8 Best Virtual Conference Platforms in 2023 [Ranked & Reviewed]

Virtual events are a great way to connect with your audience, no matter where they are. If you’re planning a virtual conference, you’ll need to choose the right platform for your needs.

There are many different virtual conference platforms available, and each one offers unique features. Some have tools for networking, while others are focused on analytics.

Some will even support breakout sessions, surveys and polls. To help you find the best virtual conference platform for your needs, we’ve compiled a list of seven options.

We’ve also included pricing information and reviews from real users to help make your decision easier.

Hosting a virtual conference or event is a great way to connect with your audience while reducing the environmental impact of travel. The best virtual conference platforms are easy to use and customizable, so you can choose one that matches the needs of your business or event.

You also want to ensure it’s secure and has reliable customer support in case you need help during your virtual conference. In this guide, we reviewed the best virtual conference platforms for businesses.

Compare prices, features, and more to find one that best meets your needs.

 

 

Virtual Conference Platforms – Introduction

This guide is a one-stop shop for everything you need to know about virtual conferences. We will be going into detail on what they are and how you can use them to grow your business.

We will also be covering some of the most popular platforms including Zoom, GoToMeeting, Google Hangouts, and Skype. If you’re wondering why we’ve included these four platforms in particular then read on because they all have something unique to offer!

What Are the Best Virtual Conference Platforms?

 GoToWebinar is the most popular paid webinar platform and is similar to GoToMeeting. It’s an easy-to-use tool that allows you to hold webinars for up to 3,000 attendees — with unlimited sessions and unlimited panelists.

GoToWebinar offers all the standard features of a great webinar platform, including unlimited host controls and audio options (VoIP or dial-in phone), screen sharing and multiple presenters, helpful engagement tools like polls and surveys and basic analytics.

It also has some advanced features such as registration management, integrations with marketing automation software (HubSpot, Marketo and Eloqua) and a custom Q&A feature that allows attendees to type questions directly into their chat box without disrupting the flow of your presentation.

1, Communique Conferencing

Communique Conferencing was formed in 1995 to provide easy, convenient and cost-effective meeting solutions for businesses. Since then, it has grown to become the leading provider of audio, web and video conferencing services in North America.

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Features

• Free to set up
• Simple and easy to use
• Reservationless features
• 24/7 toll-free access throughout US and Canada International toll-based access also available
• Meeting codes assigned instantly, no preregistration required
• Advanced Reservationless features including: Call recording, transcription and report delivery; Lock Meeting; Entry/Exit Chime Tones; 4 digit security PIN; Web Controls; Dial-out; Secure Meeting Rooms; Operator Assisted Services

Pros

1.  Audio Conferencing: Join your conference call from any telephone at home or on the road.

2. Web Conferencing: Share your presentation online with your participants anywhere in the world.

3. Video Conferencing: Use our state-of-the-art HD quality video conferencing to conduct interviews or business meetings over the internet.

3. Demio

With Demio, you can host webinars and create an automated webinar funnel that converts your leads into customers. Demio is a webinar hosting service that allows you to host unlimited live and automated webinars.

It features functionality for live webinars, automated webinars, and hybrid webinars. The customizable registration page can allow attendees to register for upcoming webinars with name, email, and phone number.

You can customize the event page with your own branding and include a video or image to promote your event. You can also choose which information fields you want to collect from registrants.

In a live event, you can see how many people are currently watching and how many have registered but haven’t attended yet. You can manage the event chat (which is moderated by default) and see which questions are more popular among attendees.

The reporting features provide in-depth insights about each of your events. You’ll get a summary report after the event that gives you attendance data as well as revenue stats if the event was paid.

You can also record your sessions with one click, so registrants who aren’t able to attend live can watch them later on demand.

Features

Live Q&A

Enable chat for Q&A at any point during your live webinar! You can also quickly switch between chat and video to answer questions from your attendees.

Manage Your Panelists

Invite up to 3 panelists to join your live presentation and engage with your audience in real time! Panelists can be added at any point during your webinar through our user-friendly dashboard.

Integrated Chat

Engage with attendees via integrated chat on every event page. Share links, documents, and more during the live webinar for an even more dynamic experience!

Automated Events

Easily schedule recurring events that run on the same day, time, and language each week. Just select the days of the week, choose a start time, and voila – Demio will automatically schedule all of your events!

Pros

• Easy to use and manage
• Interface is simple and intuitive
• Inexpensive, especially for the Starter plan
• Webinar replay feature is easy to share and use

Cons

• No free trial available
• Doesn’t offer (yet) some of the advanced customization options other software provides.

3. Livestorm

Livestorm makes it easy to host and attend webinars. The platform allows you to create a powerful experience for both the presenter and the attendees.

You can embed a webinar on any page or use our landing page creator to customize event pages to fit your brand. It’s easy to get started and even easier to manage events from start to finish.

Features

1. Webinar Platform: Livestorm is the go-to webinar platform for thousands of companies who are serious about online events. We support live streaming, registration pages, email notifications, analytics and more.

 

2. Video Conferencing Software: Livestorm’s video conferencing software is easy to set up and use. No downloads necessary! Share your screen, record your meetings and start 1:1 or group calls.

 

3. Training & E-Learning Solutions: Set up a virtual classroom with our training and e-learning solutions! Livestorm helps you create great learning experiences for your students and employees with video conferencing, breakout rooms, quizzes and more.

Pros

– Record your webinars and interviews

– Create automated emails and workflows and build custom registration forms

– Host unlimited events with up to 5,000 attendees per event

– Automatically stream your webinars on Youtube

4. Whova

WHOVA is a conference management software that has been used by over 1,000 events globally. WHOVA’s all-in-one event app helps conferences and events become more productive and profitable.

The app provides all the tools you need to manage your event in one place — registration, agenda, social features, live Q&A, attendee tracking, and much more!

WHOVA’s main strengths are: The highest rated event app since 2014 with a 4.7 rating on both Google Play Store and Apple App Store

Supports all kinds of events – small or large scale conferences, summits, networking events, seminars, workshops, trade shows and expos Real time engagement with attendees – offers a ‘Live Q&A’ feature for speakers to interact with their audience during an event.

Built in networking & social features – allows attendees to network with one another before/during/after an event Easy to use and manage from end-to-end – no coding or technical skills required.

Features

Social Networking Social networking is a critical element of successful event participation. Attendees and speakers need to connect with each other, but it’s also important for them to stay connected after the conference.

1. Attendee-to-attendee private messaging
2. In app email
3. Share your information card and social media profiles with attendees
4. Add new contacts to your personal contact list
5. Send out invitations to your upcoming events
6. Create public/private groups and invite your friends, colleagues, or classmates

Pros

 – Manage events easily with Whova’s cloud-based dashboard, accessible anytime, anywhere.

– Share information seamlessly with attendees using Whova’s highly intuitive interface.

– Increase attendee engagement and maximize event ROI with Whova’s powerful networking features.

6. WebinarJam

When you’re hosting a live event, the last thing you want to worry about is the technical side of things. WebinarJam Studio takes that off your plate by providing an easy-to-use interface and lightning-fast connection, so you can focus on delivering a top-notch presentation.

WebinarJam Studio provides a host of powerful features, including:

• Unlimited HD streaming with up to 6 presenters, no matter how many attendees (you can even stream to Facebook Live)
• The ability to share your screen or upload PowerPoint slides
• A built-in chat room where attendees can ask questions during the presentation
• A list of all registrants, including their names and email addresses

Pros

Native Google Hangouts integration

WebinarJam is the only webinar platform that integrates natively with Google Hangouts. This means we can push your webinar out to an unlimited number of attendees so you never have to worry about hitting a bandwidth limit.

Recorded Webinars

When you’re done broadcasting, it automatically records a copy of your presentation so you can publish it on Facebook or right here on our video hosting system. It’s perfect for creating hybrid webinars that let you present live while also sending out pre-recorded promotional videos or even products and courses.

Mobile Friendly Signup Pages

Signup pages are optimized for mobile phones, so all those folks who use their phone to sign up will be able to fill out your form without any problems. This means more sales and registrations!

Multiple presenters and multiple cameras

Do you have more than one speaker? You can show them both at the same time using our multi-presenter mode. 

6. Airmeet

Airmeet is my favorite social interaction platform that brings the feel of physical events online. Airmeet has three main sections:

1. The Lobby

This is where you can meet people from around the world who have attended the event. You can use the meet button to get matched with someone based on your interests. There is also a party mode (similar to Clubhouse).

2. The Stage

This is where all the talks, panels and sessions are held. You can either view them live or watch them later in their entirety. The experience feels like being at a physical conference.

You can use the clap button to show your appreciation for the speaker. You can also use the Q&A button to ask questions and engage with other attendees.

3. The Networking Area

This is where you can move around, just like you would in a physical conference.

You will find different rooms that are hosted by exhibitors and sponsors (you can sponsor rooms as well). The networking area also has a virtual bar where you can meet people and chat over drinks.

Pros

1. Ticketing & Registration- Sell tickets, collect payments and automate registrations with our simple tools.
2. Speaker & Attendee Networking Opportunities- Connect attendees and speakers with each other using Airmeet’s networking features.
3. Custom Event URL- Create a custom landing page for your virtual events with a unique URL.

7. Zoom

Zoom is the leader in modern enterprise video communications, with an easy, reliable cloud platform for video and audio conferencing, chat, and webinars across mobile, desktop, and room systems. Zoom Rooms is the original software-based conference room solution used around the world in board, conference, huddle, and training rooms, as well as executive offices and classrooms.

With Zoom, you can: Host up to 100 participants in a single meeting;

• Share your computer screen or an individual application window with other meeting participants;
• Record meetings for later viewing or transcription
• Share videos, images, and other content via a virtual whiteboard; and Chat privately with any other participant during the meeting. 

Pros

1. Meetings- Host one-on-one or group meetings with up to 500 participants. Meet face-to-face with HD video and high quality audio in an instant.
2. Webinars- Share information or host an interactive event with up to 10,000 attendees. Record the webinar for on-demand viewing.
3. Training Sessions- Train employees and customers in real time with screen sharing capabilities and remote control. Record sessions for future reference or on-demand training.
4. Video Conferencing- Give everyone access to meetings and conferences by using a computer, phone, or mobile device with wireless internet capabilities.

8. vFairs

vFairs is an all-in-one virtual events platform designed to help event organizers host immersive and engaging virtual events. X

Features

1. Unlimited exhibitors and attendees: vFairs allows you to scale your events as you like.. We do not charge per attendee or per exhibitor and hence give you the freedom to host events of any size.
2. Customizable environment: We have built an easy-to-use interface that can be customized according to your needs. You can add/remove sections and elements as you see fit or extend it when you want to add more complex elements. This gives you the flexibility to create unique experiences with vFairs, something that the competition lacks.

3. Powerful reporting vFairs gives you real-time stats and analytics so that you know what’s happening at your event at any given time. We also provide a detailed report of every activity, which is available once the event is completed.

Pros

 1.  Robust Marketing Tools

vFairs’ marketing tools are designed to help you reach the right audience for your events. From personalized email notifications to inbuilt social sharing options, our marketing tools put you in control of promoting your event.

2. Lead Management Tools

vFairs’ lead management tools are designed to help you identify, track and manage leads throughout the duration of your event. With information at hand, you can follow up with leads even after the event is over.

3. Integration with CRM & Marketing Automation Tools

You can integrate vFairs with your CRM and Marketing automation tools to streamline back-end processes like sales lead management, payment collection and order generation.

9. ClickMeeting

Online meetings are a perfect tool for doing business. Whether you run a small agency or a large corporation, you can easily get your point across with the help of ClickMeeting.

Online meetings are convenient, efficient and reliable.

With ClickMeeting, you can hold live video conferences and webinars with up to 25 participants. The system is easy to use and has just the right features to make your meetings more effective: live video, chat, screen sharing and other collaboration tools.

Features

• Video conferencing
• Screen sharing
• Recording and playback
• Call integration
• Webcam settings
• Whiteboar Chat (private, group, presenter-to-attendee)
• Polls and surveys
• Webinar session analytics

Pros

1. ClickMeeting is extremely easy to use, and you don’t need any technical knowledge to get started. You can use ClickMeeting for online meetings, webinars, online events and virtual conferences.
2. Custom branding is available for the meeting room with your own company logo and color scheme to match your brand identity. There are lots of handy features that make ClickMeeting an effective platform for conducting online meetings and webinars, including screen sharing, polling, Q&A sessions, custom registration pages and more.
3. You can integrate third party apps into ClickMeeting through Zapier integration, including MailChimp and Wufoo.

What Are Virtual Conference Platforms?

The benefits of a virtual conference are compelling:

1. No travel required.

Attending a conference means investing time and money in airfare and hotels. 

2. No carbon footprint.

Virtual conferences are greener than live events, because they don’t involve transportation or any of the other emissions that come from gathering large numbers of people together in one place.

3. Cost savings.

No travel means no spending on airfare and hotels, which can add up to hundreds of dollars or more per attendee. A virtual conference is also less expensive to produce than a live event, so it’s often cheaper to attend them too.

Virtual conferences also have drawbacks:

1. Business networking.

Business conferences are often attended primarily as networking opportunities, but this is an area where a virtual conference can’t match an in-person event.It’s possible to network online, but video chats don’t have the same flexibility as face-to-face conversations at a cocktail party or coffee shop.

2. Lack of variety.

For many people, conferences are an opportunity to try out new activities like yoga classes and wine tastings. 

What Features Do You Need in a Virtual Conference Platform?

The time for virtual events is here. With the cancellation of major trade shows and conferences, businesses are turning to virtual experiences to fill the gap and build community.

These events have the potential to increase brand awareness and generate leads, but only with a great platform. To ensure your event’s success, you need a seamless virtual conference platform that offers all of the features you need.

We’ve created a checklist of everything you should look for in a virtual conference platform. Keep this handy as you evaluate different options to make sure you don’t miss anything important!

1. Interactive Content- Interactivity is essential when it comes to keeping attendees engaged in your event. If they can’t engage with exhibitors or presenters, they won’t be able to build meaningful relationships or find answers to their questions.

Make sure your virtual conference platform lets exhibitors and presenters showcase products, answer attendee questions and create interactive demos — just like they would at an in-person event.

2. On-Demand Content- While many conferences will still have live sessions, on-demand content is crucial for keeping attendees engaged throughout the event. Make sure your virtual conference platform lets exhibitors upload pre-recorded videos, presentations or product demonstrations

1. Virtual Conference Platform features Breakout Rooms

A virtual meeting is a meeting that takes place over the internet, with attendees dialling in from different locations. It can be as simple as a conference call, or as sophisticated as a video conference with file sharing and screen-sharing capabilities.

Virtual meetings are highly cost effective and convenient, making them an increasingly popular alternative to live events. When it comes to running a successful virtual event, communication is key.

Breakout rooms allow you to split your audience into separate groups for focused discussion and collaboration.

When you have a large number of attendees in one room, it can be difficult to be heard and there’s a risk that some attendees may not feel comfortable speaking up. Breakout rooms enable smaller groups of delegates to discuss particular topics without interruption, making them an excellent tool for facilitating interactive debate at virtual conferences and training events.

 With the breakout room feature, you can divide your conference into multiple groups and let them work together at their own pace. You can set up to 50 breakout rooms and assign participants to a room manually or automatically.

To view the automatic assignment you can click on the “breakout rooms” icon in the “participants” section of your meeting interface.

2. Virtual Conference Platform features Third-party Integrations

The platform is designed to help businesses and organizations manage their events, conferences, or meetings conveniently. In a statement to the press, the company’s representative said that the virtual conference platform comes with comprehensive features that make it the perfect choice for any event management company.

One of the best features of this software is the ability to integrate third-party applications seamlessly within its platform. This allows users to access other tools as they are needed and not have to use multiple platforms for one event.

Some of the compatible applications include Zoom and GotoMeeting. Users can link these platforms with Virtual Conference Platform™ to create a seamless experience for attendees.

This feature can be used by event planners to enjoy a number of benefits during an event.

The most important benefit is the ability to interact with clients in real-time without having to leave the app or use another interface. With this feature, clients will be able to view events and even participate in discussions without having to change platforms or download additional apps on their devices.

3.Virtual Conference Platform features Reporting and Analytics

 To get a comprehensive overview of the event, we need to make sure we have access to reliable data. The dashboard and analytics provided with our virtual conference platform gives you all the insights you need.

Detailed event data is available in real-time, allowing you to monitor event performance and make smart decisions on the go. The reports are generated by user behavior across the virtual event platform.

This can be based on how many sessions users attended, how many views each session received, or how much time visitors spend on your website. All information is easy to access and can be filtered by date range, session type, or any other criteria that is important for your business.

You can also choose which specific reports you want to receive and customize alerts that will notify you when a new attendee joins your event When you’re running an event, it’s important to have access to detailed information about what’s going on.

With the Virtual Conference Platform, you’ll be able to view the attendee lists and agenda in real time, as well as track the number of attendees at each session.

4. Virtual Conference Platform features Conference Recordings

 All sessions are recorded and available on the platform for 30 days post-conference. Conference attendees have the opportunity to catch up on anything they may have missed.

5. Virtual Conference Platform features Conference Ticketing

With the large-scale transition to virtual events, it’s more important than ever that we provide the tools and support to manage registration, tickets and attendee experience. The Event Espresso Virtual Conference Ticketing and Live Stream software is a powerful solution for event professionals.

Conferences are a great way to connect with your audience and build value for your brand and business. They also provide an opportunity for you to make a profit. With Event Espresso Virtual Conference Ticketing software you can easily create tickets and sell them on your website (or on third party websites) so your audience can register in advance.

You could even offer early bird pricing or special group rates. Our virtual conference platform features live streaming capabilities, so you can stream content from any location with a reliable internet connection, including panels, keynotes, workshops and networking sessions.

We also offer live Q&A functionality so speakers can answer questions as they come in or have them answered by moderators/panelists in real time. And with our live chat integration attendees can network with each other before, during and after the event.

The Event Espresso virtual conference ticketing software offers great benefits for attendees too! 

6. Virtual Conference Platform features Polling.

Polling is a great way to grab your audience’s attention, foster participation in a virtual conference, and collect valuable insights. You can ask your audience multiple choice questions, yes/no/maybe questions, or fill-in-the-blank questions.

7. Virtual Conference Platform features Screen Sharing.

The best virtual conference software is one that offers a wide range of features to its users. This makes it easier for you to organize the event and make sure it goes smoothly.

Screen sharing is one of the most important features that can be found on a virtual conference platform. The screen sharing feature allows you to share your screen with other attendees and/or presenters.

The ability to share your screen allows you to take screenshots or record video footage of the event, which can be helpful if you want to promote the event later on.

How Do You Use a Virtual Conference Platform?

Online conference platforms are a great way to collaborate with your team and other entrepreneurs. They’re also a cost-effective way of making sales presentations or conducting online workshops.

The best ones have an easy-to-use interface that’s both beautiful and intuitive, and they can also be used for video conferencing.

That being said, there are lots of virtual conference platforms out there, and many are quite expensive. Fortunately, you don’t need to pay through the nose to get started using one. Here’s how you use a virtual conference platform to make money:

Step 1: Choose your platform

There are dozens of virtual conference platforms out there, and most of them provide basic features. Some have more advanced features that make it easier to hold meetings with groups, but the core functionality is similar enough that you’ll be able to figure out which one suits your purposes best.

Here are some guidelines: The platform should offer audio or video conferencing capabilities as part of its basic package. Make sure the platform has a good interface, with clean graphics and simple controls. It doesn’t need to be flashy, but it should be easy to navigate.

Virtual Conference Platform – Frequently Asked Questions

1. How do I create an account?

You can create a brand new account by clicking the Login button in the right corner of your screen and filling out the form. You can also sign up using your Google or Facebook account. Once you have created an account, you will receive a confirmation email to complete registration.

2. What is the difference between a ticket and a pass?

A ticket is an entry pass to a single conference event (e.g. webinar). A pass gives you access to all events, including recordings and materials, for a specific period of time (e.g. 3 days).

3. Are there any discounts for group tickets?

Our Group Passes are available at a discount for groups of 5, 10, 15 people who register together. Once you have registered with your Group Pass, you will be able to invite other colleagues to join your group and benefit from the discounted price offered by our Group Passes.

4. Do I need to have a webcam or microphone?

We recommend that all participants use headphones during the conference sessions and that they turn off their microphones when not speaking (to avoid any noise). 

Best Virtual Conference Platforms – Wrapping Up

I consider myself a lucky one. Having attended numerous conferences, I can say that I have experienced various virtual platforms.

I remember the first time I ever went to a virtual conference, it was hosted by Facebook’s F8 Conference in 2014.

I didn’t know what to expect. I had recently launched my own website and was eager to learn more about growing my online presence.

I logged into Facebook and saw the stream of their conference live on my wall and couldn’t believe what I was seeing.

It felt like they were speaking directly to me and that was when my interest in going to conferences multiplied tenfold. Since then, I have been able to go to many other conferences, but this time in person.

As much fun as it is to see people face-to-face and make friends with them at these events, there is something about the convenience of being able to attend from your couch or from home that makes these types of events even more exciting!

We hope you enjoyed reading this article on the best virtual conference platforms.