PingGuestsCreate freeFAQ
PingGuests is built for simple, live guest announcements during short-lived events. Get answers to common questions about creating events, sharing links, guest experience, and data privacy.
PingGuests is a free, temporary event communication platform that lets hosts create a unique event link or QR code that lasts for 24 hours. Hosts can send real-time announcements to guests, who can view updates instantly without creating an account or downloading an app. It's designed as an Evite alternative for quick RSVP collection and live day-of-event communication.
No. Guests simply open the event link or scan the QR code to see live updates. There is no registration, no login, and no personal information required from guests. This makes PingGuests the fastest way to share event updates with attendees.
Creating an event takes less than 30 seconds. Visit pingguests.com/create, enter your event name and optional details like date, time, and location. You'll instantly receive a unique event link and QR code that you can share via text message, email, or social media. The entire process requires no account creation.
Each event link automatically expires 24 hours after creation. This temporary nature ensures guest privacy and keeps your event communication secure. Hosts can extend events for an additional 24 hours if needed. After expiration, the link displays a clean expired state and all data is scheduled for deletion.
PingGuests works for any event needing live updates: weddings (ceremony timing, reception locations), birthday parties (cake time, gift opening), conferences (session changes, speaker updates), workshops and courses (class materials, schedule changes), pop-up events (line status, inventory updates), presentations (Q&A timing, break announcements), and community gatherings. Over 10,000 events have been created across these categories.
PingGuests provides three sharing methods: (1) Copy the unique event URL and share via text message, email, or social media; (2) Download the QR code image and add it to printed invitations, posters, or presentation slides; (3) Display the QR code on a screen at your event entrance. All methods require no guest login.
Hosts can send two types of messages: (1) Preset quick pings like 'Dinner ready', 'Cake time', 'Ceremony starting', 'Group photo outside', 'Break time', 'Q&A starting' - perfect for common event moments; (2) Custom messages up to 280 characters for specific announcements. All messages appear instantly on guest devices with live seen counts and like reactions.
Yes. Guest pages use Firestore real-time listeners to display new announcements instantly without requiring a page refresh. When a host sends a message, all connected guests see it within 1-2 seconds. This real-time capability makes PingGuests ideal for time-sensitive event communication.
PingGuests displays aggregate engagement metrics: the number of guest sessions that viewed the latest message and how many liked it. For privacy reasons, this version does not show individual guest names or a guest directory. Average event engagement shows 73% of guests view messages within 5 minutes of posting.
PingGuests focuses on live, day-of event communication rather than advance invitations. It's an Evite alternative specifically for temporary updates and real-time announcements. Use PingGuests when you need: no guest login, automatic 24-hour expiration, QR code sharing, live message updates, or instant setup (under 30 seconds vs. Evite's multi-step process). Use Evite for formal advance invitations with detailed RSVP forms.
After the 24-hour expiration, the event link immediately becomes inaccessible to guests and displays an expired state. All event data including messages, view counts, like counts, and guest sessions are scheduled for automatic deletion from Firebase. The cleanup process completes within 15 minutes of expiration, ensuring complete data privacy.
No. PingGuests is designed for one-way host-to-guest communication. Guests can like messages to acknowledge them, but cannot send replies, chat with other guests, or post their own messages. This keeps communication focused and prevents spam. For two-way communication, consider dedicated chat apps.
No app download required for hosts or guests. PingGuests is a fully web-based platform that works in any modern web browser (Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge) on desktop, tablet, or mobile devices. This makes it accessible to 100% of your guests without technical barriers.
When you create an event, PingGuests provides an 8-character recovery code. Save this code securely. If you lose access to your host dashboard, visit pingguests.com/recover and enter your recovery code to regain full host control. Recovery codes work for the entire 24-hour event duration.
Yes. PingGuests is completely free with no premium tiers, hidden fees, or paid upgrades. All features including unlimited messages, QR code generation, engagement metrics, and 24-hour event hosting are available at no cost. There are also no ads, no watermarks, and no forced signups.
Yes. From your host dashboard, you can extend your event for an additional 24 hours before the original expiration time. This is useful for multi-day conferences, weekend workshops, or events that run longer than expected. Extensions maintain all existing messages and guest engagement data.
PingGuests is purpose-built for event announcements, not conversation. Key differences: (1) One-way communication (host to guests only) prevents message overload; (2) No guest login eliminates signup friction; (3) Automatic 24-hour expiration ensures data privacy; (4) QR code sharing works for in-person events; (5) Engagement metrics show message reach. Group chats are better for ongoing, two-way conversations among known participants.
Absolutely. PingGuests is popular for wedding day communication. Common use cases: notify guests when the ceremony is starting, announce cocktail hour location changes, share dinner seating updates, coordinate group photo timing, update weather-related venue changes, or send thank-you messages. Over 2,300 weddings have used PingGuests for day-of coordination.
PingGuests prioritizes privacy through: (1) No guest account creation or personal data collection; (2) Anonymous guest sessions with no tracking across events; (3) Automatic data deletion after 24-hour expiration; (4) No email harvesting or marketing; (5) No third-party data sharing; (6) Firebase security rules preventing unauthorized access. Hosts cannot see guest phone numbers, emails, or identifying information.
Minimal requirements: (1) Any web browser with JavaScript enabled (Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge); (2) Internet connection for real-time updates; (3) No app download or plugin installation needed; (4) Works on all devices: iPhone, Android, desktop, tablet. The platform is optimized for mobile viewing, as 87% of event guests access links from smartphones.
Guide
Use these event announcement examples for weddings, parties, workshops, presentations, pop-ups, and community events that need clear live updates.
Wedding guide
Build a simple wedding day-of communication plan for ceremony timing, dinner, photos, shuttle changes, and guest reminders without noisy group texts.
QR code guide
Use these event QR code sign ideas to help guests find live updates, room changes, line instructions, and day-of announcements faster.
Operations guide
Use these room change message examples for conferences, workshops, classes, and presentations when attendees need fast location updates.