The 10 Best Event Registration Software Tools (+ What Makes Them Great)

I won’t pretend to be an event marketer. But my mom has been a special events director for over 20 years (kudos to her), so I completely understand the importance of good event registration tools.

I heard her list the many tasks that need to be done before, during and after an event. And coming from a small team, it’s easy for things to feel overwhelming… quickly.

So I did two things: 1) I sat down with my event pro mom to talk about her favorite event registration software, and 2) I scoured the internet to give you a few more options to choose from offer.

Anything I ask for in return? An invitation to your next event 😉

Let’s get into it.

I’ve divided this list into three sections:

1. Free event registration tools: You may see a familiar face here as this is an option always free.
2. An event director’s favorite tools: These are a few tips from my mom based on her experience organizing events for a large, well-known nonprofit organization for the past 20 years. (Here’s a hint: Great future prospects begin there.)
3. Best online registration tools: These are all highly rated event registration tools that I found in my search that offer paid or both free and paid plans.

Pro tip: Before you start looking for the perfect event registration tool, I recommend you create an event checklist if you haven’t already. May I offer? The ultimate event planning checklist from HubSpot? It covers everything you need to know to run any event smoothly.

Anyway, have fun browsing!

Free event registration tools

1. Free online form builder from HubSpot

Download the online form builder for free

I know I’m tooting our own horn a bit here. But HubSpot’s free online form builder makes it really easy for you to design an event registration form.

The drag-and-drop builder lets you create, integrate, and share forms with your audience. In addition, all participants’ contact information is automatically saved in your CRM. Pretty.

What I like best: There are over 1,000 form fields and over 12 field types to customize your event registration form. It is also versatile and offers Plugins with tools like WordPress and integrations with tools like Gravity forms.

You can’t go wrong using a free tool like this for event registration (or as your…). Content Hub, CRM, Marketing software, Sales softwareor Service softwareby the way).

Okay, I’ll stop raving now.

An event director’s favorite tools

2. Cvent

Image source

Cvent’s event technology allows you to personalize your registration experience.

You can create automated workflows to collect signups. You can also customize the guest experience using targeted campaigns and Cvent’s extensive library of event templates.

I asked my mother, a respected special events director, what she liked most about Cvent and she said, “The great thing about it is that you can do as little or as much as you need.”

“The first year we used it, we had an event with 800 to 900 attendees and we did all the registration manually. Now we are able to use Cvent to print badges and set up self-registration, with minimal effort for our employees.”

Overall, she’s a fan of the platform’s scalability and the support it offers to companies with little or no resources. She notes that this tool “has been a huge help to her small but mighty resource development team.”

Price: Contact Cvent for pricing.

3. OneCause

Image source

OneCause offers a customized ticketing and fundraising platform. You can create custom ticket types, group packages, and promo codes for attendees. So if you work at a nonprofit like my mom or oversee donor events, this is for you.

Similar to Cvent, she likes OneCause because it reduces her manual work many times over. She says: “It allows us to sell tickets to visitors and sponsorships to our biggest donors.”

Plus, it’s great for managing other event elements, including silent auctions.

“My team sends the auction link to guests via OneCause, and winners are notified at the end of the night and pay directly through the platform. It’s super simple and the backend is easy to navigate,” she says.

Price: Contact OneCause for price details.

Best online registration tools

4. Google Forms

Image source

I send a lot of surveys to my team and always use the free version of Google Forms.

It works great for personal use, but I discovered that Google also offers a paid version for teams that offers more security and control over your data.

With Google Forms you can:

• Create and send event registration forms for attendees and track all registrations.
• Drag and drop your form fields to customize the registration experience.
• Add images, videos, and custom logic to your form as you wish.

What the G2 score says: Google Workspace has a G2 score of 4.6. This is what users think:

• Advantages: Positive reviews say the tool allows you to easily “create a ticketing system for attendee registration” and “promote events via email marketing and social media platforms.”
• Disadvantages: Others say that “the formatting and design of the forms could use an upgrade” and that they would “like to see integration with Gmail” and other tools so they can embed short forms during the registration process.

Note: Since I don’t have personal experience with most of these tools, I went through the G2 reviews to give you an idea of ​​what works best for users and what doesn’t. I’ll include insights like those above for each tool in this section.

What I like best: Since Google Forms Workspace requires a Google Business plan, you also get access to Google’s other products as well as more data storage, more comprehensive video hosting options and additional security and management controls for your events.

Price: Plans Prices range from $6 to $18 per month.

5. Squirt

Image source

This is what I found out during my search Splash was recently acquired by Cventbut it still functions as an event marketing program for online, in-person and hybrid events.

With Splash you can:

• Design and customize responsive websites and emails for your event.
• Share registration forms and RSVPs to support participant registration.
• Create intelligent guest lists, targeting and email marketing features to optimize event registration and promotion.

What the G2 score says: Squirt has a G2 score of 4.4. This is what users think:

• Advantages: Positive reviews say it is a “user-friendly platform” that allows you to “easily create landing pages and registration forms.” They mention that you “don’t have to be a designer or developer at all” to use it.
• Disadvantages: Others say the “website builder” and “some design aspects” are somewhat limited, and the reporting features aren’t “exceptionally versatile.”

What I like best: For me, Splash seems to be the integration queen. You can use Splash with your marketing automation platform and CRM (hello, HubSpot) to analyze event data and use it as a basis for your future campaigns and events.

Price: Try Splash for freeRequest a demo or speak with a sales representative to learn more about the right plan for your team.

6. Whova

Image source

Whova is an event management tool that has some pretty robust event registration features. I’m talking about branded ticketing experiences, retargeting campaigns and ranking exhibitors or sponsors.

With Whova you can:

• Create tickets and customize your registration flows in minutes.
• Offer discounted prices for early bird or group ticket purchases) and different types of tickets (e.g. single or multi-day ticket).
• When registering, ask attendees questions about your event (e.g. what motivated them to attend or what they’re most looking forward to).
• Receive early registration payouts to cover your event costs.

What the G2 score says: Whova has a G2 score of…drum roll please…4.8. This is what users think:

• Advantages: Positive reviews say the platform “simplifies event management” and “solves the problem encountered during initial event registration.” They mention that it is a “one-stop shop” for events and a huge “time saver.”
• Disadvantages: Others say they got “lost in the app” given its many features and that Whova probably needs “a few more visitor capture points” when registering.

What I like best: From what I’ve seen, this platform is working hard to achieve that high G2 score. From embeddable registration widgets to real-time attendee tracking, you’ll find just about everything you need to run your event from start to finish.

Price: Contact Whova directly for an offer.

7. Eventbrite

Image source

I used Eventbrite to sign up for local meetups in Washington, DC and specialty fitness classes like puppy yoga. It’s pretty easy for attendees to register and follow my upcoming events.

When it comes to event management, Eventbrite lets you set up your event registration in three easy steps:

• Enter your event details – who, what, where, when and why.
• Create your tickets and select the price or type (e.g. single or multi-day ticket). You can also offer discounts for early bird and group purchases.
• Open your registration and share the event via the website or social media.

What the G2 score says: Eventbrite has a G2 score of 4.3. This is what users think:

• Advantages: Positive reviews say Eventbrite offers “multiple types of registration setups” and “management dashboards with good analytics tools.” Users also like that you can customize the look and feel of the registry using your own graphics and logos.
• Disadvantages: This actually comes from an event guru (my mother again). She said it “doesn’t work well for large events” that require “more detailed attendee data and tracking options.”

What I like best: The simple three-step setup seems great for smaller events and new event marketers. Eventbrite is also recognizable. As a consumer, I trust the platform as a reliable source for finding events near me.

Price: Eventbrite offers both free and paid plans. The Essentials and Professional plans are free when you host a free event. Eventbrite only charges you if you sell a paid ticket.

8. vMeasure

Image source

vFairs is another end-to-end event platform that helps you manage the entire event lifecycle. I looked at the software suite and it includes check-in and ID card printing software, virtual event software, event ticketing and registration software, and more.

With vFairs you can:

• Create a branded event landing page to promote your event and attract registrations.
• Customize your registration forms via a self-service drag-and-drop module.
• Implement if/then conditions in the forms to personalize the data collected based on user selection.
• Collect payments securely through popular payment platforms like Stripe and PayPal.

What the G2 score says: vMeasure has a G2 score of 4.7. This is what users think:

• Advantages: Positive reviews say the platform is “extremely easy to use” and “incredibly user-friendly,” with little to no technical issues encountered during implementation.
• Disadvantages: Others say the platform is robust, but “some features could benefit from more customization options.” And because it’s very extensive, navigation can sometimes be “confusing.”

What I like best: With vFairs you can automatically trigger email workflows for different user segments, both within the platform and through integrations with your CRM. I always love it when tools eliminate the manual aspects of my work and work well with others.

Price: Contact vFairs for an individual offer.

9. RSVPify

Image source

I’ve researched the RSVPify platform and can tell you that it’s designed for events of all sizes – from casual events to corporate and professional conferences.

With RSVPify you can:

• Use customizable and responsive event registration and setup tools.
• Optimize ticket sales, collect donations, and create custom QR codes for event check-in.
• Create an event website with event-specific templates and a variety of integration options.

What the G2 score says: RSVPify has a G2 score of 4.6. This is what users think:

• Advantages: Positive reviews say the guest data tracking process was “seamless and organized.” They mention the “modern user interface” and say that the platform offers a “simplified experience” for both the admin and participants.
• Disadvantages: Others say there was a “lack of customization options for event emails and landing pages” and that additional features like discount codes “were not easily accessible.”

What I like best: For me it’s the versatility. Whether you need to host multiple marquee events at once, an annual gala, or your wedding, RSVPify has a solution.

Price: There is one free option availablePaid options range from $19/month (for personal events) to $39/month (for professional events).

10. Accelevents

Image source

In my opinion, Accelevents is a great option for events that require advanced coordination. It is a complete solution with ticketing and registration features such as assigned seating, pre-registration and the ability to sell add-ons such as merch or subscriptions.

With Accelevents you can:

• Design a customized registration experience for in-person, virtual, or hybrid events.
• Create custom flows with conditional logic, attendee segmentation, embeddable widgets, and unique link tracking.
• Create custom API integrations or integrate natively with your CRM and marketing automation tools.

What the G2 score says: Accelevents has a G2 score of 4.7. This is what users think:

• Advantages: Positive reviews speak volumes about the chat support, stating that customer service is “SO FAST” and “10 seconds away and always helpful.” They also mention that it offers “the best value for money for overall features and customization options.”
• Disadvantages: Others say the mobile app was “a bit cumbersome” and that they encountered “a few bugs” and “minor issues” while using the platform.

What I like best: I’m a big fan of great customer service. As I looked through the reviews, I saw tons of compliments for the Accelevents support team, and I think that’s a big win – especially for tech products.

Price: Contact Accelevents for a free trial and to schedule a demo.

RSVPs made easy (at least easier)

My advice for choosing event registration software is to think about the registration features you absolutely can’t live without and find a tool that does them well.

Most of the tools on the market (and on this list) are comprehensive, but some are better than others in certain areas. Do your research and choose the right tool for your specific needs.

In the meantime, I’m here looking forward to the moment when you can sit back and watch all the hard-earned participant registrations arrive.

Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in January 2021 and has been updated for completeness.