Comparison of Synchronous Meeting External Apps


This page provides an at-a-glance comparison of the synchronous meeting external apps available in Canvas.  To learn more about the features, please review documentation listed for each external app.

Conference Types & CapabilitiesMicrosoft Teams    Cisco Webex    Zoom    BigBlueButton
FormatAudio / Video / SharingAudio / Video / SharingAudio / Video / SharingAudio / Video / Sharing
Flavors        
 Ad HocMeetingsMeetingsMeetings
  EventsWebinars 
  Training  
Maximum attendees per account type    
Faculty / staff accounts    1,000 / 20,000 1,000 / 3,000500200
Student accounts1,000 / 20,000 1,000 / 3,000300200
Shared/departmental accountsXXXX
Devices Supported    
Desktop/Laptop
Mobile/Tablets
Phone OnlyVC License
Stationary VideoconferencingX
Access Features    
Account Requirements to host meetingRutgers Connect and ScarletMailRutgers WebexRutgers ZoomEditing Role in Canvas
Account Requirement to attend meetingAdvanced optionsRole in Canvas or guest URLAdvanced OptionsRole in Canvas or guest URL
Co-teachers as alternate meeting hostsEditable at rutgers.webex.com
Teacher/TA course roles match host/presenter role
Student course role math participant roleAdvanced Options
Rutgers Students are able to create meetingsXYes (May be limited by school or department)
Students are able to use in Canvas Group sitesXX
Non-NetID accounts able to create meetingsXXX
Waiting roomsAdvanced optionsAdvanced optionsAdvanced optionsOptions
Participant able to join before host?XAdvanced optionsX
Calendar/Scheduling Features    
Preschedule Meeting with persistent linkX
Office hour schedulerXXX
Scheduled office hours appear on course calendarXXXX
Scheduled meeting appears on course calendarX*
Scheduled meeting information sent to Canvas InboxXXX
Create recurring meetingsRecopy meeting link    X
Invite by course groupCreate differentiated assignment for course groupXX✔ or Create a meeting in a Canvas Group site
Invite by course sectionCreate differentiated assignment for course groupXX
Invite individual studentsCreate differentiated assignment for course groupXX
Meeting Features    
In-conference chat
Host messages are bolded in chatXXX
Screen sharing
Document / application sharing
Virtual whiteboard shared
Breakout roomsMax 50Max 100Max 50 (Chromebooks: N/A)Yes (24 max)
Self-Select Breakout RoomsXXX
Extend Breakout Room durationXXX
In-conference polling
Max number of users on-screen4920049#
Gallery View of all web cameras
Virtual Background
Meeting statisticsAttendance onlyAttendance onlyNon-HIPAA
Shared NotesXX
Recording Features    
Cloud RecordingNon-HIPAA
Local Recording on Host's ComputerXX
Record hidden meeting with no invitees & publish to courseXXX
Restrict access to recordingX Must publish recordingOnly invitees can view recording
Customize Recorded Playback display optionsXChat, Q&A, Polling, Participants, TranscriptsRecording Views, TranscriptsParticipant web camera
No limit on cloud recording capacity0.5 GB/user
Retained for 180 days
Prevent downloadOnly meeting recorder and organizerX
Edit RecordingsIn Microsoft StreamX
Host Features    
Receives host/alternate host meeting notificationXX
Attendance assignment/gradingXXX
Download attendance report
Enforce presentation layout for all participantsXXX
Mute participants upon entryXX
Prevent participants from sharing webcamsXX
Prevent participants from sharing audio
Prevent participants from using chatXXX
Prevent participants from viewing other namesXXZoom-HIPAA
Learning DashboardXXX
Participant Features    
Receives meeting Invite notificationXOffice hours onlyDependent on user settings
Emoticons/Status/Raise Hands
Accessibility    
Live captioning/transcriptionWebex Assistant##
Captioning of recordingsX**X**X**
Support    
Provider and support siteRU onlyRU and CiscoRU onlyCanvas/Instructure Support

* Add manually to calendar
**Upload recordings to Kaltura for caption/transcription creation
# COVID-19 Limitation restricts participants from seeing other participants’ video’
## External service caption arranged by host or organizational unit