What is the best meeting management software?
Here's my pick of the best meeting management software on the market.
1. Zoom.
When it comes to an all-in-one video meeting tool, zoom is the option that most professionals turn to. It was designed for video meetings and offers a multitude of features that can help you easily get the results you want in your meetings.
With Zoom, you can manage your online meetings, sync them to the Google calendar, and schedule meetings from anywhere in the world. It also allows you to record meetings and automatically generate searchable transcripts to make it easier to find information.
Zoom also offers real-time screen sharing and co-annotation features, in addition to video conferencing. This helps you edit and collaborate on shared documents seamlessly. The tool also allows you to create private and public groups for segmented team discussions.
Features
When it comes to features, Zoom isn't shy about the task. In addition to the above features, it allows you to create online surveys, manage your team members, and even organize webinars. You can also set it up to integrate with third-party tools like Slack.
Let's take a quick look at the list of features Zoom offers:
- HD audio and video calling
- Up to 1000 meeting participants
- Public and private groups and team chats
- Screen sharing and co-annotation
- Automatically generated meeting minutes and transcripts
- Custom background settings
- Integration with 3rd party calendar tools
- Powerful end-to-end encryption and role-based security features.
- Android mobile apps, as well as iOS, are available.
- File sharing functionality
- Integrations with numerous third party applications
Pricing
When it comes to pricing plans, Zoom is simple and spread across four levels. Each higher-tier plan comes with more and more features, so you can choose the one that best fits your business needs.
Here's a brief overview of Zoom's pricing plans:
- Free $0/year plan
- Pro plan at $149.90/year/license
- Business Plan at $199.90/year/license
- $240/year/license business plan
In addition to the basic plans mentioned above, you can also opt for the optional add-on plans for cloud storage, audio conferencing, and large meetings.
If you are not convinced that Zoom is the video conferencing software of your choice, see my article on Alternatives to Zoom to find other options.
2. Lucid Meetings.
Lucid Meetings is a tool equipped with all the essential functionalities for managing online meetings. From setting meeting agendas to taking notes, this tool has something for small and large businesses alike.
Using the tool is simple, as it comes with detailed instructions for setting up audio and video conferencing. You can use the tool to assign actions and follow-ups, streamline meetings, and prevent overlapping conversations through speaker queues.
One of the significant benefits of using Lucid Meetings is that it allows you to define the meeting agenda down to the smallest detail. The meeting host can even define specific roles for participants to streamline the process.
Features
What I like about Lucid Meetings is the fact that it offers several pre-built meeting agenda templates that save time when planning meetings. At the same time, the user interface is extremely user-friendly, which is undoubtedly an advantage.
Lucid Meeting offers the following features for effective meeting management:
- Taking and sharing notes in real time
- Ability to record meetings in multiple formats
- Searchable files for previous meetings
- Agenda and meeting templates
- Screen sharing software and built-in meeting timers
- Integrated call recording and audio transcription software
- Pre-meeting and post-meeting preparation tools
- Managing participants and assigning roles
- Management of invitations, minutes and votes
- Automating meeting minutes
- Post-meeting reports
- Online conference and documentation functions
- Easy screen sharing
Pricing
Lucid Meetings pricing plans are divided into three levels, depending on the size of the organization they are aimed at. All prices are available monthly and payable annually, depending on the number of hosts you need.
Here is a brief overview of Lucid Meetings pricing plans:
- Team plan for $12.50/hosting/month
- Business plan for $249/month
- Business plan at personalized rates
If you have further questions, you can schedule a private call with the customer service team.
3. Cisco WebEx.
WebEx is a meeting management software designed to help large businesses organize effective meetings. With this tool, your business can organize high-quality video meetings without limiting the number of participants.
The best part about using WebEx is that you won't have video, audio, or connection issues like other meeting management solutions. And even though it's rather cumbersome in terms of design and user interface, it works as one of the lightest meeting management tools.
By using WebEx, you can easily schedule meetings and organize them in a very active environment. It allows you to send meeting invitations by email, and you can also save contact information for later use.
Features
WebEx allows you to schedule meetings using two scheduling options: the Quick Scheduler and the Advanced Scheduler. As their names suggest, the Quick Scheduler allows you to quickly schedule a meeting, while the Advanced Scheduler is better suited for recurring meetings.
Here is a list of other essential features that you can benefit from using WebEx:
- Private communication rooms
- Video and audio recording
- Reading and screen sharing
- Send meeting invitations by email, text message, and phone.
- Easy file sharing and editing
- Ability to change devices during a meeting
- Integration with project management tools
- Detailed and easy to use user interface
- Customizable collaboration tools
- Global screen sharing
- Cross-platform use on PC, Mac, iOS, and Android.
- Office integrations with software like MS Outlook
- Easily scalable for businesses of all sizes
Pricing
WebEx offers four pricing plans depending on the size of the organization that needs to use the tool. All plans can be billed monthly and annually, although I recommend the annual billing cycle so you can save 10% on fees.
Here is an overview of the pricing plans offered by WebEx:
- Free $0/host/month plan
- Start-up plan at $13.50/hosting/month
- Business plan at $26.95/hosting/month
- Business plan at personalized rates
4. Boardable.
If you're a business looking for a board meeting platform and task management tool at affordable rates, Boardable is the solution you need. It is a tool that aims to improve meeting management and ensure targeted results.
With Boardable, you can choose to host virtual meetings, assign tasks to meeting platforms, and manage them, all from a single interface. You can also share any agendas that are relevant to the meeting.
What sets Boardable apart from other meeting management solutions is that it helps you organize productive meetings and streamline the workflows between them. This feature allows for seamless team collaboration.
Features
In terms of features, Boardable is a relatively simple, user-friendly, and feature-rich tool. It's easy to set up and use, not to mention it's very affordable. The service is also accompanied by an excellent customer support team that is ready to help you 24 hours a day.
If you are interested in Boardable's features, take a look below:
- Dedicated calendar builder
- Automated meeting programs
- Boardable Spotlight collaboration feature
- Document Center for simple and transparent document management
- Faster electronic signatures to legalize documents
- Task manager for increased accountability and productivity
- Advanced reporting features
- Monitoring and measuring objectives
- Virtual ballots and votes
Pricing
Boardable has a transparent pricing policy that makes it easy to select the plan you need. The plans are divided into four levels based on the number of users you want to include. Billing is done monthly or annually, but the latter entitles you to a 10% discount.
Here's a brief overview of Boardable's pricing plans:
- Grassroots plan starting at $79/month
- Essential plan starting at $149/month
- Professional plan starting at $249/month
- Business plan at personalized rates
5. Microsoft Teams.
Microsoft Teams is one of the newcomers to the meeting management tools front, but it quickly made a name for itself only a few years after its release. And because it's a free tool, there's no need to think twice about using it.
The advantage of using Teams is that it allows you to bring and keep all of your team members on the same page. With enterprise-level meetings that accommodate up to 10,000 attendees, I'm sure you'll be able to accommodate everyone on your team and even more.
This tool allows you to organize meetings in shared workspaces, host video/audio conferences, and even set up webinars. You also have the option of using features like note taking, screen sharing, and even transferring attachments.
Features
The wide range of audio/video conferencing features that Microsoft Teams offers help make team meetings seamless. It allows all meeting platforms to participate in the decision-making process, ensuring total transparency in the meeting room.
If you're considering using Microsoft Teams, take a look at its feature set:
- High quality audio/video functions
- Screen sharing and note-taking in meetings
- Team chat function for seamless communication
- Ability to send attachments and gather feedback
- Audio conference by phone
- Dedicated meeting rooms for granular and segmented meetings
- Live web conferencing features for a large number of participants
- Easy integration with third party apps and extensions
- Suitable for small and large meetings
- Unlimited messages and searchability
- An almost unlimited amount of cloud storage
- Fast and easy design
Pricing
Microsoft Teams software is available for free and basic use. However, if you're a big business and need advanced features that involve large teams, you can opt for one of the paid Microsoft 365 plans, which Teams comes with.
Here's a simple and easy breakdown of Microsoft Teams pricing plans:
- Microsoft Teams free plan (no commitment)
- Microsoft 365 Business Basic Plan at $5/user/month (annual commitment)
- Microsoft 365 Business Standard Plan at $12.50/user/month (annual commitment)
Both paid plans come with a free one-month trial period.
6. Skype.
Comes next Skype, another Microsoft team meeting management tool. Businesses with employees across the globe still prefer Skype, which is the best, and most affordable, tool for remote communication and meeting management.
One of the essential features of this tool is the whiteboard function that allows ideas to be effectively visualized. You can also share screens, create streamlined workflows, and ensure real-time collaboration, eliminating information silos.
Skype also has a presentation function with built-in annotation and highlighting. All of this allows you to make an impact on your presentation and ensure that stakeholders are on the same page.
Features
Like Microsoft Teams, Skype can accommodate several participants thanks to its broadcast function. It also supports instant messaging, real-time feedback, and more.
Here's a quick overview of the features Skype can help you use:
- Screen sharing for better collaboration
- Whiteboard function for ideation and editing in real time
- Automatic cropping and face tracking for better visualization.
- Possibility to download PowerPoint presentations and annotate them.
- Fast meeting invitations with personalized URLs
- Instant messaging and information sharing
- Video conferences with massive participation
- Surveys, Q&A, and Surveys
- Integration with Office 365 applications
- Meeting recording function
- Easy sync with multiple devices
- Android/iOS mobile app
Pricing
Skype is available for free on multiple platforms, such as tablets, mobiles, and desktops.
7. Fuze.
Fuze is a meeting management tool that is suitable for any business environment and any size of business. It is a fast, light and simple meeting management software, ideal for any professional communication: audio, video or chats.
You can also use Fuze to host webinars, share screens, and deliver content. The tool is extremely customizable, which means you can modify and adapt it to suit your business needs.
Another important aspect of Fuze is that developers have focused on attention to detail. With a neutral color palette and a simple design, you are sure to enjoy working in this environment. At the same time, you get enterprise-grade security.
Features
Because Fuze is completely cloud-based, you can use it from any device and any location. Your employees thus benefit from increased flexibility to communicate between and within teams.
Here is a list of the characteristics that Fuze prides itself on:
- Suitable for all sizes and types of businesses
- Superior safety features
- Clean and user-friendly interface
- Works with most devices
- Easily integrated with most popular browsers
- HD video and audio quality
- There is no limit on the size of files that can be shared.
- Available on desktop and mobile
Pricing
Depending on your needs, Fuze offers several plans that you can combine to get the right mix for any business. In addition to the basic plans, you can also include several add-ons to improve your team meeting ability.
Take a look at Fuze's pricing plans and select the one you need:
- Fuze Meetings at $15/user/month
- Fuze Calling at $25/user/month
- Fuze Pro at $35/user/month
- Fuze International at $45/user/month
- Fuze Unlimited Global at $65/user/month
Summary.
Without the right meeting management software, it can be difficult to work remotely with a global workforce. These tools help you make the most of your meeting time and ensure that all agenda items are taken care of.
If you are looking for a suitable meeting management software, choose from my choices below:
- Zoom: the best solution for managing video meetings
- Lucid Meetings: The best for feature-rich meeting management
- Cisco WebEx: The Best for Large Businesses
- Boardable: Best for board meetings
- Microsoft Teams: The best solution for globally distributed teams
- Skype: the best solution for managing meetings for free
- Fuze: The best for managing online meetings
I am sure that you will be able to find a suitable choice from the above options.
