Top Online Event Management Software to Simplify Planning

Imagine organising a large-scale conference, a hybrid product launch, or a global webinar, and everything runs like clockwork. Sounds ideal, right? 

Yet many businesses still juggle spreadsheets, fragmented tools, and last-minute logistics.

In fact, the global event-management software market was already valued at USD 8.4 billion in 2024 and is projected to catapult to USD 17.33 billion by 2030, a CAGR of ~13.2%.

Knowing about the right online event-management platform is crucial if you’re a business wanting to streamline planning, boost attendee engagement, automate registration, and extract actionable data.

This blog will show you exactly how the top hybrid and online event management platforms help businesses like yours save time and improve attendee satisfaction.

Key Takeaways

• Online event management platforms are essential in 2025 to streamline hybrid and virtual events that meet evolving attendee expectations.
• Hybrid platforms outperform online-only tools by integrating physical and virtual experiences, enabling broader reach and richer engagement.
• Key features to prioritise include multi-format registration, seamless onsite check-in, advanced engagement tools, robust analytics, and strong integrations.
• Selecting the right platform depends on functionality fit, ease of use, scalability, integration capabilities, security, and customer support alignment with your event goals.
• fielddrive stands out as a specialist in onsite/hybrid event technology, combining rapid check-in, custom badge printing, lead retrieval, and sustainability to elevate event execution.

Why Online Event Management Platforms Are Essential in 2025?

In general, an event management platform is a specialised software tool designed to help organisations plan, organise, and deliver a wide range of events, whether in-person, virtual, or hybrid.

It combines everything an organiser needs into one unified system, making it much easier to manage logistics, attendee experiences, and data from start to finish.

Here are the reasons why online and hybrid event management platforms are essential in 2025: 

1. Increased Market Growth

• The global market for event management software, driven by hybrid and online adoption, is projected to reach $17.1 billion by 2025, almost doubling from 2020 levels.​
• Hybrid event platforms alone are seeing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of over 12%, as more businesses pivot to blended event strategies.

2. Mainstream Adoption & Usage

• Over 80% of organisations now use a dedicated online or hybrid event management platform for their events, up from just 53% five years ago.
• 89% of businesses use event technology because it saves them around 200 hours per year.

3. Unified Experience for All Attendees

• One platform manages registrations, sessions, and networking for both physical and virtual attendees without duplicating effort or data fragmentation.​
• Attendees can easily switch between online and onsite experiences, ensuring inclusivity and engagement.

Ready to narrow your choices? Let’s dive into the key features you absolutely need for a highly effective online and hybrid event management platform in 2025.

Must-Have Features to Look For in Event Management Software

Selecting the right platform isn't just about checking boxes; it’s about making sure every attendee, onsite or remote, gets a unified, seamless, and engaging experience. 

Here are the features that matter most, with specific details for what sets leaders apart:

1. Multi-Channel Registration

• Unified registration for onsite and remote participants, with instant ticketing, customisable forms, dynamic pricing, and secure payment gateways.​
• Automated badge assignment and QR code generation, eliminating manual errors.

2. Professional-Grade Streaming with Interactive Features

• HD live streaming for all sessions, multi-camera support, and adaptive bandwidth.
• Built-in engagement tools, live polls, moderated Q&A, instant replay, and embedded chat for both physical and online audiences.​

3. Real-Time Hybrid Check-In System

• Onsite kiosks with integrated facial recognition and RFID scanning, plus virtual self-check-in for online guests.
• Instant access control and session attendance tracking, delivered on one dashboard.​
  

4. AI-Powered Networking & Matchmaking

• Smart attendee matchmaking based on professional interests and intent, with auto-generated meeting suggestions.
• Hybrid networking lounges blending video calls with local meetups.

5. Customisable Mobile App & Web Portal

• Dynamic in-app agendas, push notifications, and interactive map overlays for easy venue navigation.​

6. Analytics That Go Beyond Attendance

• Granular event intelligence tracking attendee engagement, session ROI, sponsor leads, and real-time NPS (Net Promoter Score).​
• Export-ready data breakdowns by segment: physical vs virtual, sponsor impact, pre/post attendee actions.

7. Complex Agenda & Session Control

• Drag-and-drop agenda builder to manage parallel tracks, VIP rooms, breakout sessions, and cross-channel updates.
• Session access logic that can restrict, prioritise, or automate entry for target groups, onsite and online.
  

8. Cross-Platform Integrations

• Plug-and-play integrations with leading CRMs (Salesforce, HubSpot), marketing automation, ticketing partners, and enterprise SSO (Single Sign-On).
• API access for custom workflows and legacy system support.

Now, let’s get practical. Here are five standout online event management platforms leading the market in 2025.

Top Online Event Management Platforms to Consider

The right software isn't “one size fits all.” Below are five of the top online event management platforms in 2025, each with distinct strengths and feature sets, so that you can choose the best fit for your event.

1. Cvent

Cvent is regarded as one of the most comprehensive enterprise event management platforms, specifically engineered for organisations running complex, high-volume conferences and hybrid events. The platform effortlessly coordinates registrations for thousands of attendees, processing multiple admission types and payment options, plus multi-track and segmented agendas.

What sets Cvent apart:

• Unified Management: Manage event websites, mobile apps, advanced ticketing, custom registration forms, and integrations (Salesforce, HubSpot, Marketo, and more). 
• Onsite Excellence: Facial recognition and RFID badge printing ensure rapid, contactless check-in, access control, and live session attendance tracking. ​
• Hybrid Integration: Centralised dashboards unify in-person and online participant data, session streaming, speaker management, digital content delivery, and gamified engagement.​
• Advanced Analytics: Cvent provides deep, real-time insights on registration data, attendee engagement, ROI calculations, sponsor metrics, and post-event feedback. 
• Security & Compliance: SOC2 and GDPR-ready hosting, role-based admin access, encrypted payments, and global privacy controls.

Best For:

Enterprise conferences, online summits, global associations, field marketing activations, and events needing advanced sponsor/exhibitor tools or complex access controls.

Free Trial:

Yes, organisers can create a free event, book a personalised on-demand demo, or request a tailored walkthrough. 

2. Bizzabo

Bizzabo is recognised for delivering a unified attendee experience and driving real engagement, especially in hybrid summits, field activations, and large-scale trade shows. Its backbone, the Event Experience OS, centralises everything from registration and ticketing to session management and marketing automation.

What makes Bizzabo stand out:

• Event Command Center: Monitor registrations, sessions, engagement, and campaign performance at a glance.
• AI-Powered Engagement: Attendee matchmaking, personalised session recommendations, live polling, and Q&A, all available in the branded mobile app and virtual lobbies.
• Fully Customisable: Drag-and-drop site and app builders, flexible registration paths (multi-track, group, VIP), deep CRM and marketing integrations.
• Onsite & Hybrid Excellence: Studio-quality live streaming (with virtual production tools), contactless check-in, and hybrid networking lounges.
• Support & Onboarding: Tiered, 24/7 support and curated onboarding programs.

Best for:

Hybrid summits, flagship conferences, trade shows, recurring activations, and organisations needing seamless CRM integration and powerful engagement analytics.

Free trial:

No self-service free tier. Organisers must request a personalised walkthrough or demo to see full platform capabilities.

3. Whova

Whova has emerged as a go-to platform for event organisers seeking a powerful, yet intuitive system for expos, trade shows, annual conferences, and recurring mid-sized events. The platform centralises every key event function, online ticketing, secure payments, personalised attendee profiles, comprehensive badge management, and session scheduling.

What makes Whova unique:

• Mobile-First Experience: Attendees use a single app for ticket purchases, agenda planning, session reminders, venue mapping, networking, live polls, and Q&A. 
• Efficient Onboarding & Registration: Customisable registration pages sync directly with payment processing and attendee data collection. 
• Engagement & Networking: Attendees interact via virtual meetups, messaging, real-time chat, discussion boards, targeted recommendations, and gamification features. 
• Analytics & Reporting: Organisers track session attendance, poll responses, and engagement scores in real time. Post-event analytics reveal audience participation and sponsor ROI.​

Best for:

Expos, trade shows, conferences, associations, and events that need intuitive management and high attendee engagement, especially where cost management, multi-session scheduling, or sponsor/exhibitor support is critical.

Free Trial: 

Yes, Whova provides a free trial, though it does not have a free version of its software. To get a free trial, you typically need to request a product demo.

4. vFairs

vFairs stands out as one of the leading platforms explicitly designed for immersive hybrid and virtual events, providing extensive tools for event organisers who want a branded, high-engagement experience for large audiences.

What makes vFairs stand out:

• Registration & Ticketing: Customisable registration flows, multi-tiered ticketing, secure payments, and attendee segmentation make vFairs ideal for events that require complex setup or exclusive invitations. 
• Hybrid & Onsite Check-In: vFairs supports virtual check-in is instant and unified with onsite participation, offering a single dashboard view for organisers.
• 3D Virtual Venues & Exhibitor Booths: Attendees can explore 3D venues, access interactive exhibitor booths, download resources, and network using video calls, chat, and dynamic breakout sessions. 
• Engagement & Networking: Live and pre-recorded sessions, interactive Q&A, polling, gamification, leaderboard activities, and smart attendee matchmaking ensure high audience participation and valuable connections.
• Comprehensive Analytics: Real-time tracking of registrations, session attendance, booth traffic, engagement, and sponsor interactions. Data is exportable in multiple formats (CSV, PDF) and segmented by audience type, region, behavior, and ROI outcomes.

Best for:

Companies and organisations executing large virtual job fairs, hybrid expos, flagship summits, internal communications, and branded product launches.

Free Trial:

You can book a personalised demo or walkthrough tailored to your event needs. There is no self-serve free tier.

5. Eventbrite

Eventbrite offers a user-friendly, scalable event management platform that caters especially well to community-driven, recurring, and smaller-scale events. Its core strength lies in simplifying ticketing and registration through multi-tiered ticket types, promotional tools, and seamless payment processes.

Top features include:

• Timed and Reserved Seating Options: Allows organisers to set specific entry times and create interactive seat maps for attendees to choose preferred seats, helping in crowd management and improving attendee satisfaction.
• Custom Tickets and Promo Codes: Supports creation of printable and digital tickets with configurable promo codes including early bird discounts and group pricing to boost registrations and incentivise larger purchases.
• Embedded Checkout: Enables seamless ticket purchasing directly on your event website without redirecting customers to external pages, providing a smoother buying experience.
• Organiser Mobile App: A versatile app that empowers event organisers with real-time attendee check-ins, ticket scanning, and management capabilities, usable both onsite and offline to ensure smooth operations.
• AI-Powered Marketing Tools: Uses AI to optimise event listing SEO and automate social media ad campaigns, driving higher visibility and ticket sales.
• Marketing Integrations: Deep integration capabilities with Facebook, Google Ads, Mailchimp, and other platforms, enabling comprehensive promotion and audience targeting.

Best for: Community meetups, training sessions, frequent local launches, and events prioritising simple management with powerful marketing support.

Free Trial: Yes, for free events and limited basic features; demos available for paid plans.

After reviewing all five online event management platforms, it’s important to highlight that hybrid platforms provide a more comprehensive experience compared to purely online solutions.

Hybrid platforms unify the virtual and physical event components, enabling seamless engagement, broader audience reach, and richer data collection from both onsite and remote attendees.

How fielddrive Elevates Onsite & Hybrid Event Management

fielddrive specialises in onsite and hybrid event technology, offering practical solutions that enhance every aspect of the attendee journey without sounding complicated or overly technical. It’s designed to make onsite event management effortless and efficient, especially where physical presence matters.

What makes fielddrive different?

• Fast & Contactless Check-Ins: Using advanced facial recognition and QR code scanning, fielddrive kiosks enable smooth, secure, and near-instant check-ins, reducing long queues and wait times.
• Custom Badge Printing: The system prints high-quality, fully branded badges on demand in just six seconds, ensuring consistency and professionalism for attendees, sponsors, and organisers.
• Lead Retrieval & Engagement: With the fielddrive Leads app, exhibitors can capture and qualify leads efficiently, syncing data live for quick follow-ups that drive event ROI.
• Integrated Analytics: Organisers get real-time insights into event flow, session attendance, and visitor behavior, helping to optimise experiences and measure success effectively.
• Sustainability Focus: fielddrive promotes eco-friendly practices with recyclable badge materials and energy-efficient kiosks, supporting green event initiatives without sacrificing technology quality.
• Global Presence & Support: Powered by six logistics hubs around the world, fielddrive supports events in more than 50 countries, offering reliable deployment and responsive customer service.

In simple terms, fielddrive brings together tried-and-true onsite expertise with modern hybrid capabilities to create events that run smoothly, engage deeply, and deliver measurable value, all without the hassle.

Book a demo with fielddrive today to explore solutions tailored for your event needs.

Now, after having looked at the top hybrid and online event management software, here’s detailed guidance on how to choose the best event management platform. 

How to Choose the Best Platform for Your Organisation?

With multiple event management platforms available, picking the one that fits your unique needs is crucial. The right choice is more than feature checklists; it’s about what aligns best with your event types, audience size, team structure, and future growth plans.

Start by reflecting on your event portfolio and goals:

• Are your events primarily virtual, hybrid, or in-person?
• What’s the typical size and frequency of your events?
• How essential are marketing integrations, data analytics, and attendee engagement tools?
• Does your organisation require advanced on-site solutions, such as facial recognition or badge printing?

Next, assess these key factors when evaluating platforms:

1. Functionality Fit

Choose a platform that supports all event formats you run, from webinars and workshops to large conferences and expos. Essential features include registration, ticketing, agenda management, engagement tools, and robust analytics.

2. User Experience & Customisation

Look for platforms where you can easily create branded event websites and mobile apps tailored to your company’s style. Ease of use for both organisers and attendees facilitates higher adoption and satisfaction.

3. Integration Capabilities

Your platform should seamlessly connect with your CRM, marketing tools, payment gateways, and other software to prevent data silos and enable automated workflows.

4. Scalability & Flexibility

Pick a solution that grows with your organisation: it should handle increasing attendee numbers, support multiple simultaneous events, and evolve as your event formats change.

5. Data Security & Compliance

Ensure the platform complies with relevant regulations (e.g., GDPR), offers encrypted payments, and protects attendee data with role-based access and audit controls.

6. Dedicated Support & Training

Consider the quality of customer service, including onboarding, technical support, and training resources to help your team leverage the platform fully.

Bringing it all together, maximising your event ROI starts with choosing the right platform, one that seamlessly integrates technology, engagement, and data insights to align with your unique event goals.

Maximising ROI With the Right Event Management Partner: fielddrive

With hybrid events becoming the norm, platforms that unify onsite and virtual experiences provide unmatched value, extending your reach while simplifying operations. 

fielddrive exemplifies this approach, combining advanced onsite technologies like facial recognition and eco-friendly badge printing with real-time data tools and seamless integration capabilities. 

Fielddrive solutions help you reduce wait times, increase sponsor interaction, and capture actionable insights that fuel smarter decisions.

In essence, consider how a dedicated hybrid partner like fielddrive can transform your online event operations, making every interaction count and boosting your overall event ROI without adding complexity.

Discover how fielddrive can help you create seamless, engaging onsite and hybrid events that drive measurable growth.

Explore fielddrive today and unlock the full potential of your events.

FAQs

1. What distinguishes hybrid event management platforms from purely online ones?

Hybrid platforms integrate both physical and virtual event components, enabling seamless interaction and real-time data sharing between onsite and remote attendees, unlike purely online platforms.

2. How can event management software improve attendee engagement?

Features like personalised agendas, live polling, AI matchmaking, and interactive Q&A empower attendees to actively participate, enhancing satisfaction and retention.

3. What key analytics should organisers track to measure event success?

Important metrics include registration trends, session attendance, engagement levels, lead capture data, and sponsor ROI to inform future event strategies.

4. How critical is integration with existing business tools in an event platform?

Highly critical; seamless CRM, marketing, and payment integrations ensure data consistency, automate workflows, and enrich marketing and sales efforts.

5. What role does onsite technology play in hybrid event effectiveness?

Onsite tech like fast check-in, badge printing, and lead retrieval enhances operational efficiency, reduces wait times, and bridges onsite-virtual attendee experiences for cohesive events.