Alpha Now vs. Zoom

Overview Comparison

ALPHA NOWCATEGORY ZOOM
Free account with no time limitation and access to all available features.PRICEFree account with a 40-minute limitation. 
 
Paid Pro account with no time limitation. 
Participants remain in the waiting room until hosts open a small group with a minimum of 3 people. 
 
Breakout room requires a minimum of three people (one host needed) 
 
Participants can message everyone and their small group publicly. Private messages cannot be sent between guests. Guests can only send a private message to an administrator or host. 
 
Hosts can mute audio, turn off video, or remove a participant. 
SAFEGUARDINGParticipants remain in the waiting room until hosts allow them in. 
 
Hosts can disable chat or allow participants to message hosts only, everyone publicly, or everyone publicly and privately. 
 
Hosts can mute audio, turn off video, or remove a participant. 
Alpha team training, Alpha best practices training, training videos and read support articles available. TRAINING Register for basic Zoom training, watch training videos, and read support articles. 
Help website access, chatbot support and NAO support available to all users. SUPPORTFree account has help website access only. Paid account has help website, live chat and support tickets. 
Admins and hosts use the same login credentials for Alpha Now as they do for MyAlpha.  
 
An Alpha course and respective course link is automatically generated for admins and hosts running an Alpha using the Alpha Now app. 
MYALPHA CONNECTIONHosts need to create a Zoom meeting after creating an Alpha in MyAlpha.  
Participants can choose between three data saving modes within the mobile app to reduce their data usage. 
 
The Standard mode (default option) allows the user to have the best available audio and video quality for the group video. The Alpha Talk video will be displayed in 720p resolution.  
The Low mode reduces the video quality for the group video. The Alpha Talk video will be displayed in 360p resolution.  
The Lowest mode 
removes the user’s video output and shares their audio only. The Alpha Talk video will be displayed in 240p resolution. 
REDUCING DATA USAGEParticipants can choose to join a meeting using audio only. 
Hosts can spotlight themselves as the main speaker on the screen. SPEAKER VIEWHosts can spotlight themselves or other participants as the main speaker on the screen. 
Hosts can play the Alpha Video from within the Alpha Now app allowing participants to view it simultaneously without having to leave the platform. THE ALPHA VIDEOHosts must share their screen to play the Alpha video. Alternatively, participants can watch the Alpha video on their own. 
A maximum of 2000 participants can join per Alpha session. 
 
A maximum of 49 participants can join per small group. 
NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTSA maximum of 300 participants can join per meeting. 
 
Paid add-on available for up to 500 or 1000 participants. 

Running Alpha online on Web comparison 

Running Alpha Session Alpha NowZoom
Start session A host opens the waiting room 
Hosts wait till at least two other people in their small group has joined then started session 
All hosts join the same Zoom meeting 
Admit guests as they join the waiting room 

Or  
 
Each small group has their own Zoom meeting 
Hosts of the small group join the respective Zoom meeting 
Admit guests as they join the waiting room 
IntroA host broadcasts themself to welcome everyone 
A host broadcasts a worship video from Vimeo 
A host spotlights themself to welcome everyone 
A host screenshares a worship video from YouTube 
Watch Alpha video A host inputs the Alpha Vimeo link and broadcasts it to everyone to watch in the app A host screenshares the Alpha video for everyone to watch in the app 

Or 
 
A host puts the Alpha Vimeo link the chat 
Everyone watches the Alpha video on Vimeo 
Everyone comes back to Zoom to discuss the video 
Small Group discussion N/A, everyone is already in small groups Host creates breakout rooms 
Everyone joins their assigned breakout room 

Or 
 
N/A, each small group has their own Zoom meeting that people are already in 
Prayer Ministry Hosts can invite participants to a breakout room (minimum 3 people must accept including a host) Host can invite participants to a breakout room 
Ending the session Host clicks the End session button 

Or 
 
If the host forgets, the admin can click End for All button on the dashboard 
Host clicks End Meeting for All button 

Apps comparison (Web) 

CategoryFeature Alpha Now Web
Browser App
Zoom
Desktop App
Zoom Web
Browser App
AccountJoin session directly from link
Join session without login 
Guest loginEmail Email + password, Google, FacebookEmail + password, Google, Facebook
Admin, Host, Helper loginEmail + passwordEmail + password, Google, FacebookEmail + password, Google, Facebook
Upload profile picture
Change language
Language supportEnglish 
Spanish (Latin America)
Chinese (Simplified and Traditional) 
English 
French 
German 
Italian 
Japanese 
Korean 
Portuguese 
Russian 
Spanish 
Vietnamese 
Chinese (Simplified and Traditional) 
English 
French 
German 
Italian 
Japanese 
Korean 
Portuguese 
Russian 
Spanish 
Vietnamese 
Alpha managementCreate a recurring Alpha
Share the Alpha link
Preassign small groupsOnly for participants with a Zoom account
Waiting RoomGuests can join waiting room before scheduled Alpha timeHost must open the waiting room first
Enable/disable waiting room
Host see list of all participants in the waiting roomOnly see names of those in your group and hosts. Can see the total joined per group
Admit participants from the waiting room Host choose to admit all participants and close the waiting room for their small group. Once done, users will join straight into the small group without entering a waiting roomHost can choose to admit some participants while leaving others in the waiting room. Host is notified each time a new participant is in the waiting roomHost can choose to admit some participants while leaving others in the waiting room. Host is notified each time a new participant is in the waiting room
Configure who goes into the waiting roomAll participants go to the waiting roomHost can choose who can bypass the waiting roomHost can choose who can bypass the waiting room
Alpha sessionGrid ViewShows up to 25 people at onceShows up to 49 people at onceShows up to 49 people at once
Speaker View
Change audio/video settings
Reactions
Screenshare
Host abilitiesSpotlight speakerHost can broadcast themself as the main speakerHost can spotlight anyone as the main speaker
Host can mute audio, turn off video, or kick out a participant
End sessionHost can end just their small group. An admin can end the session for all small groups.Host can end the session for all participants or make someone else the host when they leaveHost can end the session for all participants or make someone else the host when they leave
ChatSend message to everyone
Send message to small group
Private messaging between host/admin and guests
Private messaging between guests
Send emoji
Send file, image, GIF
Breakout RoomHost creates breakout roomManually select people. Create one breakout room at a time Manually select, autogenerate, or participants can choose their room. You can create multiple breakout rooms at the same timeManually select, autogenerate, or participants can choose their room. You can create multiple breakout rooms at the same time
Breakroom created3 people minimum (including one host)No minimum No minimum 
Host can end the breakout roomBreakout room closes when there are no more hosts in the roomHost can end breakout room after a countdown, or manually end themHost can end breakout room after a countdown, or manually end them
Countdown timer
Broadcast message to all breakout rooms
MyAlpha IntegrationSingle Sign-on (SSO) with same MyAlpha login
Autocreate the Alpha from MyAlpha

Apps comparison (Mobile) 

CategoryFeatureAlpha Now Android/iOS AppsZoom Android/iOS Apps
Data ConsumptionAudio only sessionData Consumption mode: Lowest for audio only group video session with 240p Alpha video Phone call into the meeting or run Zoom in the background. Participants can’t see the Alpha video if shown in Zoom 
Reduce Alpha video quality Data Consumption mode:  
Normal = 720p 
Low = 480p 
Lowest = 240p 
Participants can’t control the Alpha video resolution within Zoom. They can if they watch the Alpha video on their own outside Zoom 
Reduce session data usage Data Consumption mode: 
Normal = no bandwidth restrictions 
Low = reduced bandwidth 
Lowest = audio only for group video  
Phone call into the meeting or run Zoom in the background for audio only session 
Account Join session directly from link 
Join session without login 
Guest login Email  Email + password, Google, Facebook 
Admin, Host, Helper login Email + password Email + password, Google, Facebook 
Upload profile picture 
Change language 
Language support English 
Spanish (Latin America) 
Chinese (Simplified and Traditional) 
English 
French 
German 
Italian 
Japanese 
Korean 
Portuguese 
Russian 
Spanish 
Vietnamese 
Alpha management Create a recurring Alpha 
Share the Alpha link 
Waiting Room Guests can join waiting room before scheduled Alpha time Host must open the waiting room first 
Enable/disable waiting room 
Host see list of all participants in the waiting room 
Admit participants from the waiting room Host can choose to admit some participants while leaving others in the waiting room. Host is notified each time a new participant in the waiting room 
Configure who goes into the waiting room All participants go to the waiting room Host can choose who can bypass the waiting room 
Alpha session Grid View Shows up to 4 people at once Shows up to 4 people at once 
Speaker View
Change audio/video settings 
Reactions 
Screenshare 
Host abilities Spotlight speaker Host can spotlight anyone as the main speaker 
Host can mute audio, turn off video, or kick out a participant 
End session Host can end the session for all participants or make someone else the host when they leave 
Chat Send message to everyone 
Send message to small group 
Private messaging between host/admin and guests 
Private messaging between guests 
Send emoji
Send file, image, GIF 
Breakout Room Host creates breakout room Manually select, autogenerate, or participants can choose their room. You can create multiple breakout rooms at the same time
Breakroom created 3 people minimum (including one host) No minimum 
Host can end the breakout room Breakout room closes when there are no more hosts in the room Host can end breakout room after a countdown, or manually end them 
Countdown timer 
Broadcast message to all breakout rooms 
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