Hi, @PLRBwebinars. @joshbrage_ZE's answer is spot on. I have Zoom Events licenses, and the Backstage feature comes in handy most of the time.
If you are not interested in doing Zoom Events, but would still like to have access to the Backstage feature, you can purchase the cheapest possible Zoom Events license -- a Pay Per Attendee 50 attendee license for $125 (think of it as "about $10.50/month"). Like most Zoom licenses, that license can only be assigned to one Zoom user; if you had more users needing the Backstage access, each would require the PPA 50 license (or higher, if you end up producing Zoom Events).
The PPA license is good for one year from the date of purchase. Note that while the duration of the license is "annual", it is not like other Zoom annually renewable licenses which prorate the first partial-year purchase and then renew on your Zoom Anniversary Date... it starts on the date of purchase and any unused Attendees expire one year later. At that point you can buy another PPA 50 license which would enable Backstage for another year.
FYI, when this is enabled, you have the choice of having either "Practice Sessions" or "Backstage" when setting up a webinar.
With Backstage enabled, after you have started the Webinar for Attendees and are winding down, the End button in the lower right gives you these options:
End Webinar for Attendees removes all Attendees and puts all Hosts, Co-Hosts, and Panelists into the Backstage area.
Happy to entertain questions on Zoom Events licensing! I have one of each: PPA, Annual/Unlimited, and Legacy.
