Grip Onsite

Grip Onsite is an on-site event service for organizers coordinating arrival, printed credentials, and attendance across sessions and restricted areas. It is best suited to events that need those workflows alongside equipment and event-day support. The integrated approach is a strength; custom pricing and a setup that typically takes 2–6 hours call for advance planning.

Overview

Grip Onsite combines event-floor hardware and software, and can be used on its own, with Grip Engage or Manage, or with a third-party registration system. That flexibility helps organizers keep an existing registration setup while adding on-site check-in and attendance tools. It is less compelling for teams seeking a quick, software-only purchase: equipment must be delivered and installed, and typical badging setup is completed the day before the event opens.

Key features

Self-service kiosks let attendees check in and print badges on arrival. Entrance scanning also accepts printed tickets, badges, or the event app, while real-time attendance reporting shows who arrived and when. Badge formats include laminated or paper stock, with customizable size, orientation, and lanyard-hole options, plus an optional RFID sticker. This breadth suits varied event formats, though organizers need to plan the badge and terminal setup in advance.

Session check-in records which attendees attended sessions, and organizers can share sponsored-session badge scans with sponsors as leads. Bluetooth Smart Badges let participants exchange contact information with a button press and can provide heat maps and session-tracking insights. Location Tracking adds information about which participants visited booths and sessions and for how long. These tools can give event teams and sponsors a more detailed view than an arrival count alone; their value depends on having a practical use for the attendance and location signals.

Badge scanning can control access to exclusive areas, extending the same credential workflow beyond general entry. Grip also supports badge scanning, offline capture, lead qualification and enrichment, CRM sync, custom app branding, push notifications, interactive maps, sponsor features, and matchmaking. Those capabilities make the suite relevant to broader event operations, but they also mean it is best considered as part of a coordinated event setup rather than a narrow badge-printing utility.

Pricing

Grip Onsite is paid, with custom pricing. There is no published plan breakdown to compare, so organizers should request a quote for their event rather than assume a fixed per-seat or per-event cost. That makes it harder to judge the budget before discussing requirements, particularly if the event needs multiple terminals, customized badges, or support.

Platforms

Grip Onsite is available on Android, iOS, and web. Grip's branded event apps are distributed through the App Store and Google Play and require Android 10 or iOS 17 at minimum. Organizers should account for those minimum versions when attendees are expected to use the event app for check-in or other event activities.

Who it's for

Grip Onsite is aimed at event organizers, exhibitors, sponsors, and visitors across in-person, hybrid, and virtual events. Its strongest fit is an organizer who needs kiosks, printed badges, session attendance, and sponsor lead workflows to work together, and who values on-site installation and support. For events with fewer than four terminals, self-managed setup is available; larger setups can be delivered, installed, and tested by on-site support staff or trained technicians, with support during the event. Grip says product support is available 24/7.

Grip says its cloud service uses AWS hosting, encrypts data at rest and in transit, and follows GDPR and CCPA. Those measures may matter to teams handling attendee data, though organizers should still assess their own privacy and security requirements.

Pros and cons

• Pros: One service covers kiosk check-in, badge printing, entrance scanning, session attendance, and access control, reducing the need to stitch together those on-site workflows.
• Pros: Smart Badges and Location Tracking can provide contact exchanges, booth and session visits, and attendance insights for organizers and sponsors.
• Pros: Installation and event-day support are available, while smaller events with fewer than four terminals can manage setup themselves.
• Cons: Custom pricing means teams cannot compare a fixed public price before requesting a quote.
• Cons: Typical setup takes 2–6 hours and is usually completed the day before opening, so it requires advance coordination.
• Cons: The branded app requires Android 10 or iOS 17, which may exclude attendees using older devices.

Alternatives

Amego is worth considering when a free starting point matters: its Spark plan is free, billed annually, with 1,000 AI credits and unlimited attendees, and is aimed at events with 50 attendees or fewer. HEPCon has a free Core plan for programmes under 50 contributions, with an offline-first agenda, source sync, and personal schedule; it is a more relevant option when those programme tools are the priority.

Cvent offers a registration product that can be tried for free, making it a candidate for teams wanting to evaluate registration before committing. Navon Event Mobile App is another paid Android, iOS, and web option for event mobile apps.

PheedLoop has a Core Event Dashboard plan at $950 a month for 100–499 users, which gives buyers a public price point to compare. Webex Events Onsite may suit organizations whose Webex Suite Enterprise Agreement includes access to it; its stated scope includes in-person check-in, badge printing, registration, and a mobile app.

Eventee is a paid, pay-per-event option with plans covering one event and specified attendee or team limits, a useful alternative for buyers comparing event-based packaging. Fivras offers a one-time Essential plan at 599.00 EUR for up to 150 attendees, with a branded web and app, agenda and directory, basic networking, and email support; it may fit smaller events that prefer a stated one-off price.

For broader category comparisons, see Event Mobile App Software, Event Lead Capture Software, Event Badge Printing Software, and Event Management Software.

Verdict

Choose Grip Onsite if your event needs a connected arrival, badge, session, and sponsor workflow, and you value event-day equipment support. Look elsewhere if you need transparent pricing or a lightweight setup that can be purchased and deployed without advance coordination.