An Eventbrite alternative for invite-only company events
If you are looking for an Eventbrite alternative, the first question is what you need the software for. AirLST fits companies, agencies and public bodies that run invitation, guest list and ticketing processes for business events, from a customer evening to a whole event program. This page lists the questions to ask any vendor and how AirLST answers them.
Three requirements that start the search
Teams rarely search for an alternative because of one tool. They search because their events have changed: toward invited guests, from one event to many, from a single organizer to a company with IT and privacy requirements.
The guest list comes first
Customer events, conferences with invited attendees, employee celebrations: the guest list comes first. You need personal invitations, RSVPs, guest groups and quotas, and a check-in that works from that list.
Many events, several teams
Once events become a program, the questions change: templates, roles and permissions, one contact database across all events, and reporting that shows attendance and no-show rates.
IT, privacy and the CRM have a say
Corporate events touch customer data. Hosting location, security documentation, a data processing agreement and CRM integration become part of the decision, often before the first event goes live.
Nine questions to ask any event platform
These questions apply to every vendor on your shortlist, including us. Ask for the answer in writing, and ask where it is documented.
- Data residency: Where is attendee data hosted, and who are the subprocessors?
- Security credentials: Which independent assessment can your IT team check?
- Invitations and guest management: Can you invite a closed list, track RSVPs and manage groups and quotas?
- Check-in: How do guests get in, and what happens without a connection?
- Branding: Do invitations, forms and event pages look like your company?
- Integrations: Can guest data flow to and from your CRM?
- Roles and permissions: Can a door team check guests in without access to the whole contact database?
- Pricing model: What does one event cost, including fees on paid tickets?
- Support time zone: When can you reach a person, in which time zone?
How AirLST answers the nine questions
Every answer comes from our own documentation: the Trust Center, the feature pages, the pricing page and the terms and conditions.
| Criterion | Question to ask | AirLST |
|---|---|---|
| Data residency | Where is attendee data hosted, and who are the subprocessors? | Hosted on servers in Germany, GDPR compliant. The list of subprocessors is public in the Trust Center. |
| Security credentials | Which independent assessment can your IT team check? | TISAX-assessed (TISAX is the information security assessment standard of the automotive industry). Documentation in the Trust Center. |
| Invitations and guest management | Can you invite a closed list, track RSVPs and manage groups and quotas? | Personalized email invitations with a personal registration link; RSVPs land in the guest record. Guest groups, quotas, waitlists and plus-ones. |
| Check-in | How do guests get in, and what happens without a connection? | Check-in app for iOS and Android, QR verification online and offline, name badge printing with barcode, shows and no-shows in real time. |
| Branding | Do invitations, forms and event pages look like your company? | Invitations in your own design, event websites with several subpages and language versions; custom domain and email sender from the Professional package. |
| Integrations | Can guest data flow to and from your CRM? | REST API, connectors for Salesforce and HubSpot; SAP, Microsoft Dynamics and marketing automation can be connected. |
| Roles and permissions | Can a door team check guests in without access to the whole contact database? | Roles and permissions per user; check-in stations can be limited to specific guest groups; changes are recorded per guest. |
| Pricing model | What does one event cost, including fees on paid tickets? | Free up to 50 guests per event. Licenses per month, year or event. Paid events: platform fee of 4% of the gross cart value plus VAT; free events carry no fee. |
| Support time zone | When can you reach a person, in which time zone? | Team in Munich, Germany. Support Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 6 PM CET, excluding public holidays in Bavaria. |
Documentation: Trust Center, TISAX, data hosting, subprocessors, email invitations, event check-in app, event website builder, API and integrations, pricing, terms and conditions.
Who AirLST is built for, and who should look elsewhere
If you mainly sell tickets to the general public, AirLST is usually not the right choice, and it is better to say so up front.
A good fit
Companies, agencies and public bodies that invite guests: customer and partner events, conferences with invited attendees, employee events, award ceremonies, premieres. Teams that need guest groups, quotas, check-in at several entrances and data hosted in Germany.
Paid tickets fit in as well, for example for a paid conference or workshop: AirLST sells QR code tickets and processes payments through Stripe, Mollie or PayPal, with a platform fee of 4% on paid events.
Probably not the right choice
You want a marketplace with reach. If your event should be found by people browsing for things to do, such as concerts, festivals or open classes, you need a public ticketing platform. AirLST does not list events for an outside audience.
You are a private individual. AirLST contracts only with businesses and public bodies, not with consumers.
You need live support in US business hours. Our support runs from Munich, Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 6 PM CET, which covers the morning on the US East Coast only.
How a switch to AirLST works
You do not have to move everything at once. Most teams start with their next event and keep running past events where they are.
- Book a demo. In 15 minutes we walk through invitations, registration and check-in using your own event format.
- 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 list. Upload an Excel or CSV file, map your columns to AirLST fields and sort guests into groups.
- Invite and check in. Send personal invitations, collect RSVPs in the guest list and check guests in with the app for iOS and Android.
Before you decide, compare the five types of event software in best event management software.
Switching event platforms: FAQ
Can I sell paid tickets with AirLST?
Yes. AirLST sells tickets with QR codes, with ticket types, prices and capacities, and processes payments through Stripe, Mollie or PayPal. For paid events processed through the platform, AirLST charges a platform fee of 4% of the gross cart value (ticket prices including paid extras), plus applicable VAT and in addition to any payment provider fees. Free events carry no platform fee. Details: event ticketing software and pricing.
Will AirLST bring new attendees to my event?
No. AirLST is not a ticket marketplace, so your event is not listed for people browsing for things to do. Guests reach your event through your own invitations, your event website and your own channels. If discovery by a new audience is the main goal, a public ticketing platform is the better fit.
Can private individuals use AirLST?
AirLST contracts only with businesses, public bodies and similar organizations, not with consumers; this is set out in the terms and conditions. Consumers can of course register or buy tickets as guests; their contract is with the organizer. A private party or a hobby club without a legal entity is therefore not the audience AirLST is built for.
When is AirLST support available for teams in the US?
The AirLST team works from Munich, Germany. Support hours are Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 6 PM Central European Time (CET), excluding public holidays in Bavaria. That overlaps with the morning on the US East Coast; teams on the West Coast should plan questions a day ahead. You can reach us at +49 89 54 04 55 720 (CET) or through the contact form.
How do I move an existing guest list into AirLST?
Import an Excel or CSV file, map your columns to AirLST fields and sort guests into groups such as VIP, press or workshop. Invitations then go out with a personal link, and every reply updates the guest record. How this works step by step is on the guest list app page.
How much does a small event cost on AirLST?
Events with up to 50 guests are free, including invitations, event registration, the digital guest list and the check-in app, with no credit card required. You can also test AirLST for three months without obligation. Larger events and event programs use a license per month, year or event; current prices in US dollars are on the pricing page.
Another way in: try AirLST free for up to 50 guests, no credit card required.
Eventbrite is a trademark of its respective owner. AirLST is not affiliated with or endorsed by Eventbrite.