Softwr

Events · head to head

ACTIVE Network vs Grip

ACTIVE Network logo

ACTIVE Network

Events

Registration and payment software for parks departments, races and camps, owned by Global Payments

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Grip logo

Grip

Events

AI-powered event networking

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: ACTIVE Network revenue comes from registration processing rather than licence fees, so the vendor is aligned with transaction volume and not with the quality of the administrative experience.; Grip no published pricing - requires contacting sales for custom quotes
  • They diverge on capability: ACTIVE Network covers ACTIVENet, Grip covers AI recommendations.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which ACTIVE Network and Grip actually diverge.

Attributes where ACTIVE Network and Grip differ
AttributeACTIVE NetworkGrip
Pricing modelquoteUnknown
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb, Mobile
FoundedUnknown2014

Identical on both: starting price (On request), free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Events).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in ACTIVE Network

  • ACTIVENet
  • ACTIVEWorks Endurance
  • Camp and Class Manager
  • Participant-paid fees
  • Facility and league scheduling
  • ACTIVE.com listing

Only in Grip

  • AI recommendations
  • Meeting scheduler
  • Intent data
  • Lead scoring
  • Analytics
  • Salesforce
  • HubSpot
  • Cvent

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

ACTIVE Network

  • A city parks department taking swim lesson, camp and league registrations online with fees passed to residentsnot Grip
  • A race director who wants registration, bib assignment and a consumer listing from one vendornot Grip
  • A YMCA needing membership, childcare billing and facility booking in one systemnot Grip
  • An agency with no software budget that can fund registration through participant-paid processing feesnot Grip

Grip

  • Event planningnot ACTIVE Network
  • Ticket salesnot ACTIVE Network
  • Attendee managementnot ACTIVE Network
  • Virtual eventsnot ACTIVE Network
  • Event marketingnot ACTIVE Network

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

ACTIVE Network

  • Revenue comes from registration processing rather than licence fees, so the vendor is aligned with transaction volume and not with the quality of the administrative experience.
  • Passing the processing fee to participants is normal practice, which makes the cost invisible on the agency budget and visible to residents as a service charge at checkout.
  • The ACTIVENet codebase is long-lived and parts of the administrative interface remain dated, with upgrade cycles driven by the parent rather than by agency requests.
  • Support responsiveness is a persistent complaint among municipal customers, and escalation paths are slower than in a standalone software vendor.
  • Because Global Payments owns the merchant relationship, moving off ACTIVE means changing processor as well as software, which usually requires a procurement process rather than a simple switch.

Grip

  • No published pricing - requires contacting sales for custom quotes
  • Roundtables limited to 25 active audio/video participants out of 100 max attendees
  • Only Standard sessions supported for in-person-only events; other formats require virtual or hybrid setup
  • Platform setup requires privacy policy and user agreement, plus delivery manager coordination

Pricing, plan by plan

ACTIVE Network

On request
  • ACTIVENet$undefined/year
    • Registration, facility and membership modules
    • Revenue derived primarily from registration processing fees
    • Fee can be absorbed by the agency or passed to the participant
  • Camp and Class Manager$undefined/year
    • Flat rate or per registration fee model
    • Rates quoted per account, not published
  • ACTIVEWorks Endurance$undefined/year
    • Race registration priced on a per registration fee
    • ACTIVE.com listing included

Grip

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Grip review.

Which should you pick?

Choose ACTIVE Network if

  • You need activenet.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want activeworks endurance.
ACTIVE Network review

Choose Grip if

  • You need ai recommendations.
  • You work on Web, Mobile.
  • You also want meeting scheduler.
Grip review

Questions people ask

Is ACTIVE Network or Grip better?
Neither clearly leads. ACTIVE Network starts at On request and Grip at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, ACTIVE Network or Grip?
ACTIVE Network starts at On request and Grip at On request.
Does ACTIVE Network or Grip run on more platforms?
ACTIVE Network runs on Web, iOS, Android. Grip runs on Web, Mobile.
What is ACTIVE Network best used for?
ACTIVE Network is most often used for a city parks department taking swim lesson, camp and league registrations online with fees passed to residents, a race director who wants registration, bib assignment and a consumer listing from one vendor, a ymca needing membership, childcare billing and facility booking in one system, an agency with no software budget that can fund registration through participant-paid processing fees. Of those, a city parks department taking swim lesson, camp and league registrations online with fees passed to residents and a race director who wants registration, bib assignment and a consumer listing from one vendor are not what Grip is typically brought in for.
What can ACTIVE Network do that Grip cannot?
ACTIVE Network covers ACTIVENet, ACTIVEWorks Endurance, Camp and Class Manager, Participant-paid fees. Grip covers AI recommendations, Meeting scheduler, Intent data, Lead scoring.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

ACTIVE Network: Who owns ACTIVE Network?

Global Payments, which acquired it in 2017 for around 1.2 billion US dollars. It sits in the merchant solutions business.

Grip: How does Grip's AI matchmaking work?

Grip uses 16 machine learning algorithms on billions of interaction data to generate over 70 million recommendations annually. It analyzes attendee preferences and behaviors to suggest relevant connections.

Source
ACTIVE Network: How does ACTIVE make money?

Primarily from registration processing fees, charged as a percentage plus a fixed amount per registration.

Grip: What are the main features?

Grip includes AI-powered matchmaking, interactive floor plans, direct messaging and video, meeting scheduling, sponsored sessions, live streams, and round tables for networking events.

Source
ACTIVE Network: Can we absorb the fee instead of charging residents?

Yes, the agency chooses. Most pass it to the participant, which is why registrants see a service fee.

Grip: How is Grip priced?

Grip uses custom pricing based on event needs. Pricing is not publicly listed; organizers must contact sales for quotes.

Source
ACTIVE Network: Is pricing published?

No. Both licence and processing rates are quoted per account.

Grip: Can I integrate Grip with existing event management systems?

Yes. Grip acquired Connectiv EMS and integrates with existing event management systems, allowing you to use Grip's features with your current event tech stack.

Source
Share

Related pages

More on ACTIVE Network

More on Grip

Keep looking

Other head to heads