How to Choose the Best Webinar Tool
So, what is the best webinar platform today? Ideally, it should allow for:
- Connecting numerous hosts and viewers
- Assuring attendees’ privacy upon request
- No additional downloads or plugins are needed
- Customer support available
- Analytical services to gather statistics
- Options for recording sessions, displaying your screen for viewers, as well as interaction through chat, polls, and surveys
Consider these criteria when comparing webinar services, as they will help you find a program with a good value for the money.
Best Free and Paid Webinar Tools
Below, we’ve gathered some of the best webinar providers and their main features. You can try most of the tools for free, whether it’s a free version or a free trial.
Zoom
Zoom is a cloud-based video conferencing solution for communicating via a video call, voice, chat, or audio-video conferencing. The following features make Zoom suitable as an online webinar platform:
- Video and audio meetings in HD format, up to 1,000 users and 49 sessions
- Sessions can be digitized onsite or in the cloud
- The shareable screen, co-announcements, filters, reactions, polls, and hand-raises enhance interaction within the participants
- Outlook, Gmail, and iCal can be used as meeting schedulers
- You can chat in groups, share and archive files, and make 1:1 or conference calls effortlessly
- Compatible with both PCs and gadgets
With Zoom, you can organize group online sessions of up to 40 individuals for free. Premium accounts cost from $14.99 monthly.
YouTube Live
YouTube Live’s streaming capabilities let you host events, conduct educational sessions, or host webinars. You can stream from a webcam, mobile device, and encoder. In comparison, webcam and mobile streaming-only allow you to go online immediately, whereas the encoder allows more sophisticated functions like screen sharing and broadcasting gameplay, as well as managing multiple cameras and microphones.
Furthermore, you can create highlights, check your streaming metrics, tag locations, create Premieres for both live and recorded content, set up DVRs, etc. All of these functions are free, making YouTube one of the best interactive webinar platforms. However, online streaming requires verification and uninterrupted history of at least 90 days.
Facebook Live
Facebook Live may be the best webinar app available today since the network is broadly used in many countries worldwide. You can go on air from your Facebook Page, group, or activity using a mobile phone, camera, or streaming application. You may also do the following things:
- Promote your broadcast on Facebook and post it to Facebook groups, pages, and profiles
- Cross-post live content across various pages
- Add it to your blog or website
- Live stream the event
- Engage the audience with live interactive elements like live polls, featured links, live comments, front row, badges and more
After you have finished broadcasting, your recording will be uploaded to your Facebook profile, allowing you to promote your webinar long after it has ended. The newsfeed permits you to customize viewing based on demographics, geolocation, and ethnicity.
Adobe Connect
Adobe Connect grants you unprecedented control over your creative process. Through this software, you can deliver courses, webcasts, and conferences that go beyond ordinary, while securely targeting a wider market. Here are a few things Adobe Connect allows you to do to maximize your reach:
- Use numerous webinar templates and layouts, and design unique materials tailored to your viewers, style, and story
- Engage users throughout the session with Adobe Connect’s interactive visual aid, reviews, and surveys
- Send HTML emails with embedded calendar events for webinar invites, confirmations, and reminders to a much larger audience seamlessly
- The Adobe Analytics-powered event reports can help determine the success of the performance
- You can estimate conversions from promotional channels by tracking campaign and lead sources
- Various LMSs (Learning Management Systems) can be integrated with Captivate Prime LMS, Canvas, Sakai, Moodle, etc.
- Adobe Connect software protects the security of hosts, guests, and corporate data
Pricing for Adobe Connect starts from 46€ per month. Test the platform for free for 30 days before paying.
Gobrunch
It’s a customizable webinar hosting platform designed to encourage participants to engage. Here are some of the platform’s advantages:
- User-friendly design that facilitates online events
- No application is necessary to conduct webinars
- Multi-session events with different organizers for each session
- Webinars are recorded, stored in the cloud, and may be accessed and shared
- An in-depth overview showing attendees’ time spent in online sessions
- Organizing social events and networking functions with your team
- A customized background and personal logo for your room
- Screen sharing with sound and slideshow
Prices for GoBrunch start from $11.99 per month, a limited free version is available.
Zoho Meetings
It’s a web-based meeting and virtual webinar platform for staying productive while working remotely and collaborating. This software’s functionality should facilitate your work by offering
- Video and audio for meetings
- Shared screens and opinion polls
- The ability to record, replay, share, and download meetings with those unable to attend or for offline use
- XLS and CSV reports on registrations, participant numbers, engagement, polls, and Q&A
- Customized forms and emails for webinar registration
- Participant moderation
Zoho Meetings offers a free subscription and several premium plans.
Eyeson
With Eyeson, businesses can integrate video, voice, and data into their existing applications, streamlining international communication and supporting their remote workforces. With this software, you can:
- Get started quickly with the Eyeson video meeting UI
- Keep a record of your streams and take screenshots
- Easily integrate audio/video for real-time participation
- Add images or visual aids during online communications
- Screenshare and present files during conferences
- Connect to websites such as YouTube, Vimeo, Twitter, or Restream
Eyeson offers a free subscription for developers, as well as two premium plans.
Stage Ten
It’s an interactive webinar platform that can be broadcasted to YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, and Twitch through Chrome. Simple drag-and-drop functions let you stream content from mobile devices, online cameras, and screen sharing.
Here’s what it has to offer:
- Easily add media, illustrations, advertisements, etc.
- Broadcast to 30+ social networking sites
- Live functions accessible, including voting, chat, and commenting
- No downloads required
Stage Ten rates start from $22 per month, and there is a free plan available.
Goto
GoTo, formerly known as LogMeIn Inc., offers cloud services for teamwork and IT operations. It’s very easy to work online with these functions:
- There’s no need for downloads and accessible on any device: desktop, mobile or tablet
- Add company’s colors, logo, and imagery
- Recordings of live webinars can be made beforehand and accessed locally or in the cloud
- Share the screen of your desktop, smartphone, or tablet with anyone
- Engage users through quizzes, online polls, and viewable results
- View statistics and get reports for analyzing your webinar performance
GoTo Meeting is available from $12 per month and a 14-day free trial. GoTo Webinar costs from $49 per month and a 7-day free trial.
Google Hangouts
Online webinar platforms like Google Hangouts integrate smoothly with YouTube and Chrome and don’t require downloading. You may organize a virtual meeting where 25 people can interact and view each other’s screens. Additionally, the meeting may be captured and posted on your YouTube account. However, the app lacks analytic capabilities, email marketing tools, and planning capabilities.
Also, consider using Google Meet, a video-conferencing program that’s compatible with other Google applications. It comes with the G Suite package. Pricing starts from $6 per month.
Livewebinar
Your webinar can be viewed online, captured, branded, and broadcasted via social media, and its performance analytics can be tracked.
But how does it differ from other options?
- It’s browser-based and works with most popular browsers and from any device
- Webinar recordings in HD format stored on your personal cloud and accessed by others
- Forms, surveys, and events may all be automated
- Share your meeting or webinar using social media and external sources
- Supports a variety of marketing automation tools like MailChimp, Campaign Monitor, and more
LiveWebinar prices start from $17.99 per month, and there is a free subscription available.
Demio
It delivers a top-notch presentation for your viewers, along with all the resources you need:
- No download required and works on most browsers and devices
- Live HD presentation, a webinar series, or even recordings of automatic presentations scheduling
- Page templates for registration and thank you page creation
- Attendee polls, Q & A, handouts, gifts, and bonuses
- Results export of the registration analysis
- Support via chat, tutorials, demos, and how-to guides
- Browser data is encrypted and securely stored in compliance with GDPR
Prices start from $49 per month. You can try the software free for 14 days before purchasing it.
Livestorm
It’s another one of the best webinar tools. Startups to huge organizations benefit from its functions:
- It doesn’t require any downloads, and comes in multiple languages
- GDPR regulations are followed for the platform’s data security
- Hosting, collaborating, and participating in single or multiple online gatherings in HD format is easy for up to 3,000 people
- Registration pages customization and branding (logo, images, colors)
- Platform’s flexible email capabilities to send invitations for gatherings and receive notifications immediately
- Chatting, screen sharing, and commenting
- Each session is captured instantly and sent to all participants
- An analytics dashboard gives you access to all event information
- Integration with YouTube, Twitch, Google Analytics, Intercom, etc. Plus, your own integration can be created using Livestorm’s API.
You can start with a free account and then upgrade to one of the premium plans from $109 per month.
Webex by Cisco
Webex from Cisco, a U.S. manufacturer of telecommunications equipment, software, and hardware, is one of the best webinar platforms available online today. It has functions tailored for specific purposes:
- The cloud-based phone system makes it possible to answer calls anywhere
- To safeguard your data, end-to-end encryption is used
- Organizing large virtual events increases your exposure globally
- Interactive means, such as polls and Q&A
- Smooth integration of 100+ applications with Webex
Webex offers a free subscription, and pricing for the premium plans start from 14.25€.
Ever Webinar
It lets you create webcasts that mimic real-time videos. But that’s not all its functions:
- Online broadcasting in HD format
- Fully customizable, 100% multi-device compatible templates
- System for scheduling automatic and on-demand webcasts
- Live-emulation so each attendee feels like they’re with others
- Comprehensive, in-depth metrics on conversions, signups, etc.
Prices for the service start from $99 per month. You can try it out for 14 days for $1.
Skype Video Meetings
The service lets you host video conferences for free, even without creating an account. A webinar link can also be shared to enable people to join the call.
Here are some of Skype’s main features:
- Voice and video conferencing are instantly accessible to 100 people with call responses and @comments
- Integrated screen sharing makes collaboration easier
- Encryption secures your communications
- You can access it anytime and anywhere
Vimeo Livestream
You can communicate with your staff remotely, host virtual events, and create subscription channels.
Its capabilities include:
- Your brand is in control with your broadcasting service and apps
- Live streaming in full HD format 1080p
- Online events without limitations
- Advertisement-free broadcasting and sharing
- Graphs, interactive polls, a live chat, and Q&A
- Automatic archiving and media capture
The pricing starts from $75 per month with a 30-day free trial available.
Clickmeeting
ClickMeeting can be accessed via any browser and from any device. It doesn’t require any IT skills, installation, or setup. Choose from various packages for its online conferencing system accordingly.
What can it provide?
- Large online events, conferences, scheduled, automatic, and prepaid webcasts
- Personalized sign-up pages with branding and invitations
- Interactive abilities like screen sharing, whiteboarding, presentations, polls, chats, and broadcasting on Facebook or YouTube
- Webinar attendance reports with evaluations, and webcast recordings
- Integration with Zapier, PayPal, and Moodle
- Apps: ClickMeeting Desktop Application, BETA, Edu Mode
- Additional features: Bigger recording storage, Parallel sessions, Subaccounts
Pricing starts from $30 per month, and there is a free trial available.
Best Webinar Software for Bloggers
With so many conferencing service options available today, there is sure to be one that suits your promotional needs. In choosing a webcast service, consider your webinar goals and audience, such as desired attendee numbers, screen-sharing capabilities, email campaigns, and more. You can start with free webinar tools as well as take advantage of free trials that premium software brands offer to find the best solution before you settle on anything.
