Why Bart MacDonald is Leaving $10 Million in Funding to Invest in SaaS Businesses

Learn why Bart MacDonald of BloomVP.com left the previous company that he founded and raised $10 million for. Bart previously founded and help raise funding for the SaaS company, Sapling…

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How Matt Diggity Grew 2 Sites to Nearly $100,000 a Month with Link Building and EAT Strategies

Matt Diggity is someone that has been buying, building, and growing affiliate website for a long time. In fact, I had him on the podcast about a year ago to discuss some of his background. Since then, I’ve stayed in…

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SiteGround Web Hosting Review (Updated for 2020)

Do I recommend it? Yes! SiteGround is a great web host for websites of all sizes. 

SiteGround is one of the most popular web hosting services out there—and for very good reason.

They offer hosting options and plans suitable for a wide range of websites and businesses. Small personal websites, business websites, and large ecommerce sites alike can all use SiteGround.

That’s why more than 2 million websites trust SiteGround for their hosting needs.

For those of you who are looking to find a hosting provider for your new website, it is definitely a top option for you to consider.

Visit Siteground

Normally $14.99/month
Free SSL, email, CDN, & backups
Recommended by WordPress
30-day money-back guarantee
Get a 63% discount

It’s also a great choice for anyone who wants to switch hosting providers. They offer a great WP Migrator plugin. This is a free plugin that makes the transfer of WordPress sites very easy.

Let’s dive into the plans, types of hosting, and top benefits offered by SiteGround. Use this guide to make an informed decision to determine if SiteGround is the best web hosting plan for your needs.

Benefits of Using SiteGround Web Hosting

There is plenty of upside to using SiteGround as a web hosting service. I just want to quickly highlight and explain why this platform stands out from its competitors.

High uptimes

When it comes to measuring how good a web host is, uptime is the ultimate metric. This is the amount of time that a server stays up and running.

A recent study shows that SiteGround has exceptionally high uptimes, on average, over a twelve-month stretch.

In 2018, SiteGround ranked fourth compared to other web hosts judging by average uptime. As you can see, they were just barely beat out for the third place spot by a one-thousandth percentage point.

Overall, the average uptime for the 32 shared web hosting services in the study was 99.59%. SiteGround was significantly higher than the average and near the top of the list.

High uptimes ensure that your site will nearly always be up and running around the clock.

Fast load times

Just because your site is up, it doesn’t always mean that it will be fast. But take a look at the response time for this SiteGround test website that was set up by Hosting Facts.

We already talked about the great uptime, but now you can refer to the response time column.

The average response time for these months in 2020 was 653 ms. That’s phenomenal. In addition to using a good web host, you should also know the other top principles that boost website loading times.

Great customer support

Hopefully, you don’t have any issues with SiteGround.

But in the event that you run into a problem, have a question, or need some assistance, it’s nice to know that they provide excellent customer support.

You can access phone support as well as live chat 24/7. As I mentioned earlier, you’ll have priority support if you have a GoGeek plan. This means that you’ll be connected with the most experienced SiteGround technicians whenever you need help.

Free features

Web hosting services will always try to hit you with add-ons at an upcharge. But SiteGround throws in some great features at no extra charge.

Your membership comes with one free site migration. This can be done with their migrator plugin, which we talked about earlier.

SiteGround plans also come with a free CDN and free SSL certificate.

Cloudflare CDN keeps images, videos, and other large files off of your server. As a result, your server is always fast. Since SiteGround users servers all over the globe, the CDN makes sure that files are stored closer to website visitors for fast delivery.

The SSL certificate is required for all websites. It protects private information being transmitted between devices and websites. SiteGround throwing this in for free is a nice touch since you’d need to get one regardless.

Flexible

Nearly any website can be hosted on SiteGround.

It’s a great web hosting service for beginners and experienced users alike. You don’t need to be too tech-savvy to understand how the platform works and get your site hosted. But on the other hand, if you like to be more hands-on with the server and take advantage of certain features, SiteGround has plans with you in mind.

There are also enough options on SiteGround to accommodate different web hosting needs, such as shared hosting and cloud hosting.

They have plans suitable for a wide range of average site traffic as well. So as your website scales, you can always upgrade to a plan that will meet your needs.

Money back guarantee

SiteGround offers a 30-day money back guarantee for their shared hosting plans. This shows that they stand behind the services that are offered.

Dedicated servers and cloud hosting plans have a 14-day money back guarantee, which is still enough time to tell if you’re happy with your service.

SiteGround will also refund you if they fail to meet a 99.9% uptime rate. This is clearly written in their terms of service.

This relates back to what we talked about earlier, in terms of their high uptime rates. There’s a reason why it’s so high—SiteGround has a promise to stand behind.

Other considerations

There’s no such thing as a perfect web hosting service. While SiteGround is great, there are a few downsides that you should be made aware of before you proceed.

Renewal rates

At first glance, SiteGround’s pricing is very attractive. But those are only promotional rates.

When you renew, your rates will jump as follows:

• $3.95 to $11.95 per month
• $5.95 to $19.95 per month
• $11.95 to $34.95 per month

The cost essentially triples across the board. So I’d recommend locking in the longest contract possible when you first sign up, which is 36 months. This will guarantee you a low rate for a while before you’re forced to renew.

Limited budget plan

For those of looking for the best cheap web hosting service, SiteGround’s StartUp plan for $6.99 per month is definitely attention-grabbing.

It’s a great choice for those of you with smaller websites, but it’s fairly limited for anyone who plans on getting more than 10,000 visitors per month. You may have to upgrade faster than you anticipated if you start with their lowest priced web hosting plan.

Compare SiteGround Web Hosting Plans

SiteGround offers three tiers for their hosting sites:

• StartUp
• GrowBig
• GoGeek

With the exception of cloud hosting, the prices of these three plans will remain the same across the board for shared hosting, WordPress hosting, and Woocommerce hosting. We’ll dive deeper into those plans later in this guide.

For now, I’ll focus on the pricing and features of the three most popular plan options offered by SiteGround.

StartUp

As the name implies, the SiteGround StartUp plan is ideal for new or smaller websites (less than 10,000 monthly visits). Rates start at $6.99 per month.

You can only host one website with the StartUp plan, and it comes with 10 GB of web space. Other top features include:

• Free site builder
• Free SSL and HTTPS
• Free email accounts
• Free CloudFlare CDN

It’s a basic plan, but definitely appropriate for new websites that are starting from scratch. For those of you who want more features and better performance, you’ll need to upgrade. You’ll also outgrow the StartUp plan as your traffic increases (which is a good thing).

GrowBig

The GrowBig plan starts at $9.99 per month. This is ideal for medium-sized websites averaging up to 25,000 monthly visits. GrowBig has 20 GB of web space and can host an unlimited number of sites.

Unlike the StartUp plan, GrowBig has enhanced caching ability. The SiteGround Supercacher has three levels.

• Level 1 — Static content caching
• Level 2 — Dynamic data caching
• Level 3 — Database queries caching

StartUp only caches at the first level, but GrowBig caches on all three levels.

If you sign up for the middle-tier plan offered by SiteGround, you’ll also get free on-demand backups, as well as a staging feature for WordPress and Joomla sites. I’d say that the GrowBig plan will be suitable for most of you who are reading this guide.

GoGeek

GoGeek can accommodate up to 100,000 monthly visits and has 40 GB of web space. Obviously, this plan is made for bigger websites with high volumes of traffic.

Rates for GoGeek start at $14.99 per month, but the plan comes with all of the bells and whistles. In addition to everything that’s available in the GrowBig plan, GoGeek offers:

• Advanced priority support (expedited customer service to the most experienced agents)
• White label hosting feature (also known as reseller hosting)
• Git pre-installed (for creating repositories on your site)

The name for this plan was inspired by technology geeks. So it’s made for those of you who want more control of your site. If you don’t understand some of the tech lingo that’s being mentioned in the GoGeek plan, it’s probably not for you. The only other reason why you’d need to upgrade to GoGeek is if you’re getting tons of monthly site traffic.

WordPress hosting

SiteGround offers hosting options specifically designed for WordPress users. This will save you time since you won’t need to manually download, install, and configure WordPress.

With SiteGround, you can take advantage of their automated process that’s as simple as clicking a button. This plan also makes it easier for you to customize your WordPress site by choosing a theme, picking your site functionalities, and installing marketing tools.

The WordPress Starter Kit from SiteGround is a great added feature for new WordPress sites. You don’t need any technical knowledge or experience to set this up.

If you have an existing WordPress site, SiteGround offers a free WordPress transfer. The SiteGround Migrator plugin takes care of everything for you. This is a secure way to transfer your site.

Alternatively, you can get your WordPress site migrated by one of the experts at SiteGround. This is a paid feature but could be worth the price if it’s in your budget.

WooCommerce hosting

SiteGround also has hosting options for ecommerce shops using WooCommerce.

The quick install and integration with WooCommerce is an easy way for you to create a professional theme for your online store. You can get the site up and running in minutes.

Just migrate your WooCommerce site using the migrator plugin. Just like WordPress hosting, WooCommerce migrations done by a SiteGround expert is free for one website if you’re on the GrowBig or GoGeek plan. Then you’ll have to pay $30 per each additional site.

Cloud hosting

Cloud hosting is a new way to host websites. The process uses multiple remote servers and is a great option for those of you who have websites that have outgrown the shared hosting plans.

With cloud hosting, SiteGround gives you guaranteed resources to meet your needs. Your own RAM and CPU won’t be shared with any other websites.

It’s also easy for you to scale your website with this type of web hosting.

You can upgrade your RAM, CPU, and disk space on-demand at any time. You don’t need to get approval to do this, and it happens without any website downtime.

Rather than always doing this manually, you can set up automatic scaling with SiteGround. It will adjust your CPU and RAM to meet the needs of unexpected traffic surges, but you still have control of all the parameters.

There are four plans for SiteGround Cloud hosting. As you can see from the image above, the plans range from $80 to $240 per month. So there’s definitely plenty of options to choose from.

I’d say that the business plan will likely be a suitable choice for most of you who are using a cloud hosting service for the first time.

Conclusion

I’ll get straight to the point—I would definitely recommend SiteGround for web hosting.

This platform offers a wide range of hosting types and plans to accommodate the needs of nearly any website, large or small. SiteGround stacks up well compared to its competitors in terms of features and performance.

While the hosting service it’s perfect, it still gets the nod from us here at Quick Sprout. I’m confident that it will fulfill your web hosting needs.

Visit Siteground

Normally $11.95/month
Free SSL, email, CDN, & backups
Recommended by WordPress
30 day money back guarantee
Get a 67% discount

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Best Business Credit Cards

Want to jump straight to the answer? The best business credit card for most people is definitely the Chase Ink Business Cash.

A good business credit card goes beyond day-to-day purchases.

They can give you high spending limits, fantastic rewards like airline points and cashback, and useful tools to grow your business.

In many instances, you don’t even need a formal business structure to apply for a small business credit card. If you’re a freelancer or entrepreneur without a registered LLC, you can still apply for cards using your social security number as opposed to a tax ID or EIN.

This guide is perfect for anyone interested in a small business credit card. I’ll show you the top options and explain how to find the best business credit card for your situation.

Top 8 Best Business Credit Cards for 2020

There are hundreds of business credit cards on the market today. It seems like they all claim to be “the best” for something.

But really, there are only eight business credit cards that I recommend:

• Chase Ink Business Cash
• Blue Business Cash Amex
• Chase Ink Business Preferred
• CitiBusiness AAdvantage Platinum
• American Express Business Gold
• Chase Ink Business Unlimited
• Capital One Spark Cash
• Capital One Spark Miles

I’ll highlight the top features, benefits, costs, and any other considerations for each one below.

The Best Business Credit Card Reviews

Chase Ink Business Cash

Chase Ink Business Cash is the best overall business credit card. We love their benefits and flexibility for a wide range of business purposes.

Chase offers outstanding rewards for things you’re already spending money on.

• 5% cash back on first $25,000 in combined purchases for Internet, cable, business phone services per year
• 2% cash back on first $25,000 spent at restaurants and gas stations
• Unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases

You get up to $1,750 cash back each year if you max out those first two categories.

Chase offers built-in protection for instances using your Ink Business Cash card. You can decline collision insurance offered by rental companies when you’re renting a car. Chase Ink Business Cash has you covered.

The card also provides purchase protection against theft or damage to items for 120 days, up to $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per account. It also extends qualified manufacturer’s warranties on purchases for an additional year.

You can get extra cards for your employees at no cost, and set individual spending limits for each cardholder and  the Ink Business Cash card does not have an annual fee.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

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Blue Business Cash Card From American Express

Blue Business Cash Card gives you the benefits of American Express without the annual fees.

You’ll earn 2% cash back on purchases up to $50,000 in a calendar year. After that, you’ll receive 1% cash back on your purchases.

Rewards will automatically be credited to your statement, so you don’t have to worry about manual redemption.

One unique feature of this card is the spending capacity terms. You have the ability to spend above your credit limit with Amex’s expanded buying power.

This doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ll have unlimited spending freedom. The amount available above your limit varies based on things like your payment history, usage, and other factors.

American Express offers outstanding travel and transportation benefits with this card. In addition to car rental loss and damage insurance, you’ll also have access to 24/7 services with global hotline assist whenever you’re more than 100 miles from home.

This program gives you access to legal, financial, medical, and other emergency services coordination, such as helping you travel with a lost passport.

Other Blue Business Card highlights include:

• No charge for employee cards
• Detailed year-end summary with spending category and expense reports
• Account alerts and monitoring
• Integration with Vendor Pay by Bill.com
• Extend manufacturer’s warranty on purchases
• Purchase protection

American Express has a long history of providing exceptional service to its cardholders. Their dispute resolution services are second to none.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

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Chase Ink Business Preferred

The Chase Ink Business Preferred card offers better benefits and rewards than the Ink Business Cash card. However, customers need to pay a $95 annual fee.

It’s a better option for business owners who spend more money regularly and prefer rewards points as opposed to cash back.

Earn 3 points for every $1 spent on the first $150,000 in combined purchases on:

• Airfare
• Hotels
• Car rentals, train tickets, and taxis
• Advertising purchases on social media and search engines
• Internet, cable, and phone bill

Earn up to 450,000 points per year if you spend money in those categories. You’ll get 1 point for every $1 spent on all other purchases, unlimited.

If you redeem your travel points with Chase Ultimate Rewards, the points are worth up to 25% more. For example, 80,000 points will get you roughly $1,000 toward travel.

You can even transfer qualified points to your favorite frequent travel programs at a 1:1 value.

Chase Ink Business Preferred gives you protection for auto rental collision, cell phone protection, as well as trip cancellation or trip interruption insurance. If you miss a business trip or need to cut it short due to sickness, weather, or other situations, Chase will reimburse you up to $5,000 for prepaid, non-refundable expenses. This includes hotels, airfare, and tours.

If you refer other business owners to an Ink Business Preferred card, you can earn up to 100,000 bonus points per year (20,000 per approved referral).

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

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CitiBusiness AAdvantage Platinum Select World Mastercard

The CitiBusiness AAdvantage Platinum Select World Mastercard is the best business credit card for frequent American Airlines travelers.

If you or your employees frequently fly with American, you definitely need to consider this card. Their benefits offering might make you want to consider flying exclusively with American Airlines after you read it.

Travel Benefits:

• First checked bag free for you and up to four people on your itinerary
• Preferred boarding
• 25% off in-flight food and beverages
• 25% off in-flight Wi-Fi

Rewards Benefits:

• 2x miles per $1 spent on cable, telecommunications, gas, and car rentals
• 2x miles per $1 spent on American Airlines purchases
• Earn 1 mile per $1 spent on all other purchases

You’ll also earn an American Airlines Companion Certificate for domestic travel after spending $30,000 per year. That’s easy to do if your business has a lot of routine spending.

The certificate is worth a free round-trip domestic flight for someone else on your itinerary. NOTE: You’ll still be on the hook for taxes and fees.

It’s easy to justify the annual fee is you travel with American Airlines often enough. Assuming you check a bag when flying, two round-trip tickets would normally cost $100 in bag fees. The card pays for itself right there.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

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American Express Business Gold

American Express Business Gold is one of the most premier business credit cards on the market today.

The card allows you to earn 4x membership points on the top two categories where your business spends the most money each billing cycle. Those categories are:

• Airfare
• Advertising purchases
• Computer hardware, software, and cloud technology
• Gas Stations
• Restaurants
• Shipping

The 4x points are valid for the first $150,000 spent per year combined on your top two categories. You’ll earn unlimited one point for every $1 spent after that.

American Express has an outstanding membership rewards program for redemption. Your points will transfer to the majority of popular loyalty programs.

If you book a flight using American Express Travel and pay with your points, you’ll get 25% of those points back to your account.

You also get all of the exceptional American Express travel perks like no foreign transaction fees, car rental loss and damage insurance, baggage insurance, and the global assist hotline.

Furthermore, the Amex Business Gold card offers room upgrades and a $100 hotel credit for dining, spa, and other resort activities when you stay at a participating property for at least two consecutive nights.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

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Chase Ink Business Unlimited

The Chase Ink Business Unlimited credit card is very similar to the Ink Business cash card that we reviewed earlier. The most significant difference between the two cards is the way rewards get earned.

With the Ink Business Cash card, you’ll get a different percentage of cash back based on your spending category with certain limits and restrictions for how much can be earned in a year.

The Ink Business Unlimited card is much more straightforward. You earn 1.5% cash back on all purchases; no limit.

All of the other features and benefits are the same as the Ink Business Cash card.

You’ll get a $500 cash back bonus after spending $3,000 in the first three months using the card. There is no annual fee for the Chase Ink Business Unlimited card.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

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Capital One Spark Cash

Capital One Spark Cash offers unlimited 2% cash back on all purchases. There is a $95 annual fee for this card, but it’s waived for the first year.

Some of the top features and benefits for Capital One Spark Cash include:

• Free employee cards
• Fraud alerts and protection
• No foreign transaction fees
• $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck
• Rental car collision coverage

I like the fact that you can immediately lock a card from the mobile app if it’s lost or stolen.

You’ll also benefit from a detailed year-end summary report that’s perfect for budgeting and tax preparation. It’s easy to integrate your purchase records with Quickbooks to simplify your accounting tasks.

Capital One provides emergency card replacement, as well as emergency cash 24/7 at locations throughout the world.

Not everyone will be eligible for this card. To apply, you’ll need an excellent credit score and a business registered in the US.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

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Capital One Spark Miles For Business

If you’re a frequent business traveler, the Capital One Spark Miles cards will reward you with miles instead of cash or points.

There are actually two options to choose here. One card is free with decent perks, and the other has a $95 annual fee with better rewards. Beyond that, the two cards are basically identical. Here’s an overview of each one:

Capital One Spark Miles

• $95 annual fee (waived the first year)
• Unlimited 2x miles per $1 dollar spent on all purchases
• Unlimited 5x miles per $1 dollar spent on hotel and car rental bookings through Capital One

Capital One Spark Miles Select

• $0 annual fee
• Unlimited 1.5x miles per $1 dollar spent on all purchases
• Unlimited 5x miles per $1 dollar spent on hotel and car rental bookings through Capital One

The Spark Miles Select card will best for those of you who don’t want to pay the annual fee. But if you travel often enough, the $95 is justifiable for Spark Miles card.

*Terms apply – Learn how to apply online

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How to Choose The Best Business Credit Card

Now that you’ve had the chance to review the top business credit cards, you’ll need to choose one for yourself. But the best business card for me might not be the best for you. Everyone’s situation is different.

This is the methodology that we used to come up with the cards on this list. You can use the same process to evaluate the best option for your business.

Fees

One of the first things you should look at is how much the card will cost you. The cards we reviewed ranged from $0 to $295 in annual fees.

An annual fee is easy to justify if you’re going to be spending enough to get the most out of the perks and rewards. But if you’re a single-member sole-proprietor working out of your home office, you probably don’t need a card with an annual fee.

Beyond that, look for APR, cash advance fees, foreign transaction fees, transfer fees, and late payment fees. Personally, I always pay my cards in-full each month, so the late fees and APR aren’t really relevant to me. But things like foreign transaction fees can add up quickly during international travel.

Rewards

What type of rewards do you want?

Some cards offer cash back, while others offer points or miles. Cash back will likely be the best option for most of you. If you travel often for business, cards that reward you with miles should definitely be taken into consideration.

Just make sure you understand how rewards get earned and if there are any stipulations. Some cards will limit the number of rewards you can earn in a year.

Qualification Terms

Some cards require you and your business to have excellent credit. You won’t get approved for certain cards if your credit score is below 700.

You’ll also need to have an incorporated business to be eligible for certain cards. Other cards allow you to apply using just your name and social security number.

Loyalty Programs

There are certain business credit cards that are tied to a specific loyalty partner. For example, the CitiBusiness AAdvantage Platinum Select World Mastercard is an American Airlines card.

In most cases, it’s best to stay away from those airline or hotel-specific cards because you won’t be rewarded as much for purchases with another company. So you’re better off with general miles, cash back, or points that can be used with any airline or hotel.

With that said, if you know that you’ll be flying a specific airline often, these types of loyalty programs will give you the most rewarding benefits.

So if you fly from Chicago to Dallas once a month (both American Airlines hubs), it makes perfect sense to get a card tied to AAdvantage.

Spending Habits

A business spending $10,000 per year shouldn’t have the same credit card as a company charging $100,000 per year.

Your spending categories can also influence your decision when choosing a card. Certain cards offer better rewards for purchases at restaurants or gas stations. Others will give you extra benefits for money spent on advertising or your phone bill.

Perks

There are dozens and dozens of potential perks that could sway you to choose one card over another. Some of these include:

• Sign up bonus
• Purchase protection
• Extended warranties
• Free cards for employees
• Insurance protection (travel, car rental, baggage)
• Priority boarding
• Free checked bags
• Hotel credits

The list goes on and on. Find a card with perks that align with your business and spending habits.

For example, the American Express Business Gold card has a 50,000 point sign up bonus if you spend $5,000 in the first three months using the card. But if you don’t normally spend $5,000 in three months, this card isn’t for you. The $295 annual fee won’t be worth it.

Conclusion

Every business owner needs a credit card. Fortunately, the credit card companies have created cards with a wide range of benefits, rewards, and perks to accommodate your needs.

Here’s a quick recap of the best business credit cards on our list:

• Chase Ink Business Cash
• Blue Business Cash Amex
• Chase Ink Business Preferred
• CitiBusiness AAdvantage Platinum
• American Express Business Gold
• Chase Ink Business Unlimited
• Capital One Spark Cash
• Capital One Spark Miles

Whether you want cash back, miles, or points, I made sure to include something for everyone on this list. Some of these cards are best for larger businesses that travel frequently, while others are suitable for small business owners and sole proprietors.

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Best Business Checking Accounts for 2020

Want to jump straight to the answer? My top pick for the best business checking account is Novo Bank. 

Your business needs a checking account.

Whether you’re running a large company or a side hustle, you’ll need to separate your business transactions from your personal finances.

For the most part, a business checking account functions very similarly to a personal checking account. However, business checking accounts typically have extra fees, minimum balance requirements, and monthly transaction limits.

So before you open a new account, it’s important that you find a bank that meets the needs of your business.

Top 11 Best Business Checking Accounts For 2020

There are hundreds, if not thousands, of business checking accounts on the market today.

From small local banks to large national chains and online-only banking, there are really only eleven accounts that I would consider.

• Novo Bank — Best online-only business banking for freelancers and entrepreneurs.
• Axos Business Checking — Online-exclusive bank with no monthly fees.
• Chase Total Business Checking — Best checking account for small businesses.
• Citizens Bank Clearly Better Business Checking — Free business checking account with no minimum balance requirements.
• TD Business Convenience Checking — Up to 500 free transactions each month.
• US Bank Silver Business Checking — Free checking account ideal for businesses with a low monthly transaction volume and cash deposits under $2,500 per month.
• Huntington Unlimited Business Checking — Unlimited transactions best for larger businesses with high cash flow.
• Navy Federal Business Checking — Best for business owners with ties to the armed forces.
• BBVA Business Connect Checking — Best business banking for sole proprietors.
• Azlo Business Checking — Best online bank for freelancers accepting and receiving digital payments (no cash deposits).
• BlueVine — Best business checking for small businesses and startups.

The majority of these are free business checking accounts. Some do have a monthly fee, but it’s fairly easy to get those waived by meeting reasonable requirements.

I’ll give you an in-depth review of the top business checking accounts below. We’ll cover the top features, benefits, prices, and any potential drawbacks that should be taken into consideration.

The Best Business Checking Account Reviews

Novo – Best online-only business checking account for freelancers and entrepreneurs

Novo is an alternative to traditional banking. It’s an online-exclusive business checking account intended for freelancers and entrepreneurs.

They’re a straightforward solution with transparent pricing and no hidden fees. You can apply for a Novo account in less than ten minutes online.

These are some of the notable highlights for Novo business checking:

• No minimum balance requirements
• No monthly maintenance fees
• Free ACH transfers
• Free incoming wires
• Free mailed checks

Novo lets you open a new business checking account with just $50.

This is a modern banking solution. You can integrate your account with Zapier, Xero, Slack, and other tools that your small business is currently using.

Since it’s online, you can’t walk into a physical branch. So if your business has in-person banking needs, then Novo isn’t for you. However, Novo will reimburse you for ATM fees imposed by other banks. So you’ll still be able to access cash from anywhere without paying an extra fee.

Axos Basic Business Checking – Best online-only business checking account with no monthly fees

Axos is another online-only bank. So if you don’t have any in-person banking needs, you should definitely consider Axos Basic Business Checking.

Here’s an overview of the account:

• $1,000 minimum opening deposit
• No monthly fees
• Up to 200 free transactions per cycle ($0.30 per transaction after)
• Surcharge-free ATM network
• Compatible with Quickbooks

The online and mobile banking solutions from Axos are exceptional, as you would expect from an online-exclusive bank. You can deposit a check from anywhere using your mobile device.

Overall, Axos Basic Business Checking is suitable for small business owners with modest banking needs.

Chase Total Business Checking – Best checking account for small businesses

Chase Total Business Checking is perfect for entrepreneurs and small business owners.

You’ll have access to 4,900 branches and 16,000 ATMs throughout the country.

There is a $15 service fee with the account. But the fee waived if you maintain a $1,500 minimum daily balance or link a personal Chase checking account.

Top benefits and highlights of Chase Total Business Checking include:

• Unlimited electronic deposits
• 100 free monthly transactions
• Access up to seven years of statements online
• Account alerts
• Online and mobile banking

You can earn $200 by opening the account. Simply deposit $1,000 within the first 20 days, and make five qualifying transactions while maintaining that balance for 60 days.

Chase also offers 24/7 customer service for customers. This is fantastic for those any issues, big or small, that might come up.

They offer the tools you need to manage your growing business, including some of the best business credit cards on the market today.

Citizens Bank Clearly Better Business Checking – Best free business checking account with no minimum balance

For those of you seeking a free business checking account, look no further than Citizens Clearly Better Business Checking.

You won’t have to worry about meeting any minimum balance requirements because there are no maintenance fees. This makes Clearly Better Business Checking a top choice for business owners who maintain a lower bank balance.

Other top features include:

• 200 free monthly transactions
• Overdraft coverage
• Dedicated business customer support
• Online and mobile banking
• Grant read-only controlled access to your account (for bookkeepers and accountants)

One potential drawback of Citizens Bank is its size. While the company has more than 1,000 branches and 3,100+ ATMs nationwide, most of them are located on the east coast. So if you’ll need to visit a branch, for anything, verify that there is a Citizens Bank near your business before opening an account.

Unlike other business checking accounts, Citizens does not offer a sign-up incentive for Clearly Better Business Checking.

TD Business Convenience Checking Plus – Best checking account with up to 500 free transactions a month

You can open a TD Business Convenience Checking Plus account with just $100. However, you’ll need to maintain a $1,500 daily balance to waive the $25 monthly maintenance fee.

If you link a personal checking account to your Business Checking Plus account, TD Bank counts your combined balance between the two accounts toward the daily minimum. So this is a great choice for business owners who already have an account at TD Bank.

Let’s review some of the account benefits:

• 500 free transactions per month
• Up to $5,000 in cash deposits per cycle
• Overdraft protection
• Online statements and mobile deposit
• Up to four signers

While TD Business Convenience Checking Plus does have a high maintenance fee, you’ll benefit from more free monthly transactions. For comparison purposes, Chase Total Business Checking has a $15 fee for just 100 free transactions each month.

Plus, it’s easy to waive TD’s $25 fee by maintaining a low combined balance between two accounts.

Even though you’re limited to $5,000 free cash deposits each month, you’re only charged $0.25 per $100 thereafter. So an additional $5,000 cash deposited in a cycle ($10,000 total) would cost you $12.50. That’s just 0.13% of your deposits, which is next to nothing.

TD Bank gives you access to other services, like merchant solutions, business loans, and business lines of credit.

US Bank Silver Business Checking – Best free checking account for low transaction volumes

US Bank Silver Business Checking is 100% free. They do impose a $5 monthly fee for paper statements, but you can waive that charge by going paperless.

Here’s an overview of the account benefits:

• 125 free transactions per month
• Remote deposits
• Overdraft protection
• Mobile and online account access
• 50% off first order of checks
• Digital bill pay

One thing that needs to be taken into consideration is the strange wording US Bank uses to limit cash deposits. The account allows 25 “units” of free cash deposits each billing cycle.

After reading the fine print, you’ll learn that a unit is calculated by dividing each deposit by 100 and rounding the value to the closest whole number.

Here’s an example. Let’s say you deposit $920.

920 100 =9.2

Round 9.2 down to 9, and you just used 9 of your 25 credits for the month.

This credit system is a complex way of saying you’ll get up to $2,500 in free cash deposits each billing cycle. So if you’re making cash deposits on a regular basis, this account might not be the best option for you.

Huntington Unlimited Business Checking – Best business checking for large businesses with high cash flow

Huntington Unlimited Business Checking is a top option for larger organizations. If you have a higher monthly transaction volume, some of the other accounts on our list won’t fit your needs.

The top features and benefits of Unlimited Business Checking from Huntington include:

• Unlimited transactions
• Overdraft protection
• Online and mobile banking
• Free text and email alerts
• Up to $10,000 free cash deposits each month

Huntington does charge a $20 monthly maintenance fee for this account. But it’s waived with a $10,000 combined balance between all of your eligible Huntington Bank accounts.

With an Unlimited Business Checking account, Huntington Bank allows you to choose one of the following bonus services as well:

• Fraud tool
• Huntington deposit scan (up to 50 per month)
• 10% off payroll services
• Two free incoming domestic wires per month
• Returned deposited items (up to 25 per month)

This bank also has a tool called “The Hub” for business checking accounts. It comes with several digital tools for things like cash positioning and cash flow forecasting. The Hub is a great resource for managing your revenue and expenses.

Navy Federal Business Checking – Best business checking account for veterans

Navy Federal Business Checking is a top choice to consider if you or someone in your family is a member of the armed forces, National Guard, or DoD.

It’s a straightforward and basic account, best for startups with a low transaction volume.

The best part about this account is that it’s 100% free. You’ll never be charged a monthly maintenance or service fee.

Your first 30 non-electronic transactions are free. After that, it’s $0.25 for any in-branch deposits, withdrawals, or transfers. But you can deposit up to 12 checks at the same time, and it will count as a single transaction.

Another reason why I like Navy Federal Business Checking is because they have other banking solutions to meet your needs as the business grows. Once your banking activity increases, consider upgrading to:

• Navy Federal Business Plus Checking
• Navy Federal Business Premium Checking

Those accounts cost $8 and $20 per month, respectively. The Premium Checking maintenance fee is waived if you maintain a $5,000 daily balance.

BBVA Business Connect Checking – Best business banking for sole proprietors

BBVA has free banking solutions for small businesses. Sole proprietors can apply online for a BBVA Business Connect Checking account. Other business types need must apply at a branch.

Here’s an overview of the account advantages and highlights:

• No monthly service charge
• No minimum balance requirements
• Free digital bill pay
• Free online and mobile banking
• $100 minimum opening deposit
• $5,000 cash deposits per month at no charge

BBVA gives you free unlimited transactions every month, sort of. You’ll get two in-branch deposits, and five in-branch withdrawals or processed checks free each month. All other transactions are unlimited at no charge.

You’ll only find BBVA branches in the following states:

• Alabama
• Arizona
• California
• Colorado
• Florida
• New Mexico
• Texas

However, you’ll have access to a network of 55,000+ ATMs nationwide. That’s because BBVA is an Allpoint partner. There are no ATM fees at Allpoint ATMs and participating 7-Eleven locations.

Azlo Business Checking – Best online bank for freelancers accepting digital payments

Azlo Business Checking is a bit unique compared to the other options on our list. This online-only banking solution is made for freelancers and entrepreneurs.

The company is very straightforward in saying that they are not right for all businesses. Azlo doesn’t accept cash deposits or offer checkbooks. So it’s only suitable for businesses that send and receive digital payments.

With that said, the account definitely has its advantages:

• No monthly fees
• No minimum deposit
• Unlimited transactions
• Create and manage custom digital invoices
• Pay vendors, freelancers, and yourself
• Exceptional mobile banking app
• Apply online in minutes

Azlo integrates with platforms like Stripe, PayPal, Square, QuickBooks, and Xero.

Overall, Azlo is a modern way for freelancers to access their banking needs online. But it’s definitely not suitable for everyone.

BlueVine – Best business checking for small businesses and startups

BlueVine Business Checking offers an excellent business checking account that’s optimal for small businesses.

That’s because they include the benefits that help small business owners such as:

• No monthly fees
• No minimum deposits
• No “non-sufficient funds” fees
• Unlimited transactions
• 1% interest rates

Easily set up one-time or recurring payments through their dashboard. Also, you’ll be able to easily pay vendors via ACH, wire, or check.

As for downsides, there aren’t many. They have a 38,000 ATM network—though it might be difficult to find an ATM within network depending on your location.

BlueVine also gives you live support, though advisors are only available during office hours. That’s Monday through Friday 8am – 8pm ET.

How to Find the Best Business Checking Account For You

All business checking accounts are not created equally. The best choice for one business might not be ideal for yours.

This is the methodology that you should use when you’re evaluating business checking accounts. I’ll explain each feature in greater detail below.

Fees

Service fees and monthly maintenance fees are common for business checking accounts. In most cases, these fees fall somewhere in the $10 to $50 range.

But there are still plenty of free business banking solutions. In fact, seven of the eleven accounts on our list don’t have monthly fees. While the remaining four contain fees, you can easily waive them by maintaining a minimum account balance.

There’s no reason to pay these fees if you can avoid them.

Balance Requirements

Some banks require a minimum opening deposit. So choose a bank with a reasonable opening deposit minimum based on your situation.

If you’re launching a startup and don’t have a ton of cash on hand, you can open some accounts with as little as $50 or $100. Some banks don’t require a minimum opening deposit at all.

In addition to the opening deposit requirement, some accounts will charge for you falling below a certain minimum daily balance. Make sure that your cash flow is enough to maintain your minimum requirements without getting penalized.

Transaction Limits

Personal checking accounts will rarely if ever, cap the number of transactions you can make in a billing cycle. But that’s not the case for most business checking accounts.

Depending on the bank, activities like deposits, withdrawals, and transfers count toward a monthly limit. Some banks will restrict the number of in-person transactions you can make while offering free unlimited electronic transactions.

For the most part, free monthly transaction limits start at 100. TD Business Convenience Checking allows for 500 free transactions per month. Other banks give you unlimited transactions, with a few contingencies.

You’ll pay a small fee for each transaction over your monthly limit. This is usually somewhere in the $0.25 to $0.50 range.

Mobile Banking and Online Accessibility

Every bank offers some way to access your account online or through a mobile app. But with that said, some of these digital solutions are definitely better than others.

Choose a business checking account that lets you deposit checks remotely, set up account alerts, and pay invoices automatically.

I do nearly all of my business banking from a mobile app, and I’m sure you’ll want that convenience as well.

Branch Locations

Some banks are region-specific, while others are large national chains. It’s important to choose a bank near your business location if you need to access a branch for anything.

However, there are several business checking accounts that are online-exclusive. These banks don’t have any physical locations. But those solutions aren’t for everyone. For example, if your business accepts cash, you’ll definitely need access to a physical branch for in-person deposits.

Online-only banking is very popular for freelancers and entrepreneurs working remotely and accepting digital payments.

Additional Banking Services

This may not be important to you immediately, but it’s nice to have a bank that will provide you with additional services as your business grows.

Whether it’s merchant services for credit card processing, additional accounts, or a business loan or line of credit, it’s easier to get these from a bank where you have an existing relationship.

Always look at what else a bank has to offer beyond your immediate checking account needs today.

Conclusion

Every business owner needs a business checking account. But everyone has different banking needs, which is why finding the best business checking solution can be difficult.

These are the top eleven best business checking accounts on the market today:

• Novo Bank — Best online-only business banking for freelancers and entrepreneurs.
• Axos Basic Business Checking — Online-exclusive bank with no monthly fees.
• Chase Total Business Checking — Best checking account for small businesses.
• Citizens Bank Clearly Better Business Checking — Free business checking account with no minimum balance requirements.
• TD Business Convenience Checking — Up to 500 free transactions each month.
• US Bank Silver Business Checking — Free checking account ideal for businesses with a low monthly transaction volume and cash deposits under $2,500 per month.
• Huntington Unlimited Business Checking — Unlimited transactions best for larger businesses with high cash flow.
• Navy Federal Business Checking — Best for startups and small business owners with ties to the armed forces.
• BBVA Business Connect Checking — Best business banking for sole proprietors.
• Azlo Business Checking — Best online bank for freelancers accepting and receiving digital payments (no cash deposits).
• BlueVine — Best business checking for small businesses and startups.

There’s an account for every type of business on this list. From freelancers and startups to small businesses and larger organizations with high transaction volumes, I’m confident that you can find a checking account from one of the options above.

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Best Video Conferencing Services

Want to jump straight to the answer? The best video conferencing service for most people is definitely RingCentral or GoToMeeting.

I consider a great video conferencing service to be critical for any business—especially in this day and age.

Whether you have remote employees, clients, prospects, or team members across multiple locations, you need video conferencing software that you can depend on.

Tools like Skype or Facetime aren’t robust enough for companies. They lag too often, can’t handle groups well, and are a pain when setting up meetings.

If you’re ready to take your conference calls to the next level with video, you need to read this guide.

I’ve already done all the research and heavy-lifting to help you choose the best video conferencing service for your business. Regardless of your company size, industry, or conferencing needs, there’s definitely an option for you below.

The 8 Best Video Conferencing Services

Of the dozens of options available, there are really only eight solutions I would recommend to a business owner. In no particular order, those are:

• RingCentral — Best video conferencing service with VoIP business phone plans.
• GoToMeeting — Best video conferencing service for small businesses.
• ClickMeeting — Best video conferencing software for webinars.
• Zoom — Best video conferencing service for scalability.
• Microsoft Teams — Best video conferencing software for internal communication.
• Zoho Meeting — Affordable video conferencing service with basic features.
• Join.me — Annual contract video conferencing plans for small meetings.
• Webex — Best video conferencing software for cloud collaboration.

As I said, these video conferencing services are in no particular order and all have their pros and cons. Use the in-depth reviews below to compare them.

RingCentral – Best video conferencing service with VoIP business phone plans

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Free up to 100 participants
Video, screen share, & messaging
VoIP phone service plans
Small to enterprise solutions
Get Started for Free

RingCentral is our top choice for video conferencing.

That’s because they go beyond video conferencing services. They also offer VoIP business phone services.

You can get rid of your traditional phone plan too. RingCentral provides video conferencing features as an added bonus.

You can always purchase RingCentral Meetings as a standalone product. Those plans are below:

Free — $0 per month

• Up to 100 participants
• Unlimited one on one meetings
• 40-minute limit on group meetings

Essentials — $14.99 per month per user

• Up to 100 participants
• Unlimited group meetings
• 24/7 phone support
• 1,000 call minutes per license

Advanced — $19.99 per month per user

• Up to 100 participants
• 2,500 call minutes
• Real-time usage dashboard
• SLA available

The free plan is actually pretty decent if you compare it to others on the list. While you’re capped at 40 minutes per meeting, you can still have up to 100 participants.

At the same time, the paid plans are also limited to just 100 participants, which is low compared to the competition. However, you can add-on larger meeting options to your plan for an upcharge.

RingCentral also has great enterprise solutions. You’ll need to contact their sales team to get a custom quote. But you can save some money by bundling RingCentral Meetings with a VoIP business phone.

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GoToMeeting – Best video conferencing service for small businesses

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Free 14-day trial
HD video conferencing
No time limits for meetings
Mobile app and Slack integration
Get Started for Free

GoToMeeting makes it easy for you to turn any video conference into a highly collaborative workspace.

As such, it’s a top choice for remote workers and clients alike. Everyone from sales managers, to business owners, to IT teams use it.

A big reason why: GoToMeeting easily integrate with the systems your business is currently using.

They also offer an all-in-one hardware and software kit for those of you who want to transform your physical conference room into a digital one. This hardware is more advanced than the built-in cameras, microphones, and speakers on your current devices.

Some other top features and benefits of using GoToMeeting for video conferencing include:

• Cloud collaboration
• Automatic bandwidth adjustments
• Available on Mac, PC, iOS, and Android
• Single-click start and join sessions
• Multi-channel support
• Integrated scheduling

Unlike the other platforms that we’ve reviewed so far, GoToMeeting has just two plans for you to choose from:

• Professional — $14 per month
• Business — $19 per month

The plans are very similar. GoToMeeting offers unlimited meetings and unlimited meeting durations with both options. You’ll also benefit from things like Salesforce integration, Slack meeting launcher, and an admin center with each.

The biggest difference between Professional and Business is that they can host up to 150 and 250 participants, respectively.

In addition to more participants, the Business plan gives you access to transcripts, keyboard and mouse sharing, unlimited cloud storage, and mobile cloud recording.

I think it’s a no-brainer to sign up for the Business option instead of Professional. The added benefits are worth the extra $5 per month.

GoToMeeting does offer enterprise-grade plans for up to 3,000 participants. But those prices aren’t available online. You’ll need to speak to a sales rep for a custom quote.

Save 16% on your GoToMeeting plan with an annual contract.

You can try GoToMeeting for free with up to 250 participants for 14 days.

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ClickMeeting – Best video conferencing service for webinars

Visit ClickMeeting

Free 30-day trial
Best for webinars
Up to 1,000 attendees
Enterprise solutions available
Get Started for Free

ClickMeeting is a bit different compared to some of the other video conferencing services that we’ve reviewed. This platform has a specific standout: webinars.

It’s a great option for those of you who want to hold large online events, market your products with video demonstrations, and host online courses or training sessions with live video.

They also traditional video conferencing solutions for team meetings and business collaboration. However, if that’s all you need, I’d look towards the other options on this list.

Their pricing is complicated too. There are two plans that depend on how many attendees you have.

Here’s an overview of those price points per month for each plan:

Live

• Up to 25 — $30
• Up to 50 — $45
• Up to 100 — $79
• Up to 200 — $149
• Up to 500 — $179
• Up to 1,000 — $309

Automated

• Up to 25 — $45
• Up to 50 — $55
• Up to 100 — $95
• Up to 200 — $179
• Up to 500 — $229
• Up to 1,000 — $359

For video conferences with more than 1,000 attendees, contact the ClickMeeting sales team for a custom enterprise solution.

You can try ClickMeeting free for 30 days and run webinars with up to 25 attendees to try it out. Save up to 20% off your with annual billing instead of a month-to-month contract.

The Automated plan is your best option for broadcasting professional video webinars. This plan comes with advanced features like auto-streaming to Facebook or YouTube, automated follow-up emails to attendees, Google Analytics integration, and certificates of attendance.

As you can see, ClickMeeting is definitely pricey compared to the other options on our list, which is why I wouldn’t recommend it for just basic video conferencing use. But the price is worth it if you’re planning to use the webinar features.

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Zoho Meeting – Most affordable video conferencing service with basic features

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Plans as low as $8/month
Screen sharing
Moderator controls
Integrates with Zoho CRM
Get Started for Free

Zoho Meeting is arguably the most straightforward video conferencing solution on the market today. There isn’t a bunch of bells a whistles. Just one plan for video conferencing.

Pricing is simple; it’s $10 per month per user, or $8 per month for an annual contract.

The plan comes with everything you need in a video conferencing service. However, it’s limited to just 100 participants per meeting and storage of up to 10 recordings.

This isn’t enterprise-grade software by any stretch of the imagination, but it’s an affordable and suitable choice for lots of small business owners.

Some of Zoho’s top features include:

• RSVP scheduling
• Screen sharing
• Moderator controls
• Embed meeting links
• In-session chat
• Lock meetings

You’ll also have the ability to switch a presenter, give someone control, and remove users from a video conference.

As expected, Zoho Meeting integrates seamlessly with Zoho CRM. So if you’re already using a Zoho product, this will be a top option for you to consider.

While Zoho Meeting isn’t the most extensive video conferencing service out there, it’s a high-quality solution for small business owners who just need basic features.

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Zoom – Best video conferencing service for scalability

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Free up to 100 participants
Pro plan starts at $14.99/mo
HD video conferences
Cloud recording features
Get Started for Free

Since launching in 2011, Zoom has quickly become an industry leader in the video conferencing space. The software is trusted by large businesses like Ticketmaster, Uber, Pandora, and GoDaddy, to name a few.

Where Zoom shines is its simplicity. They have a plan for businesses of all shapes and sizes, including a free option.

Zoom has video conferencing capabilities with up to 1,000 participants, and up to 49 videos on the screen simultaneously.

The platform is secure, with role-based user security options, password protection, and waiting rooms. Zoom makes it easy for your team to collaborate with screen sharing, filing sharing, and other interactive features.

Zoom is modern, so naturally, the service can be accessed from a mobile app as well. This is perfect for participants who are on the go and unable to reach a computer for a meeting.

Here’s an overview of Zoom’s pricing model:

Basic — Free

• Unlimited one on one meetings
• Up to 100 participants
• 40 minute limit on group meetings
• Unlimited number of meetings

Pro — $14.99 per month per host

• All basic features
• 24-hour meeting limit
• User management tools
• Admin feature controls
• Reporting tools
• 1 GB of cloud recording

Business — $19.99 per month per host

• All Pro features
• Minimum 10 hosts
• Up to 300 participants
• Dedicated phone support
• Company branding
• Cloud recording transcripts
• Admin dashboard

Enterprise — $19.99 per month per host

• All Business features
• Minimum 50 hosts
• Up to 1,000 participants
• Unlimited cloud storage
• Dedicated customer support manager
• Executive business reviews
• Bundle discounts available for Zoom Rooms and webinars

As you can see, there is a plan for everyone. The free option is an excellent choice for an entrepreneur or freelancer who only needs to video chat once in a while for brief meetings.

Beyond personal use, you’ll need to upgrade to the Pro or Business plans to get the most out of Zoom. Fortunately, Zoom makes it easy for you to scale to another plan as your company grows.

Just be aware that your plan will impact the level of customer support you receive. To get premium support, you’ll need to upgrade.

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Microsoft Teams – Best video conferencing service for internal communication

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Free entry level plan
Premium plan starts at $12.50/mo
Chat, audio, and video capabilities
Best for 1-on-1 meetings
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Teams is an instant messaging service with video capability, offered by Microsoft. The platform is designed specifically for internal communication in the workplace.

With chat, audio, and video capabilities for group sizes of 10 or 10,000, Teams is the ultimate in-house communication solution.

Slack is a direct competitor of Teams. But Teams shines with its superior technology and video conferencing features. However, the setup, usage, and onboarding are a bit more complex. So just be aware of that ahead of time.

Teams is best when it’s accessed from a desktop device or web app. There is a mobile app, but overall the web version is easier to navigate.

Here’s a quick overview of the plans and pricing:

• Microsoft Teams — Free
• Office 365 Business Premium — $12.50 per user per month
• Office 365 E3 — $20 per user per month

Both paid plans are only available with an annual contract. The Free plan and entry-level paid plan both have a limit of 300 users, while the Office 365 E3 option is unlimited.

You’ll still have access to quite a few features with the free version, including video calls. But you’ll need Office 365 Business Premium to get the most out of this software.

Paid plans have 140+ app integrations, 1 TB of storage, scheduled meetings, meeting recordings, and administrative support.

The biggest downside of Teams is that it’s limited. It’s not really a true video conferencing service. Instead, it’s better for one-on-one video meetings or smaller groups.

If you want to host large-scale video conferences and make presentations to clients, you should look elsewhere for a more suitable solution.

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Join.me – Best annual contract for video conferencing services

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Voice plans start at $10/month
Video plans start at $20/month
No time limits
Unlimited meetings
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Millions of people use Join.me for video conferencing. The platform offers solutions for individuals, teams, and businesses. From startups to Fortune 500 companies, Join.me is a popular choice.

The website boasts its best-known customers like like TOMS, Foursquare, OpenTable, and Pinterest.

Join.me is easy. The signup process is as quick as it gets. There’s no need to consult with a sales representative or get a custom quote. Just visit their website, and you can start a call in minutes.

To start a new video conference, simply invite others to “join” your meeting (hence the name). You can invite people via email or with a custom link.

With Join.me, you can customize the video conferencing background, customize the URL, and share your screen with just one click. You can invite people to your meeting even if they aren’t already using the Join.me platform.

Here’s an overview of the plans and pricing options:

Lite — $10 per month per user

• Up to 5 participants per meeting
• No video streams*
• Unlimited meetings
• No time limits
• Personal link and custom background

Pro — $20 per month per user

• Up to 250 participants per meeting
• Up to 10 video streams
• Recording capabilities
• 50 GB of cloud storage
• Meeting scheduling

Business — $30 per month per user

• Up to 250 participants per meeting
• 1 TB of cloud storage
• Bulk user import
• Feature permissions
• Enterprise authentication
• Salesforce integration

Unfortunately, the Lite plan doesn’t include video conferencing, so you can skip over that one. It’s also worth noting that all plans are offered with an annual contract only. Month-to-month plans are unavailable.

However, you can try Join.me free with a 14-day free trial. Compared to other options on the list, Join.me is a bit limited in terms of meeting participants and the number of video streams per meeting. But it’s a fine option for those of you who won’t need more than ten simultaneous video streams per conference.

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Webex – Best video conferencing service for cloud collaboration

>> Compare Quotes

Free up to 50 participants
Upgrade for as low as $16.95/mo
Unlimited meetings
Cloud storage features
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Cisco is a brand name that’s synonymous with superior technology. So it should be no surprise that Cisco Webex ranks so highly on our list for video conferencing software.

With Webex, you can host massive virtual events with up to 100,000 participants and run an interactive webinar for 3,000-person audiences.

Webex is perfect if you need to run on-demand training lessons for large groups as well. This is a great tool for onboarding employees at scale throughout multiple locations.

The Webex mobile app is another standout feature of the platform. Hosting and joining meetings are both simple and accessible from anywhere.

Webex is built for teams. Arguably the best part about this video conferencing software is the cloud collaboration features. It’s easy to share files and screens with other meeting participants to stay organized and make the conference more interactive.

Cisco offers four different plans for you to choose from, including a basic free option.

Free — $0 per month

• Up to 50 participants
• 40 minute limit on meetings
• Unlimited meetings
• 1 GB of cloud storage

Starter — $16.95 per month per host

• Up to 50 participants
• Unlimited meeting duration
• 5 GB of cloud storage
• Recording transcriptions
• User management
• Application and file sharing

Plus — $22.95 per month per host

• Up to 100 participants
• Assign alternate hosts
• Allow others to schedule meetings for the host
• Customizable Webex URL
• Admin portal
• 24/7 customer support

Business — $32.95 per month per host

• Up to 200 participants
• 10 GB of cloud storage
• Branding and custom options
• Single sign-on
• Active Directory sync
• Minimum five licenses per month

At first glance, the Webex prices appear to be higher than Zoom. However, you can save 20% per month with an annual contract.

It’s also worth noting that the Webex Plus plan doesn’t have any host minimums, and the business plan has just a five license minimum. Zoom has a 10 and 50 host minimum for their plans at similar price points.

So Webex will be a better option if you want those business or enterprise-level features for a smaller team.

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How to Find the Best Video Conferencing Services

Compare Quotes From The Best Video Conferencing Services

Get matched up with a video conferencing service that fits your specific needs.

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Now that you’ve had a chance to review the top solutions on the market, how can you find the best option for your unique situation? This is the methodology that I used to come up with this guide.

I’ve identified each feature set that matters the most and why you need to take it into consideration when you’re evaluating prospective platforms.

Conference Size

Every video conferencing plan has some limit on the number of participants who can join a meeting. This can be as 25 or as high as 100,000.

Make sure you choose a service and plan that can accommodate the number of people you need for your video conferences. You don’t want to overpay for a plan that has participant limits that you’ll never reach. But more importantly, you don’t want to be in a situation where your participant list is too large for your platform and plan.

Video Streams

You might be able to have a large number of participants in a conference, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that every user will be able to broadcast a video stream.

For example, RingCentral plans have up to 100 participants per meeting, but limit you to just ten simultaneous video streams.

So don’t be swayed by the participant limits alone. Always check to see how many users can actually stream a video at the same time.

Collaboration Tools

Collaboration tools are crucial for groups and teams.

Features like screen sharing, built-in chat, file sharing, and cloud collaboration are very useful for presentations and group projects. It’s also helpful when a video conferencing service integrates with existing tools and platforms that you’re already using to run a business. You can look for features like Salesforce integration or Google Analytics integration.

Price

Obviously, the cost will play a roll in your decision-making process.

For the most part, video conferencing services are billed on a monthly basis per user. Prices typically fall in the $10 to $40 range per month per user for traditional video conferencing. However, you can pay significantly more than that for advanced features like video conference webinars. Solutions like ClickMeeting has plans starting at over $300 per month.

Conclusion

Take your virtual meetings to the next level with video conferencing software.

What’s the best video conference service on the market? The answer depends on who you ask and what you’re looking for. Here’s a quick recap of the platforms reviewed above.

• RingCentral — Best video conferencing service with VoIP business phone plans.
• GoToMeeting — Best video conferencing service for small businesses.
• ClickMeeting — Best video conferencing software for webinars.
• Zoom — Best video conferencing service for scalability.
• Microsoft Teams — Best video conferencing software for internal communication.
• Zoho Meeting — Affordable video conferencing service with basic features.
• Join.me — Annual contract video conferencing plans for small meetings.
• Webex — Best video conferencing software for cloud collaboration.

Based on this guide, I’m confident that you can find the best choice for your business. No matter how unique your situation might be, these options can accommodate your needs. If you are still not sure which one is right for you then complete the short form below to compare the best solutions further.

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