Part of: Articles → Virtual events → Software vs production
Short answer: There is no universally “best” platform. The differentiator is ownership: who designs the experience, runs rehearsals, and manages live risk.
What this is not: This is not a list of tools or affiliate recommendations. Software enables delivery; production determines whether the experience feels credible.
Decision thresholds: If your event has executives, external audiences, sponsors, or meaningful reputational risk, treat production as mandatory. If speakers are unpracticed or transitions matter, you need an operator, not just a platform.
Talk to me like an executive
If I were advising an executive, I’d choose the simplest platform that meets constraints, then invest in rehearsal and live control. The “best” tool is the one your team can run calmly under pressure with backups.
What we would not recommend
I would not recommend platform shopping as a substitute for rehearsals. I would not recommend assuming a feature set will fix weak run-of-show design. I would not recommend adding complexity the team can’t operate live.
There isn’t a universal “best” platform because events have different constraints: audience size, format, interactivity, speaker sophistication, security needs, and risk tolerance. A platform is an ingredient, not the experience.
Zoom is excellent for reliable meetings and straightforward webinars. It’s not designed to create a fully produced show on its own. When people ask for Zoom alternatives, they’re often looking for: better registration, networking, multi‑track agendas, expo features, or broadcast‑style control. Those needs are real—just different categories of tools.
Professionals rarely rely on one tool. They combine platforms (for registration and delivery) with production layers (for switching, playback, overlays, and control) depending on the event. The deciding factor is not features—it’s management.
West Peek handles platform selection, configuration, rehearsals, live operation, and contingency so clients never have to become experts. You don’t need to pick “the best software.” You need a system that is designed and run by people accountable for how it feels.
If you’re asking about Zoom alternatives, stay here. If you’re designing the event itself, go to Execution & risk. If you’re deciding whether to run an event at all, go to Fit & outcomes.