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Webinars · head to head

Microsoft Teams Live Events vs RingCentral

Microsoft Teams Live Events logo

Microsoft Teams Live Events

Webinars

Enterprise live event and webinar platform by Microsoft

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
RingCentral logo

RingCentral

Telecommunications

Unified communications platform for enterprise

From
$24.99/month
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: 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; RingCentral the pricing page shows no per user rate until you enter a user count, so the headline plan cost is not published outright
  • They diverge on capability: Microsoft Teams Live Events covers Live Q&A, RingCentral covers VoIP calling.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Microsoft Teams Live Events and RingCentral differ
AttributeMicrosoft Teams Live EventsRingCentral
Starting priceFree$24.99/month
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWindows, Mac, IOS, Android, WebWeb, Windows, Macos, Ios, Android
CategoryWebinarsTelecommunications
Founded19751999

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), user rating (Not yet rated).

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 Microsoft Teams Live Events

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

Only in RingCentral

  • VoIP calling
  • Video conferencing
  • Team messaging
  • SMS/MMS
  • File storage
  • Call recording
  • Analytics
  • Salesforce

Both cover

  • Windows support
  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Microsoft Teams Live Events

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

RingCentral

  • Businesses looking for integrated voice, video, and messaging communicationnot Microsoft Teams Live Events
  • Companies needing AI-powered call handling and receptionist featuresnot Microsoft Teams Live Events
  • Organizations requiring Advanced or Ultra tier packages with advanced call queuingnot Microsoft Teams Live Events

Where each one falls short

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

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

RingCentral

  • The pricing page shows no per user rate until you enter a user count, so the headline plan cost is not published outright
  • The advertised saving of up to 33 percent requires paying annually rather than monthly
  • Cost centre management, multiple support admins, custom roles and adoption analytics are limited to the Advanced and Ultra packages
  • AI Receptionist starts at $39 a month, Conversational Intelligence at $60 a month, the Call Queues Booster is $35 a month and the Business SMS Booster is $25 a month, all charged on top of the plan
  • SMS is excluded from the free trial

Pricing, plan by plan

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

RingCentral

$24.99/month
  • Essentials$24.99/month
    • Calls, meetings, messaging
    • Video conferencing
    • File sharing
  • Standard$34.99/month
    • Everything in Essentials
    • Advanced features
    • Call recording

Which should you pick?

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

Choose RingCentral if

  • You need voip calling.
  • You work on Web, Windows, Macos, Ios, Android.
  • You also want video conferencing.
RingCentral review

Questions people ask

Is Microsoft Teams Live Events or RingCentral better?
Neither clearly leads. Microsoft Teams Live Events starts at Free and RingCentral at $24.99/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Microsoft Teams Live Events or RingCentral?
Microsoft Teams Live Events has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Microsoft Teams Live Events and $24.99/month for RingCentral.
Does Microsoft Teams Live Events or RingCentral run on more platforms?
Microsoft Teams Live Events runs on Windows, Mac, IOS, Android, Web. RingCentral runs on Web, Windows, Macos, Ios, Android.
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. RingCentral starts at $24.99/month.
What is Microsoft Teams Live Events best used for?
Microsoft Teams Live Events is most often used for one to many broadcast of company town halls to large internal audiences, streaming an externally produced rtmp feed from a hardware encoder to teams viewers. Of those, one to many broadcast of company town halls to large internal audiences and streaming an externally produced rtmp feed from a hardware encoder to teams viewers are not what RingCentral is typically brought in for.
What can Microsoft Teams Live Events do that RingCentral cannot?
Microsoft Teams Live Events covers Live Q&A, Attendee engagement, RTMP support, Recording. RingCentral covers VoIP calling, Video conferencing, Team messaging, SMS/MMS. Both handle Windows support, Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

RingCentral: Is there a free trial for RingCentral?

RingCentral offers a 14-day free trial for new subscribers supporting up to 20 phone lines with full feature access. No credit card is required to start the trial.

Source
RingCentral: How much do RingCentral add-ons cost?

AI Receptionist starts at $39/month per user, Conversational Intelligence costs $60/month per user, Call Queues Booster is $35/month, and Business SMS Booster is $25/month. These are optional add-ons separate from base plan pricing.

Source
RingCentral: Can I save money with annual billing on RingCentral?

Yes. RingCentral offers up to 33% savings by paying annually compared to monthly billing. This discount applies across all plan tiers and services.

Source
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Related pages

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