Zoom has rapidly evolved from a simple video conferencing tool into a comprehensive platform for communication and collaboration. For UK businesses, Zoom offers a variety of solutions, from video meetings to full-scale cloud phone systems, making it a versatile choice for companies of all sizes. In this review, we’ll explore Zoom key products, pricing details, and the pros and cons to help your business make an informed decision.
Zoom products and pricing review
Zoom’s product suite includes a range of solutions designed to enhance communication and productivity. Below are the main products Zoom offers, along with their prices:
| Product | Price | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zoom Meetings (Free) | £0 per month | Cost-free option, supports up to 100 participants | 40-minute meeting limit, no advanced features |
| Zoom Meetings (Pro) | £11.99 per month, per user | Longer meeting durations, cloud recording, and streaming | Limited to 100 participants, fewer advanced features than business tier |
| Zoom Meetings (Business) | £15.99 per month, per user | Increased participant limit, advanced features like branding | More expensive, 300 participant limit may not be enough for large businesses |
| Zoom Meetings (Enterprise) | Custom pricing | Highly scalable for enterprises with 500+ participants, unlimited cloud storage | Higher costs, custom pricing might be complex |
| Zoom Phone (Metered) | From £8.99 per month, per user | Cost-effective, VoIP solution with basic calling features | Pay-per-call may result in higher costs for frequent calling |
| Zoom Phone (Unlimited) | From £15.99 per month, per user | Unlimited calls in the UK and Ireland, good value | Pricier than metered option, limited to UK and Ireland for unlimited calls |
| Zoom Phone (Pro Global Select) | From £18.99 per month, per user | International calling to 40+ countries, ideal for global teams | Expensive, especially for small businesses |
| Zoom Webinars | From £32 per month | Large event hosting, interactive features like Q&A and polls | Price increases with higher attendee count, can get costly |
| Zoom Rooms | £35 per room, per month | Room management, one-click meetings, calendar integration | Requires additional hardware costs, expensive for multiple rooms |
| Zoom Contact Centre | Custom pricing | Integrated multi-channel contact centre, flexible for customer service | Custom pricing can be high, complex setup |
1. Zoom Meetings
Zoom Meetings is Zoom’s core product, providing high-quality video conferencing with screen sharing, recording, and integration with popular tools like Slack and Google Workspace.
- Free plan: £0 per month – Supports meetings of up to 40 minutes for 100 participants.
- Pro plan: £11.99 per month, per user – Supports meetings for up to 30 hours with 100 participants, social media streaming, and 1 GB of cloud recording.
- Business plan: £15.99 per month, per user – Includes features like branded meetings, 300 participants, and advanced reporting.
- Enterprise plan: Custom pricing – Designed for larger businesses with over 500 participants, unlimited cloud storage, and additional support options.
2. Zoom Phone
Zoom Phone offers cloud-based VoIP calling with enterprise-grade features such as call forwarding, voicemail, and call recording.
- Metered plan: From £8.99 per month, per user – Pay per call with unlimited internal calling.
- Unlimited plan: From £15.99 per month, per user – Includes unlimited calling within the UK and Ireland.
- Pro Global Select: From £18.99 per month, per user – Offers unlimited international calling to over 40 countries.
3. Zoom Webinars
Zoom Webinars allows businesses to host virtual events with a large number of attendees, offering interactive features like Q&A and polls.
- Pricing: Starts at £32 per month for 500 attendees. The price increases based on the number of attendees, with custom pricing for large-scale events of up to 50,000 participants.
4. Zoom Rooms
Zoom Rooms is a software-based conference room system that integrates with hardware to create a seamless video meeting experience in physical meeting spaces.
- Zoom Rooms licence: £35 per room, per month – Includes room management, one-click meeting start, and calendar integration.
- Zoom Rooms hardware: Costs vary depending on the hardware provider (i.e., Logitech or Polycom), starting from approximately £500 for basic setups.
5. Zoom Contact Centre
Zoom Contact Centre offers businesses an integrated customer service platform that supports video, voice, and chat channels for customer interactions.
- Pricing: Custom pricing – Based on specific business needs such as number of agents and usage levels.
Pros of Zoom solutions
- User-friendly interface: Zoom’s platform is intuitive and easy to navigate, making it simple for both employees and clients to use.
- Scalable options: Zoom offers solutions that can scale with your business, from small teams to large enterprises, ensuring that the service grows with your company.
- Comprehensive integrations: Zoom integrates with many business tools, including Slack, Salesforce, and Microsoft 365, allowing seamless collaboration.
- High-quality video and audio: Zoom is known for its reliable, high-definition video and audio, even in environments with lower bandwidth.
- Global reach: With features like international calling and language support, Zoom caters to businesses with a global presence.
Cons of Zoom solutions
- Cost: Zoom’s pricing for higher-tier plans can add up, particularly for larger teams, and its webinars and room solutions can be quite expensive compared to competitors.
- Security concerns: While Zoom has improved its security features, including encryption, it was initially criticised for vulnerabilities, which may concern privacy-focused businesses.
- Limited customer support for lower-tier plans: Users on the free and lower-tier plans might find Zoom’s customer support lacking, with slower response times and fewer resources available.
- Heavy resource usage: Zoom can be resource-intensive, particularly during high-definition video calls, potentially affecting performance on older devices or in areas with weak internet connections.
- Steep learning curve for advanced features: While the basic functionality is easy to grasp, some advanced features and settings, such as those for Zoom Phone or Zoom Contact Centre, may require additional training.
Is Zoom right for your UK business?
Zoom has proven to be a powerful tool for businesses, providing robust solutions across video meetings, phone systems, webinars, and contact centres. Its scalability makes it suitable for businesses of all sizes, whether you’re a small start-up or a multinational enterprise. However, Zoom’s pricing can become a concern for larger businesses with extensive needs, and some companies may require more dedicated customer support than Zoom offers at lower tiers.
For UK businesses looking for a highly reliable communication tool with excellent integration and video quality, Zoom is a solid choice. However, careful consideration should be given to the long-term costs and any potential security concerns.
Final thoughts – Zoom pricing review
Zoom’s range of products covers most communication and collaboration needs that modern businesses face. The key is finding the right plan that fits your organisation’s size, budget, and requirements. With its extensive feature set and global reach, Zoom remains one of the top solutions in the market for unified communication.
Understanding the specific needs of your business and how Zoom’s offerings align with those needs will help you make the best choice for seamless collaboration and communication.
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FAQ
Zoom’s free plan costs £0 per month. It allows meetings for up to 100 participants but has a 40-minute limit on group meetings. While basic, it includes essential features like screen sharing and recording locally. For small teams or one-on-one meetings, this plan can be sufficient.
Zoom Meetings Pro costs £11.99 per month, per user. It removes the 40-minute limit on group meetings, supports up to 100 participants, and provides 1 GB of cloud recording. It’s ideal for small to medium businesses looking for more flexibility and professional features in their virtual meetings.
Zoom Business costs £15.99 per month, per user. It supports up to 300 participants, offers branding for your meetings, and provides advanced reporting. This plan suits larger businesses that need more customisation and control over meetings with medium to large teams.
Yes, Zoom offers custom pricing for its Enterprise plan. This is aimed at businesses needing support for over 500 participants, unlimited cloud storage, and additional administrative controls. Pricing depends on the scale of your business and the specific features required, making it suitable for large organisations.
Zoom Phone’s metered plan starts from £8.99 per month, per user. You pay per call made, but it includes unlimited internal calling within your organisation. This plan works well for businesses with minimal outbound calling needs or those looking for a cost-effective VoIP solution.
Zoom Phone’s unlimited plan starts from £15.99 per month, per user. It offers unlimited calling within the UK and Ireland, providing better value for businesses with high call volumes. This option is ideal for companies looking for predictable monthly costs without worrying about per-minute rates.
Zoom Webinars pricing starts from £32 per month for 500 attendees. The cost increases depending on the number of attendees, with scalable options available for hosting large events. This solution includes interactive features such as Q&A and polls, making it ideal for businesses hosting virtual seminars or events.
A Zoom Room licence costs £35 per room, per month. This includes room management tools, calendar integration, and one-click start for meetings. Additional hardware (e.g., cameras and microphones) is required, which incurs separate costs. Zoom Rooms are designed to streamline in-office meetings with remote participants.
Zoom Contact Centre offers custom pricing based on business needs. It integrates voice, video, and chat for customer service solutions. Pricing depends on the number of agents and the channels used. This solution is designed for businesses looking to consolidate customer service into a single, cloud-based platform.
Yes, Zoom offers a discount for annual payments. By committing to an annual subscription, businesses can save around 15% compared to monthly payments. This applies across most of Zoom’s product lines, including Meetings, Phone, and Webinars, making it a cost-saving option for long-term use.