Around vs Basecamp

Around was a video calling app designed for teams that collaborate in short, frequent sessions rather than long scheduled meetings. Instead of a full-screen grid, participants appeared as small floating heads on top of whatever app you were working in, so a call could run alongside a design file, code editor or whiteboard. Miro acquired Around in 2022, and the standalone Around app was shut down on March 31, 2025.

The experience centered on audio quality and low friction: AI noise and echo cancellation let people join from open offices or cafés without headsets, and auto-framing kept faces centered in the bubbles. Calls started from shareable room links, several people could share screens at the same time, and reactions and chat covered quick feedback. After the acquisition Around was offered free, and before the shutdown Miro moved its ideas into Video Calls inside Miro boards, which keep an Around-like floating mode and echo prevention.

Today Around is relevant mainly as a reference point: teams that relied on it need a replacement, and recordings could only be downloaded before the closure date. Miro users get the closest experience in Miro Video Calls; Tuple targets pair programming specifically; Slack huddles cover lightweight audio for teams already in Slack; and Zoom and Google Meet remain the default for scheduled meetings. Do not plan new work around the Around app, since it is no longer available for sign-up or use.

Basecamp is the project management and team communication tool made by 37signals, the Chicago company founded by Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson. It is deliberately opinionated: every project gets the same toolkit of a message board, to-do lists, a schedule, docs and files, a Campfire group chat and automatic check-ins, so people always know where to find things and work stays in writing instead of scattered across chat and email.

Beyond the basics, Hill Charts show how far each piece of work has moved from figuring it out to getting it done, Lineup puts all projects on one timeline, Card Table adds a kanban board, and Timesheets track hours. Clients can be invited into projects with fine control over what they see. Pricing is flat rather than per user: a free plan covers one project, paid Freelancer, Studio and Pro plans are capped by active projects, and Unlimited covers unlimited projects and users at one fixed price, which becomes one of the cheapest options in the market once a company passes roughly twenty people.

Basecamp suits agencies, remote companies and small businesses that value calm, asynchronous communication and simple accountability. It intentionally leaves out Gantt dependencies, custom fields, resource planning and deep reporting, and its integration catalogue is thin. Asana and monday.com are better for structured planning and automations, ClickUp for teams that want every feature in one place, and Linear or Jira for engineering workflows.