Although the pandemic trigged an initial surge in virtual and hybrid events, the demand continues to rise due to benefits like scale, convenience, and global reach. ON24 is a main player in virtual events, providing a platform for webinars, virtual conferences, and hybrid events.
While ON24 offers a comprehensive suite of tools for creating interactive and customized experiences, organizations considering alternatives to ON24's interactive suite should evaluate cost, specific functionalities, and ease of use.
An event management platform streamlines the planning and execution of events, from small meetings to large conferences. When selecting the ideal event management software, prioritize features such as interactive online meetings, seamless integrations with other business tools, and real-time performance insights.
The big difference between an event management platform and webinar software is that the first one can do a lot more, like handling in-person and online events, while the latter is primarily used for online meetings or presentations.
If you're looking at On24 alternatives, Splash should be at the top of your list. Splash is an event management solution that helps organizers easily create and execute beautifully on-brand and repeatable events. With Splash, customers are typically up and running in only a few hours, and virtual events through Splash are fully managed using its native streaming solution.
If your event team's budget is stretched thin and you need the absolute barebones of functionality, Zoom can be loosely considered an Airmeet alternative, albeit not the most desirable one. Zoom is more of a live video tool than a virtual event platform.
While Zoom's video conferencing tool is frequently used for live-streaming virtual events, screen sharing, and meetings, it lacks in areas such as branding customization, registration ease, and event engagement tools. This results in a suboptimal experience for both organizers and attendees.
Hopin is an Airmeet competitor and a virtual event management platform. It offers engagement tools such as live streaming, real-time engagement, and interactive features, and it includes a free plan option.
Hopin has several drawbacks. One of the most significant is that event organizers do not own the guest contact info outright, making event management on your terms challenging. Another downside is that Hopin imposes additional charges for large events and offers limited options for emails and event templates. Hopin is best suited for businesses that are not interested in in-person events and teams capable of writing custom code.
Related: The 9 Best Hopin Alternatives for Virtual Conference Management
Webex is an online platform designed for hosting and managing meetings or webinars. It offers features such as event registration, real-time interactivity, and Q&A sessions. Additionally, Webex allows integration with customer relationship management (CRM) and sales tools, and provides options for event recording and playback. Its functionality is comparable to platforms like Zoom or GoToWebinar.
While Webex boasts essential features, some users find its interface to be complex and its customization options limited. Given its features, Webex Events is best suited for educational institutions, professional training workshops, and nonprofit organizations.
Bizzabo is an event management platform designed to assist event organizers, especially those focused on large, tentpole events, in creating, managing, and promoting events. It offers functionalities such as event registration, ticketing, CRM integrations, guest management, email marketing, and integration capabilities.
While Bizzabo may serve as an event management solution for some, it has limitations in event page editing and lacks automation features, particularly in areas like email follow-ups. Given that it offers only five templates, Bizzabo is best suited for teams that have dedicated resources with expertise in CSS and HTML.
Bizzabo's pricing starts at around $15k. However, anticipate paying more if you require add-ons like integrations, registration credits, or if you wish to unlock virtual events.
GoToWebinar is a widely-used webinar platform tailored for small businesses. It offers features designed for both live and on-demand webinars, enabling real-time interaction with attendees through chat and Q&A. The platform provides basic, semi-customizable landing pages and templates to enhance event engagement. Beyond the webinar itself, GoToWebinar offers metrics and dashboards for performance analysis, as well as marketing automation features to facilitate follow-ups with attendees and nurture leads.
A prevalent complaint among GoToWebinar users pertains to its user interface. Crafting a sleek design on this platform can be challenging, and the processes for event creation and management are not intuitive, leading to obstacles and frustrations for event teams.
BigMarker is a competitor to On24 and serves as an event management platform, emphasizing webinars and other virtual or hybrid events. As an alternative to On24, BigMarker provides audience engagement tools, analytics dashboards, integrations, APIs, and white-label services.
Given that BigMarker's primary focus is on virtual events, consider this option only if you have no business requirement for in-person events. While BigMarker offers several pricing tiers, details on pricing are only available if you request a demo.
Livestorm is a video engagement platform designed to manage meetings, webinars, and virtual events comprehensively. It provides an end-to-end solution, positioning it as a potential On24 alternative for video conferencing.
Livestorm's features encompass templates, customizable registration pages, email delivery tracking, website widgets, and built-in social sharing. The platform accommodates both real-time and on-demand formats, making it suitable for hosting live webinars and other virtual meetings. However, users have highlighted certain drawbacks, including a complex user interface, elevated costs, and technical challenges with screen sharing.
BrightTALK is an On24 alternative offering professional hosting for live webinars as well as real-time and on-demand video conferencing.
While the platform primarily focuses on webinar software, users have reported several drawbacks. These include a lack of customer support, technical issues with screen sharing and video conferencing, missing functionalities, and problems with both lead syncing and lead quality. Additionally, the platform has been criticized for its inflexibility and for sending excessive emails.
Cvent is an On24 alternative and is a well-recognized name in the realm of event management software. It is best suited for large, intricate, in-person events such as conferences.
While this event management platform offers features like a ticketing system, event registration, and integrations, Cvent presents certain drawbacks. These include complex pricing and event pages that are less customizable compared to other Eventbrite alternatives. Some businesses find the platform challenging to navigate, occasionally necessitating onsite support from Cvent — which incurs additional charges.
Cvent's pricing is notably higher than that of its competitors, making it a viable option primarily for large businesses orchestrating intricate events and conferences. While Cvent's core license might seem reasonably priced initially, essential add-ons such as integrations, advanced badge printing, and event check-in options come at an additional cost.
Related: Top 8 Cvent Alternatives for Hosting Successful Events
By weighing these factors, event organizers can pinpoint a platform that more closely aligns with their distinct needs, be it for webinar hosting, real-time engagement features, or holistic event marketing.
Choosing the right alternative to ON24 for hosting virtual events, webinars, and conferences involves considering various factors. These include budget, specific feature requirements, ease of use, customer support, customizability, integrations, and the size and scope of your events. While ON24 boasts a range of interactive and customizable features, there are compelling reasons to consider alternatives that might better cater to specific needs.
Among the available options, Splash stands out as an excellent choice for your next virtual or hybrid event. Splash isn't just traditional webinar software; it offers a comprehensive suite of features that enhance both in-person and virtual events. The platform delivers real-time analytics, seamless integrations with marketing automation platforms like Salesforce and HubSpot, and a user-friendly interface, making it a top pick for event organizers. Splash's native virtual platform, Splash Studio, ensures smooth online event management and integrates effortlessly with leading webinar providers such as Zoom.
Furthermore, Splash facilitates easy event customization and branding through its no-code platform. This ease allows teams to craft on-brand, repeatable events. Its integrated social media and email promotion tools guarantee that your event garners a broader reach. Splash offers transparent pricing plans based on event complexity, catering to various budgets.
Whether you aim to host live webinars, on-demand sessions, or real-time interactive virtual events, Splash presents an end-to-end solution that could align perfectly with your event management needs.
