Software · head to head
Zoom vs Whereby
Whereby
Software
No downloads, no logins - just video meetings that work
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Zoom cost creep from add-ons increases pricing from $14/user to $25+/user when including Phone and advanced features; Whereby no breakout rooms, polls, or whiteboard tools
- They diverge on capability: Zoom covers HD video & audio, Whereby covers Browser-based meetings.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Zoom and Whereby actually diverge.
Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (subscription), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).
What each one covers
Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.
Only in Zoom
- HD video & audio
- Recording & transcripts
- Virtual backgrounds
- Breakout rooms
- Polling & Q&A
- Chat
- Whiteboard
- Microsoft Teams
Only in Whereby
- Browser-based meetings
- No downloads required
- Personal room URLs
- Recording
- Trello
- GDPR compliant
- Room locks
- Cloud deployment
Both cover
- Screen sharing
- Slack
- Google Calendar
- Outlook
- HubSpot
- End-to-end encryption
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Zoom
- Team meetingsnot Whereby
- Webinars
- Virtual eventsnot Whereby
- Online trainingnot Whereby
- Telehealthnot Whereby
Whereby
- Client meetingsnot Zoom
- Remote consultationsnot Zoom
- Team standupsnot Zoom
- Webinars
Both are used for webinars, on those jobs the choice comes down to price and fit rather than capability.
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Zoom
- Cost creep from add-ons increases pricing from $14/user to $25+/user when including Phone and advanced features
- Feature set is overwhelming with complex navigation and too many options
- Limited analytics and coaching features compared to dedicated contact center platforms
- Call recording and admin oversight lack strict governance needed for regulated industries
Whereby
- No breakout rooms, polls, or whiteboard tools
- Hard cap of 200 participants and performance drops with groups of 12+
- No phone dial-in option for participants without internet
- Occasional connectivity issues and laggy screen sharing reported
Pricing, plan by plan
Zoom
Free- BasicFree
- 100 participants
- 40-minute group meetings
- Unlimited 1-on-1 meetings
- Pro$14.99/month
- 100 participants
- 30-hour group meetings
- Cloud recording (5GB)
- Business$19.99/month
- 300 participants
- Single sign-on
- Recording transcripts
- Enterprise$25/month
- 500 participants
- Advanced admin features
- Executive business review
Whereby
Free- FreeFree
- 1 meeting room
- 100 participants
- Screen sharing
- Pro$6.99/month
- 3 meeting rooms
- Custom branding
- Recording
- Business$11.99/month
- Unlimited rooms
- SSO
- Analytics
Which should you pick?
Choose Zoom if
- You need hd video & audio.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, iOS, Android, Windows, macOS.
- You also want recording & transcripts.
Choose Whereby if
- You need browser-based meetings.
- You want to start without paying.
- You also want no downloads required.
Questions people ask
- Is Zoom or Whereby better?
- Neither clearly leads. Zoom starts at Free and Whereby at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Zoom or Whereby?
- Zoom starts at Free and Whereby at Free.
- Does Zoom or Whereby run on more platforms?
- Zoom runs on Web, iOS, Android, Windows, macOS. Whereby runs on Web.
- Can I use Zoom for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Zoom best used for?
- Zoom is most often used for team meetings, webinars, virtual events, online training. Of those, team meetings and virtual events are not what Whereby is typically brought in for.
- What can Zoom do that Whereby cannot?
- Zoom covers HD video & audio, Recording & transcripts, Virtual backgrounds, Breakout rooms. Whereby covers Browser-based meetings, No downloads required, Personal room URLs, Recording. Both handle Screen sharing, Slack, Google Calendar, Outlook.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Zoom: What are Zoom's main pricing tiers?
Zoom offers a free Basic plan with 40-minute limits for group meetings, Pro at $14.16/user/month, Business at $15.58/user/month with 300 participant capacity, and Enterprise with custom pricing. Additional costs apply for Phone ($10.50/user/month), Webinars, and Rooms.
SourceWhereby: Does Whereby require software downloads?
No. Whereby is browser-based and requires no downloads or complex configuration. Participants join via a simple link without needing to install software.
SourceZoom: What integrations does Zoom support?
Zoom integrates with Salesforce, Slack, Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, HubSpot, Zendesk, and many other business applications, though integration depth varies by partner.
SourceWhereby: What is Whereby's pricing model?
Whereby offers a free-forever plan and paid plans starting at $5.82/month when billed annually. Whereby does not offer a free trial.
SourceZoom: Can Zoom be used for webinars?
Yes, Zoom Webinars is available as a separate product starting at $66.67 per month, providing larger audience capabilities and specialized webinar features.
Source