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OneKitty vs. Zenlipa: The Ultimate Guide for Event Organizers in Kenya

Emmanuel Chesire

Aug 17, 2025

6 min read

As Nairobi's event scene continues to flourish in 2025, organizers need digital tools that are not just effective, but perfectly suited to their specific needs. From corporate conferences at KICC to vibrant festivals at the Uhuru Gardens, managing attendees and payments digitally is no longer a luxury—it's a necessity.

Two of Kenya's leading platforms, OneKitty and Zenlipa, both offer robust solutions for event management. OneKitty provides a wonderfully streamlined and efficient tool for getting events off the ground, while Zenlipa delivers a deeply flexible and scalable suite for organizers with diverse and growing needs.

This guide provides an in-depth, feature-by-feature comparison focused exclusively on event management to help you choose the ideal partner for your next successful event.

Feature Breakdown: The Event Lifecycle

We'll compare both platforms across the three critical stages of any event: Pre-Event, During-Event, and Post-Event.

1. Pre-Event: Setup, Promotion, and Registration

This initial stage is about creating your event, managing tickets, and engaging with your audience. Both platforms offer strong foundations, but with different levels of flexibility and cost.

Feature OneKitty Zenlipa
Event Types Focused on Paid Events, providing a clean and simple way to sell tickets or collect contributions. Highly flexible, supporting Paid Events, Online Events, and Free Events (with RSVPs)
Ticketing Enables you to create multiple ticket types (e.g., Early Bird, VIP, Regular) with different prices and available quantities. Enables you to create multiple ticket types (e.g., Early Bird, VIP, Regular) with different prices and available quantities.
Payment Flexibility Requires full payment for a ticket at the time of purchase. Supports Partial Payments, allowing organizers to accept a deposit or installments for tickets.
Ticket Service Fee Charges a 5% service fee on all ticket sales. Charges a 4% service fee on ticket sales, offering a more cost-effective rate.
RSVP Management While workarounds exist, it's not primarily designed for free events where the main goal is collecting RSVPs. Dedicated RSVP System. You can professionally manage free events, collecting crucial attendee information through a formal registration process.
Attendee Communication Primarily relies on automatic WhatsApp group updates upon payment, ensuring transparency. Features an Integrated Communication Hub, allowing you to send branded Bulk SMS and Emails directly to attendees for reminders and updates.
Audience Invitation Tools Promotion is typically done externally by sharing the event link on social media or messaging apps. Built-in marketing tools. Allows you to send direct invites to attendees from past events or by uploading a custom contact list (phone/email).

The Verdict for Pre-Event:

  • OneKitty excels in its simplicity and speed. It is an outstanding choice for organizers who need a reliable and easy-to-use platform to get their event page up and running quickly.
  • ZenLipa offers a deeper level of customization and professionalism. Its ability to accept partial payments makes high-value tickets more accessible and boosts early commitments. This, combined with its built-in marketing tools, flexible ticketing, and lower 4% service fee, makes it a more powerful and strategic tool for maximizing event revenue and attendance.

2. During-Event: Check-in and Attendee Management

A smooth check-in process sets the tone for the entire event. Both platforms have embraced digital check-ins, but their approaches offer different kinds of flexibility.

Feature OneKitty Zenlipa
Check-in Method Digital QR Code Check-in. Provides a secure and efficient way to validate tickets and check in attendees using its dedicated mobile app. Dynamic QR Code Scanning. Offers a versatile system that works on any device with a camera and a web browser (phone, tablet, or laptop). No app installation is required for the event staff.
Team Management The primary organizer manages the check-in process. Multi-Scanner Support. The event host can add multiple team members as "event scanners," allowing them to check in attendees simultaneously from different devices at multiple entry points.
Real-time Tracking You can see a live list of who has paid and been checked in. You get a comprehensive real-time view of payments, registrations, and check-in status across all entry points.

The Verdict for During-Event:

  • OneKitty provides a modern and effective check-in solution through its mobile app, perfectly capable of managing entry for many events and ensuring a smooth flow of attendees.
  • Zenlipa comes out on top for flexibility and scalability. The ability to use any device without forcing staff to download an app simplifies logistics, while the multi-scanner feature is a crucial tool for larger events with multiple entrances, preventing bottlenecks and improving the guest experience.

3. Post-Event: Follow-up and Analytics

Building a community and gathering insights after your event is key to long-term success.

Feature OneKitty Zenlipa
Reporting Provides clear financial reports summarizing all funds collected. Delivers detailed financial and attendee reports, with breakdowns by ticket type and exportable data.
Post-Event Communication Communication would typically happen outside the platform, using the contact info from payment records. Integrated Post-Event Hub. You can send Bulk SMS and Emails to thank attendees, request feedback, or share event highlights directly from the dashboard.
Future Event Invites Not a built-in feature. Powerful Smart Invite System. Lets you easily invite attendees from a past event to a new one and automatically tracks the invitation status (paid, not paid, declined), acting as a powerful built-in marketing tool.

The Verdict for Post-Event:

  • OneKitty gives you the essential financial data needed to wrap up your event successfully.
  • Zenlipa provides the tools to turn your event attendees into a loyal community. Its integrated communication and smart invite features are invaluable for organizers who host recurring events and want to build lasting relationships with their audience.

Final Conclusion: The Right Tool for Your Vision

Both OneKitty and Zenlipa are powerful Kenyan platforms that capably handle modern event needs. The best choice comes down to the scale, complexity, and budget of your event.

Choose OneKitty if:

  • You prioritize speed and simplicity for straightforward paid events.
  • Your team is comfortable using a dedicated app for check-ins.
  • You need a reliable, no-fuss platform that excels at the core functions of ticketing and check-in.

Choose Zenlipa if:

  • You require flexibility—managing free RSVPs, tiered ticket prices, and multiple check-in points.
  • You want a more cost-effective option, with a 4% fee saving you money on every ticket sold.
  • You need professional communication tools and scalable check-in options for a growing event.
  • You plan to host recurring events and want to build and re-engage your audience easily.

Ultimately, OneKitty is an excellent tool for getting the job done efficiently. Zenlipa is the strategic partner for when your event vision grows bigger, offering more features, flexibility, and better value for your money.

To start event ticketing with ZenLipa, visit dash.zenlipa.co.ke or learn more at zenlipa.co.ke.

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