Efficient onsite event badge printing software is essential for a seamless check-in experience for your attendees. With so many options on the market, determining the best solution for your needs can feel overwhelming.
You want a solution that is easy to set up and use, affordable, produces high-quality, customized badges, and integrates with your event management software and CRM. All while being robust enough to withstand internet and electrical hiccups on the event day.
Look no further. With 23+ years of hands-on experience in onsite events, we’ve developed an in-depth understanding of the benefits and essential features of onsite event badge printing software.
Read on for a curated list of the top 15 onsite event badge printing solutions designed to elevate your attendee experience while sparing you stress and unnecessary expense.
What Is Onsite Event Badge Printing Software?
Onsite event badge printing software allows you to design and print attendee badges at your venue. Rather than pre-printing all badges in advance, you can print them on-demand to save time, reduce costs, and be more environmentally friendly. Onsite event badge printing software is compatible with design software, badge printers, scanners, and some integrate seamlessly with your in-person event management platform.
Before your event, your attendees receive a QR code generated specifically for them both in their mobile event app and via email. When they arrive at your event, instant onsite event badge printing then works in one of three ways:
#1 Self-Check-In Kiosk
There is a self-service kiosk that is usually an iPad connected to a printer that has a scanning mechanism. An attendee approaches the kiosk and scans their QR code from their mobile event app or event email. Or they manually enter their name on the iPad screen. The printer then prints their personalized badge with their information, such as name, position, company, and QR code. The whole process takes about 5 seconds. Instant kiosk onsite badge printing is better for large-scale events where there is a large number of attendees checking in at the same time.
#2 Host Check-In
There is a group of hosts positioned at the venue entrance who have a dedicated interface that they have been trained on beforehand. They scan an attendee’s QR code from their mobile event app or email and print their badges. Hosts can scan, on average, 5–10 attendees per minute, and all attendance is tracked. This is the preferred method when VIPs are attending your event.
#3 VIP Check-In
With VIPs attending your event, you will want to give them that special VIP experience and assist them throughout check-in. That means you probably don’t want them to have to use self-service check-in but would prefer for them to approach a special VIP service desk or reception. Event hosts can then either scan them in using their QR code on their mobile app or email, or they can just take the VIP’s first and last name and ask for their ID as authentication. The event hosts can provide the VIPs with special pre-printed badges.
“With SpotMe, the flow for sustainable onsite badge printing software is very simple. When an attendee walks into the venue, we usually recommend having a huge sign with the QR code that allows them to download the SpotMe mobile event app just in case somebody didn’t download it beforehand. The host event staff then scan the attendees in one by one using either the QR code that’s on their app or in their email invite or the attendee checks themself in at the kiosk.
There are then 2 scenarios.
Scenario 1: If the attendee is on the participant list and everything else goes well, the attendee’s status will be updated and they can go and enjoy the event. They can use their printed badge throughout the event to access different sessions and for networking purposes.
Scenario 2: If there is somebody that didn’t register for the event, aka a “walk-in” or somebody who is attending in another person’s place, then of course scanning them in isn’t possible as they don’t exist on the participant list. So, in this case, the attendee has to go to the exception/support desk and ask to be added to the list or switched with a pre-registered user. If the event hosts confirms it is all OK according to the event rules, they can add them to the participant list and scan them in from there. If not, they can decline the attendee entry.”
With the proper planning and equipment, onsite event badge printing software enables you to print professional-looking, customized badges at your event for an optimal attendee experience.
Onsite Event Badge Printing Software Trends
In this digital era, where it’s tempting to think that technology can replace every physical element at events, the value of tactile, onsite interactions remains significant. Event badges serve as a compelling example of this enduring relevance.
“Even though everything is software and digital, the physical badge isn’t going away. The difficulty of being able to quickly pull out your phone, open the app, go to a session or go to your profile to find our QR code to get scanned is very cumbersome compared to a physical badge that can be scanned quickly. Some technologies are trying to get rid of physical event elements but that’s just not necessary.”
This may be one of the reasons why 59% of event management platforms support onsite event badge printing (Skift Meetings). But not all of these platforms provide the sustainable and cost-effective solutions that event organizers seek.
“We hear more and more customers complaining about the cost of and sustainability issues with plastic badge holders. They want to get rid of them because of the issues with the plastic holders creating a lot of waste because they are not fully recyclable. But also because of the increasing prices.”
This growing trend towards sustainability in event management also seems to be highlighted by the higher adoption of on-demand, onsite badge printing. This eco-friendly approach significantly reduces waste, as badges are printed only for present attendees, thereby eliminating excess materials for no-shows. It’s a conscious move that not only minimizes environmental impact but also aligns with the values of responsible event planning.
Yet, the shift toward on-demand, onsite event badge printing isn’t solely motivated by sustainability considerations, particularly in high-touch industries.
“We offer onsite event badge printing for a lot of reasons, one of which is to follow GDPR principles, and compliance and privacy regulations – an aspect that is key for us at SpotMe given that our customer database mostly contains companies from high-touch industries, such as life sciences and pharmaceuticals. These industries prefer on-the-spot badge printing to pre-printing badges because they don’t want HCPs’ information to be lying around at the venue. And by having this badge printing process onsite, it is easy to to meet any other compliance rules for your HCPs like collecting their signature and additional consent.”
By implementing specialized onsite event badge printing software, you ensure a streamlined experience for your attendees and staff. While the initial cost seems higher, the benefits to your event operations and bottom line make the investment worthwhile. The right software pays for itself through saved time, reduced waste, and improved event quality. Let’s take a closer look at the advantages.
Benefits Of Onsite Event Badge Printing Software
Onsite event badge printing software offers several key benefits for event organizers and attendees.
Speed & Efficiency
Badges are printed only as needed, reducing waste. You also save time organizing and distributing batches of pre-printed badges. Purpose-built software is optimized for high-volume badge printing, saving valuable time during the event. And by using self-service onsite badge printing kiosks, you save not only the event staff’s time but also attendees’ time as it’s faster for them to check in this way and prevents long queues.
Data Integration
The right onsite event badge printing software integrates with your event registration software, pulling attendee data automatically into your event management platform and CRM. This avoids manual re-entry of information and reduces human error.
Reporting & Analytics
Track event and session attendance and gain insights into attendee traffic with built-in reporting and analytics. See who attended which sessions or events and use the data to improve future events.
Cost Effective
Printing badges onsite eliminates shipping costs associated with pre-printing and mailing badges to attendees in advance of the event. Bulk supplies can be purchased at a lower cost, and unused badges do not go to waste. It is also much more cost-effective to have self-service onsite badge printing kiosks than having to pay the staffing costs of the traditional setup with hosts that have to sit at a check-in desk throughout your whole event. Although dedicated event badge printing software requires an upfront investment, it can save you money in the long run through increased efficiency, reduced waste, and improved attendee experience.
Environmentally Friendly
By printing only the number of badges needed onsite and not pre-printing unnecessary amounts, less paper and supplies are used overall. Unused pre-printed badges often end up in landfills, whereas onsite printing produces only minimal waste. Many systems now offer the option to print badges on recycled paper for an even more sustainable solution, and some solutions are trying to reduce the use of plastic even more by getting rid of traditional plastic badge holders.
Improved Security
Onsite badge printing software allows for tighter control over badge access. Badges can be printed only for registered attendees who check in onsite, reducing the risk of unused pre-printed badges falling into the wrong hands. Badge QR codes synchronized with the event registration database provide an additional layer of security for controlling access to restricted event areas. This is particularly important for life science and pharmaceutical events where compliance is a top priority.
Flexibility
Onsite badge printing software integrates directly with most event registration platforms, automatically pulling attendee data in real time as people check in onsite. Last-minute changes to attendee information, such as a name correction or updated company affiliation, attendee additions, or cancellations can be made easily until the badge is printed. Onsite printers are also portable, so badge printing stations can be set up wherever they are most convenient for the event flow.
Customization
You can customize badge templates to match your event branding with logos, color schemes, and more. Add barcodes and QR codes to enable advanced access control.
Improved Attendee Experience
With easy-to-use onsite badge printing software, attendees have a smooth, streamlined experience from the moment they arrive at the venue. With customized badges, it is easy for attendees to network safely in a professional environment by scanning each other’s QR codes on their mobile event apps.
In summary, onsite event badge printing software offers event planners a customizable, environmentally-friendly solution for efficiently producing professional conference badges at a lower cost while prioritizing security. By printing badges on demand, event organizers gain flexibility and minimize waste. For attendees, onsite badge printing means a quicker, more streamlined check-in experience.
Key Features To Look For In Onsite Event Badge Printing Software
When evaluating event badge printing software options, several key features are essential to efficiently design, print, and manage attendee badges:
Branding, Design & Templates
Look for event badge printing software that offers a user-friendly badge designer with pre-made templates as well as the ability to fully customize your own designs. The software should have tools to easily add text, logos, photos, barcodes, and QR codes. For a professional look, options for different badge sizes and types are important.
Pro tip: Some onsite event badge printing software vendors like SpotMe have their own design teams that can design your badge based on your requests, so there is no need for you to learn how to use any design software.
Double-sided printing
How many times have you seen someone with a one-sided badge flipped over or twisted so you can’t see even see it? Make sure the onsite event badge printing software prints the same thing on both sides of the badge so that if it does happen to flip or twist, it doesn’t matter.
Offline Capability & External Power Supply
“We’ve witnessed all the technical issues happen at onsite events, from WiFi dropping to electricity cutting out, especially at large events where bandwidth congestion is common. And the last thing you want is an enormous queue forming while the IT technicians try to fix things. That’s why it’s key to use an event badge printing solution like SpotMe that has its own external power supply and router. It’s just fewer things to have to worry about.”
Attendee Look-Up By Code Or Name
With event apps extremely popular, most attendees like the experience of getting out their own QR code and scanning it to print their badge. However, some prefer not to download a mobile app. For those attendees, it’s key for them to check in and print their badges using their names.
Reprinting Of Lost/Damaged Badges
From time to time, participants may lose or damage their badges. Ensure your onsite event badge printing software can reprint lost or damaged badges quickly. This saves valuable time and provides participants with a white-glove experience.
Integrations
Some event management platforms like SpotMe provide onsite event badging software and hardware as part of their event solutions package. All the software is fully integrated, so you can easily track attendance and walk-ins and store all the data in your CRM. We highly recommend using a fully integrated solution instead of a combination of clunky event technology to prevent the loss of valuable data due to technical or manual errors.
“Event organizers are tired of having yet another software, another component, another person to work with. Essentially having disparate solutions. That’s when they turn to SpotMe.”
Technical Support
Setting up and managing the onsite event badge printing software and hardware on top of all the other things to think about when you’re hosting an event can be overwhelming. That’s why it’s better to source a solution that offers professional support services too. Solutions like SpotMe send specialized staff to your venue to set everything up for you, saving you hours of time and staffing costs.
Fast Print Speed
For onsite event check-in to be as smooth as possible and to prevent attendees from having to wait in line, it’s crucial that your onsite event badge printing software and hardware can print badges quickly. Of course, it depends on the setup, the printers, and the badge type, but using a solution like SpotMe that can print between 200 and 700 badges per minute will ensure an efficient check-in process.
The Ability To Print Additional Items
It’s all well and good being able to print customizable badges. But what do you do with them once you print them? The ability to print additional items like lanyards, holders, or event passes is a bonus feature of an onsite event badge printing solution.
When hosting an event, efficient onsite event badge printing helps to give attendees a positive experience from start to finish. Powerful, user-friendly onsite event badge printing software with customization options, robust printing functionality, and advanced management features is essential for any event planner. By investing in software with these key attributes, you’ll be able to professionally design, print, and manage attendee badges with ease.
How To Choose The Best Onsite Event Badge Printing Software
With many different options available, it can be difficult to choose the best onsite event badging software that will make your and your attendees’ lives easier at event check-in.
Here are some key things to consider when choosing onsite event badging software:
Compatibility
Ensure the software is compatible with your existing registration system or event management platform. It should easily integrate with your CRM to import attendee names, details, and other valuable data in real time.
Pro tip: Unfortunately, many onsite event badge printing software vendors claim their solution integrates with third-party systems. However, you need many different platforms for them to work effectively together. Solving technical issues that can occur is not easy. Some event technology vendors like SpotMe offer a fully integrated, end-to-end experience, so there is no need to cobble together several incompatible solutions; you only need one.
Template Selection
Look for a variety of professional badge templates to choose from. The onsite event badge printing software should offer options for different badge sizes and vertical or horizontal orientations and include fields for logos, QR codes, and attendee details.
Customization
The onsite event badge printing software should fully customize your event badges. You’ll want options to add your event logo and color theme, specify what data appears on the badges, and determine badge size and orientation. Not only that, but some vendors like SpotMe also offer the possibility to customize the badge printing kiosk so that you can make the most of every brand awareness opportunity.
Pro tip: Designing badges is another task to add to all the other tasks you do as an event planner. Look for a solution that offers various templates and then designs your badges. It will save you valuable time.
Pricing
Onsite event badge printing software is available at a range of price points. Consider how many events you host annually, your expected attendance, and your budget to determine the right solution for your needs. Some vendors charge per badge printed in addition to software licensing fees, and others charge for the onsite support they provide, so bear that in mind when making your choice.
Easy Setup & Onsite Support
For successful onsite badge printing software implementation, it’s crucial to conduct testing in advance, have adequate technical support, and consider backup options in case of technical difficulties. But this can be stressful and time-consuming. Look for a vendor that sets up the onsite badge printing for you and will help if any technical issues arise.
Here’s how it works with SpotMe’s onsite badge printing solution:
“You receive a box wherever you are in the world that contains everything you need to set up a kiosk – an iPad stand (that can be branded), a WiFi router, a network switch, cables, adapters, and the Zebra printer. We always send at least two printers, so you have a back-up solution onsite. (Of course if you’re hosting a large event, you may need more. But we don’t just leave you to set up everything by yourself. We send an experienced SpotMe professional who will set it all up for you, test it out, and be on hand to help with any technical issues. Then, all you have to do is put it all back in the box, stick on the return shipping voucher, and UPS will come along and pick it up for you.”
By evaluating these key factors, you can choose onsite event badge printing software tailored to your specific needs and budget. The right solution will help you design professional, secure badges and streamline the onsite printing and check-in process.
How We Selected The Best Onsite Event Badge Printing Software
Want to know how we put together our list of the 13 best onsite event badge printing software? Here are the criteria we based it on:
- Features: We looked for onsite event badge printing software with the most sought-after features listed above.
- Capabilities: As well as features, event badge printing software should offer other services besides the platform, such as event technology services and support.
- Customer reviews: We’ve explored the review sites G2 and Capterra to see what users say about the event badge printing software.
- Independent research firm reports: We’ve read reports created by independent research firms about the best event technology.
- Event technologist opinions: We’ve spoken to numerous event technologists and listened to their views on different event badge printing software.
Why You Can Trust SpotMe With These Reviews
We have been in the event technology industry for over 20 years. During that time, we have helped our enterprise customers run thousands of events with our event software that welcomes 500,000+ attendees each month. We have worked with 200+ event production, event management, and medical communications agencies to help our customers deliver engaging events that have resulted in 10,000,000+ customer relationships. And thanks to our long list of integrations, we work with various technology providers every day.
Find out more about SpotMe on our about us page.
The Best Onsite Event Badge Printing Software
Disclaimer: The order in which we have listed the best onsite event badge printing software is subjective and based on our team’s personal assessment, as well as the number and quality of G2 and Capterra reviews.
SpotMe
Named a Leader in The Forrester Wave™: B2B Event Management Technology, Q1 2023 report and a Market Leader in Research In Action’s Vendor Selection Matrix™ Report – Marketing Event Management: The Top Global Vendors 2023.
SpotMe is an end-to-end event technology solution that offers everything you need to create smooth, stress-free events you and your participants will love. Its cutting-edge onsite event badge printing software is an integral part of a holistic event platform that works in harmony with its interactive mobile event app. This technology synchronizes effortlessly with your CRM – be it Veeva, Salesforce, or others – making event management easy from start to finish.
When SpotMe says ‘stress-free’, it means it. With its robust hardware, underpinned by external power supplies and full wiring, electrical snags and internet glitches are no longer issues. No venue is too big or challenging for them to handle.
Plus, you don’t have to lift a finger for event setup. With an experienced SpotMe professional personally present at your event, you can redirect the time and budget typically spent on staff training toward enhancing other aspects of your event. SpotMe is not just a technology vendor but also your partner, always at your service to troubleshoot any possible hiccup.
Bid farewell to the long badge waiting lines that test the patience of your participants. Select from a range of self-service, host, and/or VIP badge-printing kiosks to print personalized badges instantly. Elevate the attendee experience to new heights while setting a sophisticated, efficient tone.
SpotMe Key Event Badge Printing Features
- Customized, fully branded badges & kiosks
- Fast QR code scanning
- Offline capability & external power supply
- Exception handling & walk-ins
- Session-based attendance tracking
- Dedicated scanning interface for event staff
- Training & onsite support
SpotMe Reviews
Cvent
Named a Leader in The Forrester Wave™: B2B Event Management Technology, Q1 2023 report and a Market Leader in Research In Action’s Vendor Selection Matrix™ Report – Marketing Event Management: The Top Global Vendors 2023.
Cvent’s onsite event badge printing software works alongside its event check-in app ‘OnArrival’. Turn your iPads into secure, standalone badge printing systems where guests can register, check in, and preview, edit, or print their own name badges when they arrive onsite at your event venue.
Cvent Reviews
Webex Events
Webex Events helps to simplify onsite event management with its single-packaged solution for your software, hardware, and onsite support badge printing needs. It helps you determine your badging equipment needs before shipping everything to your event venue.
Webex Events Reviews
Accelevents
Accelevents has a very easy and powerful event badge designer. With custom fields, QR codes, and sponsorship placements, you can customize your event badges quickly and easily. Its badge printing system works seamlessly with its event registration module. Plus, you can print event badges for attendees on demand using the mobile app, or attendees can check in themselves using the self-service kiosks.
Accelevents Reviews
Eventleaf
Eventleaf lets you print event badges in advance or onsite on event day using its check-in app and compatible wireless printers. You can design your event badges in advance with logo, attendee information, QR codes, etc., using Eventleaf’s online event management platform.
Eventleaf reviews
Eventmobi
Eventmobi offers a drag-and-drop badge designer that any event organizer can use to customize their event badges. It also provides a wide range of templates to help save you time during the badge design process. With custom-branded totem kiosks, table-top check-in stations, or self-check-in kiosks, you can provide the personalized experience audiences want.
Eventmobi Reviews
Eventbrite
Eventbrite has a badge printing app and online ticketing platform for large events such as concerts, festivals, conferences, and exhibitions. You can create badges of different sizes and then create a PDF that’s easy to print. It also has the option to print individual or batch-wise badges.
Eventbrite Reviews
Eventzilla
Eventzilla’s onsite event badge printing software allows you to add specific details to name badges. From logos, QR codes, and your event’s title to important attendee information such as names and contact details. Its app also enables you to print on demand if attendance increases on the day of your event.
Eventzilla Reviews
Nunify
Nunify’s onsite event badge printing solution can be used offline, meaning there is no risk of issues if the internet connection fails. You can easily design your badges using visual badge designer software. Nunify works with Zebra printers but supports other printers with apple air-print integration.
Nunify Reviews
Stova
Named a Strong Performer in The Forrester Wave™: B2B Event Management Technology, Q1 2023 report.
Stova has an onsite event badge printing solution that fully integrates with Stova Registration and can integrate easily with other registration providers, meaning badges always reflect the most recent, accurate information. It offers portable check-in carts that can be set up anywhere, allowing attendees to check in and get their badges immediately.
Stova Reviews
Eventdex
Eventdex delivers a seamless badge printing experience for attendees with Zebra and Brother label Printers with ZD & GK Series. Its onsite event badge printing software integrates with its event check-in app and registration software to allow for easy onsite event management.
Eventdex Reviews
Agorify
Agorify’s onsite event badge printing software helps you to easily automate the check-in and badge handling process by allowing attendees to check in and automatically print their event badge by themselves. Its solution integrates with its event app, attendee networking, lead retrieval, ticketing, and attendee management.
Agorify Reviews
Fielddrive
Fielddrive offers fast onsite event badge printing, taking just 5 seconds to print each badge. As well as scanning QR codes, it also has the option to use face recognition technology to personalize the experience and reduce the time even further.
- G2 Score: No reviews
- Capterra Score: No reviews
Why SpotMe Is The Best Onsite Event Badge Printing Software
When it comes to delivering a successful onsite event, first impressions count. SpotMe helps companies in high-touch industries to make a great first impression with unparalleled onsite event badge printing software, hardware, and services.
Here’s why SpotMe is the best onsite event badge printing software:
One End-To-End Platform
A significant 82% of event planners rely on 2 to 5 different tools to manage their onsite events, and one common tool is onsite event badge printing software. However, this fragmented approach can lead to compatibility and integration challenges, adding unnecessary stress and consuming valuable time. Unlike standalone badge printing solutions, SpotMe is an end-to-end event technology provider, streamlining event management, audience engagement, and data collection. This unified platform eliminates the hassle of juggling multiple tools and resolves third-party compatibility issues.
“The entire attendee journey happens in one environment. Registration is attached to our web and mobile app, so there’s no need to sync or integrate anything. The onsite event badge printing solution uses the same attendee database. Even if people arrive at your event late, everything is synchronized in one place. Competitors’ solutions have at least three separate apps to do all of this. You could have one application with one data set for registration, a different one for onsite check-in, and a separate app for engagement. Some are integrated and synchronized but some not. But the biggest problem we hear is that synchronization can sometimes fail. With SpotMe, there is no issue.”
Take No Risks
Navigating a WiFi-saturated environment during event check-in can be a logistical nightmare if you depend on wireless badge printing solutions. SpotMe sidesteps this challenge with its fully wired infrastructure, ensuring that slow internet or lack of cloud access won’t bottleneck your check-in process. Furthermore, unexpected power outages won’t disrupt your flow; SpotMe’s badge printing hardware comes equipped with an Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS), allowing for seamless attendee check-in, regardless of the circumstances.
SpotMe Does It All For You
The simplicity and ease of use in event badge printing are vital for attendees and organizers – a key reason why 10 of the top 20 life sciences and pharmaceutical companies, along with the Big Four professional networks, opt for SpotMe. We go beyond merely providing the hardware; we also handle its setup and rigorously test its performance, allowing you to focus on orchestrating a successful event without technical concerns.
“We don’t just send you a licence and a box for you to figure it all out by yourself, we send an expert to help set it up, make sure it works to give you end-to-end hardware, software, and services you need for a great experience.”
With 100+ certified event professionals worldwide, 20+ years of event technology training, and excellent customer NPS scores, our support team is on hand to help you deliver great events.
Give SpotMe’s Onsite Event Badge Printing Software A Try
SpotMe’s fail-safe onsite event badge printing software is engineered to streamline your event management while delighting your attendees when they arrive. This positive engagement lays the foundation for cultivating enduring customer relationships at scale. Bolstered by our proven professional services, delivering impeccably smooth events with a flawless user experience has never been more straightforward.
Join the 12,000+ event builders from high-touch industries who use SpotMe to run better events. Request a demo today.
