Meetings are no longer confined to the lunch table or that (far too small) dusty cubicle in the corner. Whether online, hybrid, using AI or simply short and to the point: there are countless meeting tools to help you work smarter. When is the best time to use which one? And what do they bring to your meeting?
Here are 10 online meeting tools to help you hold meetings more efficiently, from planning to taking minutes and collaborating.
1. Microsoft Teams
One of the most widely used online meeting tools. With Microsoft Teams, you can make video calls, chat, share files and record meetings.
Useful for:
- Daily meetings
- Hybrid meetings
- Collaborate in a single environment
2. Zoom
Zoom is known for its stable video connection and ease of use. It is ideal for larger meetings and webinars.
Useful for:
- Large online meetings
- Webinars
- External meetings
3. Google Meet
Do you use Google Workspace? If so, Google Meet is the obvious choice. It starts up quickly, makes sharing easy and is hassle-free.
Useful for:
- Quick online meetings
- Collaborating within the Google environment
4. Miro
Miro isn’t a standard meeting tool, but a digital whiteboard. Perfect for brainstorming and creative sessions. Thanks to handy digital sticky notes, you can easily jot down all your ideas, mind maps and diagrams.
Useful for:
- Brainstorming sessions
- Workshops
- Visual collaboration
5. Notion
Notion is an ‘all-in-one’ digital workspace app for organising notes, projects and documents. Put simply: everything you need for your work, in one place. It helps you organise everything to do with your meetings: agendas, minutes and action points.
Useful for:
- · Structure in meetings
- · Documentation and follow-up
6. AI tools for taking minutes
There are various AI tools you can use during your meeting to take minutes. For example, Otter.ai, Notta, Fireflies.ai or Amberscript. These tools automatically transcribe conversations into text. Ideal for taking minutes of meetings.
Useful for:
- Automatic minute-taking
- Transcripts
- Summaries
7. Microsoft Copilot
Copilot helps you during meetings by providing summaries, action points and insights. We think it’s a clever addition to Teams.
Useful for:
- AI support during meetings
- Take minutes more quickly
- Staying on top of things
8. Trello
Trello isn’t a meeting tool in the traditional sense, but it’s useful for what happens after the meeting. It lets you keep all your tasks and notes neatly organised in one place. You can also work with ‘boards’ and ‘cards’ on which you can place tasks and actions. Finished? Then simply move the task to another card.
Useful for:
- Keeping track of action points
- Allocating tasks
- Staying on top of things
9. Slido
Would you like to make your meeting a bit more interactive? If so, Slido might just be the tool for you. It allows you to easily add live polls, create quizzes or invite participants to submit anonymous questions, which you can then discuss as a group.
Useful for:
- Presentations
- Larger groups
- Encouraging interaction
10. Calendly
Just like tip 8 (Trello), this isn’t quite a traditional meeting tool. However, meetings do start with planning. With Calendly, you can easily schedule appointments without having to exchange endless emails to find a slot in your busy diaries.
Useful for:
- Planning meetings
- Share availability
- Save time
Which meeting tools do you really need?
You don’t need to use them all. In fact, having too many tools often just makes things confusing. You can usually get by with one tool for online meetings, one for collaboration and one for taking minutes. Of course, a tool that combines all of these would be ideal.
Online meeting tools or meeting in person?
Working online has now become the norm. We’ve got used to it and can’t really do without it anymore. Meeting tools make collaboration easier, especially if your team consists of people who have to travel from different cities or if you need to adapt quickly.
But: if you ask us, meeting in person is still the best option. Because when people come together, wonderful things happen. Especially during brainstorming sessions, strategic meetings or when making important decisions. These often generate more energy and interaction than online meetings.
At Jaarbeurs MeetUp, you’ll find spaces that are perfectly suited to both online meetings and in-person gatherings. Ideal for hybrid meetings and for those occasions when you do want to sit down together in person. If you really do need to hold an online meeting, why not take a look at the options available at Jaarbeurs Studios?
