This guide covers on-screen and viewership limits for different event areas: Stage, Session and Expo booth.
Note: Unlike multi-track events, the Webinar setup allows for either a single Stage or a single Session, while Expo area is not supported. For further details, refer to our guide Webinar event: Choosing and setting up webinar style.
Stage limits
The maximum number of Speakers who can present from (be on-screen) in the Stage is 10 when using the Backstage powered by StreamYard.
The maximum number of Attendees who can watch the Stage is 100,000.
Backstage powered by StreamYard limits
Up to 10 people can join the Backstage studio. Screen sharing does not count against the total number of participants. You can have the maximum of 10 Speakers on screen and an additional slideshow or screen share. When the StreamYard Studio is full and someone tries to join backstage, they will see the following message:
While the host will see a message that looks like this:
Sessions limits
The maximum number of Speakers in a Session is 50 (both recorded and non-recorded). Any additional screen share or third-party integration sharing counts towards the limit.
Depending on the number of Session speakers on screen, the number of attendees who can watch is adaptive:
Number of Speakers (includes number of screenshares) |
Maximum Viewers |
1 | 5,000 |
2 | 3,000 |
3 | 3,000 |
4 | 3,000 |
5 | 1,500 |
10 | 1,500 |
12 | 1,500 |
15 | 1,500 |
20 | 1,500 |
25 | 1,500 |
50 | 500 |
The above limits are not enforced until the max of 50 speakers or 5,000 viewers is reached. However, the quality will deteriorate as more speakers and viewers keep joining the session.
If you are trying to join a Session that has reached the maximum number of viewers, you will see the following message:
If you would like to share your audio and video in a Session but the maximum participants has already been reached, the Share audio and video button in the top right hand corner will be greyed out and it will say Full instead.
Session Breakout Rooms
There are also a few minimum and maximum requirements to be able to successfully create breakout rooms in your Sessions:
- Minimum of 4 people required (not including an Organizer/Moderator)
- Minimum of 2 rooms must be created
- Minimum 2 number per breakout
- Maximum 45 people per breakout
Expo Booth limits
The maximum number of Speakers in an Expo booth set to Session as the content provider is 10.
Like in Sessions, the maximum number of Attendees who can watch an Expo is adaptive, depending on the number of speakers on the screen.
Number of Speakers (includes number of screen shares) |
Maximum Viewers |
1 | 5,000 |
2 | 3,000 |
3 | 3,000 |
4 | 3,000 |
5 | 1,500 |
10 | 1,500 |
The above limits are not enforced until the max of 10 speakers or 5,000 viewers is reached. However, the quality will deteriorate as more speakers and viewers keep joining the expo booth.
Example of meeting Session limits
Consider this scenario to understand the impact of session limits on attendee experience:
Initial Session setup
- Speakers: 4 speakers presenting on screen.
- Attendees: 2,000 attendees watching.
- Session limit: Up to 3,000 attendees can watch a session with 4 speakers on screen.
- Session status: Running smoothly (limit not reached).
Adding more Speakers
- Additional Speakers: 12 more speakers join the screen.
- Total Speakers: 15 speakers on screen.
- Session limit: Only 1,500 attendees can watch a session with 15 speakers on screen.
Impact
- Existing Attendees: Those already in the session (2,000 attendees) will start facing degraded performance.
- New Attendees: No more attendees will be able to join the session.
Important Considerations
When organizing your sessions or expos, keep these limits in mind to ensure a smooth experience for all attendees. Overloading the session with speakers beyond the recommended limits will result in performance issues and restricted access for additional attendees.