Difference Between GoToWebinar and Zoom

A webinar, short for Web-based seminar, is a teleconference tool that uses the Internet for hosting group meetings. The term webinar is gradually gaining ground in business circles, thanks to its strong interactive elements such as the ability to give, receive and discuss information. However, deciding to host a webinar is the easy part; figuring out the right webinar software and how to get setup is the challenging part. Well, you can host a webinar in a number of ways and there are various programs available that enable you to host your own webinar. But the question remains; which one is the best webinar software to begin with?

GoToWebinar is one of the best examples of a webinar software tool you can use to deliver all kinds of content in a collaborative Web format. It is a great platform for businesses and sole proprietors alike and it is fast becoming a go-to tool for online meetings, teleconferencing and presentations. Zoom is yet another video and conferencing tool like Skype which allows presenters to broadcast to up to 500 participants. On the surface, both may seem similar. Both let you host webinars from any device you want. But which one is right for you? We pit the two webinar tools in the contest of best webinar tools.

GoToWebinar

GoToWebinar is one of the most popular collaboration tools to conduct do-it-yourself webinars to deliver all kinds of content in a collaborative Web format. It is a real-time Web-presentation tool created and marketed by Boston-based SaaS provider LogMeIn, Inc. It uses visual, oral and aural media to help attendees communicate whether in the same location or around the globe. GoToWebinar comes with a free trial period of 30 days so that you can choose better which software to use. GoToWebinar costs $89 per month and goes all the way up to $299 per month. You can create webinars on the fly with up to 200 people on board, or you can schedule larger events with up to 1000 attendees. Setting up is easy and only takes minutes. It provides a speaker/audience format for seminar types of gatherings.

Zoom

Zoom is a state-of-the-art video conferencing tool with an easy, reliable cloud platform for audio and video conferencing, online discussions and webinars. Zoom is a cloud-based collaboration tool that can create online meetings, group collaboration, and group chat. It can be an effective medium of communication, especially for online courses that require group meetings and chat often. Zoom offers a rich conferencing environment offering a superior graphic experience which makes online meetings more intensive and engaging. The basic version is free of cost and cross-platform compatible. Zoom Pro costs $14.99 per month per host which is great for small teams with up to 100 participants; the Business plan costs $19.99 per month per host with a minimum of 10 hosts and up to 300 participants; and the Enterprise plan with support up to 1,000 participants.

Difference between GoToWebinar and Zoom

Tool

GoToWebinar is a real-time Web-presentation tool to conduct do-it-yourself webinars and deliver all kinds of content in a collaborative Web format. It uses visual, oral and aural media to help attendees communicate whether in the same location or around the globe. Zoom is a cloud-based collaboration tool that can create online meetings, group collaboration, and group chat. It is a state-of-the-art video conferencing tool with an easy, reliable cloud platform for audio and video conferencing, online discussions and webinars.

Pricing

GoToWebinar comes with a free trial period of 30 days. It is sold in three plans – the basic Starter plan allows you to host webinars with up to 100 attendees and costs $89 a month (billed annually at $1,068); the Pro plan costs $199 with support up to 500 participants; and the Plus costs $299 per month with 1,000 participants. The basic plan of Zoom is free to use and cross-platform compatible. Zoom Pro costs $14.99 per month per host which is great for small teams with up to 100 participants; the Business plan costs $19.99 per month per host with a minimum of 10 hosts and up to 300 participants; and the Enterprise plan with support up to 1,000 participants.

Ideal Use

Zoom can be an effective collaboration tool and medium of communication, especially for online courses that require group meetings and chat often. It offers a superior graphic experience which makes online meetings more intensive and engaging. Zoom is a near alternative to face-to-face meetings. GoToWebinar, on the other hand, is a great tool for small businesses with limited to a large number of participants that do not need a lot of interaction and engagement with the presenter. It is ideal for businesses that require collaboration in their daily routine.

GoToWebinar vs. Zoom: Comparison Chart

Summary

In a nutshell, both may seem quite similar on the surface and both let you host webinars from any device you want. But GoToWebinar is a great tool for small businesses with limited to a large number of participants that do not need a lot of interaction and engagement, while Zoom can be an effective collaboration tool and medium of communication, especially for online courses that require group meetings and chat. Zoom is more like a video conferencing tool, like Skype, which allows attendees to interact with each other in real-time.

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