Does your small event
need an app?

A small event needs an app when the programme, participant discovery or meeting workflow would otherwise be difficult to manage. If attendees only need a time, place and straightforward agenda, registration software, a mobile-friendly page and clear messages may be enough.

Headcount is a starting point, not a complete decision rule. A 40-person buyer–supplier workshop can have more scheduling work than a 200-person lecture.

For a short seminar with one room and a fixed programme, put the essential information in the confirmation and on an accessible event page. Make changes easy to find and give attendees a contact for questions.

If people already know each other and there is no need for appointments, a participant directory or chat may add little. Decide who would maintain it and why attendees would return to it.

The relevant question is what becomes easier for attendees or organisers after you add the app. Write that down before requesting proposals.

Consider a 60-person breakfast briefing with one speaker, one room and informal conversation afterwards. Registration, a confirmation and a clear programme may cover the attendee’s needs. An app would need a specific additional purpose to justify the work.

Now consider a 40-person workshop in which buyers want to meet suitable suppliers during six appointment slots. Participant profiles, relevant search and a schedule can help people prepare and can reduce manual coordination. The smaller headcount does not make the meeting task simpler.

These are illustrative event designs, not customer results. Use your actual programme and participant tasks to decide which is closer to your situation.

Include the app, registration, any meeting features and the time your team will spend preparing and supporting it. Check what is included in the starting price and the full contract period.

Tavata starts at 750 € for up to 100 registered attendees for existing Eventilla customers, or 890 € alongside another registration system. A package including Tavata and Eventilla invitations and registration starts at 1,750 €. Matchmaking and booked 1:1 meetings are included in Tavata’s price. Prices exclude VAT.

Use the quote for your actual event to assess the value. Budget for your team’s work as well as the software. The cost guide explains the comparison.

List who will prepare the programme, check profiles, send instructions and answer access questions. Ask the supplier to show your organiser how to do the tasks before estimating the time required.

Plan one clear reason for an attendee to open the app. That could be choosing a session or arranging a relevant conversation. Explain that action in the invitation and give people enough time to do it before the event.

Set a measure connected to the purpose: attendees who found their sessions, accepted meetings or conversations confirmed as held. An installation count alone will not tell you whether the event became more useful.

If you are evaluating a free plan, trial or inexpensive event tool, read the terms for your actual event size and dates. Check whether the price changes when you invite participants, enable meetings or keep access open afterwards.

Confirm the visibility of attendee information, available support and whether you can export the records you need. A tool can be appropriate even with a limited feature set, provided those limits fit your event.

Also check whether your existing registration or membership software already includes the capability you are considering buying.

If the event works well with a simple programme and messages, keep that approach and improve the weak points. If the difficulty is finding people or scheduling conversations, test a product with those tasks using a small sample of your real event.

For a recurring series, compare one event with a licence only after confirming the event sizes and features it covers. A lower monthly figure can still mean a larger annual commitment.

If you decide to evaluate an app, use the selection guide and ask suppliers to demonstrate the part of the event you want to improve.