GoTo Webinar vs. Skype for Business / Lync (discontinued)

Overview
ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price
GoTo Webinar
Score 8.1 out of 10
N/A
GoToWebinar is GoTo’s webinar and online conferencing solution, and offers features like audience polling and Q&A, flexible scheduling experiences, and webinar templates. It offers CRM integrations and reporting & analytics tools to help engage clients’ audiences.
$49
per month per organizer
Skype for Business / Lync (discontinued)
Score 8.7 out of 10
N/A
Skype for Business was an online messaging and conferencing tool, now superseded by Microsoft Teams.N/A
Pricing
GoTo WebinarSkype for Business / Lync (discontinued)
Editions & Modules
Lite
$49/month
per month per organizer
Standard
$99/month
per month per organizer
Pro
$199/month
per month per organizer
Enterprise
$399/month
per month per organizer
No answers on this topic
Offerings
Pricing Offerings
GoTo WebinarSkype for Business / Lync (discontinued)
Free Trial
YesNo
Free/Freemium Version
YesNo
Premium Consulting/Integration Services
NoNo
Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeNo setup fee
Additional Details
More Pricing Information
Community Pulse
GoTo WebinarSkype for Business / Lync (discontinued)
Features
GoTo WebinarSkype for Business / Lync (discontinued)
Reporting & Analytics
Comparison of Reporting & Analytics features of Product A and Product B
GoTo Webinar
7.2
Ratings
4% below category average
Skype for Business / Lync (discontinued)
-
Ratings
Dashboards7.20 Ratings00 Ratings
Data exportability7.10 Ratings00 Ratings
Performance & Compatibility of Online Events Software
Comparison of Performance & Compatibility of Online Events Software features of Product A and Product B
GoTo Webinar
7.6
Ratings
5% below category average
Skype for Business / Lync (discontinued)
8.0
Ratings
1% above category average
High quality audio8.20 Ratings9.10 Ratings
Mobile support7.60 Ratings9.00 Ratings
High quality video00 Ratings9.00 Ratings
Low bandwidth requirements00 Ratings5.00 Ratings
Online Meetings / Events
Comparison of Online Meetings / Events features of Product A and Product B
GoTo Webinar
7.2
Ratings
11% below category average
Skype for Business / Lync (discontinued)
9.3
Ratings
12% above category average
Calendar integration7.70 Ratings10.00 Ratings
Record meetings / events8.40 Ratings9.00 Ratings
Slideshows8.50 Ratings10.00 Ratings
Event registration8.60 Ratings00 Ratings
Meeting initiation00 Ratings9.50 Ratings
Integrates with social media00 Ratings8.10 Ratings
Online Events Collaboration
Comparison of Online Events Collaboration features of Product A and Product B
GoTo Webinar
8.2
Ratings
1% below category average
Skype for Business / Lync (discontinued)
7.5
Ratings
9% below category average
Audience polling7.90 Ratings7.00 Ratings
Q&A8.60 Ratings7.00 Ratings
Live chat00 Ratings8.50 Ratings
Online Events Security
Comparison of Online Events Security features of Product A and Product B
GoTo Webinar
7.9
Ratings
4% below category average
Skype for Business / Lync (discontinued)
6.8
Ratings
18% below category average
Participant roles & permissions7.70 Ratings8.50 Ratings
Confidential attendee list8.00 Ratings3.00 Ratings
User authentication00 Ratings9.00 Ratings
Online Events Marketing
Comparison of Online Events Marketing features of Product A and Product B
GoTo Webinar
8.1
Ratings
5% above category average
Skype for Business / Lync (discontinued)
-
Ratings
Branding options8.10 Ratings00 Ratings
Integration to Marketing Automation8.00 Ratings00 Ratings
Screen Sharing
Comparison of Screen Sharing features of Product A and Product B
GoTo Webinar
-
Ratings
Skype for Business / Lync (discontinued)
7.0
Ratings
12% below category average
Desktop sharing00 Ratings9.00 Ratings
Whiteboards00 Ratings5.00 Ratings
VoIP system collaboration
Comparison of VoIP system collaboration features of Product A and Product B
GoTo Webinar
-
Ratings
Skype for Business / Lync (discontinued)
7.8
Ratings
1% below category average
Video conferencing00 Ratings7.00 Ratings
Audio conferencing00 Ratings8.00 Ratings
Video screen sharing00 Ratings8.00 Ratings
Instant messaging00 Ratings8.00 Ratings
Best Alternatives
GoTo WebinarSkype for Business / Lync (discontinued)
Small Businesses
BigMarker
BigMarker
Score 6.0 out of 10
Intermedia AnyMeeting Pro
Intermedia AnyMeeting Pro
Score 7.1 out of 10
Medium-sized Companies
ClickMeeting
ClickMeeting
Score 7.8 out of 10
JioMeet
JioMeet
Score 10.0 out of 10
Enterprises
ON24
ON24
Score 8.8 out of 10
Webex Meetings
Webex Meetings
Score 8.4 out of 10
All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
User Ratings
GoTo WebinarSkype for Business / Lync (discontinued)
Likelihood to Recommend
7.5
(0 ratings)
8.4
(0 ratings)
Likelihood to Renew
9.2
(0 ratings)
9.0
(0 ratings)
Usability
8.6
(0 ratings)
9.0
(0 ratings)
Availability
9.0
(0 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Performance
7.9
(0 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Support Rating
7.3
(0 ratings)
8.5
(0 ratings)
Implementation Rating
7.0
(0 ratings)
7.0
(0 ratings)
Configurability
5.8
(0 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Product Scalability
7.8
(0 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Vendor post-sale
7.9
(0 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Vendor pre-sale
7.0
(0 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
User Testimonials
GoTo WebinarSkype for Business / Lync (discontinued)
Likelihood to Recommend
It is great for big events like training or product demos. It's good for marketing webinars with features like polls and Q&A. It's not ideal for small, casual meetings. It can be too expensive for some businesses. For smaller events, other tools might be better.
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Skype is useful for collaborations across distances, including work from home, as well as a more convenient way to communicate with a large group of people. Skype is also useful to communicate with specific parties quickly, rather than relying on cellular service in areas where not as available. Skype is less useful if the team does not use computers , tablets, smartphones, etc in daily workflow as it would rarely be used.
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Pros
  • We launched a product for a mass and more than 500 people attended the webinar and it was seamless.
  • Recording capability for the later usage
  • Setup is very simple for both admins and end users
  • Polls are helpful in assessing the engagement of the customers
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  • Group Chat option allows multiple people to have a conversation away from the main presentation
  • Integration with Microsoft Office allows easy usage of excel, PowerPoint and other MS programs
  • Easy calendar integration for Microsoft Outlook
  • Mobile interface is very easy and intuitive
Read full review
Cons
  • Dashboard for control are mostly intuitive but in some menus like the webcasting section can be cluttered
  • The current polling and survey capabilities are too simple. More advanced features, such as branching logic and real-time results, would make engagement more dynamic and insightful.
  • Although it's easy for organiser to use goto webinar, users have reported issues and long wait time on their end and they don't have much control over the session
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  • Probably the biggest area is the video element as it has historically struggled in this area.
  • The need to be forced to federate with another organisation by providing yours and enabling the other organisation settings is a bit tedious but once done, allows for simple collaboration between third-parties.
  • Functionality wise, as it's an older product and being superseded by MS Teams, it feels as if it's run its course but was very good for what it does/did at the time.
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Likelihood to Renew
GoTo Webinar is not boring at all. Its design is extremely intuitive and specific for what its name serves. It is a great software for webinars which have become the trend of "continuous learning". I like the way we can manage participants in the webinars, interacting with them while they cannot disturb the flow of the speech by intruding with the mic.
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I honestly feel that with most people using iPhone nowadays, it's easy to just call or use FaceTime if you need to be in touch with a client. Unless you need to have a conference call, there are plenty of ways to get in touch with a client otherwise besides using a somewhat inefficient program.
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Usability
GoTo Webinar's User Interface is simple and straightforward, which is what I, as an end user, prefer to interact with when I only use a software once or twice a month; I don't want to have to remember extra steps just to attend a webinar.
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Very easy to use. Even though Microsoft Teams has a lot of features and integrations, as a user I feel completely comfortable on finding what I need, getting information about the app extensions and using them. It's a very comprehensive tool, intuitive design and does not make me feel tired to be using it. I am glad with the current experience.
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Reliability and Availability
I rated GoTo Webinar a 9 out of 10 for availability because it generally performs reliably, with minimal application errors or unplanned outages. The platform’s high uptime ensures that it’s usually accessible when needed, supporting a seamless experience for scheduling and conducting webinars. While occasional minor issues may arise, they are infrequent and typically well-managed, contributing to a strong overall rating for availability.
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No answers on this topic
Performance
I rated GoTo Webinar an 8 out of 10 for performance due to its generally robust capabilities. Pages load quickly, and reports are generated efficiently, even for complex data sets. The platform’s integration with other systems typically doesn’t introduce significant latency or performance issues. However, during peak usage times or when handling very large data volumes, there can be occasional slowdowns. Despite these instances, GoTo Webinar consistently provides strong performance and reliability in its core functions.
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No answers on this topic
Support Rating
I was always able to get someone on the phone when I needed to. They were very thorough and ensuring my questions were answered. And if I was asking for a solution or request that they didn't offer, they told me so I could at least stop trying to search for it.
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I have only had to reach out to the Support team at Skype for Business once with an issue, and I was pleasantly surprised and encouraged by the quickness and thoroughness of their response. The wait time was short and my question was dealt with politely and clearly, so I would say the support team has it together.
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Implementation Rating
I didn't participate in the implementation nor did my company. As far as I know we have an IT office running alla these projects and we just use the final products for our educational purposes. I also didn't notice implementation at any level while using the desktop interface, but would immediately recognize it, if so.
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Skpe for business is utilized company wide in regards to my company. Everyone not only uses it, but uses it often. It is an effective way of communicating. It also integrates very nicely with outlook and all conversation history is pushed to a folder within the outlook system. We also have it so that if someone misses a message, they are sent an email reminder saying that there is a message that went unread.
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Alternatives Considered
Zoom scores well above GoTo and ON24 in brand recognition across mid to large enterprises. But GoTo scores well in SMBs. Regarding value for money and ROI, it's better than ON24. We selected GoTo because of the price point and to ensure that our partner-sourced SMB stacks do not end up not engaging with us because of a lack of a proper medium.
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Skype for Business, now part of Microsoft Teams is just better for us since we were already a Microsoft productivity suite (Office) user. No additional cost when we went from traditional product license model to SaaS. Continuous integration and upgrades with MS 365 make it even easier to use and therefore stickier.
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Scalability
I rated GoTo Webinar an 8 out of 10 for scalability because it effectively supports deployment across multiple departments and sites with its flexible features. It allows for easy management of large-scale webinars and integration with various systems, accommodating a growing number of users and sessions. However, some users might find limitations in advanced customization or specific integration needs as their requirements become more complex. Overall, its robust capabilities and adaptability make it a strong choice for scalable webinar solutions.
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No answers on this topic
Return on Investment
  • Good: We've been able to keep various client teams trained up on our product
  • Good: It helps us automate communication about the webinars, as well as follow-ups
  • Bad: There is a time suck that shouldn't exist surrounding the recurring scheduler which needs to be rethought and retooled with more than the most basic real world use cases in mind
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  • In the move to WFH for the over 90000 employees of the firm in 13 different timezones, Skype for [Business], as the primary communication tool has been the most critical factor in ensuring there's not a communication breakdown.
  • An average of 7 calls a day and around 50-60 text messages are sent via Skype for [Business]. These communications are critical for [the] continued delivery of our services.
  • Video/voice calling and screen sharing features of Skype have played a great role in simulating a shared workspace scenario in the virtual mode as best as possible.
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ScreenShots

GoTo Webinar Screenshots

Screenshot of Setup flow for a new webinar in GoTo Webinar.Screenshot of Organizer's Control Panel and in-session experience