5 Audio Conferencing Software Tools That'll Actually Make Your Meetings Bearable (Yes, Really)

Let's be real for a second. We've all been on that conference call. You know the one—where someone's cutting out every five seconds, another person sounds like they're calling from inside a tunnel, and you're frantically hitting the mute button while your dog loses its mind in the background.

Despite all the advancements in business technology (including video conferencing and screen sharing), audio conferencing continues to be the most commonly used tool for conducting meetings

because it's fast, reliable, and doesn't require everyone to have their camera-ready face on at 8 AM.

But here's the thing: not all audio conferencing software is created equal. Some platforms deliver HD-quality sound that makes you forget you're not in the same room. Others? Well, they're about as reliable as a chocolate teapot.

In this guide, I'm breaking down five audio conferencing tools that actually deliver on their promises. These aren't necessarily the biggest names you've heard a thousand times—I've mixed in some solid alternatives that deserve way more attention than they're getting.

Before we dive into the tools themselves, let's talk about what separates the winners from the "why did we even bother" crowd.

Audio conferencing software allows users to organize and manage audio meetings through a hosted voice connection. The platform provides advanced controls that allow you to mute participants, adjust sound levels, host interactive sessions, and even lock the conference to keep out unwanted guests.

But if the audio sounds like you're underwater? None of those fancy features matter.

Audio conferencing software is a tool that allows businesses to conduct an audio conference between two or multiple people using a dial-in option. This type of software is ideal for businesses with employees located in different parts of the world.

The best platforms let people join from their phone, laptop, or tablet without downloading seventeen different apps or creating yet another account they'll immediately forget the password to.

Look for these essentials:

• Call recording (because who remembers everything from a 60-minute meeting?)

• Screen sharing capabilities

• International dial-in numbers for your global team

• Participant management so you can mute that one person who never remembers to

• Calendar integrations that make scheduling painless

Dialpad isn't just riding the AI hype train—they're actually using artificial intelligence in ways that make sense. Dialpad's video meeting solution, AI Meetings, has come a long way in recent years thanks to the company's research and development into artificial intelligence and natural language processing.

The clean and clear sound and the stability of the video. Dialpad leverages AI to adjust video resolution based on the available bandwidth. This means that even if some participants don't have a great internet connection, their videos won't freeze up.

The cool features:

• Live transcriptions during calls (seriously, this is a game-changer)

• Background noise reduction that actually works

• Voice intelligence that can highlight action items automatically

• Real-time call analytics

Dialpad is perfect for teams that are tired of manually taking notes during every single call. If you've ever tried to participate in a conversation while frantically typing everything down, you'll appreciate having AI handle that for you.

Dialpad's Connect offers three plans, with the base Standard plan starting at $15 per user/month. All Dialpad plans have a conference call participant capacity cap of 150.

Worth knowing: They offer a free version, but it's pretty limited. If you're serious about using it for your business, budget for the paid plan.

ClickMeeting is a browser-based platform for hosting webinars and training sessions. It allows users to talk to multiple people, share screens, and translate meetings in real time. The webinar room can accommodate up to 4 presenters and up to 5000 attendees at the same time.

This is one of those tools that flies under the radar but absolutely shouldn't. It's browser-based, which means no downloads, no "can everyone see my screen?" technical difficulties, and no excuses for not joining.

Key features that matter:

• Real-time translation (hello, international teams!)

• Polls and surveys built right in

• Custom branding options

• Automated webinars (record once, use forever)

• Whiteboard functionality

ClickMeeting shines brightest when you need something that can handle both intimate team calls and larger presentations or training sessions. If you're constantly switching between "let's hop on a quick call" and "we're hosting a product demo for 200 people," this is your tool.

Plans start at a reasonable price point for the features you're getting, especially if you're using it for webinars. There's a free trial to test drive everything before committing.

Look, most of us have accepted that conference calls will have some audio issues. But what if they didn't have to?

BT MeetMe with Dolby Voice is a next-generation audio conferencing software designed to provide crystal-clear audio quality for virtual meetings and collaborations. Powered by Dolby Voice, the software offers superior sound quality, eliminating background noise and enhancing speech clarity.

When you use Dolby Voice technology, you're getting audio engineering that was literally designed for movie theaters. That's a different league than "yeah, the audio is pretty good."

The standout features:

• Industry-leading sound quality

• Advanced noise suppression

• Spatial audio that makes it easier to distinguish between speakers

• Enterprise-grade security

BT MeetMe is ideal for organizations where audio quality actually matters—think legal firms recording depositions, healthcare providers doing telemedicine, or creative agencies presenting to high-value clients. If you're trying to close deals or make important decisions over the phone, the audio quality difference is worth it.

This is positioned as an enterprise solution, so expect pricing that reflects that. You're paying for premium audio quality and reliability.

JustCall is the only AI-powered business communication platform that brings calls, texts, email, and WhatsApp together in one place.

Most audio conferencing tools are built for internal meetings. JustCall is built for teams that live on the phone with customers—sales teams, support teams, anyone who needs to actually talk to people outside the company all day long.

Features that sales teams will love:

• Click-to-call from your CRM

• Automatic call logging

• SMS and WhatsApp integration (because not every conversation needs to be a call)

• Call coaching and monitoring

• Real-time analytics on call performance

JustCall is a cloud-based phone system that allows users to manage calls, texts, and integrate with various CRM platforms. Reviewers appreciate the platform's seamless integration with CRM systems, its user-friendly interface, and the ability to manage international calls and texts efficiently.

If you're using HubSpot, Salesforce, Pipedrive, or basically any major CRM, JustCall plays nicely with them.

Plans are structured around how many minutes you need and how many team members you have. There's flexibility here, which is refreshing.

Sometimes you don't need all the bells and whistles. Sometimes you just need a conference call that works.

StartMeeting is an online meeting and conferencing solution which enables screen sharing, audio & video communication between up to 1000 participants. The platform allows users to connect from their web browser, native mobile apps & desktop apps, and integrates with Slack, Google Calendar & Outlook.

StartMeeting doesn't try to be everything to everyone. It focuses on doing the basics really, really well.

What you get:

• Support for up to 1,000 participants (which is way more than most teams need)

• Screen sharing without technical headaches

• Native apps for every platform

• Integration with your calendar so scheduling doesn't suck

• Recording capabilities

This is perfect for teams that want reliable audio conferencing without paying for a bunch of features they'll never use. If your needs are straightforward—connect people on calls, share screens occasionally, record meetings—this gets the job done without overcomplicating things.

One of the more budget-friendly options on this list, especially considering the participant capacity. Great value if you don't need all the advanced AI features and analytics.

Be honest about what you actually need. Are you:

• Running daily team standups?

• Hosting client presentations?

• Conducting sales calls?

• Running webinars and training sessions?

Your use case should drive your decision way more than "what's the cheapest option" or "what does everyone else use."

Audio conferencing tools allow users to organize and attend audio meetings from their mobile phones. This makes the software extremely convenient, even for people at remote locations and with no access to business devices. All you need is a stable internet connection to set up an audio conference call and get going.

If your team is super tech-savvy, you can handle more complex platforms. If you've got people who still struggle with muting themselves, go with something more intuitive.

Does it need to work with your existing tools? You should invest in an audio conferencing system that offers seamless integration for your existing communication requirements. A good option is one that integrates with the most common business communication tools available in the market.

Business owners and team members often exchange sensitive information during audio conference calls. Before finalizing your software purchase, ask the audio conferencing provider whether the collaboration tool allows you to set access permissions for entering a conference room or not. The software should allow you to lock conferences, define audio roles and privileges to prevent snooping, and disengage a specific participant if required. Select an app that offers encryption and centralized IT administration for enhanced security.

This matters way more than most people think, especially if you're discussing anything confidential.

Before you commit to any platform, make sure it has:

✅ HD audio quality (because it's 2025, not 2005)

✅ Mobile app access (for when you're not at your desk)

✅ Screen sharing (it's basically essential at this point)

✅ Call recording (for reference and compliance)

✅ International dial-in numbers (if you have a global team)

✅ Calendar integration (to simplify scheduling)

✅ Participant controls (mute, remove, lock meetings)

✅ Reliable customer support (for when things inevitably go wrong)

The best audio conferencing software in the world won't help if nobody knows how to use it properly. Create simple guidelines:

• Mute when you're not talking

• Use headphones (please, we're begging you)

• Have a backup dial-in number ready

• Test your setup before important calls

Recording is one of the most essential features of an audio conferencing service tool. Make sure you invest in a product that allows you to record unlimited sessions and events in high-quality audio with searchable transcripts. The app should also allow you to pause or restart recordings, save them, and share them with internal and external stakeholders. There are several products available in the market that allow you to polish raw footage before you share it further.

But also—decide when to record. Not every standup needs to be immortalized.

Audio Conferencing tools aid companies that employ people in remote or work from home roles, as well as companies communicating from separate locations. They also simplify the process of making international calls by providing localized dial-in numbers, eliminating the need for international phone plans.

Send clear instructions every time. Include the dial-in number, meeting ID, and a direct link. Make it foolproof.

Use tools that automatically adjust for time zones in calendar invites. Your 3 PM is someone else's 11 PM.

The internet will fail you eventually. Always have alternative dial-in numbers ready.

If someone consistently has bad audio, address it directly. It affects everyone's productivity.

We're moving past basic transcription into AI that can:

• Automatically create action items

• Detect sentiment and engagement

• Provide real-time translation for multiple languages

• Summarize hour-long meetings into key takeaways

The technology that eliminates background noise is getting really good. We're talking about filtering out construction noise, barking dogs, and crying babies while preserving voice quality.

Being able to distinguish where different voices are coming from makes it easier to follow conversations with multiple people—just like in real life.

Here's the thing about audio conferencing software: the "best" tool is the one that actually works for your specific situation.

If you're a sales team that lives in your CRM, JustCall's integrations might be worth their weight in gold. If you're hosting training webinars regularly, ClickMeeting's webinar features suddenly become essential. If audio quality is non-negotiable for your professional services firm, BT MeetMe's Dolby Voice technology justifies the premium.

Don't just pick the tool everyone else is using. Don't automatically go with the cheapest option. And definitely don't overcomplicate things if your needs are simple.

With modern work increasingly hybrid, remote, and distributed across time zones, conference calling matters more than ever. The good news: it's now effortless to get a solution that supports both voice and video group calls without extra hardware or IT overhead.

The best time to improve your audio conferencing setup was probably six months ago. The second-best time is right now—before your next important client call where someone inevitably says "sorry, you're breaking up" fifteen times.

Take advantage of free trials, test things out with your team, and choose something that makes your meetings less painful instead of more. Your team (and your clients) will thank you.

Now get out there and have a conference call that doesn't make you want to throw your laptop out the window. You've got this.