1. Key features

Multi-platform meeting support

Zoho Meeting offers the convenient "Meet Now" feature, allowing users to start an audio or video meeting instantly with one click. The platform is fully supported on Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, and Windows, meeting various usage needs. Even without installing the app, users can still join meetings directly via the website.

Like other applications, Zoho Meeting allows users to customize the meeting interface, change virtual backgrounds, share screens, and use emojis for reactions to enhance engagement and make video meetings more interactive.

Webinar hosting

Zoho Meeting supports large-scale webinars with hundreds or even thousands of participants, making it a great choice for online conferences, in-depth training sessions, or large events.

During webinars, attendees can ask questions, share documents and images, participate in surveys, or engage in discussions via chat, increasing interaction and event effectiveness. This feature helps create a dynamic communication environment between hosts and audiences.

Notes, recording, and transcripts

Zoho Meeting’s "Session Notes" feature allows participants to take important notes during meetings and easily share them afterward. The platform also includes a recording function that captures both audio and video, enabling users to review key information later.

Additionally, Zoho Meeting provides an automatic transcription feature that converts spoken content into text, making it easier for users to follow along and focus on key discussion points without needing to listen to the entire meeting.

However, these features are not available in the free version of Zoho Meeting.

Whiteboard

The Whiteboard tool in Zoho Meeting is a free feature that helps remote teams present ideas visually using text and images during meetings. It allows users to create a virtual board for writing, drawing, or designing visual elements to enhance productivity and efficiency.

Strong integration with the Zoho ecosystem

As part of the Zoho ecosystem, Zoho Meeting seamlessly integrates with other Zoho products like Zoho CRM, Zoho Campaigns, and Zoho Bookings. For example, it can connect with Zoho Bookings for scheduling meetings and sending automatic invitations, integrate with Zoho CRM for managing customer interactions, and sync with Zoho Calendar for easy scheduling and reminders.

2. Limitations

While Zoho Meeting has a clean and professional interface, it lacks uniqueness and doesn't stand out much compared to competitors. Its button layout and design are influenced by platforms like Google Meet and Webex, making it less distinctive.

The virtual background processing feature in Zoho Meeting is also not very advanced. Testing on a MacBook Pro produced decent results, but the background still appeared blurry when users moved. Compared to Google Meet, Zoho’s algorithm is a step behind, which might disappoint users who prioritize virtual backgrounds in meetings.

Although Zoho Meeting offers a free plan, it lacks many useful features such as recording and detailed reporting. Even in the paid version, recording is limited to a maximum of 12 hours, which may be a concern for those hosting long webinars.

Additionally, many user reviews criticize Zoho’s customer support for being slow in resolving technical issues, especially during peak hours or holidays, negatively affecting user experience.

Another drawback is Zoho Meeting’s strong focus on the Zoho ecosystem, making it most effective when used with other Zoho products. However, its third-party integration capabilities are not as strong as competitors like Zoom or Microsoft Teams.

3. Pricing

Zoho Meeting offers a free plan with a 60-minute time limit and a 100-participant cap, but it does not support recording. The paid plans are divided into two categories:

Meeting plans

• Standard Plan: $2 per host/month – 24-hour meeting limit, 5GB cloud storage.
• Professional Plan: $3 per host/month – Supports custom domains, transcripts, and meeting notes.

Both plans are limited to 10 participants per meeting. If more attendees are needed, additional charges apply.

Webinar plans

• Standard Plan: $9 per organization/month – 10GB cloud storage.
• Professional Plan: $19 per organization/month – Supports live streaming and resource sharing.
• Enterprise Plan: $79 per organization/month – Unlocks advanced features such as custom domains, download restrictions, and anonymous Q&A.

The Standard and Professional plans limit participants to 25, while the Enterprise plan supports 500. Higher participant counts require additional fees.

Compared to competitors, Zoho Meeting is quite affordable. For instance, Zoom’s cheapest Pro plan costs $15.99/month for 100 participants, while Zoho Meeting offers similar features for just $10/month. Similarly, Zoom’s webinar plan starts at $79/month for 500 participants, whereas Zoho Meeting provides the same capacity for only $39/month.

4. Ideal users

With its affordable pricing and strong Zoho ecosystem integration, Zoho Meeting is ideal for budget-conscious businesses looking for a simple yet effective online meeting solution.

The free and low-cost plans also make it suitable for individual users and freelancers who need a basic online meeting tool without advanced features.

However, given the competitive landscape with platforms like Microsoft Teams and Google Meet, Zoho Meeting is best suited for businesses already using other Zoho products (such as Zoho CRM and Zoho Campaigns), allowing them to fully leverage the ecosystem’s capabilities.

5. Conclusion

While Zoho Meeting has some limitations, it offers a competitive price, a wide range of features, and strong integration with the Zoho ecosystem. It remains a viable option for individuals and businesses, especially those already invested in Zoho’s software solutions.