The Webex Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Webex in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Webex
The Insider’s Guide
Cisco's app for video meetings, messaging and calling
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among team communication apps, read from Webex’s own pages.
Made by Cisco · checked Oct 9, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Webex’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Webex’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 9, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.8
GPA, above 21 of the 33 other team communication apps we grade
Webex is Cisco's collaboration app, combining video meetings, team messaging, whiteboards and, on the Suite plan, business phone calling. The free plan allows 40-minute meetings with up to 100 attendees along with unlimited messaging. Paid plans add 24-hour meetings, cloud recording, an AI Assistant and Slido polling, and the Enterprise plan raises meetings to 1,000 attendees.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Webex, taken from its own pages and our grades.
It runs in a browser, so a guest can click and join, though Webex says some features, PSTN calls among them, need the downloaded app.
- 1
Best for meetings, messaging and phone calls on one licence
Webex is Cisco's suite of video meetings, team messaging and whiteboards, with a business phone line on the Suite plan.
- 2
Paid plans start at $12 a month for each person
As its pricing page puts it: $12 per user / month, billed annually ($144 a year).
- 3
There is a free plan
Webex Free: unlimited meetings of up to 40 minutes and 100 attendees, unlimited messaging and whiteboards, local recording and noise cancellation. No credit card is needed.
- 4
It runs on 6 platforms
Web, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android.
- 5
Video meetings
Meetings include screen sharing with annotation. They run 40 minutes with 100 attendees on Free, 24 hours with 200 on Meet, and up to 1,000 attendees on Enterprise.
- 6
Messaging
Group messaging, chat and file sharing sit in the same app as meetings, and the free plan includes unlimited messaging.
- 7
AI Assistant and cloud recording
Paid plans include the AI Assistant, closed captions and 10 GB of cloud recording. The free plan records locally, and Enterprise has unlimited cloud recording.
- 8
A 2.8 GPA, above 21 of 33
That is against the other team communication apps we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
To replace Webex you would be making video calls. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
Webex at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan, from $12 per user / month, billed annually ($144 a year)
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Web, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android
- Made by
- Cisco
- Category
- Team Communication
- Our grade
- 2.8 GPA, good
- Store rating
- 4.6 on the App Store, 9,448 ratings
The report card
Best for meetings, messaging and phone calls on one licence
Webex is Cisco's suite of video meetings, team messaging and whiteboards, with a business phone line on the Suite plan. The free plan takes 100 attendees but ends every meeting at 40 minutes and records locally only. Paid starts at $12 a user, calling needs Suite at $22.50, translation and Call Me are add-ons, meetings over 200 people need Enterprise through sales, and some features need the downloaded app.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | Webex Meet is $12 a user a month billed annually, above the $7 this category typically starts at but short of the dear end. The phone line needs Suite at $22.50, and two things are add-ons on top: Call Me from $48 and real-time translation at $300 per licence a year. |
| Free plan and trial | B | Unlimited meetings for up to 100 attendees, unlimited messaging, unlimited whiteboards and noise cancellation, with no card asked for. Two limits to know: every meeting ends at 40 minutes, and recording is to your own machine only. |
| Features | C | Meetings, messaging, whiteboards, Slido polling, Vidcast and a business phone line all under one roof. The plan ladder is the catch: 200 attendees on Meet and 1,000 only on Enterprise through sales, the AI Assistant and cloud recording paid-only, and some features need the downloaded app. |
| Ease of use | B | 4.58 from about 9,400 App Store ratings, a whisker short of our A line. It runs in a browser, so a guest can click and join, though Webex says some features, PSTN calls among them, need the downloaded app. |
| Platforms and integrations | A | Web, Mac, Windows, Linux, iPhone and Android, and it connects out to Slido, Miro, Microsoft Teams, Google Workspace, Salesforce, Slack and Smartsheet. Cisco's own room and desk devices are the other half of the story if your office has them. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Webex is for
- Fits if your organization wants meetings, messaging and a business phone line on one license
- Works for offices whose meeting rooms and desks already have Cisco devices
Who it is not for
- Tight if you're staying free, as every meeting ends at 40 minutes and recording is local only
- Pricey if you need live translation or Call Me, paid add-ons at $300 per license a year and from $48
- Not for you if all you want is team chat, since $12 a user a month is well over the $7 that typically starts at
- Watch out: a phone number needs Suite at $22.50, and meetings over 200 attendees need Enterprise, sold through sales
- Skip it if you only ever join from a browser, as some features, PSTN calls among them, need the downloaded app
Good to know
Good for
- Organizations that equip rooms and desks with Cisco devices
- Teams that want meetings, messaging and phone calling on one license
- Short free meetings with whiteboards and noise cancellation
- Public-sector buyers that need FedRAMP authorized security
Worth knowing
- Free meetings end at 40 minutes, and the free plan records locally only.
- A business phone number and calling need Webex Suite, and meetings above 200 attendees need Webex Enterprise, which is sold by sales.
- Call Me and Real-Time Translation are paid add-ons: Call Me starts at $48 and translation is $300 per license a year.
- Webex runs in a browser, but the vendor says some features, such as PSTN calls, need the downloaded app.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$12
A month to start, for each person. There is a free plan too
Webex has a free plan. Paid plans start at $12 per user / month, billed annually ($144 a year).
Webex Free
$0
Unlimited meetings of up to 40 minutes and 100 attendees, unlimited messaging and whiteboards, and local recording.
Webex Meet
$12
per user / month, billed annually ($144 a year)
24-hour meetings with up to 200 attendees, the AI Assistant, 10 GB of cloud recording, Slido polling and Q&A, and closed captions.
Webex Suite
$22.50
per user / month, billed annually ($270 a year)
Meet plus calling: a business phone number, visual voicemail and unlimited local and domestic long-distance calls.
Webex Enterprise
Custom
Up to 1,000 attendees, unlimited cloud meeting recording and FedRAMP authorized security. Certain plans include Webex events.
The free plan
Webex Free: unlimited meetings of up to 40 minutes and 100 attendees, unlimited messaging and whiteboards, local recording and noise cancellation. No credit card is needed.
Read from pricing.webex.com on Oct 9, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Annual discount
Lower rate on annual billing
Billed annually, Webex Meet is $144 per user a year, shown as $12 a month. The pricing page's own plan data lists the monthly-billed Meet license at $14.50.
Stated on pricing.webex.comOther savings
6 months free with 5 or more licenses
The pricing page advertises 6 months free on Webex Meet when 5 or more licenses are bought, a saving of $360 or more. Terms apply and no end date is shown.
Stated on pricing.webex.comNonprofit
60% off for eligible nonprofits
The Flex Plan Non-Governmental Organization offer gives eligible nonprofits a 60% discount on Webex for up to 100 users, arranged by contacting Webex.
Stated on webex.com
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
6
Places it runs: Web, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android
Cisco's app for video meetings, messaging and calling. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: AI features, noise cancellation, whiteboard, screen recording, team chat, video calls, file sharing.
Meetings, messaging, whiteboards, Slido polling, Vidcast and a business phone line all under one roof.
- Video meetings
- Meetings include screen sharing with annotation. They run 40 minutes with 100 attendees on Free, 24 hours with 200 on Meet, and up to 1,000 attendees on Enterprise.
- Messaging
- Group messaging, chat and file sharing sit in the same app as meetings, and the free plan includes unlimited messaging.
- AI Assistant and cloud recording
- Paid plans include the AI Assistant, closed captions and 10 GB of cloud recording. The free plan records locally, and Enterprise has unlimited cloud recording.
- Whiteboards, polls and video messages
- Whiteboards are unlimited on every plan and Vidcast records and shares video. Live polling and Q&A through Slido start with Webex Meet.
- Calling
- Webex Suite adds a business phone number, visual voicemail, 6-way conference calling and unlimited local and domestic long-distance calling.
- Noise cancellation
- Advanced noise cancellation is listed on every plan, including Webex Free, along with calendar service integration.
Where it runs
- Web
- macOS
- Windows
- Linux
- iOS
- Android
What it works with
- Slido
- Miro
- Microsoft Teams
- Google Workspace
- Salesforce
- Slack
- Smartsheet
Who makes Webex
Webex is made by Cisco, the networking, security and collaboration technology company; the Webex site carries Cisco's copyright and sends job seekers to Cisco's careers site. Cisco sells Webex by subscription, alongside the room devices and phones that work with it.
- Founded
- 1984sec.gov
- Based
- San Jose, Californiacisco.com
- Ownership
- Publicly traded. Cisco Systems, Inc. is a listed company: its common stock trades on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol CSCO, according to its annual report for fiscal 2026.sec.gov
- Team
- Approximately 82,400 employees across the whole of Cisco as of July 25, 2026, according to its annual reportsec.gov
- Founders and leaders
- Chuck Robbins, Chair and Chief Executive Officernewsroom.cisco.com
- Jeetu Patel, President and Chief Product Officernewsroom.cisco.com
- Mark Patterson, EVP and Chief Financial Officernewsroom.cisco.com
- Anurag Dhingra, SVP and General Manager, Networking & Collaborationnewsroom.cisco.com
- Hiring
- Cisco's careers site lists 1,333 open jobs across the whole company, most of them in product and engineering, sales and customer experiencecareers.cisco.com
- Partner program
- Cisco 360 Partner Program, Cisco's company-wide program for firms that sell its products: partners register their company and get incentives across the customer lifecycle and customer-facing designations. No rates are published.cisco.com
- Lately
- Cloud Intelligence for UCM: Modernization needs a strategy, not a deadline. · Oct 5, 2026
- Translator Agent brings real-time AI translation to Webex Calling · Oct 5, 2026
- Announcing a new era of trusted calling with Webex Calling and SecureLogix · Sep 17, 2026
- Modernizing the on-premises Contact Center with AI; Webex AI Agent now available with CCE Release 15 · Aug 27, 2026
Read on Oct 6, 2026 from the company’s own pages and from news reports. What is not stated there is left out.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
21/33
Other team communication apps it is graded above
Webex's GPA of 2.8 is higher than 21 of the 33 other team communication apps we grade, and level with 7.
It stands best on platforms and integrations (A, above 15 of 33) and worst on features (C, above 0).
Its paid plans start at $12 a month for each person, against a middle price of $7 for the category: 19 of the 28 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 3.0 out of 4. 5 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 34 team communication apps we grade, cut by the letter each got. Webex’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 2 of 33
- BFree plan and trialAbove 23 of 33
- CFeaturesAbove 0 of 33
- BEase of useAbove 24 of 33
- APlatforms and integrationsAbove 15 of 33
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 31 team communication apps. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Webex is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
To replace Webex you would be making video calls. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
It costs $144 a year.
What you could not
- Video calls.
- Chat that a whole team counts on staying up.
- Audio cleaned up live as you speak.
- An endless canvas that stays smooth with hundreds of things on it.
- Recording the screen with its sound, and somewhere to keep the video.
- Storing and serving files for other people.
- Apps for macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android that stay in step with each other.
- It is priced for each person, which means accounts and billing for a team.
- It plugs into other products, Slido, Miro and Microsoft Teams among them.
- AI features, unless you pay a model provider for each request yourself.
What this rests on. Webex’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Meet, Slack and Whereby
The 5 tools Webex is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.6GPA
Zoom
Free plan · from $14.16/mo
Video meetings bundled with team chat, phone and AI notes.
- Only Zoom lists a browser extension.
- Webex also covers noise cancellation, screen recording and file sharing.
- Zoom also covers meeting notes and booking links.
- 3.0GPA
Microsoft Teams
Free plan · from $4.00/mo
Chat, video meetings and calling tied into Microsoft 365.
- Only Webex lists a Linux app.
- Webex also covers screen recording.
- Microsoft Teams also covers transcription.
- 2.8GPA
Google Meet
Free plan · from $7/mo
Browser-based video meetings included with Google Workspace.
- Only Webex lists macOS, Windows and Linux apps.
- Webex also covers whiteboard, screen recording, team chat and file sharing.
- Google Meet also covers meeting notes and transcription.
- 2.8GPA
Slack
Free plan · from $7.25/mo
Channel-based team messaging with huddles, workflows and AI.
- Webex also covers noise cancellation, whiteboard and screen recording.
- Slack also covers workflow automation and documents.
- 2.4GPA
Whereby
Free plan · from $10.99/mo
Browser-based video meetings with permanent room links.
- Only Webex lists macOS, Windows, Linux and Android apps.
- Webex also covers screen recording and team chat.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
12
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Webex free?
Webex has a free plan. Webex Free: unlimited meetings of up to 40 minutes and 100 attendees, unlimited messaging and whiteboards, local recording and noise cancellation.
How much does Webex cost?
Webex lists 4 plans. Webex Free: $0.
What platforms does Webex work on?
Webex is available on Web, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android.
Does Webex offer any discounts?
Webex publicly lists the following: Lower rate on annual billing; 6 months free with 5 or more licenses; 60% off for eligible nonprofits.
How is Webex rated?
Webex's iPhone and iPad app averages 4.6 out of 5 from 9,448 ratings on the App Store in the United States, as read on Oct 5, 2026.
Is Webex open source?
Webex is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 9, 2026.
What does Webex integrate with?
Webex's listing names Slido, Miro, Microsoft Teams, Google Workspace, Salesforce, Slack and Smartsheet.
Who makes Webex?
Webex is made by Cisco. Cisco Systems, Inc. is a listed company: its common stock trades on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol CSCO, according to its annual report for fiscal 2026.
What are the alternatives to Webex?
The closest alternatives to Webex in our directory are Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Meet, Slack and Whereby.
How does Webex compare with other team communication apps?
Webex's GPA of 2.8 is higher than 21 of the 33 other team communication apps we grade, and level with 7.
Is Webex good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Webex C for value for money. Its paid plans start at $12 a month for each person, against a middle price of $7 for the category: 19 of the 28 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Webex?
To replace Webex you would be making video calls. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Webex’s own pages on Oct 9, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 10, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Webex's own pages on 9 October 2026, and its App Store rating. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-05-05.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Cisco. Prices change, so check webex.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
3,189
Tools graded, in 94 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
3,189
tools graded
94
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Webex, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/webex
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Webex: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 9, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/webex
Know someone choosing between team communication apps?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/webex/guide
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See our other guides
The best-graded team communication apps after Webex, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Team Communication Insider's GuideEvery one of the 34 team communication apps we grade, compared
- Discord Insider's GuideFree text, voice and video chat built around servers3.6 GPA
- Pumble Insider's GuideTeam chat with unlimited message history on the free plan3.6 GPA
- Zoho Cliq Insider's GuideTeam chat, calls and meetings from the Zoho suite3.4 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Webex’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Webex is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Cisco. Prices and plans change: check webex.com before you buy.