Virtual Event Software – Cloud Ratings Category Report 2023

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Virtual Event Software - Cloud Ratings

Defining Virtual Event Software:

Virtual events software refers to a type of technology that enables businesses and organizations to host and manage events online, including conferences, webinars, trade shows, and other virtual gatherings. Virtual events provide a platform for attendees to participate in these events from anywhere in the world, using their computer or mobile device.

Virtual events software typically includes a range of features, such as live streaming of presentations, interactive sessions, virtual networking opportunities, and tools for engaging with attendees. It also often includes features for managing event registration, creating event schedules, digital venues for event sponsors (if any), and providing access to event materials and resources.

Our Virtual Event Software Category Report is complemented by our coverage of the adjacent Webinar Software category.

Cloud Ratings Chart for Virtual Event Software:

Over 25,000 customer ratings (inclusive of vendor-supplied NPS data) factored into our category assessment: 

Cloud Ratings has initiated research coverage of the Virtual Event Software category. Ranked Virtual Event Software Platform vendors included Goldcast, Hubilo, vFairs, Webex (Socio), Whova, Zuddl, Airmeet, Bizzabo, Cvent, Hopin, Livestorm, ON24, Swapcard, Accelevents, BigMarker, Remo Conference, Swoogo, 6Connex, EventMobi, and Splash.

Chart Quadrant Summary:

(Presented Alphabetically by Quadrant)

Leaders – High Market Adoption + High Customer Ratings:

Goldcast

Hubilo

vFairs

Webex (Socio)

Whova

Zuddl

Market Excellence – High Market Adoption:

Airmeet

Bizzabo

Cvent

Hopin

Livestorm

ON24

Swapcard

Product Excellence – High Customer Ratings:

BigMarker

Remo Conference

Swoogo

Challenger – Market + Customer Validation:

6Connex

EventMobi

Splash

Virtual Event Software Vendors:

(Presented Alphabetically)

6Connex – Challenger

Accelevents – Product Excellence

Airmeet – Market Excellence

BigMarker – Product Excellence

Bizzabo – Market Excellence

Cvent – Market Excellence

EventMobi – Challenger

Goldcast – Leader

Hopin – Market Excellence

Hubilo– Leader

Livestorm– Leader

ON24 – Market Excellence

Remo Conference– Product Excellence

Splash– Challenger

Swapcard– Market Excellence

Swoogo– Product Excellence

vFairs– Leader

Webex Events– Leader

Whova– Leader

Zuddl– Leader

Methodology:

Cloud Ratings Category Report process combines private vendor responses to our Request For Information (RFI) with publicly visible measures of market adoption and customer satisfaction.

All vendors are presented with the opportunity to complete the RFI. 

The Cloud Ratings RFI focuses on measures of:

  • Customer Satisfaction: Greatest weight is given to internal Net Promoter Score (NPS) data. Why? Certain software vendors are skilled at driving (and often incentivizing) happy customers to submit reviews to popular software directories. This can lead to situations where publicly observable vendor reviews are more favorable than the “silent majority” of customers that do not submit to software review platforms. As such, Cloud Ratings’ use of private NPS data provides a more holistic view of customer experiences. To measure adoption and implementation risk, significant consideration is also given to vendor responses regarding severely negative customer outcomes and retention rates.
  • Market Adoption: The RFI covers a range of traction metrics, including but not limited to revenue, revenue growth, and the current number of customers. Why? Vendors can appear to have an artificially high market share through aggressive marketing spend, public relations, and skillful solicitation of reviews to software directories. Accordingly, Cloud Ratings’ use of RFI-derived information helps provide software buyers with a more realistic view of market adoption.       

Definitions:

Cloud Ratings has initiated research coverage of the Virtual Event Software category. Ranked Virtual Event Software Platform vendors included Goldcast, Hubilo, vFairs, Webex (Socio), Whova, Zuddl, Airmeet, Bizzabo, Cvent, Hopin, Livestorm, ON24, Swapcard, Accelevents, BigMarker, Remo Conference, Swoogo, 6Connex, EventMobi, and Splash.

Shaded Areas of Category Chart: Each category of software has a unique likelihood of generating business value and positive experiences for customers. Accordingly, Cloud Ratings customizes the shaded surface area for each category as a visual representation of the zones of positive customer outcomes. A category with higher risk or lower satisfaction ratings (like ERP or HR software) will have smaller Zones of Excellence and Zones of Solutions than a safer, higher satisfaction category.  For Virtual Event Software, a normalized customer rating score of 4.57 (on a 5.00 scale) was used in setting the Zones’ surface area.  

Zone of Excellence (Light Green): This represents a category’s strongest vendors as reflected by their combination of market share and high customer satisfaction scores.   

Zone of Solutions (Light Yellow): Encompasses vendors with both meaningful marketplace adoption and sufficiently high absolute customer satisfaction ratings.

Notable Vendor: This distinction highlights other vendors identified in the research process as worthy of buyer consideration. Common reasons for Notable Vendors to not be featured in the Category Chart include differing levels of product focus (a secondary feature within a broader suite) or comparatively lower market adoption metrics, especially for earlier-stage companies.      

Momentum: Derived from sources like RFI-sourced vendor growth metrics and buyer search interest, the Momentum indicator compares a category’s growth rate with overall information technology (IT) spending growth. 

Risk: Influenced by RFI-sourced vendor NPS and adverse outcomes data, the Risk indicator compares the risk profile of a software category to software applications generally. The distribution of strongly negative public user reviews also factors into the Risk indicator level.  

Cloud Ratings Disclaimer:

Cloud Ratings research analysis and publications represent opinions – expressed at a specific moment in time – and should not be viewed as statements of fact. 

Cloud Ratings is not responsible for any incorrect information supplied by vendors, customers of vendors, or derived from publicly accessible information. 

Cloud Ratings assumes no liability for damages resulting from the application or usage of information, content, or research. 

Cloud Ratings disclaims all warranties as to the commercial success or outcome of any resulting business activities, vendor selections, or investment decisions from the information provided. 

Cloud Ratings does not endorse any solution or service named in its research.

All product names, logos, and brands are the property of their respective owners. All company, product, and service names used in this website are for identification purposes only.

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