Bizzabo alternatives: ten questions for any conference platform
If you are looking at Bizzabo alternatives for conferences, compare every platform on the same ten questions: where attendee data is hosted, which security credentials are documented, how invitations, check-in and the event app connect to one guest list, and what a single event really costs. This page gives you that checklist and then shows how AirLST, an attendee management platform from Munich, Germany, answers each question. We make no statements about other vendors' products; ask them the same questions.
Three requirements that usually start the search
Teams rarely switch conference platforms because of a single feature. More often the requirements change: a new region, a new IT policy, a different event format, or a budget that covers one conference rather than a whole program.
IT or procurement asks for hosting and credentials
European attendees, a client's security questionnaire or an internal review: the hosting location, subprocessors and documented security assessments become a hard requirement.
The conference is by invitation, not open sale
Guest groups, quotas, plus-ones and personal invitation links matter more than a ticket shop, and the check-in has to work from the same list.
Attendees should not need an app store
An event app that opens in the browser and already knows each attendee's registration, sessions and ticket lowers the barrier on the day.
Ten questions to ask every conference platform
Ask every vendor on your shortlist the same questions, in writing, including us. The answers are easier to compare than feature lists.
- Where is attendee data hosted? Country, data center, list of subprocessors, data processing agreement.
- Which security credentials can you document? Assessment or certificate, scope and date, not just a logo.
- How do invitations and guest management work? Personal links, RSVPs, guest groups, quotas, waitlists, plus-ones, import of existing lists.
- How does check-in work on site? Apps, several entrances on one list, badge printing, behavior without a connection.
- What does the event app do, and how do attendees get it? App store or browser, link to registration and sessions, languages.
- How far does branding go? Logo and colors, removal of the vendor's branding, own domain and email sender.
- Which integrations exist? REST API, CRM and marketing automation connectors, direction of the data flow.
- Which roles and permissions exist? Can a door team check guests in without exporting the contact database? Are changes logged?
- What is the pricing model? Annual or per event, what volume is included, fees on paid tickets, total for your next conference.
- When is support available, and in which time zone? Hours, channels, reply targets, and who is reachable on the event day.
How AirLST answers the ten questions
Only AirLST, only documented facts. Compare these answers with what other vendors give you in writing.
| Question | AirLST |
|---|---|
| Where is attendee data hosted? | Hosted in Germany, GDPR compliant. The list of subprocessors is public in the Trust Center. |
| Which security credentials can you document? | TISAX-assessed (TISAX is the information security assessment standard of the automotive industry). Documentation in the Trust Center. |
| How do invitations and guest management work? | Personalized email invitations with a personal registration link; RSVPs land in the guest record. Guest groups, quotas, waitlists and plus-ones. Existing lists come in from Excel or CSV. |
| How does check-in work on site? | Check-in app for iOS and Android, QR verification online and offline, several check-in stations on one guest list, name badge printing with barcode in near real time. |
| What does the event app do, and how do attendees get it? | A web app in the browser on iPhone and Android, no app store: agenda, speakers, venue map, QR ticket and an opt-in attendee list. Push notifications, chat and other premium features as add-ons. |
| How far does branding go? | White label without an AirLST note from the Advanced plan; custom domain and email sender from Professional. Event websites with several subpages and language versions; two languages included in the event app. |
| Which integrations exist? | REST API and connectors for Salesforce and HubSpot; SAP, Microsoft Dynamics and marketing automation can be connected. API access from the Professional plan; integration services on request. |
| Which roles and permissions exist? | Roles decide who may view, edit, check in or export. Every change to a guest is logged with time, field, old value and new value. |
| What is the pricing model? | Free up to 50 guests per event. Suite from $99 per month, billed annually, or from $299 per event plus a guest package. Event App from $799 per month, billed annually, or $799 per event plus a user package. Platform fee for paid events. Net prices, excluding taxes. |
| When is support available, and in which time zone? | Monday to Friday, 9 am to 6 pm CET (Central European Time), from Munich, Germany. For most of the year that is 3 am to noon US Eastern Time. Reply targets on business days: under 24 hours (Basic), 12 hours (Advanced), 8 hours (Professional). |
Details: Trust Center, TISAX, data hosting, guest list app, event check-in app, event app, event website builder, API and integrations, pricing.
Who AirLST is for, and who should look elsewhere
A platform that fits one team can be the wrong choice for another. These are the cases where we would tell you so ourselves.
AirLST fits if
- Your conference has invited or registered attendees, and invitation, guest list, check-in and event app should run on one list.
- Hosting in Germany, GDPR and documented information security matter to your IT or procurement team.
- You want to license a single conference, or start free with up to 50 guests.
- Your CRM, such as Salesforce or HubSpot, should receive registrations and attendance.
Look elsewhere if
- You need live support during US afternoons or around the clock: AirLST support runs Monday to Friday, 9 am to 6 pm CET.
- Your procurement requires a specific certificate such as SOC 2 or ISO 27001: the credential AirLST documents is TISAX.
- Attendees must download a native app from an app store: the AirLST event app is a web app in the browser.
- You sell tickets to the public and need a marketplace for reach: that is the job of a ticketing platform.
How a switch to AirLST works
You do not have to move your whole event program at once. Most teams start with one conference.
- Book a demo. In 15 minutes we walk through your conference format, from invitation to check-in and event app.
- Start for free. Events with up to 50 guests are free, with no credit card required; you can test AirLST for three months without obligation.
- Import your guest lists. Upload an Excel or CSV file, map your columns to AirLST fields and sort guests into groups.
- Run one conference. Registration, invitations, check-in app and event app on one guest list; license per event or per year.
- Connect your systems. REST API and connectors for Salesforce and HubSpot; our integration services help with anything beyond that.
Switching conference platforms: FAQ
Can we run a single conference on AirLST without an annual license?
Yes. Besides annual plans, AirLST is licensed per event: the Suite for one event starts at $299 plus a guest package, the Event App at $799 per event plus a user package. Events with up to 50 guests are free. All prices are net and exclude applicable taxes; details are on the pricing page.
Can we license the event app and the guest management separately?
Yes. The AirLST Suite (invitations, event registration, guest list, check-in) and the AirLST Event App are available on their own or as the Suite & Event App bundle. In every case the event app reads from the same guest list, so registrations, sessions and check-ins do not need to be imported into the app.
How many people on our team can work on a conference in AirLST?
It depends on the plan: Basic includes one backend user, Advanced three and Professional five, and you can add users at any time. Roles and permissions decide who may view, edit, check in or export, so a door team can scan tickets without access to the full contact database.
What should we set up first when we move a conference to a new platform?
Start with the data and the door: import your contacts, sort them into guest groups, build the registration form with the fields you really need, then test check-in with a few sample guests on the check-in app. Invitations, the event website and the event app build on that guest list. In a demo we walk through this order for your format.
Which conference formats is AirLST built for?
Conferences and summits with invited or registered attendees, from customer and partner events to internal leadership meetings. Two examples: Mercedes-Benz ran its Supplier Award with 900 attendees on AirLST, and Zalando ran the Digital Acceleration Summit as a virtual event with 800 guests and 30 speakers. More on the conference management page.
Another way in: try AirLST free for up to 50 guests, no credit card required.
Note
Bizzabo is a trademark of its respective owner. AirLST is not affiliated with or endorsed by Bizzabo.
Change log
- First version.
- Next review: January 2027.