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Around alternatives for Startups
Tools a startup can adopt fast without blowing the budget. Every pick has a free tier or an entry price small enough to survive a seed-stage burn.
What is the best startups alternative to Around?
Discord is the startups Around alternative we recommend first. Discord edges out Around in our testing, scoring 4.6 to 4.0 overall. It scores 4.6 in our testing, and at Free it keeps the monthly bill reasonable. See the full ranked list below to compare every pick.
6 startups alternatives worth your time
Discord
4.6 out of 54.6Low-latency voice, video, and text channel community platform for creators, developers, and gaming teams.
Discord edges out Around in our testing, scoring 4.6 to 4.0 overall.
- 100% free community hosting with zero member count restrictions.
- Ultra-low latency voice channels with zero call dial-in friction.
Slack
4.5 out of 54.5The messaging hub for modern teams.
Slack edges out Around in our testing, scoring 4.5 to 4.0 overall.
- Channel based organization is the best model for team communication. Conversations stay focused, searchable, and organized by topic instead of devolving into chaotic group chat threads.
- Extensive integration ecosystem with over 2,600 apps in the marketplace. Slack connects to virtually every business tool: CRM, project management, code hosting, monitoring, marketing, and support platforms.
Zoom
4.5 out of 54.5High-reliability video conferencing, team chat, webinars, and AI meeting summaries at any scale.
Zoom edges out Around in our testing, scoring 4.5 to 4.0 overall.
- Unmatched video call stability on poor or low-bandwidth internet connections.
- Zoom AI Companion generates comprehensive meeting summaries and action items without extra fees.
Google Meet
4.2 out of 54.2Simple video calls inside Google Workspace.
Google Meet edges out Around in our testing, scoring 4.2 to 4.0 overall.
- Well established product with an active user base
- Regular updates and clear roadmap
Whereby
4.2 out of 54.2Browser-based video meetings with no installs.
Whereby edges out Around in our testing, scoring 4.2 to 4.0 overall.
- Well established product with an active user base
- Regular updates and clear roadmap
Twist
4.1 out of 54.1Calm, async-first team communication.
Twist edges out Around in our testing, scoring 4.1 to 4.0 overall.
- Well established product with an active user base
- Regular updates and clear roadmap
Around vs the startups alternatives
| Tool | Our score | From | Free tier | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Around | 4.0 | Free | Yes | Lightweight video calls built for focus. |
| Discord | 4.6 | Free | Yes | Developer communities, open-source projects, gaming groups, and web3 creators wanting real-time voice channels and chat moderation. |
| Slack | 4.5 | $8.75/mo | No | Teams of any size that need real time messaging with deep integrations and organized channel based communication |
| Zoom | 4.5 | Free | Yes | Remote teams, businesses, educators, and enterprise organizations requiring stable, low-latency video meetings and automated AI summaries. |
| Google Meet | 4.2 | Free | Yes | Simple video calls inside Google Workspace. |
| Whereby | 4.2 | $6.99/mo | Yes | Browser-based video meetings with no installs. |
| Twist | 4.1 | $6/mo | Yes | Calm, async-first team communication. |
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