Dan Perich, WSO Webmaster
May 2025
Zoom may be the best-known videoconferencing application, but there are other good choices as well. Zoom requires a paid subscription for meetings over 40 minutes long. If your critique group is having a problem with the cost of a paid Zoom subscription, it may be worth considering alternatives.
Reduce your cost of using Zoom
A paid Zoom subscription currently starts at about $160 per year, which is substantial if only one person is paying for it. Some critique groups which meet via Zoom divide the subscription cost among all the members. For example, dividing the cost among an 8-member group would make that a more affordable $20 per member per year.
Alternatively, a group could work with the 40-minute limitation of free Zoom meetings by setting up back-to-back 40-minute meetings in advance.
Alternatives to Zoom
Some of your group members may already have subscriptions to “cloud” services such as Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, or Apple iCloud. If so, their subscriptions may include access to videoconferencing.
Several of these videoconferencing alternatives also have free options, although the free meetings generally have time limits.
Use Google Meet
If a member of your group has a Google Workspace subscription, they can set up meetings on Google Meet lasting up to 24 hours. Participants in these meetings don’t have to have a Google subscription. Participants can join via the Google Meet application or via a web browser.
Anyone with a free Google account can set up a Google Meet meeting, but free meetings are limited to 60 minutes each.
See an overview of Google Meet at https://workspace.google.com/products/meet/
Use Microsoft Teams
Many owners of Windows PCs subscribe to Microsoft 365 to keep their Microsoft applications up to date. Microsoft 365 subscribers can set up Microsoft Teams meetings lasting up to 30 hours. Participants in the meeting don’t have to have a Microsoft subscription. Participants can join via the Microsoft Teams application or via web browser.
Anyone can sign up for free to set up Microsoft Teams meetings, but free meetings are limited to 60 minutes each.
See an overview of Microsoft Teams at https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-teams/free-video-conferencing
Use Apple FaceTime
Owners of Apple devices such as Macs, iPhones, or iPads can set up FaceTime meetings of up to 32 participants for free. Documents such as images or PowerPoint slides can be shared during a FaceTime meeting, similar to the other videoconferencing applications. Meetings can be joined on an Apple device via the FaceTime app. Participants on other devices such as Windows PCs or Android devices can join via web browser.
See an overview of FaceTime at https://support.apple.com/en-us/102215 For directions on pre-scheduling a meeting, scroll down on this page to the heading “Use FaceTime Links”.
Try them out!
Find the videoconferencing application that works for you and your group! You might try experimenting with your chosen tool before trying a real meeting, as controls vary among different applications.
If you have questions, there are lots of resources for these tools available on the Internet. Or you can use the WSO website’s contact form through the website’s menus at About WSO > Contact Us!, or directly at https://watercolorsocietyoforegon.com/contact/