How much does it cost to sponsor a conference?

Packages at tech conferences range from about $2,500 to well over $150,000. Add a booth build of $5,000 to $15,000, staff travel, swag and shipping, and the real cost is often twice the fee or more.

Is sponsoring a conference worth it?

It depends on what each lead or each person reached costs you against your other channels. The calculator works that out from your own figures, so you can compare it with paid ads or sponsorships.

Is there a cheaper way to be present at a conference?

Yes. Creators going to the event sell sticker spots on their laptops, from a few dozen to a few hundred dollars each, and the sticker stays on long after the event.

BrandMyLaptop / Free tools / Conference sponsorship cost

What does sponsoring a tech conference really cost?

The sponsorship fee is the number on the prospectus. The booth, the flights, the hotel, the swag and the shipping are the rest of the bill. Add them up for your event, see what each person reached costs, and what the same budget buys on laptops already going there.

The event

Sponsorship package

Fee$Booth build$

People on the stand

StaffDaysFlight each$Hotel a night$Meals a day$

Swag and shipping

ItemsCost per item$Shipping$

Who you reach

Attendees% who notice youLeads scanned

Real cost of the sponsorship

$25,718

Sponsorship fee$5,000
Booth build and furniture$8,000
Staff travel, hotel and meals$5,880
Swag$3,000
Shipping and storage$1,500
Contingency, 10%$2,338

Per person reached

$26

Per lead

$171

The fee is 19% of the bill.

Laptops going to Web Summit

3 creators are taking a laptop with a free sticker spot. One spot on each costs $741 in all, from $146 for one, and the stickers stay on for months after.

Buy within 16 days for the sticker to be on in time.

See who is going

Be in the room without the booth

Creators going to the event sell the spots on their laptops. Your logo is open on their desk at every talk, and stays there for months afterwards. You pay only when they approve it.

Tech events and who is going Plan a budget

How much does it cost to sponsor a tech conference?

Entry-level packages at developer and startup conferences usually start between $2,500 and $15,000, mid-level ones run $15,000 to $50,000, and headline packages $50,000 to $150,000 or more. Most large events do not publish their prices, so these are ranges from published sponsor guides rather than quotes.

The fee is often less than half of what a sponsorship really costs. A 10 by 10 foot booth build typically adds $5,000 to $15,000, and every person on the stand adds a flight, hotel nights and meals.

What the calculator counts

Sponsorship fee: the package price.
Booth: structure, furniture, screens, power and lead scanners.
Staff: a flight each, a hotel night per day, and meals for each day plus travel.
Swag: items handed out, at their unit cost.
Shipping: freight to the venue and storage.
Contingency: 10%, because something always costs more on site.

Cost per person reached

Dividing the bill by every badge at the event flatters the result. Most attendees never pass your stand, so the calculator divides by the share who notice you, which you set. Leads are the people whose badge you scan.

To compare channels on one scale, see the CPM calculator.

Questions

How much does it cost to sponsor a conference?: Packages at tech conferences range from about $2,500 to well over $150,000. Add a booth build of $5,000 to $15,000, staff travel, swag and shipping, and the real cost is often twice the fee or more.
Is sponsoring a conference worth it?: It depends on what each lead or each person reached costs you against your other channels. The calculator works that out from your own figures, so you can compare it with paid ads or sponsorships.
Is there a cheaper way to be present at a conference?: Yes. Creators going to the event sell sticker spots on their laptops, from a few dozen to a few hundred dollars each, and the sticker stays on long after the event.

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