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Webinar & Virtual Events · head to head

Microsoft Teams Live Events vs Whereby

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
Whereby logo

Whereby

Telecommunications

No downloads, no logins - just video meetings that work

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • 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; Whereby no breakout rooms, polls, or whiteboard tools
  • They diverge on capability: Microsoft Teams Live Events covers Live Q&A, Whereby covers Browser-based meetings.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Microsoft Teams Live Events and Whereby differ
AttributeMicrosoft Teams Live EventsWhereby
PlatformsWindows, Mac, IOS, Android, WebWeb
CategoryWebinar & Virtual EventsTelecommunications
Founded19752013

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (subscription), free tier (Yes), 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
  • Microsoft 365 integration
  • Microsoft 365
  • Azure
  • SharePoint
  • Windows support

Only in Whereby

  • Browser-based meetings
  • No downloads required
  • Personal room URLs
  • Screen sharing
  • Google Calendar
  • Slack
  • HubSpot
  • Trello

Both cover

  • Recording
  • Outlook
  • 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 Whereby
  • Streaming an externally produced RTMP feed from a hardware encoder to Teams viewersnot Whereby

Whereby

  • Client meetingsnot Microsoft Teams Live Events
  • Remote consultationsnot Microsoft Teams Live Events
  • Team standupsnot Microsoft Teams Live Events
  • Webinarsnot 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

Whereby

  • No breakout rooms, polls, or whiteboard tools
  • Hard cap of 200 participants and performance drops with groups of 12+
  • No phone dial-in option for participants without internet
  • Occasional connectivity issues and laggy screen sharing reported

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

Whereby

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 1 meeting room
    • 100 participants
    • Screen sharing
  • Pro$6.99/month
    • 3 meeting rooms
    • Custom branding
    • Recording
  • Business$11.99/month
    • Unlimited rooms
    • SSO
    • Analytics

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 Whereby if

  • You need browser-based meetings.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want no downloads required.
Whereby review

Questions people ask

Is Microsoft Teams Live Events or Whereby better?
Neither clearly leads. Microsoft Teams Live Events starts at Free and Whereby at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Microsoft Teams Live Events or Whereby?
Microsoft Teams Live Events starts at Free and Whereby at Free.
Does Microsoft Teams Live Events or Whereby run on more platforms?
Microsoft Teams Live Events runs on Windows, Mac, IOS, Android, Web. Whereby runs on Web.
Can I use Microsoft Teams Live Events for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
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 Whereby is typically brought in for.
What can Microsoft Teams Live Events do that Whereby cannot?
Microsoft Teams Live Events covers Live Q&A, Attendee engagement, RTMP support, Microsoft 365 integration. Whereby covers Browser-based meetings, No downloads required, Personal room URLs, Screen sharing. Both handle Recording, Outlook, Android support, Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Whereby: Does Whereby require software downloads?

No. Whereby is browser-based and requires no downloads or complex configuration. Participants join via a simple link without needing to install software.

Source
Whereby: What is Whereby's pricing model?

Whereby offers a free-forever plan and paid plans starting at $5.82/month when billed annually. Whereby does not offer a free trial.

Source
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Related pages

More on Microsoft Teams Live Events

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