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The best virtual event platforms: Review and comparison of top-rated software

Mar 9, 2023

Have you come up with some great ideas for your online conference , and you've even approached potential guests to speak at the event. They're showing an enthusiasm, and so are the people who are involved!

But hang on, what is the best thing about the online event platform you'd choose to use for hosting your online gathering?

Tough call? The truth is that regardless of the many options available, it can be challenging to choose a system that is fulfilling all your expectations while offering attendees a remarkable (and free of errors) occasion experience.

Thankfully though, there are tools with friendly customer support teams that can help you create your perfect virtual event , whether it a multi-day conference as well as a live-streamed training session or webinar. You only need to find that gem.

In this article, we'll guide you through the process while I go through the six best platforms for virtual events. They are all are based on a small sample of these programs and going through the many reviews of third-party reviewers for these software platforms.

Now, let's dig deep:

In this article

What are the things to look out for when choosing an online conference platform

Before we get into the most effective platforms to host online events, let's review what is a desirable software for hosting events online by reviewing must-have capabilities.

Bookmark this page so that you can refer to this checklist of options when selecting your ideal virtual event platform:

 Plenty of useful and straightforward integrations

Integrations with CRMs as well as email programs, for example, are crucial for sending personalized event invites and converting attendees to loyal customers.

 Intelligent UX

A user-friendly interface makes it simple for you to navigate the software to explore its capabilities, and get the maximum benefit out of it. It also means you can get the platform functioning on your own -with no assistance from an outside source.

 Stream quality

Your event's audio and video quality can directly affect the guests' experiences, causing people to remain until the conclusion. Be sure that the program you select has HD quality streaming, comes with no issues with performance, and allows you to download the content in high-quality.

 Robust analytics

 Tools for engaging with the audience dynamically

Polls, quizzes as well as Q&As are vital instruments for engaging your visitors and to improve their experience. The platform you select should offer these tools alongside the ability to create breakout spaces to promote attendee-to-attendee networking.

 Proactive customer support

Finally, make sure that the software's customer support is fast and responsive to any queries you may have. One way to gauge the quality of support offered by the team is to inquire about the tool pre-purchase and during the free trial. The way their answer the questions you ask them will tell you a lot about the way they treat the customers and their potential customers.

Six of the best online platform for event planning (based on extensive reviews and user testimonials)

Now for a an overview of the most popular conference websites:

With every tool, I've shared its core functionality as well as who the tool is best for and where it can win, and its cons based on what its customers have to say on websites like G2 and Gartner.

Let's go.

1. Events

 Events is an easy-to-use, browser-based virtual event platform ideal for event planners with some level of experience hosting virtual events.

You, your guest speakers and attendees do not require any other software to set up or create an event .

Pros

  • Events can assist you in your process of creating and promoting your event. Integrate the platform with your CRM and marketing email software, to build personalized registration forms. It also allows you to email invitations for events that are automated, event confirmation and reminder emails, as well as engage attendees after the event.
  • Provides sophisticated analytics that can help you develop your event's marketing plan. Once the event wraps, gives you detailed event- and viewer-level analytics that reveal who came to the event the event, what they watched and engaged during the event.
  • It helps you design a custom user experience. Drag-and-drop the interface to include full-screen images, lower thirds to intro speakers, and custom branding.
  • It gives you the video editing and hosting tools to reuse event-related content. You can trim, edit chapters, edit, or improve your event video and upload to various channels for marketing.

 Cons

  • Not designed for internal meetings like Zoom and similar software for meetings are. Events is more suitable for virtual meetings, webinars, town halls, and so on.
  • Events is a relatively new virtual experience platform for events, therefore it isn't able to boast the same name recognition like the well-established players within the field.

2. Zoom

Most well-known for its one-on-one meetings, Zoom lets you host online events too. It's perfect for those who create and small business marketers who want to monetize online occasions.

 Pros

  • There are plenty of ways to engage attendees and let participants interact and your sponsors.
  • Making and preparing the webinar on Zoom is straightforward and is especially so for users already familiar with the tool.

 Cons

  • Average video quality. Where HD video quality (1080p) is standard, Zoom offers 720p for up to two attendees in the same conference. It is necessary to pay more to host events online in HD video.
  • Participating in a virtual meeting hosted with Zoom doesn't come as a seamless experience. The best option for those who are new to the app is to arrive five minutes earlier to download and install the software. Event organizers will find this results in poor attendance.
  • Zoom is costly for hosting events with large audiences which makes it unsuitable for scalability of events on this platform.
  • Insufficient control options for hosts. Zoom offers no way for hosts to moderate chat comments at will which is something you have to be mindful of for public events.

 Pricing

Zoom's price is contingent on the number of attendees who attend the event. To give you a rough idea, pricing for a 100-people event is $990 annually.

 Learn more details about Zoom

3. Hopin

Hopin lets event marketers throughout the globe host as many people as they want. Similar to Zoom, its pricing depends on the number of participants that can be costly to scale up on this platform. But where it wins over Zoom is the ability to provide features for moderators of comments.

 Pros

  • Hopin has the branding studio, so that you can personalize your event registration page and virtual location for your event.
  • Moderates the sound and makes it simple for many speakers to be joined.
  • It comes with a mobile application which allows guests and speakers can join and engage via their smartphones.

 Cons

  • Event analytics aren't in-depth.
  • There aren't any tools available to repurpose and reuse the content of your virtual events.
  • Some users have complained about video and audio performance problems at events held by Hopin. One user even writes, "I don't like the performance issues that arise with audio or video. If you don't have an internet connection experience some lag problems. It's not the case with alternatives to the solution."

 Pricing

A free option is available that allows an administrator to host 2-hour long events for up to 100 attendees. For more, pricing plans can be locked.

4. GoTo Webinar

GoTo Webinar works best for creators and small businesses hosting small events that can accommodate that can accommodate up to 3,000 participants that is lower than the services that Hopin or Zoom provide.

It's also an excellent option to solo-business owners and creators conducting paid training workshops because GoTo Webinar directly connects with Stripe and allows you to receive payments.

Pros

  • GoTo Webinar offers audience engagement instruments, such as polls and questions. Hosts can also draw on the display.
  • Multi-presenter mode in webinars allows at least six presenters the ability to present.

Cons

  • The user interface is outdated and some users have reported that it can take some time to master GoToWebinar.
  • People complain about performance issues when the attendee count goes over 1,000 attendees. Some reviews complain of audio quality issues, too.
  • Certain functions, like files sharing can be slow. Certain features are difficult to find or confusing to use.

 Pricing

The trial period is 7 days and free that is available. All the rest is paid with pricing starting at $49 for each organizer month (for hosting 250 participants).

5. Cvent

Cvent is most suitable for enterprise marketers hosting in-person events such as trade exhibitions, thanks to their check-in facility.

Contrary to other conference websites however, this platform is not well-liked in the eyes of users hosting virtual meetings.

 Pros

  • Cvent provides onsite check-in as well as the software for badging that prints participants pictures upon arrival. Some users logged complaints on third-party review sites saying the tool printing the wrong photos.
  • Gives you multiple integrations to join your technology stack and improve the process.
  • Comes with the standard audience engagement tools along with AI-powered recommendations for networking, as well as gaming.

 Cons

  • The interface for users is old.
  • Poor customer support and limited training resources/documentation, which aggravates the steep learning curve, making it challenging to start and get the most value from the platform
  • There are a few ways to personalize the branding of your company, gain access to analytics and access instant chat

 Pricing

Prices are based on your needs, so you should request a quote for an idea of the amount Cvent will cost you.

6. On24

On24 is a virtual event platform for marketing professionals who want to host webinars or multi-session events.

 Pros

  • Proactive customer support team.
  • This tool can automate a lot of things. It also offers integrations that ensure that your marketing and sales teams.

 Cons

  • A few layouts for content are available, which limit your choices to customize your events online the registration and login pages.
  • The interface for users is not user-friendly, and the editor being a code editor. This adds to the process of learning.
  • No option to pre-create your event online. That means that you'll need make a choice between audience participation and to make sure the show's functioning smoothly while you host at the speed of light. The reviewer writes, "I would love to have the ability to create a storyboard for my webinar and control the screen's content and where they appear on the tile of media, make lower thirds on the video, insert people into the webinar before removing them or off-screen, etc."  8  ________________

 Pricing

The website of On24 doesn't provide any pricing. People who are interested should obtain a quotation.

FAQs

Within the FAQs, don't address the issue straight away; include links to relevant piece of internal content (as applicable) in order to increase click-through.

Which one should I pick for a virtual event platform?

Analyze your company's needs, including your budget, how large an event you're planning to organize, and the many virtual events you want to host. Then choose a virtual event platform that is not just a good fit for your budget but is also easy to use, offers in-depth analytics, audience interaction tools, streaming of high-quality and a myriad of other integrations.

How do I make my virtual event more interactive?

What are the top virtual event platforms out there in the present?

Events, Hopin, Zoom, and GoToWebinar are some of the most popular event platforms you can test. Each has positives and negatives. Decide based on your budget as well as your specific needs for the event.

Which virtual event platform will work best for you?

The best virtual events platform will be one that is able to meet the needs of your company in the best way. This includes:

  • The size of your attendee
  • Use cases (how how much you intend to utilize virtual events in marketing and sales as well as whether you offer paid workshops)
  • How much time you've spent learning to utilize a new tool
  • What is the amount you'll need to increase the size of your platform (you don't want the platform to be a part of your budget when you expand)

There are a few software options that offer poor-quality streaming with outdated UX. Other software have a long process of learning, and their prices can be expensive when hosting large audiences.

This is an area in which Events excels. Events offers lots of options for customization, streaming that is high-quality and a simple user interface. Additionally, it plays an important part in recycling material from events that it hosts, helping you drive the most profit from your work.