Organizing a conference with 100+ attendees shouldn't require enterprise event software and a dedicated registration team.
You're planning a regional industry conference with 200 expected attendees. You need to track registrations, manage check-ins, coordinate multiple session tracks, and communicate schedule changes in real-time. Most event platforms either: - Cost $1,000+ for professional features (Eventbrite, Cvent) - Don't support on-site check-in and real-time updates (Google Forms) - Require complex setup and IT support (custom registration systems)
PingGuests gives you professional conference management features without enterprise complexity or pricing:
**Registration that actually works:** - Share a single registration link via email, website, or social media - Attendees register in 30 seconds—no account creation required - Automatic confirmation emails with event details and calendar invites
**On-site check-in with QR codes:** - Generate unique QR codes for each registered attendee - Check attendees in with any smartphone (no special hardware) - See real-time attendance numbers throughout the day
**Real-time communication:** - Send schedule updates to all attendees instantly - Notify specific groups (workshop participants, VIP guests, speakers) - Share session room changes, networking hour announcements, etc.
Unlike general event platforms, PingGuests is optimized for professional conferences: - **Session tracking**: Track which sessions attendees register for (breakouts, workshops, panels) - **Dietary restrictions**: Collect meal preferences for catered lunches and receptions - **Professional fields**: Capture job titles, companies, and networking preferences - **Badge printing**: Export attendee data for name badge printing - **Post-event surveys**: Send follow-up surveys and collect feedback - **Photo sharing**: Share conference photos and speaker presentations
TechNorthwest used PingGuests for their 180-person technology conference in Portland. They sent the registration link via their email newsletter and LinkedIn. Within two weeks, 145 people had registered—all data automatically collected in one dashboard.
On conference day, they used QR code check-in at the registration desk. Attendees scanned their confirmation email QR code, and check-in took 5 seconds per person. The organizers sent live updates throughout the day: "Keynote starts in 10 minutes in Hall A" and "Networking happy hour is now open at the rooftop bar."
Their favorite feature? The session tracking. They offered 4 breakout sessions in parallel tracks and needed headcounts for room setup. Attendees selected their preferred sessions during registration, and the organizers knew exactly how many chairs to set up in each room.
You're selling 200 tickets at $99 each. Eventbrite takes $700+ in fees. Even for unpaid conferences, you still pay per registration. Those fees add up fast.
✅ PingGuests offers simple, transparent pricing with no per-ticket percentage fees. No hidden costs or surprise charges. Keep your full budget for the actual event.
You have a line of 50 people waiting to check in. Your team is manually searching a printed spreadsheet for names, checking people off with highlighters. It takes 2-3 minutes per person.
✅ QR code check-in takes 5 seconds per attendee. Scan their confirmation email, see instant check-in confirmation, move to the next person. No paper lists, no searching.
A speaker is running late. You need to swap the session order, but 150 attendees are scattered across the venue. You're making an announcement over a loudspeaker that half the attendees don't hear.
✅ Send instant push notifications to all attendees. 'Session order changed: Marketing panel moved to 2pm, Product demo now at 11am.' Everyone gets the update on their phone.
You're offering 4 breakout sessions in parallel. You need to know how many people will attend each one for room setup, but attendees are just showing up randomly without pre-registration.
✅ Let attendees select their preferred sessions during registration. Export session attendance counts to plan room capacity, AV setup, and handout quantities.
Session registration tracking (select breakout preferences)
Professional networking fields (job title, company, LinkedIn)
Dietary restrictions for conference meals
Real-time attendance dashboard (see check-ins as they happen)
Group messaging (send updates to specific session attendees)
Badge export (CSV with names, titles, companies for printing)
Post-conference surveys built-in
“Welcome to TechNorthwest 2026! Keynote starts at 9am in Hall A. Coffee is in the lobby ☕”
Morning welcome
“Schedule change: Marketing panel moved to 2pm. Product demo now at 11am in Room B.”
Session time change
“Networking happy hour starts now at the rooftop bar! Come mix and mingle 🍹”
Social event announcement
“Thanks for attending! Session recordings and slides will be shared here tomorrow.”
Post-conference follow-up
See how a conference might appear to your guests:
Latest announcement:
Keynote starts in 10 minutes in Hall A! See you there 🎤
Unlike Eventbrite (which charges 3.5% + $1.59 per ticket), PingGuests offers straightforward pricing with no per-ticket percentage fees. Whether you have 50 or 500 attendees, you keep more of your budget for the actual event.
When attendees register, they receive a confirmation email with a unique QR code. On event day, your team scans these codes with any smartphone (no special hardware needed). Check-in takes about 5 seconds per person.
Yes! When creating your conference, add your breakout sessions. Attendees select their preferred sessions during registration. You can export attendance counts for each session to plan room capacity.
Use the live announcements feature to send push notifications to all attendees or specific groups. Updates appear instantly on their devices—perfect for schedule changes, room updates, or networking announcements.
Absolutely. Export your attendee list as a CSV with names, job titles, companies, and any other fields you collected. This file is ready to import into most badge printing services.
PingGuests handles registration and attendee management but doesn't process payments. For paid conferences, you can integrate Stripe, PayPal, or your payment processor separately. Or, if you need integrated ticketing, Eventbrite might be a better fit despite the percentage fees.
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