Webinar Tool Comparison

Zoom Webinar

Zoom Webinar has a participant limit between 100 and 10,000. There is a monetary cost attached to each participant increase within that range and is available as an add-on license for any Western Zoom account. See Zoom Webinar for more information.

The maximum number of users visible on screen at one time is 49. The maximum duration of a webinar is 24 hours. Users cannot host multiple webinars simultaneously. Zoom Webinar can be used on either the desktop app, mobile app, or web browser.

Features of a Zoom Webinar include:

  • Share application/screen
  • Participant tools
    • Raise Hand
    • Polling
    • Chat
    • Audience Q&A (moderated)
  • Session recording
    • Recordings are downloaded locally to the computer of the user who started the recording. Cloud recording can be requested by Western faculty and staff. See Zoom Recording for more information.

Authentification is required for Hosts to create and host a Zoom Webinar. External (guest) users can be invited using the meeting invitation. There are two roles in a Zoom Webinar: Hosts and Participants. See Roles in a Webinar for more information.

There is no integration for Zoom Webinar in OWL.

Microsoft Teams Live Event

Teams Live Event has a participant limit of 20,000. The maximum number of users visible on screen at once is 20. The maximum duration of the events is 16 hours. Producers can host multiple Live Events simultaniously. Live Events can be accessed through either the desktop app, mobile browser, or web browser. However, the Presenter must use the Teams desktop app.

Features in a Teams Live Event include:

  • Share application/screen
  • Participant tools
    • Audience Q&A (Moderated)
  • Session Recording
    • Recordings are saved to Teams Files/Sharepoint.
  • Autogenerated live captions

Recordings are saved in the Teams Files/Sharepoint.

Authentication is required for the Producer and Presenter to create and facilitate the event. There are three roles in a Teams Live Event: Producer, Presenter, and Audience. See Event Group Roles for more information.

There is no OWL integration for Microsoft Teams Live Event.

Published on  and maintained in Cascade.