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If you're a Confex customer, you've likely heard the news: as of July 1, Confex is merging under m|events, a European AV and conference technology company. For many associations, this transition raises real questions about what comes next. Here's what to know before you decide, and the top alternatives worth exploring.
What the m|events acquisition means for Confex users
m|events is Europe's leading technology provider for medical and scientific conferences. Their model, which they call "The Loop," covers the full event lifecycle: planning, pre-production, production, and post-production. They bring strong capabilities in AV production, presentation management, digital signage, onsite hardware, and conference app delivery.
For associations with complex, US-based event programs, however, the transition introduces some meaningful considerations:
- AV-heavy model may not fit all associations. m|events' differentiator is integrated AV production: digital furniture, smart stages, temporary room construction, LED signage. Associations that don't need high-end production infrastructure may find the model over-engineered for their needs and priced accordingly.
- No post-event education pipeline. m|events does offer on-demand content tools, including recorded session libraries and access control management. But there is no native workflow for turning conference content into accredited, purchasable CE courses. That gap means more manual handoffs between your event system and your education program.
- No native LMS or continuing education platform. m|events offers basic CME tracking and certificate handling as post-production services, but there is no full-featured learning management system in their stack. Associations that need to sell courses, manage member learning paths, issue accredited CE credits, and run year-round education programs will need to bolt on a separate LMS and manage that relationship independently.
- European-first architecture. m|events is headquartered in Germany, with operations in Austria and a US office that opened as part of their recent Advance Concepts partnership. US-based associations, healthcare organizations, and nonprofits may find that their specific compliance environments, AMS integrations, and accreditation workflows require additional configuration or custom development.
Best Confex alternatives in 2026
1. Cadmium
Best choice for associations that want a solution that covers event management and continuing education.
Cadmium is purpose-built for associations, nonprofits, and healthcare organizations that run both events and ongoing education programs. Where m|events offers a strong AV production model, Cadmium covers all of that and more: a connected suite that manages the full event management lifecycle and links your event content directly to your learning programs, so conferences don't end when attendees walk out the door.
Eventscribe is Cadmium's task-based event management system. It supports the entire event lifecycle, from abstract submissions and speaker management to session scheduling, attendee engagement, exhibitor and sponsor opportunities, and post-event content publishing.
Cadmium LMS is Cadmium's learning management offering for associations, nonprofits, and healthcare organizations. It supports the full learning lifecycle, from delivering live and on-demand education to managing certifications, tracking learner progress, and generating non-dues revenue. For healthcare and CME providers, it also handles accreditation reporting, JA-PARS integration, and learner outcome analytics.
These products share a common data layer through Cadmium's Universal Solutions core, meaning your speaker data, session content, attendee records, and learning completions flow between systems without redundant data entry.
Additional strengths:
- SOC 2 Type II audited security program, with AI governance built in
- AMS integrations with leading association management systems
- US-based support team with deep association sector experience
- Proven track record with medical societies, professional associations, and nonprofits across healthcare, nonprofit, and education verticals
2. Cvent
Best choice for large-scale event operations teams that prioritize registration and logistics.
Cvent is a well-established event management platform with strong capabilities in registration, venue sourcing, email marketing, and attendee management. It's a solid choice for teams that need breadth across event operations.
Strengths: Comprehensive registration tools; strong venue sourcing network; robust reporting for event ops teams.
Drawbacks: No native LMS or CE management. Organizations that run education programs alongside events will need a separate platform, adding integration complexity and vendor management overhead. Can also carry a higher price point for smaller associations.
3. Swoogo
Best choice for associations that want a flexible, modern event registration experience.
Swoogo is a registration-focused event platform designed for flexibility and speed. It's known for its intuitive event builder and straightforward pricing.
Strengths: Fast setup; clean attendee-facing UI; transparent pricing model.
Drawbacks: No continuing education features. Speaker management and abstract submission capabilities are more limited than platforms built specifically for association conferences. CE tracking and accreditation workflows require external tools.
What to look for in a Confex alternative in 2026
Before committing to any platform, make sure your shortlist covers these criteria:
- CE and accreditation support. Does the platform natively support credit tracking, certificate delivery, and reporting to accrediting bodies relevant to your field?
- AMS integration. Will the platform connect to your association management system without custom development?
- US-based support with association sector expertise. Your implementation partner should understand how associations operate, not just how events run.
- Security certifications. Look for SOC 2 Type II, PCI DSS, and data processing agreements that protect member and learner data.
- Scalability. The right platform should support your annual conference and your year-round education program on the same system.
- Event-to-education continuity. Can your event content flow directly into your CE programs, or do you manage that transition manually across separate vendors?
Evaluating your options after the Confex transition? Talk to a Cadmium expert to learn more.
