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Webinars · head to head

Microsoft Teams Live Events vs Welcome

Microsoft Teams Live Events logo

Microsoft Teams Live Events

Webinars

Enterprise live event and webinar platform by Microsoft

From
Free
Rated
-
Welcome logo

Welcome

Webinars

Enterprise event experience platform for memorable virtual events

From
On request
Rated
-

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; Welcome the Internet Archive's capture of Welcome's homepage on 3 January 2021 confirmed its virtual events platform is sold only via 'Book a demo', with no price figure published, only customer case metrics (an average NPS score of 92 cited for one client).
  • They diverge on capability: Microsoft Teams Live Events covers Live Q&A, Welcome covers Immersive event spaces.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Microsoft Teams Live Events and Welcome differ
AttributeMicrosoft Teams Live EventsWelcome
Starting priceFreeOn request
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWindows, Mac, IOS, Android, WebWeb, IOS, Android
Founded19752020

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

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 Welcome

  • Immersive event spaces
  • Networking lounges
  • Breakout sessions
  • Event analytics
  • White-label options
  • Salesforce
  • HubSpot
  • Slack

Both cover

  • IOS support
  • Android 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 Welcome
  • Streaming an externally produced RTMP feed from a hardware encoder to Teams viewersnot Welcome

Welcome

  • Virtual Eventsnot Microsoft Teams Live Events
  • Enterprise Eventsnot Microsoft Teams Live Events
  • Networkingnot 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

Welcome

  • The Internet Archive's capture of Welcome's homepage on 3 January 2021 confirmed its virtual events platform is sold only via 'Book a demo', with no price figure published, only customer case metrics (an average NPS score of 92 cited for one client).

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

Welcome

On request
  • Professional$999/month
    • Up to 1000 attendees
    • Custom event spaces
    • Basic analytics
  • Business$2499/month
    • Up to 5000 attendees
    • Advanced customization
    • Networking features
  • Enterprise$4999/month
    • Unlimited attendees
    • White-label solution
    • Dedicated support

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.

Choose Welcome if

  • You need immersive event spaces.
  • You work on Web, IOS, Android.
  • You also want networking lounges.

Questions people ask

Is Microsoft Teams Live Events or Welcome better?
Neither clearly leads. Microsoft Teams Live Events starts at Free and Welcome at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Microsoft Teams Live Events or Welcome?
Microsoft Teams Live Events has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Microsoft Teams Live Events and On request for Welcome.
Does Microsoft Teams Live Events or Welcome run on more platforms?
Microsoft Teams Live Events runs on Windows, Mac, IOS, Android, Web. Welcome runs on Web, 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. Welcome starts at On request.
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 Welcome is typically brought in for.
What can Microsoft Teams Live Events do that Welcome cannot?
Microsoft Teams Live Events covers Live Q&A, Attendee engagement, RTMP support, Recording. Welcome covers Immersive event spaces, Networking lounges, Breakout sessions, Event analytics. Both handle IOS support, Android support, Web support.
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