Are you researching the best virtual event software for your next event? Or maybe this is your first event, and you’re trying your best to get it right?
In this article, we want to help by looking into Pathable, its key features, and the type of events it is best suited to.
We’ll also dig into Pathable alternatives, Pathable pricing, and see what some verified users have to say in their Pathable app reviews.
What is Pathable?
Pathable is one of many event management software providers transitioning their in-person event management tools to better support a more virtual experience.
Top features include online agendas, private direct messaging, meeting scheduling, live and video-on-demand options, event analytics, and exhibitor/sponsor tools.
Like their competitors, Pathable also offers a desktop and mobile experience for attendees, speakers, and organizers.
Pathable Pricing
Pathable has three pricing tiers:
- Small Event Level: Starts at $11,500. Users get a web portal for up to 3 days. Small Events can accommodate up to 500 attendees.
- Medium Event level: Starts at $16,500. Users get a web portal for up to 3 days. Medium Events can accommodate attendees up to 3,000.
- Large Event Level: Starts at $24,000. Users get an unlimited web portal. Large Events can accommodate attendance greater than 3,000.
The Verdict: Baseline Pathable Review
Pathable is a solid platform for event organizers. They’ve put the right tools in place to make transitioning a live event to a virtual one manageable. While it may not have all the bells and whistles, they have the right tools to execute a digital or hybrid event.
Like their major competitors, Pathable pairs with some existing platforms, like Eventbrite, Salesforce, Facebook, Twitter, and others to streamline event logistics.
Where Pathable has done well is in their emphasis on networking tools for attendees. While not alone in this focus, their meeting scheduling, exhibitor or sponsor pages, smaller networking events, and attendee search capabilities, check the right boxes.
Challenges with Pathable
Despite this, there are some major limitations that come with using the Pathable platform.
We’ve heard users complain about limited customization and template options, the lack of online registration management within the platform, email reminders and other digital creature comforts users have come to expect with conferences and corporate events going digital.
Multiple users noted Pathable had room for improvement, but they stopped short of some other platforms’ harsh criticisms.
It will be interesting to see Pathable’s growth and how they embrace their audience’s requests for more.
What Types of Events is Pathable For?
Pathable’s end-to-end management system is suitable for any type or size of event, including trade shows, fairs, seminars, private meetings, and conferences..
Pathable Features Review
No two events are exactly alike. It’s important to consider different technology platforms to find the features that best serve your event. Several of Pathable’s key features include:
- Customizable event app for mobile devices
- Community building tools
- Event management logistics
- Private meeting scheduler
- Gamification tools
- User-friendly setup and management
We’ll look into some of the features in more detail below.
Customizable Event App for Mobile Devices
Pathable’s integrated mobile app puts your event in the palm of your attendees’ hands.
App features that include personalized agendas, private meeting scheduling, and interactive maps help drive increased adoption rates and boost participant engagement.
Speakers and exhibitors have the ability to create profiles and listings.
Event organizers can use the intuitive app dashboard to access the browseable, searchable attendee directory. They can also access messaging and meeting scheduling, as well as email and push notifications.
Community Building Tools
Pathable’s community tools allow organizers to attract and engage attendees at all phases of your event. The mobile app supports a hub for attendees to manage their schedules, engage with content, and network with fellow attendees or exhibitors.
Small group video conversations, flexible forum software, private messaging, and chat all further enable event participants to move into more in-depth, meaningful conversations centered on the issues that matter to your industry.
Event Management Logistics
Combining Pathable’s event platform and mobile app allows event organizers to coordinate and communicate in real-time with event attendees, speakers, and exhibitors.
Pathable uses a combination of trade show and session room interactive maps to help event attendees move from agenda item to agenda item. They also use Google maps for hybrid or in-person events that require travel to off-site locations.
Building on real-time data, organizers can use Pathable’s bulletins, reminders, and push notifications to make and announce last-minute room or time changes. All changes are automatically and immediately updated.
Private Meeting Scheduler
Pathable makes scheduling meetings easier with access to available or busy calendar views inside the Pathatable platform, reservable tables and meeting rooms, in addition to sponsored suites. Meetings are held using Zoom, and all meetings are cross-device appropriate.
Meetings can be a single, stand-alone event or reoccurring post-trade show gatherings with multiple attendees.
The system also allows organizers to set parameters establishing a framework surrounding who can and can’t get together. This can guard popular personalities against getting overwhelmed with meeting requests from people they don’t know.
Gamification Tools
Pathable’s gamification helps event organizers increase attendee engagement.
Answering questions during a forum discussion, building private agendas, and sharing photos with other event participants are just some of the ways attendees can earn points.
Event attendees with the most points during specific sessions or for the overall event can win prizes. In addition to increased engagement through gamification, the collect-points-to-win-a-prize approach is a great way to promote event products or services.
Prizes such as free access to a paid seminar, a one-month subscription, or a complimentary product upgrade are all excellent examples of how you can use gamification to further engage your audience.
As with all of Pathable’s other features, users can personalize all gamification features for the most beneficial impact.
What Other Online Reviews are Saying About Pathable
- G2 gives Pathable 4.8 out of 5 stars and 8 reviews
- Capterra gives Pathable 4.2 out of 5 stars with 67 reviews
- Featured Customers gives Pathable 4.8 out of 5 available stars and 23 reviews
- Cuspera Online gives Pathable 4.39 out of 5 available stars and 695 user reviews
What People Like About Pathable
The majority of Pathable reviews show users like the platform overall.
One Capterra reviewer liked its useability and easy navigation, adding they liked the integration with social media networks and the “opportunity for industry insiders to connect.”
Napoleon added to G2’s Pathable app reviews. He liked the app console and found it “very handy to add materials to each session.”
What People Dislike About Pathable
One user expressed frustration on Capterra about attempting to confirm whether “potential meeting requests had been seen or read.” The user added that this resulted in instances of meeting “no shows.”
And Nick, a small business owner, thought Pathable was good for a “work in progress.” His is one of several pathable reviews that voiced the common emotion. While several users said they liked Pathable overall, they found it wasn’t quite enough to deliver an all-over dynamic experience, that it fell just a little short.
The Main Pathable Competitors and Alternatives
The main Pathable alternatives and competitors with G2 ratings are:
- Whova (4.8 out of 5)
- Attendify (4.7 out of 5)
- SpotMe (4.6 out of 5)
- EventMobi (4.6 out of 5)
- Crowd Compass (4.4 out of 5)
Wondering what other virtual event solutions might be like? Check out our comparison guide.
See our other comprehensive virtual platform reviews:
Disclaimer: This review is provided by SpotMe. While we are a marketing event management software vendor, our reviews aim to help buyers make better informed decisions by providing honest feedback about the product being reviewed. SpotMe’s reviews are not used to deliberately promote or disparage any software vendor’ products and to the best of our knowledge the information contained herein is recent, relevant and objective.
