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Events · head to head

Activity Messenger vs Swapcard

Activity Messenger logo

Activity Messenger

Events

Registrations, payments and communications for sports and leisure

From
$99/month
Rated
-
Swapcard logo

Swapcard

Events

The smart event platform

From
$610/one-time
Rated
-

The short version

  • 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.; Swapcard pricing requires custom quote; starting price of $610 does not include per-attendee charges which can add significant costs
  • They diverge on capability: Activity Messenger covers Online registration, Swapcard covers AI matchmaking.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 15 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Activity Messenger and Swapcard actually diverge.

Attributes where Activity Messenger and Swapcard differ
AttributeActivity MessengerSwapcard
Starting price$99/month$610/one-time
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
PlatformsWebWeb, Ios, Android
Founded20192013

Identical on both: 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 Activity Messenger

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

Only in Swapcard

  • AI matchmaking
  • Lead capture
  • Event mobile app
  • Exhibitor management
  • Analytics
  • Salesforce
  • HubSpot
  • Zapier

What people use each for

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

Activity Messenger

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

Swapcard

  • Event planningnot Activity Messenger
  • Ticket salesnot Activity Messenger
  • Attendee managementnot Activity Messenger
  • Virtual eventsnot Activity Messenger
  • Event marketingnot 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.

Swapcard

  • Pricing requires custom quote; starting price of $610 does not include per-attendee charges which can add significant costs
  • Smaller company with 181 employees compared to market leaders like Cvent, limiting support resources
  • Limited reporting and analytics features compared to tier-1 event platforms
  • API documentation is sparse; custom integrations require direct vendor support
  • Primarily focused on B2B events; less suitable for consumer or small events

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

Swapcard

$610/one-time

No published plan breakdown. See the Swapcard review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Activity Messenger if

  • You need online registration.
  • You also want digital waivers.

Choose Swapcard if

  • You need ai matchmaking.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want lead capture.

Questions people ask

Is Activity Messenger or Swapcard better?
Neither clearly leads. Activity Messenger starts at $99/month and Swapcard at $610/one-time, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Activity Messenger or Swapcard?
Activity Messenger starts at $99/month and Swapcard at $610/one-time.
Does Activity Messenger or Swapcard run on more platforms?
Activity Messenger runs on Web. Swapcard runs on Web, Ios, Android.
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 Swapcard is typically brought in for.
What can Activity Messenger do that Swapcard cannot?
Activity Messenger covers Online registration, Digital waivers, Email and SMS automation, Memberships and ticketing. Swapcard covers AI matchmaking, Lead capture, Event mobile app, Exhibitor management.

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
Swapcard: What does Swapcard's pricing model include?

Swapcard pricing includes three components: a base license, usage volume (attendees and exhibitors), and add-ons. The Event Engagement Platform starts at $610 and includes mobile/web apps, AI-powered networking, virtual event capability, and exhibitor lead management.

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
Swapcard: What event types does Swapcard support?

Swapcard supports in-person, virtual, and hybrid events including conferences, trade shows, exhibitions, webinars, and networking events.

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
Swapcard: What are Swapcard's core platform features?

Core features include dashboard access, agenda management, streaming and audiovisual capability, abstract/paper management, lead capture tools, networking features, and audience response systems.

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
Swapcard: How many integrations does Swapcard offer?

Swapcard connects natively to over 30 integrations including event platforms like Eventbrite, Cvent, and Bizzabo, plus CRM tools like HubSpot and mapping solutions.

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
Swapcard: Who is Swapcard and when was it founded?

Swapcard was founded in 2013 in Paris by Baptiste Boulard, Godefroy Des Francs, and Damien Courbon. The company has raised $5.27M and serves event organizers globally.

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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