WEBEX REVIEWS: Features, Pricing, Pros & Cons

Users can meet remotely using good conference call services without sacrificing security or efficiency. You can count on Webex to accomplish just that, as you would expect from a service provided by Cisco, one of the world’s premier technology corporations. Furthermore, Webex is a collaborative workspace that incorporates conferencing, messaging, and document sharing. In this guide, we will analyze all you need to know about Webex meetings, their reviews, costs, and a brief comparison between Webex vs Teams and Webex vs Zoom. Let’s get to it!

What is Webex Meetings?

Webex Meetings is a video conferencing platform that includes AI and machine learning capabilities to help users remove duties. It allows for team meetings, webinars, online training, live technical help, and conference calling.

Webex, which was started in 1995 and was acquired by Cisco in 2007, is a long-standing player in the video conferencing software market. This distinguishes it from several of the newer, general-purpose video conferencing products we tested this year, such as Zoom Meetings, our overall Editors’ Choice.

Although Webex serves that purpose, it is also intimately linked with Cisco’s entire ecosystem of conferencing tools and hardware, including video conference room technologies. Embracing that vision will cost you, but what Cisco provides is comprehensive and compelling enough to earn our Editor’s Choice award for small to medium organizations.

Webex: The Good and The Bad Reviews

Let’s look at the pros and downsides of Webex meetings after we’ve established what they are:

The Good

#1. Robust Security

This is one of Webex’s most significant advantages. Cisco is the world’s leading enterprise cybersecurity provider, so you can rely on them to protect your privacy and data during a Webex conversation. Whatever plan you choose, Webex encrypts all of your data. Companies whose data security is critical can have complete peace of mind here.

#2. Collaborative Audio and Video Conferencing

Do you like a conference solution with all the bells and whistles? Webex offers it all, and it’s all wrapped up in a great user experience. You receive an HD video display with up to 25 individuals visible at once. Within the call, you can talk, whiteboard to collaborate on notes, and use breakout rooms for classes or team-building exercises. We really enjoy the screen sharing and control functionality, which, unlike other programs we’ve tried, doesn’t degrade display quality and makes it simple to share or switch between individual windows or the entire desktop.

#3. Supports Multiple Use Cases

Because it is so fully featured and allows for so many people, there is very little limit to what you may do with it (money permitting). Webex can host up to 3,000 people and allow up to 40,000 users to stream and play video during meetings, making it a viable option for use cases like as webinars and online lectures.

#4. Fast Conference Bridge Connection

This is vital for both audio and video chats, and we’ve discovered that the connection speed is almost fast, especially when compared to other collaborative workspaces. You may also confirm that everything is operating properly in your system/browser before you join by logging in. If you’re hosting a webinar, this provides a better user experience than spending time connecting people.

#5. Extensive Integrations Available

Webex can map directly to Google Workspace and Outlook to sync your meetings with your calendar of choice, in addition to integrating with Google Cloud and Microsoft products like Teams and Sharepoint for better collaboration throughout the enterprise. This makes it simple to organize meetings, check participant availability, and send invitations to others.

#6. Multiple Ways to Connect

Because Webex is platform-independent, you can connect from any device, anywhere. You don’t need to install the desktop app to participate, since the browser and desktop apps have similar capabilities. Then you can dial in depending on the plan you choose, which is useful if you frequently have a terrible internet connection or use a computer without a microphone. You may even switch between multiple audio devices utilizing the VoIP functionality, which works well and, as far as we know, is not offered by competitors.

The Bad

#1. Occasional Call Quality and Connection Problems

Call quality is generally decent, and the noise reduction feature outperforms competing tools. However, because Webex is so widely utilized, there is always the possibility of disruptions. Webex does take some time to connect, and you may experience a brief loss of video or audio.

#2. Limited Personalization Options

Webex does feature virtual backgrounds, but not as many as its competitors. There aren’t as many fun customization elements as there are in other programs, such as color schemes and window layout possibilities.

#3. Mobile App

It’s quite simple to use, and you may join meetings with a single tap. We particularly like that the smartphone version maintains the high quality of video and audio calls. However, it does not have the same smooth sensation as Zoom. It’s not as feature-rich, and you might notice it’s a little slower.

#4. Multiple Ways to Connect

In terms of connecting via desktop, this is both good and terrible. There are various ways to connect via desktop apps—Webex Teams vs Webex Meetings, or your own conference bridge—and you may find that connecting via Teams is substantially slower.

#5. The “Call Me” Feature Available Only as an Add-on

Unlike some other applications, Webex does not have the opportunity to automatically call users to join. Unless you purchase the “Call Me” add-on, you’ll have to rely on participants’ calendar reminders or remembering to phone in themselves.

Webex Costs and Options Reviews

Webex is available in three different plans:

Basic Plan — Free
Meet Plan — $15 per license per month (billed annually), up to 50 users
Call Plan — $17 per license per month (billed annually), up to 100 users

You could argue that the price is affordable in comparison to the level of quality and security provided by Webex. However, we disagree with the pricing strategy.

For one thing, while the Basic version is free, it is extremely limited—it only allows for one user and allows you to test (some of) the conferencing or messaging functions. The free plan does not include any calling or phone system capabilities. Moreover, unlike some other collaborative workplace solutions, Webex offers separate plans for conferencing (Meet) and calling (Call), rather than combining conferencing and calling functions across plans with varying levels of functionality.

For firms that only require the fundamentals, each separate plan may be prohibitively expensive. Each plan has a plethora of features that could be made available as add-ons rather than pushing you to pay for more than you require. On the other hand, there are some extras that we believe should be included in the price.

Let’s go through what each plan includes in terms of conferencing, calling, and other features, as well as who each plan is appropriate for.

#1. Webex Meetings and Video Conferencing

The Meet plan is the one to go with if you want to make the most of Webex’s conferencing capability for everything from meetings to online lectures.

You obtain the most participants for the longest possible calls. You can record and transcribe talks, with up to 10GB automatically saved in the cloud, and the speech-to-text conversion is impressively accurate. Also, you can alter the presenter/host, who has complete authority over the mute and attendance participation.

#2. Webex Calling and Phone System

This is the plan you’ll want if you’re primarily utilizing Webex as a business phone system, such as for administration, customer support, or sales. For IT help, for example, use the quick remote desktop connection. For customer inquiries or support situations, use calling waiting and routing, and call forwarding to accept calls while on the road.

The “Advanced calling features” are available through the Webex Control Hub.

#3. Webex Messaging and Collaboration

Webex chat features are similar across all subscriptions, however, the ability to restrict who joins a space (with the Meet plan) is useful for organizations that need to utilize Webex for things like online lectures or webinars, so you can screen who enters for security reasons.

#4. Webex Security

When compared to other tools across all plans, this level of security is generous. At first appearance, the Meet plan appears to have more options, but it only includes encrypted recordings because it is the only plan that allows you to record meetings in the first place.

#5. Webex Support

If you need assistance when trying before you buy, you can only obtain it online, though we’ve found that they respond quickly and competently. You can even get real-time technical assistance during a call with the Meet and Call options.

#6. Webex Optional Add-ons

These are the “Call me” options described earlier. They are only available as part of the Meet plan. However, they may be a deal-breaker if you frequently dial into calls owing to a poor internet connection, because being called into a meeting eliminates the need to type in the meeting number or ID.

Webex vs Teams

Webex vs Microsoft Teams are two of the market’s most popular video conferencing services. They are used by businesses of all sizes to stay in touch with employees, customers, and partners. Webex vs Microsoft Teams package includes capabilities such as group chat, file sharing, and video conferencing to let remote workers, office colleagues, and clients communicate more effectively.

The primary distinction between Webex vs Teams is that Webex enables voice calling to all numbers in their basic plans, whereas Microsoft Teams offers less expensive plans that require a separate plan for full calling functionality.

Webex vs Zoom

Webex vs Zoom both provide high-quality video and audio, simple conference scheduling, user and participant identification, waiting rooms, and meeting recording. In addition to desktop/file sharing, application sharing, interactive whiteboards, background manipulation, live group and private chat, and the ability to assign user responsibilities and rights, the Webex vs Zoom platform has the option to assign user roles and permissions.

All paid Webex plans feature 10 GB of cloud storage, vs lower-tier Zoom plans only give 1 GB. Webex’s free plan includes participant polling; Zoom does not. Touch-up filters for lighting and look are included with all Zoom plans; similar features are not available with Webex.

Zoom has more integrations than Webex. The Zoom website has a comprehensive list of integrations, however, you must search by app name in the Webex Help Center to see if a certain app is supported.

Is Webex as Good as Zoom?

Webex and Zoom both provide feature-rich and stable video conferencing solutions. However, in terms of complete features and user-friendliness, Zoom is the superior platform.

Is Webex a Good Meeting?

Webex is widely regarded as a dependable and feature-rich video conferencing solution. It is a popular choice for remote teams and virtual meetings due to its high-quality video and audio, ease of use, security features, and integration capabilities.

Is Webex Completely Free?

It will always be free, and you will never be charged unexpectedly. When you’re ready to upgrade to a paid Webex plan, input your credit card information.

What Is the Advantage of Using Webex?

Webex features include voice choices from a phone or computer, as well as HD video. Users can join calls on various devices and switch devices in the middle of a call. Users can exchange various files with other participants, and web-based content-sharing extensions are available.

Which Is Better Google Meet or Webex?

There is no app store for Google Meet. In comparison, when it comes to sophisticated workflows, Webex provides many more customization options. With Webex’s API, SKD, and Widgets, you can design the perfect webinar experience for your needs.

Does Webex Show My Face?

Your self-view video appears alongside the thumbnail videos of the other participants during a Webex meeting, webinar, or event. If you wish, you can display or hide your self-view video in a floating window.

How Do You Know if Your Camera Is On in Webex?

If you opt to join the video, a blue icon will appear to show that your video is active. Click to turn off your video. When your video is switched off, the symbol turns gray.

Conclusion

Although Webex’s Basic plan is limited in capabilities, it is worth a shot. Webex is also a no-brainer for businesses that use Cisco hardware because everything connects seamlessly. Otherwise, don’t expect Webex to always work well.