Here's What You'll Need from an App for Conferences in 2024 (+ 8 Choices) |

Aug 30, 2024

The year before, many participants of our Mighty Team went to Craft and Commerce, ConvertKit's annual conference held in Boise, Idaho. The highlight was experiencing as the conference app!

The market for event apps has been growing rapidly, with 72% of conference organizers saying that apps were crucial for the success of a recently held conference. The research conducted by G2 found that 65percent of event organizers are planning to use a conference app for things like check-ins, AI and QR codes or even VR experiences.


In this article this article, we'll draw on both our research and experience to discuss what makes a great conference application. We'll cover:


 

  • What are the characteristics of a fantastic conference app.        
  • How to choose an app for mobile conferences.        
  • 10 of the best conferences apps available.        


((toc))


What is a conference app?


A conference app delivers an experience that simulates the live event or a hybrid. First versions of conference apps were basically portable conference schedules. As the technology has evolved conferences apps have evolved to include more features for members, such as ticketing, member management, and better interactive scheduling.


A modern conference app is more than just a convenient schedule. We can use tech to enhance the experience of conference attendees. More engaging. More successful.


A conference application could be a software program that


 

  • Helps attendees find new friends.        
  • Empowers attendees to create new content, and then add it to the experience.        
  • handles payment, registrations, and tickets.        
  • Delivers the conference on the app that you have created for your company.    


    What we learned from going to a conference through our app


Boise, Idaho was baking under the summer heat. And as the conference got underway, we could feel the excitement. The conference featured great keynote speakers such as Ali Abdaal and Cody Sanchez as well as a talk on starting a million-dollar community from our own CEO-Gina Bianchini.


Conference App - CK


The magic of the event came from a great line-up of speakers, a stunning venue, and-of course-300plus amazing artists who gathered together for the purpose of making it happen. The list goes on. This is exactly what every conference needs.


But behind the scenes there was a different thing taking place:


 

  • Chat on the conference app was blowing up in "strategic selfies" (speaker John Meese suggested that we use these")        
  • Participants were organizing posts, organising, and even running their own awesome gatherings to discuss things such as white-water rafting, running, and the hike to the canyon at sunrise (for those who are able to handle the 5:00 am wake to get up).        
  • Creators were sharing the projects they'd been up to or seeking help. The mobile conference application was bursting to the top with comments!        
  • When you walk around Boise's town, you'll find new friends grabbing lunch in some of Boise's best dining establishments (and sure enough, it probably had potatoes, in some form or another).        


    and the application helped this happen!


The app for conference wasn't only for scheduling and ticketing. It was a dynamic, virtual conference that happened alongside the real one. Sure the app was populated with the conference basics and was extremely helpful!


But it was those who attended that made the conference application come alive with stories, pictures and requests for assistance, and suggestions for everything from business ideas to gluten-free dining options located in Boise.


What made it work very well. And here's what to be looking for in an app for conferences.


What are the signs to look out for in conference apps


 

  • The schedule of conferences (obviously) However, there are also RSVPs and engagement with sessions within the app.    
  • Fantastic communication tool to use for messages and sending emails to attendees , and taking care of support and questions.      
  • The tools for connecting attendees to each other: eg, rich profiles, social links and chat as well as messages. The true magic of an app for conferences is that attendees can find and meet virtual connections and spill into reality.    
  • A variety of features to unleash creativity in attendees. Let attendees develop content, post photographs, create short or long-form text, post videos, or ask questions. When the engagement happens in the app-without you being involved, it will increase the impact of your event. It keeps the momentum up until the next event.    
  • Payment, ticketing, and the registration. If your application supports the backend of your event, ensure that you have the ability to take payments, track member lists, and connect members after.      
  • Simple building hosting, hosting, and maintaining it doesn't require a whole team to get a conference app off the ground, and running beautifully.      


One of our favorite things that worked about the application


Natalie Paramenter


As we think about how we made our mobile-based conference application work Here's our favorite part of the app:


 

  • Attendees organically shared their notes during sessions on the dedicated discussion feeds.        
  • Live icebreakers, which resulted in people in the app meeting other users IRL (ie. "Find someone who's the same height as you and snap a photo of them ).    
  • Local Boiseans (is it true?) organizing meetups around some of their best local grub spots and outings. (The Karaoke session was the highlight. )      
  • The running chat prior to, during and after the conference keeps on giving. As an example, Natalie Parmenter (the creator of Primary Focus), gave the above shoutout after fellow members helped in making her debut a hit!    
  • ConvertKit opened studio and recording places for customers to drop in and record content. (If you happen to be in Boise it's possible to schedule an appointment to visit and make use of them free! )    


CK Studios


The top mobile conference apps available


1. Mighty Pro


    Best conference engagement app


Mighty Pro builds conference apps deployed on G2's top-rated community management system. Mighty is an application that has more than $1 million of communities, more than any other which includes incredible conferences.


Mighty Pro has been building applications with a brand name since. The app portfolio includes more than 400 branded apps for creators and brands like Tony Robbins, TED, Mel Robbins, Marie Forleo, Jim Kwik, and Matthew Hussey.


MN - Graphics - 2024 - Conference Apps


This is what you can do do with Mighty Pro.


Interactive scheduling


Mighty allows you to build an interactive schedule for your attendees to engage with. It allows you to create landing pages for specific sessions, and participants can RSVP as well as communicate or chat during the session. Members can see who else will be attending the session and connect.


MN - 2024 - Graphics - Events


And of course you are able to make livestreams that stream directly to the audience and/or upload the videos to the relevant Spaces after.


CC Gif


Membership Engagement Similar to No Other


Mighty has been the #1 community management program on G2 for years, and that's not because of "features."


It's a good idea to attend a conference to meet people, right? That's why Mighty provides the necessary tools for making this happen! Everyone who attends is asked to make a bio, and they can utilize AI to design one if they're stuck.


From here, the software creates interactive lists of members which can be organized by hobbies, interests or even geographical. The ability to fly out profiles of members helps you focus on interesting people, and the AI engine can even tell you what you have in common and start a conversation.


MN - Graphics - 2024 - Profiile + similarities


Community at the end of the conference


MN - 2024 - Graphics - Space Templates


Mighty gives you more content options than just conference essentials, but. This is why it's the ideal platform to keep community going over and above the conference.


Spaces is customizable using 8 core functions: activity feeds chat members, table of contents (for courses), events, an individual page, event or hashtag. Here are some of the ways that Mighty Hosts are currently using the features following a conference:


 

  •         Regional gatherings that are organised by the supermembers.            
  •         Re-cutting conference material into a course online or any other type of learning.            
  •         Continue to share articles on subjects that members of your organization care about.            
  •         The announcement of themes, tickets, places as well as other details. to be used for the next conference, and building buzz.          
  • The livestreaming or virtual event between conference calls.    


MN - Graphics - 2024 - Livestream


Mighty does a great job at keeping the engagement and conversations going after the conference-if that's your thing.


The conference is running


In terms of running the event, Mighty can handle payments for 135 currencies. This can include different tiers and bundles, as well the ability to determine who has access gain access to which areas of the app.


And Mighty comes with the most comprehensive analytics available in any other place. These are the insights that you require to understand the things that worked and did not, and to determine where members spent the most time and attention, and to analyze the conference's revenue.


Mighty Insights Web


Conference apps with a brand name


If you want your conference application to be featured in the App Store and Google Play Store under your company name This is the best way to take it.


Here are a few of the best parts from Mighty Pro:


 

  • Support for branding, splash screens, notification branding and app best practices        
  • App submissions        
  • Includes integration with ConvertKit's professional plan (up to 10,000 subscribers).        
  • Support by community strategists who assist you in making your event a hit in terms of attendance and revenues and also how you can grow a conference community that runs itself.        


The most up-to-date information from 400+ companies with 6- and 7-figure revenues and organizations, we'll help you understand not only how to meet your goals, but exceed those goals.


    It is possible to find out more about Mighty Pro by clicking here.


or, if you're not ready for an app for your conference that is branded You can start with no cost.


SEO Image - Conference Name Generator


2. Accelerated Events


    Branded conference management app


accelevents


Accelevents conference application provides the tools to register and check-in to the conference, accessing the program, and building your own agenda. The app is equipped with smart features such as live streaming as well as an online exhibit booth, it can handle live or hybrid conferences.


Accelevents offers features for managing members, such as bios and profiles to help attendees connect and find one another. And on that day, you are able to do check-ins, print badges, and even organize challenges and polls within the application.


One downside is the fact that Accelevents users have encountered issues with managing breakout rooms. It's great to manage a conference. However, it's not as effective when it comes to linking attendees.


Accelevents features


 

  • Branded apps for managing your registrations for conferences along with badge printing as well as your conference the schedule.        
  • A few in-app networking and connection features such as livestreaming, QR scans, virtual sponsorship tables and polls        


3. Swapcard


    Great conference management app


Swapcard -


Swapcard is a great idea to create a conference application that comes with a variety of great features. Like Accelevents, Swapcard is good in managing the conference's schedule. Participants can print badges and scan QR codes and design a schedule using their RSVPs.


It's a powerful platform for sponsorship content as well, creating spaces for sponsored content Chats, meetings, and chats management.


However, the best feature of Swapcard is designed to facilitate networking. With its attendee profile and a network-friendly UX to search for and message possible leads or contacts (plus connections to social networks), Swapcard is great for introductions.


Swapcard has features


 

  • Conference application (with branding options) to manage registrations, badges, and access to control        
  • A discussion feed Event guide, customized suggestions, session ratings as well as livestreaming        
  • Tools for network communication: AI matchmaking, profiles, and messaging        


4. Stova


Stova


Stova (formerly Aventri & Meetingplay) is a planning and management platform which is ideal for conference. But, it's important to be aware that Stove is not a brand that offers apps (you can host your conference through the Stova application).


Stova was built to host virtual events. It offers some intriguing features for a conference. The most popular features of Stova are conference delivery: breakout rooms, livestreaming, as well as chat. Additionally, it comes with a 1:1 networking scheduler, which is a neat device.


Stova provides tools that will help you in organizing and planning for an event, such as email marketing and conference budgeting.


Stova Features


 

  • A good virtual-first conference application including livestreaming, breakouts and networking rooms, and an online lobby        
  • Conference planning along with event marketing tools including budgeting and emails      


5. Bevy


Bevy screenshot


Bevy was initially an event app for virtual and in-person events, however, it's recently changed into community events. This is great for coordinating a conference, with check-in, registrations, ticketing and management of lists. It is also a great tool for hosting an online conference as well, with virtual meetups, chats as well as webinars and recordings. It also has a discussion feature. Bevy also comes with a drag-and-drop tool for building web pages for events and landing pages.


Bevy offers great features on virtual platforms, but its community features are quite simple. Essentially, Bevy hosts forums that offer chat and message capabilities. But these are really quite easy to use. The platform is not made to connect you with the kind of connections genuine community platforms give the user.


Bevy features


 

  • Brings community + events in concert with event management, and virtual event production        
  • Live interaction features such as messaging and chat and forums webcasts, meetups and webinars        
  • Drag-and-drop conference page builder        


6. CVent


Cvent


CVent is a different conference application developed for virtual events and the management of events. Similar to other apps on the list, CVent can build conference websites, offer tickets and host events. The toolkit for event management is integrated for live events (things like venue and hotel choices) along with a webinar function for virtual occasions. It's actually strongest for event planning.


However, CVent has none of the community features or chat functions and is not intended to connect attendees to each other.


CVent features


 

  • Application for managing an event. The app includes features for promotional, planning, as well as "day-of" management functions.        


7. ON24


ON 24


ON24 is a basic web-based conference platform which can function as a virtual conference app. There are polls and chat features as well as a webinar. They've also recently added new features such as breakout sessions as well as video chats.


with registration, form-building as well as the ability to personalize a conference with colours, fonts, as well as images of heros It's a great basic application for a virtual conference.


ON24 features


 

  • Webinar-based platform that engages features built-in        


8. VFairs


VFairs


VFairs is a digital and live event application that focuses on conference management features. It includes registration form, badge printing QR check-in, venue maps and agenda creation it's an ideal participant-centric app for helping attendees navigate the conference.


VFairs has custom mobile conference applications as well as onsite help for live conferences. It can be integrated with your CRM too, and VFairs offers valuable event analytics to understand what's working in your conference.


VFairs features


 

  • Registration & printing badges, tickets, as well as other tools for day-of-management.        
  • Platform for hosting virtual events which includes networking, gamification, and other presentation features.        


Conclusion


We're aware of how wonderful conferences can be making attendees grow, learn, and make connections which they'll cherish for years to come. A conference is a great opportunity to increase your reputation as well, increasing your visibility and increasing your profits.


A great conference application makes these things occur!


If you're looking to know more about how to get an individual conference with your own branding and community app, check the site Mighty Pro. .