The short answer
- Longer free calls on OnFire. 60 minutes against Zoom's 40, with the same 100 people.
- Pro costs less than half on OnFire. €6.50 a month against Zoom's $16.99, both billed monthly.
- Guests join in a browser tab on OnFire, with no download and no account.
- OnFire is built for selling. Business adds bookings, invoices and payment links around the call.
- Zoom is the pick for webinars, large events or end-to-end encryption.
Zoom is the name most people reach for when they need a video call. OnFire Call is a newer, browser-first alternative from OnFire, built for people who meet clients, friends and small teams and don't want to send everyone an install guide first. Here is how the two compare, using each company's published plans as of October 2026.
At a glance
| OnFire Call | Zoom Workplace | |
|---|---|---|
| Free call length | 60 minutes | 40 minutes |
| Free call size | 100 people | 100 people |
| Pro, billed monthly | €6.50 a month | $16.99 a month |
| Pro, billed yearly | €54 a year (€4.50 a month) | $14.16 a month |
| Pro call limits | No time limit, no participant cap | 30 hours, 100 people |
| Guests | Browser tab, no account | App or web client, no account |
| Waiting room | Yes, on every plan | Yes, on every plan |
| Recording | Pro | Local on Free; cloud on Pro |
| Live transcripts | Pro, with speaker names | Captions on every plan |
| Breakout rooms | Pro | Yes |
| Background blur and noise removal | Yes, on every plan | Yes |
| Bookings, invoices, payment links | Business | Separate products |
| End-to-end encryption | No (encrypted in transit) | Optional |
| Webinars and large events | No | Yes, as add-ons |
Prices per user, as published on call.onfire.so and zoom.us/pricing in October 2026. OnFire shows the price in your currency at checkout ($6.99 a month in US dollars).
Getting people into the call
This is where the two feel most different. With OnFire you send a link, or show a QR code, and your guest opens it in any modern browser. They type their name, check their mic and camera, and wait for you to let them in. Nothing to install, no account to create. That makes it a good fit for clients, patients, parents and grandparents: anyone who would otherwise get stuck on "please download the app".
Zoom has a web client too, but its join flow steers people toward the desktop app, and that is where Zoom works best. If your guests already have Zoom installed, this difference disappears.
Both put a waiting room in front of the call, so you decide who comes in. On OnFire you can also make co-hosts and keep a host's controls on every plan.
The free plan
OnFire's free plan lets you talk for an hour with up to 100 people, which covers most catch-ups, classes, interviews and community meetings without the 40-minute scramble. Zoom's free Basic plan also holds up to 100 people, but stops each meeting at 40 minutes.
Free on OnFire
- HD video and screen sharing
- Chat, private chat and reactions
- Raised hands and polls
- Backgrounds and blur
- Mic and speaker check before you join
- Picture-in-picture
- Waiting room, co-hosts, host controls
- Notes saved to each meeting
- Present notes, forms, tasks and calendars
- Share files from your OnFire drive
The difference is time. Both free plans fit a class or a community meeting. On OnFire it can run for a full hour; on Zoom you start a new meeting after 40 minutes.
What Pro costs
OnFire Call Pro costs €6.50 a month, or €54 a year, which works out at €4.50 a month. It also comes in 3- and 6-month terms. Zoom Workplace Pro is $16.99 a month billed monthly, or $14.16 a month billed yearly, per user.
OnFire Pro removes the time limit and the participant cap, and adds recording with live transcripts, breakout rooms, whiteboards, several cameras at once and a translator inside the call. Pro starts with a 7-day free trial. You add a card, nothing is charged until the trial ends, and you see the amount and the date first.
Intro offer until 1 November 2026: start Pro before then and pay half price for as long as you stay subscribed.
Guests are always free on OnFire. Only the host needs a plan.
Transcripts, notes and translation
On OnFire Pro, live transcripts appear as subtitles with each speaker's name. When the call ends, the host can send a summary note to themselves or to everyone who was there. Every meeting also keeps its own notes, and AI can tidy, structure or summarise them for 1 AI credit each.
The translator in a Pro call covers about 130 languages. Type or paste a line and it translates it, reads it aloud, or shows it on screen for everyone, each person in their own language. It translates text, not live speech.
Zoom shows automatic captions on every plan. Its free plan includes a few AI meeting summaries a month, and Pro makes them unlimited. Translated captions on Zoom need a higher plan or an add-on.
How you look and sound
Both blur or replace your background and smooth your skin. OnFire also brightens a dark room and filters out background noise in the browser, so the keyboard and the dog stay off the call. On Pro you can add a second camera, including your phone, to show a whiteboard, a product or your hands at the same time as your face.
Meeting clients and getting paid
This is where OnFire goes somewhere Zoom doesn't. OnFire Business includes everything in Pro, plus:
- Bookable services, each with its own call link
- Booking details beside your waiting room
- Time zones shown for both you and your client
- Invoices and payment links
- A business profile and a shop inside OnFire
For coaches, tutors, therapists and consultants, that puts booking, the session and the payment in one place. Business is €7 a month for the first 3 months, then €12 a month, with 30 days free. Zoom covers scheduling with Zoom Scheduler, which is a separate product, and it has no built-in invoicing or payments.
Privacy and security
OnFire calls are encrypted in transit. You admit every guest, only hosts can record, everyone sees a REC badge while a recording runs, and the host chooses who can watch it afterwards. OnFire does not offer end-to-end encryption for calls today. Zoom does, as an option you switch on for a meeting. If your work requires it, choose Zoom.
Which one should you choose?
Choose OnFire Call if
- Your guests shouldn't have to install anything
- Your free calls run past 40 minutes
- You want Pro for less than half Zoom's price
- You meet clients and want bookings and payments in the same place
- You already use OnFire for chat
Choose Zoom if
- You host webinars or large events
- You need end-to-end encrypted meetings
- Your company already runs on Zoom Phone, Rooms or Team Chat
A free week of Pro for every friend
Every friend who joins OnFire with your link or email invite gives you 1 week of Call Pro on the house, even if they never pay. The weeks stack. And when a friend pays for Pro or Business, you earn a share of every payment for as long as they subscribe.
Questions
Is OnFire Call free?
Yes. The free plan covers calls of up to 60 minutes with up to 100 people, including the host. Guests never pay and need no account.
Do guests need to download anything?
No. They open the link in any modern browser, type their name and join. There are apps for iPhone, Android and Mac if you want them.
How many people can join?
Up to 100 people, including you, on the free plan. Pro and Business have no time limit and no participant cap.
Is OnFire Call end-to-end encrypted?
No. Calls are encrypted in transit, the host admits every guest, and only hosts can record. Zoom offers optional end-to-end encryption.
Can I try Pro before paying?
Yes. Pro starts with 7 days free and Business with 30 days free. You add a card, nothing is charged until the trial ends, and you can cancel before then.
Last checked October 9, 2026. Zoom plans and prices come from zoom.us/pricing; OnFire's come from call.onfire.so. Both companies change their plans from time to time, so check before you buy. Spotted something out of date? Tell us at support.onfire.so.
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