Virtual events did not fade when offices reopened, and they settled into a permanent role with wider reach, lower cost and better data than a room alone can offer. A product launch can now reach ten thousand people in a morning, and a community meetup can run every month without a venue bill. The best virtual event platforms turn that reach into something attendees actually enjoy, and RingCentral Events leads this ranking on the combined score, while vFairs wins for organisers who want immersive expo floors.
An event platform does three practical things. It runs the live sessions without technical drama, it gives attendees a reason to stay and talk, and it tells the organiser who watched what and for how long. The tools in this ranking differ mainly in how well they handle scale, networking and the sponsor experience, and those three decide whether an event feels like a conference or a webinar with delusions.
We ranked the ten tools below on live reliability, attendee experience, networking, sponsor tools and price shape, with live reliability weighted heaviest. The ranking favours tools that survive the worst day, because a platform that fails during the keynote cannot be rescued by a pretty lobby.
The hybrid event is now the normal event, and the tools that win here handle both rooms at once. A speaker on stage and an audience online need the same agenda, the same questions and the same polls, and the platform must serve both without favouring either. The tools that treat the online audience as first class citizens earn the repeat attendance, while those that treat them as viewers will lose them.
In this article
The 10 Tools at a Glance
The best virtual event platforms in the table below are ranked on combined value, and each row gives the price shape, the natural fit and the strength that earned its place. Use the table to cut the list to two or three candidates, then let the detail reviews of RingCentral Events and vFairs decide between them. Check the RingCentral Events pricing page and confirm before you pay, since plans and limits change without notice.
| Tool | Starting price | Best for | Standout strength |
|---|---|---|---|
| RingCentral Events | Pricing on the vendor site | Large virtual conferences | Scale and expo floors in one platform |
| vFairs | Pricing on the vendor site | Virtual expos and job fairs | Immersive 3D expo environments |
| Whova | Pricing on the vendor site | Attendee friendly mid size events | An event app attendees actually open |
| Airmeet | Free plan; paid plans on the vendor site | Networking led events | Virtual tables that feel like a reception |
| Zoom Events | Pricing on the vendor site | Large scale webinars | Familiar video that rarely fails |
| BigMarker | Pricing on the vendor site | Webinars that convert | Webinar tools built for marketing teams |
| ON24 | Pricing on the vendor site | Enterprise webinars at scale | Analytics built for large marketing teams |
| Cvent | Pricing on the vendor site | Full event management | Registration to reporting in one system |
| Webex Events | Pricing on the vendor site | Reliable corporate events | Enterprise control with strong video |
| Bizzabo | Pricing on the vendor site | B2B summits | Registration and analytics for summits |
A table can only show so much, so treat the price column as a starting point for RingCentral Events and vFairs rather than a promise. The real difference between neighbouring tools is usually fit for a buyer weighing RingCentral Events, and fit is what the detail reviews below are built to show. Read the two or three rows that match your situation, then jump to those reviews first, starting with RingCentral Events if it fits.
Why the Best Virtual Event Platforms Earn Their Place
A virtual event earns its place when it gives the organiser three things a room cannot. The best virtual event platforms reach people who could never travel, record every session for those who missed it, and report exactly which talks held attention and which ones lost it. A platform that delivers those three is not a compromise, and it is the reason virtual events survived the return to offices.
Reach is the first reason, and it changes who can attend. A niche conference that drew two hundred people to a hotel can now draw two thousand from forty countries, and the ticket price can fall because the venue bill disappears. The tools in this ranking all handle that scale, but the leaders do it without the video turning to mush at the peak moment.
Networking is the second reason, and it is the hardest to get right. A lobby with a chat box is not networking, while virtual tables, speed networking and one to one video calls come close to the real thing. Airmeet and Whova score well here, because they built the social layer first rather than bolting it on afterwards.
Sponsors are the third reason, and they decide whether the event pays. A sponsor who gets a booth, a lead list and a measurable return will come back, while one who gets a logo on a slide will not. vFairs and Cvent lead here, because their expo floors and sponsor analytics treat the sponsor as a customer rather than as decoration.
Data is the quieter benefit that shows up after the event. A good platform reports attendance per session, engagement per booth and drop off per minute, which lets the organiser fix the weak talks before the next event. That feedback loop is worth more than any single feature, because it makes every event better than the last.
We also checked the pricing honestly, since most virtual event platforms quote rather than publish, and the quote can surprise. The tools in this ranking all need a conversation for large events, so confirm the attendee cap, the session count and the support level in writing before the contract is signed. A quote that covers the rehearsal and the recording is worth more than a cheaper one that does not.
Best Pick by Job
No single winner fits every buyer, so we matched each common situation to the tool that scored highest for that job, with RingCentral Events leading on the core job. The best virtual event platforms split by job more than by brand, and the table below makes that split clear.
| Job | Best pick | Why it wins |
|---|---|---|
| Large virtual conferences | RingCentral Events | Scale and expo floors in one platform |
| Virtual expos and job fairs | vFairs | Immersive 3D expo environments |
| Attendee friendly mid size events | Whova | An event app attendees actually open |
| Networking led events | Airmeet | Virtual tables that feel like a reception |
| Large scale webinars | Zoom Events | Familiar video that rarely fails |
| Webinars that convert | BigMarker | Webinar tools built for marketing teams |
| Enterprise webinars at scale | ON24 | Analytics built for large marketing teams |
| Full event management | Cvent | Registration to reporting in one system |
| Reliable corporate events | Webex Events | Enterprise control with strong video |
| B2B summits | Bizzabo | Registration and analytics for summits |
If your situation does not match a row exactly, take the closest one and read that review first, starting with RingCentral Events when it fits. The gap between neighbouring tools is smaller than the gap between a tool a buyer opens daily and one it avoids, so fit to the daily work matters more than a few points on a scorecard, and RingCentral Events shows why.
The 10 Tools in Detail
Each review below follows the same pattern, and the best virtual event platforms are judged on the core job first, then on what each tool does best and where it falls short. Where the vendor site listed a price we could verify, it appears in the review for RingCentral Events and vFairs, and where the price sits behind a sales call, the review says so.
1. RingCentral Events
RingCentral Events is the scale specialist, and it leads this ranking because it handles the biggest events without drama. The platform grew from Hopin, and it keeps the expo floors, the stages and the networking that made Hopin the default for large conferences. For an organiser running a flagship event with thousands of attendees, that proven scale is the whole product.
The trade off is cost and complexity, since large events need a quote and the setup takes real planning. A flagship organiser will find it worth the effort, while a small meetup should look at Airmeet or Whova. Our verdict. The strongest large event platform here.
2. vFairs
vFairs is the expo specialist, and it earns second place with 3D environments that feel like a place rather than a page. Attendees walk a virtual floor, visit booths, chat with exhibitors and collect materials, which suits expos and job fairs better than any other format. For an organiser whose event is the floor, vFairs is the clearest choice.
The trade off is that the immersive build takes more production work than a simple webinar platform. An expo organiser will accept that, while a simple conference should look elsewhere. Our verdict. The best virtual expo floor here.
3. Whova
Whova is the attendee experience specialist, and it earns its place with an event app that people actually open. The agenda, the networking, the announcements and the polls live in one place, and attendees use it before, during and after the event. For a mid size conference where the attendee experience decides the reviews, Whova is the strongest choice.
The trade off is scale, since Whova suits mid size events better than the largest expos. A conference organiser will love it, while a ten thousand person expo should look at RingCentral Events or vFairs. Our verdict. The friendliest attendee experience here.
4. Airmeet
Airmeet is the networking specialist, and it earns its place with a social lounge where attendees sit at virtual tables and talk freely. The format feels like a real reception, which is exactly what community events need, and the free plan lets a small organiser start without a budget. For an event where the conversations matter more than the stage, Airmeet is the best fit.
The trade off is that Airmeet is lighter on expo and sponsor tools than the leaders. A community organiser will be happy, while a sponsor heavy expo should look at vFairs. Our verdict. The best networking here for community events.
5. Zoom Events
Zoom Events is the reliability specialist, and it earns its place because everyone already knows how Zoom works. The video holds up at scale, the lobby and ticketing cover the basics, and attendees need no learning at all. For an organiser who values a quiet event over a flashy one, that familiarity is worth more than any extra feature.
The trade off is that the networking and expo tools are lighter than the specialists. A webinar heavy organiser will be satisfied, while one who needs a full expo floor should look at vFairs. Our verdict. The most reliable video here.
6. BigMarker
BigMarker is the marketing webinar specialist, and it earns its place with tools built to turn viewers into leads. Registration pages, polls, offers and CRM connections are all part of the same flow, and the analytics show which viewers are ready to buy. For a marketing team running webinars as a pipeline tool, BigMarker is the most focused choice.
The trade off is that BigMarker is a webinar platform rather than a full conference system. A marketing team will love it, while a multi track conference should look elsewhere. Our verdict. The best marketing webinar here.
7. ON24
ON24 is the enterprise webinar specialist, and it earns its place with analytics that large marketing teams can actually use. Engagement scoring, content hubs and CRM integration turn a webinar programme into a measurable pipeline, and the platform handles the scale that enterprise teams need. For a large team running webinars every week, ON24 is the most capable choice.
The trade off is cost and complexity, since ON24 is priced for enterprise and the setup takes real work. A large marketing team will accept that, while a small team should look at BigMarker or Zoom Events. Our verdict. The deepest webinar analytics here.
8. Cvent
Cvent is the full management specialist, and it earns its place by covering the whole event from registration to reporting in one system. Venue sourcing, attendee management, mobile apps and analytics all live together, which suits organisers running many events a year. For a team that manages events as a programme rather than as one offs, Cvent is the most complete choice.
The trade off is that Cvent is a large system with enterprise pricing and a learning curve to match. A professional events team will value the depth, while a one off organiser should look at the simpler tools. Our verdict. The most complete event management here.
9. Webex Events
Webex Events is the corporate reliability specialist, and it earns its place with enterprise control and video that holds up under pressure. The platform grew from Socio, and it covers virtual, hybrid and in person events with the security and admin controls a large company demands. For a corporate organiser, that control is the deciding factor.
The trade off is that the attendee experience is more corporate than Whova or Airmeet. A corporate team will accept that, while a community organiser should look elsewhere. Our verdict. The most corporate ready platform here.
10. Bizzabo
Bizzabo is the B2B summit specialist, and it earns its place with registration, agenda and analytics built for summits that sell. The platform handles ticketing, sponsor packages and post event reporting in one flow, which suits a commercial summit team. For a B2B organiser whose event must pay, Bizzabo is the most business focused choice.
The trade off is price, since Bizzabo is built for commercial events and priced for them. A summit team will find it worth the cost, while a community organiser should look at Airmeet. Our verdict. The most business focused summit platform here.
A Four Week Plan for Your First Virtual Event
Week one is the format, and it should be decided before any tool is bought. Pick the session count, the networking style and the sponsor offer, then choose the platform that fits the format rather than the other way round. A platform bought for a format it does not suit will fight the organiser for the whole event.
Week two is the build, and it means the registration page, the agenda, the speaker rehearsals and the sponsor booths. Rehearse every speaker on the real platform with the real slides, because a rehearsal is the cheapest way to find the faults. Set the attendee caps now, and confirm the pricing for the expected headcount in writing.
Week three is the promotion, and it runs on the agenda rather than on the platform name. Publish the speaker list, open the networking early so attendees can plan meetings, and send the first reminder with the login details. An event that opens networking a week early gets better attendance than one that opens it on the day.
Week four is the event and the follow up, and the follow up matters as much as the day itself. Send the recordings within a day, share the engagement report with sponsors within a week, and survey attendees while the event is fresh. The survey answers are the brief for the next event, and they are worth more than any vendor report.
Open the networking a week before the event, because attendees who plan their meetings in advance arrive with purpose. A networking lounge that opens on the day stays empty while people find their feet, while one that opens early fills with conversations before the first session. The organiser should seed it with topics and hosts, since an empty lounge stays empty whatever the tool.
Sponsors, Exhibitors and the Virtual Expo Floor
A virtual expo floor works when the booth gives the visitor something to do rather than something to look at. A live chat with a real person, a downloadable guide and a short video beat a static logo every time, and the platforms that score well here make those three easy to build. vFairs leads on the floor itself, because its 3D environments feel like a place rather than a page.
Sponsor reporting decides whether the sponsor returns, and the honest numbers are booth visits, chats started and meetings booked. A sponsor who sees fifty real conversations will renew, while one who sees a thousand page views and no chats will not. Agree the reporting format before the event, and share the numbers within a week while the event is still fresh in the sponsor mind.
Price the sponsorship on outcomes rather than on logos, since a logo on a slide is worth little and a booked meeting is worth a lot. The platforms in this ranking all support tiered sponsor packages, so build the tiers around meetings and leads rather than around banner sizes. A sponsor who buys meetings will defend the spend internally, while one who buys logos will cut it next year.
Do not forget the small exhibitors, because a floor with only large booths feels empty and corporate. A simple affordable booth for small companies fills the floor, brings variety, and gives attendees more reasons to explore. The platforms that offer a light booth tier make that easy, and the floor feels alive because of it.
The lead retrieval matters as much as the booth, since a conversation without a captured lead is a lost opportunity. The platforms that let exhibitors scan a badge or save a chat make the follow up possible, while those that leave it to memory will lose the leads. Agree the lead format before the event, and check that it exports cleanly into the exhibitor CRM.
One habit deserves a mention, and it is the technical rehearsal with the worst connection. Ask one speaker to join from a phone on mobile data, and watch what the audience would see. A platform that holds up on a weak connection is the one to trust, while one that needs perfect wifi will fail exactly when the keynote matters most.
Do not forget the time zones, because a global audience reads the agenda in its own zone and the platform must show it correctly. Publish every session time with the zone labelled, send reminders in the attendee zone, and record everything for those who cannot attend live. A recorded session watched by a thousand people is still a successful session.
The best virtual event platforms also differ in how they treat the attendees who cannot join live. The better ones publish recordings within a day, with chapters and searchable transcripts, so the event keeps working for weeks after it ends. A recording watched by a thousand people is still a successful session, and the tools that make replays easy deserve credit for it.
Do not forget the speakers, because a nervous speaker with a bad rehearsal will blame the platform whatever the cause. Rehearse every speaker on the real platform with the real slides, and give each one a named contact for the day. A speaker who feels supported will forgive a small glitch, while one who feels abandoned will remember it forever.
The polls and questions deserve planning too, since an audience that participates stays longer than one that only watches. Prepare three polls per session and one question prompt for the host, and assign someone to watch the questions as they arrive. An event with a lively question feed feels alive, while one with silence feels like a recording.
Watch the drop off minute by minute after the event, because the pattern shows exactly where the audience left. A sharp drop at the start of a session means the intro was too long, while a slow fade means the content drifted. The platforms that report drop off per minute give the organiser the honest feedback that makes the next event better.
The agenda page deserves the same care as the stage, since it is the first thing a potential attendee reads. A clear agenda with speaker names, session times in the attendee zone and one line per talk will convert far better than a vague promise of great content. Publish the agenda early, and update it the moment a speaker changes, since an outdated agenda erodes trust fast.
The chat moderator is the unsung hero of a virtual event, because a live chat without moderation drifts into spam and side conversations. Assign one person to welcome attendees, answer simple questions and pass the good ones to the speaker. An event with an active moderator feels alive, while one with a silent chat feels empty whatever the content.
The sponsor booth needs a human in it, because a booth with no one to talk to is a poster on a wall. Staff the booth during the busiest hours, answer chats within a minute, and offer a short video call to anyone who asks. A sponsor who talks to fifty real people will renew, while one who watches a view counter will not.
The post event survey should go out the same day, while the event is fresh in the attendee mind. Three questions are enough, which are the best session, the worst moment and one thing to change. The answers are the brief for the next event, and they are worth more than any vendor report on engagement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Buyers ask the same questions before choosing from the best virtual event platforms, so the plain answers below cover the ones that come up most often. They are written for the buyer who has to live with the decision on RingCentral Events, not for the vendor brochure.
How many attendees can these platforms handle?
It depends on the tool and the plan, and the honest answer is to confirm the cap in writing before you buy. RingCentral Events, Zoom Events and ON24 all handle large audiences, while the smaller tools suit events under a few thousand. Test the platform at the expected headcount in a rehearsal, since a cap that looks fine on paper can still strain the video at peak moments.
Can a virtual event really replace an in person one?
It replaces the talks and the reach, but not the hallway conversations, and the best events accept that trade. A virtual event reaches people who could never travel and records everything, while an in person event wins on chance meetings. Many organisers now run both, with the virtual event extending the reach of the physical one.
How does networking work without a room?
The better platforms build it in, with virtual tables, speed networking and one to one video calls. Airmeet is the strongest example, since its social lounge lets attendees sit at tables and move freely. The organiser still has to seed the networking with topics and hosts, because an empty lounge stays empty whatever the tool.
Do attendees actually watch the recordings?
Yes, and the recordings often draw more viewers than the live session, especially across time zones. Send the recordings within a day, while the event is fresh, and track which sessions get replayed. The replay numbers are the honest measure of which talks mattered, and they shape the next agenda.
What should sponsors expect from a virtual booth?
A booth should deliver conversations and meetings rather than page views, and the platform should report both. Agree the reporting format before the event, and share the numbers within a week. A sponsor who sees real meetings will renew, while one who sees only a logo and a view count will not.
The Verdict Before You Book
The decision comes down to three numbers, and they are all measurable in a trial. The best virtual event platforms prove themselves on live reliability, attendee engagement and sponsor meetings booked, and a rehearsal with your real speakers will show all three. RingCentral Events wins our ranking on the combined score, but the right tool for your event is the one that fits your format rather than the one with the longest feature list.
Run the trial with your real speakers and your real agenda, and judge the tool on the rehearsal rather than the demo. If the video holds, the networking feels alive and the sponsor report writes itself, the system is working. If speakers struggle and attendees drift away after ten minutes, the tool is fighting you rather than helping you. Pick the platform that makes your event feel like a place, protect the rehearsal, and let the fuller room pay for the subscription many times over.
Start with a small event and a forgiving audience, and let the format prove itself before the flagship. A monthly meetup with fifty people will teach the team more about the platform than any demo, and the lessons will make the big event far smoother. The best platform is the one the team trusts on the worst day, and trust is earned in small events first.