These products won a Top Rated award for having excellent customer satisfaction ratings. The list is based purely on reviews; there is no paid placement, and analyst opinions do not influence the rankings. Read more about the Top Rated criteria.
TrustMaps are two-dimensional charts that compare products based on trScore and research frequency by prospective buyers. Products must have 10 or more ratings to appear on this TrustMap.
(1-25 of 102) Sorted by Most Reviews
Cvent is a cloud-based enterprise event management company with nearly 4,000 employees and over 300,000 users worldwide. Cvent offers software solutions to event planners and marketers for online event registration, venue selection, event management and marketing, onsite solutions,…
GoToWebinar is LogMeIn’s webinar and online conferencing solution, and offers features like audience polling and Q&A, flexible scheduling experiences, and webinar templates. It offers CRM integrations and reporting & analytics tools to help engage clients’ audiences.
AdvocateHub helps B2B marketers capture customer enthusiasm and use it to drive marketing and sales efforts. With AdvocateHub, B2B marketers build an advocate community and invite customers into it to complete “challenges” like referrals, reference calls or product reviews. As they…
Whova, headquartered in San Diego, provides what they describe as Intelligent Event Technology Solutions by creating authentic audience participation and engagement and simplifying the entire event process from planning to registration, networking, and follow-up. Whova's mobile engagement…
GiveSmart, a Community Brands company, offers a full-service event management platform supporting event website, event registration, attendee tracking, donor management and data insights, and full customer service for entities wishing to raise funds via an auction or charity event.…
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.
BlueJeans Events is a scalable, cloud-based platform that enables presenters to interact over video and stream their event to thousands of viewers. It is presented as an ideal solution for all-hands meetings, webinars and large-scale events. Users can present from a computer or a…
Splash aims to get event programs in front of the right people by helping users create engaging, branded experiences and optimize conversions at each stage of the event lifecycle. Leverage accurate, visible data for seamless follow-ups and reporting. Empower teams to execute events…
Zoom offers a Video Webinar option supporting unlimited audiences viewing live with presentation engagement tools like group chat, dual screen support, live broadcasting to YouTube or other platforms, polling, and other features supporting streaming webinars and virtual events.
OneCause, headquartered in Indianapolis, offers their fundraising solutions supporting mobile bidding for auctions or peer-to-peer giving, Text2Give, and support for ticket sales for fundraising events. OneCause pricing plans support various service levels, including feature breadth…
Webex Events is a tool for webinars and online presentations. It can be used for events for groups of 100 to 3,000 attendees, with multiple presenters. It also includes audio controls and attention monitoring tools. Webex Events compliments other Webex communications, collaboration,…
Hopin is an online events platform from the company of the same name in London, that provides tools for virtual events, or hybrid events, like ticketing and registration, limitless event rooms, an expo hall, chat, and networking, as well as event branding and attendee engagement…
eve virtual brings education, innovation, bespoke customization, and any on-ground event, exhibition, trade show, and any kind of conference imaginable into the virtual world.The solution aims to give attendees and organizers alike all the excitement and interaction of real life,…
Planned, from the company in Montreal, is an event planning platform for corporations offering tools for discovery, booking, invoicing and reporting.
Aventri (formerly etouches) offers end-to-end event management and venue sourcing solutions. The open source platform aims to help streamline the event process, providing real-time data and analytics on event performance, customer engagement, and therefore increasing measurable event…
Communique Conferencing's virtual & hybrid event platform functions as a traditional off-line trade show in order to translate exhibit halls, booths, presentations and networking into a customizable, and engaging, 3D virtual environment. Attendee Engagement — Include ways to…
Eventzilla provides a free management and registration solution targeted for organizers of any size. This solution allows users to host free events at no charge. However, for paid events, there is a $1 flat fee per attendee. The solution can be used for conferences, fundraisers,…
Zoom Events is an all-in-one virtual event platform that uses the power of existing Zoom products to produce interactive and engaging virtual experiences. It combines Zoom Meetings, Chat, and Video Webinars in one solution that enables event organizers to produce ticketed, live events…
Vimeo Enterprise, based on technology acquired with Livestream in September 2017 is the company's HD livestreaming platform touting auto-archiving, simultaneous live streaming, secure sharing with password and domain-level security, and audience engagement (e.g. chat), with SLA available…
Virtual event platforms are solutions that combine different tools to organize, promote, manage and host interactive online events. Virtual event platforms provide a broadcast infrastructure while engaging virtual audiences as much as in-person events through interactive digital experiences.
To start, users must consider the event's content, financial goals, and attendee experience and choose a platform that supports all required needs. Audiences/attendees will vary and have their own unique needs, from fundraising to education/training, entertainment/shows, networking, or staying relevant. Virtual event platforms should allow users to webcast or stream live events, record events, produce interactive content, and track attendance and engagement data.
At their core, virtual event platforms allow businesses to host virtual events and webcast them out to an online audience. A primary goal that virtual event software helps accomplish is providing a stimulating and interactive digital experience for event participants.
Key features used to plan, promote, and host a virtual event include:
Webcasting
Event budgeting
Online registration
Registration portals
Virtual waiting rooms
Attendee tracking
Engagement tracking
calendar integrations
Chat & breakout room monitoring
Event campaign management
Marketing and Communication
Administration
Engagement
Audience polls
Q&A
Surveys
Gamification tools
Lead generation
Analysis of business insights
When planning a virtual event, determine if the event is public or private, for example: will it be hosted publically on a social media platform or will it be a closed ticketed event? Consider convenience for viewers and look for a virtual event platform that allows access to the event's content from any device.
Ask yourself the following questions before purchasing a virtual event platform:
What type of content will be presented at the event?
What are the financial goals of hosting the event?
Is the event private with tickets or accessible to the public?
What type(s) of interactive experiences will the event host?
What devices can attendees gain access to the event on?
How many attendees are you expecting?
Before deciding to invest in a virtual event platform, take inventory of existing suite-style platforms already in use. Some larger vendors may have virtual event platform features already included. Other types of software types to look at that may include these features are:
Many platforms will offer meeting and event-level pricing, ranging in price from features or event capacity limits. Starting prices for products like GoToWebinar and BlueJeans Virtual Events range from $50-$500 per month. Some larger platforms like Zoom Video Webinar have more expensive starting prices—$700 per year for 500 people. Price levels increase according to attendee count, for example, Zoom Video Webinar’s top tier hosts up to 50,000 attendees.
Take inventory of providers who offer free trials to better find services that meet all business and event needs. Some products that offer free trials are:
Products that offer advanced features designed for hosting large-scale events are more expensive; they can range from $400-$1,000 per month. Cost may vary depending on the number of attendees the product supports and the range of the virtual event.
