Adobe Connect is a web conferencing platform that enables users to create presentations, online training materials, and learning modules. The product is entirely Adobe Flash-based and has several add-ons for customizing its software to suit each users’ unique needs.
$50
per host/per month
Class for Web
Score 9.8 out of 10
N/A
Class for Web, formerly Blackboard Collaborate, is an online, collaborative learning platform for the education industry and corporate learning needs. It includes features such as screen and application sharing, and web conferencing.
$300
per year
Zoom Workplace
Score 8.4 out of 10
N/A
Zoom Workplace, Zoom’s open collaboration platform with an AI Companion, empowers teams to be more productive, and strengthen customer relationships throughout the customer lifecycle with Zoom’s Business Services for sales, marketing, and customer experience teams, including Zoom Contact Center.
There is no doubt that Adobe Connect is far and above the best platform for training. Its complexity is overshadowed by the benefits it offers. Two examples are multiple chats and polls at the same time make the learning experience better for the learner.
Adobe connect is cheaper than Zoom. There are so many features like multiple hosts and presenters who can collectively take over the meetings. You can also create polls or questionnaires in the form of quizzes. There is also a chat option. User engagement can easily be figured …
I prefer Adobe Connect's slide sharing and recording/playback features to either Zoom or GoToMeeting(GTM). GTM is good for meetings where the majority of the group is onsite and needs to conference in only a few remote participants, and Zoom is great for video chats. It's …
Sr. Learning & Development Consultant, E-Learning Specialist
Chose Adobe Connect
Actually, it was the other way around....we were using Adobe Connect, company-wide, then switched over to Zoom, mostly, I think, as a cost-cutting measure. But some Learning & Development folks campaigned to be allowed to retain some Adobe Connect licenses (for example, one L&D …
We were on both GoTo platforms, when it was decided to move to Adobe Connect. Due to the audio access challenges and lackluster customer support, we decided to stay with GoTo webinar.
It has some better features and some not so good qualities that makes it not exactly the product of choice. Most of our meetings involve 5-15 participants, so it doesn't always work for our situation.
The best part of Adobe Connect is sharing the information with others who use this software. If you attend school and love taking notes through your iPad or Computer, you can share what notes you are writing with everyone in your classes. Also, it is a great virtual meeting …
Adobe Connect offers best visual appearance and user accessibility other than the fact that is uses Adobe Flash which some web browsers have threatened to ban. I really miss the persistent meeting rooms of Adobe Connect Meeting and as a meeting host this is the very best system …
BB Collaborate used to have a horrific UI, now that has improved but the functions aren't there yet. In demoing the tool and Blackboard World 2015 it seemed very unstable.
Zoom is the perfect blend of ease of use, smart technology and performance, cost-effectiveness, and features. When we started with it two years ago, it was still something of a promising startup. They've gone from that to a Gartner-recognized industry leader in a very short …
Zoom may not have as many tools as Adobe Connect, but to have a product like Zoom be simple to use with less complications of platform or browser compatibility, there was no question why we went to Zoom. Setting up a Zoom meeting is straightforward and the quality of the …
Zoom is very similar to Google Hangouts and is a little easy to access. Adobe Connect has more functions that are especially helpful in education and training. It blows Skype out of the water.
Zoom is superior in cost, user-ability, connectivity, as well as audio and visual quality. Skype for Business is complete garbage and Adobe Connect is very rigid and convoluted to use.
While Zoom doesn't have all the webinar features of Adobe Connect, the reliability and stability of the system and the advanced features make it a very easy choice. Long-term it feels like it will a much easier to support system that users enjoy using and does not cause issues …
I only use this platform if the client forces me to. It has a complicated user interface. With Zoom I can facilitate easily and be the producer, switching people into rooms, monitoring chat, request emoticons. Not with Adobe Connect. It's not as simple and clear to use. …
Zoom has the most consistent experience so far compared to the other products. With the exception of Blackboard's integration into a learning management system, Zoom is by far the most feature-rich compared to its competitors.
Compared to its competitors, Zoom is more cost-effective, as well as simpler to install and use. It's also more reliable, as Google Meet's call quality has been poor for meetings larger than one-on-one. Even Microsoft Teams has a Zoom plug-in for teams to use. I chose Zoom, so …
Verified User
Administrator
Chose Zoom Workplace
I think that Zoom and Webex are by far the two strongest in this industry and the features are similar. I think the capabilities are far superior to what you find with GoToMeeting and Blackboard Collaborate. I chose Zoom over the others for this specific group of users …
We selected Zoom over two other FREE products because of its reliability and rich features (breakout rooms). Blackboard Collaborate has not been reliable for us, though other institutions in the university system have no issues with it and love it. Skype is moving to Teams …
There is no comparison. Zoom excels at ease of use, engagement, connectivity and simplicity. We simply could not find or justify continuing working with other solutions as they are more expensive, offer less features and are sometimes restrictive at integrating additional …
We used to use Blackboard Collaborate, but there were so many technical issues that just don't happen in Zoom. It's easy to use for the instructors, the students, and everyone in between.
There are a lot of options, both paid and free. I prefer Zoom over others because the software is very intuitive. I rarely have teammates or clients complain about using the software. I like being able to record the sessions so I can refer back to them when working up proposals …
Zoom's screen sharing feature allowed us to shift gears on the fly without uploading documents ahead of time like on Blackboard. This saves our teachers and therapists tons of time!
Better audio and video quality. Tolerant to low bandwidth consumes fewer computer resources than other solutions. Computer audio connection is a better capability to connect on the go. iPhone and Android app local and cloud recording are the best you can do, you can use Skype, …
By far the greatest advantage using Zoom vs Adobe Connect has been the quality of the audio. We have experienced significant loss of audio quality in video conferencing through Adobe Connect. It has necessitated using the Video features of Adobe Connect and using dial-in audio …
Zoom is easier to use than any webinar software I have experienced. We don't spend much time answering support calls about it because people find the interface intuitive. Zoom prompts walk you through everything from install to locating meeting recording files. The video is …
Adobe Connect is wonderful for repeatable branded learning experiences or webinars. They allow for creating an event with a series of similar layouts. The ability to alter these are easy, and duplicating layouts makes for fast alterations. Changing between layouts also creates visual interest as learners see things shift. Adobe Connect also is great for accessibility, the captions allow for resizing and placing the captions in various sections. The recordings also can have a searchable transcript to get to the information you want fast. Adobe Connect allows for running fun games/events as well, there are lots of apps that make the experience unique, and allows for managing content on screen as you'd like.
I would say it is very useful for group collaborations online, as well as virtual classrooms where you wish your students/guests to collaborate in an adaptable environment; however I would advise against using the shared screen to display audio or video, nor would I encourage the use of the shared board with a group of people with disciplinary issues (as there is no accountability for who wrote/drew what).
Zoom Workplace is ideal for many businesses, more so because it saves money by uniting different functionalities into one app - meetings, messaging, phone, and scheduling. The tool keeps teams connected thanks to the amazing collaboration and communication features. In addition, Zoom Workplace is helpful for businesses with a hybrid team, thanks to its effortless connections.
It's a quick method to exchange files, file, documents, and videos from a web app. Real-time conversation, and screen-sharing are all supported. It has a highly user-friendly interface. It is really simple to assist the teams.
Even team engagements is beneficial since it allows them to share their expertise with others, and the big benefit is the security of the rooms' access is fairly simple to manage.
The interface, which include features like notes, chat, pods, etc. When we're trying to gather rapid and exact information, simplify our work as much as possible.
Adobe Connect's features since they allow team members to express their ideas during meetings without causing disruptions, thereby bypassing the current international boundary of distance.
The Whiteboard feature is perfect for tutoring. We use it to write out formulas, draw diagrams, etc while in video chat to enhance explanations.
The file attachment feature is also very handy. This means we don't have to do a follow-up with a student using their email to send files of handouts, etc.
It's great that we only have to share a classroom access link for a student to enter a session. With other products, they had to set up a username and log-in with an account. Link access means 1 less hassle.
We are currently beginning to use the "record session" feature video sessions to use as training for new employees.
It offers amazing unified collaboration features, including Zoom whiteboard, Zoom team chat, and integrated mail and calendar.
Zoom is a great meeting solution, with features like smart recording, breakout rooms, and personalized video and audio, making it a functional business meeting tool.
It is equipped with amazing AI features that help summarize meetings, generate content, and provide quick catch-up, allowing one to ask AI questions without interrupting meetings.
Some of the newest computer high resolution screens are not as compatible with the interface. The font and windows are much smaller and the user is not able to increase the size of the windows to make it easier to read/navigate.
The audio can sometimes be inconsistent and tune in and out when someone is speaking. This is not every time though and many times the audio is clear.
The login process takes a bit longer to get into the program. You have to go through a few step process and loading time to get into the application.
I don't think there is any malfunction in their solution; it's extremely convenient to use, be it creating a meeting invite, adding people, sending any extra stuff to them. It's quick, and this is the only tool that works seamlessly even on Androids.
The longer you use Adobe Connect, the longer you are likely to use it. Because you can build more and more resources over time, creating rooms that you re-use, recorded content you can repurpose, and tools that form the basis of ever increasing productivity, the more you use Connect, the more productive you become. Unlike competing products where, with every meeting you essentially start over -- setting up your resources for each meeting -- in my Connect rooms, I have highly tuned tools to accomplish my knowledge transfer goals. When I want to conduct another session - I send a link out to the appropriate room and instantly we are all focusing on getting a job done together. This ability of Adobe Connect to make you productive at an ever quickening rate is a competitive advantage
It is a tool that faculty likes to use. It has so much flexibility to allow students to see a class even if they happen to not be available in the classroom.
We're sticking with Zoom for the foreseeable future--given its compelling feature set, ease of use, and advanced technology, there's just no other competition to be excited about. Plus it's a Gartner-recognized industry leader, so it's a rather easy choice.
I gave it a 6 because it does have lots of functionality, has a strong brand and reputation following, etc. but it does have its glitches and experiences with low bandwidth issues. I believe it has more features than my organization fully leverages, so some of those pieces haven't been explored yet. But there are opportunities for improvement in their online resource support, stability at high usages as well.
Blackboard Collaborate is reliable and feature-rich. It's a great web conferencing tool for teaching & learning, offering polls, chat, video and audio, whiteboard, content sharing, and breakout rooms. Blackboard Collaborate can be used for virtual office hours, lectures, guest speakers, training, professional development, conferences, technical support, academic advising, and so much more. Blackboard Collaborate can be used separately from the learning management system or it can be integrated for a single sign-on experience. It supports recordings, playbacks, private sharing, and MP4 downloads. Overall, it's a solid tool and very reliable.
Zoom is made for the non tech office. It has features that can be made to do what you need to run things on a day to day basis. Immediately we we able to get meetings going with remote employees. The ability to be able to add smartphone connected people was a big plus. Zoom met our needs at the time.
The availability of the software is quite impressive. You can access it at any time that you want and from anywhere that you want, but that depends on how the software is set up by the University. There might be sudden outages due to not having enough space on your database, which we had that very issue happen recently here at our University. During that time, you could not access their blackboard at all until it was brought up online again.
There have been less than a handful of outages during our two years with Zoom, and whenever there was one, an email informing us of the outage went out immediately, and they had the issue resolved shortly thereafter.
The performance of the software is remarkable. The loading speed of the pages is more than satisfying, it all depends on the users internet package. So far, there wasn't any issue of Blackboard slowing down other software or systems when integrated with them
Zoom has among the best performance of any video conference platform, as I've mentioned several times. Besides that, their Chat platform works great, and their back end always runs smooth. It's unfortunate that reporting can now only be done by one month at a time, but nonetheless, it only takes a second to run any kind of Zoom report, whether it's an attendee report, Poll results, a user report, a list of meetings from the past month, etc.
The customer support of Adobe connect is professional and well-skilled for resolving our minor and major issues. Moreover, it has almost all the features that will provide you a secure connection, with people across the world. Education institutes can also implement this software. On the basis of its quality and technology, I will surely advise you to try it once.
Sometimes they do planned maintenance. Depending on the time zone you’re in, this may be in the middle of the night. That’s great. Sometimes this maintenance isn’t completed overnight however, and you need to use the platform and it is down. I’ve never been able to successfully contact them to report an outage or get assistance when it is down. I just have to wait until it comes back up to go to class, review sessions, etc.
Because I got a response right away, and was assigned one specific individual to work with me from the beginning to the resolution. I had an actual email address and direct contact with this person without having to start over and over every time I contacted Zoom - this singular individual remained attentive and was well informed on the subject matter and quite able to resolve my needs.
The ability to have most of the functionality of a full LMS at a fraction of the cost is huge. I can create manage and deploy both synchronous and asynchronous training based on the situation and all of my training is tracked through a series of easily created reports
Prices do not seem to vary much among resellers of the Adobe Connect hosted license; the only price variation you're likely to find are among the audio providers. When implementing, you may also wish to look into expanding the amount of storage you are allowed on the server to avoid any problems later on as your library of files starts to build up
If you receive any pushback from higher ups, point to any of the various positive reviews like this one. Or show Zoom's excellent Gartner report, or articles describing Zoom's partnership with Sequoia capital. It's not difficult to show how Zoom is a trustworthy industry leader with best-in-class technology.
Actually, it was the other way around....we were using Adobe Connect, company-wide, then switched over to Zoom, mostly, I think, as a cost-cutting measure. But some Learning & Development folks campaigned to be allowed to retain some Adobe Connect licenses (for example, one L&D area had literally over 250 room layouts that their course facilitators could just jump into and use to deliver a course on short notice), which also allows some of us to continue to publish Presenter and Captivate modules to the Adobe server. (But, even those of us who still have Adobe Connect licenses use Zoom for most regular business meetings.)
Nearpod does not allow for the same type of synchronous environment that Blackboard collaborate does. Further, Nearpod, as the name suggests is best suited for a face-to-face classroom that is, preferably, one-to-one. While it has some of the same functions as Nearpod, Blackboard collaborate is best suited for remote transmission rather than face-to-face
Teams do not stack up to Zoom at all. My clients use Teamas because it is a corporate policy, and they use it most of the time between employees of the same company. It makes sense for this, NOT for me. Every time a Teams meeting is launched, since I am not part of this company, the meeting is laborious, the interface is not as nice as Zoom's, sharing documents is more difficult, etc., etc. Zoom is superior to Teams in every way!!!
The billing and price model is really fair for so many functions that they offer, our remote work requires each of the features that Zoom offers, so accepting payment for a tool like this is the least we can do. I like that billing arrives on time and that they offer opportunities and payment times.
The reason for this rating is that the software is a pretty good tool that can be utilized for use in all of the Universities around the world. It has the capability to fulfill the needs of various different education systems. Although, there are slight improvements that are needed, therefore the rating is at 8.
Because the Basic licenses are completely free, and because it's very easy to configure and install Zoom, and because anyone can join Zoom from a link without needing an account, scaling is a Breeze. There are absolutely no roadblocks. My company keeps adding more Zoom Pro license every week since it's so in demand. We were able to convert users from several different platforms onto Zoom with no trouble at all.
Zoom is perfect for our business. We use it to video chat with prospective clients. The name recognition alone gives us credibility and it is very easy to screen share and send content out.
Save on time - our instructors and people that use the platform can teach more classes and more often than in-person training and time traveling.
We cut down on spending. When we offer training using Connect - we do not have to spend on meals, hard copy materials, and reserving a venue to deliver training.
We increase our training sales significantly but offering Connect as an alternative - any unforeseen cancellations to a public class can result in transferring to a remote online Connected class.
Because faculty can schedule sessions on-the-fly without IT involvement, they are able to accomplish goals that they plan for weeks in advance as well as impromptu goals that come up at a moments notice.
Integration with the campus Learning Management Systems provides quick and easy scheduling of sessions that can be joined easily by students in those courses.
Scheduling of meetings can also be done through the web interface directly which enables administrative departments not associated with courses in the learning management system to also schedule meetings not affiliated with courses.
On-campus users can schedule meetings without outside participants by sending an open "guest link" URL that allows users to participate despite not having an account within the system iteself.
We are still early in our adoption of Zoom Workplace for business, so we don't really have any data to show cost savings.
The ability to take a call summary or meeting summary and add it to our practice management system have been remarkable. It's a quick copy/paste and it's in the system. Prior to this, we would have to scan in notes and save them into the system, if it even got that far. Mostly, attorneys would be searching through legal pads for the notes of a previous meeting or phone call.