Softwr

Event Management · head to head

Brella vs Hopin

Brella logo

Brella

Event Management

AI-powered networking for events

From
$2500/event
Rated
-
Hopin logo

Hopin

Webinar & Virtual Events

Virtual and hybrid events at scale

From
Free
Rated
-

The short version

  • Only Hopin has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Brella limited feature set compared to full-featured event management platforms; Hopin platform complexity with feature breadth that results in no single feature being particularly strong compared to specialized competitors
  • They diverge on capability: Brella covers AI matchmaking, Hopin covers Virtual stages.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Brella and Hopin actually diverge.

Attributes where Brella and Hopin differ
AttributeBrellaHopin
Starting price$2500/eventFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWebWeb, iOS, Android
CategoryEvent ManagementWebinar & Virtual Events
Founded20162019

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

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 Brella

  • AI matchmaking
  • 1:1 meeting scheduler
  • Intent data
  • Sponsor promotion
  • Analytics dashboard
  • Eventbrite
  • Cvent
  • Zoom

Only in Hopin

  • Virtual stages
  • Networking sessions
  • Expo areas
  • Breakout rooms
  • Live streaming
  • Stripe
  • Zapier
  • Marketo

Both cover

  • Salesforce
  • HubSpot
  • Web support
  • Ios support
  • Android support

What people use each for

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

Brella

  • Event planning
  • Ticket sales
  • Attendee management
  • Virtual events
  • Event marketing

Hopin

  • Event planning
  • Ticket sales
  • Attendee management
  • Virtual events
  • Event marketing

Both are used for event planning, ticket sales, attendee management, virtual events, event marketing, on those jobs the choice comes down to price and fit rather than capability.

Where each one falls short

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

Brella

  • Limited feature set compared to full-featured event management platforms
  • No trial version available
  • English language only, no multilingual support
  • Pricing not transparent; custom quotes only without public pricing

Hopin

  • Platform complexity with feature breadth that results in no single feature being particularly strong compared to specialized competitors
  • Hard registration caps with additional charges if events exceed 100 registrations
  • Post-acquisition delays with slow account activation taking up to 45 days and slow responses to onboarding questions
  • High pricing particularly problematic for organizations running occasional or simple webinars
  • No Facebook or YouTube live streaming integration and limited caption support for accessibility

Pricing, plan by plan

Brella

$2500/event
  • Essential$2500/event
    • AI matchmaking
    • 1:1 meetings
    • Event app
  • Professional$5000/event
    • Advanced matching
    • Sponsor features
    • Analytics
  • Enterprise$10000/event
    • Custom development
    • API access
    • White-label

Hopin

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Hopin review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Brella if

  • You need ai matchmaking.
  • You also want 1:1 meeting scheduler.

Choose Hopin if

  • You need virtual stages.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want networking sessions.

Questions people ask

Is Brella or Hopin better?
Neither clearly leads. Brella starts at $2500/event and Hopin at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Brella or Hopin?
Hopin has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $2500/event for Brella and Free for Hopin.
Does Brella or Hopin run on more platforms?
Brella runs on Web. Hopin runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use Hopin for free?
Yes. Hopin has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Brella starts at $2500/event.
What is Brella best used for?
Brella is most often used for event planning, ticket sales, attendee management, virtual events.
What can Brella do that Hopin cannot?
Brella covers AI matchmaking, 1:1 meeting scheduler, Intent data, Sponsor promotion. Hopin covers Virtual stages, Networking sessions, Expo areas, Breakout rooms. Both handle Salesforce, HubSpot, Web support, Ios support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Brella: Does Brella offer a free trial?

No. Brella does not offer a trial version, so potential customers cannot test the platform before committing.

Source
Hopin: What is Hopin's pricing?

Hopin (now RingCentral Events) starts at approximately $99 per organizer per month (billed annually) for the Events Pro plan, with higher tiers at $199 and $299 per month adding onsite capabilities and advanced integrations. A free plan is available with limited features.

Source
Brella: How is Brella priced?

Brella uses custom, per-attendee pricing with no publicly displayed rates. The final price depends on total attendees and consulting services selected. Third-party estimates suggest $5,000 to $25,000+ per event.

Source
Hopin: What features does Hopin include?

Hopin provides registration, live streaming, networking tools (1:1 video matchmaking, breakout rooms), virtual reception and expo areas, real-time analytics and reporting, and integrations with Salesforce, HubSpot, Marketo, and Pardot.

Source
Brella: What languages does Brella support?

Brella currently supports English only, which may limit international organizations or multilingual attendees.

Source
Hopin: Can Hopin live stream to Facebook or YouTube?

No. Hopin does not offer native options to live stream video conferencing directly to Facebook or YouTube. This requires manual setup or third-party solutions.

Source
Brella: What integrations does Brella offer?

Brella integrates with event registration platforms Eventbrite, Swoogo, and Tito; CRM platforms Salesforce Data Cloud and HubSpot CRM; WooCommerce for e-commerce; and Zapier for general automation.

Source
Hopin: Does Hopin provide automated captions during events?

Hopin does not offer built-in caption support across all features, which is a limitation for accessibility and engagement during live sessions.

Source
Brella: Who is Brella best suited for?

Brella is recommended for large conferences and trade shows with 5,000+ attendees, particularly those with sponsorship inventory and investor meeting requirements.

Source
Hopin: Who acquired Hopin?

RingCentral acquired Hopin in late 2023. The platform is now sold as RingCentral Events with ongoing support and updates managed by RingCentral.

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