Cvent alternative: how to choose an enterprise event platform
A search for a Cvent alternative is a good moment to check any event platform against your own requirements. For corporate events and conferences with invited attendees, the decision comes down to nine questions: data hosting, security credentials, invitations and guest management, check-in, branding, integrations, roles, pricing model and support hours. This page lists those questions, shows how AirLST answers each one, and says plainly when AirLST is not the right fit.
Typical reasons for reviewing an event platform
A platform review rarely starts with one vendor. It starts when requirements change: a new security policy, a new event format, a new budget cycle. Three requirements come up typically.
Data hosting and security reviews
IT and privacy teams ask where attendee data lives, which subprocessors are involved and which security credentials the vendor can document before an event goes live.
Invited guests instead of open ticket sales
Customer events, executive meetings and conferences with invited attendees need invitations with RSVP, guest groups, quotas and a check-in that works from the same guest list.
Self-service and a predictable price
Event teams want to set up forms, emails and event websites themselves, start small and know what one more event or one more guest will cost.
Nine questions to ask every event platform vendor
Use the same questions for every vendor on your shortlist, including us. Ask for documents and a live demo rather than slides.
- Data hosting: In which country is attendee data stored, and which subprocessors are involved?
- Security credentials: Which assessments or certificates can you show, and how do we get the documentation for our security review?
- Invitations and guest management: Do personalized invitations, RSVPs, guest groups, quotas, waitlists and plus-ones live in one guest list?
- Check-in: How do guests get in at the door, does scanning work without a connection, and can badges be printed on site?
- Branding: Can event websites, emails and tickets carry our corporate design, our domain and our email sender?
- Integrations: Is there a REST API, and which connectors exist for our CRM and marketing automation?
- Roles: How many backend users are included, and can a check-in team work without access to the full contact database?
- Pricing model: Per month, per year or per event? What is included, and what does one more guest or one paid ticket cost?
- Support and time zone: When is support available in our time zone, through which channels, and with which reply targets?
How AirLST answers the nine questions
AirLST is a configurable attendee management platform by AirLST GmbH, Munich, Germany, founded in 2009, with more than 20 million attendees managed. The answers below cover AirLST only; each row links to the page where you can check the details.
| Question | AirLST | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Where is attendee data hosted? | Exclusively in Germany. AirLST is GDPR compliant and provides a data processing agreement. | Data hosting |
| Which security credentials can you show? | AirLST is TISAX-assessed (TISAX is the information security assessment standard of the automotive industry). Documentation for security reviews is in the Trust Center. | TISAX |
| How do invitations and guest management work? | Personalized email invitations in your design with a personal registration link; RSVPs land in one digital guest list with guest groups, quotas, waitlists and plus-ones. | Email invitations |
| How does on-site check-in work? | Check-in app for iOS and Android with QR code scanning online and offline, shows and no-shows in real time, and name badge printing with barcode. | Event check-in app |
| How far does branding go? | Event websites, emails and tickets in your corporate design; white label from the Advanced plan, custom domain and email sender from Professional. | Event website builder |
| 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. | Integrations |
| Which roles and permissions exist? | Backend users per plan (1, 3 or 5, custom on Enterprise) with roles and permissions per team; single sign-on on Enterprise. | Guest list app |
| How does pricing work? | A license per month, year or event. The Suite starts at $99 per month billed annually, or $299 per event plus a guest package; free up to 50 guests per event; paid events add a 4% platform fee. Prices exclude taxes. | Pricing |
| Which support hours and time zone apply? | Support from Munich, Germany, Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 6 PM CET; reply targets under 24, 12 or 8 hours on business days depending on the plan; a dedicated customer success manager on Enterprise. | Contact |
Security and privacy documentation: Trust Center, including the list of subprocessors and GDPR. Plans, included volumes and support levels: pricing.
When AirLST is not the right choice
AirLST fits companies, agencies and public sector bodies that manage invited guests, from one event to a whole event program. It is the wrong choice in these cases.
Your data has to stay in the US
AirLST stores all data exclusively in Germany. If your policy requires attendee data to be hosted in the United States, AirLST does not meet that requirement.
You need live support in US business hours
Our support team works Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 6 PM CET, which covers the US morning at best. Teams that need phone support through the US afternoon or around the clock should weigh this carefully.
You sell tickets to the general public
Concerts and festivals live on a marketplace with reach and high-volume ticket sales. AirLST can sell paid tickets, but it is built for invited guests, not for public ticket sales channels.
One more point for procurement: the security credential AirLST documents is TISAX. If your process requires a specific other certificate, raise it in the first call so you can check it early.
How a switch to AirLST works
You do not have to move everything at once. A switch can start with a single event and grow from there.
- Book a demo: walk through your checklist with our team and see your own use case configured. Book a demo
- Start for free: AirLST is free for events with up to 50 guests, no credit card required, and you can test the platform for three months without obligation.
- Import your guest lists: bring existing contacts in as Excel or CSV files; they land in the guest list and stay available for later events.
- Run a pilot event: invitations, registration, check-in and reporting on one smaller event, next to your current setup.
- Roll out with help if you want it: event setup (including the guest list import) and a 3-hour personal onboarding session are available as services on the pricing page; larger organizations use enterprise implementation.
AirLST for corporate events and conferences
Switching event platforms: FAQ
How do we move existing guest lists to a new event platform?
Export your contacts and past guest lists as Excel or CSV files and import them into the AirLST guest list, mapping your columns to AirLST fields. Imported contacts stay available for later events through the event CRM. If you would rather hand this over, the event setup service on the pricing page includes the guest list import.
Can we pilot a new event platform alongside our current tool?
Yes. AirLST is free for events with up to 50 guests, with no credit card required, and you can test the platform for three months without obligation. A practical approach is to pick one smaller event, such as a customer evening or an internal meeting, run it end to end on the new platform and decide afterwards.
What support hours apply for event teams in the US?
Our support team works from Munich, Germany, Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 6 PM Central European Time (CET), which is roughly 3 AM to noon Eastern Time. Reply targets on business days depend on the plan: under 24 hours (Basic), under 12 hours (Advanced) and under 8 hours (Professional). You can also call +49 89 54 04 55 720 (CET).
Which AirLST plan fits a corporate conference program?
For several conferences a year, start with Professional: 5 backend users, 5,000 guests included, a custom domain and email sender, API access and a reply target under 8 hours, at $699 per month billed annually. Enterprise adds single sign-on, a dedicated customer success manager and rollout support on a custom quote. All prices are on the pricing page.
Can AirLST run multi-day conferences with sessions and travel?
Yes. Registration forms capture workshop rounds, side events, dietary needs and travel data; quotas and waitlists apply per session; hotel management covers hotels, room types and allocations. Attendees get the agenda, speakers and venue map in the event app, which runs in the browser on iPhone and Android without an app store. More on the conference management page.
Another way in: try AirLST free for up to 50 guests, no credit card required.
Cvent is a trademark of its respective owner. AirLST is not affiliated with or endorsed by Cvent.