Container App vs White Label Event App: How to Pick the Right Solution

Do you know the difference between a container app and a white label event app? Learn how to choose what's best for your event.

In the event planning industry, there are two main approaches to developing an event mobile app for your business: container apps and white label apps. Both have their pros and cons, so it’s important to understand the difference between the two before deciding.

In this article, we look at the two main types of event apps on the market: container apps and white label apps. We’ll explore the key differences between the two and help you decide which is the best option for your business.

What Is a Container App?

A container app is an event hosting app that “contains” multiple event apps within it. Think of it as an umbrella.

Benefits of Container Apps

Cost-effective: Container apps are often more cost-effective since they can be used for multiple events.
Doesn’t require coding skills: While development requirements vary from app to app, Yapp doesn’t require any prior coding or software development experience to use!
Instant publishing and updates: With a container app, event organizers can make changes to the app without having to wait on app store approvals as is the case with custom, white label event apps. This makes it much faster and easier to communicate real-time changes during your event.
Higher degree of flexibility: Container apps offer more flexibility than white label apps. This is because they can be used for multiple purposes and can be easily customized to meet the needs of each individual event.
Can be used for multiple events: As mentioned above, container apps can be used for multiple events. This is a tremendous advantage if you host multiple events at different times throughout the year.

Drawbacks of Container Apps

Less design customizability: If you were aiming for designing a completely custom-built app for your event, a container app is likely not going to be a great fit because you are limited to the customizations provided by the container app.
No App Store Discovery: Users can’t go to the App Store and search for your own event app’s name and find it because it will be under the name of the container app.

What Is a White Label App?

A white label event app is an event app that is developed by a third-party company and then branded with your company’s name and logo. Unlike container apps, white label apps are only used for one event.

Benefits of White Label Apps

Easier to brand: White label event apps are easier to brand as they are only used for one event. This means that you can have a custom logo and branding that represents your company.
High degree of customization: White label apps offer more customization options as they are developed specifically for your event. This means that you can have an app that is truly unique to your brand.
Lower competition: Since white label apps are only used for one event, there is less competition within the app. This can be a big advantage if you don’t want your users to be distracted by other events.

Drawbacks of White Label Apps

More expensive: White label apps are often more expensive than container apps since they are developed specifically for your event.
Requires more planning: White label apps require more planning as they are only used for one event. This means that you need to have a clear idea of what you want your app to do before the development process begins. White label apps also need to be independently approved by Apple and Google, a process involving extra time and cost as well as the risk of rejection.

How to Pick the Right Solution

Now that you know the difference between container apps and white label apps, it’s time to decide which one is right for your business. Here are a few factors to consider:

What Is Your Budget?

If you have a limited budget, consider going for a container app to avoid overspending on your event. Event app providers can spread the cost of building and maintaining container apps across lots of customers and events, passing on the savings to you.

If you have a larger budget, then white label apps are an option for you. This is because they offer a higher degree of customization as they can be built from scratch specifically for your event.

How Many Events Do You Host?

If you have a larger budget and run multiple events per year, you could develop your own white label app for each event. However, container apps can be equally good for this. At Yapp, we’ve realized that the more event apps a customer creates with our platform, the faster and more efficient they get.

What Is Your Timeframe?

If you have a short timeframe, then container apps are preferable. They can be quickly customized specifically for your event and don’t require as much planning.

If you have a longer timeframe, then you can consider a white label app. They allow you complete freedom in terms of build and aesthetic but because of that, require more development time.

What Is Your Goal?

If your goal is to create a truly unique app that is branded to match your company, then you will prefer a white label app.

If your goal is to create an app that is flexible, quick to create, and economical, then container apps provide the features you need.

How Crucial Is Brand Presence for Your Event?

While white label apps can be branded to match your company, container apps typically havebrandable elements that can be customized for each individual event, so for this one, it’s really a matter of preference as both allow you to showcase your brand.

Do You Have Specific Sponsorship Needs?

You may have sold event sponsorships that promise a specific type of digital showcase. If that’s the case, you will need to be sure to choose a technology provider and app type that allows you to deliver on that promise. Keeping an open line of communication with your sponsors will help ensure that you make the best decision for your event.

Factors to Consider When Choosing An Event App

When choosing an event app provider, here are a few factors you should consider.

Pricing: The pricing should match your budget as well as the features and functionality you need.
Ease of use: The app should be intuitive and straightforward to navigate and maintain.
Customer support: The provider should offer excellent customer support in case you have questions or need help troubleshooting the app.
Features: The app should have the features you need, such as social media integration, push notifications, and event management tools.
Customization: The app should be customizable to match your brand and the needs of your event.
App store guidelines: When submitting your app to the app store, there are multiple guidelines that must be followed. With Yapp, you can forget about this process entirely!

Questions to Ask Potential Event App Providers

When meeting with potential event app providers, there are a few questions you should ask.

Can I See Some Examples of Your Work?

Event apps can greatly vary in terms of quality and features. It’s important to see event app examples to get an idea of what they’re capable of. Look for event apps that align with the type of event you’re planning as well as your budget.

What Features Do You Offer?

Be sure to check that the event app features suit your needs. In particular, you’ll want to make sure that the provider offers all the features you need for your event. If they don’t, then you’ll want to move on to another provider.

How Much Do Your Services Cost?

Be sure to review the pricing for all the features you need. In some cases, certain features cost extra. When inquiring about event app pricing, you can also ask if there is a free trial available. Unfortunately, many providers make you contact their sales team to find out pricing. Not Yapp, though – all pricing is public and you can purchase without ever talking to us if you prefer.

What Is Your Customer Support Like?

Excellent customer support is absolutely necessary when working with event apps. If issues come up, it’s important to have a provider that can help you resolve them in a timely manner.

Create a Custom Event App with Yapp

At Yapp, we understand the events industry and the challenges of event professionals. That’s why we offer a custom event app platform that takes care of the heavy lifting for you. With Yapp, you can create an event app and add event information in minutes, with no coding or design experience required!

Yapp’s integrated solution is straightforward to navigate and comes at a lower cost than other options. Plus, our platform is backed by 24/7 customer support. All maintenance and app store compliance are handled by Yapp, you can rest assured that we’ll be there to help you every step of the way.

Interested in learning how to make your next event a more successful event? Try our 14-day free trial today!