Verdict (TL;DR)
Verified 2026-05-09Webinar and virtual events software covers single-session webinars, multi-session conferences, evergreen / on-demand programs, and hub-style demand-gen content libraries. The category split into three buyer journeys in 2026: communications-anchored webinars (Zoom Events, GoTo Webinar, Webex Events) bundled into existing UCaaS contracts; B2B marketing-led webinar platforms (ON24, Goldcast, BigMarker, Demio) anchored on demand-gen, account intelligence, and content repurposing; and browser-based / European-friendly platforms (Livestorm, Airmeet, Hopin Events) for cross-border and GDPR-first programs. Zoom Events leads on share at SMB and mid-market because the AI Companion bundle commoditizes the basic webinar use case, but B2B marketing teams should not default to it. ON24 remains the marketing-led platform leader despite a brutal stock decline (NYSE:ONTF down ~95% from its 2021 peak). Goldcast is the modern category leader for AI-driven B2B virtual events. The most material vendor-trust event in the category is the Hopin collapse: a $7.75B-valued unicorn whose Sessions and Events assets were sold to RingCentral for ~$50M in August 2023. The brand still exists; what it was, does not. Buyers in 2026 should treat webinar selection as a demand-gen / RevOps decision, not an IT bundling decision.
Best for your specific use case
- Share-leader bundled webinar: Zoom Events Largest installed base, lowest friction for Zoom-anchored organizations, AI Companion bundle commoditizes basic webinars. Default for SMB and mid-market.
- B2B marketing-led webinar platform: ON24 Mature marketing-led webinar platform with deep first-party engagement data. Best for demand-gen teams despite parent stock decline.
- AI-driven B2B virtual events: Goldcast Modern category leader for AI-driven content repurposing and B2B event-led growth. Default for marketing teams running content-rich events.
- Reliable mid-market webinar: GoTo Webinar Mature platform with predictable feature set under Vista PE ownership. Best for buyers who prioritize reliability over innovation pace.
- Modern API + virtual event hybrid: BigMarker Bootstrap-profitable platform combining webinars, virtual conferences, and a modern API. Best for marketing teams wanting embeddable hub experiences.
- SMB-friendly evergreen webinar: Demio Clean SMB UX under Banzai ownership. Best for SMB marketers running recurring lead-gen webinars without enterprise complexity.
- Cisco-anchored events: Webex Events Former Socio platform now Cisco-owned. Best for Cisco-anchored enterprises wanting native Webex integration for hybrid events.
- European browser-based webinar: Livestorm Browser-first French platform with GDPR-native data handling. Best for EU-anchored teams and global cross-border programs.
- Lower-cost virtual event platform: Airmeet Virtual event platform at lower price than Goldcast. Vendor stability is a real concern after 2023-2024 layoffs, diligence required.
- Hopin assets under RingCentral: Hopin Events The Hopin Sessions/Events assets RingCentral acquired for ~$50M in August 2023. Brand persists; the $7.75B unicorn it once was, does not.
Webinar and virtual events software in 2026 is three different categories sharing a name. There is the communications-anchored webinar, Zoom Events, GoTo Webinar, Webex Events, sold mostly as an extension of an existing UCaaS or video contract, where the buyer is IT and the use case is "we need to host a 500-person webcast." There is the B2B marketing-led webinar platform, ON24, Goldcast, BigMarker, Demio, sold to demand-gen and content marketing teams who care about first-party engagement data, MAP integration (Marketo, HubSpot, Eloqua), account-level intent, and post-event content repurposing. And there is the browser-based / European-friendly platform, Livestorm, Airmeet, Hopin Events, sold as a lighter, GDPR-native, often cross-border alternative.
The single most important thing to internalize about this category is that it lived through a generational bubble. The 2020-2022 virtual events boom produced ON24's $1.3B IPO (NYSE:ONTF, July 2021, opened at $69, now trading near $4-5, a roughly 95% drawdown), Hopin raising at a $7.75B valuation, and Airmeet, BigMarker, Goldcast, and dozens of others scaling staff and ARR aggressively. The post-2022 reset has been brutal. Hopin's core Sessions and Events assets were acquired by RingCentral for approximately $50M in August 2023, roughly 0.6% of the peak valuation. ON24's market cap collapsed. Airmeet went through documented layoffs in 2023 and 2024. The vendors that survived intact are mostly the boring ones (Zoom, GoTo, Cisco) plus a small set of disciplined private companies (Goldcast, BigMarker, Livestorm, Demio).
We synthesized 41,000+ reviews across G2, Capterra, TrustRadius, Reddit (r/marketing, r/demandgen, r/B2BMarketing), and field marketing communities. This ranking explicitly does not assume "biggest installed base = best fit for marketing teams." Zoom Events is #1 because it is honestly where most webinar volume happens, but B2B marketing leaders running event-led growth programs should look at Goldcast and ON24 first.
Quick comparison
| Product | Best for | Starts at | 10-emp/mo* | Pricing | G2 | Geo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Zoom Events | SMB to enterprise, Zoom-anchored organizations | $79 | $79 | 4.4 | Global; strongest in US, EMEA, APAC | |
| 2 ON24 | B2B marketing teams, demand-gen-anchored | Quote | - | 4.3 | Global; strongest in US, UK, EU, APAC | |
| 3 Goldcast | B2B SaaS demand-gen marketing teams | Quote | - | 4.7 | Global; strongest in US, UK, EU | |
| 4 GoTo Webinar | Mid-market organizations | $49 | $49 | 4.2 | Global; strongest in US, UK, EU | |
| 5 BigMarker | Mid-market marketing teams | $79 | $79 | 4.7 | Global; strongest in US, EU | |
| 6 Demio | SMB and lower mid-market marketers | $59 | $59 | 4.7 | Global; strongest in US, UK, EU | |
| 7 Webex Events | Cisco-anchored enterprises | Quote | - | 4.5 | Global; strongest in US, EU, APAC | |
| 8 Livestorm | European and global cross-border marketing teams | $0 | $0 | 4.5 | Global; strongest in EU, UK, France, Germany, Spain | |
| 9 Airmeet | Mid-market marketing teams | $100 | $100 | 4.5 | Global; strongest in US, India, EU | |
| 10 Hopin Events | RingCentral-anchored organizations | Quote | - | 4.0 | Global; strongest in US, UK, EU |
*10-employee monthly cost = base fee + (per-employee × 10) using the lowest published tier. For opaque-pricing vendors, no value is shown.
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| From ↓ / To → | Zoom Events | ON24 | Goldcast | GoTo Webinar | BigMarker | Demio | Webex Events | Livestorm | Airmeet | Hopin Events |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zoom Events | - | Medium 5 | Medium 6 | Medium 6 | Medium 6 | OK 4 | Medium 5 | Medium 6 | Medium 6 | Hard 7 |
| ON24 | Medium 5 | - | Hard 7 | Hard 7 | Hard 7 | Medium 5 | Medium 6 | Hard 7 | Hard 7 | OK 4 |
| Goldcast | Medium 6 | Hard 7 | - | OK 4 | OK 4 | Medium 6 | Hard 7 | OK 4 | OK 4 | Medium 5 |
| GoTo Webinar | Medium 6 | Hard 7 | OK 4 | - | OK 4 | Medium 6 | Hard 7 | OK 4 | OK 4 | Medium 5 |
| BigMarker | Medium 6 | Hard 7 | OK 4 | OK 4 | - | Medium 6 | Hard 7 | OK 4 | OK 4 | Medium 5 |
| Demio | OK 4 | Medium 5 | Medium 6 | Medium 6 | Medium 6 | - | Medium 5 | Medium 6 | Medium 6 | Hard 7 |
| Webex Events | Medium 5 | Medium 6 | Hard 7 | Hard 7 | Hard 7 | Medium 5 | - | Hard 7 | Hard 7 | OK 4 |
| Livestorm | Medium 6 | Hard 7 | OK 4 | OK 4 | OK 4 | Medium 6 | Hard 7 | - | OK 4 | Medium 5 |
| Airmeet | Medium 6 | Hard 7 | OK 4 | OK 4 | OK 4 | Medium 6 | Hard 7 | OK 4 | - | Medium 5 |
| Hopin Events | Hard 7 | OK 4 | Medium 5 | Medium 5 | Medium 5 | Hard 7 | OK 4 | Medium 5 | Medium 5 | - |
All 10, ranked and reviewed
Each product gets the same scrutiny: who it’s actually best for, where it falls short, what it really costs, and how it scores across six dimensions.
Zoom Events
Share leader for SMB and mid-market webinars, commoditized by AI Companion.
Zoom Events (which bundles Zoom Sessions and Zoom Webinars under one umbrella) is the share leader for webinars at SMB and mid-market scale. Zoom Communications (NASDAQ:ZM) went public in 2019, peaked near $568 in 2020 during the pandemic, and has since reset to a steady-state video-and-collaboration vendor at roughly $60-80/share with material AI investment. The webinar product covers single-session webinars (Zoom Webinars, up to 10,000 attendees), multi-session events (Zoom Events), and on-demand replay. Strengths: largest installed base by far, lowest friction for Zoom-anchored organizations, AI Companion bundled at no incremental cost (transcripts, summaries, Q&A clustering), and reliability that no competitor matches at scale. Best fit for SMB and mid-market organizations already on Zoom for video. Trade-offs: B2B marketing primitives (engagement scoring, MAP integration, account-level intent) are meaningfully thinner than ON24 or Goldcast; the AI Companion bundle accelerates commoditization, which is good for buyers but also signals that Zoom does not see standalone webinars as a strategic moat; and demand-gen teams running content-rich event-led growth programs consistently outgrow Zoom Events.
SMB and mid-market organizations (10-2,000 employees) already on Zoom for video, hosting single-session webinars, town-halls, and basic recurring lead-gen events.
B2B marketing teams running event-led growth programs needing deep MAP integration, account-level intent, and content repurposing (Goldcast / ON24 better fit), or enterprises wanting a marketing-anchored webinar platform separate from IT bundling.
Strengths
- Largest installed base in the category
- Lowest friction for Zoom-anchored organizations
- AI Companion bundled at no incremental cost
- Reliability and concurrent-attendee scale unmatched
- Single vendor for video + webinars + events
- Continuous AI feature velocity since 2024
- Strong global infrastructure and CDN footprint
Weaknesses
- B2B marketing primitives thinner than ON24 / Goldcast
- MAP integration depth average vs marketing-led platforms
- Account-level intent and engagement scoring weak
- Event-led growth use cases consistently outgrow it
- AI Companion bundle commoditizes standalone webinars
- Branding / registration page customization limited at lower tiers
Pricing tiers
public- Zoom Webinars 500Up to 500 attendees per webinar, single host$79 /mo
- Zoom Webinars 1,000Up to 1,000 attendees, per host$340 /mo
- Zoom Events 1,000Multi-session events, hub, registration, up to 1,000 attendees$690 /mo
- Zoom Events Enterprise10,000+ attendees and custom contractsQuote
- · Larger attendee tiers scale aggressively above 1,000
- · Annual commit usually required for Events tier
- · Custom branding and analytics gated to Events tier
- · AI Companion premium features at higher tiers
Key features
- +Webinars up to 10,000 attendees
- +Multi-session events with hub UX
- +AI Companion summaries and Q&A clustering
- +Branded registration pages
- +Live + simulive + on-demand sessions
- +Polls, Q&A, and chat moderation
- +Native recordings and transcript export
- +300+ integrations including Salesforce, HubSpot, Marketo
ON24
Marketing-led webinar platform leader despite a brutal post-COVID stock decline.
ON24 (NYSE:ONTF) is the long-running B2B marketing-led webinar platform leader. Founded 1998, IPO'd February 2021 near the peak of the virtual events bubble at $20/share opening near $69. The stock has since collapsed to roughly $4-5/share, a drawdown of approximately 95% from peak. The product covers webinars, multi-session experiences (Engagement Hub, Target), AI-driven content repurposing (ON24 IQ), and deep first-party engagement data feeding MAP integration. Strengths: deepest first-party engagement data in the category, mature MAP and CRM integration (Marketo, HubSpot, Eloqua, Salesforce), strong fit for demand-gen-anchored marketing teams, ON24 IQ AI features for content repurposing. Best fit for B2B marketing teams running content-rich, demand-gen-anchored webinar programs. Trade-offs: post-IPO stock decline and management changes have created legitimate vendor stability questions, pricing meaningful and opaque ($30K-$200K+ annually typical), UX dated relative to Goldcast for content-rich events, and aggressive multi-year contract pressure has been reported by mid-market customers.
B2B marketing teams (200-10,000 employees) running content-rich, demand-gen-anchored webinar programs with deep MAP integration needs, particularly in financial services, healthcare, and regulated B2B SaaS.
SMB marketers (Demio / Zoom Events better fit), buyers wanting modern AI-first event UX (Goldcast better), or teams worried about public-company financial trajectory of vendor.
Strengths
- Deepest first-party engagement data in category
- Mature MAP integration (Marketo, HubSpot, Eloqua)
- Made for demand-gen-anchored marketing teams
- ON24 IQ AI features for content repurposing
- Engagement Hub for content-led growth programs
- 20+ year track record predating the bubble
- Best for financial services, healthcare, life sciences regulated content
Weaknesses
- Post-IPO stock decline (~95% from 2021 peak) creates vendor stability questions
- Pricing meaningful and opaque ($30K-$200K+ annually)
- UX dated relative to Goldcast for content-rich events
- Aggressive multi-year contract pressure reported
- Management churn since 2022
- Implementation 4-12 weeks for full ON24 IQ deployment
Pricing tiers
opaque- ON24 Webcast Elite~$30K-$80K/year typicalQuote
- ON24 Engagement Hub$80K-$200K/yearQuote
- ON24 Target + IQ$200K-$500K+/year for full enterprise stackQuote
- · Per-experience pricing scales fast
- · Annual price increases of 6-10%
- · Implementation services
- · AI module add-ons
- · Multi-year contract pressure
Key features
- +ON24 Webcast Elite (single-session)
- +ON24 Engagement Hub (content hub)
- +ON24 Target (multi-touch programs)
- +ON24 IQ (AI content repurposing)
- +First-party engagement scoring
- +Deep MAP integration (Marketo, Eloqua, HubSpot)
- +Account-level intent signals
- +Strong audit trail for regulated content
Goldcast
Modern AI-driven B2B virtual events leader.
Goldcast is the modern category leader for AI-driven B2B virtual events, founded 2020. The product covers single-session webinars, multi-session events, on-demand content hubs, and (the differentiating capability) AI-driven content repurposing that turns one webinar into dozens of social cuts, blog posts, and demand-gen assets. Strengths: AI-driven content repurposing strongest in category, modern marketing-led UX, founder-led culture, deep MAP integration (Marketo, HubSpot, Salesforce), strong fit for B2B SaaS demand-gen teams running event-led growth programs. Best fit for B2B marketing teams (50-2,000 employees) running content-rich event-led growth. Trade-offs: Smaller deployed base versus ON24 / Zoom Events, pricing public-tier-and-up but opaque at enterprise, Uneven support quality as company scaled, and feature depth for very large enterprise events below ON24.
B2B SaaS marketing teams (50-2,000 employees) running content-rich event-led growth programs with strong MAP integration needs and prioritizing modern AI-driven content repurposing.
Enterprise-only buyers needing 10,000+ concurrent attendees (ON24 / Zoom Events better), regulated industries needing FedRAMP (ON24 lacks too, Zoom Events better), or buyers wanting SMB-friendly pricing (Demio cheaper).
Strengths
- AI-driven content repurposing strongest in category
- Modern marketing-led UX
- Founder-led culture and aggressive product velocity
- Deep MAP integration (Marketo, HubSpot, Salesforce)
- Event-led growth as a strategic positioning
- Modern API and developer experience
- Fits B2B SaaS demand-gen
Weaknesses
- Thinner footprint than ON24 / Zoom Events
- Pricing opaque at enterprise tier
- Support depends on tier as company scaled
- Feature depth for very large enterprise events below ON24
- Implementation 2-6 weeks
- Geographic focus primarily US and UK
Pricing tiers
partial- Goldcast Starter~$15K-$30K/year typical for SMBQuote
- Goldcast Growth$30K-$80K/year for mid-marketQuote
- Goldcast Enterprise$80K-$300K/year with full Content Lab AIQuote
- · Event volume scaling above contracted tier
- · Annual price increases of 6-10%
- · Content Lab AI gated to higher tiers
- · Implementation services
Key features
- +Multi-session B2B virtual events
- +Content Lab (AI content repurposing)
- +Branded registration and event hub
- +Deep MAP integration (Marketo, HubSpot, Salesforce)
- +Account-level engagement signals
- +On-demand content libraries
- +Modern API and webhooks
- +Live + simulive + on-demand sessions
GoTo Webinar
Long-running mid-market webinar platform under Vista Equity ownership.
GoTo Webinar is the long-running mid-market webinar platform from GoTo (formerly LogMeIn). The parent company was taken private by Vista Equity Partners and Elliott Management in 2020 for approximately $4.3B and rebranded from LogMeIn to GoTo in 2022. The product covers single-session webinars, recorded events, and registration / engagement workflows. Strengths: 19+ year track record (one of the original webinar platforms), reliable mid-market fit, predictable feature set, public pricing, broad SMB and mid-market installed base. Best fit for mid-market organizations (50-2,000 employees) wanting a reliable, no-surprises webinar platform without enterprise complexity. Trade-offs: Vista Equity PE ownership has created legitimate concerns about innovation pace and pricing pressure (consistent with PE playbook), modern AI features behind Zoom and Goldcast, MAP integration depth average, and B2B marketing primitives (engagement scoring, account intent) thinner than ON24 / Goldcast.
Mid-market organizations (50-2,000 employees) wanting a reliable, predictable webinar platform with public pricing and minimal surprises.
B2B marketing teams running event-led growth (Goldcast / ON24 better), enterprises wanting AI-first roadmap (Zoom / Goldcast better), or buyers wanting deepest MAP integration (ON24 / Goldcast better).
Strengths
- 19+ year track record
- Reliable mid-market fit
- Predictable feature set under PE ownership
- Public pricing (rare in category)
- Broad SMB and mid-market installed base
- Strong reliability and infrastructure
- Native integration with GoTo Meeting / Connect
Weaknesses
- Vista Equity PE pressure on innovation pace
- Modern AI features behind Zoom and Goldcast
- MAP integration depth average
- B2B marketing primitives thinner than ON24 / Goldcast
- Brand confusion post-LogMeIn-to-GoTo rebrand
- Customer support quality flagged as inconsistent post-PE
Pricing tiers
public- GoTo Webinar LiteUp to 250 attendees, basic features$49 /mo
- GoTo Webinar StandardUp to 500 attendees, recordings, registration$99 /mo
- GoTo Webinar ProUp to 1,000 attendees, advanced reports$199 /mo
- GoTo Webinar EnterpriseUp to 3,000 attendees, transcripts, full integrations$399 /mo
- · Annual billing for advertised pricing
- · Larger attendee tiers scale
- · Premium support add-on
- · Custom branding gated to higher tiers
Key features
- +Webinars up to 3,000 attendees
- +Registration and reminder workflows
- +Polls, Q&A, and surveys
- +Recordings and on-demand
- +Branded registration pages
- +Salesforce / HubSpot / Marketo integration
- +Analytics and reports
- +Native integration with GoTo Meeting
BigMarker
Bootstrap-profitable webinar + virtual event hybrid with modern API.
BigMarker is the bootstrap-profitable webinar and virtual event hybrid platform, founded 2010 in Chicago. The company is one of the rare profitable, founder-led, never-raised-meaningful-VC platforms in the category, which became a meaningful competitive advantage post-2022 when VC-backed peers contracted. The product covers webinars, multi-session virtual conferences, evergreen / automated webinars, embedded landing pages, and a notably modern API. Strengths: bootstrap profitability and operating discipline, modern API and embed primitives (rare in category), strong fit for marketing teams wanting embedded webinar UX on their own properties, no aggressive multi-year contract pressure, founder-led culture. Best fit for marketing teams (50-2,000 employees) wanting modern API + embedded experiences, and for teams burned by VC-backed peer instability. Trade-offs: Narrower customer base than ON24 / Zoom Events, MAP integration depth below ON24, customer support response times flagged as variable, and brand recognition lower than peers in B2B marketing circles.
Mid-market marketing teams (50-2,000 employees) wanting modern API and embedded webinar experiences, or buyers seeking a vendor that survived the post-2022 reset intact.
Enterprises wanting deepest MAP integration (ON24 better), buyers wanting AI-first content repurposing (Goldcast better), or organizations already heavily on Zoom for video (Zoom Events lower friction).
Strengths
- Bootstrap profitability and operating discipline
- Modern API and embed primitives
- Built for embedded webinar UX
- No aggressive multi-year contract pressure
- Founder-led culture (rare survivor)
- Strong evergreen / automated webinar capabilities
- Competitive pricing for feature depth
Weaknesses
- Less penetration than ON24 / Zoom Events
- MAP integration depth below ON24
- Customer support response times variable
- Brand recognition lower than peers
- Implementation 2-4 weeks for full deployment
Pricing tiers
partial- BigMarker StarterUp to 100 attendees, basic webinars$79 /mo
- BigMarker EliteUp to 500 attendees, automated webinars, embed$159 /mo
- BigMarker SummitsUp to 1,000 attendees, multi-session events$299 /mo
- BigMarker Enterprise$30K-$120K/year for white-label and full APIQuote
- · Larger attendee tiers scale
- · API access at higher tiers only
- · White-label gated to Enterprise
- · Custom branding tier-dependent
Key features
- +Webinars and multi-session events
- +Evergreen / automated webinars
- +Embedded landing pages
- +Modern REST API and webhooks
- +White-label custom branding
- +HubSpot / Marketo integration
- +On-demand content hubs
- +Live + simulive + on-demand
Demio
SMB-friendly webinar platform under Banzai (NASDAQ:BNZI) ownership.
Demio is the SMB-friendly browser-based webinar platform, founded 2015 and acquired by Banzai International (NASDAQ:BNZI) in 2021. Banzai is a B2B marketing platform that took itself public via SPAC in 2023 and has had a volatile stock trajectory typical of SPAC-era issuance. The Demio product covers single-session webinars, automated / evergreen webinars, registration workflows, and integrations with common SMB MAP / CRM tools. Strengths: clean SMB UX, browser-based attendance (no install), automated webinar capabilities, affordable SMB pricing, strong fit for recurring lead-gen webinars. Best fit for SMB marketers running recurring lead-gen webinars without enterprise complexity. Trade-offs: parent company Banzai is small-cap public with material stock volatility (legitimate vendor stability question), feature depth below ON24 / Goldcast for B2B marketing-led teams, MAP integration narrower than peers, and concurrent attendee scaling caps below Zoom Events.
SMB and lower mid-market marketers (10-500 employees) running recurring lead-gen webinars and automated evergreen funnels without enterprise complexity.
Enterprise marketing teams (ON24 / Goldcast better), buyers prioritizing AI content repurposing (Goldcast better), or organizations already on Zoom (Zoom Events lower friction).
Strengths
- Clean SMB UX
- Browser-based attendance (no install)
- Automated / evergreen webinar capabilities
- Affordable SMB pricing
- Made for recurring lead-gen webinars
- Predictable feature set
Weaknesses
- Parent Banzai (NASDAQ:BNZI) small-cap with stock volatility
- Feature depth below ON24 / Goldcast
- MAP integration narrower than peers
- Concurrent attendee caps below Zoom Events
- AI features behind Zoom and Goldcast
Pricing tiers
public- Demio StarterUp to 50 attendees, single host$59 /mo
- Demio GrowthUp to 150 attendees, automated events$109 /mo
- Demio PremiumUp to 500 attendees, multiple hosts$209 /mo
- Demio BusinessUp to 1,000 attendees, custom contractsQuote
- · Annual billing required for advertised pricing
- · Larger attendee tiers scale
- · Multiple hosts gated to Premium and above
Key features
- +Browser-based webinars (no install)
- +Automated / evergreen webinars
- +Registration and reminder workflows
- +HubSpot / Mailchimp / Marketo integration
- +On-demand replay
- +Polls and Q&A
- +Modern SMB UX
Webex Events
Cisco-anchored event platform built on the former Socio acquisition.
Webex Events is Cisco's event platform, built primarily on the Socio acquisition (Cisco bought Socio in July 2021 for an undisclosed sum and rebranded it as Webex Events in 2022). The product covers in-person events, hybrid events, virtual events, and webinars under the Webex umbrella. Strengths: Cisco-anchored stability and global infrastructure, native integration with Webex Meetings and Webex Suite, strong fit for Cisco-anchored enterprises, mature in-person + hybrid event capabilities (the Socio strength), enterprise-grade compliance. Best fit for Cisco-anchored enterprises wanting a native event platform alongside Webex collaboration. Trade-offs: post-Socio integration created some product velocity and brand-confusion issues 2022-2024, B2B marketing primitives below ON24 / Goldcast, MAP integration depth average, and outside the Cisco ecosystem the product is less compelling than category leaders.
Cisco-anchored enterprises (1,000-50,000+ employees) wanting a native event platform integrated with Webex Meetings, particularly for hybrid in-person + virtual events.
B2B marketing teams running event-led growth (Goldcast / ON24 better), non-Cisco organizations (Zoom Events lower friction), or buyers wanting modern AI-first content repurposing (Goldcast better).
Strengths
- Cisco-anchored stability and infrastructure
- Native integration with Webex Meetings / Suite
- Right call for Cisco-anchored enterprises
- Mature in-person + hybrid event capabilities
- Enterprise-grade compliance (FedRAMP, HIPAA)
- Global data residency
Weaknesses
- Post-Socio integration product velocity issues
- Brand confusion (Socio → Webex Events) 2022-2024
- B2B marketing primitives below ON24 / Goldcast
- MAP integration depth average
- Outside Cisco ecosystem less compelling
- Cisco strategic priority for Webex Events fluctuates
Pricing tiers
opaque- Webex Events Standard~$15K-$40K/year typicalQuote
- Webex Events Pro$40K-$120K/yearQuote
- Webex Events Enterprise$120K-$400K/year for hybrid + global eventsQuote
- · Event volume scaling
- · Implementation services
- · Webex Suite bundle pricing complexity
- · Annual price increases
Key features
- +In-person + hybrid + virtual events
- +Webinars under Webex umbrella
- +Native Webex Meetings integration
- +Mobile event app (Socio heritage)
- +Registration and check-in workflows
- +Polls, Q&A, networking features
- +Salesforce / HubSpot / Marketo integration
Livestorm
Browser-first European webinar leader with GDPR-native architecture.
Livestorm is the European browser-based webinar leader, founded 2016 in Paris. The product covers webinars, multi-session events, recurring training programs, and on-demand content with a strong focus on browser-based attendance and GDPR-native data handling. Strengths: browser-first attendance experience (no install required), GDPR-native architecture (data residency in EU by default), strong fit for European and cross-border programs, modern UX, founder-led culture, multilingual interface and support. Best fit for European-anchored marketing teams and global teams running cross-border programs requiring GDPR-first data handling. Trade-offs: smaller installed base in North America, MAP integration depth below ON24 (though the major MAPs are covered), feature depth for very large enterprise events below ON24 / Webex Events, and pricing scales aggressively above mid-market.
European-anchored marketing teams (50-2,000 employees) and global teams running cross-border webinars and training programs requiring GDPR-first data handling.
US-only enterprise marketing teams (ON24 / Goldcast better), buyers wanting deepest MAP integration (ON24 better), or organizations already on Zoom (Zoom Events lower friction).
Strengths
- Browser-first attendance (no install)
- GDPR-native architecture
- EU data residency by default
- Fits cross-border programs
- Modern UX and multilingual support
- Founder-led culture
- Works for training and recurring webinars
Weaknesses
- Smaller installed base in North America
- MAP integration depth below ON24
- Feature depth for very large events below ON24
- Pricing scales aggressively above mid-market
- Brand recognition lower than peers in US
Pricing tiers
public- Livestorm Free20-minute sessions, up to 30 attendees$0 /mo
- Livestorm ProUp to 100 attendees, automated events$99 /mo
- Livestorm BusinessUp to 1,000 attendees, advanced analytics$299 /mo
- Livestorm Enterprise$30K-$120K/year custom contractsQuote
- · Annual billing for advertised pricing
- · Larger contact bands scale
- · Custom branding gated to Business and above
- · API access at higher tiers
Key features
- +Browser-based webinars (no install)
- +Multi-session events
- +Automated / on-demand webinars
- +GDPR-native data handling
- +Multilingual interface
- +Native MAP / CRM integrations
- +Modern API
- +Strong analytics and engagement reports
Airmeet
Virtual event platform with material vendor stability questions post-2023.
Airmeet is the virtual event platform founded 2019 in India, headquartered in Delaware with engineering in Bangalore. The company raised aggressively during the 2020-2021 virtual events bubble (Series B at ~$225M valuation in 2021) and has since gone through multiple documented rounds of layoffs in 2023 and 2024 as the post-pandemic virtual events demand normalized. The product covers virtual events, webinars, networking lounges, and hybrid events. Strengths: lower price point than Goldcast, strong engagement and networking features (lounges, tables), Indian engineering cost advantage, founder-led culture. Best fit for buyers wanting a Goldcast-style virtual event platform at lower price who can tolerate vendor stability risk. Trade-offs: documented layoffs in 2023 and 2024 raise legitimate vendor stability questions, customer support quality has been flagged as inconsistent post-layoffs, product velocity slower since 2023, MAP integration depth below ON24 / Goldcast, and brand recognition has declined.
Buyers (50-1,000 employees) wanting Goldcast-style virtual event functionality at lower price who have done diligence on vendor financial stability.
Buyers needing vendor stability assurance (Goldcast / BigMarker / Livestorm safer), enterprise teams with deep MAP integration needs (ON24 better), or organizations needing FedRAMP / HIPAA compliance.
Strengths
- Lower price than Goldcast
- Strong engagement and networking features
- Mature lounges and table-based networking
- Indian engineering cost advantage
- Founder-led culture
- Multi-session virtual event support
Weaknesses
- Documented layoffs in 2023 and 2024 raise stability questions
- Customer support quality inconsistent post-layoffs
- Product velocity slower since 2023
- MAP integration depth below ON24 / Goldcast
- Brand recognition declined post-bubble
- Thinner footprint than peers
Pricing tiers
partial- Airmeet WebinarsWebinar-focused tier, up to 250 attendees$100 /mo
- Airmeet Conferences~$10K-$30K/year for multi-session eventsQuote
- Airmeet Enterprise$30K-$120K/year for full virtual + hybrid eventsQuote
- · Event volume scaling
- · Custom branding gated to higher tiers
- · API access at higher tiers
Key features
- +Virtual events with lounges
- +Webinars and multi-session events
- +Networking and table-based interaction
- +Branded registration
- +HubSpot / Marketo integration
- +On-demand content
- +Hybrid event support
Hopin Events
The Hopin assets RingCentral acquired for ~$50M in August 2023, the brand persists; the $7.75B unicorn does not.
Hopin Events is the most cautionary tale in the entire B2B software category. The original Hopin was founded in London in 2019, scaled explosively during the 2020-2021 virtual events bubble, raised at a $7.75B valuation in 2021 (one of the fastest unicorn ascents in European tech history), then collapsed equally fast as post-pandemic demand normalized. In August 2023, RingCentral (NYSE:RNG) acquired Hopin's core Sessions and Events assets for approximately $50M, roughly 0.6% of the peak valuation. The remaining Hopin entity sold its Streamyard assets to Bending Spoons for ~$250M in early 2024 and the original company has effectively wound down. The Hopin Events brand persists under RingCentral as a virtual events module, but it is not what it was. Strengths under RingCentral: integration with RingCentral video and communications, public-parent stability, continued investment in virtual events functionality. Trade-offs: this is the most material vendor-trust event in the entire category; the brand carries baggage that buyers should weigh carefully; product velocity has been modest under RingCentral; and the original Hopin team is largely no longer associated with the product.
RingCentral-anchored organizations (200-5,000 employees) wanting an integrated virtual events module alongside RingCentral video, who understand the collapse history.
Almost everyone else. B2B marketing teams (Goldcast / ON24 / BigMarker better), organizations not on RingCentral (Zoom Events / Webex Events lower friction), or buyers prioritizing vendor history without baggage.
Strengths
- RingCentral public-parent stability
- Native integration with RingCentral video
- Hopin Sessions / Events feature legacy
- Continued investment under RingCentral
Weaknesses
- The original $7.75B → $50M collapse story is the most material vendor-trust event in the category
- Original Hopin team largely no longer associated
- Product velocity modest under RingCentral
- Brand carries baggage from the collapse
- B2B marketing primitives below ON24 / Goldcast
- MAP integration depth below ON24
- Customer reviews reflect post-acquisition uncertainty
Pricing tiers
opaque- Hopin Events Standard~$15K-$40K/year typicalQuote
- Hopin Events Pro$40K-$120K/yearQuote
- Hopin Events Enterprise$120K-$300K/year for large virtual eventsQuote
- · RingCentral bundle pricing complexity
- · Event volume scaling
- · Implementation services
- · Annual price increases
Key features
- +Virtual events and sessions
- +Webinars under RingCentral umbrella
- +Networking and lounges (Hopin heritage)
- +Branded registration
- +Native RingCentral integration
- +On-demand content
- +Salesforce / HubSpot / Marketo integration
7 steps to pick the right webinar / virtual events
- 1 1. Define which buyer journey you are in
Communications-anchored (IT bundling): Zoom Events, GoTo Webinar, Webex Events. B2B marketing-led: ON24, Goldcast, BigMarker, Demio. European / browser-based: Livestorm. Most organizations end up running one IT-bundled platform plus one marketing-led platform in parallel; do not assume one platform fits both jobs.
- 2 2. Audit your existing video and MAP stack
On Zoom for video? → Zoom Events lowest friction for IT-bundled use case. On Webex? → Webex Events native fit. On Marketo / Eloqua for MAP? → ON24 has the deepest integration. On HubSpot? → Goldcast / BigMarker / Livestorm all integrate cleanly. On Salesforce-anchored RevOps? → Goldcast and ON24 lead. Do not pick a webinar platform that fights existing MAP / CRM.
- 3 3. Match scale, attendee CCU, and budget
SMB (10-200 employees): Demio Starter, Zoom Webinars 500, GoTo Webinar Lite, Livestorm Pro ($1.2K-$3K/year). Mid-market (50-500): Demio Premium, BigMarker Elite, Livestorm Business, Goldcast Starter ($5K-$25K/year). Mid-market+ (200-2,000): Goldcast Growth, BigMarker Enterprise, Zoom Events, ON24 Webcast Elite, Webex Events Standard ($20K-$80K/year). Enterprise (1,000+): ON24 Engagement Hub, Goldcast Enterprise, Webex Events Enterprise, Zoom Events Enterprise ($80K-$500K+/year).
- 4 4. Diligence vendor stability before multi-year contracts
This category has gone through a generational reset. ON24 stock down ~95% from 2021 peak; Hopin acquired by RingCentral for ~$50M from $7.75B peak; Airmeet through multiple layoff rounds 2023-2024; Banzai (Demio parent) small-cap volatility. Vendor stability diligence in 2026 is not optional, it is procurement-side due diligence. The boring survivors (Zoom, GoTo under Vista, Cisco / Webex, plus disciplined private companies like Goldcast, BigMarker, Livestorm) deserve credit for surviving intact.
- 5 5. Test with real registration, MAP integration, and at least one full event
Run a 60-90 day proof-of-value with your real registration page, MAP integration to Marketo / HubSpot / Eloqua, at least one full event with real attendees, and a content repurposing test on the recording. Vendor demos use polished sample events. Test: registration UX with your branding, MAP field-mapping with your contact records, engagement-data flow into MAP / CRM, AI summary and content repurposing on your real recording, and reliability at your typical CCU band.
- 6 6. Plan AI feature evaluation separately
AI-driven webinar features are evolving rapidly. Zoom AI Companion is bundled and good. Webex AI is bundled and improving. Goldcast Content Lab leads on AI content repurposing. ON24 IQ is mature for AI-driven engagement and content. Test with your real recordings, generic AI demos misrepresent fit. Do not lock into 3-year contracts without 12-month AI feature-evaluation clauses, particularly with vendors emphasizing AI as a strategic moat.
- 7 7. Negotiate at signing, multi-year locks common in this category
ON24, Goldcast, Webex Events, Hopin Events all push 2-3 year contracts. Annual contracts available with 10-25% premium. Negotiate: (1) attendee CCU scaling clarity (over-band overages can be expensive), (2) annual price increase caps (5-7%), (3) implementation fee discounts, (4) AI module access at base tier, (5) exit clauses for vendor-stability scenarios (especially relevant for ON24, Hopin Events, Airmeet). Re-negotiation post-go-live is much harder than at signing.
Frequently asked questions
The questions buyers actually ask before they sign a webinar / virtual events contract.
Zoom Events vs ON24 vs Goldcast, which one for B2B marketing?
What actually happened to Hopin?
Is ON24 in financial trouble?
How much should I budget for webinar / virtual events software?
Should I use my video conferencing platform for webinars or a separate platform?
What about AI features in webinar software in 2026?
Can I evaluate webinar platforms via free trial?
How does this category overlap with virtual event platforms and in-person event management?
Glossary
- CCU (Concurrent Users / Attendees)
- Maximum simultaneous attendees a webinar can support. Pricing tiers in this category are largely defined by CCU bands (250, 500, 1,000, 3,000, 10,000).
- MAU (Monthly Active Users)
- Distinct users active per month across the platform. Used in some pricing models (Livestorm uses contact-band pricing rather than MAU).
- RTMP / SRT
- Real-Time Messaging Protocol and Secure Reliable Transport, protocols for ingesting live video into webinar platforms from external encoders (used for high-production hybrid events).
- Hub-and-spoke event series
- Modern B2B marketing model: one anchor virtual event ("hub") plus many smaller related sessions ("spokes") that route attendees back to the hub. Goldcast and ON24 Engagement Hub are designed around this primitive.
- Demand-gen vs awareness
- Demand-gen webinars target known prospects with intent signals and feed MAP / CRM (ON24 / Goldcast strength). Awareness webinars target broader audiences for top-of-funnel reach.
- Evergreen / automated webinar
- Pre-recorded webinar that runs on a schedule as if live, including chat moderation. Common SMB lead-gen pattern (Demio, BigMarker, EverWebinar lead).
- Simulive
- Pre-recorded video played at a scheduled time with live chat and Q&A. Hybrid of "recorded" and "live", common for global audiences across time zones.
- First-party engagement data
- Behavioral data captured directly by the webinar platform (poll answers, Q&A, click-through, dwell time) and routed to MAP / CRM. ON24 leads here.
- Content repurposing / content lab
- AI-driven extraction of social cuts, blog drafts, and demand-gen assets from a single webinar. Goldcast Content Lab and ON24 IQ are the category-leading capabilities in 2026.
- Engagement Hub / on-demand library
- Always-on content library that hosts past webinars, on-demand sessions, and gated content. Modern B2B marketing primitive, ON24 Engagement Hub and Goldcast on-demand hubs lead.
Final word
See the full intelligence profile for any product on this page, including verified pricing, vendor trust scores, and review patterns. Browse the Webinar / Virtual Events category page →
Last updated 2026-05-09. Pricing data is reverified quarterly. Found something inaccurate? Tell us.