Whova vs. Zoho Backstage

Overview
ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price
Whova
Score 8.9 out of 10
N/A
Whova, headquartered in San Diego, provides what they describe as Intelligent Event Technology Solutions by creating authentic audience participation and engagement and simplifying the entire event process from planning to registration, networking, and follow-up. Whova's mobile engagement apps support both on-location events and virtual events.N/A
Zoho Backstage
Score 8.4 out of 10
N/A
Zoho Backstage is end-to-end event management software that enables event professionals to plan and run in-person, virtual, and hybrid event experiences from beginning to end. This software is part of the Zoho Suite.
$119
per month
Pricing
WhovaZoho Backstage
Editions & Modules
No answers on this topic
Professional
$119
per month
Enterprise
$249
per month
Ultimate
$349
per month
Offerings
Pricing Offerings
WhovaZoho Backstage
Free Trial
YesNo
Free/Freemium Version
NoYes
Premium Consulting/Integration Services
NoNo
Entry-level Setup FeeOptionalNo setup fee
Additional DetailsWhova offers discounts for multi-event packages.
More Pricing Information
Community Pulse
WhovaZoho Backstage
Considered Both Products
Whova
Chose Whova
I can't recall the other apps, I've used before, but did have two prior conferences with different apps.

I would definitely choose Whova over those other experiences because of the overall package. I also can't say enough about the opportunity to create personal groups to meet …
Chose Whova
I have not used conference apps before.
Chose Whova
Whova had more functionality, engagement than any other app that I've used in the past and was very easy to use/navigate.
Chose Whova
much better overall in the experience of what can been done
Chose Whova
Other conferences I've attended in the past have used similar apps, but it has been a few years and I no longer have those installed nor do I recall the names, but I will say my experience with Whova was much smoother and more effective.
Chose Whova
Well, I didn't exactly select Whova. It was the recommended App by the organizers of the conference. Anyway, I guess Whova resulted better for networking than the others mentioned.
Chose Whova
I cannot say that I have used many apps to attend conferences, but I feel that this platform is easy to use.
Chose Whova
I didn't select Whova it was chosen by the Symposium for me.
Chose Whova
I didn't select it; it was chosen by Wounds UK Media Organisation
I used it at the event as an exhibitor and have already recommended it to another organisation
Chose Whova
I think Whova compares well in terms of performance during events. Microsoft Teams may have the upperhand on office integration and using as a communication tool between employees.
Chose Whova
I haven't tried any other products like this.
Chose Whova
I like the whova app. After using it in february it was easy for me to navigate it this month.
Chose Whova
I would not recommend any of these other solutions compared to inova (ips) / kronos. I am a huge fan of every aspect to the solutions.
Zoho Backstage

No answer on this topic

Features
WhovaZoho Backstage
Mobile Capabilities
Comparison of Mobile Capabilities features of Product A and Product B
Whova
8.4
Ratings
1% above category average
Zoho Backstage
-
Ratings
Responsive Design for Web Access8.40 Ratings00 Ratings
Mobile Application8.70 Ratings00 Ratings
Dashboard / Report / Visualization Interactivity on Mobile8.20 Ratings00 Ratings
Online Meetings / Events
Comparison of Online Meetings / Events features of Product A and Product B
Whova
8.0
Ratings
7% below category average
Zoho Backstage
-
Ratings
Calendar integration8.00 Ratings00 Ratings
Meeting initiation7.40 Ratings00 Ratings
Integrates with social media8.40 Ratings00 Ratings
Record meetings / events7.90 Ratings00 Ratings
Slideshows7.80 Ratings00 Ratings
Event registration8.40 Ratings00 Ratings
Online Events Collaboration
Comparison of Online Events Collaboration features of Product A and Product B
Whova
7.9
Ratings
4% below category average
Zoho Backstage
-
Ratings
Live chat7.90 Ratings00 Ratings
Audience polling7.80 Ratings00 Ratings
Q&A8.00 Ratings00 Ratings
Online Events Security
Comparison of Online Events Security features of Product A and Product B
Whova
8.3
Ratings
1% below category average
Zoho Backstage
-
Ratings
User authentication8.10 Ratings00 Ratings
Participant roles & permissions8.10 Ratings00 Ratings
Confidential attendee list8.80 Ratings00 Ratings
Online Events Marketing
Comparison of Online Events Marketing features of Product A and Product B
Whova
8.4
Ratings
1% below category average
Zoho Backstage
-
Ratings
Branding options8.20 Ratings00 Ratings
Integration to Marketing Automation8.60 Ratings00 Ratings
Attendee list export8.50 Ratings00 Ratings
Virtual Event
Comparison of Virtual Event features of Product A and Product B
Whova
8.5
Ratings
2% above category average
Zoho Backstage
-
Ratings
Registration, RSVP, and ticketing8.30 Ratings00 Ratings
Email marketing8.10 Ratings00 Ratings
Livestreaming8.90 Ratings00 Ratings
Audience engagement8.30 Ratings00 Ratings
Event recording8.60 Ratings00 Ratings
Virtual booths8.70 Ratings00 Ratings
Networking8.60 Ratings00 Ratings
Event analytics8.30 Ratings00 Ratings
Best Alternatives
WhovaZoho Backstage
Small Businesses
OneCause
OneCause
Score 8.8 out of 10
Whova
Whova
Score 8.9 out of 10
Medium-sized Companies
Cvent Event Diagramming
Cvent Event Diagramming
Score 9.5 out of 10
Cvent Event Diagramming
Cvent Event Diagramming
Score 9.5 out of 10
Enterprises
Cvent Event Diagramming
Cvent Event Diagramming
Score 9.5 out of 10
Cvent Event Diagramming
Cvent Event Diagramming
Score 9.5 out of 10
All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
User Ratings
WhovaZoho Backstage
Likelihood to Recommend
9.6
(0 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Likelihood to Renew
9.1
(0 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Usability
8.2
(0 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Availability
9.1
(0 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Performance
9.1
(0 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Support Rating
7.4
(0 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Implementation Rating
8.1
(0 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Configurability
9.1
(0 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Ease of integration
9.1
(0 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Product Scalability
9.1
(0 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Vendor post-sale
9.1
(0 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Vendor pre-sale
9.1
(0 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
User Testimonials
WhovaZoho Backstage
Likelihood to Recommend
Overall having the Whova app was extremely helpful to provide information and drive engagement in the audience/attendees both on-site and remote. The ability to connect with like-minded attendees both pre-event and during the event was particularly helpful. Clarifying directions for "entering" events remotely would negate user anxiety.
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No answers on this topic
Pros
  • facilitated the sharing of research, perspectives, and resources on topics of interest
  • enabled easier connection to new and existing relationships with conference delegates and speakers
  • allowed me to catch up on content I missed due to time conflicts for concurrent sessions
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No answers on this topic
Cons
  • Literature and pictures uploaded but no easy way to download the collection.
  • No easy way to access information after the period after the conference ended.
  • No easy way to access the list of participants and contact information - could be pdf'd.
  • There was a little connectivity issues but not much.
  • Some of the meetings were scheduled while we slept.
  • The cost of using Whova for small meetings.
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No answers on this topic
Likelihood to Renew
We already registered with Whova for our 2024 event and we will continue to use Whova for the foreseeable future as long as the price doesn't rise too high. It was a bit of a shock to see the difference between last year's price and this year's price - nearly 2k increase! We were able to negotiate, thankfully, to lower the price.
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No answers on this topic
Usability
Whova is quite user friendly, and helpful for the conference planner. It has features such as sample emails to attendees and import abilities if you have your sessions on a spreadsheet to avoid having to enter each session manually. Another thing we didn't like was the inability to allow attendees to enter a pre-recorded session only when it is scheduled to be presented. It's either all pre-recorded can be viewed once the conference opens, or none.
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No answers on this topic
Reliability and Availability
We had no availability issues!
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No answers on this topic
Performance
We had no performance issues with our event delivery. We did have some meet-ups that had some glitches for some attendees, but I believe they were quickly resolved and were more on the part of user error than anything. Once they got the hang of it, their meet-ups went more smoothly.
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No answers on this topic
Support Rating
I only had a single issue regarding a photograph that was handled immediately and a colleague somehow ended up with two profiles which was also handled right away. Those two instances are all I have to go by. Other than that it was smooth but I did have ample information regarding who to contact if I experienced an issue
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No answers on this topic
Implementation Rating
I found Whova to be similar to many social media apps that I already use. It was easy to navigate. This was my second experience using Whova in my presenter role. I liked the icebreaker section to connect with other participants before the event started. I look forward to next year’s event.
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No answers on this topic
Alternatives Considered
I can't recall the other apps, I've used before, but did have two prior conferences with different apps. I would definitely choose Whova over those other experiences because of the overall package. I also can't say enough about the opportunity to create personal groups to meet with attendees directly. It can often be very intimidating to connect on a larger scale when you don't know anyone, but that option along with the roster (plus option to bookmark people) helped me learn more of my colleagues.
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No answers on this topic
Scalability
Everyone on our team had their assigned tasks to complete in Whova on a weekly basis and did so with ease and confidence.
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No answers on this topic
Return on Investment
  • Whova made our virtual and hybrid events possible! Our virtual attendees loved the ability to interact and engage with each other, the exhibitors, the speakers and organizers of the event. It also allowed our in-person attendees to do the same, and navigate the conference on-site.
  • Whova made organizing the conference possible for our small staffed organization! We only have 1.25 FTEs and were able to pull off a hybrid conference in 2022. It wouldn’t have been possible without Whova!
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No answers on this topic
ScreenShots

Whova Screenshots

Screenshot of the Mobile Event AppScreenshot of Sponsor & Exhibitor Tools