Video Tools for Online Readings

Zoom's free plan has no time limit on 1:1 calls. That fact alone resolves the tool choice for most solo practitioners doing individual readings - you can run 90-minute natal chart consultations on the free tier indefinitely. Video tools for online readings only get complicated when you need group sessions, custom branding, or recorded replays for clients.

All prices as of mid-2026. Verify current before committing.

Comparison Table

Tool	Free Tier	Paid From	Max Attendees (entry paid)	Time Limit	Download Required
Zoom	40-min limit (groups), unlimited 1:1	$13.33/mo (annual)	100	30 hrs (Pro)	Yes
Whereby Meetings	4 attendees, 30-min	$10.99/mo/host	100 (Pro)	Unlimited	No
Whereby Embedded	Limited API	$9.99/mo	Customizable	Unlimited	No
Google Meet	Restricted (requires Workspace)	~€3.40/mo (EU)	150 (Business Starter)	Limited	No
Skype	Free, up to 100	N/A	100	Unlimited	Yes (verify current)

Zoom

Zoom's free Basic plan has a hard 40-minute cap on meetings with three or more participants. For 1:1 readings - one practitioner, one client - the 40-minute cap does not apply. You can run unlimited 1:1 calls of any length for free.

For group workshops, the 40-minute cap becomes a real problem. You can't run a 2-hour New Moon circle on the free plan without repeatedly ending and restarting the call - which kills the session flow.

- Free (Basic): Unlimited 1:1, 40-min limit on groups (3+ people), 100 participants, local recording
- Pro: $13.33/user/month (annual) or $16.99/month (monthly) - no time limit, 30-hour meeting maximum, 5GB cloud storage, 100 participants

Zoom's main advantage isn't the software - it's that your clients already have it. The friction of getting a first-time client onto a new video platform is real and often underestimated.

Source: meetgeek.ai/blog/zoom-price-plans (2026); stackscored.com/pricing/video-conferencing/zoom (2026).

Whereby Meetings

Whereby's single biggest practical advantage: clients join from a browser. No download, no account creation. For clients who are less tech-comfortable - a real consideration in the spiritual services space, where demographic skews older than tech-first platforms - that friction reduction matters.

- Free: 1 host, up to 4 attendees, 30-minute meeting limit, permanent room link
- Pro: $10.99/month/host - 1 host, up to 100 attendees, unlimited duration, custom branding, unlimited recording
- Business: $13.99/month/host (minimum 3 hosts required) - 200 attendees, shared rooms, custom subdomain
- Annual billing saves 17%.

The 30-minute free cap is a real limitation. A standard tarot reading runs 45-60 minutes. You need Pro ($10.99/month) the moment you're running paid sessions of any normal length.

Calendly integration with Whereby is less automated than with Zoom. Zoom generates meeting links natively inside Calendly bookings; Whereby requires manual link sharing or a workaround.

Source: whereby.com/information/meetings/pricing (fetched directly, 2026-06-21).

Whereby Embedded

A separate product from Whereby Meetings. This is an API for embedding a video call room directly inside your website - a client visits your booking page and connects without leaving your site.

- Explore: Free (limited API usage)
- Build: $9.99/month
- Grow: Custom pricing

For practitioners who want the consultation experience fully inside their own branded website rather than inside a Whereby or Zoom interface, this is the right tool. It's a meaningful UX upgrade but requires some technical setup.

Source: whereby.com/information/embedded/pricing (2026).

Google Meet

As of June 2026, Google Meet no longer has a standalone free plan separate from Google Workspace. Free Google accounts get limited Meet functionality, but the specifics shift - verify current limits at meet.google.com before building a workflow around it.

Google Workspace pricing in Europe starts around €3.40/month (Business Starter) and €6.80/month (Business Standard). US pricing differs - check workspace.google.com/pricing.

The main reason to use Google Meet over Zoom: Google Calendar integration is seamless. If your booking system or practice management is calendar-based and already lives in Google, Meet links generate automatically inside Calendar events. That's a real convenience reduction for practitioners embedded in the Google ecosystem.

Source: comparetiers.com/blog/zoom-vs-google-meet-pricing (2026).

Skype

Skype is free for up to 100 participants with no time limit on calls. It requires a download and an account. Adoption has declined significantly since Zoom became dominant - many clients no longer have it installed, which adds friction to first-time sessions. Verify current feature set at skype.com before building around it; Microsoft's roadmap for Skype has been publicly uncertain.

Practical Recommendations

Solo 1:1 readings only: Zoom free tier. No time limit on 1:1, and clients already have it.

1:1 readings but want browser-based client experience: Whereby Pro at $10.99/month. More professional for clients who struggle with downloads.

Group workshops or circles (3+ people): Zoom Pro at $13.33/month. Most cost-effective option with the largest client familiarity baseline.

Embedded reading room on your own website: Whereby Embedded Build at $9.99/month.

Already in the Google ecosystem: Google Meet via Workspace if the calendar integration justifies the plan cost.