Organizing and delivering online workshops: which software to use?

What do you need to offer workshops online?

A good system for workshop registrations does at least the following:

• Show available workshops with date, time, location and price
• Let visitors register online with their name and email address
• Send an automatic confirmation email after registration
• Keep track of how many places are still available (capacity limits)
• Optionally offer online payment (iDEAL)
• Provide a participant list for the facilitator

If you want to run multiple workshops per season with recurring sessions, export participant lists and send reminders, then a more comprehensive platform is the sensible option.

What software options are available?

1. Verenigingsplanner

The workshops module of Verenigingsplanner is specially built for Dutch associations and neighbourhood organisations that regularly run courses and activities.

• Features: Multiple sessions per workshop, capacity limits, online registration, automatic confirmation, export participant lists, integration with Google Calendar
• Payment: Free workshops (no payment required) or paid via iDEAL
• Price: €99.95 per year, including space rental, membership administration and volunteer scheduling
• Embedding on website: Free WordPress plugin available

2. Eventbrite

The best-known international platform for events and workshops. Free for free events, but for paid registrations Eventbrite charges a commission.

• Price: 3.5% + €0.59 commission per paid registration (Essentials package)
• Strength: High recognition, also discoverable on Eventbrite.nl itself
• Drawback: Commission per ticket, not built into your own website, no Dutch cash book

3. Meetup.com

Suitable for recurring meetings and community groups. Less suitable for courses with registrations and payments.

• Price: Organizer subscription about €22 per month
• Strength: Good for discoverability and community-building
• Drawback: No payments, no export of participant lists

4. Google Forms + payment link

A simple and free solution: a Google Form for registrations and a separate Tikkie or iDEAL link for payment.

• Price: Free
• Drawback: A lot of manual work, no automatic confirmations, no capacity limits, not a professional look

5. WordPress + registration plugin (e.g. The Events Calendar, WooCommerce)

If you already have a WordPress website, you can add an events plugin. WooCommerce processes the payment.

• Price: Free base version, premium €100–€300 per year
• Drawback: Technical knowledge required, payments need to be configured separately, no member administration

Workshops with multiple sessions: note this difference

Many courses consist of multiple meetings (e.g., 6 Wednesday evenings). Not all systems support this well. Check whether the platform:

• Can create sessions per workshop (multiple dates)
• Allows registration for the whole series (not per individual session)
• Supports recurring schedules (weekly, monthly)
• Can track participants per session

Verenigingsplanner supports this by default: you create a workshop with multiple sessions, set the capacity, and participants sign up for the full series.

How do you set up your workshop on your website?

There are two approaches:

1. Your own booking page: You get a separate URL (for example, jouwvereniging.verenigingsplanner.nl/workshops) that you share via social media and email. No technical knowledge required.
2. Built-in widget on your website: With a WordPress plugin or iframe the workshop overview appears directly on your site. Visitors don't have to leave your site.

The second option looks more professional and builds more trust with potential participants.

Checklist: what to look for when choosing?

• ☑ Online registration. Can the system process this itself?
• ☑ Automatic confirmation emails, so you don't have to do it manually
• ☑ Capacity limits. How many places are there?
• ☑ Payment via iDEAL, do you want participants to pay in advance?
• ☑ Multiple sessions. Is the workshop a series?
• ☑ Export participant list. For the facilitator or for administration
• ☑ Embedding on website, does it fit your existing site?
• ☑ Price, what fits within your association's budget?

Conclusion

For a small association that occasionally runs a free workshop a Google Form is sufficient. If you want paid workshops with automatic confirmations, multiple sessions and a professional look on your own website, then choose a platform like Verenigingsplanner. The advantage: you also get a system for venue rental, membership administration and volunteer scheduling. For only €99.95 per year.