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Why a conference/mobile event app is crucial for 2023
Many event marketers are planning in-person and hybrid events in 2023. But now attendees have had a taste of digital engagement, keeping energy high at onsite venues is a huge challenge.
A conference/mobile event app can help you tackle this challenge head-on.
With an estimated 6.6 billion smartphone users and digital native audiences on the rise, it’s crucial to invest in a mobile event app for conferences and events in 2023.
Your participants expect the convenience, benefits, and interactivity that event attendee apps give them. So it’s a great idea to use them at all types of events: in-person, hybrid, and even virtual event apps.
But to find the best mobile event app for conferences, they must have numerous features that connect in-person, hybrid, and virtual audiences. These include chat, messaging, personalized agendas, participant matching, and attendee and speaker profiles. And many integrations.
We’ve carried out extensive research to create the ultimate guide to the 25 best conference and mobile event apps that leading Fortune 500 companies are using at their events. Because we want to help you make your events a roaring success in 2023.
Find out which 13 corporate event trends are coming in 2023 and make your events stand out.
In this guide, we:
- Outline what event apps really are (we know that they can be referred to in countless ways – mobile conference apps, virtual event apps, event attendee apps – but they all mean the same thing).
- Explain how event apps can enhance your event experience.
- List the features every mobile event app should have.
- Give details about the best event apps for conferences and events in 2023.
What is a mobile event app?
A mobile event app gives both in-person and online attendees access to a conference’s important content. It could be keynote speeches, breakout sessions, and user profiles that allow them to participate in the event.
For hybrid events, conference apps can act as a supplemental tool to help onsite attendees network with other visitors. This includes sending messages and posting online. Plus, viewing agendas, looking up floor plans, receiving notifications and updates, and viewing on-demand content.
For those attending hybrid events online only or virtual events, event apps act as the venue space itself. In some cases, the app is where the entire event takes place when viewed on a mobile device, tablet, or computer.
The point of mobile event apps is to engage and bridge the gap between your in-person and online audience. With this form of mobile event management, both attendee types have access to the event’s important information and can network and interact with each other effectively.
Are you a life science company looking for the best event tech to help you run successful virtual and hybrid HCP events? Check out the 9 event platforms we recommend for 2023.
How to know when a mobile event app can enhance your event
Just about any event – in-person, virtual, or hybrid – can benefit from having one of the mobile event apps on the market.
Some physical venues can only hold a certain number of attendees. So, choosing a mobile event app that best suits your company is the perfect solution to increase attendee size. Thousands of people will be able to attend your events online, even if only a small number of people are in the physical space.
In-person conferences, concerts, seminars, trade shows, and summits can also benefit from having event apps. Often at these events, there are scheduling conflicts due to multiple speakers or artists performing at the same time, leaving attendees to pick and choose their agenda wisely.
Imagine the frustration of a conference-goer who walks across the entire convention center and then finds out the session they planned on attending has been rescheduled.
You can prevent these types of situations by simply using one of the several event apps capable of sending automatic updates. You can allow attendees a chance to update their agendas and keep up with real-time changes.
At any event where connection, communication, and networking are considered priorities, event apps can only enhance the experience and give attendees more chance for interaction.
Still exploring how you can benefit from hosting hybrid events? Check out our Hybrid Events Guide to learn why they are essential to your 2023 plan.
Features the best mobile event app must have for hybrid and in-person events
Whether your event will be fully virtual, or have an in-person component to make it hybrid, your event app should have these key features to make setting up and managing your event a breeze.
Interactive tools at all stages of an event that keep audiences engaged
Engaging audiences is top priority for a successful event. But it’s not just about keeping them intrigued during the event. The event lead-up to the event and follow-up are just as important.
By using conference and event apps as content libraries before an event, attendees can get informed about who your speakers are. Plus, they can get familiar with the agenda, read about the topics, and start interacting with each other using social feeds and one-to-one networking.
During the event, attendees can use event apps to react and ask questions live, which they may be less likely to do in person. After the event, those who participated can access all the content from the event on demand.
Looking for a quick and easy way to make your event available on demand? Try using SpotMe’s content hub.
Exceptional customer support especially for large enterprise events
When planning large-scale events, there’s a lot to think about. Learning how to set up and use event or conference mobile apps by yourself may feel overwhelming.
That is why the best event apps offer 24/7 customer support with fast response times (some less than 30 seconds). They also give personalized help organizing events during the run-up to the big day and assist with conducting them on the day itself to make sure everything goes as smooth as possible.
Insightful event analytics, platform integrations and high-level security
How do you evaluate how people feel after an in-person event? You could email them a survey. But it may get lost in the avalanche of emails they receive every day. Event apps that offer customer data tools to provide rich customer insights are the answer.
And to help you manage events along with all the other software and platforms you use for events and conferences, it’s crucial that event apps give you the possibility to integrate them. You may want to integrate Salesforce or Marketo with a conference app for example. Integration features are key in any mobile apps for conferences.
But how can you ensure all the data, especially that of customers, stays private and secure? It is vital that any mobile conference app you choose has the right IT security you need, even on an enterprise-level, so check for standards and certifications.
To find out about the integrations SpotMe’s event app has, go to our knowledge base.
Custom branding for hybrid event apps to clearly showcase your business
Your brand may have an instantly identifiable logo and color palette. But it’s much more than just a design scheme. Your brand is your business.
If you give the same attention to detail to designing your hybrid app for conferences as you do to any aspect of your website or social media page, you will reap the rewards. Your brand will stick in people’s minds.
The last thing your brand needs is an unattractive conference event app that in no way matches your in-person branding. You don’t want people wondering if they have the right conference app or who is actually running the event.
With custom branding for hybrid event apps, you can turn your app into a comprehensive tool that makes branding a crucial part of your overall event strategy. Both in-person and online.
Quick setup that doesn’t require a professional conference app developer
Templates can be a great starting point when it comes to creating hybrid event apps. And the best part is you don’t need any app development experience to use them to their potential.
Use preset customizable templates for items such as agendas and forms to set up your mobile conference app quickly and easily. Or take advantage of fully personalizable configurations to add, remove, or rearrange modules.
Most event apps allow you to edit templates so they clearly reflect your brand identity and some go a step further allowing you to target specific menu options to participants to create hyper-personalized event experiences.
Social media-like layout and interface
A social media-like feed can make attendees feel welcome and comfortable, as the layout and interface will feel familiar to them.
So, those attending events from home will already understand how to participate in your event on their mobile or tablet. And those attending in-person will already be in the habit of regularly checking their phones.
The feed serves as a dynamic, interactive stream of both organizer- and user-generated posts that attendees can like, comment on, and reply to, just like on Facebook and LinkedIn. This boosts engagement and participant collaboration.
Convenient calendar functionality
Calendars on event apps offer value-added convenience. They help attendees keep everything in one place, rather than having to continually switch between programs to schedule meetings and to view agendas.
This is especially important for hybrid events that can span several days. If people plan to attend some sessions in-person and others virtually, keeping track of everything on one central hub is crucial.
A chat function that feels as fluid as texting or instant messaging
Chat features, whether for private one-to-one or group chats are ideal for encouraging meaningful engagement and attendee networking.
Both audience types will regularly be checking the event app using their mobile or tablet, so communication can happen freely and naturally to facilitate networking for all your attendees,no matter where they are. With robust event apps, you can even take advantage of matchmaking features to host stronger networking and knowledge sharing opportunities.
Unparalleled user experience (UX) layouts for different event types
User experience is so much more than whether a mobile conference app is easy to use or not. It’s all about how users feel when using particular products or, in this case, event apps.
Think about how you want your users to feel. Do you want them to be overwhelmed and confused by your conference app and the information presented to them? Or do you want them to have a frictionless experience and come back to your conferences in the future?
The best hybrid conference and event apps worth using will offer optimized UX no matter what event type you are organizing and building.
Looking for additional event app functions? Check out more Event App Features Your Audience is Hungry For
Top 25 conference and mobile event apps in 2023
#1) SpotMe
SpotMe is an intuitive virtual and hybrid event app that supports attendee engagement and networking. Our intuitive interface is modeled after popular social media platforms, which makes attending a hybrid event as easy as browsing your favorite social media sites.
Key SpotMe event app features include:
- Custom branding Agendas
- Event analytics
- Software integrations
- Enterprise-level security
- Q&As
- Surveys
- 24/7 customer support
- Social media-like interface
- Video streaming
- Breakout rooms
- Networking options
SpotMe combines calendar and agenda features for maximum organization, and attendees can view sessions per day or event.
Our mobile conference and event app is also quick to assemble, allowing you to create an app in less than five minutes. Once created, you can integrate the event app with your registration system and send event invitations, reminders, and follow-ups.
#2) Whova
Whova’s is one of the hybrid event apps that centers around helping attendees customize their experience around personal preferences. Event attendees can log into their app before their event so that they can get a headstart on networking, one of the most important aspects of attending an event.
Whova’s app features plenty of interactivity options, so those sitting in the crowd at the venue can participate with their speakers, just like those who are attending at home.
The conference app also lets users select and participate in panels or sessions of their choosing.
Key Whova event and conference app features include:
- Attendee bios with social profile links
- Effortless setup and branding
- Mobile agendas
- Interactive maps
- Document sharing
- Push notifications
Whova’s hybrid event app also lets users take notes, access agendas, and share documents, and is also available in an offline mode, if reception in the building is spotty.
Watch our in-depth review of Whova’s virtual event and conference app here:
#3) Airmeet
Airmeet’s mobile event app is the world’s first Event Experience Cloud (EXC). Built to connect people from anywhere, it supports all types of event formats.
Airmeet’s simple and attractive event app interface includes:
- Event registration
- Live chat
- Analytics & reports
- Speaker access & control
- Virtual lobby
- Digital agendas
- 1:1 networking
Airmeet’s event app includes an auto-notification feature that helps you remind participants about upcoming events and sessions.
- G2 Score: 4.6 (552 reviews)
- Capterra Score: 4.4 (176 reviews)
#4) Bizzabo
Bizzabo offers a single event app for in-person, virtual, and hybrid events.
Bizzabo’s event and conference app is known for its ease of use and feature options. It is widely used for trade shows and larger meetings. The app offers extensive customizable branding options, too.
Key Bizzabo features include:
- Event creation
- User registration process
- Payment processing
- Mobile check-in
- Agendas and schedules
Bizzabo’s mobile conference app integrates with LinkedIn to help enrich attendee’s user profiles and make networking with other attendees simpler and easier than ever before.
#5) PheedLoop
PheedLoop is among the full-featured hybrid event apps that become live as soon as the hosts start their event, allowing attendees to begin networking right away.
Key PheedLoop event app features include:
- Live streaming
- Sales optimized registration/ticketing
- Surveys
- Gamification
- Monetization systems
For those visiting in-person, the event and conference app features a scanner to allow conference-goers to scan each other’s badges, check-in and out of sessions, and engage in scavenger hunts.
#6) Pathable
Pathable’s hybrid event app helps event organizers engage attendees before the event’s date, during, and after the event, all while offering real-time data metrics.
Key Pathable event app features include:
- Private chat and community forums
- Personalized agendas
- Attendee profiles
- Live and post-event polls and surveys
Pathable is one of the event apps that offers both an “export to my calendar” option, as well as a conference calendar, in addition to agenda options.
Attendees can use the intuitive interface to build personal schedules and network through live chats and video conversations, either in-person or at home.
#7) EventBase
EventBase offers an award-winning UX and customizable options with its digital and hybrid event app.
Key EventBase event app features include:
- Attendee engagement
- Revenue generation tools
- Full-screen commercials
- Branded placements
EventBase also allows attendees to export events to personal calendars to support attendance.
The highly scalable app offers advanced customization branding options such as fonts and themes. Engagement tools include gamification, live polls, chat, and Q&As.
#8) Guidebook
Guidebook uses a highly intuitive, drag-and-drop interface to allow users to create event apps without prior coding or design skills. Their website also includes a helpful toolkit to assist planners in creating a hybrid event that can truly satisfy both audiences.
Key features include:
- Social media promotion
- Attendee and speaker management
- Ticketing
- Gamification
- Surveys and feedback
- Reporting analytics
- Event calendar
Guidebook is suitable for events of all sizes, mobile-friendly, and works on Android and iOS.
#9) Evenium ConnexMe
The Evenium ConnexMe is an in-person, online, and hybrid event app that helps organizers encourage networking and engage attendees through various tools.
Key Evenium ConnexMe event app features include:
- Customizable agendas
- Polls and surveys
- Interactive maps
- Push notifications
- Branding options
- Attendee profiles (including social media sync)
Evenium ConnexMe is among the event apps that are ideal for event organizers looking to build meaningful relationships regardless of audience size.
#10) Eventee
Eventee can be classed as one of the mobile and desktop hybrid conference and event apps.
Unlike other examples on this list, Eventee allows event planners a chance to create a free event in under 10 minutes. This free event is limited to one event per year under 100 attendees. For those looking for more features, Eventee offers several paid tiers.
For event planners looking to try out new event apps without any commitment, Eventee offers them a commitment free trial.
Key Eventee’s conference app features include:
- Live streaming, by integrating with Vimeo or YouTube
- Pre-recorded on-demand content, linking to Vimeo or YouTube videos
- Integrations with Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Google Meets
- Custom branding
While Eventee doesn’t have as many built-in features like others on this list, it offers plenty of integrations to connect with existing platforms.
#11) Hopin
Hopin is one of the mobile event apps that promises to make your event about the people, not the physical place. The app features a unique ticketing system that creates different pricing tiers, depending on whether your attendees visit in-person or online.
For event planners, Hopin’s event app offers:
- Real-time analytics and reports
- Team communication channels
- Audience questions
- Attendee profiles
Just like the desktop version of Hopin, the mobile conference app will automatically match attendees who you can connect with through their phone, allowing those in-person to network with those at home.
#12) Swapcard
Swapcard’s event app is boasted as the world’s first end-to-end community, hybrid and virtual event app that’s powered by AI.
Its app features all the built-in features you’d expect from robust hybrid event apps:
- Registration
- Advanced live streaming
- Virtual roundtables
- Polls
- Surveys
- Chat
- Matchmaking
Swapcard’s use of artificial intelligence and machine learning strives to improve event planners ROI and create deeper user satisfaction within the mobile conference app.
#13) Accevelents
Accevelents is among the all-in-one virtual event apps that are very easy to use and offers robust features that allow event planners to create truly authentic event experiences for all attendees.
Key Accelevents event app features include:
- Ticketing/Registration
- Live chat and polling
- Live keynote sessions and recordings
- Virtual exhibitor booths
- AI powered networking
- Gamification
Accelevents gives participants the opportunity to interact and engage in events and is all about making sure they remember your events through the power of event technology.
#14) Eventmobi
Eventmobi is a customizable conference app that can be adapted to any kind of event, no matter the size. Its high level of and gamification make events fun and stand out from the crowd.
Key Eventmobi conference app features include:
- Registration
- Networking
- Gamification
- Polls and surveys
- Appointment booking
Eventmobi’s conference app will amp up attendee engagement through interactive elements such as challenge and reward activities.
#15) Webex Events (formerly Socio)
Although most commonly known as a conference app, Webex Events can also be used an as event app and a trade show app. Its high-level engagement tools help business drive better results at virtual, in-person and hybrid events.
Key Webex Events conference app features include:
- Live streaming
- Networking
- 1:1 video meetings
- Gamification
- Banner ads
- Video rooms
- Post-event metrics
Webex Events gives attendees the opportunity to connect efficiently, making networking one of this conference app’s strong points.
#16) Stova (formerly Aventri)
Stova is one of those event apps that you can use to organize any type of event. It will create a mobile event app tailored to your needs, whether you are looking for a conference app, a tradeshow app or an app for educational events.
Key Stova event app features include:
- 1:1 video messaging
- Registration
- Q&A
- Polls
- Gamification
- Event data
Stova is one of the event apps suitable for a wide range of industries thanks to its fully customizable features and the high level of attendee activity before, during and after a virtual or hybrid event.
#17) Hubilo
Hubilo is a virtual and hybrid event app that centralizes around attendee engagement and top-notch user experience.
Key Hubilo features include:
- Analytics
- Ticketing
- Broadcasting studio
- Custom branding
- In-session audience engagement
Hubilo’s frictionless interface make it one of the event apps that both event planners and attendees can navigate easily. Hubilo also has a dedicated support team to assist whenever it is needed.
#18) BigMarker
BigMarker’s event app combines powerful webinar technology with marketing experience capabilities to deliver unique, branded events to your attendees.
Key BigMarker event app features include:
- Analytics
- Ticketing
- Broadcasting studio
- Custom branding
- In-session audience engagement
BigMarker offers you a range of integrations you can use to create interactive webinars, hybrid and virtual events on its event app.
#19) 6Connex
6Connex is among the all-in-one event apps with a wide range of features to help event planners organize and deliver in-person, hybrid and virtual events
Key 6Connex event app features include:
- Ticketing and registration
- Event promotion
- Video and webcasting
- Reporting and analytics
- On-demand content
With the 6Connex event app, event marketers can run either one-off or recurring events that have enterprise-level security, numerous integrations and actionable insights.
#20) Certain Touchpoint
Certain Touchpoint’s mobile conference app is integrated with the Certain Platform to give you all attendee access, updates and communication during your events in one place.
Key Certain Touchpoint conference app features include:
- Event venues and local points of interest
- Event feedback
- Live polling and surveys
- Q&A sessions
- Personal event agendas
A good end-to-end conference app with interesting engagement features, Certain Touchpoint also gives you the chance to hold personalized post-event follow-ups.
#21) Cvent Attendee Hub (formerly CrowdCompass)
Cvent Attendee Hub uses a variety of features to give attendees a great event experience, whether they’re attending in-person or online.
Key Cvent Attendee Hub event app features include:
- Personalized bookmarks and notifications
- Interactive maps (for those attending in-person)
- Quick photo sharing
- Surveys
- Posts
- Networking
- Q&As
Attendees, no matter how they’re attending, can access all event options using a single app.
Interactive polling, push notifications, social sharing, and customized branding help event organizers increase attendee engagement to maximize ROI.
#22) InEvent
The InEvent mobile app is all about creating a centralized communications hub to hugely boost engagement with in-person and virtual attendees.
Key InEvent mobile app features include:
- Agenda
- Notifications
- Speaker information
- File upload
- Event map
- Social network integration
- Chat
The InEvent mobile app also has many features to keep participants engaged at your events, such as surveys, Q&A, polls, forums, and gamification.
#23) Hubb
Hubb is a dynamic virtual, in-person and hybrid event and conference app. Its 3D experience with avatars and virtual rooms give your attendees a completely immersive experience from the comfort of their own homes.
Key Hubb event and conference app features include:
- Customizable templates
- Video content
- Version control
- Staff and volunteer scheduling
- Speaker management
Event planners can manage the entire conference lifecycle with this engaging conference app and make their attendees feel like they are really there.
#24) BusyConf
BusyConf is a simple conference app that is perfect for first-time event planners. It provides the vital tools you need to host an event.
Key BusyConf conference app features include:
- Registration
- Speaker and abstract management
- Mobile conference schedules
Although BusyConf’s mobile app for conferences has limited features, it means it is extremely easy to use from the very start and has everything event planners need to manage a small event.
#25) Aidaio
Aidaio’s mobile event app builder allows event marketers to set up event apps quickly and easily using a drag-and-drop app builder. So, even those without any coding experience can implement it.
Key Aidaio event app features include:
- Personalized agendas and itineraries
- Push notifications
- Leaderboard
- Live polls, contests and quizzes
- Social media integration
- Lead retrieval
Aidaio event app’s high level of adaptability means that you can choose from a selection of 80+ features that best suit your particular event and build it yourself, with the help of a 24/7 support team.
Turn your event into an experience with the right mobile event app
With SpotMe, you can build end-to-end hybrid event apps that boost your brand throughout the entire event experience. Plus, you can easily bring your in-person and online audiences together.
No matter if your display is in-person or online, your branding should always be consistent. Select your colors, add banners, move menu icons around, and customize features to create your hybrid event in a matter of minutes.
No other event apps offer the same level of hyper-personalization. But branding is just the beginning of audience engagement.
With SpotMe, go beyond branding and build a genuinely engaged audience before, during, and after your events. Bring your events to life with SpotMe’s intuitive, interactive features that unite your audiences wherever they are — in-person or watching online.
Why not request a demo with an event technology expert today and see for yourself just how easy organizing, setting up, and running a large-scale event is with SpotMe’s event app?
Looking for an event platform to pair with your mobile event app in 2023?
Check out the following guides to help you find the best event platform for you in 2023:
