How we make this list: we compare pricing pages, product documentation and public user reviews. Ratings come from G2, Capterra or Trustpilot, with the date we checked them.
Key takeaways
- Hybrid events need two experiences at once: a polished in person event and a virtual event that remote attendees actually enjoy, not just a livestream of the room.
- RingCentral Events and Bizzabo lead for large professional conferences, while Airmeet and vFairs are easier starting points for smaller teams and tighter budgets.
- Pricing models differ a lot: some platforms charge per organizer or user per month, some charge per event or per year, and several only quote on request, so compare total cost for your event size.
- Onsite tools matter as much as virtual ones. Registration, badge printing, check in, and a mobile attendee app separate true hybrid platforms from webinar tools.
- Run a test event with real remote and onsite attendees before you commit, because networking, sponsor booths, and session switching are where weak platforms show up.
Quick comparison
| Tool | Best for | Starting price | Free plan |
|---|
 RingCentral Events | Large branded virtual and hybrid conferences | $99 per organizer per month | Free trial |
 Bizzabo | Enterprise conferences with strong analytics | $499 per user per month | No |
 Accelevents | Conferences and trade shows with ticketing | $7,500 per year | Free trial |
 Whova | Attendee engagement and networking at live events | See website | No |
 vFairs | Virtual and hybrid expos with 3D booths | See website | Yes |
 Airmeet | Community events and multi session summits | $89 per month | Yes |
 Cvent | Large enterprise events and venue sourcing | See website | No |
 Swapcard | Exhibitor led expos and B2B networking | $610 per year | No |
Is your product missing or out of date?
We review this list regularly. Vendors can request a listing, send updated pricing or ask about featured placement.
#1RingCentral Events
Best for: Large branded virtual and hybrid conferences4.5/5 on
G2 (933 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit ringcentral.com
Starting price$99 per organizer per month
Free planFree trial
RingCentral Events, formerly Hopin Events, is one of the most complete hybrid event platforms available. Organizers can run webinars, multi stage virtual conferences, and in person events with a virtual layer from the same system. Attendees get a branded event hub, a reception area, live sessions, networking rooms, expo booths, and chat, polls, and Q and A built into the experience. For onsite events, the platform adds registration, badge printing, an attendee app, and floor plans, so the in person side is not an afterthought.
Recent AI additions include an AI writer for landing page copy, Q and A categorization, caption translation, and AI clips that turn sessions into short shareable videos. Integrations cover more than 40 apps, plus public APIs, and attendee data can flow into tools such as HubSpot and Marketo. Pricing starts at $99 per organizer per month billed annually ($119 month to month) for the Pro plan, with Pro+ at $199 per organizer per month billed annually adding onsite and hybrid features. A free trial is offered. RingCentral Events is the strongest choice for marketing and events teams that run large branded conferences and want one platform for every format.
What we like- Formerly Hopin, with a mature virtual venue, stages, and networking
- AI tools for copy, Q and A sorting, and highlight clips
- Onsite registration, badge printing, and floor plans
Watch out for- Pricing rises fast on higher tiers
- The full feature set takes time to learn
- Smaller events may not need this much platform
#2Bizzabo
Best for: Enterprise conferences with strong analytics4.3/5 on
G2 (448 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit bizzabo.com
Starting price$499 per user per month
Free planNo
Bizzabo is an enterprise event platform built for conferences, summits, and trade shows where measurement matters. Organizers get event websites, registration, email marketing, a mobile app, virtual sessions, and onsite tools in one system. Its reporting is a clear strength: organizers can track registration, attendance, session engagement, sponsor interactions, and pipeline influence, which helps justify event budgets to leadership.
The Klik SmartBadge is a distinctive onsite feature. Attendees wearing the badge can exchange contact details with a tap, and organizers capture lead and session attendance data without manual scanning. That makes Bizzabo a good fit for large B2B events where exhibitor leads and networking data are central. Pricing is at the enterprise end, starting at $499 per user per month billed annually with a three user minimum, which works out to about $17,999 per year, and there is no free plan. Bizzabo fits large organizations running flagship events. Smaller organizers will find the price hard to justify.
What we like- Strong event analytics and reporting for proving return on investment
- Klik SmartBadge wearable for onsite networking and lead capture
- Polished registration and event websites
Watch out for- High entry price with a three user minimum
- No free plan
- Best suited to large teams, not small organizers
#3Accelevents
Best for: Conferences and trade shows with ticketing4.7/5 on
G2 (177 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit accelevents.com
Starting price$7,500 per year
Free planFree trial
Accelevents covers the whole event lifecycle: ticketing, registration, event websites, virtual sessions, expo halls, networking, and onsite check in with badge printing. That breadth makes it a natural fit for conferences and trade shows that sell tickets, manage exhibitors, and need both a physical floor and a virtual venue. Attendees can move between live sessions, sponsor booths, and one to one meetings, while organizers track attendance and engagement across formats.
Pricing starts at about $7,500 per year, and a free trial is available, but there is no free plan. That puts Accelevents in the mid to high range, best for organizations that run several ticketed events a year or one large annual conference. Teams that run a single small event may find per event pricing elsewhere more economical. For organizers who want ticketing, onsite operations, and a virtual venue without stitching three tools together, Accelevents is a strong, practical choice.
What we like- Full event management from ticketing to onsite check in
- Virtual venue with stages, expo booths, and networking
- Strong support for trade shows and expos
Watch out for- Annual pricing starts high for small events
- No free plan, trial only
- Some advanced features need higher tiers
#4Whova
Best for: Attendee engagement and networking at live events4.8/5 on
G2 (1,925 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit whova.com
Starting priceSee website
Free planNo
Whova is best known for its attendee app, and it earns that reputation. Attendees get a personal agenda, speaker and exhibitor profiles, in app messaging, community boards, live polls, Q and A, and gamification that encourages participation. For in person conferences, that app often becomes the main way attendees plan their day, meet each other, and follow sessions. Organizers get registration, event websites, email tools, and reporting alongside the app.
Whova also supports virtual and hybrid sessions, including livestreaming and on demand content, but its deepest strength remains live event engagement rather than a large scale virtual venue. Pricing is quote only, so organizers need to request a proposal based on event size and features, and there is no free plan. Whova is the right pick when attendee networking and engagement at a live or hybrid conference matter more than a complex virtual expo floor.
What we like- Excellent attendee app with agendas, networking, and community boards
- Live polling, Q and A, and gamification
- Easy setup for organizers
Watch out for- No public pricing, quote only
- No free plan
- Virtual event features are less deep than some rivals here
#5vFairs
Best for: Virtual and hybrid expos with 3D booths4.7/5 on
G2 (1,786 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit vfairs.com
Starting priceSee website
Free planYes
vFairs stands out for virtual expos. Its 3D venues recreate exhibition halls, lobbies, and auditoriums, and exhibitors get customizable booths with documents, videos, live chat, and meeting booking. That visual approach works well for career fairs, trade shows, and product expos where browsing booths is part of the experience. The platform also supports webinars, conferences, and hybrid events, with onsite registration and an attendee app for the in person side.
Pricing is unusual in this list: vFairs offers a free plan for events with up to 500 attendees, then moves to custom pricing for larger events. That makes it one of the few ways to run a small virtual expo without paying, though larger events need a sales conversation to confirm cost. Organizers should budget design time for a 3D venue, since a plain setup will not show off the format. For expos and fairs where the virtual floor is the event, vFairs is hard to beat.
What we like- Free plan for events with up to 500 attendees
- Immersive 3D virtual venues and exhibitor booths
- Strong fit for career fairs, expos, and trade shows
Watch out for- Custom pricing above the free tier, so costs are unclear until you ask
- 3D venues take design time
- Smaller meetings do not need this much production
#6Airmeet
Best for: Community events and multi session summits4.6/5 on
G2 (762 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit airmeet.com
Starting price$89 per month
Free planYes
Airmeet is a friendly, modern platform for virtual and hybrid summits, community events, workshops, and meetups. Its virtual venue includes a lobby, multiple stages, breakout tables, and social lounges where attendees can join open video tables, which feels closer to a real event than a webinar grid. Speed networking, polls, Q and A, and chat keep sessions interactive, and organizers can run multi day events with parallel tracks.
Pricing starts with a free plan for up to 100 registrations, and the Basic paid plan starts at $89 per month. That makes Airmeet one of the most accessible platforms in this list for small teams, creators, and communities. The trade off is onsite depth: Airmeet handles hybrid streaming and virtual participation well, but organizers running a large trade show with complex badge, floor, and exhibitor needs will find Bizzabo, Cvent, or vFairs stronger. For online first events with a hybrid audience, Airmeet offers a lot for the price.
What we like- Free plan for up to 100 registrations
- Social lounges and speed networking built in
- Easy setup for summits, meetups, and community events
Watch out for- Onsite features are thinner than Bizzabo or Cvent
- Branding and analytics improve on higher tiers
- Large expos need a bigger platform
#7Cvent
Best for: Large enterprise events and venue sourcing4.3/5 on
G2 (2,414 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit cvent.com
Starting priceSee website
Free planNo
Cvent is the enterprise standard for event management. Its platform covers venue sourcing, registration, event websites, email marketing, onsite check in and badge printing, surveys, and the Attendee Hub for virtual and hybrid sessions. Large organizations use Cvent to run hundreds of events a year under one system, with consistent branding, approval workflows, and reporting across all of them.
The Attendee Hub gives remote attendees live and on demand sessions, networking, sponsor areas, and engagement tools, while onsite attendees use the same registration and app. That consistency is valuable for global teams, but it comes with enterprise pricing (quote only, no free plan) and a learning curve. Cvent needs trained event staff or an implementation partner to get the most from it. It is the right choice for large companies, associations, and agencies with high event volume. Small teams should start elsewhere.
What we like- Huge enterprise feature set, from sourcing to registration to virtual events
- Attendee Hub for hybrid sessions and networking
- Strong integrations and reporting
Watch out for- Quote only pricing with enterprise contracts
- Complex setup that needs trained staff
- Overkill for small events
#8Swapcard
Best for: Exhibitor led expos and B2B networking4.6/5 on
G2 (228 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit swapcard.com
Starting price$610 per year
Free planNo
Swapcard is built around one idea: the right meetings matter more than the most sessions. Its AI matchmaking suggests relevant attendees, exhibitors, and sponsors to each other, then makes it easy to book one to one video or in person meetings. That focus makes Swapcard a strong fit for B2B trade shows, expos, and conferences where exhibitor return on investment depends on qualified meetings.
Beyond matchmaking, Swapcard offers registration, event websites, virtual sessions, an attendee app, onsite check in, and lead capture for exhibitors. Pricing starts at about $610 per year, which is low for this category, though larger events and added features raise the cost, and there is no free plan. The platform takes some learning, and simple webinar style events will not use its strengths. For B2B organizers who measure success in meetings booked and exhibitor leads, Swapcard is a smart, affordable pick.
What we like- AI powered matchmaking for meetings between attendees and exhibitors
- Strong exhibitor and sponsor tools
- Works for virtual, hybrid, and onsite formats
Watch out for- No free plan
- The interface takes time to master
- Best for B2B expos, less suited to simple webinars
How we chose
We compared platforms that support both virtual and in person attendance in a single event, not webinar tools with a livestream bolted on. Each tool on this list offers registration, live sessions, attendee networking, and some form of onsite support, and each is in active use by event organizers in 2026. We weighed the strength of the virtual venue, onsite tools such as check in and badge printing, networking and sponsor features, ease of setup, and pricing transparency. Where pricing was not public, we marked it as "See website" rather than guessing, and we favored platforms with a free plan or trial where possible so organizers can test before buying.
Start with your event format, not the feature list. A 500 person conference with a trade show floor needs different tools from a 100 person community summit or a career fair. List your must haves: number of parallel sessions, ticketing, sponsor booths, onsite check in, and networking style. Then check the pricing unit. Per organizer pricing suits small teams, per user pricing suits large teams, and per event or annual pricing suits organizations with a fixed event calendar. Ask vendors for total cost at your attendee count, including add ons for streaming, onsite hardware, and support.
Test networking before you buy
Networking is where hybrid events succeed or fail. Join a test event as a remote attendee and as an onsite attendee. Try speed networking, one to one meetings, and sponsor booth chats. Check whether remote attendees can easily join sessions happening in the room, and whether onsite attendees can message remote ones. If networking feels awkward in the test, it will feel worse on event day.
Plan the onsite and virtual production together
Hybrid events need a production plan for both audiences. Decide which sessions are livestreamed, who moderates remote Q and A, and how sponsors reach both groups. Budget for cameras, audio, and a stable venue connection, and assign staff to the virtual audience, not just the room. Platforms with a single attendee app for both groups make this much easier.
Check reporting before the event, not after
Decide what success looks like first: registrations, attendance, session engagement, meetings booked, or exhibitor leads. Then confirm the platform reports those numbers for both virtual and onsite attendees in one place. A platform that only reports virtual attendance will leave half your event unmeasured.
Frequently asked questions
What is a hybrid event platform?
It is software that runs an event for both in person and remote attendees at the same time. It typically includes registration, live and on demand sessions, networking, sponsor areas, and onsite tools such as check in and badge printing, all connected through one attendee experience.
How much does a hybrid event platform cost?
It ranges from free for small events on vFairs and Airmeet, to $89 per month for Airmeet Basic and $99 per organizer per month for RingCentral Events Pro, up to enterprise contracts for Bizzabo and Cvent that run into tens of thousands of dollars per year. Always confirm total cost at your attendee count.
Do I need a hybrid platform for a simple livestreamed meeting?
No. If you only need to stream a meeting to remote viewers, a webinar or video meeting tool is enough and cheaper. A hybrid platform earns its cost when you need registration, ticketing, networking, sponsors, and an onsite experience alongside the stream.
Which platform is best for trade shows and expos?
vFairs is strongest for immersive virtual expo floors, Swapcard is strongest for exhibitor meetings and B2B matchmaking, and Bizzabo and Cvent are strongest for large enterprise trade shows with onsite operations. Pick based on whether booths, meetings, or onsite scale matter most.
Can attendees network across virtual and onsite groups?
Yes, on the platforms in this list. Features such as one to one meetings, chat, social lounges, and a shared attendee app let remote and onsite attendees connect, though the quality varies. Test this in a trial before committing, since it is the feature most likely to disappoint.
How far ahead should I set up a hybrid event platform?
For a small summit, two to four weeks is usually enough. For a large conference with ticketing, sponsors, and onsite production, allow two to three months for setup, testing, and rehearsal. Enterprise platforms such as Cvent and Bizzabo may need more time for configuration and staff training.
Sources we checked (8)
- https://www.ringcentral.com/ca/en/rc-events.html
- https://bizzabo.com
- https://www.accelevents.com
- https://whova.com
- https://vfairs.com
- https://airmeet.com
- https://www.cvent.com
- https://www.swapcard.com
Is your product missing or out of date?
We review this list regularly. Vendors can request a listing, send updated pricing or ask about featured placement.
Shihab Mia · Founder, Rankite
Shihab has 5+ years in B2B and SaaS SEO. He writes Rankite's software buying guides from pricing pages, documentation and public user reviews. More about Shihab.