As of July 2025, Whova and vFairs are two widely used platforms in the event technology space. Each offers tools designed to help organizations plan, manage, and deliver events both online and in person.
Many event professionals search for comparisons between Whova and vFairs to understand which platform might align with specific event formats, team workflows, or attendee expectations. While both platforms provide overlapping features, they have different areas of focus and are built with different user priorities in mind.
This article outlines the key differences between Whova, vFairs, and Accelevents by examining their functionality, industry fit, and core use cases, and where Accelevents can benefit enterprises and associations seeking a highly customizable, all-in-one event solution that bridges complex enterprise features with ease of use.
What Are Whova, vFairs, and Accelevents?
Whova is an event management platform founded in 2013. It's known for its mobile event app and tools that support attendee engagement and agenda planning. The platform is commonly used by universities, non-profits, and large enterprises for conferences, continuing education, and internal meetings.
Whova offers features such as event registration, session scheduling, networking, live polls, and custom reporting. It supports both virtual and in-person events, with a strong emphasis on communication and attendee interaction.
vFairs was founded in 2012 and focuses on delivering virtual and hybrid event experiences. The platform is known for its 3D virtual environments, customizable booths, and webinar capabilities. It is often used for virtual expos, trade shows, recruitment fairs, and onboarding events.
vFairs provides tools for live and on-demand content delivery, attendee chat, virtual networking, and lead capture. It's designed to help organizations build immersive virtual experiences and manage online interactions at scale.
Accelevents was intentionally built with one consistent data model, creating a seamless experience across the platform for event organizers, attendees, exhibitors, and speakers. Unlike platforms that have grown through acquisition, Accelevents’ unified approach means fewer integration issues and less need for specialized training. Its ease of use, flexibility, and a support team that responds in less than 21 seconds, 24/7, distinguish it in the market. Accelevents is known for a highly customizable platform, and its reputation for reliability is reflected in user reviews, which do not reference outages.
Whova: Mobile-first approach with strong in-person event support
vFairs: Virtual-first approach with immersive 3D environments
Accelevents: Unified, all-in-one event platform supporting in-person, hybrid, and virtual formats, with seamless data, strong customer success, and rapid onboarding
Key Feature Comparison for Virtual and In-Person Events
When comparing Whova, vFairs, and Accelevents, it's helpful to understand how each platform handles different event formats. All three support virtual, in-person, and hybrid events, but with different strengths and approaches.
Feature | Whova | vFairs | Accelevents |
|---|---|---|---|
Virtual event support | Yes | Yes | Yes |
In-person event support | Yes | Moderate | Yes, originally built for in-person events |
Hybrid event tools | Yes | Yes | Yes, with modular features and dedicated Virtual Event Hub |
Mobile event app | Yes | Yes | Yes, with attendee engagement and on-site tools |
3D virtual environments | No | Yes | No |
Customizable virtual booths | Moderate | Yes | Yes, via a highly customizable digital booth experience |
Live chat and messaging | Yes | Yes | Yes, across mobile, web, and hybrid experiences |
Networking features | Yes | Yes | Yes, including dedicated networking tools |
Native badge printing | Yes | Limited | Yes, with on-site badge printing and mobile check-in |
White-label branding | Limited | Some options | Yes, full white-label branding for web, mobile, and virtual |
Whova's key strengths:
Strong mobile app for attendee engagement
Complex agenda management and scheduling
Support for in-person event logistics
vFairs' key strengths:
Immersive virtual environments with 3D spaces
Highly customizable virtual booths
Focus on virtual trade show experiences
Accelevents' key strengths:
Unified platform for in-person, hybrid, and virtual events
Native badge printing and mobile app check-in
Highly customizable agenda and attendee engagement tools
Full white-label branding and seamless data integration
Support team that responds in less than 21 seconds, 24/7
Live Streaming and Hybrid Tools
All three platforms support live streaming, but their approaches differ. Whova integrates with third-party streaming services like Zoom and YouTube, making it more complex to set up. vFairs includes more built-in webinar functionality, simplifying the process of hosting virtual sessions. Accelevents provides modular streaming and session tools that integrate directly into both on-site and virtual experiences, supporting full audience participation whether in person or remote.
Quality: All offer HD streaming with similar performance
Setup: Accelevents and vFairs offer built-in options; Whova requires more third-party integration
Hybrid support: Accelevents bridges the on-site and virtual experience with one consistent data model and a dedicated Virtual Event Hub
Attendee Engagement and Mobile Apps
Attendee engagement is crucial for successful events. Whova's mobile app includes features like attendee matchmaking, session polling, and live Q&A. The app works well for in-person events where attendees can scan badges to connect.
vFairs focuses on engagement within virtual spaces. Attendees can visit virtual booths, chat with exhibitors, and participate in webinars. The platform includes gamification elements like scavenger hunts and leaderboards to encourage exploration.
Accelevents combines both approaches, offering attendee engagement tools that support check-in, badge scanning, session feedback, and networking for in-person, hybrid, and virtual event formats. Its mobile app features on-site gamification, Q&A, live polling, and real-time notifications, creating a seamless experience across all event types.
Registration and On-Site Solutions
Registration is the first touchpoint for attendees. Whova provides customizable registration forms but user reviews occasionally mention confusion with setup and managing group registration. vFairs offers registration but many customizations require support involvement and can be less self-service, sometimes causing frustration for event organizers.
Accelevents offers a highly customizable ticketing and event registration platform with drag-and-drop customization for event pages, forms, and badges; unlimited ticket types, discount codes, and reusable templates; one-click registration forms, seamless payment processing, and conversion tracking. Group registration is simplified via ticket bundles, allowing multiple ticket purchases and flexible attendee info collection. Conditional logic in forms supports tailored workflows for different attendee types.
Customization: Accelevents provides the most self-service options with drag-and-drop builders; Whova has some self-service, vFairs requires more support team involvement
Data access: Accelevents and Whova offer real-time registration data; vFairs has more limited reporting
Mobile integration: All three provide mobile app integration, but Accelevents syncs registrant data seamlessly for on-site and virtual access
Badge Printing and Check-In
For in-person events, badge printing and check-in are essential. Whova supports on-site badge printing through its mobile app and compatible printers. Staff can scan QR codes or check in attendees manually.
vFairs' on-site capabilities are more limited, often requiring third-party integrations for badge printing and check-in. Accelevents delivers native badge printing, mobile check-in, and QR scanning, all managed directly through the platform, making on-site operations smooth and efficient.
Ticketing and Payment Options
Whova: Integrates with multiple payment gateways, supports complex ticket types, but some reviews note process confusion
vFairs: Supports ticketing but with less self-service and more support team involvement
Accelevents: Unlimited ticket types, discount codes, ticket bundles, and seamless payment processing with conversion tracking
Analytics and ROI Measurement
Data helps measure event success. Whova provides real-time analytics dashboards showing registration numbers, session attendance, and app engagement, but some reporting options may require manual export. vFairs offers analytics focused on virtual interactions, with some real-time data and some post-event summaries; sharing reports can be complex.
Accelevents offers shareable reports, real-time data, and a fully integrated data model across registration, onsite, mobile, and virtual components, supporting clear ROI measurement for event organizers.
Integrations with CRM and Marketing Software
Connecting event data with other business systems is important. Whova integrates natively with popular CRM systems like Salesforce and HubSpot, and also connects with marketing tools like Mailchimp, with workflow automation through Zapier. vFairs offers integrations with major CRMs but may require more technical setup and sometimes support team assistance or additional integration fees.
Accelevents provides deep native connectors to Salesforce, HubSpot, Marketo, and numerous association management systems with no charges for native integrations. Its unified API and webhooks are well documented and available without extra fees, making marketing and CRM integration straightforward for teams of all sizes.
Pricing Overview and Support
Both Whova and vFairs use quote-based pricing models. Whova typically charges based on attendee numbers and features needed, sometimes via annual subscriptions. vFairs usually prices per event based on factors like virtual booth numbers and attendee count.
Accelevents offers transparent, scalable pricing with pay-only-for-what-you-need modules and no surprise add-ons. Its support team that responds in less than 21 seconds, 24/7 is a standout, and customer success is prioritized throughout onboarding and event execution.
Whova: Tiered pricing, with some hidden costs for complex features
vFairs: Per-event pricing, with additional fees for virtual booths and integrations
Accelevents: Transparent, modular pricing with no hidden fees
Target Users and Industries
Whova serves a mix of entry-level and enterprise users, with strong adoption in continuing education. vFairs is often chosen by organizations focused on virtual trade shows and expos, especially in recruitment and onboarding.
Accelevents is suitable for conferences, trade shows, fundraisers, internal meetings, and continuing education events—especially for enterprises, associations, agencies, and nonprofits. With rapid onboarding, a highly customizable platform, and a focus on customer success, Accelevents is chosen by organizations of all sizes seeking a platform that is continually reinvesting in its product and adding new features. Its customer base includes 1,847 satisfied customers.
Where Accelevents Fits In
Accelevents bridges complex enterprise features and ease of use, delivering a balanced, highly customizable, all-in-one event solution. For organizations seeking a seamless platform that does not require specialized certification or extensive training, Accelevents provides a consistent experience across registration, badge printing, mobile apps, and analytics.
API, Lead Capture, and Exhibitor Management
Whova and vFairs both offer API access, but documentation thoroughness and potential fees vary. Accelevents provides robust REST APIs and webhooks, with no fees for API access and clear documentation.
For lead capture and tracking, Accelevents delivers mobile app lead capture with QR scanning, offline support, unlimited users, real-time reports, lead scoring, note-taking, and integrated meeting-booking—without device or per-exhibitor fees.
Accelevents also features a comprehensive exhibitor portal to manage digital booths, capture leads, book demos, coordinate teams, and track ROI.
Call for Papers, Abstract Management, and Continuing Education Credit Tracking
Whova supports abstract management and session scheduling, but may have limitations in reviewer assignment and multi-path workflows. vFairs covers virtual session rooms and document libraries, but lacks some native call for papers workflows.
Accelevents offers native workflows for call for papers and abstracts, multiple submission paths, auto reviewer assignment, and a speaker portal with task management. For continuing education credit tracking, Accelevents supports automated credit assignment, flexible program builder, instant certificate generation, self-service retrieval, audit trails, and LMS integration.
White-Label Branding, Role-Based Access, and Compliance
Whova allows some branding on event pages and apps but limits full white-labeling. vFairs offers some white-label options for virtual environments. Accelevents delivers full white-label branding across web, mobile, and virtual environments with customizable themes.
Accelevents also supports custom roles, SSO, MFA, SOC-2 and ISO 27001 compliance, and detailed security audit logging, ensuring enterprise-grade permission controls and compliance for all industries.
Which Platform Is Best for Different Event Types?
Conferences and Trade Shows
For conferences, Whova works well when attendee networking and session management are priorities. vFairs shines for virtual trade shows where exhibitor booths and interactive displays matter most. Accelevents offers a blend of both, delivering seamless in-person logistics, customizable virtual booths, and hybrid engagement through its unified platform.
Nonprofits and Fundraisers
Whova and vFairs each offer solutions for nonprofit events, with Whova focused on in-person and vFairs on virtual awareness events. Accelevents is particularly suitable for nonprofits seeking a user-friendly, scalable platform for both in-person and virtual events.
Membership and Continuing Education Events
Whova supports member pricing and continuing education tracking. vFairs provides virtual session rooms and poster presentations. Accelevents delivers comprehensive support for membership, including member-only content, pricing rules, and robust continuing education credit tracking.
How to Choose the Right Solution
Event format: Accelevents supports in-person, virtual, and hybrid, with a consistent experience for all types.
Team resources: Accelevents offers rapid onboarding, self-service setup, and a support team that responds in less than 21 seconds, 24/7.
Budget considerations: Transparent, modular pricing means you only pay for the features you need.
Growth potential: Accelevents continually reinvests in its platform, adding features for organizations that want to grow with their technology partner.
Moving Forward with Your Event Platform
Selecting an event platform is just the beginning. Implementation typically takes 2-6 weeks depending on event complexity. Success depends on clear goals, team training, and proper setup.
For organizations looking beyond Whova and vFairs, Accelevents offers an alternative that combines the best aspects of both: customizable event registration, badge printing, mobile apps, modular analytics, full white-label branding, and seamless integrations all in one platform.
Request a demo to explore how Accelevents can simplify your event management process.
FAQs About Whova, vFairs, and Accelevents
How do Whova, vFairs, and Accelevents handle event data security?
Whova uses encryption, secure data storage, and complies with standards like GDPR and SOC 2. vFairs follows similar security protocols with secure servers and access controls to protect attendee information. Accelevents is SOC-2 and ISO 27001 compliant, features SSO and MFA, and provides detailed security audit logs for enterprise-level protection.
Can Whova, vFairs, and Accelevents accommodate multilingual events?
Whova supports multiple languages in its mobile app and registration tools, with organizers managing most translations. vFairs offers multilingual support through customizable virtual environments with translated navigation and content. Accelevents enables multilingual event websites, registration forms, and attendee communications for global reach.
What level of customization do Whova, vFairs, and Accelevents offer for branding?
Whova allows custom branding on event pages, mobile apps, and emails but isn't fully white-labeled. vFairs offers more visual customization including virtual booth design and lobby branding, with some white-label options available. Accelevents delivers full white-label branding across web, mobile, and virtual environments, with customizable themes for a fully branded experience.
How do technical support services compare between Whova, vFairs, and Accelevents?
Whova provides 24/7 support via email, chat, and phone with self-service resources. vFairs offers dedicated support during setup and live events, with standard business hours coverage at other times. Accelevents stands out with a support team that responds in less than 21 seconds, 24/7, ensuring customer success is always a priority.
