Are you finding it difficult to host engaging virtual meetings and webinars that truly captivate your audience?
Whether you're in marketing, sales, education, or customer service, you understand the significance of effective online communication tools. They not only help you connect with your audience but also provide valuable insights and foster collaboration.
However, creating and managing these virtual events can often be a daunting task, especially if you're not tech-savvy.
Enter Livestorm, an all-in-one video engagement platform designed to simplify the process of hosting virtual meetings, webinars, and events. With Livestorm, you can create engaging online experiences without needing to be a technical expert.
In this review, we'll explore Livestorm's features, pricing, pros and cons, and compare it to other leading platforms in the market. Our aim is to help you determine if Livestorm is the right solution for your virtual communication needs.
So, let's get started and discover if Livestorm can help you overcome your virtual event challenges.
What Is Livestorm?
Continuing from our introduction, let's delve deeper into what Livestorm is and what it brings to the table.
Livestorm is a robust video engagement platform that serves as a one-stop solution for hosting and managing virtual meetings, webinars, and events. It operates entirely in your browser, eliminating the need for attendees to download any additional software. This feature enhances its accessibility, making it a go-to choice for audiences of varying technical abilities.
The platform is versatile, catering to a wide array of use cases. Whether you're conducting product demos, hosting live events, facilitating company-wide communication, delivering online courses, onboarding employees, or training customers, Livestorm has got you covered. This adaptability makes it an ideal choice for businesses and organizations across a multitude of industries.
But Livestorm is not just another video conferencing tool. It's a platform that puts engagement at the forefront, striving to make virtual interactions as enriching and productive as in-person meetings. It comes packed with a suite of built-in tools that enable you to create, manage, and analyze your events, all from a single dashboard.
Whether you're orchestrating a small team meeting, a large-scale webinar, or an on-demand training session, Livestorm provides the features and flexibility to ensure your event is a success. It's designed to save you time, boost your event attendance rate, and ultimately, deliver tangible results for your organization.
In a nutshell, Livestorm is a platform that aims to revolutionize the way you communicate and collaborate online, making virtual events more engaging, effective, and rewarding.
Now that we've established what Livestorm is, let's take a closer look at the specific features that make this platform stand out in the crowded landscape of video engagement tools.
Livestorm Features
In this section, we'll look at the specific features that make Livestorm a powerful tool for hosting and managing virtual events. These features are designed to enhance user experience, streamline event management, and facilitate effective communication.
Browser-based Platform
Livestorm operates directly from your browser, eliminating the need for any software downloads. This feature enhances accessibility, allowing attendees to join events from their desktop, tablet, or mobile browser.
RTMP Ingestion
Livestorm supports 1080p streaming setups via a video encoder (like OBS, XSplit, etc.) with low latency (~5s). This feature, however, is only available for enterprise plans.
On-demand Events
Livestorm allows you to create events using pre-recorded videos. This feature enables participants to watch the event at their convenience, providing flexibility for those in different time zones or with varying schedules.
Recurring Events
Livestorm makes it easy to set up events with recurring sessions. Attendees can join these sessions using a single link, simplifying the process for regular events.
Record and Store Events
With Livestorm, your events are automatically recorded and saved. These recordings can be stored with unlimited cloud storage at no additional costs.
Speaking Permissions
Livestorm gives you the ability to easily manage speaking permissions during an event. You can mute or invite participants to speak as needed.
Registration Pages
Livestorm allows you to create customized registration pages optimized for conversions. You can even limit the number of attendees able to register to create exclusivity.
Up to 3,000 Attendees
Whether you're hosting a small meeting or a large webinar, Livestorm can handle it. The platform supports events ranging from 2-person meetings to webinars with up to 3,000 attendees.
Contact Profiles
Livestorm provides the ability to search and access attendee information, helping you better understand and engage with your audience.
Transactional Emails
With Livestorm, you can send unlimited customized reminders and follow-up emails. You can use plain text or custom HTML to format your emails.
Custom Branding
Livestorm allows you to add your own branding to all event assets, including the registration page, emails, and the event room.
Multi-language Support
Livestorm supports over 24 languages, including English, French, Spanish, and more. This allows you to present assets such as the registration page, emails, and event rooms in the language of your choice.
CRM and Marketing Automation Integrations
Livestorm offers native integrations with popular tools such as Zapier, HubSpot, and Salesforce. This ensures your data is synced with your favorite marketing software, helping you streamline your marketing efforts.
Livestorm Pricing
Livestorm offers a range of pricing plans to cater to different needs, from small team meetings to large-scale webinars. Here's a breakdown of their pricing structure:
Free Plan
Livestorm offers a free plan that includes:
- Up to 30 active contacts per month
- Up to 20 minutes per session
- Up to 30 live attendees
- Unlimited team members
Pro Plan
The Pro plan costs $99 per host per month (billed monthly) or $79 per host per month (billed annually). It includes:
- Up to 100 active contacts per month
- Up to 4 hours per session
- Up to 100 live attendees
- Unlimited team members
- Standard support
Business Plan
The Business plan is designed for larger needs and offers custom pricing. It includes:
- From 500+ active contacts per month
- Up to 4 hours per session
- Up to 3,000 live attendees
- Unlimited team members
- VIP support
- Access to Livestorm Learning
Enterprise Plan
The Enterprise plan is also available with custom pricing. It includes:
- From 500+ active contacts per month
- Up to 12 hours per session
- Up to 3,000 live attendees
- Unlimited team members
- VIP support & SLA
- Enterprise onboarding & training
- Dedicated CSM
- Enterprise & custom integrations
- Multiple workspaces & unified billing
- SAML SSO
Please note that all prices are subject to change and it's always a good idea to check the official Livestorm website for the most up-to-date information.
Livestorm Pros and Cons
Pros of Livestorm
Ease of Use: Livestorm is designed with user-friendliness in mind. Its intuitive interface makes it easy to navigate, even for those without a technical background. This makes setting up and managing webinars a breeze.
Versatility: Livestorm is not just a webinar platform. It's a comprehensive video engagement platform that caters to a wide array of use cases, from virtual meetings and webinars to online courses and employee onboarding. This versatility makes it a valuable tool for businesses and organizations of all types and sizes.
Browser-based Platform: Livestorm operates directly from your browser, eliminating the need for any software downloads. This enhances accessibility and ensures that attendees can join events from any device with an internet connection.
Integration Capabilities: Livestorm offers native integrations with popular tools like Zapier, HubSpot, and Salesforce. This allows you to sync your data with your favorite marketing software, streamlining your marketing efforts.
Cons of Livestorm
Limited Customization: While Livestorm does offer some customization options, they may not be extensive enough for some users. For instance, the ability to fully customize the look and feel of the registration page or webinar room is somewhat limited.
Pricing: Some users might find Livestorm's pricing to be on the higher end, especially for small businesses or startups with limited budgets. However, it's worth noting that Livestorm offers a range of pricing plans, including a free plan, to cater to different needs and budgets.
Livestorm Alternatives
Livestorm vs Zoom
Zoom is a well-known alternative to Livestorm, primarily recognized for its video conferencing capabilities. While Livestorm is a comprehensive platform for hosting a variety of virtual events, Zoom excels in facilitating straightforward video meetings. It offers a simple, user-friendly interface and is widely adopted, making it a reliable choice for users prioritizing ease of use and widespread familiarity. However, when it comes to hosting webinars and other virtual events with a focus on attendee engagement, Livestorm's suite of built-in tools and features may offer a more robust solution.
Livestorm vs Teams
Microsoft Teams is another popular alternative to Livestorm. As part of the Microsoft 365 suite, Teams is deeply integrated with other Microsoft applications, making it an excellent choice for organizations already using these tools. Teams is primarily a collaboration platform, offering features like chat, file sharing, and team organization, in addition to video conferencing. However, for businesses seeking a dedicated platform for hosting engaging webinars and virtual events, Livestorm's focus on these areas and its array of event-specific features may provide a more tailored solution.
Final Verdict
After a thorough examination of Livestorm's features, pricing, pros and cons, and comparison with alternatives, it's time to draw a conclusion.
Livestorm stands out as a comprehensive video engagement platform that caters to a wide array of virtual events. Its browser-based nature, ease of use, and focus on attendee engagement make it a compelling choice for businesses and organizations of all types and sizes. The platform's versatility, coupled with its robust feature set, offers a high degree of flexibility and control when hosting virtual events.
While it does have a few limitations, such as limited customization options and a somewhat restricted free plan, these are minor when compared to the overall functionality and benefits the platform provides.
When compared to alternatives like Zoom and Teams, Livestorm holds its own, particularly when it comes to hosting webinars and other virtual events. While Zoom and Teams may be more familiar to some users, Livestorm's focus on engagement and its array of event-specific features make it a worthy contender.
In conclusion, if you're seeking a versatile, user-friendly platform for hosting engaging virtual events, Livestorm is a strong candidate to consider. Its comprehensive feature set, coupled with its commitment to user experience, makes it a valuable tool in the realm of online communication and collaboration.
