Topia

Overview

Topia turns a browser into a shared virtual world where people can move between spaces and interact. It is a strong fit for event hosts and teams that want a distinctive, configurable setting for informal conversation, rather than a standard meeting room. The trade-off is a desktop-oriented experience and a paid plan whose $100 monthly minimum can be steep for small groups.

Key features

Audio and video connect as participants approach one another and drop away as they move apart. This suits networking and social events, where people should be able to join and leave conversations naturally; it is less compelling for meetings that require everyone to stay connected throughout. Persistent rooms and a 50-person capacity support recurring, smaller gatherings. When a world fills, newcomers wait and are admitted as others leave.

World owners can customize spaces and embed live streams, websites, music, collaborative tools, and games. That flexibility can make a world useful as an event environment or shared team space, not just a backdrop for calls. Access controls range from passwords and approved guest lists to account authentication, scheduled opening hours, and SAML SSO, giving hosts options for both public events and restricted company spaces.

Topia connects with Zapier and services including Slack, Miro, Salesforce, HubSpot, Google Sheets, and Calendly. Developers can use an SDK, APIs, JavaScript and C# client libraries, and webhooks to build custom apps and two-way data flows. Enterprise customers can run dedicated deployments in their own cloud infrastructure, with a dedicated database and customer domain; identity controls can use SSO or LTI. These deployments can run inside the customer's firewall using patented peer-to-peer data channels.

Topia states that its application is WCAG 2.2A accessible and functional with a screen reader. Browser support is uneven: Chrome, Edge, and Brave are recommended, Firefox and Safari are in beta, and Internet Explorer is unsupported.

Pricing

The free DEMO plan costs nothing and supports 50 people, but limits unlimited broadcasting and screensharing to one each. That makes it a useful way to host a small gathering, but not a fit for events that need several simultaneous broadcasts or shared screens.

PRO is $4 / user / mo, starts at $100 / month, and includes all features unlocked. It supports 50 people, with additional capacity at $4 / user / mo. The per-user rate may look modest, but the $100 monthly starting price makes it a more substantial commitment than a small team may expect; it is better suited to organizations that need the full feature set and can use the added capacity. Enterprise has custom pricing and supports up to 2,000 users per topia.io world, or up to 200,000 users per dedicated white-label deployment. Paid plans include priority support and live chat, while enterprise adds VIP training and support.

Platforms

Topia is browser-based and lists Android and iOS among its platforms, but its mobile experience is audio-only and in beta. There are no mobile apps, and Topia recommends a desktop or laptop for the best experience. Groups whose participants rely on phones for video should look elsewhere.

Who it's for

Topia is best for event organizers and teams that value spatial, informal conversation and want to build a world around their activities. Its access controls and enterprise deployment options also suit organizations that need restricted entry or infrastructure in their own cloud. It is a weaker choice for mobile-first groups, conventional meetings that depend on continuous video, or small teams unwilling to meet PRO's monthly minimum.

Pros and cons

• Pro: Proximity-based audio and video support natural movement between conversations, a useful distinction for networking and social gatherings.
• Pro: Embeds, integrations, developer tools, and access controls give hosts and organizations substantial room to tailor a world.
• Pro: Dedicated enterprise deployments can run in a customer's cloud and support large audiences.
• Con: The free plan limits broadcasting and screensharing to one each, while PRO starts at $100 / month.
• Con: Mobile is audio-only and in beta, with desktop or laptop use recommended.
• Con: Firefox and Safari remain in beta, so users on those browsers may face a less settled experience.

Alternatives

Consider WorkAdventure if you need broader platform coverage, including desktop operating systems, Linux, and self-hosting; its free plan is limited to 10 users but has unlimited duration. Hubs is the better fit if open-source customization and self-hosting through Community Edition matter most. Choose Glue if its free tier's 10 team members, 10 team spaces, 30-minute sessions, and 2GB of team storage match your needs.

Frame may suit teams considering a free trial, which allows eight users, three video uploads of 50MB each, and one AI environment generation. Arthur is an enterprise product with custom pricing. flat.social is worth considering for a browser-based free plan capped at five people, with unlimited session length, spatial audio and video rooms, custom maps, and an embed button. BAWES Universe is another free, web-based option. Unyted.World may fit organizations seeking self-hosted software under a perpetual source-code licence, with per-server rather than per-user pricing.

Browse more options in Virtual Meeting Room Software.

Verdict

Choose Topia if you want customizable virtual worlds where conversation changes with proximity, and your audience can use a desktop browser. Its mix of world-building, access controls, and enterprise deployment is compelling for events and teams that need more than a video-call grid. Look elsewhere if your group is mobile-first, needs continuous video conversation, or cannot justify PRO's $100 monthly starting point.