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Events · head to head

Activity Messenger vs Guest Manager

Activity Messenger logo

Activity Messenger

Events

Registrations, payments and communications for sports and leisure

From
$99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Guest Manager logo

Guest Manager

Events

Event check-in and registration

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Guest Manager has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Activity Messenger entry pricing is 99 dollars a month, and online registration itself only appears on the 149 dollar Premium tier, so the cheapest plan is a communications tool rather than a registration one.; Guest Manager usage is metered in credits consumed by check ins, emails and badges, so cost scales with activity rather than with the subscription alone
  • They diverge on capability: Activity Messenger covers Online registration, Guest Manager covers Registration.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 15 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Activity Messenger and Guest Manager actually diverge.

Attributes where Activity Messenger and Guest Manager differ
AttributeActivity MessengerGuest Manager
Starting price$99/monthFree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWebWeb, Ios, Android
Founded20192014

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), 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 Activity Messenger

  • Online registration
  • Digital waivers
  • Email and SMS automation
  • Memberships and ticketing
  • Staff management
  • Bulk certificates

Only in Guest Manager

  • Registration
  • QR check-in
  • Badge printing
  • Guest communication
  • Eventbrite
  • Mailchimp
  • Zapier
  • Google Sheets

Both cover

  • Attendance tracking

What people use each for

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

Activity Messenger

  • Running seasonal camp and class registrationsnot Guest Manager
  • Collecting signed liability waivers digitallynot Guest Manager
  • Managing memberships and recurring programmesnot Guest Manager
  • Onboarding and timesheeting seasonal instructorsnot Guest Manager
  • Email and SMS campaigns to a registrant listnot Guest Manager

Guest Manager

  • Guest list check in on tablets at eventsnot Activity Messenger
  • Selling and scanning event ticketsnot Activity Messenger
  • Printing name badges onsitenot Activity Messenger

Where each one falls short

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

Activity Messenger

  • Entry pricing is 99 dollars a month, and online registration itself only appears on the 149 dollar Premium tier, so the cheapest plan is a communications tool rather than a registration one.
  • Payment processing costs 2.9 percent plus 30 cents on cards with a 1 percent service fee on all methods, which is charged on top of the subscription.
  • Tiers are gated on email subscriber counts, so an organisation with a large mailing list and few registrations pays for the list.
  • Staff scheduling is listed as coming soon on the Pro tier rather than available.
  • The customer base and case studies are concentrated in North America, so a European organisation should check tax and payment handling before committing.

Guest Manager

  • Usage is metered in credits consumed by check ins, emails and badges, so cost scales with activity rather than with the subscription alone
  • Check in devices are capped at 2 on On Demand, 4 on Planner and 8 on Professional
  • Ticket fees are $1.00 per ticket on On Demand and Planner and fall to $0.50 only on the $199 per month Concierge plan
  • Priority support and a dedicated account manager are Concierge and Custom only
  • The free trial covers only the first 50 guest check ins
  • The Custom plan is priced by quote

Pricing, plan by plan

Activity Messenger

$99/month
  • Light$99/month
    • Email marketing with Canva integration
    • Digital waivers and signatures
    • Surveys and forms
  • Premium$149/month
    • Online registration and camps and activities management
    • Staff management
    • Memberships and automations
  • Pro$229/month
    • Private lessons and bookings
    • Unlimited users
    • Fully white label
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Custom pricing
    • Unlimited data storage
    • Fundraising for athletes

Guest Manager

Free
  • On Demand$null/usage
    • Pay-as-you-go credit packages
    • 2 devices
    • Self-service support
  • Planner$39/month
    • 3,600 credits/year
    • 4 devices
    • Self-service support
  • Professional$79/month
    • 9,600 credits/year
    • 8 devices
    • Self-service support
  • Concierge$199/month
    • 24,000 credits/year
    • Unlimited devices
    • Priority support

Which should you pick?

Choose Activity Messenger if

  • You need online registration.
  • You also want digital waivers.
Activity Messenger review

Choose Guest Manager if

  • You need registration.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want qr check-in.
Guest Manager review

Questions people ask

Is Activity Messenger or Guest Manager better?
Neither clearly leads. Activity Messenger starts at $99/month and Guest Manager at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Activity Messenger or Guest Manager?
Guest Manager has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $99/month for Activity Messenger and Free for Guest Manager.
Does Activity Messenger or Guest Manager run on more platforms?
Activity Messenger runs on Web. Guest Manager runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use Guest Manager for free?
Yes. Guest Manager has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Activity Messenger starts at $99/month.
What is Activity Messenger best used for?
Activity Messenger is most often used for running seasonal camp and class registrations, collecting signed liability waivers digitally, managing memberships and recurring programmes, onboarding and timesheeting seasonal instructors. Of those, running seasonal camp and class registrations and collecting signed liability waivers digitally are not what Guest Manager is typically brought in for.
What can Activity Messenger do that Guest Manager cannot?
Activity Messenger covers Online registration, Digital waivers, Email and SMS automation, Memberships and ticketing. Guest Manager covers Registration, QR check-in, Badge printing, Guest communication. Both handle Attendance tracking.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Activity Messenger: What does Activity Messenger cost?

Light is $99 a month, Premium $149, Pro $229, and Enterprise is custom priced. A $10 pause plan is available for seasonal businesses for up to six months.

Source
Guest Manager: Is there a free trial for Guest Manager?

Yes. New users can check in their first 50 guests free with access to every feature. No credit card required.

Source
Activity Messenger: Are there transaction fees on top?

Yes. Credit card payments are 2.9 percent plus $0.30 per transaction, Interac and bank transfers are 1 percent plus $0.40, and a 1 percent service fee applies across all payment methods.

Source
Guest Manager: How much does Guest Manager charge per ticket?

Guest Manager charges per-ticket service fees ranging from $0.50-$1.00 depending on your plan, plus payment processor fees (Stripe: 2.9% + $0.30).

Source
Activity Messenger: Which tier includes online registration?

Premium at $149 a month. The $99 Light tier covers email marketing, digital waivers, surveys and forms, but registration, camps and activities management, memberships and ticketing start at Premium.

Source
Guest Manager: What is the difference between Guest Manager's subscription plans?

Planner ($39/mo) includes 3,600 credits/year and 4 devices. Professional ($79/mo) includes 9,600 credits/year and 8 devices. Concierge ($199/mo) includes 24,000 credits/year and unlimited devices with priority support.

Source
Activity Messenger: Who is it built for?

Sports and leisure organisations: classes and camps, schools, federations, dance studios, gymnastics clubs, swim schools, soccer academies, tennis clubs, parks and recreation departments and sports associations.

Source
Activity Messenger: Who built it?

Founded in Montreal in 2019 by Martin Drapeau, Olivier Rousseau and Michael Shpigelman. Drapeau was previously CTO of Amilia, where he spent six years growing the company from 15 to 110 people.

Source
Activity Messenger: What does it integrate with?

Stripe for payments, Zoom for online sessions on the Premium tier and above, and Canva for email design.

Source
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