You’re in a video meeting and want to come across just a bit more professional. Maybe add your title, a logo, or just a fun reaction without having to interrupt your meeting. I’ve used Boom for several weeks during my daily Zoom calls and Teams meetings, and can tell you exactly what it’s good at and where you’ll run into issues.
Boom: the company
Boom was developed as a virtual camera app specifically for macOS. The idea behind it is simple: video meetings have become boring and impersonal. Everyone sits in the same little box, with the same background, and if you want to share something you always have to switch between camera and screen.
The makers wanted to change that. Not by putting you in a virtual office or adding weird filters, but by simply giving you more control over how you come across. An overlay with your name and job title. A timer so everyone knows how long the meeting will last. The ability to share your screen while staying on camera yourself.
It’s clearly built by people who spend a lot of time in video meetings themselves. You notice that in the details.
Who is Boom actually for?
Boom is really something for people who regularly present or lead meetings. Think of consultants giving client presentations, trainers organizing online workshops, or team leads running daily standups. If you’re the one sharing the screen and explaining things, you’ll appreciate this.
Also useful for freelancers who want to come across professionally during pitches. That overlay with your name and company logo makes just a bit more of an impression than a standard webcam feed. It shows you pay attention to details.
Who is it less for? If you’re mostly passive in meetings and rarely present, the free version is more than enough. And if you work on Windows: too bad, but this is really only for Mac. Also, if you’re not into extra features and just want to turn on your camera without fuss, then Boom adds little value.
Boom features
Let’s look at what you can do with it. And more importantly: what it gets you in practice.
- Virtual camera for Zoom, Teams and Meet – Boom installs itself as an extra camera option in your system. Open your Zoom or Teams, select “Boom Camera” instead of your normal webcam, and you’re ready. Works with virtually any video app that supports cameras, so also Discord, Whereby, and all those other platforms.
- Customizable overlays (Name, Title, Logo) – This is where it gets interesting. You can add a bar at the bottom of your screen with your name, job title, company name, even your social media handles. Handy for webinars where people don’t know you. You can also place your company logo in a corner. Looks professional without being intrusive.
- Screen sharing with Presenter Overlay (PiP) – Possibly the best feature. Normally you have to choose: either your camera, or your screen. With Boom you can share your screen while you remain visible in a small window. Perfect for presentations where you want people to see how you react while you go through slides. You can determine the position and size of that window yourself.
- Live reactions with GIFs and stickers – During a meeting you can make a reaction fly across your screen with the push of a button. A thumbs up, applause, a heart. Might sound childish, but in practice it works well to quickly give feedback without interrupting someone. Especially in larger meetings where not everyone gets to speak.
- Meeting timers and progress bars – Put up a timer that’s visible to everyone. “5 minutes left for this session.” Keeps meetings sharp and prevents you from running over. You can use the progress bar when you’re going through an agenda: “We’re now at item 3 of 5.” Small things that provide structure.
- CamOff posters for when the camera is off – Need to turn off your camera for a moment? Instead of a black screen you can show a custom image. “Be right back” or “Listening in” with your logo on it. Looks neater than an empty box.
That Presenter Overlay deserves some extra attention. I use it mainly during demos and trainings. You share your screen, walk through a presentation or show software, and stay on camera yourself. That maintains the connection with your audience. People see your face, your gestures, your reactions. It feels more personal than just a voice with slides.
You can choose where to place yourself. Bottom right, bottom left, or somewhere else where it doesn’t get in the way. And you adjust the size with a slider. Simple, but effective. It saves you from having to work with OBS or other complex streaming software to make this happen.
Boom pricing
There’s a free version you can just keep using. It gives you access to basic overlays and a limited number of themes. For many people, that’s enough. You can add your name and title, use some reactions, and the basic Presenter Overlay works too.
Want more? Then the Pro version costs $ 10,99 per month. Or you pay annually $ 110,99, which comes to $ 9,16 per month. That saves about 17% compared to paying monthly.
With Pro you get all themes, advanced presentation modes, and more customization options for your overlays. Honestly: if you want to use Boom seriously for presentations or client contact, you need that Pro version. The free version feels a bit limited if you work with it daily.
Is it worth it? That depends on how often you present. Do you give weekly trainings or pitches? Then you’ll easily make back that $ 9 per month in professionalism. Are you occasionally in a meeting where you don’t say anything anyway? Then no.
Compared to alternatives like Mmhmm (which has similar pricing) or OBS Studio (which is free but much more complex), Boom is in the mid-range price-wise. You’re paying for ease of use and a polished experience.
What should you watch out for?
First of all: this only works on macOS. Do you have a Windows laptop? Too bad. That’s a significant limitation, especially in corporate environments where many people work on Windows.
The free version is really basic. You get a preview of what’s possible, but many features are behind the paywall. Those “limited themes” means in practice that you can choose from three options instead of twenty. And that advanced presentation mode they talk about? You won’t even see it in the free version.
What I also encountered: sometimes it feels like an extra layer between you and your camera. If you’re used to just turning on your webcam and going, now you first have to start Boom, choose the right settings, and select the Boom Camera in your meeting app. You get used to it, but it is an extra step.
And then the overlays. They look neat, but the customization options are more limited than you’d expect. Want to use a specific font that matches your brand identity? Out of luck. Want to place the overlay exactly in a certain spot that’s not in the presets? Also difficult. It’s more “choose from these options” than “build exactly what you want”.
Small frustration: the reactions are fun, but you can’t add your own GIFs or stickers. You’re stuck with what Boom offers. For some company cultures or specific audiences, that might not fit.
What do others think?
Overall, users are positive. Especially that Presenter Overlay is often mentioned as a favorite. People appreciate that you can finally share your screen without disappearing from view. That was really a gap in standard video apps.
The interface also gets compliments. It’s not cluttered, you quickly find what you’re looking for, and it works intuitively. That’s important when you want to quickly set something up two minutes before a meeting.
But there are also complaints. Especially about the pricing structure. Some users find it confusing that there are separate licenses for different platforms, and that the mobile version requires a subscription while the desktop version can also be a one-time purchase. That’s not entirely accurate anymore, by the way, but the confusion persists.
A recurring complaint: the limited customization options. People want more control over how things look. More fonts, more positions, more colors. Boom offers choices, but not infinitely many.
And then there are users who report performance issues. On older Macs, Boom can sometimes stutter or heavily burden your CPU. Not for everyone, but it does happen. If you have a Mac that’s a few years old, test the free version first before you pay.
Boom alternatives
Boom is not the only option. Also check out these alternatives:
- Mmhmm – Similar features with a different interface and pricing structure. Mmhmm places more emphasis on working with slides and presentations that you create within the app itself. Choose this if you’re looking for an alternative with a strong focus on presentations and slides, and you’re willing to build your presentations within their platform.
- OBS Studio – Free and open-source, but significantly more complex. OBS gives you complete control over your stream, with unlimited customization options. Choose this if you want complete control over your stream and have technical knowledge. The learning curve is steeper, but the possibilities are endless.
- Camo – This primarily focuses on using your phone as a webcam. Your iPhone’s camera is often better than your laptop’s. Choose this if you want to use your smartphone’s camera for higher image quality, and don’t find Boom’s overlay features as important.
Frequently asked questions
Does Boom have access to my meetings?
No, and that’s important. All video processing happens locally on your Mac. Boom doesn’t send anything to their servers. They have no access to your audio, video, or information about who’s in your meeting. It works as a filter between your camera and your video app, but everything stays on your computer.
Does Boom work with all video apps?
With most of them, yes. Boom installs itself as a virtual camera in macOS. Any app that can select cameras can therefore use Boom. That means it works with Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, Discord, Slack, and virtually all other platforms. Sometimes you do need to select the Boom Camera in that app’s settings instead of your default webcam.
Why is my video mirrored?
That’s default behavior. Boom shows you a mirrored image, like you see yourself in a mirror. That feels more natural when you’re looking at yourself. But what your audience sees is not mirrored – that’s the correct image. So don’t worry that text on your shirt is backwards for others. Only you see it mirrored.
Conclusion
Boom does what it promises: it makes your video meetings more professional without requiring you to get a technical degree. That Presenter Overlay alone is worth it if you present regularly. Finally you can share your screen without disappearing from view.
Is it perfect? No. It only works on Mac, the free version is limited, and you can’t customize everything down to the last detail. But for the target audience – people who regularly lead meetings or give presentations – it solves real problems.
My advice: download the free version and test it for a week during your normal meetings. Notice that you’re missing the Pro features? Then that $ 9 per month is a reasonable investment. Only using the basic overlays and find it fine that way? Then stay free.
For me personally: I mainly use it for client presentations and trainings. Then I want to look just a bit more professional and that Presenter Overlay has become indispensable. For standard team meetings I don’t even turn it on. That does indicate who this is really meant for: not for everyone, but for those who need it, it works excellently.