Best Whova Alternatives in 2026
A sourced shortlist of the top Whova competitors: Swapcard, Cvent, Eventbrite and Accelevents. Each is compared with Whova on pricing, free plan, features and fit, using dated vendor and independent sources. No rankings and no paid placement.
- Updated 10 Nov 2026Profiles verified 11 Nov 2026
- 4 alternativesEach with a full sourced profile
- Not a rankingFit depends on your priorities
- Not tested by Stack18Editorial summary of documented facts
What are the best alternatives to Whova?
The main alternatives to Whova covered here are Swapcard, Cvent, Eventbrite and Accelevents. Swapcard may suit trade shows and conferences focused on networking and exhibitors, while Cvent may suit enterprises running large multi-event programmes. None is best for everyone: the right event platform depends on team size, budget and which Whova limitation you are trying to solve.
Teams usually start looking beyond Whova for documented reasons: no published pricing; no venue sourcing. Whova remains a reasonable fit for conferences wanting strong attendee networking and engagement, so an alternative is not automatically better, only different.
Below, every option is compared with Whova in one table, then described with its strengths, trade-offs and pricing, each taken from its own sourced profile. Anything the sources do not document is marked as unknown.
Why teams look for Whova alternatives.
Each reason is a limitation documented on the Whova profile, with its source cited there.
Cost and pricing
No published pricing.
Scope and fit
No venue sourcing.
Other trade-offs
Add-ons raise cost.
According to its profile, Whova may be less suited to: public ticket discovery; venue sourcing.
Whova vs its top alternatives at a glance.
Whova is shown first for reference. Summaries come from each sourced profile; suitability depends on company size, budget, use case and technical requirements.
| Product | Best for | Pricing model | Starting price | Free plan | Event type | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Whova (current tool) | Conferences wanting strong attendee networking and engagement | Quote | Quote | Free tickets only | Conferences | Networking |
 Swapcard | Trade shows and conferences focused on networking and exhibitors | By event contacts | $610/yr (self-service) | No | Trade shows, conferences | Matchmaking |
 Cvent | Enterprises running large multi-event programmes | Quote | ~$19,550/yr (est.) | No | All (enterprise) | Large programmes |
 Eventbrite | Organisers selling public tickets who want discovery | Per-ticket fee | Free (free events) | Yes | Public ticketed | Ticket sales |
 Accelevents | Teams wanting published pricing for in-person and hybrid events | Per event / annual | $7,500 (one event) | No | In-person, virtual, hybrid | Published pricing |
Each Whova alternative described.
Pricing, strengths and trade-offs are taken from each product's profile, where every point is linked to a dated source.
Swapcard
Swapcard · Event engagement and matchmaking
Swapcard is an event engagement platform with AI matchmaking, networking, exhibitor lead capture and branded event apps for trade shows and conferences.
- Pricing
- Event Engagement Platform from $610 a year (self-service); Registration & Management custom; exhibitor add-ons unpriced.
- Free plan
- No
- Team size
- Small teams, Mid-size teams, Large enterprises
- AI matchmaking.
- Offline lead capture.
- Exhibitor features are add-ons.
- Costs scale with contacts.
Cvent
Cvent · Enterprise event management
Cvent is an enterprise event management platform for in-person, virtual and hybrid events, including registration, venue sourcing, onsite tools and event marketing.
- Pricing
- Not published; research cites ~$19,550 a year at the low end, $79,000+ for full programmes, $7-12 per registrant for Attendee Hub (estimates).
- Free plan
- No
- Team size
- Large enterprises
- Broad event lifecycle coverage.
- Large venue sourcing network.
- Opaque pricing.
- Slow onboarding.
Eventbrite
Eventbrite · Ticketing and event discovery
Eventbrite is an online ticketing platform and public event marketplace where organisers publish events, sell tickets and reach people browsing for things to do.
- Pricing
- Free events free; paid tickets 3.7% + $1.79 plus 2.9% processing (US); Premium $69 a month or $708 a year.
- Free plan
- Yes
- Team size
- Small teams, Mid-size teams, Large enterprises
- Built-in discovery audience.
- Free for free events.
- Fees stack to 10-15% on cheaper tickets.
- Plans do not lower ticket fees.
Accelevents
Accelevents · All-in-one event platform
Accelevents is event management software for in-person, virtual and hybrid events, with registration, ticketing, event apps, check-in and badge printing.
- Pricing
- Professional $7,500 (one event); Business $13,500 (unlimited events); Enterprise and White Label by quote.
- Free plan
- No
- Team size
- Small teams, Mid-size teams, Large enterprises
- Published pricing.
- All-in-one event formats.
- Billing period unclear.
- No deep venue sourcing.
Which Whova alternative should you choose?
No single alternative is best for everyone. Match the scenario to your own requirements, then test two or three options against a real process.
Consider Swapcard if you are…
- Trade shows and conferences focused on networking and exhibitors
- Hosted-buyer events
- Associations
Consider Cvent if you are…
- Enterprises running large multi-event programmes
- Meeting and incentive planners
- Associations with big conferences
Consider Eventbrite if you are…
- Organisers selling public tickets who want discovery
- Community events
- Concerts and classes
Consider Accelevents if you are…
- Teams wanting published pricing for in-person and hybrid events
- Associations
- Mid-market marketing
Stay with Whova if you are…
- Conferences wanting strong attendee networking and engagement
- Associations
- Academic conferences
How to switch from Whova.
Moving off Whova means exporting attendee, registration and payment records, rebuilding registration forms, ticket types and event websites, reconfiguring badges and apps, and reconnecting CRM and payment integrations. Switch between event cycles, not mid-registration. Run one smaller event on each shortlisted platform, or a full test registration with real payment and badge printing, before committing to an annual contract.
- Export a sample of your Whova data and test an import into the new product.
- List the automations, integrations and permissions you would need to rebuild.
- Compare total cost for your real seat count, including add-ons and onboarding fees.
- Pilot with one team before a full cut-over.
- Check contract terms, renewal dates and notice periods with Whova.
General guidance, not specific to any vendor. Confirm migration options with the vendors.
Whova alternatives: questions and answers
What is the best alternative to Whova?
No single alternative is best for everyone. The alternatives covered here are Swapcard, Cvent, Eventbrite and Accelevents. Swapcard may suit trade shows and conferences focused on networking and exhibitors. Cvent may suit enterprises running large multi-event programmes. Eventbrite may suit organisers selling public tickets who want discovery. Test two or three against your own process before deciding.
Is there a free alternative to Whova?
Yes. Eventbrite lists a free plan or free tier in its sourced profile. Free plans usually cap users, records or usage, so check the limits on each profile before relying on one.
Which Whova alternative is best for small teams?
Swapcard, Eventbrite and Accelevents are documented for small teams. Swapcard may suit trade shows and conferences focused on networking and exhibitors. Eventbrite may suit organisers selling public tickets who want discovery. Accelevents may suit teams wanting published pricing for in-person and hybrid events.
Which Whova alternatives suit larger organisations?
Swapcard, Cvent, Eventbrite and Accelevents are documented for large enterprises as well as smaller teams. Larger rollouts should also check SSO, permissions, audit logs and contract terms on each profile.
Why do teams switch from Whova?
The limitations documented on the Whova profile are: No published pricing. No venue sourcing. Add-ons raise cost. Whether they matter depends on your team and budget.
Who should stay with Whova?
Whova may still suit conferences wanting strong attendee networking and engagement; associations; academic conferences.
Where can I compare Whova with a competitor side by side?
Stack18 has head-to-head comparisons for Whova vs Swapcard, each with a feature table and pricing summary.
How were these Whova alternatives chosen?
They are the products listed as alternatives on the Whova profile and other products in the Event Management Software category with overlapping use cases. They are listed in the order shown, not ranked, and no vendor paid for placement. Each profile was verified on 11 Nov 2026.
Where this shortlist comes from.
- Best Event Management Software (2026): 8 Platforms Compared (updated October 2026) Dupple Third-party Accessed 11 Nov 2026
- Best Cvent Alternatives in 2026 (updated 22 August 2026) Rework Third-party Accessed 11 Nov 2026
- WebMobi vs Swapcard (Swapcard pricing read 8 September 2026) WebMobi (competitor page) Competitor Accessed 11 Nov 2026
- Eventbrite fees 2026: Full breakdown for organizers (updated 28 April 2026) Checkout Page (competitor blog) Competitor Accessed 11 Nov 2026
Alternatives are summarised from the linked profiles and their sources: all sources for Whova and the main sources for each alternative. Confirm current details with each vendor. Stack18 has not tested these products.
Evaluating Whova alternatives?
Compare your shortlist side by side, read the full profiles, or talk to Stack18 if off-the-shelf software is not the answer.
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