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Webinar vs. webcast – what are they and when should you use them?

6 min read

Apr 10, 2026

When deciding between a webinar and a webcast, understanding their distinct features and use cases is essential to creating a successful online event. In this article, we'll explore the differences between webinars and webcasts.

Table of contents

What is a webinar?
What is a webcast?
What should you use?
Host webinars and webcasts with Digital Samba
Frequently asked questions

What you're trying to effectively communicate, how many people are attending, who they are, and what supporting materials you need to get your point across. But to truly get the most out of your webinar or webcast you need to first know what 'webinar' or 'webcast' means and when they're most effective.

Webinar vs. webcast at a glance

	Webinar	Webcast
Direction	Two-way (interactive)	One-way (broadcast)
Audience size	Typically up to 1,000	Tens of thousands+
Interaction	Live chat, Q&A, polls, hand-raising	Limited or none
Format	Presenter + audience participation	Presenter broadcasts to viewers
Best for	Training, product demos, lead generation	Corporate announcements, conferences, live events
Recording	Yes – can be repurposed as evergreen content	Yes – often streamed on-demand afterwards
Typical platforms	Digital Samba, Zoom Webinars, GoToWebinar	YouTube Live, Facebook Live, Vimeo Livestream

What is a webinar?

A webinar is an online seminar designed for interactive engagement. It allows presenters to communicate with an audience in real time, fostering active participation through tools like chat, Q&A, and polls.

Characteristics of a webinar

Interactive and live: Webinars typically accommodate up to 1,000 participants and offer engagement tools such as virtual whiteboards, screen sharing, and live polling.
Global reach: Attendees can join from any device, no matter their location.
Recording capabilities: Sessions can be saved for later access, enabling the creation of 'evergreen webinars'.
Host-controlled: Presenters have full control over the event, ensuring a structured and focused session.

When to use a webinar

Webinars are ideal for scenarios requiring live interaction. For instance:

Training sessions: Walk teams through new processes with real-time Q&A.
Product demos: Showcase features, gather feedback, and engage directly with your audience.
Thought leadership events: Share insights and build authority while fostering interaction.

Research from InsideSales.com and multiple industry surveys consistently shows that around 73% of B2B marketing and sales leaders consider webinars one of the best methods for generating quality leads. Their interactive nature makes them an invaluable tool for businesses looking to connect meaningfully with their audience. For more on this, see our guide to the benefits of hosting a webinar.

What is a webcast?

In contrast, a webcast is a one-way broadcast aimed at sharing information with a large audience without interactivity. Think of it as an online equivalent of a TV broadcast. Unlike a webinar, webcasting is characterised by a host (or hosts) simply broadcasting their presentation without engagement from the audience. A large audience can view the webcast online from any device, but they can't interact with the presenter.

Characteristics of a webcast

Scalable: Suitable for audiences of tens of thousands.
One-to-many format: A single presenter streams content to viewers without interaction.
Platform-agnostic: Often integrated into platforms like YouTube, Facebook Live, or company websites.
Passive viewing: While attendees can consume the content, they cannot actively participate.

When to use a webcast

Webcasts excel in scenarios requiring mass communication, such as:

Corporate announcements: Deliver company-wide updates to a global workforce.
Live events: Broadcast conferences, music festivals, or panel discussions to a remote audience.
Educational content: Share recorded TED-style talks or other high-value content to a wider audience.

Video now accounts for roughly 82% of all internet traffic globally, according to multiple industry reports including data from Ericsson and DemandSage. This highlights the growing dominance of video as a medium for communication and entertainment, and explains why webcasts remain an effective way to reach large audiences.

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What should you use?

Choosing between a webinar and a webcast depends on your event's goals and audience needs. Both formats have unique strengths, making them suited for specific use cases.

Webinar: when interaction is key

Webinars are ideal for scenarios requiring live engagement and real-time interaction with your audience. They are designed to foster a more intimate and collaborative environment, enabling participants to ask questions, share insights, and provide immediate feedback. Use webinars for:

Training sessions: Walk through processes step by step, answer questions on the spot, and use tools like whiteboards and screen sharing.
Product launches and demonstrations: Showcase your offering interactively, gather live feedback through polls, and address attendee questions directly.
Thought leadership events: Engage with your audience, discuss industry trends, and position your organisation as a leader in its field.

Webinars are particularly effective for building relationships with your audience and leaving a lasting impression, making them an essential tool for education, marketing, and customer engagement. For a step-by-step guide, see how to host successful webinars.

Webcast: when scalability and reach matter

Webcasts are the go-to format for mass communication, where interactivity is not a priority. They allow you to broadcast your message to a large audience efficiently, ensuring accessibility across geographies. Use webcasts for:

Corporate announcements: Share updates with thousands of employees or stakeholders globally in one stream.
Conferences and panels: Extend the reach of in-person events by broadcasting them to online audiences.
Public-facing events: Increase visibility by streaming your content live on platforms like YouTube or embedding it on your website.

Webcasts shine when you want to amplify your message to a broader audience, ensuring everyone has access to your content regardless of location. For more on broadcasting events online, see our guide on how to live stream an event.

Combining formats: a real-world example

Sometimes, blending the strengths of both webinars and webcasts can maximise impact. For instance, Digital Samba partnered with DealMatrix for their Global Pitch competition, a hybrid event that demonstrated the versatility of these formats:

The jury interacted live with start-ups in a webinar, fostering meaningful engagement and discussion.
Simultaneously, the event was webcast globally on Facebook, enabling thousands of viewers to watch the competition unfold in real time.

This hybrid approach ensured both engagement and accessibility, proving that webinars and webcasts can complement each other to achieve broader goals. For more on running hybrid formats, see our guide on how to plan a virtual event.

How to decide

Ask yourself these questions when deciding which format to use:

Do I need audience interaction? Choose webinars if live feedback, discussions, or collaboration are important.
How large is my audience? For large-scale events with thousands of viewers, webcasts provide the scalability needed.
What's the goal of my event? If it's education, marketing, or engagement, webinars are ideal. Webcasts are more effective for announcements or broadcasts.

Both webinars and webcasts are powerful tools, and the right choice depends on your objectives and audience expectations.

Host webinars and webcasts with Digital Samba

Digital Samba supports both interactive webinars and large-scale webcasts, all within a single platform:

For webinars: HD video, live polling, Q&A, hand-raising, breakout rooms, screen sharing, recording, and full webinar branding customisation.
For webcasts: Stream to large audiences with role-based access controls, ensuring presenters have full control while viewers watch without disruption.
For hybrid events: Combine webinar interactivity with webcast reach in a single session.

The platform is browser-based (no downloads), GDPR-compliant, and end-to-end encrypted. For companies that want to embed webinar or webcast functionality into their own product, Digital Samba Embedded provides a video API and SDK.

Start a free webinar or contact our sales team for a demo.

Frequently asked questions

A webinar is interactive – attendees can participate through chat, Q&A, polls, and hand-raising. A webcast is a one-way broadcast where the presenter streams content to a large audience without real-time interaction. Webinars suit training and lead generation; webcasts suit corporate announcements and large-scale events.

Yes. Many organisations run hybrid events where a core group participates in an interactive webinar while the session is simultaneously webcast to a larger audience. This approach gives you both engagement and reach. Digital Samba supports this hybrid format natively.

Webinars typically support up to 1,000 interactive participants, depending on the platform. Webcasts can scale to tens of thousands of passive viewers. If you need both interactivity and scale, a hybrid format is the best approach.

At minimum: a computer with a webcam, a decent microphone, and a stable internet connection. For professional results, consider a dedicated USB microphone, good lighting, and a quiet environment. The best time to host webinars also matters – scheduling for your audience's time zone improves attendance.

Generally yes. Webinars generate higher-quality leads because attendees actively register, participate, and engage. This gives you richer data (poll responses, Q&A questions, engagement time) for lead qualification. Webcasts are better for awareness and reach but produce less actionable lead data. For more on this, see our article on the benefits of hosting a webinar.

Digital Samba offers GDPR-compliant video conferencing with end-to-end encryption, built and hosted entirely in the EU. It supports webinars with interactive features, webcasts for large audiences, and hybrid events that combine both formats.