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Events · head to head

ACTIVE Network vs Zkipster

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
Zkipster logo

Zkipster

Events

Guest management for luxury events

From
$299/month
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.; Zkipster the pricing page names three tiers but publishes no rate for any of them
  • They diverge on capability: ACTIVE Network covers ACTIVENet, Zkipster covers Guest list management.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where ACTIVE Network and Zkipster differ
AttributeACTIVE NetworkZkipster
Starting priceOn request$299/month
Pricing modelquotesubscription
FoundedUnknown2012

Identical on both: free tier (No), platforms (Web, iOS, Android), 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 Zkipster

  • Guest list management
  • Digital check-in
  • Seating charts
  • Real-time analytics
  • VIP tagging
  • Salesforce
  • Mailchimp
  • Google Sheets

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 Zkipster
  • A race director who wants registration, bib assignment and a consumer listing from one vendornot Zkipster
  • A YMCA needing membership, childcare billing and facility booking in one systemnot Zkipster
  • An agency with no software budget that can fund registration through participant-paid processing feesnot Zkipster

Zkipster

  • Guest list management and check in at invitation only eventsnot ACTIVE Network
  • Seating plans and name badges for galas and dinnersnot ACTIVE Network
  • Sending event invitations and RSVPs by email, SMS or WhatsAppnot 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.

Zkipster

  • The pricing page names three tiers but publishes no rate for any of them
  • Essentials is capped at 60 events per year or 10 per month and Professional at 80 per year or 20 per month
  • Guests are capped at 10,000 per event on Essentials and Professional
  • Event communications, floor plans, seating and name badges require the Professional plan
  • SMS, WhatsApp and Wallet Pass require Professional or higher
  • API access requires an annual Professional plan or an Enterprise add on
  • Advanced security and compliance tools and priority support are Enterprise only
  • zkipster Audience is banded by contact volume, so cost rises with the contact list rather than with features

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

Zkipster

$299/month
  • Starter$299/month
    • Guest list management
    • Check-in app
    • Basic analytics
  • Professional$599/month
    • Seating management
    • Custom branding
    • Advanced reporting
  • Enterprise$1199/month
    • Multi-event
    • API access
    • Dedicated support

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 Zkipster if

  • You need guest list management.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want digital check-in.
Zkipster review

Questions people ask

Is ACTIVE Network or Zkipster better?
Neither clearly leads. ACTIVE Network starts at On request and Zkipster at $299/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, ACTIVE Network or Zkipster?
ACTIVE Network starts at On request and Zkipster at $299/month.
Does ACTIVE Network or Zkipster run on more platforms?
ACTIVE Network runs on Web, iOS, Android. Zkipster runs on Web, Ios, Android.
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 Zkipster is typically brought in for.
What can ACTIVE Network do that Zkipster cannot?
ACTIVE Network covers ACTIVENet, ACTIVEWorks Endurance, Camp and Class Manager, Participant-paid fees. Zkipster covers Guest list management, Digital check-in, Seating charts, Real-time analytics.

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.

Zkipster: How does zkipster billing work?

Monthly Events plans are billed every month on a rolling basis until manually canceled. Annual plans cost upfront for 12 months and offer up to 50% savings versus monthly billing.

Source
ACTIVE Network: How does ACTIVE make money?

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

Zkipster: What payment methods does zkipster accept?

zkipster accepts all major credit cards. Wire and bank transfer are available for certain plans. SMS and add-ons require credit card payment.

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.

Zkipster: Are there overage fees?

Events plans include annual allowances (60-100 events per year). Additional events incur charges in the next billing period. Audience has per-contact overage pricing.

Source
ACTIVE Network: Is pricing published?

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

Zkipster: What happens if I cancel my subscription?

Accounts remain active through the current billing period after cancellation. Account owners can still access and download data even after the subscription lapses.

Source
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