Smooth-sailing event check-in can help set the stage for an excellent event, but if done poorly, it can lead to a rough start. That is why using a reliable check-in mobile app is essential to make the whole process smoother. You don’t want to get stuck during the process or end up with technical glitches on the day of the event.
It is also important to use an app that comes with tech support in case you run into any problems. This way you can save yourself and your event attendees from any frustrations and ensure and fast check-in experience.
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But with so many event check-in apps available, how would you choose one? We’ve done a little compare and contrast for you to help you make the right decision.
Best Event Check-in Apps for 2024
Here’s an overview of the 7 best event check-in apps covering key features benefits and drawbacks as well customer reviews.
1. vFairs
vFairs is an all-in-one event management platform that offers a highly functional event mobile app to support hybrid and onsite events. The app has several functions beyond easy check-in, custom registration forms, marketing, sponsorships, attendee networking, engagement opportunities, and detailed event reporting.
Users have the option to make use of all built-in features or just check in and badge printing. Here we will discuss all the features of the event check-in app by vFairs.
vFairs Event Check-in App Features
QR-Based Event Check-In
You can assign unique QR codes to each attendee and email the code. When attendees reach the venue, they can quickly scan the QR code using a self-check-in kiosk. The personalized QR codes will be used to check in attendees easily with the mobile event app.
The event check-in is even simpler as you can use your regular iPads, smartphones, and computers as check-in kiosks. You can also print badges for attendees by connecting your badge-printing gear with the check-in app.
You can also pre-print the badges in bulk to save time and avoid any hassle on the day of the event. But if you want to avoid printing badges of attendees that won’t show up, you can do it onsite.
Synced Check-in Tech and Registration for Payment
You will be able to automatically sync the online registration data with the event check-in app to make sure the ticket is paid. At the time of registration, there are secure payment options such as Stripe and PayPal to pay for the ticket.
The attendees who paid at the time of registration can easily enter the venue with their mobile event app as it will update their status as paid/registered.
Reporting and Data Visualization
During onsite events, it is hard to keep track of attendance rate and get your hands on important event data. However, data analytics and reporting are much easier with the right event technology and check-in apps.
All the QR-scanned check-ins will be recorded and you will be able to check who showed up at the venue. The vFairs real-time event reporting dashboards allow the event organizers to track the attendance rate of the event audience. They can even follow individual user journeys and find out the popular parts of the event.
Search and Capture Leads
Once the event ends, it is imperative that you get to reach out to your event leads. With this event check-in app, you can search for different profiles and access their contact details. The exhibitors can mark any lead as a favorite and contact them later on.
The CRM integrations allow exhibitors to easily move the data to and from the vFairs event check-in app. The captured leads can be easily exported in CSV format for later use.
Other Features
You can either get the check-in app or choose the entire mobile app that comes with the following features to manage your onsite and hybrid events:
- Networking Features: Within the event, your attendees can get to know each other and connect using chats, calls, contact exchanges, and booking meetings through the meeting scheduler.
- Sponsorship Opportunities: You can display branded ads on prominent positions by offering event sponsorship packages within the white-labeled app.
- Event Engagement & Gamification: To keep the attendees engaged during the event, there are a number of gamification features such as leaderboards and scavenger hunts. You can also collect essential data via polls and Q&As within the app.
- Event Floor Map: The navigation feature within the app allows the attendees to easily locate meeting halls, conference rooms, and exhibit booths on site.
Pros and Cons
Customers love the smooth event check-in experience with the vFairs app and badge printing software. The vFairs app has a 4.7/5 rating on G2 with 1400+ reviews. Here are some of those reviews:
Pros
“vFair’s on-site badge printing was easy and fast and made the check-in process a breeze. Both our attendees and our check-in admins were thrilled with the easy and speedy process.
The app was a big success for three groups of people: attendees, exhibitors, and our staff.” – Jessica C.
“vFairs was extremely easy to use, the system was intuitive, and really took our annual event to the next level. The onsite badge printing solved so many prior years’ headaches for us.” – Darci P.
Cons
“We really didn’t have many downsides, because they turned our event around so fast there were some modifications we were not able to make due to the coding time it would have taken, but overall vFairs really nailed it!” – Darci P.
“There aren’t any significant shortcomings or challenges in using this platform that I can think of.”- Irshad R.
2. Cvent OnArrival
The Cvent event check-in app is designed to automate the check-in process of a physical event. The OnArrival app also helps event organizers understand the attendance and engagement of each user during the event.
The app offers event check-in with real-time notifications to help coordinators efficiently manage attendees. However, users think that the app doesn’t properly sync with the registration software and the offline functionality is a bit flimsy.
Let’s have a look at the key features of Cvent’s app:
Cvent OnArrival Key Features
Onsite Attendee Check-in and Registration
This event check-in app allows you to easily search for your attendees by scanning a barcode or entering their name, email, company name, or confirmation number. The exhibitors can access and modify the attendee details using any regular computer or tablet as kiosks. You get check-in alerts in real-time.
When hosting a career fair, companies can access the records of each interviewee and know their agenda. The app also allows you to register candidates for walk-in interviews.
Onsite Payments
You will be provided with a credit card reader to allow attendees to pay for the event onsite. All you need to do is set up your merchant account and turn on payment collection in the OnArrival event check-in app.
Real-Time Reports
You can check your event stats and share them with stakeholders via the Cvent OnArrival event check-in app. All the data displayed on the dashboards is updated in real-time. You can download the app on iOS or Android, log in to your account, open the event, and view statistics.
The available stats include overall status, event check-ins over time, check-ins by type, and active sessions. You can filter these reports by date or time. Detailed reports of individual sessions can also be accessed within the event check-in app.
Use the App Offline
You can check in attendees, edit their information, and scan their badges offline with Cvent. To use this feature, you will have to make sure that you are logged in and the event is downloaded to your device when WiFi is available.
However, the offline functionality is extremely limited. You need to be online to log in to the app, accept online payments, sync with Cvent, and use the remote badge printing option. You also need the internet to add optional registration items and substitute a registrant.
Pros and Cons
The Cvent OnArrival app has a 4.3/5 rating on G2 with around 12 reviews. Here are some pros and cons extracted from the G2 reviews:
Pros
“I love the efficiency of getting sessions into OnArrival, this is automatically completed through Cvent or can be uploaded from another document if you’re not using Cvent Events to host your conference agenda.” – Kara H.
“Our conference attendees are not all tech savvy, but everyone can use this app to check themselves in and print their name badges right there onsite!” – Selena F.
Cons
“Sometimes we have to scan offline if the connection isn’t great and it skews results.” – Verified User.
“Little difficult to set up and requires an email for each attendee. Some attendees don’t want to share their email and either get upset or enter a fake email that places trash in your database.” – David B.
“The ‘event in a box’ is an expensive option, but one they try to steer towards as a way of simplifying what is a fairly complex set of things. The admin functionality in OnArrival is confusing and clunky.” Michael H.
3. Whova
Whova is an event management platform offering mobile event apps, online registration, event management software, and event marketing for onsite, virtual, and hybrid events. The mobile app aims at making event check-in a fast process for attendees and event organizers. Users have noted that sometimes the app randomly starts updating during the check-in, impacting the overall user experience and adding frustration on the day of the event.
Whova Key Features
Onsite Event Check-In
The Whova app allows a paperless event check-in process to reduce the need for staff onsite. It offers both contactless self-check-in and staffed check-in. Here are 4 ways you can check your attendees into the event using the Whova platform:
1. Web Dashboard Check-In: The staff can check in attendees using laptops or tablets.
2. App Search: They can search for the name of the attendee on the mobile event app and check them in.
3. QR-Code Scanning: The attendees can be instantaneously checked-in through the Whova app with their onsite QR codes.
4. Self Check-In: Without the need for onsite staff, attendees can check in at the event on contactless onsite stations. The Whova platform also offers session-based self-check-in.
Attendance Tracking to Issue Certificate
The Whova app allows you to track event attendance in real-time. You can measure your session’s popularity by tracking the attendance rate of individual sessions. The Whova certificate issuance tool uses attendance data to generate and distribute certificates for attendees.
Targeted Messages for Attendees
You can use the session attendance data to send targeted surveys or messages to the attendees. This can be done directly on the Whova event check-in app with the announcement feature.
Shareable Attendee List for Sponsors
The app generates a clear list of attendees that you can share with the sponsors. Such data can help sponsors see who is interested in the content and develop future marketing campaigns accordingly.
Synced Registration Information
In the Whova event check-in app, the registration information is synced across all devices. This way it helps all staff members and users access the same data in real-time.
Pros and Cons
A detailed Whova review can give you an insight into the features and if it is the right option for you or not. Here are some pros and cons of the Whova event check-in app according to G2 reviews:
Pros
“I liked the ease of starting and following discussion threads, the scheduling, and the use of QR codes for check-in and information exchange.” – Verified User.
“It’s making it much easier to check people in and get them in and out of registration quickly. It helps things run much smoother, and we can move people through faster.” – Tierra D.
Cons
“I know they have the ‘personal’ agenda tabs, but perhaps there could be an added check-in option it’d be helpful to the person looking to meet up with their team if they could then see which seminar their team “checked in” to.” – Lindsey F.
“Throughout a ~2-3 days conference, the app asked to update ~3-4 times and that was annoying.” – Rebecca L.
You can also check out Whova alternatives to find out better options for your event check-in and management.
4. SplashThat
The Splash Host mobile app is designed to check in event attendees onsite. It allows organizers to register walk-ins and print badges in bulk. It also has self-registering and check-in features to reduce the need for a huge onsite staff. However, users found that check-in gets a little hard when using multiple devices.
Splash Host App Key Features
Swipe or Scan Event Check-In
There are built-in registration filters and search options to organize the attendee check-in process. The audience segmentation feature will divide the attendees into groups based on the information collected at the time of registration.
Organizers can assign staff check-in attendees or let them scan QR codes to self-check in.
Reporting and Analytics
You get real-time data and insights into the event at every stage. There are tools to measure check-ins, ticket purchases, and page views. The Splash Host app also allows you to track individual attendee journeys and analyze user behavior.
Along with RSVP and check-in data, the app also records check-out data to analyze how much time each attendee spent during the event. However, the check-out time feature is only for virtual events, not for onsite and hybrid events.
Synced Data
The live check-in counts system is synced across the platform in real-time. This data is also backed up to make sure no attendees are missed. You can continue check-ins even if your device is not connected to the internet. Syncing across devices and systems will be resumed once the internet is back on.
Pros and Cons
A detailed review of SplashThat can give you detailed insights into the features of this platform to compare and choose. SplashThat has a rating of 4.5/5 on G2 with around 249 reviews. Here are some pros and cons of the event check-in app according to the G2 reviews:
Pros
”It is easy to download guest lists and check-in process. I like that Splash can be synced with SFDC and that recordings can be hosted. It is also easy to view events for the company and add collaborators.” – Jess L.
“I appreciate how easy it is to check attendees in at an event through the Splash app. We checked in over 900 attendees in 45 min.” – Madison B.
Cons
“Check-in gets a little hard when using multiple devices.” – Verified User
“Why does the check-in make your participants check in with their email instead of their name? This causes confusion every time as many people have personal and professional emails, and they can’t remember which they registered with.” – Verified User
5. Stova
Stova mobile app is developed for easy event check-in and also offers information, navigation, networking, and engagement tools. The event management platform also provides onsite check-in through the app. The payment integrations of the app, however, don’t work properly and users found it difficult to get payments with PayPal.
Stova App Key Features
QR-Based Check-In
Attendees can access the event site with a contactless onsite check-in. This app will have all the registration details of an attendee so it also works as a digital badge. Every user is assigned a QR code for check-in and scanning.
Analytics and Reporting
The real-time dashboards displayed within the event check-in app allow organizers to gauge the attendance rate of their event. You can also create custom dashboards to display key information for stakeholders.
Pros and Cons
Stova has a 4.2/5 rating on G2 with around 166 reviews. Check out this Stova review to understand the features better and compare them to your requirements.
Here are some pros and cons of using the Stova event check-in app as per G2 reviews:
Pros
“Unlike other platforms, MP’s design team simplifies the coding and design work, allowing you to focus on the program.” – Matt W.
“The team is very quick to respond and be available to your urgent needs. They are also willing to be very innovative and take the time to understand your specific needs.” – Monique H.
Cons
“Their system simply doesn’t handle PayPal transactions properly and after years of trying to work around it, it’s clear, they don’t see it as a problem worth fixing.” Gerald G.
“It takes a long time and a lot of practice to figure out how the platform and settings work. At least a few months of testing it and chatting with support to learn the ins and outs of this platform. This is a bit frustrating when you have no time to do this.” – Verified User.
6. Eventbrite
The Eventbrite event check-in app allows you to access all the required data for an easy registration and check-in process. The app allows organizers to manage attendees, let them book for the event online, and promote the event to increase registrations.
The Eventbrite app doesn’t have offline check-in functionality so it gets really hard to check attendees in with a bad internet connection.
While we’re sharing an overview here, a detailed comparison between Eventbrite and vFairs would be helpful for you to make the right decision.
Eventbrite Key Features
Scanning Tickets to Check-in Attendees
Each ticket comes with a QR code that you can scan on the app to check in attendees. You can also manually mark the attendance of each attendee. The app allows you to prevent fraud by verifying online registrations to make sure that attendees are showing valid tickets. You can also access the attendee’s data by scanning their QR-code on the mobile app for organizers.
Tracking Ticket Sales & Attendance
The app allows you to manage the event and monitor ticket sales and registrations in real time. You can keep track of the attendance rate, registrations, and on-site sales with complete access to check-in data.
Accept Secure Payments
There are secure payment integrations for ticket sales and purchasing of onsite merchandise. The event organizer app has a bunch of safe payment options to choose from.
Pros and Cons
Eventbrite has a 4.4/5 rating on G2 with around 750 reviews. Here are some pros and cons of using the Eventbrite check-in app:
Pros
“The e-tickets with QR codes and ease of check-in makes it a valuable tool.” – Julie H.
“Eventbrite is the all-in-one platform to… manage the attendees through Eventbrite mobile app which is equipped with the QR scanner which will provide you with a real-time monitoring for the check-ins.” – Yousef L.
Cons
“Offline ticket check-in isn’t available for venues or equipment that does not have a reliable internet connection.” Verified User.
“Though it’s convenient to be able to process payments through either PayPal or Authorize.net, there is an extra fee on top of that which I think might be a little too high of a percentage for the extra convenience that it adds compared to just linking to an external website for payment.” – David Y.
7. Hopin
The Hopin event app offers engaging online and onsite event management with easy check-in. It also offers accessibility, engagement, networking, and reporting features for event organizers. One drawback of the Hopin app is that it doesn’t offer check-ins for hybrid events.
Hopin Key Features
Check-in Attendees
The Hopin app allows the organizers to easily check in event attendees in a quick manner. You will have to create your account and set it up. Then you can create ticket types and configure global settings. Attendees can be added using the Hopin registration data, or uploaded in bulk.
You will have to configure the journey and decide on the event check-in areas. Either the staff will have to check attendees in or they can use the self-check-in feature.
Track Event Attendance
You can track the attendance of your event in real time with the Hopin app. This helps you understand the active attendance in the venue which will eventually help you measure ROI. You can also share the onsite attendee information among staff. Magic links can also be used to invite attendees to auto-register.
Pros and Cons
Hopin has a 4.5/5 rating on G2 with around 870 reviews. Here are some pros and cons of the Hopin event check-in app:
Pros
“We were helped by features such as session-based chat on their handy smartphone app, which allowed for additional interactivity between attendees before events started” – Nishant S.
“Giving our members the ability to check in, utilize and view our schedule of events, post pictures and capture exciting moments over the weekend to look back on.” – Verified User.
Cons
“The mobile app could be enhanced, as we received reports from attendees about delays in audio/video. Additionally, customer support response times occasionally left us waiting for assistance on time-sensitive issues.” – Mary P.
“The app doesn’t offer a way to search for a specific delegate. The expo area doesn’t look great but I’m not sure what else you can do – perhaps an interactive floor plan for people onsite?” – Lucile B.
“The app doesn’t work well from a hybrid perspective – connecting virtual and physical delegates.” – Nathan S.
Take a deep dive into the platform and explore a viable alternative for your next event.
Final Verdict: Choosing the Right Event Check-in App
As an event organizer, it can be really frustrating and time-consuming to allow attendees to enter the event venue manually. Not to mention the difficulty of tracking the check-in of every attendee. On the other hand, event attendees have to wait in long queues. A solid event check-in system can kickstart your event for success.
While choosing an event check-in app for your next event, you need to consider a few factors. The quality of the app must be top-notch to ensure that it doesn’t create problems for you or your attendees. It must be backed by exceptional customer service and an onsite technical support team so that you are not left alone at the time of the event.
If you want value for money, make sure the mobile app provider actually offers other functionalities alongside event check-in. It will also give attendees more options to interact during the event.
Check how user-friendly the app is, how much customization it offers, whether you can scale it as per your event, and if it provides any analytics and reporting features. You should also consider past customer experiences by checking reviews. Lastly, book a demo to understand the ins and outs of the event check-in app before you choose one.
FAQs
What is an event check-in app?
An event check-in app is a mobile application that helps you check in attendees during an onsite or hybrid event. The overall goal is to help you manage and organize your event. Some apps even allow attendees to enter their information and perform self-check-in to save time.
Why do you need an event check-in app?
Event check-in apps are designed to help organizers mark the attendance of each attendee onsite. This way they can keep track of event attendance rates and make informed decisions in the future. You can also track the time of attendance of the invited attendees. Such an app will help you prevent unauthorized access to your event.
How much does an event check-in app cost?
The cost of using an event check-in app depends upon the requirements of your event and the features you want. Different platforms offer a number of packages that you can choose from as per the requirements of your event.
