What is a webinar, and how is it different from an online meeting or class?
A webinar (web seminar) is a live online presentation: one or a few presenters speak to an audience that mainly watches and listens. Interaction is controlled, usually through chat, Q&A and polls.
The formats overlap, but they differ in a few clear ways:
| Meeting | Virtual class | Webinar | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who speaks | Everyone | Teacher leads, learners join in | Presenters only (attendees can be invited to speak) |
| Typical size | Small | Small to medium | Medium to large |
| Interaction | Open discussion | Whiteboard, breakout rooms, polls, exercises | Chat, Q&A, polls |
| Access | Invitation link | Usually from the course or learning platform | Often a registration page |
| Recording | Optional | For learners who missed it | Often published afterwards |
Zoom's own documentation describes the difference the same way: in a meeting everyone can talk and share, while in a webinar attendees are view-only by default and only hosts and panelists present. Webinars often add registration and a practice session for presenters before going live.
When to use which:
- Meeting: discussion and decisions among a small group.
- Virtual class: teaching where learners need to take part, work in groups and practise.
- Webinar: talks, product updates, open days, lectures to a large audience.
In open-source classroom tools you can run a webinar-style session by limiting microphones and webcams to presenters. For very large audiences, streaming to a platform such as YouTube is another option.
Last reviewed: 19 Oct 2026
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