Softwr

Software · head to head

GoToMeeting vs Microsoft Teams Live Events

GoToMeeting logo

GoToMeeting

Software

Simple and powerful video meeting and conferencing

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Microsoft Teams Live Events logo

Microsoft Teams Live Events

Software

Enterprise live event and webinar platform by Microsoft

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: GoToMeeting listed on G-Cloud 14 by GoTo Technologies UK Limited at £13.30 to £22.40 per licence; Microsoft Teams Live Events teams live events retired on June 30, 2026, and only events scheduled before that date remain supported through February 28, 2027
  • They diverge on capability: GoToMeeting covers HD video conferencing, Microsoft Teams Live Events covers Live Q&A.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which GoToMeeting and Microsoft Teams Live Events actually diverge.

Attributes where GoToMeeting and Microsoft Teams Live Events differ
AttributeGoToMeetingMicrosoft Teams Live Events
PlatformsWeb, Windows, Macos, Ios, AndroidWindows, Mac, IOS, Android, Web
Founded19891975

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (subscription), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in GoToMeeting

  • HD video conferencing
  • Screen sharing
  • Chat
  • Virtual background
  • Calendar integration
  • Meeting notes
  • Google Calendar
  • Slack

Only in Microsoft Teams Live Events

  • Live Q&A
  • Attendee engagement
  • RTMP support
  • Microsoft 365 integration
  • Microsoft 365
  • Azure
  • SharePoint
  • Mac support

Both cover

  • Recording
  • Outlook
  • Web support
  • Windows support
  • Android support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

GoToMeeting

  • Team meetingsnot Microsoft Teams Live Events
  • Client callsnot Microsoft Teams Live Events
  • Training sessionsnot Microsoft Teams Live Events
  • Remote collaborationnot Microsoft Teams Live Events

Microsoft Teams Live Events

  • One to many broadcast of company town halls to large internal audiencesnot GoToMeeting
  • Streaming an externally produced RTMP feed from a hardware encoder to Teams viewersnot GoToMeeting

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

GoToMeeting

  • Listed on G-Cloud 14 by GoTo Technologies UK Limited at £13.30 to £22.40 per licence

Microsoft Teams Live Events

  • Teams live events retired on June 30, 2026, and only events scheduled before that date remain supported through February 28, 2027
  • Microsoft directs users to the separate unified Teams events experience instead
  • Organizers must use the Teams web client to schedule a live event; scheduling is not available in the desktop client
  • Users cannot schedule meetings or live events when offline or running with limited bandwidth
  • Keeping internal broadcast traffic off the corporate network requires an eCDN, either Microsoft's own or a certified partner such as Hive, Kollective or Ramp

Pricing, plan by plan

GoToMeeting

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Unlimited 1:1 meetings
    • Up to 3 attendees
    • HD video
  • Professional$14/month
    • Unlimited meetings
    • Up to 150 attendees
    • Recording

Microsoft Teams Live Events

Free
  • Microsoft Teams FreeFree
    • Up to 300 participants
    • Live events
  • Microsoft 365 Business Basic$6/month
    • Enhanced live events
    • 10000 attendees
  • Microsoft 365 Business Standard$12.5/month
    • Advanced features
    • Unlimited events

Which should you pick?

Choose GoToMeeting if

  • You need hd video conferencing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Windows, Macos, Ios, Android.
  • You also want screen sharing.
GoToMeeting review

Choose Microsoft Teams Live Events if

  • You need live q&a.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, Mac, IOS, Android, Web.
  • You also want attendee engagement.
Microsoft Teams Live Events review

Questions people ask

Is GoToMeeting or Microsoft Teams Live Events better?
Neither clearly leads. GoToMeeting starts at Free and Microsoft Teams Live Events at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, GoToMeeting or Microsoft Teams Live Events?
GoToMeeting starts at Free and Microsoft Teams Live Events at Free.
Does GoToMeeting or Microsoft Teams Live Events run on more platforms?
GoToMeeting runs on Web, Windows, Macos, Ios, Android. Microsoft Teams Live Events runs on Windows, Mac, IOS, Android, Web.
Can I use GoToMeeting for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is GoToMeeting best used for?
GoToMeeting is most often used for team meetings, client calls, training sessions, remote collaboration. Of those, team meetings and client calls are not what Microsoft Teams Live Events is typically brought in for.
What can GoToMeeting do that Microsoft Teams Live Events cannot?
GoToMeeting covers HD video conferencing, Screen sharing, Chat, Virtual background. Microsoft Teams Live Events covers Live Q&A, Attendee engagement, RTMP support, Microsoft 365 integration. Both handle Recording, Outlook, Web support, Windows support.
ShareXLinkedInRedditWhatsAppEmail

Related pages

More on GoToMeeting

More on Microsoft Teams Live Events

Keep looking

Other head to heads