Event apps are no longer just nice to have. Tech-savvy attendees expect them, while sponsors and partners love the granular data they provide. Plus, event planning apps help create engaging and informative experiences.
When integrated seamlessly with your events, an event organiser app can help deliver personalised experiences at scale. But with so many available, how do you choose the right one? Here’s a list of the best event apps, broken down by type.
Table of contents
The best apps for event management
The best apps for event planners
The best mobile event apps for conferences
The best event apps for networking and B2B events
The best event apps for festivals and consumer events
The best event apps for ticketing
The best event planner apps for communication and promotion
Integrating your event app with the whole experience
The best apps for event management
The right event management mobile app will help you meet your event and communication needs. After all, keeping in touch with key team members is much easier when all the relevant information is in one place.
1. Spaces
Spaces lets you easily follow your favourite businesses’ stores, websites, and community outlets. Users receive updates about product launches and are notified of the latest changes. You can even read blog posts and shop.
2. Airtime
Airtime is a great way to communicate with teams. It’s like Apple’s FaceTime, but with the bonus that you can have up to six participants on one video call.
The screen is split so you can see everybody on the call, and you can set up named groups with pre-defined members. When you need to consult your team, hit the Signal button to bring everyone together.
3. Teamwork
Teamwork is specifically designed for team and client management. The platform is used by clients, leadership, and teammates. It keeps everyone on the same page.
Event planners can stay up to date on thousands of activities. Pre-built templates make it easy to get started on the platform. Along with a large selection of templates, the app integrates all the tools you need to plan small and large events.
4. Zapier
With Zapier, it’s easy to export your attendee data from Eventbrite into a spreadsheet or email marketing list. Integrate it with over 1,000 apps, including HubSpot and Salesforce, for instant data export — no coding knowledge required. That means you can use your Eventbrite data for maintaining a spreadsheet of registrants with helpful notes or subscribing attendees to your newsletter.
The best apps for event planners
A lot goes into planning an event, and the right app makes it easier. Event planners can stay in contact with their teams and attendees. The best apps for skilled event planners are easy to use and come with tools integrated into the platform.
1. Pilot
Downloading the Pilot app gives event planners access to a customisable thumb keyboard. Choose between two layouts: one standard and the other split for phones and tablets. Users enjoy advanced functions designed to simplify typing on mobile devices and improve productivity.
2. VoiceMap Audio Tours
VoiceMap Audio Tours allows you to explore cities by car, bike, walking, and even boat. Celebrities and local stars narrate the tours to inform listeners about what they view throughout each tour.
3. RunGo
RunGo also provides audio guides, but this time for running. Used by Fairmont, Hyatt, and Hilton hotels, this app can help you keep up your routine even when you’re away from home. It features running routes in cities worldwide, created by local runners, and delivers turn-by-turn voice navigation.
RunGo works off GPS, so you can download the map before you go and then use it without an internet connection.
The best mobile event apps for conferences
The right conference app makes it simple for conference-goers to bookmark sessions, read about speakers, and participate in discussions online, whether they’re attending the conference in person or virtually.
The easier it is for attendees to navigate your speaker lineup and tailor their experience, the more likely they’ll recommend your event to a friend.
1. Eventbrite Onsite powered by Entegy
Wow attendees from the start with a custom event management app that showcases your unique brand. Share event information with attendees through your app by publishing real-time updates to your community or sending targeted notifications.
Users like Unrig Summit and BUMA music can drive active participation during events through forums, live polls, and gamification within an event organiser app, allowing attendees to connect during virtual events. Exhibitors and sponsors can maximise their ROI by capturing attendee information on the spot.
2. Core-apps
Core-apps helps connect your attendees before, during, and after your event — and companies like Yahoo!, SAP, and Microsoft are already users. You can utilise features such as community forums, private meeting scheduling, personalised agendas, exhibitor listings, trade show floor maps, and attendee profiles.
3. Guidebook
Built with ease of use and design in mind, Guidebook lets you create event apps through a simple drag-and-drop interface. This event app software has all the same bells and whistles as the others, but is more straightforward and intuitive. Amazon, YouTube, ADP, Verizon, Google, and Coca-Cola are already users.
4. Boomset
Simplify conference management as Visa, Ben & Jerry’s, and Yale University do with Boomset. It’s beneficial for online events too; livestream presentations, create a virtual exhibitor area, and set up one-to-one video calls with attendees. Boomset can also be used for efficient registration, with innovative facial recognition technology, printable name badges, and compatibility with RFID wristbands.
5. Swapcard
With Swapcard, upload your event program and create a fully customisable widget to help attendees personalise their experience the way Hyatt, IBM, and HLTH choose to. This app is handy if your event features various workshops and presentations. It also allows you to create a matchmaking and private meeting scheduler, helping to build powerful connections and foster synergy between attendees.
The best event apps for networking and B2B events
One of the biggest reasons attendees go to B2B events is to make connections. An event planning app that can help you facilitate networking before, during, and after your conference is key.
Many apps offer social media integration, mini social networks, and other features that foster networking. Knowing what will most likely spur conversations (whether in person or online) can help guide your choice.
1. Floor
Companies like UBM, Hyve, ITE Turkey, and more use the Floor app to launch community events in only five minutes. The platform comes with all the tools you need for any type and size of event.
2. Whova
An app built with Whova enables attendees to plan their experience around a focus of their choice so they can participate in the right panels and sessions. A mobile agenda and attendee bios (with social media links) make networking a breeze for users like TEDxAmericasFinestCity, EmTech, and Spring North East Expo.
3. Eventee
Eventee is a user-friendly app, utilised by web expo planners, Work Awesome Group LLV, and game developers. Organize an in-person, virtual, or hybrid event in a few minutes.
The best event apps for festivals and consumer events
Attendees and fans of consumer events and festivals enjoy personalised experiences. One way to deliver that unique experience at your event is by offering an app that allows people to customise their schedules.
For example, use an event app that offers a calendar integration and the ability to send push notifications when a performer an attendee likes is about to go on stage.
1. Aloompa Mobile Apps
Boasting an à-la-carte menu of features, including schedule sharing, festival map GPS localisation, beacon usage, and offline data availability, Aloompa offers great solutions for in-person food, music, and community-focused events (think Governors Ball, Boston Calling, and Coachella).
2. Eventbase
A feature-rich app with full-screen commercials and branded placement opportunities, Eventbase can help you meet your and your sponsors’ goals. Engage in-person and digital attendees with a networking feature that lets guests connect and elevates their digital fan experience. Big names like SXSW, Sundance Film Festival, Montana Folk Festival, SAP, Adobe, and Comic-Con use it.
The best event apps for ticketing
Simplify your ticketing process by using apps that benefit both yourself and attendees. Experience a more straightforward process with our recommended event ticket sales apps.
1. Tixel
Dealing with cancelled events is made easier with Tixel. This app allows users like Wine Machine and Woodford Folk Festival to offer flexible refund options to ticket holders, such as donations and gift vouchers. As a result, the app can help you to retain cash flow and to maintain good relationships with attendees, meaning they’ll be more likely to attend future events.
2. Cyfe
Get valuable ticketing data like Capterra, Crowd, and TrustRadius do with Cyfe, which provides a comprehensive dashboard of all sales statistics. It also has the option to pull in additional data from other services like Google and Salesforce. These fully customisable dashboards are easy to share with sponsors and stakeholders and are ideal for inclusion in post-event reports. Cyfe also holds data from past events for measuring progress and planning future output.
The best event planner apps for communication and promotion
Whether it’s through email marketing campaigns or paid social media advertising, there are many ways to automate your promotional strategy. Optimise and keep on top of your activity (as well as its results) with these nifty event planner apps.
1. Boomerang
Event planners and weblog Lifehacker use the Boomerang app to do everything from their emails. The platform’s scheduling features eliminate the need for multiple emails between event planners, vendors, and attendees.
2. Thumb Keyboard
Type emails and connect with attendees with the customisable keyboard. Thumb Keyboard works with most phones and tablets and comes packed with innovative features, which are popular with Google users and event planners.
3. Drupe
Companies like Forbes, PCWorld, and Gizmodo use Drupe, which offers a great new way to organise important contacts and instantly connect with them through various apps. With one swipe, connect with your contacts via phone, SMS, WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Skype, and more.
4. SocialLadder
SocialLadder lets you empower attendees and bring them into your brand. With customers doing the promotional work for you, more time is freed to work on your event. Users such as Kendra Scott, Sarah Flint, and Live Nation can access a database of more than 150,000 trusted ambassadors from the Social Ladder app. Issue customised promo codes to reward loyal fans who engage online users or sell tickets to friends and family. Social Ladder is specifically for events of 5,000+ attendees, so it’s ideal for large-scale festivals or conferences.
5. Gleam
Gleam is designed to help users like Lootcrate, Shopify, and Trivago maximise and organise marketing activities during events. The Capture function lets you manage email lists and store messages submitted through your website’s contact form, while Galleries is ideal for managing and displaying user-generated content. Use the app to facilitate rewards like discount coupons and samples.
Integrating your event app with the whole experience
A free event app is just one way to upgrade your event experience. Learn how to power and grow your event with Eventbrite.
