Zoom review: A look at one of the world’s top communication tools

At this point, video conferencing tools are a daily part of life for many of us, even outside of a professional setting. We use them to have meetings with our colleagues, host entertainment and networking events, and catch up with friends and family.

There are tons of tools on the market, but Zoom is hands down the biggest household name. Known for its simplicity and versatility, Zoom has become a go-to platform for millions around the globe.

It’s even become the unofficial term for video chatting (kind of like the way we say “Google it” instead of “look it up”).

We know that Zoom is everywhere, but how does it actually stack up in terms of features, functionality, value, and overall user experience? If you're considering Zoom for personal or professional use, we’re going to look at everything you need to make an informed decision.

What is Zoom?

Zoom is a cloud-based video conferencing platform designed for virtual meetings, webinars, and collaborative communications between groups and teams. 

From 1-on-1 meetings to hosting virtual conferences for thousands of participants, Zoom caters to a diverse set of users, ranging from small businesses to enterprise corporations, educators, and individuals. At the end of the day, it offers a seamless, scalable, and reliable way to meet people’s communication needs.

Here’s a summary of Zoom’s core functions:

• Video conferencing: Host HD video and audio meetings with robust tools for screen sharing, virtual backgrounds, and breakout rooms.
• Webinars and events: Host scalable virtual events with features like Q&A, polling, and attendee engagement.
• Cloud recording: Record meetings with automatic transcription for easy playback and searchability.
• Integrations: Connect with hundreds of tools like Slack, Microsoft Teams, and Google Workspace to streamline workflows.
• AI enhancements: Leverage tools like live transcription, meeting summaries, and intelligent scheduling.

Zoom is available on a variety of devices, including computers, smartphones, and tablets. It offers both free and paid plans, with paid plans offering more features and capacity, like innovative AI tools and hybrid work solutions.

A brief history of the powerhouse company

Founded in 2011 by Eric Yuan, Zoom began as a simple, reliable video conferencing solution. Its beta release in 2012 hosted up to 15 participants, and its 2013 Zoom Meetings release hosted up to 25 participants. (For reference, Zoom Webinars can host up to a million participants now!)

It quickly gained traction, reaching 1 million users by 2013. This growth gave birth to features like Zoom Webinars and Rooms, which brought the company to a $1 billion valuation by 2017. 

As we can all (unfortunately) remember, the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 skyrocketed Zoom’s daily users from 10 million to over 300 million. Needless to say, this cemented its role as a leader in the remote communication space.

Zoom Workplace key features

Zoom has dozens of features and capabilities, which are broadly categorized into individual and business services, as well as a developer ecosystem for those who want to build their own experience.

Let’s break down the full list of products on the Zoom website.

Zoom Workplace overview

Zoom Workplace is essentially the central hub, an AI-powered collaboration platform designed to "reimagine teamwork," in Zoom’s words. This suite of tools is divided into 3 main categories: Communication, Productivity, and Spaces.

Communication

Zoom Workplace’s communication tools focus on keeping people connected, no matter where they are:

• Meetings: The cornerstone of Zoom, offering reliable video and audio conferencing for everything from quick catch-ups to company-wide presentations.
• Team chat: A centralized chat platform where teams can share messages, files, and updates seamlessly—perfect for both real-time collaboration and asynchronous work.
• Phone: A modern cloud-based phone system that replaces traditional desk phones, complete with advanced features like call routing, voicemail transcription, and analytics.
• Mail and calendar: Fully integrated email and calendar tools to keep all your communication and scheduling in one place. No more juggling between platforms.
• Scheduler: Takes the hassle out of finding the perfect meeting time with easy scheduling and automatic calendar updates.

Productivity

When it’s time to get things done, these tools streamline collaboration and simplify workflows:

• Docs: Transform meeting discussions into actionable documents and wikis so it’s easier to organize and track project progress.
• Whiteboard: A virtual canvas designed for brainstorming, planning, and visualizing ideas in real time. It’s ideal for collaborative sessions, whether in-person or remote.
• Clips: Share concise video messages for updates or feedback, letting teams communicate visually without needing to schedule live meetings.
• Tasks: A built-in task manager that surfaces action items directly from meetings or chats, which helps teams stay organized and on track.
• Apps and integrations: Access more than 3,000 third-party tools and integrations through the Zoom App Marketplace.

Spaces

Zoom’s Spaces features bridge the gap between physical and virtual workplaces, with tools for hybrid work environments:

• Rooms: Dedicated hardware and software that turns traditional meeting rooms into collaborative Zoom-enabled spaces.
• Workspace reservation: Simplifies desk or office space booking for employees so those with hybrid work setups can have a smoother experience.
• Digital signage: Broadcasts important updates, announcements, or branded content on screens across your office or other physical locations.
• Visitor management: Modernizes the check-in process for visitors, which improves security and creates a better first impression.

Business services and developer ecosystem

For larger businesses or those that need more robust features, Zoom has features like the contact center, virtual agent powered by AI, and workforce engagement tools for peak performance.

Marketing tools like events, sessions, and webinars help businesses build hybrid and virtual experiences, while the revenue accelerator gives in-depth performance analytics to boost sales.

The developer ecosystem has features like APIs, SDKs, and webhooks, which help to seamlessly integrate and build custom Zoom-based applications. In the app marketplace, you can find plenty of tools to extend Zoom’s functionality.

Zoom AI Companion: A closer look

The Zoom AI Companion aims to make your workday a little easier, turning conversations and content into actionable insights.

It works across tools like Team Chat, email, calendar, meetings, and documents, keeping you organized, focused, and productive.

Stay on top of information

The AI Companion simplifies communications by offering quick, digestible summaries of chat messages, call recordings, emails, or important documents. Instead of scrolling through a long chat thread to catch up or spending time dissecting a dense document, you can get a clear snapshot of key points and action items in seconds.

For example, it can summarize all unread messages in a channel, condense long emails into bite-sized insights, summarize calls and provide next steps, and highlight the main points and any associated tasks from a document.

Keep meetings organized

AI Companion can help you get ready for a meeting by summarizing relevant information, providing a rundown of who you’ll be meeting with, and pointing out key details to focus on.

During the meeting, it works quietly in the background. You can even ask follow-up questions, like clarifying a topic or diving deeper into something that wasn’t fully addressed in the meeting.

It’s a practical way to ensure meetings stay impactful and nothing important gets lost in the shuffle.

Jumpstart your writing

AI Companion can help with things like drafting an email or creating a report. It can even help with things like brainstorming content for your online community or next Whop course, for example. It can generate a first draft for you based on the context you provide, making it easier to get your ideas onto the page.

If you need more context, you can upload relevant documents or files, and the AI Companion will use them to tailor its draft. If you’ve already started writing but need adjustments, it can help you refine the tone or style to better fit your audience or goals. 

For those who work with external tools like Microsoft or Google, the AI Companion can integrate files from those platforms to ensure everything aligns with your workflow.

The bottom line: As you can expect, AI Companion isn’t a magic wand, but it’s a solid tool for streamlining your workflow and making your day easier.

User experience

When you first use Zoom, one of the most noticeable things is how intuitive and user-friendly the interface is. It’s streamlined and accessible—at first glance, you only see the bare-bones options. 

This simplicity must’ve been a big contributor to how Zoom shot up in popularity so quickly after it was launched, and why it’s still so popular today.

Let’s take a look at a few core elements of the user experience.

Interface and ease of use

When it comes to setting up or attending meetings, the process is generally straightforward, even for those less tech-savvy.

When you first sign in, you’re greeted with a home screen with 4 simple options: New meeting, Join, Schedule, and Share screen.

On the top bar, you’ll be able to access the full range of features, including:

• Meetings
• Team chat
• Scheduler
• Docs
• Whiteboards
• Clips
• Notes
• Mail
• Apps
• Contacts

Joining a meeting is as simple as clicking a link or entering a meeting ID. This simplicity is key for making sure that Zoom is accessible to the masses with minimal tech issues.

Once you’re in a meeting, the minimalist control bar (which typically shows at the bottom of the screen) shows clear options, including audio and video controls, participant management, and screen sharing.

Features like virtual backgrounds and touch-up tools are simple to activate, adding a bit of personalization without any technical expertise needed.

Device compatibility

Zoom shines when it comes to cross-device compatibility. You’ll get a seamless experience across desktop, laptop, smartphone, and tablet sessions. 

Mobile users in particular appreciate the app's responsiveness and ability to adapt to limited bandwidth or switch from Wi-Fi to mobile data without dropping the connection.

Accessibility features

Inclusivity is a strong point for Zoom. Features like live captions, keyboard shortcuts, and screen reader support make it accessible to users with disabilities. 

It also offers support for multiple languages and time zones, which makes it a great choice for global teams or diverse communities.

Customization and personalization

With options like virtual backgrounds, touch-up filters, and adjustable layouts, Zoom offers plenty of ways to personalize your experience.

These features are easy to activate and allow users to present themselves or their environment in a way that feels professional or fun, depending on the occasion.

Customer support and resources

Zoom has solid customer support to keep customers happy. Their Help Center is packed with articles, videos, and tutorials to guide users through all of the typical issues they might have.

For anything the resources don’t cover, Zoom offers 24/7 live chat and email support for paid plans, with phone support available for premium users. Zoom also offers free training sessions and webinars to make sure users and teams are making full use of all of its features.

How much does Zoom cost? Pricing and plans

Now, for the burning question: How much does Zoom cost?

The short answer: It can cost as much or as little as you need, depending on your team size and feature requirements.

Zoom offers a variety of pricing tiers to accommodate different business needs, with each license allowing one person to host meetings.

• Free plan: Ideal for small teams or personal use, the free plan lets you host up to 100 participants in meetings, with unlimited 1-on-1 calls. Group meetings are capped at 40 minutes, but you still get essentials like team chat and screen sharing.
• Pro plan: At $149.90 per year (or $15.99 per month), the Pro plan removes the time limit for group meetings (now up to 30 hours) and adds 5GB of cloud storage, AI Companion features, and social media streaming capabilities.
• Business plan: Starting at $199 annually (or $21.99 monthly), this plan supports 300 participants and includes advanced features like unlimited whiteboards and single sign-on (SSO), and requires at least 10 users.
• Business plus: At $250 per year, this plan doubles cloud storage to 10GB and adds Zoom Phone integration with unlimited regional calling.
• Enterprise plan: For larger organizations needing up to 1,000 participants, the Enterprise plan comes with unlimited cloud recording and custom pricing, but requires a minimum of 250 users.

Zoom also provides industry-specific plans for education, healthcare, and developers, starting as low as $10 per month for education.

Additional add-ons include large meetings (up to 1,000 participants for $50/month), phone services (starting at $10/user/month), and contact center capabilities (starting at $69/agent/month).

Typical Zoom users and use cases

Most people who open Zoom are doing it for work. Though plenty use it to stay in touch with family and friends, Zoom is primarily a business tool.

• Big companies make up a huge portion of Zoom users. If you work at a Fortune 500 company, there's a good chance your company relies on Zoom. Companies use it for team meetings, client calls, and company-wide updates.
• Teachers and students also spend countless hours on Zoom. Teachers create virtual classrooms, split students into groups for projects, and hold one-on-one help sessions. Universities run entire degree programs through it.
• Doctors use Zoom to see patients without having them drive to the office. With special security features built for healthcare, they can safely discuss private medical information and review records with their patients.
• Sales and support teams live in Zoom all day. They demo products to potential customers, host training sessions for clients, and connect with their teammates. Their calls feed right into systems like Salesforce to track all their customer interactions.
• Small businesses pick Zoom because it's simple but gets the job done. Someone with a freelance business can meet with clients in the morning and collaborate with other freelancers in the afternoon. As their business grows, Zoom grows with them.

How Zoom stacks up to competitors

Zoom has become synonymous with video conferencing—people even say "let's Zoom" instead of "let's video chat." But how does it compare to other platforms in the market?

Let’s see how Zoom measures up against its main competitors.

Zoom vs. Microsoft Teams

Microsoft Teams works best for organizations already using Microsoft 365. Its real-time document editing and integration with tools like Outlook and OneDrive streamline collaboration.

However, Teams can feel clunky for users who don’t need its full suite of features. Finding what you need might take longer than expected.

Zoom has a cleaner, more intuitive interface that makes it easy to access and use different features. Users also benefit from breakout rooms and unlimited 1:1 meeting durations—features that Microsoft Teams doesn’t offer on its free plan.

Zoom vs. Google Meet

Google Meet focuses on quick, efficient meetings. It’s ideal for smaller teams or businesses already using Gmail and Google Calendar. But, its features can feel limited for larger teams or advanced use cases. Free meetings also cap at 60 minutes.

Zoom offers more flexibility with breakout rooms and detailed host controls. While free meetings are limited to 40 minutes, it’s better suited for scaling workflows.

Zoom vs. Skype

Skype was the first video calling platform many of us used, and it’s still great for personal chats and small meetings. With features like file sharing, screen sharing, and instant messaging built into the free plan, it covers the basics well. 

However, Skype’s free plan limits you to 50 participants, and its resource-heavy design means you might experience slow performance on older devices. 

Zoom, on the other hand, has a cleaner, more intuitive design that runs smoothly across devices. It also offers advanced features like breakout rooms, admin controls, and support for up to 1,000 participants (depending on the plan).

Zoom vs. GoToMeeting

GoToMeeting works best for organizations needing reliable video conferencing with generous storage options. Its unlimited cloud recording and simple pricing structure make it particularly appealing for businesses focused on documenting meetings.

GoTo Meeting's video quality can be inconsistent on slower networks, and its feature set remains relatively basic. Plus, with just 28 third-party integrations available, teams needing specialized tools might feel limited.

Zoom has a clear advantage with stable audio and video performance, extensive collaboration features, and nearly 3,000 integration options. Free meetings are limited to 40 minutes, but paid plans include AI-powered assistance and support for up to 1,000 participants—far beyond GoTo Meeting's 250-person limit.

How secure is Zoom?

If you're wondering about Zoom's security—especially after those "Zoombombing" stories from a few years back—you'll be pleased with how far things have come. Every Zoom meeting now uses AES 256-bit encryption, and you can even enable end-to-end encryption if you need that extra privacy.

Setting up a secure meeting takes just a few clicks. The waiting room lets you screen who joins, passwords keep your meetings private, and one click locks the meeting once everyone's in. All the controls are right where you need them in the interface.

When it comes to AI privacy, Zoom takes a clear position with its AI Companion: unlike many AI tools that want to learn from your data, Zoom promises it won't use any of your meeting content—whether that's your conversations, shared screens, or chat messages—to train its AI models. Your strategy discussions stay your strategy discussions.

For business users, Zoom adds extra layers of protection. You get single sign-on (SSO) integration to manage employee access and detailed security reports to track activity. Healthcare providers will appreciate the HIPAA compliance options, though you'll need a higher-tier plan for these features.

Overall, Zoom provides strong security features right from the free plan. For businesses handling sensitive data or needing specific compliance features, the paid plans offer additional security controls.

Zoom pros and cons

Zoom is a leading video conferencing platform that offers both strengths and limitations. Here are its key advantages and drawbacks.

Zoom’s pros

• Advanced AI features: Zoom's AI Companion comes standard with paid plans, handling meeting summaries, live transcription, and action item tracking - features you'd typically pay extra for elsewhere.
• Extensive integrations: Nearly 3,000 apps in the Zoom marketplace connect directly with your existing tools. From Google Workspace to Salesforce, most business software works seamlessly with Zoom.
• Stable performance: Video stays clear and audio remains crisp even on slower networks. Zoom’s latest version uses 50% less CPU power, keeping your device running smoothly during calls.
• Collaboration tools: Breakout rooms, whiteboards, and team chat support both planned meetings and quick collaborations. AI features automatically track action items and create meeting summaries.
• Security features: End-to-end encryption, meeting passwords, and waiting rooms protect your communications. Admins can control exactly who joins meetings and what they can access.

Zoom's cons

• Limited meeting capacity: Zoom's Business plan stops at 300 participants. Larger meetings require expensive add-ons that competitors often include in their standard plans.
• Evolving AI features: Many of Zoom's AI Companion features won't launch until late 2025. Current users miss out on advanced tools while waiting for full deployment.
• Basic analytics: Standard reporting lacks depth. Getting meaningful insights into meeting engagement and team usage requires additional paid features.
• Storage limitations: Cloud recording space on paid plans is limited to 5-10GB. Unlike competitors offering unlimited storage, Zoom requires careful storage management or extra fees.
• Complex pricing: Multiple tiers, add-ons, and industry plans make costs hard to predict. Growing teams often discover hidden expenses as their needs expand.

So, is Zoom worth it?

Zoom has firmly established itself as one of the most trusted video conferencing platforms out there. It offers a mix of reliability, powerful features, and easy-to-use tools that work for almost anyone.

Whether you're hosting big webinars, collaborating with teams, or just catching up with friends and family, Zoom covers all the bases.

However, while Zoom is a great choice for business relationships, it's likely not your first choice for online communities.

If you're hosting an online community you need a space to chat when not in a live call, and an easy video-chat capability that is not limited to 40 minutes. Online communities need a platform that encourages engagement and collaboration.

That's where Whop comes in.

What is Whop?

Whop is a social commerce platform built by creators, for creators. With Whop you create your own whop and fill it with the features you need. As a result, you can connect with your community with so much more than video.

You can use the video calls app to host webinars, online coaching sessions, masterminds, and so on. Then, add the chat app so your community can chat with each other continually. Add the files app to share downloadables like PDFs and ebooks, and the courses app to share written or text courses.

When it comes to creating an online community with text and video options, Whop is the number one choice for you.

Zoom FAQs

Why did Zoom change to Zoom Workplace? 

Zoom's evolution from a video conferencing tool to Zoom Workplace reflects its expansion into a complete collaboration platform.

The update brings new features like AI-powered tools, team chat, and digital whiteboards under one unified interface.

This change positions Zoom as a comprehensive workspace solution rather than just a meeting tool.

What is a Zoom meeting?

A Zoom meeting is a virtual conference where participants connect through video, audio, or both. 

The host manages the meeting, while participants can share screens, send messages, and engage with features like polls and breakout rooms. 

Basic meetings can include up to 300 participants, with options to expand to 1,000 through paid add-ons.

What is the Zoom web portal?

The Zoom web portal (zoom.us/signin) is your central hub for managing all Zoom settings and features.

Unlike the desktop app which focuses on joining and hosting meetings, the web portal lets you configure settings, schedule meetings, and access recordings.

You can access all these features through any web browser without installing additional software.