7+ Best Virtual Conference Platforms of 2023

40% of people who want to attend seminars said they prefer virtual events.

As such, there is a demand for this type of conference, even for people who are selling on the Facebook marketplace. Furthermore, it gives participants the luxury of learning and attending an event from home—albeit not the same level of experience in live events.

The pandemic also changed our perspective, and we have now come to embrace the virtual events that will be here to stay.

But what best webinar platform should you use? Today, I will show you the seven best virtual conference platforms of 2023. I chose them based on usefulness, flexibility, lead generation, and marketing features.

What Are the Best Virtual Conference Platforms?

1. vFairs

All-in-one hybrid, in-person, and virtual events platform.

vFairs is a virtual, in-person and hybrid virtual conference platform. It has the capacity to support any type of online event, including a combination of in-event and virtual shows together, to create a seamless experience for the participants.

What makes vFairs standout from its competition is that it has tools that make your conferences a lot more engaging and exciting.

From 3D designs to animations, you can add spice to your virtual events to ensure that your participants have that “wow” experience.

What I love bout vFairs is that it has everything you could possibly need to launch a meaningful and one-of-a-kind virtual fair.

As a leading platform in video conferencing, you will have access to tools that you can use for a hybrid events. There is no need to get a separate tool, and this makes vFairs an all-around yet specialized virtual events platform.

vFairs Features

• Event Builder – this makes it easy for you to set up your virtual conference and customize it according to your branding strategy. You can also integrate Zoom and set up multi-lingual webinars.  
• Virtual Exhibit Hall – you can offer your attendees an immersive virtual experience. The team can also help you customize your exhibit hall according to your requirements. If you want, you can also add graphics to the virtual exhibit.
• Chat and Networking – you can make your online event more interactive by allowing your participants to have a chat with you. You can take advantage of the system’s advanced chat features, all of which are user-friendly.
• Event Gamification – you can increase engagement if you create ways for your participants to say something or participate in a poll. You can have a leaderboard, scavenger hunt, trivia games, and much more.
• Accessibility – there are many features you can activate so you can attract all types of participants that you are targeting. You can toggle the settings to make it easier for the hearing impaired; you can add subtitles, make the text larger, etc.

Pricing

vFairs does not disclose its pricing unless you request it. The price would depend on the activities that you do and the number of your expected participants. If you request a price quote, you will also receive a personalized demonstration of the product.

You can request the product price and demo here.

2. Eventilla

Best for Big Events

Eventilla is one of the best virtual events platforms because it offers a suite of virtual and hybrid events tools. With it, you will enjoy seamless communication, registration, and payments processes.

The virtual event platform also offers the ability to create event pages, plus analytics and reporting. The system also includes SMS communication—you can send text messages to your guests and enrollees from your dashboard.

Key Features

• Communication – you can use tools to create an event page, communicate the page to your target audiences, and send invitations. The communication features also give you access to create registration pages, and you can alter the registration the way you want it.
• Payments – you can create different packages for your virtual events. For example, you can create different ticket types that offer upgrades, VIP payments and packages, and early-bird discounts. Eventilla also takes care of invoicing and the processing of online payments.
• Entrance – these features allow the participants to join the event smoothly. You can use QR codes to organize the entrance process if you want. Once the event attendees scan the code, the system minimizes the queues. In addition, the code only applies to one entrant, which means there will be no attendees who did not pay.
• After-Event – these features allow you to get feedback from your guests after the event. You can send out surveys and gather feedback from participants. There is also an analytical tool that helps you assess your online events’ success.

Pricing

• Single Event – costs 990 EUR per event; you get an event page, registration form, SMS marketing, and shareable reports.
• Business – costs 298 EUR per month; you can launch unlimited events, use the calendar, integrations, and surveys.
• Enterprise – the price is not disclosed. You need to contact the sales team for it. You will get access to customer APIs, branded maintenance, and comprehensive integrations.

3. Demio

Best For Webinars

Demio is an excellent tool for lessons, webinars, and meetings with breakout sessions. The software system does not require the participants to download the program, so it is not cumbersome to use.

In addition, you can brand your webinars by using colors that match your standard color scheme. With Demio, event organizers can host live hybrid events or publish recorded online events. So, for example, you can record a webinar and then just put that event on auto-pilot.

Key Features

• Lead Generation – Demio has tools that would help you use the top-of-funnel strategy. With these tools, you can generate leads and increase your participation rate. In addition, you can put your lead generation tactics on autopilot and automate events that your target audiences want on demand.
• Demand Generation – these are tools for engaging your prospects and getting their feedback. You can also build relationships with your target audiences and then use the communication channels to turn leads into customers.
• Brand Awareness – the system allows you to launch interactive seminars that serve as an alternative to in-person events. You can invite co-presenters to strengthen your brand and capitalize on the expertise of others.
• Integrations – you can integrate Demio with several software programs. For example, it is compatible with email autoresponders and landing page builders like AWeber, ConvertKit, Active Campaign, GetResponse, and many others.

Pricing

• Starter – cost $34 per month; you have a limit of 50 attendees and one host.
• Growth – costs $69 per month; your limit is 150 attendees and five people can host an event. The session time is also increased to eight hours, plus you get access to automating your events.
• Premium – cost is unknown and is on a per-company basis. Here you will get a 10-hour session limit and a maximum of 1,000 attendees.

4. Livestorm

Best For Huge Companies

Livestorm is a video engagement platform for online events, meetings, and webinars. The company offers a full suite of tools for video conferencing, email marketing, registration pages, and social media branding.

There is also a robust analytics tool to view participant engagement, attendance, and registration data. In addition, you can integrate Livestorm with other software programs such as HubSpot and Salesforce.

Key Features

• Unlimited Events – no matter what plan you choose, you can host as many events as you want at no extra charge. A feature like this is critical to big companies, as there is no telling how many types of lessons you must have for your employees or customers.
• Unlimited Participants – you can get as many participants as you want, provided that you are on the Premium plan. This feature matters if you host global events, such as a company-wide training session or announcement. It is similar to what WWE did during the pandemic, where there were thousands of viewers.
• Simultaneous Speakers – sometimes, you want an event where several dignitaries or specialists take turns to lecture. Some software programs only allow one speaker at a time, but Livestorm makes it possible to have 16 speakers simultaneously.
• Complete Setup – you can launch live or recorded webinars in this system. The suite includes everything you need to set it up, such as registration, optimization, promotion, report, and recurring sessions.

Pricing

• Starter – this is a free plan where you can access all the features. However, the meetings are limited to 20 minutes per event. You can only have up to 10 participants.
• Premium – costs $76 per month; you can facilitate an event up to four hours and have 16 live speakers or hosts. There is no limit to the number of participants.
• Enterprise – price varies according to your needs; this plan gives you access to premium onboarding, unlimited hosts, and up to 3,000 participants.

Livestorm is a multifaceted tool that you can use to host virtual events like company meetings, product demos, online courses, employee onboarding, and even customer training.

You can test the system for free as it has a free-for-life account. With it, you will have access to all the features, albeit with some limitations. For example, you can only do 20 minutes for every event, and the maximum is 10 participants.

5. BigMarker

Best For Hybrid Events

BigMarker is one of the best virtual event platforms for webinars and conferences. The platform allows you to publish content (both recorded and live) and generate reports that will show you analytics from which you can make an informed decision.

With BigMarker, you can launch webinars, hybrid events, and studio shows or broadcasts. It has all you need to make impactful and seamless online events from design to implementation.

Key Features

• Webinar Software – build a webinar for large or small audiences. There are multiple webinar types you can choose from, such as live, recurring, and automated. You can also make automated webinars. In addition to this, the system has a landing page builder where you can process registrations.
• Video Player – this video player allows you to brand the way your video looks. As such, it will not appear as a generic online app. Instead, you can serve content in HD and even make the video interactive. The participants can answer polls and fill out forms from the video itself.
• Integrations – if you already have marketing tools such as MailChimp, you can integrate BigMarket with them. Examples of platforms where you can integrate are Thinkific, ActiveCAmpaign, Keap, and Constant Contact.
• Networking – you can use BigMarket with YouTube and Facebook to do live streaming. It also has an AI machine that you can use for matchmaking. For example, if you have a lot of courses or webinars to offer, you can set it in a way that the customer only has to choose from keywords, and the system will recommend an event.

Pricing

• Starter – costs $99 per month; you get access to live, recurring, and on-demand webinars. You can sell tickets but you cannot white-label your pages.
• Elite – costs $199 per month; you can send up to 10,000 emails per day, and now you can create a webinar series.
• Premier – costs $499 per month; you can now charge up to 135 currencies, use the drip integration and also with other platforms like Zapier, Stripe.
• White Label – the price varies; you will get access to all the features of the platform.

6. GoToWebinar

Best For interactive Events

If you are looking for interactive online events, one of the virtual events platform options is GoToWebinar. It allows you to conduct breakout sessions and hybrid events, providing an interactive experience.

Whether your webinar is big or small, this platform can support you. It can even accommodate 1,000+ attendees ith its Webcast events.

Key Features

• Webcast Mode – webcast is a modern webinar system. It can accommodate up to 3,000 participants, and people can access the online event from a browser app. Like webinars, you can produce live or recorded events, and there is no need for event organizers to be present at the virtual event space.
• GoToStage – this is the virtual events platform for hosting recorded webinars. It is like Spotify, but Spotify is for audio-only. With GoToStage, you can launch your webinar, and people will find them in something similar to a webinar marketplace.
• Pre-recorded Webinars – this feature allows you to record webinars and convert them into an on-demand video. The system also has a feature where the participants feel like they are in a live event.
• Integrations – you can integrate the system with other software programs like Google Suite, Microsoft Suite, SalesForce, and many others.

Pricing

• Lite – costs $49 per month; has a limit of 250 participants
• Standard – costs $99 per month; the limit is 500 participants
• Pro – costs $199 per month; the limit is 1,000 participants
• Enterprise – costs $399 per month; the limit is 3,000 participants

All plans have the same features, and the only difference is the maximum number of people who can participate.

7. Hopin

Best For Hybrid Events

Hopin is a sophisticated virtual event platform that can provide hybrid and in-person event alternatives. It offers an all-in-one suite that allows you to host virtual events even for internal use only within your company.

The platform is easy to use, and event attendees will also find it intuitive to navigate the system once they have joined your meetings.

Key Features

• Big Events – the platform works great for big events with interactive programming. It works for both digital and onsite audiences, which means you can set up virtual booths for event attendees. You can create reception pages and also show your presentation to 100,00 viewers.
• Studio – the platform allows you to pre-record your videos and launch them as future events. There is no limit to the length, and you can easily share your streams with their broadcast studio platform, StreamYard. In addition, you can stream your broadcast at 720p or 1080p resolution.
• Event Marketing – with this platform, you can create landing pages for your online event. You can use the backend channels to process registration and ticket sales. The landing page builder is easy to use as it has modular blocks that you can drag and drop to create the pages.
• Onsite Events – if what you want for your next virtual event is an in-person event, you can also use this tool as it does offer a way to conduct hybrid seminars. On the site, the tool allows you to create badges and wristbands. You can also use it to design and issue certificates.

Pricing

• Free – event length is limited to two hours and the limit is 100 participants only.
• Starter – costs $99 per month; the limit is 72 hours per event and 100 participants. You can an organizer for an extra $99, and this also adds an extra 100 attendees.
• Growth – costs $799 per month; you get five seats for presenters or organizers, and 500 participants.
• Business and Enterprise – both of these are priced according to what your company needs. You get a custom service for several features of the service.

8. InEvent

Best For Professional Events

InEvent carved a niche for B2B conferences. Unlike most platforms for virtual events, this one focuses on company conferences, not webinars and classes. Some of its clients are Coca-Cola, Bayer, and Amazon.

With this tool, you can launch a hybrid of in-person event gatherings and virtual events. You can use it to drive sales, meet employees, and market new products and services.

Key Features

• Webinar – the platform offers a complete suite to launch a webinar. Here, you can create registration processes and pages and use their ticketing system. In addition, the platform offers an attendance tracking system, a CRM, and email correspondence.
• Global Reach – the platform does not limit you to using English only. There is audio interpretation software baked into the system, which will help you break language barriers. If you want, there is also a sign language channel, which will help you reach the hearing impaired.
• Branding – if you want your webinar or meeting to reflect your brand, you can do so with the customization options available on the platform. For example, you can create attendance certificates and also customize the lower thirds of the video or the screen.
• Virtual Lobby is a feature that transforms the online conference or webinar into something better. It mimics a live event. In addition, the platform has a chat group that allows participants to talk with each other.

Pricing

InEvent only has one price available. InEvent is a huge platform with so many offerings. Unfortunately, all these features come at a premium price of $3,990 per year.

You can get started with a free account, but you will experience limitations with what you can do with the system. They do have an Advanced and Full plan, but the prices need negotiation.

What Are Virtual Conference Platforms?

A virtual event platform is a software program made for virtual events. You use it if you want to host virtual events and have many people join.

Please do not confuse it with a simple video call software, as a virtual event platform has more power. With virtual event platforms, you can do the following things:

• Webinar
• Big meetings
• Virtual trade shows
• Group Coaching and classes
• File sharing
• Screen sharing

Software companies made virtual event platforms specifically for big events, so it is not like Facebook Messenger or Viber that are only excellent for one-on-one calls or coaching.

What Are Different Types of Virtual Conferences?

Virtual conferences have evolved—there are so many types, and you must know them so you can choose the right virtual event program for your company.

1. Webinars

A webinar is a live virtual event where someone takes charge and teaches a class. The word itself is a portmanteau of “webinar” and “seminar.”

For example, you may be an online guru, and you want to teach people how to make money on TikTok. To do this, you must use a virtual conference platform so all your participants can attend simultaneously on the same software.

2. Virtual Meetups

This type of virtual event is an alternative to in-person events. Instead of meeting in person, you do it online. For example, some people use a virtual Most YouTubers do this if they want to collaborate.

A virtual meetup also happens if people want to review a thing of interest together. For example, some YouTubers would dial into the same virtual event software and then watch the same video clip, like a trailer for a new movie.

Then, they would each take turns reacting to it. A virtual meetup is not the same as a virtual conference. It is instead an event where people are coming together just to chat. It has no big plan or anything like that.

3. Podcasts

Podcasts do not involve video, but some podcasters use virtual event platforms to record their show. A podcast is like a radio show, but they record the interview to publish it on YouTube.

One excellent example of this is the Joe Rogan Experience. He operates a podcast on Spotify but records the entire interview. Then, he uploads the video on YouTube. So, pretty much, he is monetizing his podcast in two ways.

4. Fireside Chats

A fireside chat is a type of virtual event for startup entrepreneurs. They discuss items and plans with an audience, and a moderator is in charge. Think of it as something like a symposium where several keynote speakers will answer your questions.

A fireside chat can also happen for an announcement of a product. For example, a gaming company would invite people to join a virtual conference to show a trailer of a new game. Then, a spokesperson will provide more details, such as cost release date, and so on.

5. Ask Me Anything

It is a virtual event where an expert gathers interested parties and answers questions. For example, you had a webinar about the best email marketing services.

You want your audience to have a Q & A session with you. In this case, you must use a virtual conference platform to facilitate the program.

6. Virtual Conferences

Instead of paying a big sum to hotels, some do virtual events online. These conferences involve several speakers who will provide valuable insights to the audience. The speakers may be on stage, but they are also likely at home.

7. Virtual Expo

These are virtual events where different businesses showcase their products or services. In the physical world, people gather in a huge area, and the sponsors have booths to display their products.

Online, the same thing happens, but the viewers are at home, and the presenters take turns showing their products through the virtual event platform. You can set up virtual booths for the sponsors where they can showcase their products.

8. Entertainment

When COVID struck, the world was at a standstill. As such, music and concerts could not happen. Companies performed virtual events as an alternative, and one company that did this was WWE.

The wrestlers fought in the venue, but no audience was allowed. So instead, the people watch from home using WWE’s virtual event platform.

Finally, there is the hybrid event where people conduct a webinar, Q&A, and conference in the same virtual conference.

For example, the event could be about dropshipping, and then the teacher will talk about the best dropshipping suppliers.

After the lesson, a sponsor like Oberlo will likely have a speaker address the audience and convince them to use their software for dropshipping.

What Features Do You Need in an Online Conference Platform?

Before you commit to what virtual event platform to purchase or subscribe to, you must look at their features. Companies build virtual event platforms, and they target different user types.

At best, I recommend that you seek out those that offer a free trial where you could conduct online events and then see how it goes. To help guide you, here are some tips on what features to look for in the best virtual conference platform.

1. Screen Sharing

The first and most important aspect of virtual event platforms is screen sharing. Although you might think that you do not need it now, you will certainly share your screen at one point. It is also likely that your colleagues will need it.

Consider that you will change your mind on how you want to use your virtual event platform in the future. If it does not have screen share, you must pay for a new software program, which entails additional costs.

Screenshare can improve meetings too. Below are the benefits of screen sharing:

• Deeper understanding
• Focus on the issue
• A clearer view of the subject

In meetings and virtual events, you likely want to show statistics, diagrams, and many other things. If you resort to drawing on a whiteboard, you may not come across as you wanted to—cameras are blurry sometimes.

With screen share, all participants will have an equal view of the subject you present. They can even download the presentation or take screenshots of your slides.

2. Multiple Webcam

The best virtual conference program does not only allow one presenter but several. Of course, not everybody can present simultaneously, but there should be a control where you can pass the “speaker” responsibility to someone else.

There will come a time when you would work with several presenters. It is far better to have this feature now than face the inconvenience later.

With multiple webcams, any participant can be a presenter. Without it, all of you have to log out and then dial back to another meeting link. It is such a hassle, and you do not want your audience to go through this.

3. Unlimited Recording

When you host virtual events, you want to record them. Why? Because you want to launch them as a recorded webinar later on.

Perhaps you want to review the meeting yourself and see how it went. You may also want to record it to check the common questions that your participants asked, and then write a blog about it or make a separate video and publish it as a Q&A series.

The thing with many virtual event platforms is that they do not have a recording tool. Instead, you need a recording software program like Camtasia to record your screen.

Choose a virtual event platform that has a built-in recording tool. Also, choose one that offers unlimited recording if possible.

Some virtual event software programs limit your recording time to a maximum of 30 minutes. Then, they will charge you extra for more recordings. If possible, choose one with no limit and one that does not save on the cloud but your PC.

4. Chat

The chatbox is an essential component in all virtual events. The sad thing is that virtual event platforms do not have it. Some of them require that you pay extra to make it work.

I prefer you get a virtual event software program where chat is a default app. Some say it is a nuisance, but I’m afraid I have to disagree. You must have a chat box so participants can communicate with you anytime.

Chat Boxes also make online events more exciting. The participants would feel like it is not different from in-person events because they can communicate with other people.

Pick a virtual event platform that does not charge extra for the chat feature. Also, do not even consider virtual conference platforms that do not offer chat.

5. HD Video and High-Quality Audio

High-definition video is one thing that you want from a virtual event platform. Of course, you also need a webcam that captures HD video—it has to be at least 1080p.

Why is this necessary? Blurry videos are a pain in the eyes, and participants are not likely to get excited if they have poor video quality.

Just when you think all virtual event platforms are HD, you would be surprised to know that they are not. For example, a company that offers a virtual events platform may not route the video data in HD because the owners are saving on the cost of data bandwidth.

As you may know, the higher the video quality, the more bandwidth it takes to transmit the data. Unfortunately, this bandwidth is not free—the virtual conference platform company must pay for it.

That means that you will not deliver high-quality video despite having a high-quality camera if the virtual event platform does not want to do it.

Audio is also important—the last thing you want is audio that lags or breaks up. The best virtual event platforms do not scrimp on data bandwidth, so only pick the ones that say HD is available in their system.

6. Webinar

The last feature you want is a webinar feature. While a webinar is really nothing more than a meeting, it is different because people can register.

With a webinar feature, you can limit the number of participants. You can also create a payment process where only those who purchased the webinar would attend.

With a webinar feature, you can use the best landing page builders, create a landing page, and use it as a sales funnel. Once your customers enroll, they will use the webinar to attend your online event.

These are the best features you must look for when choosing a virtual event platform. While virtual conference platforms are not perfect and nothing is complete, some offer many features, which give you the best value for your money.

Executive Summary

Overall, the best options I recommend are vFair, Demio, and Livestorm. They are easy to use and flexible enough to host live events and webinars. They also provide tools to help you market your webinars and virtual events.

Before making a decision, I strongly encourage you to look at your future plans. It is not a good idea to shift from one platform to another, especially just because of costs. I suggest that you list down all your plans and then choose the virtual event software that best fits your needs.