Understanding RingCentral Webinar roles

Last updated on March 31, 2023

You can assign four different roles in RingCentral Webinar.

Host: With a license, hosts can schedule, start, and run the webinar. Hosts can also manage webinar, panelist, and attendee settings.
Cohost: Cohosts can start and run the webinar on behalf of or with the host. Cohosts and hosts both have complete host controls during the webinar.
Panelist: Panelists present to attendees as identified speakers. Panelists receive email invitations separate from those of attendees.
Attendee: Attendees view presentations and panel discussions during a webinar.

Pre-webinar capabilities

Feature	Host	Cohost	Panelist	Attendee
Schedule a webinar with or without registration on the RingCentral desktop or web app	✔	✘	✘	✘
Invite cohosts and panelists from a RingCentral contacts list or CSV file	✔	✘	✘	✘
Invite attendees from Outlook, Google Calendar, or an ICS file	✔	✘	✘	✘
Invite additional cohosts, panelists, and attendees during a webinar	✔	✘	✘	✘
Invite cohosts and panelists to a practice session beginning up to one hour before a webinar begins	✔	✘	✘	✘
Set up pre-configured polls	✔	✘	✘	✘
Manage webinar settings	✔	✘	✘	✘
Configure webinar registration form and automated emails settings	✔	✘	✘	✘
Customize branding on registration pages and emails	✔	✘	✘	✘
Set up automated emails	✔	✘	✘	✘
View and download registration data	✔	✘	✘	✘
Manage third-party integrations	✔	✘	✘	✘

Feature	Host	Cohost	Panelist	Attendee
Run a practice session before the webinar begins	✔	✔	✘	✘
Go live to attendees with a single click	✔	✔	✘	✘
End webinar for all attendees	✔	✔	✘	✘
Join via the RingCentral desktop and web app	✔	✔	✔	✔
Join via the RingCentral mobile app	✔	✔	✔	✔
Join via RingCentral Rooms	✘	✘	✔	✔
Start, pause, and resume recording	✔	✔	✘	✘
Manage participants’ roles and permissions	✔	✔	✘	✘
Lock the webinar to admit only coworkers	✔	✔	✘	✘
Join with audio and video	✔	✔	✔	✘
Share screen	✔	✔	✔	✘
Set attendees’ default video layout	✔	✘	✘	✘
Collaborate with others via group chat	✔	✔	✔	✘
Chat privately with other webinar staff	✔	✔	✔	✔
Manage Q&A participation	✔	✔	✘	✘
Mark questions in the Q&A as answered or dismissed	✔	✔	✔	✘
Ask questions publicly or anonymously in the Q&A	✔	✔	✔	✔
View answers and vote for questions in the Q&A	✔	✔	✔	✔
Run, create, and manage polls	✔	✔	✘	✘
Participate in polls	✘	✘	✔	✔

Feature	Host	Cohost	Panelist	Attendee
Download attendee list	✔	✘	✘	✘
Download Q&A report	✔	✘	✘	✘
Download polls report as CSV or PNG file	✔	✘	✘	✘
Download registration data	✔	✘	✘	✘
Share recording link with recipients	✔	✘	✘	✘
Download recordings as MP4 or M4A files	✔	✘	✘	✘
View shared recordings	✔	✔	✔	✔