Beams, Gather Town, Crowdcast, SpatialChat, Gloww, WorkAdventure, Tevent, StreamAlive, HatQuest and Recess make up a shortlist of virtual event platforms built for very different kinds of gatherings in 2026. Some are built for large streamed conferences with sponsors and breakout rooms, others recreate a walkable, spatial space for casual networking, and a couple exist purely to make an existing presentation or team hangout more interactive — together they cover conferences, webinars, spatial networking and team social events in one list.
A virtual event covers a lot of ground, from a formal sponsored conference to a casual team happy hour, and no single platform does all of it equally well. This list runs from the broadest, most full-featured conference and webinar platforms through spatial networking tools, down to lightweight add-ons and team-bonding games — so a reader can match a pick to the kind of event they’re actually planning.
How we picked these virtual event platforms
Every platform on this list was judged against the same five criteria, so the ranking reflects genuine usefulness rather than how polished a landing page looks.
Related shortlists: Top 7 Real Estate Platforms in 2026 and 10 Best Job Boards in 2026.
Also worth a look: Top 7 Crowdfunding Platforms in 2026 and Top 10 Language Learning Apps in 2026.
- Capability — how well the platform actually supports a live virtual event
- Ease of use — how quickly an organizer can set up and run an event
- Pricing and value — what the free tier covers, and whether paid plans are worth upgrading to
- Reliability — consistency of performance at scale and platform uptime
- Who it suits — the type of event, audience size and budget each platform is genuinely built for
| Tool | Best for | Key features | Pricing | Free trial |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beams Virtual Event Platform | Event organizers who want a single, full-featured platform for large virtual conferences with sponsors and ticketing. | One-Window technology, Breakout rooms and networking, Exhibitions and sponsor placements | Grow — $199/mo annual (or $299/mo billed monthly), up to 200 participants | Free trial available on request |
| Gather Town | Teams and communities that want a playful, explorable space for an event instead of a flat video grid. | Custom 2D worlds, Proximity video, Interactive objects | Free — 100% free for up to 25 users | Free plan |
| Crowdcast | Hosts running recurring webinars, workshops or livestreams who want one platform instead of a patchwork of tools. | Workshops, webinars and livestreams, Scales to thousands, Built-in stage and media controls | Lite — $49/month, 100+ live attendees | 14-day free trial |
| SpatialChat | Organizers who want proximity-based audio and customizable rooms for an event, classroom or community space. | Proximity audio and video, Customizable rooms, Large-scale events | Free — up to 12 participants, 2 hours a day | 14-day free trial |
| Gloww | Teams running all-hands, training or webinars who want built-in content templates instead of a blank call. | Content templates, Interactive design, Comprehensive meeting materials | Free — up to 5 participants, 1-hour sessions | Free plan |
| WorkAdventure | Open communities and teams who want a free, walkable virtual space for casual events without a per-seat cost. | Walkable virtual world, Parallel conversations, Generous free tier | Free — up to 10 simultaneous users, unlimited maps | Free plan |
| Tevent | Budget-conscious hosts who want every feature available on every plan instead of gating tools behind the top tier. | Interactive webinars and gatherings, Lead cultivation tools, ROI tracking | Free tier available | Free plan |
| StreamAlive | Presenters and trainers who want to add live polls and word clouds to an existing presentation instead of adopting a new platform. | Live polls and word clouds, AI-generated interactions, Works with existing tools | Free — unlimited sessions, up to 5 participants | Free Pro trial — 2 sessions or 14 days |
| HatQuest | Remote teams who want a lighthearted virtual event built around games rather than an agenda. | Multiplayer games, AI-generated content, Custom activities | Free — 5 users, 1 host, 4 activities/month | Free plan |
| Recess | Remote teams on Slack who want quick, science-backed icebreakers instead of planning a separate event. | Slack integration, Behavioral-science prompts, Real-time games | Free to use | Free plan |
The best virtual event platforms in 2026
1. Beams Virtual Event Platform
Host engaging and profitable virtual conferences and more
Beams Virtual Event Platform is best for: Event organizers who want a single, full-featured platform for large virtual conferences with sponsors and ticketing.
Its sponsor and exhibition tools make it a natural fit for organizers who need a virtual conference to actually generate revenue, not just attendance.
Key Beams Virtual Event Platform features
- One-Window technology — keeps every activity in a single engaging view
- Breakout rooms and networking — recreate hallway conversations online
- Exhibitions and sponsor placements — built-in space for sponsors and partners
- Live streaming and stage controls — run keynotes and sessions from one platform
- Participant analytics — track engagement and conversion goals after the event
Beams Virtual Event Platform pricing
- Grow — $199/mo annual (or $299/mo billed monthly), up to 200 participants
- Pro — $499/mo annual (or $749/mo billed monthly), up to 500 participants
- Enterprise — from $999/mo, 1,000+ participants
- Free trial: Free trial available on request
2. Gather Town
Spatial video-chat worlds for work and play
Gather Town is best for: Teams and communities that want a playful, explorable space for an event instead of a flat video grid.
Letting attendees physically wander between conversations gives it a sense of spontaneity that a standard video call can't match.
Key Gather Town features
- Custom 2D worlds — build a map with rooms, stages and interactive objects
- Proximity video — conversations start naturally as avatars walk near each other
- Interactive objects — whiteboards, embedded videos and games placed anywhere on the map
- Free for small groups — no cost for events up to 25 people
- Flexible use cases — works for conferences, happy hours and remote offices alike
Gather Town pricing
- Free — 100% free for up to 25 users
- Paid plans for larger teams and events, pricing on request
- Free trial: Free plan
3. Crowdcast
Run every event—without switching tools
Crowdcast is best for: Hosts running recurring webinars, workshops or livestreams who want one platform instead of a patchwork of tools.
Charging by attendees who actually show up, rather than registrations, keeps costs predictable for recurring event hosts.
Key Crowdcast features
- Workshops, webinars and livestreams — all hosted from a single platform
- Scales to thousands — built to handle large live audiences
- Built-in stage and media controls — manage slides, guests and media without switching apps
- Pay-per-attendee pricing — plans scale with how many people actually show up
Crowdcast pricing
- Lite — $49/month, 100+ live attendees
- Pro — $89/month, 250+ live attendees
- Business — $195/month, 1,000+ live attendees
- Free trial: 14-day free trial
4. SpatialChat
Virtual Events, Webinars & Classrooms That Feel Real
SpatialChat is best for: Organizers who want proximity-based audio and customizable rooms for an event, classroom or community space.
The option to buy a single day pass instead of a subscription makes it easy to justify for a one-off event.
Key SpatialChat features
- Proximity audio and video — conversations feel natural as people move closer
- Customizable rooms — design spaces for webinars, classrooms or communities
- Large-scale events — Business plans support up to 10,000 attendees
- Session recording — capture events for attendees who couldn't make it live
SpatialChat pricing
- Free — up to 12 participants, 2 hours a day
- Business — $399-$799/month for 50-100 users
- Day Pass — $5/user/day for one-off events
- Free trial: 14-day free trial
5. Gloww
Bring your meetings to life!
Gloww is best for: Teams running all-hands, training or webinars who want built-in content templates instead of a blank call.
Starting from a template instead of a blank call saves organizers from rebuilding the same event structure every time.
Key Gloww features
- Content templates — ready-made layouts for team-building, all-hands and training
- Interactive design — customize the meeting window without leaving it
- Comprehensive meeting materials — keep slides, docs and activities in one view
- Scales up — paid plans support events with up to 1,000 participants
Gloww pricing
- Free — up to 5 participants, 1-hour sessions
- Paid plans scale up to 1,000 participants, pricing on request
- Free trial: Free plan
6. WorkAdventure
A collaborative tool for spontaneous social interaction
WorkAdventure is best for: Open communities and teams who want a free, walkable virtual space for casual events without a per-seat cost.
Its day-rate option for one-off events means a community doesn't have to commit to a monthly subscription just to host a single gathering.
Key WorkAdventure features
- Walkable virtual world — move freely and start conversations like in person
- Parallel conversations — multiple groups can talk at once without interrupting each other
- Generous free tier — up to 10 simultaneous users at no cost
- Day-rate event pricing — pay per day for a one-off gathering instead of a subscription
WorkAdventure pricing
- Free — up to 10 simultaneous users, unlimited maps
- Event — from €4/day per user
- Business — from €8/month per user
- Free trial: Free plan
7. Tevent
Interactive Webinars & Gatherings, Without the Price Tag
Tevent is best for: Budget-conscious hosts who want every feature available on every plan instead of gating tools behind the top tier.
Putting every feature on every plan means smaller hosts aren't locked out of tools that bigger competitors reserve for enterprise tiers.
Key Tevent features
- Interactive webinars and gatherings — built for both formal and casual events
- Lead cultivation tools — capture and follow up with attendees after the event
- ROI tracking — measure how an event performs against its goals
- All features on every tier — no feature-gating between plans
Tevent pricing
- Free tier available
- Custom plans based on attendee count and event duration, pricing on request
- Free trial: Free plan
8. StreamAlive
Add polls, word clouds, and more to your PowerPoint slides
StreamAlive is best for: Presenters and trainers who want to add live polls and word clouds to an existing presentation instead of adopting a new platform.
Because it layers onto a presentation someone already has, it adds interactivity without forcing a switch to a whole new event platform.
Key StreamAlive features
- Live polls and word clouds — layer engagement directly onto PowerPoint slides
- AI-generated interactions — automatically suggests activities based on slide content
- Works with existing tools — compatible with Teams, Zoom, Google Meet and in-person talks
- Quizzes and spinner wheels — extra formats for games and icebreakers
StreamAlive pricing
- Free — unlimited sessions, up to 5 participants
- Starter — $20/month (annual), 10 sessions/month
- Pro — $60/month (annual), unlimited sessions
- Free trial: Free Pro trial — 2 sessions or 14 days
9. HatQuest
Uniting teams through fun activities. Connect. Play. Bond.
HatQuest is best for: Remote teams who want a lighthearted virtual event built around games rather than an agenda.
Built entirely around games rather than an agenda, it suits a team social hour far better than a repurposed meeting tool.
Key HatQuest features
- Multiplayer games — quizzes, Pictionary and Spin the Bottle built for groups
- AI-generated content — fresh activity prompts without manual setup
- Custom activities — build an activity around a team's own inside jokes
- Built-in chat — keep the banter going alongside the games
HatQuest pricing
- Free — 5 users, 1 host, 4 activities/month
- Little Hat — up to 25 users, 2 hosts, unlimited activities
- Big Hat — up to 50 users, 5 hosts, unlimited activities
- Free trial: Free plan
10. Recess
Get to know remote teammates in a fun & playful way
Recess is best for: Remote teams on Slack who want quick, science-backed icebreakers instead of planning a separate event.
Running directly inside Slack means a team can start a quick icebreaker without ever leaving the tool they already use daily.
Key Recess features
- Slack integration — icebreakers and games run right where the team already works
- Behavioral-science prompts — questions designed to surface genuine commonalities
- Real-time games — Trivia, Would You Rather and Caption This for live sessions
- Memory vault — saved responses help teammates remember what they learned about each other
Recess pricing
- Free to use
- Free trial: Free plan
Which virtual event platform should you choose?
Anyone organizing a large sponsored conference with breakout sessions and exhibitions should start with Beams, while a team or community that wants a playful, walkable space for networking will get more out of Gather Town or SpatialChat. Hosts running recurring webinars or workshops should look at Crowdcast, and anyone who wants ready-made templates for an all-hands or training session should try Gloww.
Open communities on a tight budget should consider WorkAdventure‘s generous free tier, while hosts who don’t want features locked behind a top-tier plan will prefer Tevent. Presenters who just want to add polls and word clouds to an existing deck should try StreamAlive instead of switching platforms entirely, and remote teams planning a purely social event should pick HatQuest or Recess for games built specifically for bonding rather than business.
