Go face-to-face with these video-calling apps

Whether you're working from home, catching up with friends near and far, or just saying hi to your main squeeze, video calling can bring you closer together. Here are a few apps that get it right.

Schedule, host, record, or attend meetings and video chat with as many as 100 participants in the basic account or up to 1,000 after upgrades. Zoom makes it easy to streamline communication with features like screen sharing, chat, direct messages, real-time whiteboard annotation, customizable backgrounds, breakout rooms, and phone contact matching.

Start an audio or video call, or create a link to invite up to 99 people – all while syncing, storing, and finding your contacts easily. You can also customize and manage the channels of your messages or enjoy features like exclusive emojis to liven up your chats, plus Bing Bot AI integration for help with everything from translation to finding nearby restaurants.

Keep in touch with friends or family by sending out and receiving short, private video or audio messages known as Polos to enjoy at your own pace. Communicate one-on-one or create groups to share stories, challenges, and inspiration. You can even get playful with special effects or custom and animated emojis as you record.

Snapchat is all about spontaneous self-expression. Try on filters and play with AR Lenses to add 3D effects, objects, and transformations. Go ahead – be a cat, a unicorn, or an alien. And if you can’t chat live, you can always sit back and catch up on your friends' posts and photos, share your own, or customize your Bitmoji avatar.

Make video or voice calls to intimate groups of 8 people or fewer with shareable links and end-to-end encryption. Or send private messages with GIFs, emojis, and photos or other files, set a timer if you’d like chats to disappear between 24 hours and 90 days. View your contacts, add status updates, and discover, start, or stay connected in topic-based public community groups.

Make spontaneous 4K-quality video calls with effects or stylized backgrounds, schedule meetings of up to 100 participants, or leave messages that people can see and respond to later. Google Meet incorporates features from breakout rooms to real-time closed captions and seamlessly integrates with Workspace apps like Gmail, Docs, Slides, and Calendar.