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The best virtual event platforms: Comparison and review of top applications

Mar 9, 2023

Have you come up with some great concepts for your virtual conference , and you've even reached out to potential guests to speak at your conference. And they're showing interest, as are the people who are involved!

What do you think about the virtual platforms you'd choose to choose to use for hosting your online gathering?

It's a tough decision? The truth is that despite the variety out there, it can be challenging to choose a system that is meeting all your requirements with the promise of a fantastic (and non-error-prone) occasion experience.

There are, however, platforms with helpful support team members who can assist you to organize your ideal virtual event -- be it a multi-day event as well as a live-streamed training session or even a webinar. It's all you have to do is find this treasure.

In this article, we'll guide you through the process by examining the six best platforms for virtual events. These pros and cons rare from testing just a few of these applications and looking through the many reviews of third-party reviewers on these systems.

Let's dive deep:

In this article

What are the things to look out for when choosing a virtual conference platform

Before we dive into the best platforms for online events, let's define what constitutes a great platform for online events by examining the most important features.

Bookmark this piece so you can reference this list of features when selecting your ideal virtual event platform.

 Plenty of useful and easy integrations

Integrations with CRMs and email software, for example, can be crucial in sending out personalized event invites and converting guests into loyal customers.

 Intelligent UX

A user-friendly interface makes it simple for you to navigate the software to explore its capabilities, and gain the greatest benefit out of it. It also means you can get the platform operating on your own- no outside help needed.

 Stream quality

The audio and video quality will directly affect your guests' experience and encourage people to remain until the conclusion. You must ensure that the application you choose provides HD high-quality streaming and has no issues with performance, and also lets you download content with high-quality.

 Analytics robust and reliable

 Tools for engaging with the audience dynamically

The ability to host polls, games, as well as Q&As are vital methods of engaging with your visitors and to improve the experience of your visitors. The platform you select should offer these tools alongside creating break-out rooms to encourage attendee-to attendee networking.

 Proactive customer service

Lastly, ensure the software's service team is prompt and responsive to any your questions. One way to gauge the software team's helpfulness is to inquire about the program prior to purchasing it as well as during the trial period. The way their answer questions will be a reflection about the way they treat their customers and prospects.

6 best virtual platform for event planning (based on detailed reviews and customer testimonials)

Here is a complete listing of the best conference websites:

With every tool, I've discussed its main features and who is the best user as well as the areas where the tool is successful as well as the cons it has based on what its users have shared on other sites like G2 as well as Gartner.

Let's go.

1. Events

 Events is a simple-to-use, browser-based virtual event platform ideal for event planners with any level of familiarity with hosting digital events.

The speakers you invite to speak at your event, as well as guests as well as your guests don't have to download additional software for setting up or create the event .

Pros

  • Events assists you throughout the event creation and promotion workflow. Connect the platform with your CRM and marketing email software, to build customized registration forms, and create automated invitations to events, event confirmation as well as reminder emails. It also helps nurture engaged attendees post the event.
  • Offers advanced analytics to help you improve your event marketing strategy. After the event is over it provides you with detailed event- and viewer-level analytics that reveal who came to the event, how much they watched and what they did throughout the entire event.
  • Helps you create a branded viewing experience. Use the drag-and-drop interface to add full-screen graphics, lower thirds to intro speakers and customized branding.
  • Gives you the video editing and hosting tools to reuse event-related content. Use to trim, edit chapters, create chapters and improve your event video and upload to various marketing channels.

 Cons

  • Not designed for internal meetings like Zoom or other software for meeting are. Events is better for virtual meetings, webinars, town halls and much more.
  • Events is a relatively new virtual event experience platform, so it doesn't have the same recognition and brand name that the more established companies in this space.

2. Zoom

Best-known for hosting on-one-on meetings, Zoom lets you host digital events as well. It's ideal for creatives as well as small business marketers who want to earn money through virtual occasions.

 Pros

  • It gives you a variety of tools to get attendees engaged and let participants interact and your sponsors.
  • Setting up and creating an online webinar using Zoom is simple particularly for users who are already comfortable with the software.

 Cons

  • Average video quality. When HD video quality (1080p) is standard, Zoom offers 720p for up to two attendees in the same conference. There is a cost to host events online in HD video.
  • Participating in a virtual meeting hosted with Zoom isn't always easy. For new attendees, it's recommended to come in 5 minutes earlier to install and download the software. For event organizers, this can result in a poor experience for attendees.
  • Zoom is costly for hosting events with large audiences which makes it unsuitable to scale events using this technology.
  • There are no control options available to hosts. Zoom does not allow hosts to control chat chats on the fly -- something that you'll need to be mindful of when hosting public events.

 Pricing

The pricing of Zoom is based on the number of attendees who attend the event. To give you an estimate, the cost for a 100-people event begins at $990 for a year.

 Find out More about Zoom

3. Hopin

Hopin allows event organizers across the board organize as many attendees as they want. Like Zoom, its pricing depends on the amount of guests, which can make it expensive to expand on this platform. However, where it is superior to Zoom is that it offers the ability to moderate comments.

 Pros

  • Hopin provides the branding studio, so that you can customize your online registration form and event venue.
  • Moderates the sound and makes it easy for multiple speakers to join.
  • Includes a mobile-friendly app to allow guests speakers and participants are able to interact and join from their mobile devices.

 Cons

  • Events analytics aren't as thorough.
  • There are no tools for repurposing and reusing the content of your virtual event.
  • There are a few users who complain about video and audio performance issues at events organized by Hopin. One user even mentions, "I don't like performance issues with audio or video. Users who do not have a good internet connection have issues with lag. This [doesn't] happen with other alternative solution[s]."

 Pricing

A free option is available that allows an administrator to organize events lasting 2 hours that can accommodate up to 100 people. Pricing plans are locked.

4. GoTo Webinar

GoTo Webinar the best choice for entrepreneurs and smaller businesses that host small-scale events -- that can accommodate up to 3,000 participants this is less than what , Hopin and Zoom provide.

It's also a good choice for solo business owners or creators who conduct paid training sessions as GoTo Webinar directly connects with Stripe which allows for payment.

Pros

  • GoTo Webinar offers audience engagement tools including polls and Q&A. Hosts may also draw their own designs on the display.
  • Multi-presenter mode in webinars allows an organizer up to six the ability to present.

Cons

  • The user interface has been dated so some users report it can take some time to master GoToWebinar.
  • People complain about performance issues when the attendee count goes above 1,000 people. Some reviews complain of audio quality issues, too.
  • Certain options like files sharing can be very slow. And some features are hard to find or confusing to use.

 Pricing

A 7-day trial is that is available. The remainder of the trial costs money with prices starting at $49 for each organizer month (for hosting 250 participants).

5. Cvent

Cvent is most suitable for enterprise marketing companies that host in-person events, like trade events due to their check-in facility.

In contrast with other conference websites however, this platform is not well-liked among users for hosting virtual meetings.

 Pros

  • Cvent has onsite check-in facilities and badging software that prints attendees' photos on arrival. A few users have posted complaints through third-party review websites about the tool printing the wrong photos.
  • Gives you multiple integrations to connect your tech stack and improve the process.
  • The software comes with the usual tools to engage with your audience, and also offers AI-powered networking recommendations, and gamification.

 Cons

  • User interface is outdated.
  • 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
  • Few options to customize branding, access analytics, and access real-time chat

 Pricing

Pricing is customized according to the needs of your business, therefore you need to get a quote for an idea of the amount Cvent will cost you.

6. On24

On24 is a virtual event platform that is ideal for businesses seeking to host webinars as well as multi-session events.

 Pros

  • Proactive customer support team.
  • The software helps to in automatizing a variety of tasks. Plus, offers integrations to bring together your marketing and sales teams.

 Cons

  • A few layouts for content, which limits your options for customizing your online events' login and registration pages.
  • A poor user interface, with the editor being a code editor, adding to the learning curve.
  • There's no way to create the online event. This means you'll have make a choice between audience participation and in order to ensure that the event is functioning smoothly while you host in the moment. The reviewer says, "I would love to have the ability to create a storyboard for my webinar , and be able to control the screen's content, where their face appears in the media tile, do lower thirds over the video, insert people into the webinar then remove them from the screen and so on."

 Pricing

The website of On24 doesn't provide any price. Interested folks will need to get a quote.

FAQs

In the FAQs, do not respond to the question in the first place; rather, provide links to relevant item of content within the organization (as appropriate) in order to increase click-through.

How do I choose an online event platform?

Analyze your company's needs, such as your budget, how large an event you want to host, and how many virtual events you would like to organize. Select a virtual events platform that is not just a good fit for your budget, but also user-friendly, has in-depth analytics, audience interaction tools, streaming of high-quality, and lots of connectivity options.

How do I make my virtual event more interactive?

Event, Hopin, Zoom, and GoToWebinar are some of the most popular platforms for events you can explore. Each comes with its advantages and disadvantages. Choose based on the budget you have and the specific requirements of your event.

Which virtual event platform is the best one for you?

The best virtual events platform you can choose from is one that will meet the requirements of your business the best. It includes:

  • Size of the attendee
  • Use case (how much you plan to utilize virtual events in your marketing and sales, and whether you are offering paid workshops)
  • How much time you've to spend learning how to operate an entirely new device
  • What amount do you intend to increase the size of your platform (you aren't looking for the platform to be a part of your budget as you expand)

There are a few software options that have poor-quality streaming and a dated UX. Some have a lengthy learning curveand pricing can become costly for hosting large audiences.

It's a good thing that this is the area an area in which Events excels. The platform offers plenty of customization, high-quality streaming and a simple user interface. It also plays a helpful function in the reuse of material from events that it hosts, helping you drive the most return on your investment.