Around
BlueJeans by Verizon
| Feature | Around | BlueJeans by Verizon |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free / from $10/mo | From $12.49/mo |
| Free Plan | ✓ Yes | ✗ No |
| Rating | 4.3 / 5 | 4.1 / 5 |
| Best For | remote-teams, hybrid-teams, developers, creative-teams | enterprises, hybrid-teams, executives, large-meetings |
| Founded | 2019 | 2009 |
| Floating Bubbles | ✓ | ✗ |
| Noise Cancellation | ✓ | ✗ |
| Auto Leveling | ✓ | ✗ |
| Screen Sharing | ✓ | ✗ |
| Reactions | ✓ | ✗ |
| Meeting Notes | ✓ | ✗ |
| Calendar Integration | ✓ | ✗ |
| Dolby Voice | ✗ | ✓ |
| Smart Meetings | ✗ | ✓ |
| Recording | ✗ | ✓ |
| Transcription | ✗ | ✓ |
| Breakout Rooms | ✗ | ✓ |
| Virtual Backgrounds | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ Around Pros
- Minimal screen footprint with floating video bubbles
- Excellent AI noise cancellation
- Auto-equalizes audio levels between participants
- Designed for casual always-on collaboration
✗ Around Cons
- Limited features for formal presentations
- Smaller user base than major platforms
- No recording on free plan
✓ BlueJeans by Verizon Pros
- Dolby Voice audio quality
- No downloads needed for guests
- Good Verizon network reliability
- Smart meeting features
✗ BlueJeans by Verizon Cons
- Smaller market share than Zoom
- Limited free options
- Being wound down by Verizon
The Verdict
Around is built for remote teams and hybrid teams, with a focus on floating-bubbles and noise-cancellation. BlueJeans by Verizon targets enterprises and hybrid teams and leads with dolby-voice and smart-meetings.
Pricing is close: Around starts at $10/mo versus $12.49/mo for BlueJeans by Verizon — not a deciding factor on its own.
Around has a free plan, which gives it a meaningful edge for individuals and small teams exploring their options. BlueJeans by Verizon requires a paid subscription from day one.
Feature-wise, Around offers broader built-in capabilities (7 features vs 6), while BlueJeans by Verizon takes a more focused approach — which can mean a simpler, faster onboarding experience.
Both tools are a solid fit for hybrid teams — in those cases, the decision often comes down to workflow style and how your team prefers to organize work.
This is a genuinely close comparison. If you can, sign up for both free trials (where available) and run a one-week test with your actual team tasks before deciding.