Difference Between Webinar and WebEx (With Table)

In modern times, computer technology is at its peak. It has become a vital part of human life like natural resources such as oxygen and water. It provides countless services for the people at home with some clicks on the screen. Webinar and WebEx are two of those services that depend on computer technology.

Webinar vs WebEx

The main difference between webinar and WebEx is that a webinar is a virtual form of a seminar that can be hosted using multiple software and applications while WebEx itself is an application that provides the virtual meeting for various people. Both webinars and WebEx are usually used for business-related meetings which include voice or video chat and texts.

The term webinar is used for seminars that are held on the internet. It is considered to be an online event. Organizations, specific groups of people, and companies host these events online via the internet. That is the main reason why a seminar is called a webinar. Both are the same things but the medium to deliver is different.

WebEx is known to be an online meeting. It is a virtual meeting of individuals. A person can attend a WebEx meeting from Home without going anywhere. He just needs access to a computer and internet connection. When a person joins a WebEx meeting, he can see the computer screen of the presenter to observe the information.

Comparison Table Between Webinar and WebEx

Parameters Of Comparison

Webinar

WebEx

Meaning

Webinars include specific activities such as lectures, workshops, presentations, meetings over a digital medium of communication to deliver information.

WebEx is a solution that can be referred to as a platform where online meetings take place.

Type

A webinar is considered to be a specific type of solution for web conferences that can include various topics.

WebEx is considered to be a one-stop solution for video conferencing that includes all types of conversations or communication.

Features

The features offered in a webinar for attendees are limited that including chat support during ongoing events for the audience.

WebEx meeting provides various features for its users such as screen sharing, file transfer, video sharing, and recording.

Modes

Most of the time, webinars are held in a view-only mode where attendees can not interact with the presenter.

In WebEx, the meetings are collaborating where both presenter and attendees interact with one another as a group.

Breakout session

Webinars do not have the feature, breakout room. There are only two sides that are the speaker and the audience.

WebEx offers breakout sessions when the audience is divided into smaller groups and these groups can communicate with one another.

What is Webinar?

Webinars are events hosted by companies and organizations online for the people through the internet. When a person attends a webinar as an audience or speaker, he has control over being visible or not. Webinars can also be referred to as web conferencing. It includes two parties which are presenters and attendees.

It provides the services of webcasting and web meeting. Webinars have several benefits such as a person can interact with the audience that belongs to other countries and continents, the one condition is that both parties should have a high-speed internet connection. The entire process of webinars depends on the service of the internet. It provides real-time conversation between multiple parties.

A person, who’s a part of the audience can ask a question by submitting it in the required section. It carries information from one source to many receivers across the globe and that’s the beauty of webinars. The information travels between source and receiver in the form of a text, video chat, and voice chat.

In webinars, the physical presence of individuals is not required, they can attend the webinar from anywhere using computer software and the internet. The functionality of the medium being used for conducting a webinar can differ for the audience and speaker.

What is WebEx?

WebEx meeting is software developed by Cisco Systems. It organizes online meetings for its users. The headquarter of WebEx is located in Milpitas, California, United States. Min Zhu and Subrah Iyar are founders of WebEx. They founded WebEx in the year of 1995. Access to the pc or laptop and connection is the basic requirement to attend a WebEx meeting.

In some cases, a separate phone line is also Preferred. To join the WebEx meeting, a person is expected to call on the given number and when the call connects, both parties become able to communicate with each other. This call can be made between the presenter and an individual or a group of individuals.

Every participant of a WebEx meeting can communicate with one another. Almost 10,000 people work at WebEx as its employees. WebEx gives its users the option to choose when, where, and how they want to work. In the updated version of WebEx, it included the feature of cloud calling.

WebEx focuses on what type of work is being done, not the location of that work. By using WebEx, an organization can have clients and employees from any corner of the world. Since the process of communication becomes easier and secure.

Main Differences Between Webinar and WebEx

  1. The application which is commonly used to host a webinar is GoToWebinar while WebEx itself is a platform that facilitates online meetings.
  2. The audience can not be divided into small groups in webinars while WebEx provides the feature of breakout sessions that makes small groups attendees.
  3. Webinars are usually hosted in view-only mode. On the other hand, in a meeting through WebEx, each individual can interact with another.
  4. The chat support feature is excluded in webinars while in WebEx, attendees can ask a question or give their feedback.
  5. The webinars cover various topics on which they give information while the meeting in WebEx focuses on a certain topic.

Conclusion

Now digitalization of many aspects of human life is in trend. It is also beneficial since the process of digitization has reduced the amount of hard work yet gives prominent results. The video calling service has given a revolutionary contribution in this field. By using this feature a person can reach millions of unknown people from different parts of the world with full protection.

Webinars and WebEx are the two such mediums. Now a person is not required to visit a different city or country just to give an interview or an organization doesn’t have to arrange a physical meeting for its employees. These tasks can be easily achieved by webinars and WebEx meetings with taking a step out of the house.

References

  1. https://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/aafcs/jfcs/2015/00000107/00000002/art00012
  2. https://www.telstra.com.au/content/dam/shared-component-assets/tecom/uc&c/conferencing/cisco-webex-meetings/cisco-webex-meetings-webex-cca-sp-from-telstra-datasheet.pdf