OFFLINE CHECK-IN
Offline event check-in that keeps scanning when venue Wi-Fi dies
What works when venue Wi-Fi fails?
Download the attendee list before doors open. Staff can scan and search the local list offline; queued check-ins upload when connectivity returns. Disconnected devices cannot share live updates, so duplicate scans may require conflict review. New walk-in registration needs the server to issue a ticket code. Rehearse with your actual devices and printers.
Plan offline check-in →Two ways to check people in
Both run on the same attendee list and report into the same live count. Which one you use is a question of scale and of what you need at the door.
Mobile staff app
Staff use their own phones. Nothing to set up at the venue, no hardware to carry, and people can spread out and scan wherever the queue forms.
- Scan with the phone camera
- Works offline once the list is downloaded
- No desk or printer required
- On Google Play and the App Store
Desktop check-in app
A staffed registration desk on a laptop, with a badge printer plugged into it. Built for volume, for badge-on-arrival, and for several entrances at once.
- Badges print at the desk as people arrive
- Batch check-in and batch printing
- One-click offline mode for the whole event
- Windows and macOS, works offline
What happens when the venue Wi-Fi drops
Illustrative sample
list downloaded
Every scanner holds the attendee list before the first guest arrives.
token-only QR
The scan is checked against the list on the device. Nothing about the attendee travels in the code.
3 queued
Each check-in is stored on the device with the time it happened, not the time it uploads.
09:41 · 0 queued
The queue uploads on its own. Counts and reports catch up without anyone re-scanning.
The attendee list is downloaded before doors open, so the desk never waits for the network. Check-ins queue on the device and sync automatically once the connection returns — on the staff app and on the desktop client.
Get the staff app
Free with every plan. Staff join an event with a short code you approve — they do not need a bagevent account of their own.
Key features
QR code scan
Each ticket carries a QR code that scans in under two seconds. The code contains only an opaque token — no personal data is encoded in it, which keeps the scan GDPR-safe.
Badge printing
Print badges on demand as attendees arrive, so late name changes are never a problem. The badge designer controls layout, fields, and branding.
Mobile and PDF tickets
Every confirmation email links to a mobile ticket page and a PDF. Attendees show either one at the door — there is nothing to install.
Offline mode
The staff app holds the attendee list locally and keeps scanning without a connection. Check-ins queue and sync as soon as the network returns.
Real-time dashboard
Watch arrivals as they happen, broken down by ticket type and entrance. You can see attendance rate against registrations at any point during the day.
Multiple gates
Run several check-in points and track each one separately, which helps you spot a queue building at one entrance. Included on every plan.
How it works
- 1
Send tickets
Attendees receive a QR ticket by email, as a mobile page and a PDF.
- 2
Scan at the door
Staff scan with a phone or handheld. Works offline and syncs later.
- 3
Track attendance
See live check-in rates and spot queues before they build up.
What to look for in event check-in software
Check-in is judged in the first hour: the queue at the door is the first thing every attendee remembers. Six things to check before you choose a check-in app.
- 01
It keeps working without the venue network
The attendee list is downloaded to the device before doors open, so scanning, search and check-in run with no network at all. Check-ins queue on the device and sync when the connection returns, and a clash between two offline devices is raised for you to decide rather than resolved silently.
- 02
Speed at the scan
A QR code scans in under two seconds, on the device, so speed does not depend on the Wi-Fi. The code carries only an opaque token — nothing about the attendee can be read from it.
- 03
Badges printed as people arrive
The desktop app prints each badge at check-in, offline included, with a different design for each ticket type, and can pre-print a VIP list in one pass before the doors open.
- 04
The right tool for the room
Staff phones join with a short code you approve — no account, no seat — for a small room or a roaming team; a staffed desk on a laptop handles volume. Both report into the same live count.
- 05
Several entrances without double entry
Run several desks at once: a code already used at another door is caught, and each gate reports its own throughput so you can move staff to the queue that is building.
- 06
Something for the awkward cases
Search by name, company or job title when a code will not scan; register a walk-in at the desk while online; and let attendees check themselves in at a self-service kiosk that also works offline.
Frequently asked questions
Yes to both. The event check-in app runs on staff phones (iOS and Android) and there is a desktop client for Windows and macOS. Both download the attendee list before doors open and keep scanning with no wifi at all; check-ins queue on the device and sync by themselves when the network returns.
Under two seconds per attendee in normal conditions. Scanning is handled on-device, so speed does not depend on venue network quality.
Yes. The staff app downloads the attendee list in advance and keeps scanning offline. Check-ins are queued locally and sync automatically when the connection returns.
Yes. Badges print on demand as attendees check in, which means late registrations and name corrections are handled on the spot. Layout and branding are set in the badge designer.
No. Attendees just show the QR code from their confirmation email, the mobile ticket page or the PDF. Only your staff use the check-in app.
No. The QR code contains only an opaque token that maps to the registration in our system. Nothing about the attendee can be read by scanning the code with another device.
Yes, on every plan. Each gate tracks its own throughput so you can see where queues form and move staff accordingly.
Yes. The AI assistant drafts a full on-site run sheet from a short form: how many lanes and staff per site, devices, power and network to ask the venue for, a volunteer training plan with scripts, and contingency playbooks. The numbers come from checkable rules based on large-conference operations, with estimates flagged for you to confirm.
Yes. Design as many badge templates as you need and bind each one to the ticket types it is for. At check-in, the desk prints the template bound to that person's ticket and everyone else gets the event's default, so nobody chooses a design at the desk.
Pro is $99 a month billed annually ($129 month to month) and Business $479 a month billed annually ($599 month to month), with Enterprise quoted individually. The phone app and the desktop app are included on every plan with no per-device charge, and so are several check-in gates with their own throughput figures. bagevent takes 0% of ticket sales on every plan, and there is a 14-day free trial with no credit card.
Field guides
- What happens to check-in when the venue Wi-Fi fails?Four things vendors mean by offline check-in, what fails at a venue, and what still breaks when scanning works.
- How do you run on-site check-in for a conference across multiple hotels?About 25 seconds a person, ~140 an hour per lane. Size lanes, spread the peak, train volunteers, and eight common failures.
- What belongs on the morning-of checklist for a conference?The morning-of checklist for a conference door: devices, offline scan, badges, lanes, and what must already be done.
0% platform fee on every plan — from $99 a month billed annually, with a 14-day free trial, no credit card, fair use on paid tickets (50 registrations / $500).
See pricingReady to run your next event?
Get started in minutes — or try the live demo to see what your attendees get.
- No credit card required
- DPA on request
- Multi-currency