In this GoToMeeting review, we’ll look at how it compares to other products in the industry, the benefits and drawbacks of using GoToMeeting, and the various plan options available.
On my list of the best conference call providers, GoToMeeting is near the top.
Many of the resources you’ll need to run a good business meeting are available on the platform.
GoToMeeting is unique for its superior call efficiency, robust functionality, and outstanding customer support.
Plans And Pricing Comparison
GoToMeeting provides three separate plans to fit the needs of companies of all sizes and shapes. That’s nice because it shows that they’re flexible and can scale with your business.
I’ll go over the features and benefits of each package, as well as the price points.
GoToMeeting Professional
With an annual subscription, GoToMeeting Professional costs $12/month for each user. Each user pays $14/ month on a month-to-month basis.
This plan helps you host up to 150 people in conference calls and meetings, which is sufficient for a small company.
GoToMeeting Professional includes the following features in addition to the previously mentioned HD audio, video, screen sharing, and other uses:
- Integration with Slack (launch meetings directly with Slack)
- Compliant with Siri voice commands
- Plugin for Office 365
- Integration with Salesforce
- Plugin for Google Calendar
- Encryption with SSL
- Data centers with SOC2 certification
- 256-bit AES encryption
- Single Sign-in
- HIPAA-compliant
You’ll also have access to GoToMeeting’s customer service team, which is available 24/7.
The admin center is a versatile and easy-to-use dashboard for managing your calls, account, and users. You’ll also be able to access all your meetings’ stats. This enables advanced troubleshooting by allowing you to monitor output on a per-user basis.
Any change or upgrade you make to your account is recorded. These logs can be viewed using admin reports that are downloadable.
Even on the most basic package, GoToMeeting allows you to hold unlimited meetings without any time constraints on video or audio calls. With several advanced capabilities, it’s difficult to find a better entry-level conference call package on the market.
GoToMeeting Professional does not have recording or transcription capabilities. If you want advanced functionality, you’ll have to upgrade.
GoToMeeting Business
On an annual subscription, GoToMeeting Business costs $16/ month for each user. If you do not want to commit to a long-term contract, you can pay $19/ month per user on a month-to-month basis.
This package has hosting capabilities for up to 250 people, which makes it a good fit for medium to large businesses.
GoToMeeting Business includes all the features of the Professional package, plus additional features such as:
- Unrestricted cloud recording
- Transcription of meetings
- Tools for drawing
- Mouse and keyboard sharing
- Locking meetings
The locking meeting function secures your calls by providing an additional layer of protection. Late participants would need to wait for the host to let them in, once the meeting starts.
Smart Assistant is included with GoToMeeting Business. This feature uses machine learning to automatically identify action items and meeting highlights.
The capability of taking notes through the software during a call or meeting would also be beneficial.
GoToMeeting introduced a feature called ‘Slide to PDF’, which is present in the Business plan. This enables you to capture slides automatically during a presentation and produce a sharable PDF with items in chronological format. This is an additional way to be organized when a meeting is finished.
GoToMeeting Enterprise
This is the enterprise-level designed for larger companies with requirements that surpass the limits of the other packages.
As a result, the pricing for GoToMeeting is customized for every business. For additional users, they give bulk discounts.
To receive a quote, you would need to get in touch with the GoToMeeting sales department.
You can organize meetings and conference calls for up to 3,000 people. This is a perfect option for businesses with several locations spread across the country or worldwide.
With the Enterprise package, you can connect using your current conferencing system with InRoom Links. This adds an extra layer of protection for your security.
In addition to the 24/7 customer service, GoToMeeting will assign you a dedicated customer support manager. Training, custom onboarding, and quarterly reviews are also included.
GoToMeeting Pros And Cons
For the majority of the users, I highly suggest using GoToMeeting, but it is not a perfect match for everyone’s requirements.
Go through the sections on the benefits and drawbacks of GoToMeeting to see if it’s a good match for your company or business.
Pros Of GoToMeeting
GoToMeeting has a diverse set of features for a variety of scenarios. I’ll go through a few of the main benefits of GoToMeeting’s program and service.
Video Conferencing
GoToMeeting also offers HD video conferences along with audio calls. This provides the ability to host online face-to-face meetings for up to 25 people.
Some video conferencing systems have muddled controls, outages, and syncing issues. With GoToMeeting, however, you won’t have to think about any of these issues.
Both mobile and desktop users can collaborate in the cloud with this platform.
Every user’s bandwidth is automatically modified based on their hardware and resources, ensuring a smooth experience for all parties involved.
It’s easy to use the video conferencing function. People who use the GoToMeeting desktop app are able to change their webcam settings. Therefore, prior to going live, you can modify the format of the display.
Would you like to get off the camera without interrupting or leaving the meeting? It’s not a problem. GoToMeeting makes it easy to do so.
Conference Calls
The audio conference calling of GoToMeeting makes it easy to connect with colleagues, clients, and prospects.
If you have access to the Internet, you can enter and set up a call using GoToMeeting. It works on Mac OS X, Windows, and mobile devices.
Their user interface is also very simple to grasp. Anybody can follow, from the initial setup to the meeting management functionality and call quality.
Don’t be concerned about time constraints since they have unlimited calling.
For over 50 countries, GoToMeeting offers toll-free numbers as an alternative. You would pay only for what you use if you add this option. Traditional VoIP call services are being replaced by this alternative.
With the conference calling functionality, you would also receive custom email invites, reservation-less connections, one-click meetings, and integrated scheduling.
Screen Sharing
You can share your desktop screen with attendees of the meeting in real-time using online screen sharing.
When visuals are needed, this is the ideal way to improve your communication.
When it comes to brainstorming ideas, presentations, slide decks, or team training, screen sharing comes in handy.
You can transform a conference call into a full-fledged presentation within seconds using screen-sharing capabilities.
Another benefit of this function is that it is adaptable. You have complete control over which screen you prefer to share. GoToMeeting settings can meet your needs, whether it’s your complete display or just one application.
To use screen-sharing capabilities, meeting attendees don’t have to download any mobile or desktop apps. All Chrome browsers support screen sharing with GoToMeeting.
This is ideal for people who work in a software-limited environment or use an operating system that prevents them from downloading the app. Both situations are common when it comes to corporate permissions regarding firewalls.
You can also do screen sharing using an iPad or iPhone. You’ll be able to easily switch over to iOS devices as well. If a meeting goes overtime and you need to take a break from your computer, simply switch to your mobile device and stay in the meeting.
Mobile Conferences
The modern worker is always on the move. Employees who work from home aren’t necessarily confined to a desk with access to a computer.
GoToMeeting addresses this issue by offering native iOS, Windows, and Android smartphone applications. With any mobile device, you can now attend, schedule, or host a meeting.
Many of the functionality and advantages mentioned previously are still included in the mobile app. You will also be able to record meetings and share the screen. Both video and audio conference calls are supported.
Regardless of where you go, GoToMeeting will automatically change your bandwidth to provide high quality.
Hardware Bundles
GoToMeeting offers all the hardware needed to host high-performance meetings in addition to apps. Hardware bundles are available for both huddle rooms and larger meeting spaces.
They provide cutting-edge technology with Dolby and Polly Voice. These packages provide exceptional video and audio quality.
These ready-to-use meeting room solutions are very user-friendly. It’s also easy to set up. Within 15 minutes, you will have the whole system up and running.
There’s no need to buy conference room equipment from a third-party vendor. Getting top-of-the-line equipment by bundling the solution with GoToMeeting is a cost-effective way to do so.
Recordings And Transcriptions
The failure to absorb information is a common issue with virtual meetings (and, to be frank, in-person meetings as well). This is particularly true when there are several participants and presenters in a longer session.
Notes taken by hand are not always feasible. Fortunately, there are numerous digital resources available to address this problem.
With recordings and transcriptions, GoToMeeting solves this issue. Simply press the record button to start recording. The screen of the presenter, as well as the participants’ audio, will be recorded. These recordings can be saved in the cloud or locally.
The Smart Meeting Assistant will also automatically transcribe the call. As a result, you’ll still have access to the transcripts.
There’s no need to designate a transcriber for your meetings. You can actually focus on what’s happening instead of trying to write stuff down.
Coworkers or customers who were unable to participate will benefit greatly from the recordings and transcriptions. They can replay the meeting again whenever they like as if they were present.
Cons Of GoToMeeting
GoToMeeting has some disadvantages. Some aspects to think about before making the decision are mentioned below.
Quality Of The Equipment
It’s important to consider the nature of the equipment used to host and attend meetings. GoToMeeting works with the most up-to-date solutions, but it falls behind on older technology.
If your hardware is older than 5 years, you’ll most likely need to update it to get the most out of GoToMeeting. Luckily, you can purchase a hardware kit from this company directly.
Requires A Stable Connection
GoToMeeting can have issues if your Internet provider pings your modem frequently. For the program to function properly, the connection must be free of errors.
A session may be forced to crash even though there are only minor interruptions. Starting a new meeting can be cumbersome, especially if there are many participants.
Before registering with GoToMeeting, you should consider switching Internet providers if your company faces a lot of connectivity issues.
Inability To Use GoToMeeting For Free
Today’s market is flooded with free conference call providers. GoToMeeting, on the other hand, isn’t one among them.
They have a free trial for 14 days and annual contract discounts, but you wouldn’t be able to use GoToMeeting for free indefinitely.
Premium Features Come At A Higher Price
Not every feature is included in all plans. Soon, we’ll go over the pricing plans in greater depth, and you’ll understand what I’m referring to.
The entry-level package does not cover everything. To get the full benefits of GoToMeeting, you’ll need to upgrade.
Depending on the spending budget, this could be a concern.
Chat Capabilities Are Limited
GoToMeeting’s chat was previously restricted to meetings only. You couldn’t start chat rooms for instant messaging on-demand.
Business Chat was released, which includes this functionality. However, I don’t believe it’s ready to take the place of Slack or other messaging platforms in real time.
Perhaps in the future, this might change. However, for the time being, GoToMeeting is best known for its conference calling features rather than its chat capabilities.
FAQs – GoTo Meeting Review
1. Is GoTo Meeting worth it?
GoTo Meeting is a well-known platform for web conferencing and online meetings. Whether it is worth using depends on individual preferences and requirements. It provides features such as screen sharing, video conferencing, and collaboration tools, making it suitable for businesses and remote teams.
2. Is GoTo Meeting better than Zoom?
Comparing GoTo Meeting to Zoom is subjective and depends on specific needs. Both platforms offer similar functionalities, but the choice between them relies on factors like pricing, ease of use, and specific feature requirements.
3. Is GoTo Meeting free?
GoTo Meeting offers a free trial period, but it is not completely free. Subscriptions are necessary to access its full range of features.
4. Can you join a GoTo Meeting without an account?
Participants can join a GoTo Meeting without needing to create an account. They can simply use the meeting link or ID provided by the host to join the meeting.
5. How does GoTo Meeting work?
GoTo Meeting operates by allowing users to schedule and host online meetings. The host sets up the meeting and shares the meeting link or ID with participants, who can then join through their web browsers or by using the GoTo Meeting desktop or mobile apps. During the meeting, participants can engage in video conferencing, screen sharing, chat, and other collaborative activities to facilitate effective communication and teamwork.
Final Thoughts – GoToMeeting Review
This concludes the GoToMeeting review. In general, GoToMeeting is an excellent conference calling service.
They offer services for small, medium, and large businesses. The plans start at $12/ month and go up from there. They have more than just simple video and audio calling capabilities.
Even the most basic package includes unlimited calling without any restrictions for up to 150 people. Other conference call services can not provide you with as much functionality on the starter plan.
The technology is also cutting-edge. They use the latest equipment and have great hardware bundles for companies.
GoToMeeting enables you to hold meetings in your office room or remotely using a mobile device.
Although the platform does have a few flaws, I believe the benefits far outweigh the drawbacks.
If you’re already sold, I recommend trying out GoToMeeting for free using their free trial.