What Does Event Technology
Actually Cost?
A transparent pricing guide for registration platforms, event apps, session tracking, badge printing and managed services. No vague answers. Real ranges, with context.
Why pricing is so hard to find
Event technology vendors rarely publish pricing. That is deliberate: it allows sales teams to anchor at different levels depending on who is asking and what the contract might be worth. For buyers, it makes budget planning almost impossible without going through multiple demo cycles.
This guide is based on real projects we have run across DACH, the UK, the UAE and the US. The numbers are directional, not exact quotes. Prices vary by attendee count, feature set, contract term and whether you negotiate well. But the ranges below should tell you whether a budget is in the right order of magnitude, before you start speaking to vendors.
All prices are in EUR unless otherwise stated, and reflect 2025 market rates as we understand them from our own procurement and partner conversations.
Registration Platform Costs
Registration platform pricing varies enormously depending on whether you are paying per event, per year or per attendee. Enterprise tools like Cvent charge annual licenses; mid-market tools like Idloom or EventMobi registration charge per event or per attendee.
Idloom
- +EU-native, GDPR-friendly, fast setup
- +Transparent per-event pricing model
- +No long annual commitment required
- -Less powerful for complex attendee type logic
- -No built-in housing management
Best for: 100-800 attendees, straightforward flows, EU-based events. Read our Cvent vs. Idloom comparison.
EventMobi Reg
- +Registration and event app in one platform
- +Self-service, minimal learning curve
- +Published pricing model
- -Less configuration flexibility than Cvent
- -Not suited to pharma compliance requirements
Best for: corporate events 200-2,000 attendees where you want reg and app in one place.
Cvent
- +Most powerful for complex attendee logic
- +Housing management, HCP flows, ToV ready
- +Scales to 10,000+ attendees
- -Steep learning curve, long setup time
- -Annual license model, significant commitment
Best for: complex portfolios, pharma compliance, HCP registration, 500+ attendees. Read our Cvent vs. Swoogo comparison.
Note on professional services: Most registration platform costs above are for the software license only. Configuration, content build and testing by an external partner (like VI) adds EUR 1,500-8,000 per event on top, depending on complexity.
Event App Costs
Event app pricing is almost always per event or per attendee, with an increasing number of platforms offering annual subscriptions for multi-event programmes. White-label branding and SSO integration typically cost extra.
EventMobi
EventMobi publishes pricing, which is rare in this space. The entry tier supports smaller events; larger attendee volumes, custom branding through Advanced Designer and API integrations push the price up. Annual plans covering multiple events offer better per-event economics for organisations running several events per year.
Content build by an external partner (VI): EUR 2,000-5,000 additional. Read our EventMobi vs. SpotMe comparison.
SpotMe
SpotMe does not publish pricing. The ranges above reflect what we see in practice for events with 300-2,000 attendees. SpotMe's model is closer to a managed service: the platform team handles more of the content build and configuration than EventMobi's self-service approach. This is reflected in higher pricing.
SOC 2 Type II certification, 30+ language support and a strong live streaming integration justify the premium for the right events.
Conference Compass
Conference Compass is designed for scientific congresses with abstract submissions, poster sessions and dense multi-track programmes. The price includes a significant content-build service: the Conference Compass team builds and quality-checks the scientific programme content, which is not something you do yourself in a self-service interface.
Not the right fit for corporate kickoffs or simple event apps. Read our Conference Compass vs. EventMobi comparison.
Cost factors
- AttendeesMost platforms charge per attendee above a base tier. 2,000 attendees costs more than 500.
- SSOSingle sign-on integration with your corporate identity provider adds EUR 1,000-5,000 in setup cost.
- BrandingDeep white-label branding (custom icons, splash screens, domain) costs extra on most platforms.
- IntegrationsConnecting to your CRM, HRIS or marketing automation adds configuration cost per integration.
- Live streamingIntegrated livestream with in-app viewing typically adds EUR 2,000-8,000.
Session Tracking Costs
QR-based session tracking
QR session tracking is the lowest-cost method. If you already have an event app with built-in badge QR codes, adding scanning at session doors requires tablet devices or handheld scanners and the staffing or volunteer time to operate them. Hardware rental for a one-day event with four breakout rooms: EUR 300-600. Setup and mapping: EUR 200-400. Data export and post-event report: EUR 300-500.
The limitation: QR tracking depends on active compliance from attendees. If people do not scan on entry, the data is incomplete. For casual events this is fine. For CME accreditation it can be a problem. Read our BLE vs. QR comparison.
BLE tracking (Crowd Connected)
BLE passive tracking with Crowd Connected is significantly more expensive because it involves physical beacon infrastructure, BLE-enabled badge hardware, calibration across every tracked space, and a continuous data pipeline during the event. The cost scales with venue size, number of zones tracked and duration of the programme.
The advantage: no action required from attendees. Data quality is higher and there is no dependency on volunteer scanning behaviour. For CME accreditation or high-stakes analytics, the premium is typically worth it.
Badge Printing Costs
Small event
One or two badge printers, check-in software, badge stock and one technician for setup and operation. Works for events up to 300 attendees with minimal queuing risk at a single check-in station.
Mid-size event
Multiple check-in stations (3-6 printers), dedicated network for the check-in hardware, sufficient staff to handle peak morning throughput and a contingency setup for late arrivals and name changes during the day.
Large event
High-volume check-in setup with 8+ printers, kiosk-style self-service stations, alphanumeric queue organisation, dedicated backup hardware and multiple trained staff. Often includes a setup day before the event.
Managed Service Costs
Managed service means you brief us, we handle everything: platform selection and license procurement, configuration, content build, testing, on-site delivery and post-event reporting. One invoice, one point of contact.
Corporate kickoff
Includes: registration setup, event app configuration and content build, badge printing with hardware and staffing, on-site lead for one day, post-event report. Platform licenses (registration tool, event app) are additional and vary by choice.
Multi-day conference
Includes: full registration management, event app with session scheduling and networking, badge printing across multiple check-in days, session tracking for breakout rooms, 2-3 on-site staff, post-event analytics report. Travel and accommodation for on-site team additional.
Pharma HCP congress
Includes: Cvent setup with HCP-only invitation flows, CME tracking configuration (QR or BLE), congress app, badge printing with HCP-type differentiation, compliance documentation (ToV data export, GDPR records), 3-5 on-site staff across congress days. Scope varies significantly with compliance complexity.
What is not included in the above: Platform license fees (registration tool, event app), travel and accommodation for the on-site team, custom development or integrations, interpretation hardware, AV equipment, printing of marketing materials, or photography and videography. We can scope any of these separately.
Budget Planning Guidance
Total cost of ownership: platform + service
The most common budgeting mistake is pricing only the platform license and forgetting the service cost. A EUR 3,000 event app license that requires EUR 4,000 of external configuration work has a true cost of EUR 7,000. Factor in: platform license, external configuration, content build, testing and on-site support when comparing options.
Similarly, a "free" or low-cost tool that your internal team has to configure from scratch may cost more in internal time than a modestly priced managed service. Assign a realistic hourly rate to internal time when comparing options.
Indicative event technology budget by event size
Total technology budget including platform licenses and managed service. Highly variable by scope; these are order-of-magnitude benchmarks only.
Know Your Numbers Before You Start.
Tell us about your event: date, headcount, what technology you need. We will come back with a specific estimate with no obligation to proceed.
Event Technology Cost: FAQ
How much does a registration platform cost?
EUR 500-3,000 per event for mid-market self-service tools like Idloom. EUR 2,000-6,000 per event for EventMobi. EUR 15,000-60,000 annual license for Cvent (unlimited events within the license). All figures exclude external configuration services.
How much does an event app cost?
USD 3,500-12,000 per event for EventMobi (published pricing). EUR 8,000-30,000 per event for SpotMe (managed service model). EUR 6,000-25,000 per congress for Conference Compass (includes white-glove content build). All platform figures exclude external content build and configuration services.
How much does BLE session tracking cost?
EUR 5,000-20,000+ per event for Crowd Connected BLE passive tracking, depending on venue size, number of tracked zones and programme duration. QR-based session tracking is significantly cheaper at EUR 500-3,000 per event, but relies on active compliance from attendees.
What does a managed event technology service cost?
EUR 8,000-18,000 for a corporate kickoff (300-600 attendees, 1 day, managed service excluding platform licenses). EUR 15,000-35,000 for a multi-day conference (500-1,500 attendees). EUR 20,000-50,000 for a pharma HCP congress with compliance requirements. All figures exclude platform license fees, travel and accommodation.
Related Comparisons and Guides
Cvent vs. Idloom
Enterprise registration platform vs. agile EU-native tool: which is right and when?
EventMobi vs. SpotMe
Self-service vs. managed delivery: comparing the two leading conference app platforms.
How to Choose an Event App
7-step buyer's guide: what to ask, what to test and which red flags to watch for.