| Tool
|
Model
|
Features
|
Optimal for...
|
Upsides
|
Downsides
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Cost/commercial status
|
| Etherpad
|
Notes and chat
|
Open source platform for collaborative note taking
|
Unconference- style dynamic
|
Free and open source, already hosted by WMF
|
Only text
|
Apache 2.0, free
|
| Google Suite
|
Shared document editing (Docs, Presentation, Spreadsheet)
|
Integrated Office environment (Docs being a good alternative for Etherpad)
|
Real time document management
|
G Suite for non-profit is free of charge, can be perfectly used with Google Meet. Available: Windows client Explorer, Outlook client module. Reliable, stable. GDPR compatible.
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Requires a Google user account. Some do not like Google.
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Requires a G Suite subscription (free for nonprofits, or per user price)
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| Google Meet
|
Videoconferencing and chat (part of the Google Suite package)
|
Multi-platform support also for Linux. Works in browser or app, good performance.
|
Traditional videoconference
|
No software to install on laptop. Reliable, stable. Participants can connect without authenticating. Only a short URL required. G Suite Premium up to 250 participants per call, live streaming for up to 100,000 viewers. Latter is being made free until July 1, 2020 because of COVID-19
|
The organiser requires a Google Suite subscription to host. Limit of 100 participants with standard package.
|
Requires a G Suite subscription (free for nonprofits, or per user price)
|
| IRC - Internet Relay Chat
|
Text chat
|
purely text chat with many clients, or just in any web browser
|
Real-time chat
|
Oldest chat platform in Wikimedia community. Runs on anything because it is just text
|
Declined quite a bit in participation in recent years. Text only, not rich whatsoever. No catching up on past messages
|
Free
|
| BigBlueButton
|
Videoconferencing and chat platform with focus on teaching
|
Documents upload, whiteboard, breakout rooms, screen share, hand raise and others.
|
Multiparty videoconferencing
|
Free and open source, HTML-5 based, hosted or own server
|
|
|
| Jitsi Videobridge
|
Videoconferencing, chat and sharing platform
|
Self-hosted open source platform, uses Etherpad
|
Multiparty videoconferencing and document editing
|
Free and open source
|
Need to install on your own server, posing scalability/performance issues
|
Free
|
| Jitsi Meet
|
Videoconferencing, chat and sharing platform
|
Open source platform, uses Etherpad. Uniquely/obscurely named rooms the only privacy method
|
Multiparty videoconferencing and document editing
|
Free and open source
|
Questionable video quality with large number of participants. Security through obscurity only; no admins in sessions
|
Free
|
| OneDrive + Office + Skype
|
Collaboration tools
|
Any interface: Windows Explorer, any browser.
|
Document management, archiving, conferencing
|
Any platform; well supported
|
Windows focused, commercial product from Microsoft
|
Paying (except for Skype basic)
|
| StreamYard
|
Live video stream
|
Live video streaming to multiple platforms simultaneously (YouTube Live, Facebook Live, LinkedIn Live)
|
Ease of consumption - watch video on any platform
|
Free to use for 2 platforms; cheap for multiple ones $25/month
|
Interaction is limited - chat back on the platform (YouTube or FB) is limited to that platform
|
Free or $25/month for more streams
|
| Telegram
|
Text and multimedia chat
|
|
Real-time and deferred chat
|
Native apps for all major operating systems, both desktop and mobile. Allows sending large files (up to 1.5 GB)
|
Requires a phone number.
|
Free
|
| Tencent Meeting
|
Videoconferencing with chat, screen capture and file sharing
|
|
Videoconferencing with people in China
|
Free conference platform for up to 300 people (during the COVID-19 disease), availability to join the meeting via PC, Mac, Smartphone, Web interface or even traditional phone calls.
|
Closed sources. No Linux client provided (although Web or Wine available). Tencent is a company with a generally bad reputation of trustworthiness about privacy.
|
Freeware
|
Unhangout
|
Video broadcasting, chat and breakout rooms (unconference style)
|
open source platform for large-scale, participant-driven events; unconference-like proposing of breakout sessions
|
Unconference- style dynamic
|
Free to create, uses tools like Etherpad
|
Support and scalability problems. No iOS support. Erratic chat, messages get lost. NOT CURRENTLY RECOMMENDED
|
MIT, free
|
| Web Captioner
|
Real time captioning
|
Supports several languages, works well with English. Already used in the Wikimedia Diversity Conference
|
|
Free
|
Free
|
Free
|
| WhatsApp
|
Text and multimedia chat
|
|
Real-time and deferred chat
|
Native apps for major operating systems, both desktop and mobile (though none for Linux)
|
Owned by Facebook. Requires a phone number.
|
Free
|
| Whereby
|
Video conferencing with screen sharing.
|
Easy video meetings with no login or downloads. Video conferencing with screen sharing, recording and much more
|
Multiparty videoconferencing
|
Free and easy to use
|
Free is limited to one user and one meeting room. And support up to 4 Participants
|
Free or $9.99/month for more participants
|
| WorkAdventure
|
Virtual space
|
Read our review
|
Spatialized discussions tool that provides a feeling of being in a room with others
|
Free for up to 15 users and "retro gaming" design
|
Doesn't work on mobile devices, small videoconference rooms, privacy issues
|
Free up to 15 users or 15€/month for more participants
|
| Zoom and Zoom Webinar
|
Videoconferencing, chat and breakout sessions
|
One of the most popular solutions, good performance and many platforms supported
|
Traditional videoconference
|
Free to use at basic tier
|
Limit of 40 minutes for free tier
|
Free version limited to 40 minutes and 100 participants
|
| Sarv Wave
|
Video Conferencing, Chat, Document Sharing, Collaboration Tool, Live Stream
|
Any platform, No Download, End to End Encrypted, Connect with upto 1000 at once.
|
Collaborative Video Conferencing with Chat
|
Run on Browser, Mobile App, Collaborating, Whiteboard, Note making, Live Stream to Multiple platform, No Login No Download, Perfect for Webinar, End to End Encryption
|
99% complete
|
Free For Now
|
| Hopin on WD
|
Bigger event festival or conference focused Live Stream, Video Conferencing, Chat
|
Webservice via modern browsers. No download.
|
Collaborative Video Conferencing with Chat
|
Run on Browser, Login needed. Ticketing. Webinar.
|
Fresh started (2019) London based company. Heavy on browser and memory resources.
|
Free accounts for end users. Free Demo available.
|
| Spatial Chat
|
Virtual conferencing tool with lobby, conference rooms, chat
|
Avatars, lobby, virtual conference rooms
|
Large virtual conferences, any browser supported
|
Very easy to use, participant does not need user account required
|
Free base version has a limit of 50 participants with a 10,000 user-minutes limit
|
Free base version with paying options, or a one-day "unlimited" pass
|
| Open Meetings
|
Video conferencing
|
|
Videoconferencing
|
Free and open source
|
Not recommended, old style and complicated interface, uses Adobe Flash for audio/video
|
Free
|
| Mumble
|
Voice chat
|
Low latency, high quality voice chat
|
Real-time voice chat, podcasting
|
Free and open source, cross-platform
|
Old style interface
|
Free
|
