EasyVirtualFair vs Handshake: Which Virtual Career Fair Platform Fits You Best?
Choosing between EasyVirtualFair and Handshake for your next virtual career fair or online hiring event? Both are solid virtual job fair platforms — they just shine in different scenarios. This page lays out the facts so you can decide quickly.
The 30-second answer
- Choose Handshake if: u.s. university career centers already running their entire job-posting and student-engagement workflow on handshake.
- Choose EasyVirtualFair if: anyone who is not a u.s. university already on handshake — companies, governments, workforce boards, eu/latam/apac organizers, and universities that want richer branding, longer events or full control over their fair experience.
About Handshake
Founded: 2014 · HQ: San Francisco, CA (US) · Pricing model: Annual institutional license covering jobs, profiles, events and virtual fairs · Typical pricing: Bundled inside the university's annual Handshake institutional license (often 5–6 figures/year); virtual fairs are free for partner schools within usage guidelines
Handshake is one of the most established virtual career fair platforms in the market. It is best known as the student network with a fair feature on top.
Where Handshake genuinely shines
- Massive student network — over 18 million students across 1,500+ U.S. campuses
- Virtual fair feature is included free for partner institutions (within fair-use limits)
- Tight integration with Handshake job postings, student profiles and resumes
- Easy registration for students already in the Handshake ecosystem
- Strong brand recognition with both employers and university career centers
Things to weigh before signing
- Virtual fair tooling is intentionally lightweight — fewer customization and branding options than dedicated platforms
- Fair-use video caps and 6-hour event guidelines limit long-format or multi-day fairs
- Only available to universities already paying for the full Handshake suite — no standalone purchase
- Not designed for employers, workforce development boards, governments or non-university organizers
Handshake is the leading student network in U.S. higher education, and its included virtual fair feature is a convenient option for partner schools. It is intentionally lightweight and limited to the university market.
About EasyVirtualFair
EasyVirtualFair is a browser-based virtual career fair platform used by 150+ universities and 200+ employers across the U.S., EU and beyond. It is built around three principles: zero downloads for candidates, transparent pricing, and a team that actually picks up the phone.
Where EasyVirtualFair shines
- Browser-based virtual job fair — no candidate downloads, no friction
- Unlimited booths on every plan, including the entry tier
- Live 1:1 video chat, webinar theater, group chats and private rooms out of the box
- Multi-language UI (English, Spanish, French and more) for international fairs
- Transparent pricing starting at $1,500 per event — no opaque enterprise quotes for a 1-day fair
- Setup in days, not weeks, with templates for universities, employers and governments
- Real-time analytics, private chat exports and GA4 integration
- Founder-led support — your account manager is one Slack message away
When EasyVirtualFair is not the right pick
- If you need an immersive 3D auditorium experience for a 5,000+ person trade show, vFairs is a better fit
- If you are a U.S. university already paying for the full Handshake suite and just want a basic included fair, Handshake is the path of least resistance
- If you are buying an enterprise TA cloud and want recruiting events bundled in, Brazen inside Radancy is a coherent choice
EasyVirtualFair vs Handshake — feature-by-feature
| Feature | Handshake | EasyVirtualFair |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Annual institutional license covering jobs, profiles, events and virtual fairs | Per-event from $1,500, public pricing |
| Best for | U.S. university career centers already running their entire job-posting and student-engagement workflow on Handshake | Universities, employers & government partners worldwide |
| Browser-based (no downloads) | Yes | Yes |
| Live 1:1 video chat | Yes | Yes |
| Webinar / theater stage | Yes | Yes |
| Custom branded booths | Yes | Yes — unlimited on all plans |
| Multi-language UI | English-first | EN / ES / FR and more |
| Public transparent pricing | Bundled in university license | Yes |
| Typical setup time | 1–4 weeks | Days |
| Standalone (not bundled into a larger suite) | No / decreasing | Yes |
| Founder-led support | Account team | Yes |
When to pick Handshake over EasyVirtualFair
We mean this seriously: if your event truly is u.s. university career centers already running their entire job-posting and student-engagement workflow on handshake, Handshake is a strong choice. The platform has years of real-world deployments behind it and a happy customer base. Pick them with confidence in that scenario.
When to pick EasyVirtualFair over Handshake
Anyone who is not a U.S. university already on Handshake — companies, governments, workforce boards, EU/LATAM/APAC organizers, and universities that want richer branding, longer events or full control over their fair experience.
If any of those describe you, talk to us — we will give you a real demo with your event scenario plugged in, not a generic walkthrough.
Frequently asked questions: EasyVirtualFair vs Handshake
Is EasyVirtualFair a good Handshake alternative?
Yes — particularly if you want transparent per-event pricing, faster setup, multi-language support and unlimited booths on every plan. EasyVirtualFair is used as a Handshake alternative by universities, employers and government partners worldwide.
How does EasyVirtualFair pricing compare to Handshake?
EasyVirtualFair publishes pricing from $1,500 per event on its employer guide. Handshake pricing is bundled into the broader university Handshake license.
Do both platforms work in the browser without downloads?
Yes. Both EasyVirtualFair and Handshake are browser-based virtual career fair platforms — candidates simply click a link and join.
Can I use EasyVirtualFair for a u.s. university career centers already running their entire job-posting and student-engagement workflow on handshake?
Yes. EasyVirtualFair has been deployed across universities, employer hiring events, workforce development board fairs, government recruiting events and international career fairs.
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