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The best free video-meeting app depends less on the number of buttons than on how you expect people to join. Google Meet is the safest general-purpose choice, while Jitsi Meet suits browser-first and open-source users. Zoom Basic still has familiar controls, but its 40-minute limit applies even to one-to-one meetings. Microsoft Teams Free fits Microsoft-centered groups, and Signal is the privacy-focused option for people already sharing a Signal group.
The comparison below uses the providers’ current free-plan documentation, checked on August 9, 2026.
Quick comparison
| App | Free participants | Free meeting limit | Host account | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Google Meet | 100 | 24 hours for one-to-one calls; 1 hour for 3+ people | Google Account | Most general meetings |
| Jitsi Meet | No fixed limit published for meet.jit.si | No advertised time limit | Required for room creator; not guests | Open-source, browser-based meetings |
| Zoom Basic | 100 | 40 minutes for almost all meetings | Zoom account | Familiar controls and workflows |
| Microsoft Teams Free | 100 | 60 minutes | Microsoft account | Microsoft users and chat groups |
| Signal | 75 in a group call | No time limit stated | Signal account and group membership | Private group calls |
| Whereby Free | 4 attendees | 30 minutes | Required to create the room | Very small, simple calls |
1. Google Meet: the best free option for most people
Google Meet is the strongest default when you need a conventional meeting link, browser access, screen sharing, captions, and Google Calendar integration. Participants can join from a computer without installing a desktop application.
Free limits
- Up to 100 participants.
- One-to-one meetings can last up to 24 hours.
- Meetings with three or more participants are limited to one hour.
These limits apply to personal free accounts. Some Google Workspace editions provide different limits and features.
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How to start a meeting
- Go to
meet.google.com. - Click New meeting.
- Choose Create a meeting for later, Start an instant meeting, or Schedule in Google Calendar.
- For a future meeting, click Copy the meeting link and send it to the attendees.
Guests can join without a Google Account on a computer. They open the link, enter a name, click Ask to join, and wait for the organizer or another participant to admit them. That means an unsigned-in guest cannot always enter an unattended meeting immediately.
Important recording limitation
Recording is not a normal feature of a free personal Google account. Google lists recording for eligible Google Workspace editions and certain paid Google One or Workspace Individual subscriptions. Where recording is available, open Activities → Recording → Start recording. The file is saved in the organizer’s Google Drive under My Drive → Meet Recordings.
Also note that only meetings scheduled through Google Calendar appear in the Meet website or app’s scheduled-meeting list. Phone dial-in is not a universal free-consumer feature; it depends on the organizer’s Workspace configuration.
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Jitsi Meet is a good fit if you want a meeting link without licensing costs and prefer an open-source project. The hosted service is available at meet.jit.si, and Jitsi also offers Android and iOS apps.
Account requirement
The person creating a room on meet.jit.si must authenticate. This has been required since August 24, 2023. People joining the room do not need Jitsi accounts.
Useful features
- Screen sharing
- Web text chat
- Password-protected rooms
- Raise hand and push-to-talk
- Audio-only mode
- YouTube live streaming
- Optional telephone dial-in or dial-out, depending on the deployment
Jitsi does not publish a fixed participant limit for its hosted meet.jit.si service and does not advertise a time limit. That should not be read as a guarantee that very large meetings will perform well: available bandwidth, device hardware, and the particular Jitsi deployment still matter.
Recording and privacy caveats
Hosted Jitsi does not provide the same standard cloud-recording workflow as Zoom. Jitsi describes live-streaming a conference to YouTube as the easiest hosted recording method. Self-hosted installations need Jibri for recording or streaming.
The hosted service is also not automatically end-to-end encrypted for every meeting. Ordinary meeting data is handled by the hosted service, and participants may still record or export content using local or third-party tools.
3. Zoom Basic: best when everyone knows Zoom
Zoom remains a practical choice when attendees already recognize its interface or the organizer relies on familiar meeting controls and scheduling workflows.
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Free limits
- Up to 100 participants.
- Almost all meetings hosted by Basic users end after 40 minutes.
- The limit applies to one-to-one calls, group meetings, and Personal Meeting Rooms.
The old advice that free Zoom allows unlimited one-to-one calls is no longer correct. Basic one-to-one meetings are also subject to the 40-minute limit.
How to schedule a meeting
- Sign in to the Zoom web portal.
- Click the Zoom Products icon in the upper-right.
- Select Meetings.
- Click Schedule a Meeting.
- Enter the topic, date, time, and meeting options.
- Click Save.
When the 40 minutes expire, the meeting ends automatically. Starting another meeting creates a new session; it does not remove the restriction from the original meeting.
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Zoom documents a narrow exception involving a paid Zoom Room joining a meeting scheduled by a Basic user. This is an account and device configuration, not a dependable free-plan workaround.
4. Microsoft Teams Free: best for Microsoft users
Teams Free makes the most sense for people already using Microsoft accounts, Outlook, or Teams chat. It supports instant and scheduled meetings, screen sharing, and guests who do not have Teams accounts.
Free limits
- Up to 100 participants.
- Maximum duration of 60 minutes.
- Screen sharing is included.
- Meeting recording is listed as unavailable on the free tier.
How to create a meeting link
- Open Teams on the web or desktop.
- Open the Meet tab.
- Select Create a meeting link.
- Enter a title under Give your meeting a title.
- Choose Copy link or Share link.
The Meet tab is available on Teams web and desktop, but it may not appear in every mobile layout.
A guest can open the invitation and choose Continue on this browser or Join on the Teams app. Depending on organizer or administrator settings, a one-time passcode or Microsoft account may still be required.
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Microsoft documentation is inconsistent because a separate recording page describes recording for personal accounts with Microsoft 365 Personal, Family, or Premium subscriptions. The current Teams Free comparison lists meeting recording as unavailable. Therefore, ordinary Teams Free should not be treated as including free, unlimited recording. Recordings available under an eligible subscription expire after 30 days unless downloaded.
5. Signal: best for private calls within an existing group
Signal is not a conventional meeting scheduler. It works best when every attendee already uses Signal and belongs to the same group chat. Its advantage is privacy, not calendar integration or business meeting controls.
Group-call requirements
- Up to 75 participants.
- Everyone must use the latest version of Signal.
- Everyone must belong to the same Signal Group chat.
- For groups of up to 16 people, the caller can send a ringing notification.
How to start a call
- Open the Signal group chat.
- Tap the video call button.
- Select Start Call or Join Call.
Signal says group video calls are private like other Signal messages. The trade-off is convenience: it is poorly suited to a one-off client call, classroom, or meeting with people who do not already use Signal. It also lacks the meeting-focused scheduling, waiting-room, recording, and calendar features of Meet, Zoom, and Teams.
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6. Whereby Free: best for tiny informal calls
Whereby is easy to use for a very small group, but its free plan is substantially more limited than older comparison articles suggest.
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- One host
- One room URL
- Four attendees per meeting
- Meetings up to 30 minutes
- Four active videos
Whereby introduced the four-person and 30-minute limits for its free plan on January 13, 2025. Older claims that Whereby Free supports 12 participants or unlimited meeting duration are outdated.
Which free meeting app should you choose?
| Situation | Best choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Family, school, or casual meetings | Google Meet | Simple links, browser access, and generous participant limits |
| People who dislike installing apps | Google Meet or Jitsi Meet | Both work in a browser |
| Open-source preference | Jitsi Meet | Open-source project with a browser-first service |
| Attendees already familiar with Zoom | Zoom Basic | Mature controls, provided 40 minutes is enough |
| Microsoft 365 users | Teams Free | Fits Microsoft accounts and Teams chat |
| Privacy-first calls with an existing group | Signal | Private group calling without a stated time limit |
| Very small informal call | Whereby Free | Low-friction room, if four people and 30 minutes are sufficient |
What about free meeting recording?
None of these free consumer tiers is a universally reliable answer for native, unlimited meeting recording. Google Meet recording requires an eligible paid Workspace, Google One, or Workspace Individual configuration. Zoom Basic has the 40-minute meeting limit. Teams recording depends on an eligible Microsoft 365 subscription. Jitsi’s hosted recording approach is primarily YouTube live streaming rather than a conventional cloud recording button.
FAQ
What is the best free video-meeting app overall?
Google Meet is the best general-purpose choice for most people. It supports up to 100 participants, browser joining, screen sharing, captions, and Google Calendar integration. Free meetings with three or more participants are limited to one hour.
Which free video-meeting app has no advertised time limit?
Jitsi Meet and Signal do not state a time limit in the cited provider documentation. Jitsi’s hosted service is browser-first, while Signal requires every participant to belong to the same Signal group chat.
Is Zoom free for unlimited one-to-one meetings?
No. Zoom Basic meetings, including one-to-one meetings and Personal Meeting Rooms, are generally limited to 40 minutes.
Can I record meetings for free?
Do not assume so. Google Meet recording requires an eligible paid plan or subscription, Teams recording depends on an eligible Microsoft 365 subscription, Zoom Basic has a 40-minute limit, and Jitsi’s hosted recording workflow is different from ordinary cloud recording.
The Bottom Line
Choose Google Meet unless you have a specific reason not to: it offers the best balance of participant capacity, browser access, and familiar meeting features. Pick Jitsi Meet for an open-source browser-first experience, Zoom Basic when its 40-minute limit is acceptable, Teams Free for Microsoft-centered groups, and Signal when private calls among an existing Signal group matter more than scheduling.
Quick Recap
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