I won’t pretend I’m an event marketer. But my mom has been a director of special events for over 20 years (shoutout to her), so I completely understand the importance of good event registration tools.
I’ve heard her rattle off the many tasks that need to be completed before, during, and after an event. And she comes from a small team, so it’s very easy for things to feel overwhelming … and quickly.
So, I did two things: 1) I sat down with my event pro of a 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.
All I ask for in return? An invite to your next event 😉
Let’s get into it.
I’ve broken this list into three sections:
- Free Event Registration Tools: You may see a familiar face here since it’s one option that’s always free.
- An Event Director’s Favorite Tools: These are a couple of my mom’s picks based on her experience running events for a large, well-known non-profit for the last 20 years. (Here’s a hint: Great futures start there.)
- Best Online Registration Tools: These are all of the 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 your search for the perfect event registration tool, I’d recommend creating an event checklist if you haven’t already. Might I offer HubSpot’s Ultimate Event Planning Checklist? It covers everything you need to know to seamlessly execute any event.
Anywho, happy browsing!
Free Event Registration Tools
1. HubSpot Free Online Form Builder
Download the Online Form Builder for Free
I know, I’m tooting our own horn a little bit here. But HubSpot’s Free Online Form Builder really does make it easy for you to design an event registration form.
The drag-and-drop builder lets you create, integrate, and share forms with your audience. Plus, all of the attendee contact information is automatically stored in your CRM. Nice.
What I like most: There are over 1,000 form fields and over 12 field types you can use to customize your event registration form. Plus, it’s versatile and offers plugins with tools like WordPress and integrations with tools like Gravity Forms.
You can’t really go wrong if you use a free tool like this for event registration (or as your Content Hub, CRM, Marketing Software, Sales Software, or Service Software, for that matter).
Okay, I’ll stop gushing now.
An Event Director’s Favorite Tools
2. Cvent
Cvent’s event technology allows you to personalize your registration experience.
You can build automated workflows to collect signups. You can also customize the guest experience using targeted campaigns and Cvent's comprehensive library of event templates.
I asked my mom, an esteemed director of special events, what she likes most about Cvent, and she said, “the great thing about it is you can do as little or as much as you need it to do.”
“The first year we used it, we had an 800-900 attendee event, and we used to do all of the registration manually. Now, we’re able to use Cvent to print badges and set up self-registration with minimal involvement from our staff.”
Overall, she’s a fan of the scalability of the platform and the support it provides to businesses with little to no resources. She notes that this tool “has been a huge help for her small but mighty resource development team.”
Price: Contact Cvent for pricing.
3. OneCause
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 non-profit or oversee donor events like my mom, this one’s for you.
Similar to Cvent, she likes OneCause because it cuts down her manual work by a ton. She says, “it allows us to sell tickets to attendees and sponsorships to our biggest donors.”
Plus, it’s really good for managing other event elements including silent auctions.
“My team sends the auction link to guests through OneCause, and winners get notified at the end of the night and pay directly via the platform. It’s super simple, and the backend is easy to navigate,” she says.
Price: Contact OneCause for pricing details.
Best Online Registration Tools
4. Google Forms
I send a good amount of surveys to my team, and I always use the free version of Google Forms.
It works great for personal use, but I found that Google also offers a paid version for teams that comes with greater security and control over your data.
Google Forms allows you to:
- Create and send event registration forms for attendees and track all sign-ups.
- Drag and drop your form fields to customize the registration experience.
- Add images, videos, and custom logic to your form as you see fit.
What the G2 score says: Google Workspace has a G2 score of 4.6. Here’s what users think:
- Pros: Positive reviews say the tool allows you to easily “create a ticketing system for sign up by attendees” and “promote events through email marketing and social media platforms.”
- Cons: Others say the “formatting and design of the forms could use an upgrade” and they’d “love 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 sifted through the G2 reviews to give you an idea of what works best for users and what doesn’t. I’ll include insights like the above for each tool in this section.
What I like most: Since Google Forms Workspace requires a Google Business Plan, you’ll also gain access to Google's other products as well as more data storage, wider video hosting options, and added security and management controls for your events.
Price: Plans range in price from $6 to $18 per month.
5. Splash
During my search, I learned that Splash was recently acquired by Cvent, but it’s still operating as an event marketing program for online, in-person, and hybrid events.
Splash allows you to:
- Design and customize responsive web pages and emails for your event.
- Share registration forms and RSVPs to support attendee signup.
- Create smart guest lists, targeting, and email marketing features to streamline event registration and promotion.
What the G2 score says: Splash has a G2 score of 4.4. Here’s what users think:
- Pros: Positive reviews say it’s a “user-friendly platform” that makes it “easy to create landing pages and registration forms.” They mention you “don’t have to be a designer or developer at all” to use it.
- Cons: Others say that the “website builder” and “some design aspects” are a bit limited, and the reporting features aren’t “exceptionally versatile.”
What I like most: To me, Splash appears to be the integration queen. You can use Splash with your marketing automation platform and CRM (hey there, HubSpot) to analyze event data and use it to inform your future campaigns and events.
Price: Try Splash for free, request a demo, or speak with a sales rep to learn about the right plan for your team.
6. Whova
Whova is an event management tool that comes with some pretty robust event registration features. I’m talking branded ticketing experiences, retargeting campaigns, and exhibitor or sponsor tiering.
Whova allows you to:
- Create tickets within minutes and customize your registration workflows.
- Offer discount pricing for early-bird or group ticket purchases) and different types of tickets (e.g., single vs. multi-day pass).
- Ask attendees questions about your event during registration (e.g., what made them want to attend or what they're most excited for).
- Receive early registration payouts to help cover your event expenses.
What the G2 score says: Whova has a G2 score of … drum roll, please … 4.8. Here’s what users think:
- Pros: Positive reviews say the platform “simplifies event management” and “solves the backup that occurs during initial event registration.” They mention it’s a “one-stop-shop” for events and a huge “time saver.”
- Cons: Others say they got “lost in the app” given the many features, and that Whova probably needs “a few more capture points for visitors” on registration.
What I like most: From what I’ve seen, this platform works hard for that high G2 score. From embeddable registration widgets to real-time attendee tracking, you can find just about anything you need to run your event from start to finish.
Price: Contact Whova directly for a quote.
7. Eventbrite
I’ve used Eventbrite to register for local meetups in Washington, DC, and niche fitness classes like puppy yoga. On the attendee side, it’s pretty easy to use for registration and to track my upcoming events.
On the event management side, Eventbrite allows you to set up your event registration in three easy steps:
- Enter your event details — the who, what, where, when, and why.
- Create your tickets and select the price or type (e.g., single vs. multi-day pass). You can also offer discounts for early-bird and group purchases.
- Open your registration and share the event via web page or social media.
What the G2 score says: Eventbrite has a G2 score of 4.3. Here’s what users think:
- Pros: 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 registration look and feel" using your own graphics and logos.
- Cons: This one actually comes from an event guru (my mom, again). She said it "doesn’t work well for large events" that require "more detailed attendee data and tracking options."
What I like most: The simple three-step setup seems like it would work great for smaller-scale events and newer event marketers. Plus, Eventbrite is recognizable. As a consumer, I trust the platform as a reliable source to find events near me.
Price: Eventbrite offers both free and paid plans. The Essentials and Professional plans are free if you host a free event. Eventbrite will only charge you when you sell a paid ticket.
8. vFairs
vFairs is another end-to-end event platform that helps you manage the entire event lifecycle. I looked through the software suite, and it includes check-in and badge printing software, virtual events software, event ticketing and registration software, and more.
vFairs allows you to:
- Create a branded event landing page to promote your event and capture registrations.
- Customize your registration forms through a self-serve, drag-and-drop module.
- Implement if/then conditions on the forms to personalize the data collected based on user selection.
- Securely collect payments through popular payment platforms like Stripe and PayPal.
What the G2 score says: vFairs has a G2 score of 4.7. Here’s what users think:
- Pros: Positive reviews say the platform is “extremely easy to use” and “incredibly user friendly” with little to no technical issues upon implementation.
- Cons: Others say the platform is robust, but “some features could benefit from more customization options.” And because it’s very comprehensive, it can be “confusing to navigate” at times.
What I like most: 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 when tools remove the manual aspects of my work and play well with others.
Price: Contact vFairs for a customized quote.
9. RSVPify
I poked around the RSVPify platform, and I can tell you it’s designed to handle events of all sizes — everything from casual events to enterprise and professional conferences.
RSVPify allows you to:
- Leverage customizable and responsive event registration and setup tools.
- Streamline ticket sales, collect donations, create custom event check-ins QR codes.
- Build 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. Here’s what users think:
- Pros: Positive reviews say the process for keeping track of guest details was “seamless and organized.” They mention the “modern interface” and say the platform provides a “simplified experience” for both admin and attendees.
- Cons: Others say there’s a “lack of customization for event emails and landing pages” and that added features like discount codes “weren’t easily accessible.”
What I like the most: It’s the versatility for me. Whether you need to host multiple marquee events simultaneously, an annual gala, or your wedding, RSVPify has a solution.
Price: There’s a free option available, and paid options range from $19/month (for personal events) to $39/month (for professional events).
10. Accelevents
In my opinion, Accelevents is a great option for events that require advanced coordination. It’s a complete solution with ticketing and registration features like assigned seating, pre-registration, and the ability to sell add-ons like merch or subscriptions.
Accelevents allows you to:
- Design a custom registration experience for in-person, virtual, or hybrid events.
- Create custom flows with conditional logic, attendee segmentation, embeddable widgets, and unique link tracking.
- Build custom API integrations or natively integrate with your CRM and marketing automation tools.
What the G2 score says: Accelevents has a G2 score of 4.7. Here’s what users think:
- Pros: Positive reviews speak volumes about their chat support, citing that customer service is “SO FAST” and “10 seconds away and always ready to help.” They also mention it has the “best value for overall features and customization.”
- Cons: Others say the mobile app was “a bit cumbersome” and they ran into a “few bugs“ and “minor issues” while using the platform.
What I like the most: I am a big, big fan of stellar customer service. As I looked through the reviews, I saw tons of compliments for the Accelevents support team, and I think that’s a huge win — especially for tech products.
Price: Contact Accelevents for a free trial and to schedule a demo.
RSVPs Made Easy (Well, At Least Easier)
My advice for picking event registration software is this: Think about the registration features you absolutely can’t live without, and find a tool that does them well.
Most of the tools out there (and on this list) are comprehensive, but some are better than others in certain areas. Do the research, and choose the right tool for your specific needs.
Meanwhile, I’ll be here rooting for the moment you can sit back and watch all of those hard-earned attendee sign-ups roll in.
Editor's note: This post was originally published in January 2021 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.
