The event technology industry has had a massive boom, with around a thousand percent growth in the last two years. However, in the coming years, 2023 and beyond will encounter massive challenges with the growing demand for virtual events. However, tech companies and planners still have a chance to expand growth opportunities by partnering with the best virtual conference platforms.
In recent research, it was found that over eighty-eight percent of event profs hosted one virtual event in 2021. Over twenty-eight percent of event profs hosted over ten virtual events in the same year. And although it has now become safer to host in-person events, the survey found that over ninety-five percent of event profs will continue hosting virtual events as part of their event strategy.
Virtual conferencing is the most cost-effective and interactive way to network and connect with the target audience when combined with professional event organizers. Gladly, with the demand for virtual and hybrid events, many virtual event platforms have taken tasks on their shoulders.
Best Virtual Conference Platforms To Look Out For in 2023
Following are the best virtual conference platforms that offer a mesmerizing online environment for your audience and help with knowledge sharing and unlimited networking opportunities.
1. vFairs: Best Virtual Conference Platform
If you are even slightly familiar with the virtual conference and management world, you must have heard about vFairs. vFairs is a leading virtual and hybrid events platform around the globe.
The company offers a wide range of event management solutions. The platform has maintained a 4.7/5 star rating with over 12,500 reviews from its satisfied customers. vFairs is one of the most successful virtual conference platforms out there. Virtual conferences with vFairs allow attendees from around the globe to connect with each other and maximize knowledge-sharing and networking opportunities.
Advanced Virtual Conference Features by vFairs
Organizing and executing a virtual event is not an easy game to play. However, finding the best virtual conference platforms for your events can tone down the hurdles.
The exceptional team of professionals at vFairs not only offers 24/7 customer service but with dedicated project managers, all the event duties are under control.
With vFairs virtual conference solution, you can provide attendees and sponsors a platform to share new ideas and spark interesting conversations. The platform offers unlimited advanced networking features with its virtual conference solution, which helps reach a greater audience without having to travel.
From featuring intuitive 3D virtual venues to virtual exhibit booths, content-sharing features, networking features, and much more, vFairs is filling up its customers with endless advanced event features!
To help you further understand how vFairs works, here are a few of the virtual event platform’s key features.
Dynamic Virtual Environment
In order to grab a diverse audience for your virtual conference you have to make sure that the virtual environment that you offer has the power to appeal to the audience. The more attractive and interactive your virtual environment is the higher your engagement and registration rate will be at your event.
The easy way to accomplish this mission is by partnering with the best virtual conference platforms like vFairs. vFairs not only offers a dynamic environment but offers the right sort of virtual environment designs to capture your attendee’s attention.
The popular online virtual platform offers the best virtual environment with its animated 3D lobby. You can keep your attendees super engaged by replicating real-life venues in the digital world. vFairs lets you choose your preferred exhibit halls, booth design, and auditorium.
Chat & Networking
After educational purposes, networking is the biggest reason why attendees participate in a virtual conference. To boost your virtual event success you have to invest in chat and networking features.
To help your attendees and exhibitors develop strong relationships in their industry, vFairs offers a plethora of networking features.vFairs allows attendees to connect through video, audio, and text chat. Attendees can also use matchmaking tools to build a better and stronger connection with people of similar interests.
Furthermore, breakout rooms, profile search capabilities, meeting schedulers, chat transcript, and more.
There is so much more to explore with vFairs networking features. If you are interested, click here to learn about the networking features we offer.
Advanced Engagement Features
Once you have decided to opt for the virtual event, you must ensure the event has everything to keep the audience engaged. vFairs offers a large list of engagement features that helps in making even the most tedious webinar an interesting virtual event.
Keeping an audience active in a virtual event can be challenging. The platform lets you boost participation through Q&As and polls during the live event. You can also gamify your conference and set up push notifications and in-event alerts.
Moreover, realistic 3D designs for visualization, polls, trivia, quizzes, multiple presentation options, and video platform integrations are also in the widely-ranging engagement features list.
Event Reporting
Once you have highly detailed metrics and statistics in hand for your event you can evaluate success and gauge the behavior of your attendees. To get real-time updates on how your virtual event is performing, you need to book your event with vFairs.
vFairs reporting features let you receive real-time metrics such as how many people have joined the conference, webinar reviews, and booth visits. The real-time reporting of your event not only helps you determine the ROI of the event but also helps with future marketing practices.
You can also download chat logs and transcripts of your event with reporting features. The reporting tools are hands-on with tracking audience behavior and delivering insights from post-event reports.
5-Star Customer Support
A virtual event equipped with all the best virtual conference platform features is amazing but only if it’s supported with top-notch customer service. When hosting a virtual event, being left high and dry is the last thing you want. Therefore, joining hands with vFairs not only helps you with advanced virtual conference features but also comes with 24/7 customer service.
Apart from 24/7 global support, vFairs offers a dedicated project team for your event. The virtual event platform provides live technical support and experienced end-to-end project support to ensure your events take off and finish smoothly.
Smooth Integrations
One of the best parts about joining hands with one of the best virtual conference platforms – vFairs – is the seamless integrations that it offers. You can integrate a large number of apps into your virtual conference.
CRM and Sales automation apps like HubSpot, Marketo, SalesForce, Oracle, and Zapier are partnering with vFairs for smooth integration. Integrations enhance the event experience for you, your sensors, and your exhibitors.
Moreover, conference and video streaming tools like Zoom, Vimeo, WebEx, YouTube, and ReStream also help with seamless video interaction in your virtual conference.
vFairs Pricing
Unlike some of the major virtual conference platforms that overcharge customers for increasing attendee count, vFairs offers unlimited event registration. Not only this but vFairs transparent pricing policies allows customers to get a customized quote for their event. It means that you can adjust the pricing of your event depending on the features you want.
You can also get a free personalized demo of all vFairs features and choose the best ones for your event. With vFairs you can gain access to shareable product presentations, industry-specific testimonials, and references.
By now, you must have generated interest in vFairs. We recommend you not wait around since almost every business is looking for the best virtual event platforms and no one wants to miss out on a platform that offers unlimited attendee count! To get a custom quote from vFairs, you can contact the vFairs team now!
Reviews on G2
Here is what customers have to say about vFairs:
2. WebinarJam
WebinarJam is a cloud-based solution that creates and conducts webinar sessions for businesses. The software also helps with live streaming on Youtube and Facebook. However, with the world leading towards engaging in high-quality virtual events, WebinarJam is still an ‘only-webinar solution’.
WebinarJam lets you reach 5000 people in one presentation. The platform also helps with advanced webinar solutions such as automated webinars, scheduling replays, streaming, and more. However, unlike other best virtual conference platforms, WebinarJam has a slight learning curve.
Unfortunately, even after restricting its features to webinars only, WebinarJam still does not offer the option to host an automated webinar.
WebinarJam Features
WebinarJam carries a 3.7 out of 5-star rating on G2, but does offer a few features that can amplify attendee engagement. The following are the features:
HD Feature
With WebinarJam you can share a PowerPoint presentation or anything in between in high-definition and high-quality video. WebinarJam HD video and audio features are applicable to all devices including desktops, laptops, tablets, or phone.
WebinarJam allows you to broadcast events through private webinar rooms. Moreover, specific features from WebinarJam are noteworthy. For instance, WebinarJam offers live features like the panic button, attendee spotlight, and always-on space available for users.
Even though the platform offers high-tech precision at a good price the experience of this feature still heavily depends upon a strong internet connection. This means that if your internet connection goes down you will have to witness your webinar going downhill.
Automated Webinar
The automated webinar feature lets you set up a webinar in advance. If you want to host an error-free webinar, then automated webinar lets you create a webinar from the beginning until the end without any intervention. However, you can not showcase your hosting skills in an automated webinar solution offered by the platform. Therefore, keeping an audience engaged in your error-free webinar without a host can be a real challenge.
Live Chat
WebinarJam empowers flexible networking options. Live chat, questions, and answers, private comments, highlighted comments, and sticky announcements are some of the features to keep your attendees fully hooked.
Attendee Spotlight
Even though WebinarJam does not offer a widely-ranging networking opportunities to its attendees, its attendee spotlight feature helps participants in accomplishing a sense of purpose in the event. Through this feature hosts can invite attendees to join during presentation. While being put at spot might not be the best thing for an introverted attendee, it can be encouraging for others.
Attendee Count
One of the main features that WebinarJam promotes is its ability to host 4-hour meetings, live tracking, and webinar with a group of attendees of over 5,000 and six presenters. However, platforms like vFairs who offer similar features with unlimited attendee count make this feature somewhat less appealing by comparison.
Customization
Unlike vFairs that offers fully immersive and customizable virtual venues, features and alot more, Webinar Jam software restricts customization to event landing page, mainly focusing on the registration button. The platform allows businesses to customize their landing pages with promotional marketing content, call-to-action buttons, and links.
WebinarJam Pricing
Following are some of the plan and pricing packages by WebinarJam:
- Starter Package: This package includes 1 host, only a 1-hour maximum duration for the virtual conference, and a limit set for $39/mo.
- Basic Package: This package includes 2 hosts, 2 hours maximum duration, and a limit of 500 attendees for $79/mo.
- Professional Package: This package includes 4 hosts, 3 hours maximum duration, and a limit of 2000 attendees for $299/mo.
- Enterprise Package: This package includes 6 hosts, 4 hours maximum duration, and a limit set for 5000 attendees for $379/mo.
Pros & Cons
Pros
“Ease of use when cloning a webinar. What often takes hours with other systems can be done with a couple of clicks in WebinarJam, and that includes the deep integrations between tools.”
Cons
“It allows us to run both live and recorded webinars (EverWebinar) meaning I don’t have to present and everything happens automatically. It allows us to scale our marketing efforts” – Brady P.
“Running a parallel webinar at the same time based on the users, Scheduling the webinar at our desired time even without any live from our end, Record a video as it was live and can broadcast as many times as we are online, creating a specific chat for each webinar.” – Verified User in E-Learning
“I dislike some of the design choices and limitations. I would like to choose some UI colors to match my brand, and I’d like more customization of the reminder emails” – Jonathan T.
3. GoToWebinar
Unlike its sister product, GoToMeeting, GoToWebinar is a whole suite of webinar software products. The platform enables you and your team to connect with clients around the globe.
Although the solution offers crystal clear webinars, it is still far behind to provide a complete virtual conference/event solution to its customers.
Furthermore, the platform supports integrations but lacks in providing a smooth user interface or affordable pricing.
It is safe to say that high pricing with limited features in the platform does not sit well with the customers.
Features of GoToWebinar
With fifty-three thousand customers, GoToWebinar offers a bunch of virtual event features you can choose from.
Flexible Modes
From its flexible webinar modes to powerful data encryption, privacy features, customized dashboard, and easy payment processing, these are GoToWebinar’s flexible features. However, even after advertising its flexible features, customers that have used the platform find the interface hard to learn. No one appreciates the learning curve that comes with new webinar software.
Custom Registration Forms
With GoToWebinar you can create custom registration forms or quizzes to capture registrant info and understand who is coming to your event. However, the platform do not offer additional security features for protection of participants data. This might not sit well with the attendees that do not wnat to compromise on their personal information in a virtual event.
Interactive Features
The software also offers interactive features, insightful analytics, customizable modes, and other factors that help with conducting a smooth webinar session.However, attendees can participate in the session through the hand raise option, the networking opportunities will be limited with the platform. The platform lacks in providing extensive networking features for audience that wants to make the most out of the virtual event opportunity.
GoToWebinar Pricing
Following are the plans and pricing offered by GoToWebinar Jam:
- Lite Package: The package is for $59 and limited to 250 participants.
- Standard Package: This package is for $129 and is limited to 500 participants.
- Pro Package: This package is for $249 and is limited to 1,000 participants.
- Enterprise Package: This package is for $499 and is limited to 3,000 participants.
Pros & Cons
Pros
“Gotowebinar is a very stable platform, which provides a good delegate experience, and is great for organising educational webinars. It provides excellent statistics after an event, and the bulk upload of delegates is a useful feature.” – Verified User in Education Management
Cons
“If you are in start mode, waiting to officially begin the live webinar, you cannot allow the presenter to test the PowerPoint polls, etc. one last time without the audience seeing the screen.”- Lisa C.
“Two things that I dislike about GoTo Webinar are the ability to use break-out session rooms and the ability to have multiple users be the super admins on an account” – Joshua R.
“One thing I dislike that is the chat window user interface is not user-friendly. chat window interface can be more interactive.” – Sukumar S.
4. Livestorm
Similar to WebinarJam and GoToWebinar, Livestorm offers solutions limited to webinars and online meetings.
Only if you are looking for ways to run a simple online meeting or opt for a full-fledged webinar session, then Livestorm can help you run a smooth event. With Livestorm, you can access the solution on multiple devices without affecting your brand design. Although application features can not be compared to a platform that offers only a browser-based solution, your target audience can access webinars using their mobile and desktop regardless of location.
Moreover, even after offering a solution limited to webinars and online meetings, Livestorm poses a limit on attendees count as well.
Features of Livestorm
The top features of Livestorm include on-demand, live, and pre-recorded sessions, end-to-end engagement, dashboard analytics features, and real-time events updates. Here are some more key features of the platform:
Event Automation
You can automate the start and end of the event. You can automatically play a video to offer a live video experience.
Multi-Language Support
Livestorm offers multi-language support. The platform offers support in 24 languages.
Recording Control
You can start, pause and stop recording to focus on what is relevant and what is confidential.
Dial-in Phone
This feature helps limiting the dependency on internet connection. Participants without the internet can dial in through phone in the event.
Attendee Count
With Livestorm you cna host virtual events with attendees upto 3,000. While this might sound fascinating at first but a number best virtual conference platforms like vFairs offers unlimited attendee count applicable to all plans. On the other hand, Livestorm offers 3,000 limit of attendee only for the enterprise plan.
Livestorm Pricing
Following are the plans and pricing offered by the platform:
- Free: The package offers up to 30 active contacts and up to 20 minutes limited webinar sessions.
- Pro: This package includes 100 to 500 active contacts and a duration limited to 4 hours. The package is $88/mo.
- Business and Enterprise: The pricing details are not open to the public.
Pros & Cons
Pros
“Livestorm is very powerful at managing webinars. Great for presenters to control the event, and take over if other have issues. Focused on webinars rather than day to day meeting needs which zoom, teams, meet etc are really focused for.” –Grant K.
Cons
“Each speaker has to turn off the notification SOUND manually (in people/chat views on desktop; in settings on mobile) each time they log in to the event room. That’s quite annoying – I wish we could have the notification sound off 100% of the time.” – Julia Y.
“I wish it way much much easier to find access links to provide for the guest speakers. The HubSpot integration definitely could get way better too. As of now we cannot use Livestorm’s custom object fields in reporting natively. It’s also a bit tough to create workflows that catch on-demand / reply views and ensure each session is unique when there’s many webinars on the go at once.” – Dylan Y.
“The new google docs presentation support would be so cool in normal daily meetings, but the slide support is pretty much useless for a webinar as it can’t enter presentation mode – but all users can edit it live! The login process can be a bit clunky for invited speakers if the event is currently hidden. But in the stuff that matters, it just works so well.” – Grant K.
5. Eventzilla
Eventzilla made it to our list of best virtual conference platforms only for being a help to other virtual conference platforms. Eventzilla is an event registration and ticketing software program. The software allows mobile check-in, email invitations, and other features to assist event organizers.
Surprisingly, even with a single job in hand, which is to cater ticketing and registration needs of event organizers, Eventzilla lacks in providing accuracy in ticket sales information.
Eventzilla Features
Following are some of the key features of the platform:
Scheduling
The feature allows you to schedule multiple speaker sessions. For instance, you can manage an event where the registrants can choose from a range of sessions. Registrants will have a choice to choose the sessions they want to attend.
Check-in
The feature allows hosts with seamless check-ins. It also offers no coding requirement for registration work and more. The platform allows three check-in options; Manual check-in, Scan mode check-in and Check-in through App. However, the platform lacks in providing robust or additional security features. For example, the platform allows attendees to log into the event through their Google Account. On the other hand one of the best virtual conference platforms like vFairs offers 2FA, SSO and other additional security features to make sure only relevant registrants make it to the event.
Event Management
If you are still wondering how Eventzilla benefits your event since it’s not an event organizing or management solution, then here is what it is for. The platform is best suited for agencies and event planners that run multiple events but struggle to find a single registration and ticketing platform. Therefore, if you are in any way dealing with varied events and the struggles it comes with them, Eventzilla can help you with monthly fees or the registration fee process.
Eventzilla Pricing
Based on the details on G2, Eventzilla has segregated its plans and pricing based on the single attendees. Here are the packages:
- Plus Plan for Paid Events: The package stands for 2.9% + $1.50 per registration.
- Basic Plan for Paid Events: The package stands at $1.50 per attendee.
- PRO Plan for Paid Events: The package stands for 1.9% + $1.50 per registration.
Pros & Cons
Here is what customers have to say about Eventzilla on G2:
Pros
“The most interesting thing about this software in my opinion is: having the detailed tracking of sales you can have at an event, having everything in order makes me feel so happy.” – Katty P.
Cons
“There are some vagaries with reporting and some features only available with paid subscriptions or features.” –Verified User in Computer Games
“Some lack of customization tools, extra charges for using any other payment processor besides internal.” – Chris P.
“I would say that Eventzilla can be sort of confusing at first to set up for certain event, or if you’re using it period for the first time. When we have run events without such digitized platforms in the past, knowing what parts to bring online and which to keep the traditional way takes lots of planning.” – Max J.
6. Demio
Demio is a webinar solution that makes it easier for businesses to host, attend and revisit a webinar. Limiting the event purpose to a webinar, Demio lets you join the live webinar without needing to download any software. If you are only looking for a platform to conduct a webinar, then this feature will ease the burden on the part of your audience.
What we found shocking is that the platform offers standard and priority customer support. Unlike the best virtual conference platforms in the list, Demio separates its customer service based on the plans a customer chooses. It would be nice if the platform chose to treat all customers equally, regardless of the plans and pricing.
Features of Demio
Following are some of the key features offered by Demio:
Distraction-free Webinar
If you are looking for ways to host a distraction-free webinar, you need to contact Demio. Demio offers a solid structure to registration, marketing, and promotion features to conduct a practical webinar.
Although Demio focuses on eliminating distraction in its signup form to increase the attendee’s registration, some of its non-flexible features contribute to the opposite. For example, you can not change the registration page layout with Demio. You can also not change the live room layout for attendees. The un-friendly customization leads to a negative impact on the platform. Many event organizers look towards event management solutions that offer high customization and flexibility options.
Attendance Management
Attendance management has become smooth with Demio. It maintains a member database, exporting them to CSV files and checking their registration status.
Networking and Engagement Feature
Networking opportunities and building a better connection with attendees. Further, the platform offers a vibrant event platform to boost audience engagement and helps you upload presentations directly from Demio. However, the dissapointing part is that the replay options of the webinar do not allow questions and answers.
User-friendly Interface
Demio is well-regarded for its critical features like a user-friendly interface, customization option, webinar appearance, and excellent data tracking.
Demio Pricing
Here is how Demio has divided its plans and pricing:
- Starter Package: The package is limited to 1 host and 3-hour session limit. The package costs $34/mo.
- Growth Package: The package is limited to 5 hosts per account and an 8-hour session. The package costs $69/mo.
- Premium Package: This package starts at $250/mo. Further quotation is required.
Pros & Cons
Here is what customers have to say about the platform:
Pros
“This is a great platform to host video content on-demand if you need some really good analytics about time watched on video, etc. It’s easy to use and a great experience for the end user.” Lauren N.
Cons
“The only downside to demio, which I understand they are working on is allowing us to get more detailed analytics on who watched our webinar recordings. Our company is very big on analytics and demio already provides a lot of data from our past webinars, but we are just looking for a little bit more.” – Michael H.
“You can’t delete the logo once you have it uploaded. If you don’t have your logo, which shows very small and has very limited ways to customize the format, Demio’s logo will show up. But there are situations when you embed certain forms and you don’t want the logo at all. There is no ala carte way to get adons. For example, when you want to have an option of an automated event, you have to increase the size of the audience, And that can get very expensive.” – Radek W.
“There are no different rooms for different sessions at one time. Although, they informed me that this feature is in consideration.” – Stilyan M.
7. ClickMeeting
ClickMeeting is a feature-rich webinar and online meeting platform best suited for freelancers and micro-businesses. The platform is hands-on and accommodates a large audience. With its booth, marketing, registration, and networking features, you can host a significant event without any hurdles.
ClickMeeting is another browser-based online meeting platform. As we said above, browser-based platforms are only beneficial when you opt for a simple webinar and do not want to add the burden of downloading on your attendees. Apart from this, browser-based platforms limit the event’s creativity and interactiveness. With a mobile event app, you not only keep your attendees engaged with advanced features but there is so much more you can offer to exhibitors.
Features of ClickMeeting
Following are some of the key features by the platform:
Tool variety
The platform offers basic virtual meeting tools such as creating polls, surveys and screen sharing. While these tools are beneficial for a online meeting, it is not as extensive to reach more attendance for a virtual conference.
Customization
Eventhogh the platform lack immersive customized user experience as vFairs offers, it helps with pre-loaded tempelated and customized call-to-action buttons.
Translation
The feature offers real-time translation into fifty-two different languages.
Engaging Features
Apart from screen sharing, white board, polls & surveys, the platform is not equipped with advanced networking or engaging features for the audience. Even in a large webinar you have to depend upon the basic engagement features with-in the platform i.e a private chat option.
Integration
The platform offers the option to run low stream on Youtube and Facebook.
ClickMeeting Pricing
All the specializations mentioned above come with a heavy price. ClickMeeting’s pricing model does not match the capabilities it offers. So if you are into paying for overpriced webinar solutions, you might want to stick further. Following are the pricing details:
- Live Package: The package is limited to 1 host and costs $25.
- Automated Package: The package is limited to 1 host and costs $40/mo.
- Custom Package: This package is too limited to a single host but the pricing details are customized as per the requirements.
Pros & Cons
Here is what customers of the event software have to say about ClickMeeting on G2:
Pros
“Clickmeeting is almost ideal platform for online education and webinars. If you are a teacher you would love it. There is a dashboard where you can draw, good process for prior upload of presentations, recordings, and control over your audience. Very nice and supersonic support.” – Verified User
Cons
“The scope of the organization’s needs is not advanced enough for us to notice any shortcomings of this tool. At the moment, the topic is developmental.” – Maciej M.
“Meetings were limited to 25 people (including presenters). Presentations uploaded to ClickMeeting server’s memory sometimes lose their quality. Participants can’t turn on a camera during webinar – only presenters can do that.” – Jakub W.
8. Accelevents
Accelevents claims to be an all-in-one virtual and hybrid events platform. The platform aims to empower event organizers and marketing professionals to drive sustainable growth to their events and businesses. Unlike ClickMeeting, Accelevents is best suited for small and medium sizes events. The virtual event platform uses software that lets you host a virtual or hybrid meeting with some interactive features.
Nevertheless, the software offers a browser-based interface and a mobile event app. However, surprisingly, most customers find the desktop version much more compatible with their events than the mobile version. It is primarily because the mobile version does not have all the interactive features that the desktop version offers.
Features of Accelevents
Ticketing and Registrations
With the platform customization options, you can tailor the event ticketing and registration for each event.
Integrations
The top features offered by Accelevents is integrations. You can integrate event management tools like HubSpot and SalesForce into your event.
Custom Events
The platform lets host create custom events. You can design the entire event experience with a customized look and feel for each section.
Live Session
The live session feature is easy to monitor, activating your event hub, segmenting the audience according to demographic, and more.
Accelevents Pricing
Accelevents do not offer pricing transparency which is a factor that can throw customers off the bat. However, here are the pricing details on the website:
- Starter Package: The package starts at $500/event.
- Professional Package: The package starts at $5,000/event.
Pros & Cons
Here is what customers have to say about the platform:
Pros
“While the platform was very easy to navigate, the live chat support and everyone we worked with from the Accelevents team were so helpful and quick with responses.” – Amber S.
Cons
“The JavaScript-based code can sometimes cause a challenge when multiple event managers are looking at working on the same element at time. The last to edit save feature of the asynchronous but automatic saves can create a dueling piano situation for event managers.”-
“We had a period of downtime with their Engage > Send Email feature. It was down for about 2 days. Luckily, it was NOT the two days leading up to our conference.” – Dave F.
“I may have just missed this somewhere, but I didn’t like how there was no formal tutorial on how to set up the platform for our event. There are so many useful tools on the platform that I know we probably missed out on due to simply not being aware that it exists. So a brief tutorial would’ve been helpful. I also wish there was an easier way to give a “test run” of the event without having to go through the process of duplicating it.” – Verified User in Medical Practice
9. Zoom
With limited features, Zoom is still one of the most versatile virtual event platforms. It is a cloud-based video conferencing platform that can also be used for audio conferencing, webinars, meeting recordings, and live chat.
Zoom is primarily used to interact with co-workers when in-person meetings are impossible. The application saw a massive boom during the pandemic days when companies wanted to adapt to the remote working culture quickly. At the same time, Zoom emerged as a powerful tool to keep team members in touch and continue daily workflows.
Zoom is not the best option if you want to conduct a large-scale webinar or virtual event. If you’re going to find the right platform to run a seamless and grand virtual event, then instead of opting for Zoom, you should consider a highly-regarded events platform like vFairs.
Nevertheless, Zoom can work fine for a primary virtual conference.
Features of Zoom
The key features of Zoom include the following:
Build your event
Zoom lets you customize your event through step-by-step event builder guide. Although an event builder guide sounds good it is not as comforting as a dedicated project manager onboard. Unlike vFairs that tops the chart with its customer support, Zoom lacks in providing good customer support even to the users with subscriptions.
Even though Zoom does not disclose the customer support pricing on its website, the platform requires you to pay additional cost for customer support for Access, Premier and Premier+. Paying for customer support always takes us to a shocking end.
Networking
With Zoom your attendees cna build network profile to foster their connection. However, initiating stronger relationships between attendees and exhibitors comes with a price. Zoom lacks in providing security to its attendees who do not want to be a victim of uncalled for activities in a virtual event.
Multiple Reality Rooms
Multiple reality rooms help participants with sharing content in the platform more easily.
A Raise Hand Button
This feature lets participants participate in a online meetings or ask questions without verbally intervening.
Zoom Pricing
Following are how Zoom pricing plans are divided:
- Basic Package: The package is free but with a limit of 100 attendees and 40 minute conference duration.
- PRO Package: This package is for $149.90/year and is limited to 100 attendees.
- Business Package: This package is for $199.90/year and limited to 300 attendees.
- Enterprise: The pricing of this package is not disclosed by Zoom but its attendee count is limited to 1000.
Pros & Cons
Here is what customers have to say about Zoom on G2:
Pros
“It’s an easy to use platform. They’ve taken all the fear of using technology away.Especially for those who didn’t grow up using technology.” – Ruben LC.
Cons
“It requires strong wifi and internet connectivity. If your internet speed goes down, video and sound quality go down, and video freezes sometimes. It is a little disappointing while you are in the middle of presenting or meeting.”- Verified User in Entertainment
“Zoom tends to use a lot of bandwidth, so if my internet is unstable, I have to turn off my camera in order to hear people more clearly. It is not a huge deal. It can just be inconvenient.” – Jamie T.
“Sometimes it crashes or takes too long to load, but that’s usually only when I have multiple applications open at the same time! Overall, I don’t have any issues. I wish you could react to messages in the chat feature, but that’s not a make or break issue.” – Kaitlin H.
10. Cisco Webex/Webex Meetings
Webex is a cloud-based virtual conference platform that made it to our list of best virtual conference platforms and offered various ways to make your event productive and interactive.
The platform lets you host webinars and virtual conferences with over three thousand participants.
Features of Cisco Webex/Webex Meetings
You can access multiple interactive features such as a sponsor exhibition hall, many break-out sessions, and robust data encryption standards. Here are some more features:
End-end Management
With Cisco Webex you can customize your event for a more personalized virtual event experience.
Live stream
Host can create a professional TV like experience
With the Live Stream option.
HD Video and Audio
The feature lets you stream video and audio in HD quality. However, many customers have also complained about experiencing audio issues with the platform.
Easy Content and Screen Sharing
Hosts can easily share content and their screen in an online meeting.
Animated Virtual Backgrounds
Animated virtual backgrounds can keep the audience interested in an online meeting for a longer period of time.
Cisco Webex/Webex Meetings Pricing
The pricing details are not disclosed on Webex by the cisco website.
Pros & Cons
Here is what customers have to say about the platform on G2:
Pros
“The best thing about Webex Meetings is that it allows you to hold high-definition video conferences with others. The clarity of the videos is excellent, and you can customize the video’s layout to suit your needs better. Whether you need to share a presentation or want to communicate with others in real time, Webex Meetings is an ideal solution.” – Marianne C.
Cons
“With every piece of software there comes quirks and bugs. so far, the bugs have been minimal. Had to go down for an Organization transfer/change to put all under one Organization.” – Jeremy S.
“The things that I dislike about Webex are as follows,
Firstly, it’s not user-friendly for me it is hard to use.
I don’t like its paid plans because it is costly and offers fewer features.
Webex’s android app is so bad that I would never use it again.” – Vishvjit S.
“The thing I detest the most about Cisco is how diffcult it seems to use. Some functions are diffcult to grasp, and more customer support would be beneficial.” – jamal u.
FAQs
What is the best platform to host a virtual conference?
If you are looking for the best virtual conference platform to host a virtual, hybrid, or in-person event, then you should consider vFairs.vFairs is a leading virtual and mixed events platform around the globe. The platform has maintained a 4.7/5 star rating with over 12,500 reviews from its satisfied customers.
How do you make virtual conferences more engaging?
To ensure your virtual conference is engaging, you must choose a virtual event platform that offers interactive features. Interactive features include virtual exhibit halls, events gamification, reports & analytics, and more.
What does the platform use for virtual meetings?
You should choose a virtual conference platform that offers seamless software solutions for a successful virtual conference. Unlike traditional virtual conference platforms, vFairs offers mobile app solutions and desktop versions to ensure events are more engaging and purposeful.
What makes a virtual conference successful?
By offering your attendees more networking opportunities, you can aim for success for your virtual conference. For this, you must choose the best virtual conference platform that offers fantastic networking features.
What is the difference between virtual events and webinars?
The virtual conference is more interactive and flexible. Virtual conference deals with a lot of features. On the other hand, webinars are based on single-session where attendees are listening rather than participating.
