Event technology platforms play a critical role for event organizers looking to efficiently plan and manage every aspect of their events. Two commonly searched names in this space are Bizzabo and Whova. However, Accelevents is increasingly recognized as a modern, seamless alternative that bridges the strengths of both platforms for enterprises, associations, agencies, and nonprofits.
Each platform has distinct features and is used by different types of organizations. This article compares Bizzabo, Whova, and Accelevents to clarify how they differ in structure, functionality, and use case—helping you decide which solution best fits your needs.
Bizzabo vs Whova vs Accelevents Overview
Bizzabo is an event management platform designed for large-scale events, especially in corporate and enterprise settings. It is often used for business conferences, product launches, and events that involve complex logistics. The platform includes tools for automation, analytics, and event branding.
Whova is used by a range of organizations, including universities, nonprofits, and associations. It is commonly chosen for educational conferences, community events, and hybrid or in-person trade shows. The platform focuses on attendee engagement and ease of use.
Accelevents stands apart by being intentionally built on a single, consistent data model, creating a seamless experience across registration, engagement, and analytics for event organizers, attendees, exhibitors, and speakers. With 1,847 customers, Accelevents is known for its ease of use, highly customizable platform, and a support team that responds in less than 21 seconds, 24/7.
Platform | Founded | Headquarters | Typical Customer Size | Core Design Approach |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Bizzabo | 2011 | New York, NY | Mid-size to large enterprises | Complex, built for large events |
Whova | 2013 | San Diego, CA | Small to mid-size organizations | Template-driven, ease of use focus |
2015 | Boston, MA | Enterprises, associations, agencies, nonprofits | Unified, seamless experience |
Key Features and Capabilities
When comparing event management software options like Bizzabo, Whova, and Accelevents, understanding their core features helps you make an informed choice. Below, we examine how each platform supports event engagement, branding, and hybrid event needs.
1. Event Engagement Tools
All three platforms provide powerful attendee engagement features, but their approaches differ:
Bizzabo: Leverages AI to match attendees based on interests and goals, supports personalized agendas, messaging, and notifications.
Whova: Focuses on networking with virtual business cards, session-based chats, and community boards for meetups.
Accelevents: Delivers on-site, hybrid, and virtual engagement with live polling, Q&A, gamification, and networking lounges. Accelevents’ mobile app supports check-in, lead capture, personalized schedules, and exhibitor interactions, prioritizing seamless attendee experiences across all formats.
Engagement comparison:
Live Polling: Bizzabo embeds polls in sessions; Whova allows session and community polls; Accelevents supports live polling and feedback across agenda sessions and exhibitor demos.
Networking Tools: Bizzabo uses AI matchmaking; Whova offers profile browsing and discussion boards; Accelevents enables AI-powered matchmaking, 1:1 meetings, and attendee-driven meetups.
Gamification: Bizzabo supports point-based activities; Whova has leaderboards and scavenger hunts; Accelevents features customizable games and trivia for both onsite and hybrid settings.
2. Branding and Customization
Event branding can shape the entire attendee experience. Here is how each platform approaches branding:
Bizzabo: Offers white-labeling, custom domains, and branded apps, but setup can be complex and may require design resources.
Whova: Provides event website and app branding within templates; lacks full white-label and advanced customization.
Accelevents: Delivers full white-label branding across web, mobile, and virtual environments, including customizable themes and event domains. Event customization is available for all customer segments and does not require technical expertise.
3. Hybrid and Virtual Support
Managing hybrid and virtual experiences requires dedicated tools:
Feature | Bizzabo | Whova | Accelevents |
|---|---|---|---|
Built-in Streaming | Yes | No (uses integrations) | Yes (modular Virtual Event Hub) |
Virtual Lobby | Yes | Yes | Yes (dedicated event hub) |
On-Demand Content | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Hybrid Session Management | Complex | Basic | Unified onsite and virtual controls |
Chat and Q&A | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Session Attendance Tracking | Across all formats | Limited to virtual | Integrated, cross-platform |
Accelevents was originally built for in-person events and now supports all event types, including native badge printing, mobile app check-in, and a dedicated Virtual Event Hub with modular features.
Registration and Ticketing Comparisons
Registration is often the first interaction attendees have with your event. There are notable differences in how each platform approaches event registration and ticketing:
1. Payment Options
Bizzabo: Offers enterprise-level payment processing, multi-currency support, and custom billing workflows. Some reviews mention confusion with international transactions and the learning curve for complex setups.
Whova: Uses Stripe and PayPal; praised for quick setup but limited in payment customization and refund management. Some users note frustration when handling group tickets or complex discount codes.
Accelevents: Delivers a highly customizable ticketing and registration platform with drag-and-drop event pages, unlimited ticket types, discount codes, reusable templates, and seamless payment processing. Group registration is streamlined with ticket bundles and conditional logic for different attendee types.
2. Onsite Check-In Tools
Bizzabo: Includes badge printing integration and supports multiple hardware options for high-volume events.
Whova: Offers QR code check-in and mobile app support; badge printing is limited to specific printers and may be less suitable for large events.
Accelevents: Supports mobile and kiosk-based check-in, native badge printing with leading hardware, and real-time attendee tracking. Designed for both small and large-scale events, with reliable offline support.
Analytics and Reporting Insights
1. Real-Time Data Dashboards
Bizzabo: Provides analytics dashboards with customizable views and filters. Some users cite complexity and a need for training to access deeper insights.
Whova: Offers easy-to-use, pre-built reports focusing on engagement, but with limited customization and export options.
Accelevents: Delivers shareable reports and real-time data with a fully integrated data model across registration, onsite, mobile, and virtual components, making event performance transparent and actionable for all team members.
2. Sponsor ROI Metrics
Feature | Bizzabo | Whova | Accelevents |
|---|---|---|---|
Lead Capture Methods | Badge scan, booth visits, forms | QR scan, business card exchange | Mobile app QR scanning, unlimited users, offline support, integrated meeting-booking |
Sponsor Dashboard | Real-time with scoring | Basic engagement summaries | Real-time reports, lead scoring, note-taking |
Lead Qualification | Automated | Manual | Automated, with custom fields |
CRM Integration | Yes | Limited | No charges for native integrations, deep connectors to Salesforce, HubSpot, Marketo, and AMS |
Integrations and Support
1. CRM and Marketing Automation
Bizzabo: Offers integrations with Salesforce, HubSpot, Marketo, and open API access. Some users report fees for advanced integrations and a learning curve for setup.
Whova: Basic CRM integrations, generally one-way data sync, and less developer documentation.
Accelevents: No charges for native integrations, with deep connectors to Salesforce, HubSpot, Marketo, and a wide range of association management systems. Provides robust REST APIs and webhooks with thorough documentation and no access fees.
2. Customer Service Availability
Bizzabo: 24/7 multi-channel support, dedicated managers, and custom training for larger clients.
Whova: Business hours support, with self-service resources and standard onboarding.
Accelevents: A support team that responds in less than 21 seconds, 24/7, provides onboarding, training, and ongoing customer success for all clients.
Who Chooses Each Platform? Typical Customers?
Bizzabo generally attracts large enterprises and organizations willing to invest in a more complex platform with higher costs and certification training. Whova is popular with smaller and mid-sized organizations, particularly those in education, healthcare, and nonprofits, seeking quick setup and straightforward engagement tools.
Accelevents is chosen by organizations of all sizes—including large enterprises, mid-market corporations, associations, agencies, and nonprofits—seeking an all-in-one, highly customizable solution with rapid onboarding. Accelevents is trusted by 1,847 customers looking to grow with a platform that reinvests in its product and offers strong customer success.
In-Person, Virtual, and Hybrid Event Capabilities
Bizzabo: Offers a dedicated virtual event hub and hybrid management tools, though some users report additional fees for advanced virtual features.
Whova: Supports hybrid and virtual events using integrations; lacks a fully native virtual hub and may experience glitches in complex setups.
Accelevents: Originally built for in-person, now supports all event types. Offers native badge printing, mobile app check-in, and a modular Virtual Event Hub, all with a seamless interface and no references to outages in reviews.
Pricing and Packages
Bizzabo: Uses enterprise pricing, annual contracts, and custom quotes. Some users note hidden fees for add-ons and premium support tiers.
Whova: Offers transparent, per-event pricing, but may require additional payments for certain features or integrations.
Accelevents: Provides transparent, scalable pricing with pay-only-for-what-you-need modules and no surprise add-ons.
Target Users and Industries
Bizzabo: Best for global enterprises, large-scale conferences, and multi-day summits.
Whova: Well-suited for associations, member meetings, and community-based events.
Accelevents: Suitable for conferences, trade shows, internal meetings, and continuing education events—especially for enterprises, associations, agencies, and nonprofits.
Where Accelevents Can Benefit Enterprises and Associations
Accelevents bridges complex enterprise features and ease of use, delivering a balanced, highly customizable, all-in-one event solution. Its consistent data model, reliable performance, and focus on customer success set it apart as a strong alternative to both Bizzabo and Whova for modern event management.
Additional Platform Features
API: Accelevents offers robust REST APIs and webhooks, well documented, with no fees for access.
Lead Capture and Tracking: Mobile app lead capture with QR scanning, offline support, unlimited users, real-time reports, lead scoring, note-taking, and integrated meeting-booking.
Call for Papers & Abstract Management: Native workflows for CFP and abstracts, auto reviewer assignment, and a speaker portal with task management are included with Accelevents.
Exhibitor Management: Comprehensive exhibitor portal to manage digital booths, capture leads, book demos, coordinate teams, and track ROI.
Continuing Education Credit Tracking: Automated credit assignment, flexible program builder, instant certificate generation, self-service retrieval, audit trails, and LMS integration.
White-Label Branding: Full white-label branding across web, mobile, and virtual environments with customizable themes.
Role-Based Access and Compliance: Custom roles, SSO, MFA, SOC-2 and ISO 27001 compliance, and detailed security audit logging.
Conclusion: Is Accelevents the Right Choice?
While Bizzabo and Whova both offer specialized strengths, many organizations seek a platform that is both highly customizable and easy to use across all event types. Accelevents delivers a seamless experience for enterprises, associations, agencies, and nonprofits, backed by a support team that responds in less than 21 seconds, 24/7, and a platform designed for reliability and growth.
If you’re evaluating event management platforms, Accelevents provides a modern, unified solution that can simplify event planning, enhance engagement, and empower your team for every event format.
Request a demo to explore how Accelevents can simplify your event management process.
Frequently Asked Questions About Bizzabo, Whova, and Accelevents
How do Bizzabo and Whova differ in their mobile app capabilities?
Bizzabo's mobile app focuses on personalized experiences with AI-powered networking and custom branding, while Whova's app emphasizes community engagement through discussion boards and virtual meetups. Accelevents integrates attendee engagement, networking, and on-site check-in in a single, easy-to-use app.
Which platform provides better analytics for measuring event success?
Bizzabo offers more detailed analytics with customizable dashboards and integration with marketing tools, while Whova provides simpler, more accessible reports focused on attendee engagement metrics. Accelevents features shareable reports, real-time data, and an integrated data model across all event components.
How do the pricing structures compare between Bizzabo and Whova?
Bizzabo typically uses enterprise pricing with annual contracts and custom quotes based on features needed, while Whova offers more transparent, per-event pricing that's generally lower for smaller organizations. Accelevents stands out for transparent, scalable pricing with no surprise add-ons.
