As we continue to face an increasingly digital world, the demand for webinars and other online events has grown exponentially in recent years. And with good reason! Webinars offer a number of advantages over traditional in-person events, including increased accessibility, lower costs, and the ability to reach a global audience.
But with so many webinar platforms and apps on the market, it can be hard to know which one is right for you. To help you make the best decision for your needs, we’ve compiled a list of the 5 best webinar platforms and apps in 2023.
Each of these platforms has its own unique features and benefits, so be sure to read through the list carefully to find the one that’s right for you. And if you have any questions, our team of experts is always here to help!
- Webex Meetings
- Zoom
- WebinarJam
- Demio
- Zoho Meeting
What Is a Webinar Platform?
A webinar platform is a piece of software that enables you to host and manage online events such as webinars, conferences, and workshops.
Webinar platforms offer a number of advantages over traditional in-person events, including increased accessibility, lower costs, and the ability to reach a global audience.
The best webinar platforms will also provide you with powerful features and tools to help you run your event smoothly and efficiently, such as live streaming capabilities, chat functions, Q&A sessions, and more.
Types of Webinar Platforms
There are different types of webinar platforms that you can use. Each one has its own set of features and benefits that make it ideal for certain types of events. Below, we’ll take a look at three of the most popular types of webinar platforms so that you can decide which one is right for your needs.
Live Streaming Platforms
Live streaming platforms are designed for events that will be broadcast live to an audience. These platforms typically offer features such as live chat and Q&A sessions so that viewers can interact with the presenter in real-time.
These platforms allow you to live stream your event to a large audience. Some popular live streaming platforms include YouTube Live, Facebook Live, and Twitch.
On-demand Platforms
On-demand platforms are designed for events that will be recorded and made available to viewers at a later date. These platforms typically offer features such as playback controls and the ability to fast-forward or rewind the recording.
These platforms allow you to make your event available to viewers on their own schedule. Some popular on-demand platforms include Vimeo and Brightcove.
Hybrid Platforms
Hybrid platforms allow you to live stream your event and then make it available on demand. This is a great option if you want to reach a wide audience and ensure that your event is available for people to watch even if they can’t make it to the live event.
So, which type of webinar platform is right for you? It really depends on your needs. If you want to reach a large audience and engage with them in real time, then a live-streaming platform is a great option.
If you want to make your event available for people to watch at their convenience, then an on-demand platform is a great option. And if you want to reach a wide audience and ensure that your event is available for people to watch even if they can’t make it to the live event, then a hybrid platform is a great option.
Regardless of which type of webinar platform you choose, the important thing is that you find one that meets your needs and that you’re comfortable using.
With so many different options on the market, there’s sure to be a platform that’s perfect for your needs. So, don’t hesitate to experiment with different platforms until you find the one that’s right for you.
What Can You Do With a Webinar Platform?
Webinars are a great way to connect with an audience and share information in an engaging and interactive way. There are different things you can do with a webinar platform.
Some of the most popular uses for webinars include:
Educational Webinars
These are often used by universities or online course providers to offer lectures or seminars online. This can be a great way to reach a larger audience than would be possible in person, and also allows people to attend from anywhere in the world.
Product Demonstrations
If you have a new product or service to launch, a webinar is a great way to showcase it to potential customers. You can demonstrate how the product works, answer questions, and give people a taste of what they can expect if they decide to buy.
Webinar Series
Another popular use for webinars is to create a series of events on a particular topic. This could be anything from a weekly tips & tricks session to an in-depth exploration of a specific subject. This is a great way to build up an engaged audience who will keep coming back for more.
Panel Discussion
A panel discussion is a great way to get multiple experts together to share their insights on a particular topic. This can be done live or recorded, and then made available to viewers afterward.
Live Events
Many organizations use webinars as a way to stream live events, such as conferences or trade shows. This can be a great way to reach a larger audience, and also allows people to attend who might not be able to make it in person too.
Top 5 Webinar Platforms and Apps in 2023
1. Webex Meetings
Source: Webex Meetings
Webex Meetings is a webinar platform that allows users to host and attend live online events. The platform offers a variety of features to make webinars more interactive and engaging, including video conferencing, screen sharing, chat, and polling. Webex Meetings also makes it easy to record meetings and share recordings with attendees afterward.
Price: To get the pricing information for this software you need to get in touch with them, by sending a form.
Notable Features
- Calling
- Meetings
- Messaging
- Slido
- Webinars
- Events
- Contact Center
- Experience Management
- CPaaS
- Collaboration AI
- Security
- Control Hub
Summary
One of the best things about Webex Meetings is that it integrates with other Cisco products, such as Webex Teams and Cisco Spark. This integration makes it easy to start or join a meeting from any device, including laptops, tablets, and smartphones.
And because Cisco is a leader in enterprise-grade networking solutions, you can be confident that your webinars will be reliable and secure. If you’re looking for a feature-rich and reliable webinar platform, Webex Meetings is definitely worth considering.
Watch Out For: It can take up a considerable amount of bandwidth and cause site performance issues.
2. Zoom
Source: Zoom
Zoom is a webinar platform that enables you to have video meetings with people all over the world. You can use Zoom for business meetings, conferences, and training sessions. With Zoom, you can share your screen, collaborate on projects in real-time, and record your meetings. Zoom also offers a variety of features to help you stay connected with your teams, such as chat and file sharing.
Price: Zoom is a webinar platform that offers a Basic plan for free and three paid plans – Pro, Business, and Enterprise.
The Pro plan costs $149.90/year/user
The Business plan costs $199.90/year/user
The Enterprise plan requires that you contact the sales team for pricing information.
Notable Features
- Meetings
- Marketplace
- Video Webinars
- Phone System
- Contact Center
- Events
- Zoom Team Chat
- Conversation Intelligence
- Whiteboard
- Rooms and Workspaces
- Developer Platform
Summary
Zoom is one of the most popular webinar platforms because it is easy to use and provides a high-quality video experience. The free version of Zoom offers many features that are useful for small businesses, including the ability to host up to 100 participants, 40 minutes of meeting time, and recording capabilities.
For larger businesses or businesses that need more features, Zoom offers paid plans that provide unlimited meeting time, support for up to 1,000 participants, and additional security features.
Some of the key features that make Zoom a great webinar platform are its ease of use, high-quality video and audio, and scalability. Zoom is a great option for businesses of all sizes who need a reliable way to hold meetings and training online.
Watch Out For: The free service only allows you to use the platform for 40 minutes.
3. WebinarJam
Source: WebinarJam
WebinarJam is one of the most popular webinar platforms on the market, and for good reason. It’s packed with features that make it easy to host professional and engaging webinars, including live streaming in HD, automatic recording and transcription, and the ability to have up to 100 attendees on a single call.
But that’s not all! WebinarJam also comes with a host of powerful marketing features to help you promote your webinars and get more people signed up.
For example, you can create beautiful landing pages with built-in registration forms, send automated email reminders to registrants, and even run retargeting ads on Facebook and Google.
Price: WebinarJam has four pricing tiers – Starter, Basic, Professional, and Enterprise. The Starter tier is $39/mo and includes 100 attendees, 1 host, unlimited webinars, and 1-hour maximum duration.
The Basic tier is $79/mo and has 500 attendees, 2 hosts, unlimited webinars, and 2-hour maximum duration. The Professional tier is $229/mo and includes 2000 attendees, 4 hosts, unlimited webinars, and a 3-hour maximum duration.
The Enterprise tier is $379/mo and includes 5000 attendees, 6 hosts, unlimited webinars, and a 4-hour maximum duration.
Notable Features
- High Definition, 30 FPS, high-quality video and audio broadcasting.
- Live Chat
- Automated Recordings
- Flexible Scheduling
- Attendee Spotlight
- Page Builder
- Polls and Surveys
- Easy Presentations
- Drawing Board
- Video Injections
- Automated Integrations
- Control Panel
- Analytics
Summary
WebinarJam is a webinar platform that enables users to host and attend live webinars. It offers a variety of features, including the ability to stream live video, share presentations and slides, chat with participants in real-time, and more.
It has four pricing tier and each pricing tier includes live chat, replica replay, flexible scheduling, fully-customizable pages, email & SMS system, live offer displays, engaging polls & surveys, attendee handouts, on-screen whiteboard, video injections, custom backgrounds, broadcast to FB & YT, unlimited team members, bad words filter, registration notification, and A/B split testing.
WebinarJam is one of the most popular webinar platforms on the market and has helped countless businesses and individuals connect with their audiences online.
Watch Out For: There is a one-minute delay for receivers.
4. Demio
Source: Demio
Demio is a cloud-based webinar platform that helps businesses deliver engaging live and automated webinars. The platform includes features such as live streaming, recording, chat, polls and surveys, and keyboard and mouse sharing. Demio also offers integrations with popular marketing platforms like Marketo and HubSpot.
Demio offers three tiered plans – Starter, Growth, and Premium plan. The Starter plan is perfect for small businesses and solo entrepreneurs getting started with webinars and includes 50 attendee rooms, limited to 1 host, a 3-hour session limit, live and event series, and standard support.
The Growth plan is ideal for growing companies that need more brand control, bigger rooms, multiple hosts, automated events, an 8-hour session limit, custom room and email branding, custom form fields, and registration source tracking.
The Premium plan offers a white-glove experience for hosting engaging webinars with dedicated account support, including 500-3000 attendee rooms (no limit on hosts per account), custom domains, 10-hour session limit, front-of-line access for beta features, priority support, and a dedicated account manager.
If you’re looking for a webinar platform that is easy to use and offers a variety of features and integrations, Demio could be a good option for your business.
Price: Demio offers three tiered plans – Starter, Growth, and Premium – each with increasing levels of features and support. Prices for the Starter and Growth plans are $49 and $99 per month respectively, paid monthly. The Premium plan starts at $250 per month, paid annually.
Summary
Demio is one of the most popular webinar platforms and apps on the market today. It’s known for its ease of use and wide range of features, making it a great choice for businesses of all sizes.
Demio has a variety of features that make it stand out from other webinar platforms. For example, it offers automatic recording and transcription, which can be extremely helpful for busy professionals who want to review the content later.
Additionally, Demio integrates with a number of popular marketing and CRM tools, making it easy to track leads and follow up after the webinar.
One of the best things about Demio is its pricing structure. Unlike some other platforms that charge per-attendee or per-month, Demio charges a flat fee regardless of the number of attendees. This makes it a great option for businesses that plan on holding multiple webinars or have a large audience.
Overall, Demio is a top choice for businesses that are looking for an easy-to-use and feature-rich webinar platform. It’s also one of the most affordable options on the market, making it a great value for small and medium-sized businesses.
Watch Out For: It has no free version.
5. Zoho Meeting
Source: Zoho Meeting
Zoho Meeting is a webinar platform that enables users to host or attend live or recorded presentations.
The platform offers a variety of features such as support for multiple languages, screen sharing, HD video and audio, recording and playback, and more. Zoho Meeting also integrates with a number of third-party applications such as Salesforce, Google Calendar, and Outlook.
Price: $0 – $11
Notable Features
- Phone Audio
- Sync Meetings To Your Calendar
- Audio, Video, and Screen Sharing
- Mobile Apps
- Recording
- Whiteboarding
- Video Webinars
- Live polls
- Clone Webinars
- Virtual Background
Summary
Zoho Meeting is a powerful webinar platform that allows you to host online meetings and events with up to 100 participants. The platform offers HD video and audio quality, screen sharing, and collaboration features such as chat and whiteboarding.
Zoho Meeting also has a mobile app so you can stay connected on the go. If you’re looking for a comprehensive and easy-to-use webinar platform, Zoho Meeting is a great option.
The free plan is ideal for small businesses or individual users who only need occasional use of the platform. For larger businesses or those who require more features, the paid plans offer excellent value for money.
Watch Out For: The image of the speaker in the meeting takes up the entire screen, which prevents them from being able to minimize it and deal with other transactions.
Factors to Consider When Buying a Webinar Software
There are a few key factors you need to consider before settling on a particular platform or software. Below, we outline some of the most important criteria for choosing the best webinar solution for your needs.
Ease of Use
Perhaps the most important factor to consider when choosing webinar software is how easy it is to use. If you’re not tech-savvy, you’ll want to steer clear of platforms that require a lot of setups and technical know-how. Instead, look for solutions that offer simple, step-by-step instructions for getting started.
Prices and Packages
Another important consideration is price. Some webinar platforms are very affordable, while others can be quite expensive. It’s important to compare prices and packages before making a final decision.
Features
There are certain features that are must-haves for webinars platforms. For example, most people require a platform that offers live streaming, recording, and playback capabilities. Additionally, you’ll want to make sure the software you choose has robust chat and Q&A features.
Compatibility
It’s also important to consider compatibility when choosing webinar software. You’ll need to make sure the platform you select is compatible with your computer system and other devices (e.g., mobile phones, and tablets).
Customer Support
Last but not least, you’ll want to consider customer support when selecting webinar software. In the event that you run into technical difficulties, it’s important to know that you can rely on the company for help. Look for platforms that offer 24/7 customer support.
By taking the time to consider each of the above factors, you’ll be sure to choose the best webinar platform or software for your needs.
Why Use a Webinar Platform?
Webinars are a powerful marketing and communication tool. They allow you to reach a large audience with your message in a personal and engaging way.
A webinar platform gives you the ability to host live or pre-recorded video sessions that can be viewed by people all over the world. This makes them ideal for events such as product launches, training sessions, keynote speeches, and more.
There are many reasons to use a webinar platform, but some of the most common are:
To Increase Engagement
Live video is more engaging than other forms of content, such as blog posts or articles. This is because it allows you to connect with your audience in real-time and create a two-way conversation.
To Boost Sales
Webinars can be used to increase product sales or generate leads for your business. For example, you could host a webinar that showcases your product in action and then offers a discount to viewers who purchase it during or after the event.
To Enhance Customer Relationships
By hosting regular webinars, you can build stronger relationships with your customers and create a community around your brand. This is because webinars give you an opportunity to connect with your audience on a more personal level.
Conclusion
Webinars are a valuable marketing tool, and with the right platform, they can be extremely effective in reaching your target audience. When choosing a webinar platform, it is important to consider all of the features that the software offers and how those features will benefit your business.
There are many great webinar platforms available, and the five we have listed here are some of the best options currently available.
We hope this article has been helpful in providing you with information on what to look for when purchasing a webinar platform and introducing you to some of the top platforms available today.
