This one’s for the event pros who’ve had to say, “No, you don’t need to scan a QR code to find the coffee station.”
What You’ll Learn:
- Why most event apps feel like an escape room designed by a bored software engineer.
- The hidden costs of feature overload – from lower adoption to annoyed attendees.
- Real-life examples of app flops and app wins.
- The 5 features your app actually needs (and what to leave behind).
- How to simplify without losing functionality (or your sanity).
Welcome to the Event App Apocalypse
There’s a fine line between “smart tech” and “what fresh hell is this?” And unfortunately, too many event apps have crossed it.
Once upon a time, a mobile event app meant two things: a schedule and a map. Now it means:
- Gamified leaderboards
- AI-powered matchmaking
- Virtual photo contests
- Scavenger hunts
- A chatbot named “MingleBot” that just wants to be loved
All this in one app. And all most attendees wanted was to know when lunch starts.
Let’s call it what it is: Feature creep.
It’s bloating apps into Frankenstein monsters of functionality—confusing for attendees, frustrating for organisers, and a disaster for ROI.
The Problem: Apps That Try to Do Everything… End Up Doing Nothing Well
🧩 Too Many Features, Not Enough Use
Every shiny new feature your platform vendor pitches might sound “innovative,” but here’s the truth:
If attendees aren’t using it, it’s dead weight.
And the data backs it up:
- Only 61% of attendees download the average event app.
- Most users never get past the agenda.
- Over 40% of organisers have faced low adoption rates due to complex UX.
So yes, your app has an AI-powered networking tool. But Bob from finance just wants to find Room B2.
😵 UX So Bad, People Abandon the App Entirely
If your attendees need an onboarding video, an FAQ page, and on-site tech support just to open your app… it’s broken.
A few horror stories from the field:
- Attendees who couldn’t find the agenda because it was hidden behind a “Community Feed” button.
- Apps that require multi-step logins, profile building, and “activation codes” – just to see the schedule.
- Users forced to stay inside the app ecosystem to access basic info – like a hotel that locks you in until you review the breakfast buffet.
One Reddit user described Whova as “a TikTok-style nightmare” for a scientific conference. Brutal. But fair.
💸 Bad ROI: You Paid for Features That No One Wanted
Let’s get financial.
Every extra feature adds:
- Development time
- Testing time
- Support time
Training time
… and maybe even sponsor promises tied to engagement metrics.
If no one uses the advanced gamification zone with AR-enabled scavenger hunts? That’s time and money you could have spent on better coffee or a stronger Wi-Fi signal. (Which, ironically, would’ve improved your app’s performance too.)
So What Should Your Event App Do?
Strip it back. Focus on the essentials. Here’s what most attendees actually want from an app:
✅ A clear agenda with personal scheduling
✅ Speaker/session info
✅ Location details (where’s lunch, again?)
✅ Simple networking/messaging tools
✅ Real-time updates for last-minute changes
That’s it. Nail these, and your adoption rate soars. Overcomplicate it, and people go back to printed brochures and WhatsApp groups.
Who’s Doing It Right?
- Sched: Agenda-focused, offline-friendly, and no fluff. Attendees love it because it works.
- Yapp: Customisable, dead-simple, and designed for “just the basics.”
- Custom combos: Some organisers ditch apps entirely for a mobile site + Slack group. And guess what? It works.
Even apps like Whova and Brella can shine if you limit features to what your audience will actually use. Don’t get seduced by the full buffet when your crowd just wants a sandwich.
Final Answer: Yes, Event Apps Are Too Complicated (Most of the Time)
Let’s go back to our original question: Are event apps too complex?
From the trenches of marketing managers, event directors, and frustrated attendees – the answer is clear.
Yes. Absolutely. Painfully so.
But it doesn’t have to be this way.
👉 Keep it simple.
👉 Prioritise core functionality.
👉 Measure what gets used.
👉 Cut the rest.
Simplicity isn’t a compromise – it’s a strategy. And when your app feels invisible in all the right ways (as in, “easy and useful”), that’s when it starts to deliver.
TL;DR – The Takeaways You Need
- More features ≠ more value. Often, it’s the opposite.
- Attendees want ease, not Easter eggs. Stick to what helps them.
- Low adoption = low ROI. Don’t pay for features no one touches.
- The best apps are boring (on purpose). Think clarity, not complexity.
- You’re not behind if your app is simple. You’re ahead.
Want help simplifying your event tech stack? Let’s talk. At Presso, we believe in event apps that actually get used – not ones that make attendees download regret.
👉 Contact us here or say hello at your next event. We’ll be the ones not trying to scan your badge for a high score.