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Zoom, Meetings vs Webinars
Meetings and webinars share some of the same features, but there are important differences you should be aware of. Meetings are best for events requiring collaboration between ALL participants. Webinars are best for events requiring a small number of people to present information to the attendees. In this case, the attendees generally do not interact with one another and the events are open to a wider public audience.
For more information on when to use a Zoom meeting or a webinar please visit: When to use Meetings vs Webinars at Zoom | Blog.
| Feature | Meetings | Webinars |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Group collaboration, known participants | Public events, large events, unknown attendees |
| Format | Collaboration among participants and host | One (or few) to many, no attendee interaction with other attendees |
| Cost |
|
Dependent upon additional licensing purchase* |
| Participant/attendee maximum |
|
Up to 10,000 but requires additional licensing* |
| Roles | ||
| Audio |
|
|
| Closed Captioning | Available | Available |
| Video | Can be allowed for all | Only allowed for host/co-host and panelists |
| Screen sharing | Available | Available |
| Participant list | Participants can see list of other participants | Only host/co-host and panelists can see attendee list |
| Chat | Can be setup to allow participants to chat with other participants, hosts/co-hosts, or no one | Can be setup to allow attendees to chat with other attendees, hosts/co-hosts, panelists, or no one |
| Nonverbal feedback | Available | Only raise hand available |
| Q & A | Not available | Available |
| File transfer | Available | Not available |
| Annotations | Available | Available |
| Polling | Available | Available |
| Recording | Available | Available |
| Livestream | Available | Available |
| Whiteboard | Available | Available |
| Breakout rooms | Available | Available |
| Waiting room | Available | Not available |
| Registration | Available | Available |
| Practice session | Not available | Available |
For more information on these and other comparisons, please visit: Zoom Support
Additional Licensing Information:
Reminder: Webinar functionality does not come standard with your campus license. Webinar licenses are an additional charge. Webinar license options are based on participant capacity: 100, 500, 1000, 3000, 5000, and 10,000 participants. To view or purchase Webinar licenses, as well as any other currently available Zoom Add-Ons, please visit the WebStore for more information. You may contact WebStore@illinois.edu if you have additional questions about licensing purchases.
Meetings for up to 24 hours and with up to 300 participants can be hosted by anyone with a UIUC Zoom Education license. In contrast, Basic users are limited to HOSTING meetings (minimum 3 users) at 40 minutes and up to 100 participants. For more information about logging in properly to use your UIUC Zoom Education license, please see this Zoom, License Eligibility, Why do I only have Zoom 'Basic' Access?. Large Meeting license options are based on participant capacity: 500 and 1000 participants. To view or purchase Large Meeting licenses, please visit the WebStore for more information.