and after the call. Before the call, they help you plan the meeting and send out invitations. During the call, they greet callers and manage speakers and Q&A sessions. After the call, they provide you with participant lists, recordings and transcriptions.

With the added help provided by an operator, the host can focus on the presentation itself rather than being distracted by all the tasks that go with hosting a call, like monitoring who is in attendance.

Operated-assisted calls need to be planned in advance. This isn't the type of call you conduct at the last minute. These services are much more expensive than a reservationless service as well. Costs for operator-assisted services start at about 15 cents per caller, per minute. Depending on how many attendees you have, the costs could add up quickly.

Communication and collaboration – whether with customers or colleagues – are key components of any successful business in 2020, and conference calling services help facilitate these tasks. Whether it's for an impromptu brainstorming session or a formal presentation, conference calls mean dozens, hundreds or even thousands of people from anywhere around the world can be on one call at the same time.

Conference call services offer the following benefits for dispersed teams:

• Ease of use. Conference call services provide the easiest way to connect with multiple people at once in real time. An in-person meeting requires everyone to be in the same location, but a web conference requires people to be in front of their computer. However, a conference call only requires attendees to be near a phone. Reservationless conference call services make it simple to set up and run an audio meeting efficiently. You can quickly send an email invitation that gives your attendees everything they need to join the call: the date, time, dial-in number and access number or PIN.
  
  
• Integration with other apps. Many services integrate with Microsoft Outlook, Google Calendar and other calendar programs. You can quickly schedule a call straight from Outlook. Once the meeting is scheduled, it is automatically added to your digital calendar. This also reminds your attendees not to forget the meeting.
  
  
• Improved communication. When run successfully, conference calls can greatly improve your business's communication. If you're relying solely on long, drawn-out email chains, important details can get lost in the shuffle. In contrast, conference calls give multiple employees (or several employees and customers) a quick and efficient way to complete tasks and answer questions, making sure everyone is on the same page in a quick and timely manner. In addition, important feedback and discussion can take hours, or days, on an email chain; on a conference call, it can be taken care of in a half-hour.

Convenience, increased productivity and reduced costs are among the top reasons organizations adopt conference calling. Research shows that 70% of employees prefer conference call services for their convenience and ease of use. In addition, 96% of remote workers believe access to conference calling improves productivity because it easily allows for increased collaboration.

When searching for a conference call service, there are various factors you'll want to consider. First and foremost, you want to ensure the provider you choose offers services that fit your needs. Among the specific factors you need to consider are:

• Ease of use: Your conference call service should be easy to use for everyone in your company as well as everyone you are conferencing with. You should be able to schedule a call, invite participants, and use basic features like call recording without difficulty.
  
  
• Call quality: If there is a free trial offered, use it to determine the call quality. Does the sound come through clearly? Is there any lag time? Is your connection stable throughout the call? If you're using video conferencing, assess the video quality, sound quality, and lag time.
  
  
• Security: As more businesses use conferencing to conduct meetings, security has become imperative. When looking for a conference call service, determine what security measures come with your plan. Can you lock meetings with a password? Is the meeting coordinator able to grant or deny individual users access to meetings? Are your call recordings kept confidential?

• Number of callers: How many callers can the service support at one time? Some can support dozens, others hundreds, and others thousands. Make sure the service you select can host the number of callers you may need on a call at any given time.
  
  
• Call controls: Some services allow the host to control the meeting by phone, and others allow the conference call to be managed online. These controls let the host know who is on the call, mute callers to eliminate background noise, start and end recordings, and lock the call so no one else can enter the room.
  
  
• Call recording: Most services offer call recording. Some include it in the cost, while others charge extra for it. In addition, some allow for playback online, while others make you download the recording before listening to it. Many services also offer transcription services.
  
  
• Dial out: Some services allow you to dial out during a conference call to add more people to the meeting while it is in progress.
  
  
• Call me: Instead of requiring meeting participants to dial in to each conference call, some services give you the option of having the system automatically call them when the meeting is ready to begin. This frees you up from having to remember the dial-in and access numbers.
  
  
• International conference calls: If you plan on hosting meetings with participants from outside the U.S., make sure the conference call service offers international numbers. Many services offer local and toll-free numbers in countries around the world.
  
  
• Mobile app: Some services have their own conference call mobile app for both iPhone and Android phones, making it easy for hosts and participants to join conference calls when they're out of the office.
  
  
• Integrations: Many services integrate with Microsoft Outlook and Google Calendar. These integrations make it simple to send out conference call invites.
  
  
• Video conferencing: Some conference call services include web conferencing, which features HD video at no additional cost. With this, you can host online meetings that allow everyone to see each other via video webcams. It also opens up the ability for screen sharing, which is beneficial when conducting a presentation or discussing a specific document.
  
  
• Customer support: Is it easy to reach support when an issue arises? Some services have features that connect you with support team members during your calls should a problem arise.
  
  
• Free trial: Many services allow you to test the service for a few days or weeks to ensure it meets all your needs.

• Call quality: Most services have dedicated efforts to making call quality as clear as possible, but you can also improve call quality by wearing a headset, muting yourself when you are not speaking, and ensuring you have a strong internet connection.
  
  
• Hold music: Many services provide the option to include hold music that plays while participants are on hold or are waiting to join the call. There are typically multiple choices of music to choose from.
  
  
• Custom greeting: You can record a custom greeting that plays as new guests join the call.
  
  
• Presentation tools: You can choose a service that offers tools for a seamless presentation experience, including screen sharing, drawing tools, presentation slides and document sharing.
  
  
• Security: Security is important, especially when you're on sensitive calls. Many services provide security measures such as encrypted meetings and passwords.

We spoke to several small business owners about which conference call service their company uses, what they like and don't like about it, and their opinion of the provider's customer service.

Bruce Hogan, CEO of Software Pundit, is a fan of UberConference because of its ease of use.

 "The company offers a free plan and a $15 per-month plan that is still quite affordable. It has useful integrations like Slack and Hubspot," said Hogan. "The only major downside of the tool is that its free plan is pretty limited in features and functionality. Their customer support is very attentive."

UberConference is also the service of choice for Ian Kelly, vice president of operations for NuLeaf Naturals.

 "We've been fond of UberConference for years [because] it doesn't require a lot of tech savvy, so it's quick and easy to use both internally and externally," Kelly said. "It's easy on the budget, easy to use, and it gets the job done. We tried other providers, but for the price and features, UberConference fits the bill."

Reuben Yonatan, founder and CEO of GetVoIP, prefers RingCentral for their conference call services.

"What I like most about RingCentral is its reliability and enterprise-grade security," Yonatan said. "There isn't much I don't like about RingCentral, but if I had to choose, I would say the fact that it lacks direct Linux support."

Depending on the phone system you have, you might not need a separate conference call service. Most phone systems have some sort of built-in conferencing service. However, you need to determine whether the phone system's built-in conference bridge can support your needs. Some systems can only host conference calls with just a handful of participants, while others can support hundreds.

Among the business phone systems and business VoIP phone systems we reviewed, 8x8, Nextiva and Grasshopper support fewer than 20 participants for each conference call. On the other hand, Avaya, RingCentral and Phone.com support more than 50.

Besides the number of callers these built-in conferencing systems can support, most offer many of the same features as dedicated conference calling services, such as call recording and web controls.

While some conference calling services also offer web conferencing, most allow you to connect to meetings via phone. Depending on your needs, a web conferencing service that allows remote attendees to join by phone could be a good fit. This gives you the flexibility to have web conferencing, which allows participants to see each other by video and participate with screen sharing and conference calling in one service.

Nearly all of the web conferencing services we reviewed allow participants to join meetings either online or by phone.  

Related Services: Webinars

Webinars are an important business tool that allow companies to find new customers, educate current clients and strengthen their customer service. With a webinar service, it's easy to create and share a PowerPoint presentation or conduct a live demonstration.

Attendees typically join a webinar or online meeting from a browser or mobile device without downloads or complicated codes. With many services, you can present from a mobile device.

Webinar software has three main feature categories: presenter tools, moderator options and webinar features. These focus primarily on the attendee experience, including security, integrations and needed downloads (if any) before they attend your webinar.

Integration with Outlook is a great convenience – you can invite, remind and schedule webinars straight from your email platform. Social media integration makes it easy to invite people at large, share webinars and have attendees promote for you. The best services also offer encryption and passwords for security.

With archiving, you can save recorded webinars and share links if you don't want to transfer files to your own website, though most services allow you to download the recordings as well. Most webinar services have limited editing software, usually just for cutting out sections. With this limited editing ability, you can remove dead time and off-topic questions for a higher-quality final product.

When searching for webinar services, there are several features and tools to look for. These include:

• Monetization options: For businesses that use webinars for marketing and revenue, monetization features play an important role. Some services have lead-generation tools that go beyond simply asking questions during the registration or survey process. Also, some services, such as GoToWebinar, integrate with customer relationship management software so your sales representatives can follow up with attendees interested in your company or service. A logout redirect lets you send attendees to a URL of your choice after logout, such as a survey, a buy link or a webpage with more information about your product.
  
  
• Host management: Webinars are meant to be responsive to the audience, so it's useful for presenters to see their planned slides before they post it for attendees to see. This allows presenters to adapt the presentation to the audience.
  
  
• Dial-in: All services have VoIP capability and webcam functionality, but being able to handle dial-ins as well is a plus. Making sure attendees can at least hear a presentation when they are not in front of their computer is definitely a plus.
  
  
• Screen sharing: Most every webinar service allows for screen sharing and loading of documents, such as PowerPoint slides, into a webinar "library" for use in the webcast itself. Some services let you share individual applications so you don't reveal your entire computer screen to attendees. This feature not only makes sharing more convenient but also adds a layer of security to the webinar.
  
  
• Recording: A service that allows you to record the entire presentation is beneficial for sharing it with those who were unable to attend as well as for the host to review to see where changes can be made.

Other valuable features many webinar services offer include analytics and reporting, drawing tools, email automation, and the ability to take polls and surveys and conduct Q&As.

Among some of the more popular and reputable webinar services include Webex, Onstream, Webinato and ClickWebinar.

Related Services: Webcasting

Webcasting lets you live stream anything from company seminars to press conferences. Using webcasting software, you can increase brand recognition and promote your company to a wide audience.

Webcasting services have great recording and editing capabilities, and have become more mobile-friendly so that your listeners can view your material from any web-enabled device. This makes webcasting more on demand and user-friendly than webinar or web conferencing services that tend to be geared toward smaller and more defined audiences.

A successful webcast depends on the basics. Webcasts should be able to accommodate hundreds of attendees with the ability to expand to thousands if needed The fewer downloads needed, the easier it is for you, your presenters and your audience. Several services also have a phone-in feature for those who lack voice over internet protocol (VoIP) capability.

Webcasting offers much more versatility than webinars. Among some of the more valuable features webcasting services provide are:

• Live streaming: Webcasts take place live. Webcasting apps allow you to live stream your presentation in HD video to anyone around the world.
  
  
• Presenters: You can host a panel of speakers rather than a single lecturer; however, some limit the number of simultaneous video streams during a session.
  
  
• Desktop sharing: You can share your entire screen or just specific applications. This is helpful when making presentations. Many services let you upload video to enhance your presentation. Other services, such as ClickWebinar, provide in-webcast slide preview, a useful feature that lets you skip or move slides during the webcast without the audience noticing. This lets you adapt your presentation on the fly.
  
  
• Moderator tools: With webcasts that have hundreds or thousands of audience members, Q&A chats may become overwhelming for presenters and confusing to attendees. Moderator tools help you keep control of the chat while still receiving audience participation. The raise-hand feature makes it easy for the presenter to see who has a question. Muting or removing attendees can take care of troublemakers or those who simply don't realize their background noise is affecting the webcast. Most webcasts rely on text-based Q&A, but a few have audio Q&A. Some services even provide operators who can serve as moderators for your webcast.
  
  
• Monetization: You can use webcasts for marketing and revenue (so monetization features can play an important role). Some services integrate with your PayPal account so you can conveniently receive payments. In addition, some webcasting software integrates with CRM software so that your sales representatives can easily follow up with attendees.
  
  
• Branding: The best webcasting platforms let you brand your webcast room so it reflects your company and services. You can also program a logout redirect to send attendees to a URL of your choice as they leave so you can lead them to a survey or a webpage with more information about your product, or even a by link.

Other valuable features include recording, analytics and reports, and administrator controls. In addition, some services also provide specialists who will help you plan and run the event.

Some of the more popular webcasting services include Webex, Onstream Media, Adobe Connect, Webinato, GoToWebinar, and GlobalMeet Webcast.

To determine the best conference call services, we started by looking at nearly 30 providers. We then separated vendors that had a good online reputation, such as those consistently ranked highly by other websites. We also visited each company's website. If a company stood out to us, we added it to the final list.

We ultimately narrowed down our pool to Arkadin, AT Conference, ConferenceCalls.com, Conference Town, FreeConference, FreeConferenceCall.com, Free Conference Pro, Infinite Conferencing, InterCall, No Cost Conference, PGi, RingCentral, Totally Free Conference Calls, UberConference, Vast Conference, WebEx and Zip Conferencing.

Next, we thoroughly investigated each service, watching tutorials and how-to videos, testing out the service when possible, and reading user comments. After narrowing the list down even further, we contacted the customer support team of our finalists, posing as business owners to gauge the type of service each provider offers. In all, we analyzed each system based on the following factors:

• Type of conferencing services: reservationless, operator-assisted or both
• Call controls
• Call recording
• Features
• Integrations
• Mobile apps
• Cost and pricing structure
• Customer support
• International access
• Better Business Bureau complaints and rating