Event Registration Platforms 2026: Comparison for Corporate Planners

Event tech platform landscape has consolidated since 2022 (Hopin sold, several platforms merged). But confusion remains. This guide breaks down the real options.

Evaluation criteria

Before comparing platforms, decide what matters for your event:

• Expected attendee count (under 100 / 100-500 / 500-2000 / 2000+)
• Single event vs recurring annual
• Hybrid / virtual components
• Payment processing (paid vs free events)
• Branding / customisation needs
• CRM / marketing automation integration
• Multi-language support
• Budget

Platform comparison

Cvent

Best for: enterprise (1000+ pax), recurring events, sophisticated sourcing

Strengths: deepest feature set, Cvent Supplier Network integration, rich attendee data

Weaknesses: expensive, steep learning curve, enterprise sales process

Pricing: 15,000-60,000+ EUR/year (custom per volume)

Good for: large corporates running multiple conferences per year

Bizzabo

Best for: mid-market B2B conferences, hybrid events

Strengths: modern UX, strong engagement features, Klik smart badges, white-label mobile app

Weaknesses: less deep on agency / TMC workflows

Pricing: enterprise-tier annual

Good for: 500-2000 pax customer conferences, growth-stage companies

Swapcard

Best for: networking-forward events, expos, matchmaking

Strengths: B2B matchmaking algorithm, strong mobile app, exhibitor features

Weaknesses: less full-stack than Cvent/Bizzabo

Pricing: enterprise-tier annual

Good for: trade shows, networking-heavy conferences

Eventbrite

Best for: smaller events (under 500 pax), free or paid ticketed

Strengths: easy to set up, marketplace visibility, 14-day trial

Weaknesses: consumer-oriented UX, limited customisation, takes transaction fee

Pricing: free up to small events; 3.5 percent + 0.99 EUR per paid ticket

Good for: one-off events, community meetups, small conferences

RingCentral Events (was Hopin)

Best for: hybrid and virtual events

Strengths: strong virtual stage features, breakout rooms, sponsor expo

Weaknesses: post-acquisition uncertainty, product direction shifts

Pricing: custom; typically enterprise-tier annual

Good for: virtual-first organisations

Sched

Best for: community conferences, open-source events, large multi-track

Strengths: excellent agenda management, attendee networking, session recommendations

Weaknesses: lighter on registration/payment (usually paired with Eventbrite)

Pricing: enterprise-tier

Good for: 500-5000 pax tech conferences with many sessions

Splash (now part of Cvent)

Best for: marketing-led events, brand experiences

Strengths: beautiful landing pages, marketing automation

Weaknesses: being absorbed into Cvent platform

Pricing: varies

RSVPify

Best for: corporate events, elegant registration UX

Strengths: clean interface, fast setup, affordable

Weaknesses: less deep engagement / networking features

Pricing: from 49 EUR/month, scales with attendees

Feature checklist

Must-have (any platform)

• Customisable registration form
• Email confirmations and reminders
• Payment processing (if paid)
• Attendee CSV export
• Session / agenda management
• Mobile-responsive registration page
• GDPR / consent management

Nice-to-have (mid-tier)

• Branded event website builder
• Mobile app for attendees
• QR code check-in
• Session capacity management
• Sponsor / exhibitor pages
• Marketing automation integration
• Multi-language support

Enterprise-grade

• CRM integration (Salesforce, HubSpot, Marketo)
• Single sign-on (SSO)
• API access
• Custom roles and permissions
• Abandoned-registration email workflows
• AI-powered networking / matchmaking
• Advanced analytics / ROI attribution
• Hybrid tech integration

Integration considerations

Platform is one part. Think about:

• CRM sync: attendees flow into Salesforce/HubSpot contact records
• Marketing automation: pre/post-event email sequences
• Badge printing: on-site printing hardware and workflow
• Payment gateway: Stripe/PayPal/regional (e.g., Bancontact)
• Accessibility: WCAG 2.1 AA compliance
• Analytics: Google Analytics, Mixpanel, event-specific

Pricing transparency

Most platforms don't publish prices. Expect:

• Freemium (Eventbrite): free with per-ticket fee
• Subscription (RSVPify, Bizzabo low tier): 50-500 EUR/month
• Per-event (Sched): enterprise-tier
• Annual enterprise (Cvent, Bizzabo enterprise): enterprise-tier pricing (vendor does not publish; see G2 reviews for market signals)
• Add-ons: mobile app, hybrid tech, CRM integration add enterprise-tiereach

Decision framework

Under 200 pax, one-off

Eventbrite 14-day trial. Configure in 2 hours. Move on.

200-800 pax, 3-8 events/year

Bizzabo or Swapcard. enterprise-tier investment worth it.

800-5000 pax, recurring

Cvent (if already enterprise customer). Bizzabo (if growing). Direct comparison with demos recommended.

Virtual / hybrid-primary

RingCentral Events (formerly Hopin) or Bizzabo. Both handle virtual-first well.

Community / open-source

Sched + Eventbrite. Great value.

Marketing-led brand events

Splash (now Cvent). Beautiful pages.

Pair this with our Tipping Culture for Business Events in Europe — Country Guide 2026 for the full sourcing picture.

Related reading

• 6-month planning timeline
• Hybrid events planning
• Customer conference playbook

Which event registration platform is best for small corporate events (under 200 attendees)?

For events under 200 attendees with simple registration (no abstract submission, no parallel-tracks selection), Eventbrite Pro or Splash work well at €60-150/month and require zero setup. If you need branded landing pages and email-marketing integration, Hopin's 14-day trial or Eventzilla's €1.50/attendee model sit well below enterprise-tier pricing. Skip enterprise platforms (Cvent, Stova, Bizzabo) below 500-attendee scale — you pay €15-30k/year for capacity you won't use. Pair with a separate hotel-RFP tool (Easy RFP, MeetingPackage) for venue sourcing instead of bundling.

Can registration platforms integrate with hotel RFP software?

Some, partially. Cvent (which owns both registration and sourcing) integrates internally but is enterprise-priced. For unbundled stacks: most registration platforms export attendee data as CSV / Zapier, which any modern RFP tool can ingest. True API integrations are rarer — Bizzabo + Easy RFP, Stova + Cvent Passkey, and Splash + Marketo are the common pairings. For most teams, manual CSV export at the right milestone (block confirmation, dietary collection) is more reliable than a fragile real-time API. Don't pay an integration premium unless you run weekly events.

What's the difference between Bizzabo, Cvent, and Stova?

Cvent is the enterprise default — strongest hotel database, deepest sourcing tools, weakest UX, highest price (€20-100k+/yr). Stova (formerly etouches/Aventri/Meeting Mate) sits one tier down — solid mid-market enterprise, better UX, €15-50k/yr. Bizzabo is the modern challenger — designed for hybrid/virtual events first, beautiful UX, mid-market pricing €10-30k/yr, weaker on traditional sourcing. For pure registration without sourcing, Bizzabo + Stova both beat Cvent on user experience. For sourcing-heavy programmes, Cvent's database is still hard to beat at enterprise scale.

Do I need separate platforms for in-person and virtual registration?

Not since 2023 — every serious platform now handles both. What matters is which mode they're DESIGNED for: Hopin and Hubilo are virtual-first with in-person bolted on; Cvent and Stova are in-person-first with virtual added later; Bizzabo and Brella are hybrid-native. Pick based on your mode mix. If 80%+ in-person → in-person-first tools handle the 20% virtual fine. If 50/50 → hybrid-native tools win because they handle parallel virtual sessions, simulcast, and post-event recording in one workflow rather than bolted-on add-ons.

Related deep-dive: Event ROI Methodology — full-stack attribution — Tools matter, but the methodology decides whether you can measure ROI at all.

Related deep-dive: Hybrid Event Tech Stack 2026 — 18 tools ranked — Registration platforms sit in layer 4 of the hybrid tech stack.

Related deep-dive: GDPR + Event Marketing Compliance Reference — Registration platforms touch attendee PII — GDPR compliance starts here.

Related deep-dive: Pre-Event Communications Playbook — 8-email sequence — Your platform sends the emails — this is the sequence that lifts attendance 25%+.

Related deep-dive: Post-Event Survey Design — 9 questions — Most platforms have surveys built in — what questions to actually ask.

Related deep-dive: Event Tech RFP Template — 23 questions — Use this RFP template to compare registration platforms apples-to-apples.