Whova Reviews

Event Management Done Well

Comments: I’ve attended 7 or 8 virtual conferences through Whova and always found it easy to use and keep track of where I needed to be. Communication with other attendees and speakers is easy. I enjoy using the app.

Pros:

I am an attendee so my answers are from that perspective. Whova is easy to navigate and find information I need to decide which sessions I want to attend. There are mechanisms for sending questions to the speakers ahead of time. There is a good social platform so that attendees can do virtual meetups and see who else is attending. It is easy for an attendee to create a discussion topic or recommend and article or conference. Entries to questions and polls are propagated quickly through the system so there is no confusion about whether I have entered a response to a poll. I love the Leaderboard function. It encourages attendees to post on the platform and is a nice distraction from the serious nature of the conference.

Cons:

There is limited ability to respond or add anything other than text to most questions. For example, I wanted to let fellow attendees know about an upcoming conference but my only choice was to enter text to describe it. I had some graphics from the PR Kit associated with the conference that it would have been nice to upload but I could not find a way to do that.

Whova Virtual Conference

Comments: Excellent tool for virtual events. Would recommend it for anyone looking for event software.

Pros:

Easy to use with lots of features. Loved all the pictures attendees posted in the photo section. Vendors were able to provide information to the attendees about their services. Leaderboard kept everyone engaged. We added additional videos to share with participants as well.

Cons:

Can't think of anything at this time. Happy with the tool.

Beware of Use

Comments: We will not be using this app again and I recommend that others don't use it either. The sales folks are very much about the upgrades and will nickel and dime you for every small add on. The help desk folks try to be helpful, but are up against the tremendous limitations of the system. This is overall a product that is engineered to make money rather than support the success of the users. We knew this going in and were happy to pay for some add ons, but others were not communicated at all at any point during the process much less in any help or FAQ documents.

Pros:

While there are some pros, the cons by far overshadow anything good about this app. I was excited to use Whova as I used it as an attendee for other events. However, from the admin side, things are not as pleasant.

Cons:

There are many features that cannot be turned off. There are emails that go out to attendees without notice. Definitions vary from the proposal stage to the implementation stage: a speaker is also considered an attendee, although they may not attend and just need to be listed on the paper presentation. The most frequent response from their Help Desk begins with "Unfortunately..."

WHOVA for virtual conferences

Comments: Love the experience, the sharp images, opportunity for group work and registration app

Pros:

I love the images and the livestreaming . I simply love the ease of registration and the fact that we can keep track of the participants when they register

Cons:

I think the process for payment can be more simple and more easily accessible

Highly-interactive and networking-enabling app

Comments: Whova is my preferred event app. It has the basics down (floor maps, agendas, etc.) but excels in networking capabilities. Granted, the other visitors have to contribute to make it successful, but the app provides plenty of tools. Direct messaging, polls, and questions to visitors or organizers are all there and are mostly easy to use. I can also view the visitors a few weeks before and four weeks after the show, which is super helpful for preparation and collecting leads.

Pros:

I do multiple trade shows per year. There are a few event apps, but I am delighted to see the event using Whova. This app has the networking part figured out. A few days before each show, I can start networking by messaging other visitors and creating discussion topics (e.g., ask the locals for restaurant recommendations or start discussions around the subject of the event/industry). The gamification to get high on the leaderboard is another way of getting attention. During the event, the app provides real-time updates.

Cons:

The UI could use a bit of an overhaul. It's not necessarily intuitive, and I still find myself in situations where I'm lost ("Where was this poll again?"). By the end of an event, I have it figured out, but I only use the app a few times a year. So, that familiarity degrades before the next event.

Human Trafficking seminar

Comments: It was very helpful for the conference and easy to use

Pros:

It gave accurate agenda as well as options to communicate with other attending the conference

Cons:

uploading pictures section was my least favorite.

Three events with Whova

Comments: Overall using Whova has improved my conference experiences. I'd like my organization to explore using Whova for future events.

Pros:

I've used Whova for three different conferences I've attended over the past year. I really like that I can see who's attending and make outreach to folks in advance of the event, letting them know I'd like to connect. I also appreciate the ability to take notes about sessions in the app and how those are sent to me after the event to make sure I don't lose any of the learnings from the conference experience.

Cons:

There are a lot of bells and whistles in Whova and it can be a bit overwhelming to see all the polls and potential meet ups and announcements on the "community" tab. I'm assuming that event organizers can disable some of those things and would recommend they do for the sake of their participants.

Used it for a Spiritual Growth Conference and Loved the Functionality!

Comments: I really liked using Whova for the conference I attended last week. It was great for agendas, contacts, messages, photos, and information from the organizers.

Pros:

It worked great for choosing what agenda options to add for my personal agenda, including choices of breakout sessions. But I was pleasantly surprised by the ease of finding others attending the conference and meeting up with them!

Cons:

I disliked all the notifications I was receiving, but ended up finding it was my fault and changed the settings!

Challenge

Pros:

The guides and the instructions for the daily events were perfect job. I liked it

Cons:

I like everything, and it is so easy to manage everything you want.

Great Conference application for users

Comments: The app is really powerful. I was able to schedule 3 meetings with other attendees through the Say Hi functionality.

Pros:

The features I used were the ability to Say Hi to other conference attendeesIt's great to associate information on your profile like LinkedIn

Cons:

It would be nice to sort by Company. I realize you can type company name in Attendee search, but it would be great to see which companies are in attendence

efficient, silent, and extremely powerful tool

Comments: Whova has had a lot of impact on the structure of our events. We always had to engage professional event organizers to help us manage our stakeholder engagement events, that often included simultaneous parallel sessions and large groups. With Whova as our able assistant now, we are able to efficiently manage these events with just our in-house staff. And the live polling feature has certainly made our events much more enjoyable and interactive for our participants.

Pros:

The innovation of the virtual network tables has been groundbreaking for me, both as an event organizer and also as an event participant. I love that we are able to select from a wide range of practical options for which format these groupings and sessions should take. Whether one on one, small groups, or larger ones; these are the parts of events I enjoy the most, and whova has successfully kept that feeling with the networking tables.

Cons:

Integration with other native conferencing software does not work smoothly every time. Our videos kept freezing, and having time delays that affected the flow of the event.

Great Event, Webinar and Video Chat Meeting Platform

Comments: Overall, enjoyed using and being able to participate in a conference that would otherwise be physical and being able to interact with other attendees. I believe there's more potential for increased interaction and exchange of info with others vs. a physical conference. I like being able to go back and reference past posts and be able to continue engaging with attendees after the event, but I wish there were no expiration for the event info and chat posts.

Pros:

I used this platform for our database vendor's annual conference which had to be entirely virtual this year due to Covid-19. They offered webinars, individual drop in meeting hours with various reps, special interest topics/chat rooms, a document download section and even photo contests. There was so much available, I'm sure I didn't explore every feature. Pros: -Easy to register and log into via App or Browser, especially helpful when on a Chromebook -Clean intuitive interface -Able to see Agenda and main areas from Home page -Good one on one video chat capability for meeting with reps (didn't get to test waiting in line capability) -Video and audio was clear for webinars (our vendor used Go-To-Meeting, which allowed the complete running Transcript for both days' webinars to be viewed), convenient links to recorded webinars for past events -Variety of engaging areas, including multiple Virtual Activity and Topic Chat Rooms, and Contests that allowed users to comment and post photos - good creative fun and lurkers can also benefit from others' posts -Document download area -Able to reference info and continue interacting with attendees after the event (but limited to 6 months)

Cons:

Because I am on an older Chromebook, I was unable to do some of the following: Cons: -Limited functionality on older devices kept me from viewing a Comment I added to my posted Photo in the Contest chat area (did not take the Comment), which I added via older mobile Phone - I was unable to view Comment on either my Phone or my older Chromebook (could have been user error) -Comment to my Photo by others did not show up under my Photo but much further down and under the other person's posts - layout for comments and replies was confusing and didn't follow sub-menu properly or consistently - My Reply to a Comment added via older Chrome device did show up under her Comment, but not under my Photo (maybe it was the other User's error or perhaps she submitted it via her Phone and also had a problem) - mobile interface may be a little buggy. -Was unable to see the number of likes per Photo or Posts on everyone's submitted Photos on my older Chromebook device, but was able to see these on my Phone -6 month time limit access to content (would love to access indefinitely)

Buyer Beware

Comments: Gauging an event platform and the countless variables that might be involved is a key demand for those moving into virtual or hybrid events. The marketing and sales elements are often adept at highlighting some aspects, while stepping over others. Rapport bridges the gap. So extra caution is required for decision makers.

Pros:

The sales outline and the simple step videos indicate a smooth process to get set up

Cons:

The reality, we found to be different. They recommended we use Zoom (‘you can get away with the free option too’ - sales) which quickly becomes obvious you will need to spend hundreds extra - upgrade to webinars (- support), a hidden cost. It didn’t integrate great with their system, yet they told us “that’s a Zoom support question, nothing to do with us”. There are other conflicts between Zoom and Whova (eg. using the same emails on both causes malfunctions); speakers logged-in on both get thrown out of Whova; speakers can’t see live video feed on Whova, so have to tandem two devices/browsers/apps. The Q&A is a little hard for speakers to find, unless spoonfed. The voting/polls are either scheduled at time (not ideal in live setting) or manually entered (not ideal in live setting either). We found a key member of their support unhelpful, bordering dismissive and the functionality of their platform for many of our attendees was such that a great many attendees watched off-site (on Zoom). Attendees received other attendee messages but they couldn't access access, Whova passed off as their internal marketing messages in contradiction to the received email subject notifications. Sponsors and exhibitors can't find out who visited their pages or who downloaded their uploaded content (key sales leads that Whova passed off as a 'privacy' consideration). No ability to have an overall attendee-on-the-day (as opposed to booked) list without doing it manually! Many other things.

Whova Leveled Up my Conference Experience

Comments: When getting ready for an upcoming conference, the event organizers suggested we as attendees install the conference app, Whova. I'd used similar apps in the past that were buggy, slow, and were honestly worse to interact with than the hard copy event agenda, so my expectations were not high. However, Whova blew me away. The ability to introduce myself to other attendees and see the organizations and bios of others helped me prepare for the conference in a way I had never been able to - I knew exactly who I wanted to network with in advance. I also loved the ability to customize my own event agenda, but still easily toggle back to the full agenda...we've all been in the situation at conferences where all the talks sound good and end up changing our mind, and Whova made that seamless. I honestly don't want to attend another event that DOESN'T use Whova. I loved it that much. I will note that it was clear our event organizers worked hard to make sure content was up to date, and they did a lot of legwork to get attendees to use the app - without that advance effort from the organizers I don't think Whova would have been optimally utilized and it could have completely changed my perception of the app. Go Whova and go conference organizers for making this awesome!

Pros:

The networking! I loved that I could peruse attendees like I was scrolling through a mini LinkedIn and connect with them there. It not only made it easy to find the people I wanted to talk to during the conference, but also made it easy to find people again after the conference to add them on real LinkedIn.

Cons:

While I liked the way you could take notes within each event space on the app, it would have been awesome to be able to link my notes and the pre-uploaded presentation to my own notes app. This is so minor, though.

Competitive Event Platform

Comments: Overall I think that our attendees navigated the platform easily and were able to view our content, which is most important. It was much easier for our speakers to do their presentations as everyone is now accustomed to Zoom. Having Zoom as the background for live presentations was beneficial. Chat was available for help with questions, but they didn't always know the answers. I would either end up figuring it out or not using it. I think it will become more beneficial when we are hybrid and can use some of the in-person functions with their app.

Pros:

It was an easy software to navigate. We previously used ON24 which was not as intuitive to navigate as Whova is. There are easy shortcuts when building the conference pages that made building the virtual platform easy and fast. They offer you a pre-made speaker and agenda page with different templates which were great as we embedded it into our existing website.

Cons:

We did not know if we did not want the audience to see the speakers we would need to purchase the webinar function in zoom. We did not know this before we purchased the platform and were disappointed as we thought we were saving money from our last platform but we ended up spending extra anyway. Also not all the analytics were as detailed unlike our last platform. We did not like that we were unable to move tabs and icons such as the "community" which was not necessary for our event.

Excellent Event App

Comments: My experience with Whova has been excellent. I would highly recommend this to anyone planning an event, large or small.

Pros:

Whova is an excellent app/online platform for attending events. There are a number of ways that attendees, vendors, presenters, etc. can interact. There is the chat and direct messaging features and you can also create a discussion topic where people can discuss a topic or question. The live stream has worked perfectly for me and comes with a chat, poll, and Q/A section for interacting with presenters and other attendees. The love stream allows the option to open in Zoom. The agenda tab is a great way of seeing what is coming up and you can add events to your personal agenda and get notifications of when events are starting right on you outlook (or other?) calendar. You can share videos, photos, and information and track discussions around those items. It is easy to track down other attendees, share contact information, and send direct messages. When the conference is over the information stays under the event so you can go back and re-watch recorded sessions, find information in past chat rooms, etc. I have only used this app for virtual conferences but I can see how useful this would be for mixed and in person events as well. I have never been a presenter so I can only comment on the attendee side of things.

Cons:

I do wish that the zoom and whova chat functions were linked. Currently you need to pay attention to both which is not always obvious in full screen mode.

Whoa! Whova

Comments: I have begun to connect with like minded people and work on a Virtual Reality project to build an application for many programs.

Pros:

I attended the Kaltura 2020 Connect conference in New Orleans, LA. and Whova is the first interactive application I have been introduce to at a conference. The Kaltura team kept all of the attendees engaged in every event that was going on prior to the conference and throughout the 3 days using Whova. I realized how powerful Whova was when I found myself lock in to the application day after day. Need to say, Whova gave me access to so many attendees from around the world. On the application we were able to set up connect meeting to discuss common interests, share rides, discuss new technologies, etc. Whova provided you your daily agenda along with reminders on your phone, iPad, computer, smart watch, and pop ups from other attendees. Something I found uniques was it allows you to take notes for every event, meet ups, and you can provide real time feedback. I find feedback extremely important for growth. No matter what industry you are in, this application I highly recommend to increase innovation and productivity.

Cons:

The only thing I can say disappointing about this software is that I was not exposed to it first.

Association of Migraine Disorders

Pros:

The people in the chat are extremely quick to answer and provide directions. The platform is very easy to use. Our audience loved the app. Thanks for a successful event!

Cons:

Since we are a non-profit and our event is sponsored it is critical that we have statistics to report to our sponsors. We have not requested the report generated from Whova yet. I hope we are able to see the number of total virtual attendees that attended the symposium rather than the number of attendees who viewed each presentation.

I like the App

Pros:

I can create my own agenda after viewing the conference agenda; Attendee list and profile are helpful that I can send them a private message. Facility floor map is helpful.

Cons:

Conference organizers did not make announcement about the App and how should use the App.

The best easy tool to use for networking

Comments: Trying to inform conference attendees of changes while saving time and money. Overall, going virtual for knowledge sharing and cost savings is a terrific idea.

Pros:

simple to use and offers a staggering array of intricate adjustments and functionalities to meet any event requirements. I adore how simple it is to communicate with other app users.

Cons:

Simple accessibility, widespread acceptability, and high connectivity were all attained. Integration was simple as well.

Whova App is Best for Professional Development

Comments: Several of our professional development circles have previously provided printed schedules, agendas, and course descriptions, which make for a lot of material to take home after a conference. With the Whova app, all of that information is now stored online which is so much easier for a traveler.

Pros:

The Whova mobile app made it easy for me to select PD sessions, take notes, and organize my thoughts while the desktop app afforded me the opportunity to immediately download materials and snip and save images. I do appreciate that Whova emailed me a copy of all of the notes I'd taken in each of my PD sessions. I also like that the information stays on my account even after the session is over. I can still see last year's pics and notes from another PD session!

Cons:

Not sure how things download from my mobile device, but the desktop app is great for saving information.

Whova makes in-person conferences work a whole lot better

Comments: I was able to be more productive and engaged during five days at the NGS conference by using Whova for the agenda and other features.

Pros:

Whova imported some of my info from my LinkedIn profile, which allowed me to connect with someone I hadn't seen in a while. It also allowed for easily making connections with like-minded conference attendees. I liked being able to schedule more than one session in a single time slot (as I like to have first and second choice available). The sharing of photos from the event was fun, though I wish there were a way to caption the pictures.

Cons:

I wish pictures could be captioned, but that's a tiny improvement. It would have helped to have a way to message conference organizers about problems, for example, with the HVAC in a room or the lighting, with a disruptive attendee, etc. There was a public way but an effective one.

Review of Whova

Comments: It was a great and convenient app. It made the conference much easier. I did not need to miss with paper and writing.

Pros:

I could pick my agenda for the workshops that I wanted to take and it showed the session in in-depth detail. I also was able to put an alert before each workshop began. I also took notes on my iPhone. I can't find the notes now but I took them.

Cons:

The best was the added agenda and I could also personalize it. I took notes with the app but I cannot find those notes. That needs to be changed and made easier.

Event Attendee Mobile App User's Review

Comments: Great software that helps the attendees better track their event schedules and also helped people network better to build a community around the event.

Pros:

It made tracking the event schedule so much easier than say a printed agenda, especially with the multiple changes I made with which breakouts I was attending. The mobile app has an excellent ease of use. I have not used other meeting and events app to compare but I will be delighted for future events that will also have this platform for its attendees.

Cons:

PRE-EVENT ACCESS - This may not be a software issue but rather a matter of our company admin's event setting however, we didn't have visibility to the event on the app until the event's day of. I think there should be a pre-event setup functionality that will enable a sneak peek /summary agenda and an ability for event attendees to set up their user profile so we can prepare better in advance to prepare and network at the event. When the event is live, we don't have too much time to be setting up user profiles.

Misrepresentation of package at time of purchase

Comments: Not good. Their customer service rep changed several times. We were sold a package with a waiver for a feature that they did not honour. They instead offered us this off 'our next event'. Misrepresentation at the time of hardselling to get the deal. Bad unethical business practice. They don't honour agreements made and blame internal issues instead of servicing the paying customer. I would never use this product again.

Pros:

Attendee interaction was useful as we had a hybrid event.

Cons:

Too many add-ons required to make it work well. It is not user-friendly.