Communication

Best Apps Like Around (2026)

Tiny, floating video windows that stay out of your way while you work.

Why People Look for Around Alternatives

Around crops video to just your face, keeping the interface minimal and unobtrusive
Automatic noise cancellation works without manual configuration
Integrates with Slack, Notion, and Linear for in-context calls
Low CPU usage compared to heavier video conferencing tools

6 Best Alternatives to Around

Each app below addresses a specific gap in Around's offering. We picked them based on real user review patterns and feature differentiation.

Tandem

Virtual office with always-on presence

Tandem lets teammates see who is available and jump into audio or video instantly, simulating an open office.

Remote teams wanting ambient presence Free tier; paid from $10/user/month
Explore Tandem data →

Gather

Virtual office with spatial video chat

Gather uses a 2D map metaphor so conversations happen naturally when avatars are near each other.

Teams that want an office-like social layer Free up to 25 users; paid from $7/user/month
Explore Gather data →

Tuple

High-quality pair programming screen share

Tuple is built for developers who need low-latency remote control and crisp screen sharing during pair programming sessions.

Engineering pairs doing deep collaborative coding From $35/user/month
Explore Tuple data →

Zoom

Industry-standard video conferencing

Zoom offers reliable video meetings with large participant counts, breakout rooms, and extensive integrations.

All-purpose meetings and webinars Free tier; paid from $15.99/user/month
Explore Zoom data →

Loom

Async video messaging

Loom lets you record short video messages to replace synchronous meetings, reducing interruptions.

Teams preferring async communication Free tier; paid from $12.50/user/month
Explore Loom data →

Google Meet

Video meetings built into Google Workspace

Google Meet provides no-download browser-based video calls tightly integrated with Calendar and Gmail.

Google Workspace users Free with Google account; Workspace from $6/user/month
Explore Google Meet data →
How we found these alternatives

Around gained traction among remote teams who found Zoom meetings too disruptive to deep work.

Frequently Asked Questions

Around shut down in 2023. Teams looking for a similar lightweight call experience often move to Tuple, Tandem, or Screen.so.

Around used a floating circular video window cropped to your face, used far less CPU, and was designed to stay visible while you worked in other apps.

Krisp (standalone) leads on noise cancellation. Among full video tools, Microsoft Teams and Zoom both offer AI-based noise suppression comparable to what Around provided natively.

App Vulture analyzes App Store ratings, update frequency, and review sentiment to surface tools that are actively maintained and well-regarded by users.

Browse More App Alternatives

Tool Comparisons

Discover your next favorite app

App Vulture analyzes real app store reviews to find market opportunities, underserved niches, and hidden gems.