The best webinar software depends on how you sell. Zoom Webinars and GoTo Webinar suit businesses wanting a familiar name, Livestorm and Demio suit browser-based marketing webinars, WebinarJam suits sales-led launches, ClickMeeting suits small teams, BigMarker and ON24 suit larger events, and StreamYard suits streaming live to social platforms.
A good webinar is still one of the best ways for a small business to teach, build trust and sell in one sitting. The software matters more than people expect, because every extra click between the invite and the live room loses you attendees.
The platforms below are well-known options. I've stuck to what each one is known for rather than ranking them, so think about the kind of webinar you run, then trial two with a real session.
What should you look for in webinar software?
- Easy joining. Browser-based joining with no download keeps more registrants turning up.
- Registration pages and reminders. Built-in pages and email reminders save you stitching tools together.
- Engagement tools. Polls, Q&A, chat and handouts keep people in the room.
- Calls to action. Offers, buttons and links during the session matter if you sell on the webinar.
- Replays and automation. Recordings and evergreen or automated sessions keep a good webinar working.
- Integrations. Check the link to your email platform and CRM so new leads don't sit in a spreadsheet.
Webinar software compared
| Platform | Best for | Stand-out feature |
|---|---|---|
| Zoom Webinars | Businesses already on Zoom | Familiar experience for attendees |
| GoTo Webinar | Established business webinars | Long-standing webinar platform |
| Livestorm | Browser-based marketing webinars | No download for attendees |
| Demio | Marketing teams | Engagement and conversion features |
| WebinarJam | Sales-led launches | Offers and marketing tools |
| ClickMeeting | Small teams | Live and automated webinars |
| BigMarker | Webinars and virtual events | Summits and branded event pages |
| ON24 | Larger B2B marketing teams | Engagement data for marketing |
| StreamYard | Streaming to social | Live studio for YouTube, LinkedIn and Facebook |
Features and plans change often, so check the vendor's current plans before you book your first session.
The best webinar software
1. Zoom Webinars
Zoom Webinars is Zoom's dedicated webinar product, separate from its standard meetings, with registration, panellists, Q&A and polls.
Who it suits: businesses that already use Zoom and want an audience to join through a tool they know.
What stands out: familiarity. Most attendees know how to join a Zoom session.
Watch out for: standard Zoom meetings and Zoom Webinars aren't the same thing, so check you're comparing the right product.
2. GoTo Webinar
GoTo Webinar has been a staple of business webinars for many years, covering registration, reminders, polls, handouts and reporting.
Who it suits: established businesses running regular webinars for leads and training.
What stands out: its track record. It's built specifically for webinars rather than meetings.
Watch out for: compare the attendee experience with newer browser-first tools.
3. Livestorm
Livestorm is a browser-based webinar and video event platform from France. Attendees join without downloading anything, and it includes registration pages, polls and integrations.
Who it suits: marketing teams who want an easy join for attendees and a modern interface.
What stands out: browser-based joining. Fewer technical hurdles usually means more people turn up.
Watch out for: check the attendee limits on the plan you choose if you expect big audiences.
4. Demio
Demio is a browser-based webinar platform built for marketers, with live, automated and hybrid sessions, plus in-room offers and handouts.
Who it suits: businesses using webinars to generate and convert leads.
What stands out: the marketing focus. Calls to action and engagement tools are built into the room.
Watch out for: it's aimed at marketing webinars, so internal training teams may want something simpler.
5. WebinarJam
WebinarJam is a webinar platform popular with online marketers and course creators, with registration pages, offers during the session and replays. Its sister product, EverWebinar, handles automated sessions.
Who it suits: coaches and creators who sell on webinars and launches.
What stands out: selling tools. Offers can appear on screen at the moment you pitch.
Watch out for: the marketing-heavy style suits some brands more than others, so check it matches yours.
6. ClickMeeting
ClickMeeting is a browser-based webinar platform from Poland that supports live and automated webinars, polls, surveys and a branded waiting room.
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Who it suits: small businesses and trainers who want a straightforward, all-round webinar tool.
What stands out: balance. It covers live and automated sessions without much complexity.
Watch out for: compare the integrations with your email platform before you commit.
7. BigMarker
BigMarker covers webinars, virtual summits and hybrid events, with branded landing pages, multiple presenters and on-demand sessions.
Who it suits: businesses running bigger events, such as summits with several speakers.
What stands out: event range. It goes beyond single webinars into multi-session events.
Watch out for: it does a lot, so a solo coach running one session a month may not need it all.
8. ON24
ON24 is an established webinar and digital event platform aimed at larger B2B marketing teams, known for engagement data that feeds into sales and marketing systems.
Who it suits: larger companies with marketing operations teams and a CRM-heavy setup.
What stands out: engagement data. It's designed to show which attendees are most interested.
Watch out for: it's built for bigger organisations, so it's usually more than a small business needs.
9. StreamYard
StreamYard is a browser-based live streaming studio. It lets you stream to YouTube, LinkedIn, Facebook and other platforms at once, with guests, banners and branding.
Who it suits: creators and businesses who'd rather reach people where they already are than send them to a webinar room.
What stands out: multistreaming. One session can go live on several social platforms together.
Watch out for: streaming to social isn't the same as a registered webinar, so think about how you'll capture leads.
How to choose webinar software
Decide what the webinar is for. If it's to sell, choose a platform with offers, replays and email integrations, such as Demio or WebinarJam. If it's to train or inform, ease of joining matters most, so look at Zoom Webinars, Livestorm or ClickMeeting. If you want reach, StreamYard puts you on the platforms your audience already uses.
Then run a test session with a few friends on different devices. Join as an attendee, not just as the host. You'll see the registration page, the reminder emails and the join experience the way your audience will.
For a deeper framework, see how to decide which webinar software is best for your business. My webinar script template helps you plan the session, and how to host a webinar on Zoom walks through the setup.
Building a tool in this space? Here's how tools get considered for my roundups.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best webinar software for small business?
Zoom Webinars, Livestorm, ClickMeeting and Demio are common choices. Coaches who sell on webinars often look at WebinarJam.
What's the difference between webinar and meeting software?
Meeting software is built for conversations where everyone can speak. Webinar software is built for presenting to an audience, with registration, Q&A and attendee controls.
Can I run automated webinars?
Yes. Several platforms, including Demio, ClickMeeting and EverWebinar, support automated or evergreen sessions that play a recording on a schedule.
Do attendees need to download anything?
Not with browser-based tools such as Livestorm, Demio and ClickMeeting. Some platforms offer an app but also let people join in the browser.
