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Webinar & Virtual Events · head to head

Kaltura vs Microsoft Teams Live Events

Kaltura logo

Kaltura

Webinar & Virtual Events

Video platform for learning, media, and engagement

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Microsoft Teams Live Events logo

Microsoft Teams Live Events

Webinar & Virtual Events

Enterprise live event and webinar platform by Microsoft

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Microsoft Teams Live Events has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Kaltura the pricing page lists ten separate products and publishes no rate, no minimum and no named cost driver for them, routing visitors to a quote request; 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: Kaltura covers Video creation, Microsoft Teams Live Events covers Live Q&A.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Kaltura and Microsoft Teams Live Events differ
AttributeKalturaMicrosoft Teams Live Events
Starting priceOn requestFree
Free tierNoYes
Founded20061975

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), platforms (Windows, Mac, IOS, Android, Web), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Webinar & Virtual Events).

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 Kaltura

  • Video creation
  • Live streaming
  • Analytics
  • Interactive content
  • Mobile apps
  • Canvas
  • Blackboard
  • Moodle

Only in Microsoft Teams Live Events

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

Both cover

  • Windows support
  • Mac support
  • IOS support
  • Android support
  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Kaltura

  • Enterprise video portals and internal town hallsnot Microsoft Teams Live Events
  • Virtual classrooms and lecture capture for universitiesnot Microsoft Teams Live Events

Microsoft Teams Live Events

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

Where each one falls short

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

Kaltura

  • The pricing page lists ten separate products and publishes no rate, no minimum and no named cost driver for them, routing visitors to a quote request
  • Capabilities are split across separate products such as Webinars, Virtual Events, Town Halls, Video Portal and Virtual Classroom, each licensed on its own

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

Kaltura

On request
  • Starter$400/month
    • Video library
    • Basic features
  • Professional$1000/month
    • Live streaming
    • Analytics
  • Enterprise$2500/month
    • Custom solutions
    • Support

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 Kaltura if

  • You need video creation.
  • You work on Windows, Mac, IOS, Android, Web.
  • You also want live streaming.
Kaltura 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 Kaltura or Microsoft Teams Live Events better?
Neither clearly leads. Kaltura starts at On request 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, Kaltura or Microsoft Teams Live Events?
Microsoft Teams Live Events has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Kaltura and Free for Microsoft Teams Live Events.
Does Kaltura or Microsoft Teams Live Events run on more platforms?
Both run on Windows, Mac, IOS, Android, Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Microsoft Teams Live Events for free?
Yes. Microsoft Teams Live Events has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Kaltura starts at On request.
What is Kaltura best used for?
Kaltura is most often used for enterprise video portals and internal town halls, virtual classrooms and lecture capture for universities. Of those, enterprise video portals and internal town halls and virtual classrooms and lecture capture for universities are not what Microsoft Teams Live Events is typically brought in for.
What can Kaltura do that Microsoft Teams Live Events cannot?
Kaltura covers Video creation, Live streaming, Analytics, Interactive content. Microsoft Teams Live Events covers Live Q&A, Attendee engagement, RTMP support, Recording. Both handle Windows support, Mac support, IOS support, Android support.
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Related pages

More on Kaltura

More on Microsoft Teams Live Events

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