Lead Retrieval Costs at Trade Shows: What You Pay and How to Pay Less
A ShowFloorTips guide · Updated October 9, 2026
Lead retrieval is how exhibitors turn badge scans into a contact list: you scan a visitor's badge at the booth and get their name, company and contact details to follow up later. Almost every trade show offers an official lead retrieval service, and almost every exhibitor manual lists it as one more line item next to carpet, power and Wi-Fi. This guide explains how that pricing usually works, where the extra charges hide, and when a phone app you already own is enough.
How official lead retrieval works
When attendees register for a show, the organizer's registration company stores their details and prints a badge with a barcode or QR code. The official lead retrieval service is usually sold by that same registration company (or a partner it licenses), because it controls what the badge code means. You pay for access, scan badges at your booth, and download the leads during or after the show.
It is normally sold in one of two forms:
- App licenses. You download the official app to your own phones or tablets and pay per user or per device for the show. This is now the most common option.
- Rented scanners. A handheld device is delivered to your booth and collected at the end. Rentals usually cost more than app licenses and often come with a deposit or a fee if the device is lost.
What you get back is whatever the attendee entered at registration: usually name, title, company, email and sometimes phone and address, plus any qualifying questions you answered while scanning.
What it usually costs
Prices are set event by event, so always check the exhibitor service manual for your show. As a rough guide, these are the charges you are most likely to see:
| Charge | What it is | Typical range |
|---|---|---|
| App license | Official app on your own device, per user or device, for one show | often $150–$500 |
| Scanner rental | Dedicated handheld delivered to the booth | often $300–$700 per device |
| Late or onsite ordering | Ordering after the early deadline or at the show | often $50–$150 more per license |
| CRM or API integration | Sending leads straight into your CRM | sometimes a separate fee |
| Lost or damaged device | Replacement charge for rented hardware | can run to several hundred dollars |
These ranges are a planning guide, not a quote. Large international shows and premium packages can cost more; small regional events sometimes include one license with the booth.
A worked example
Imagine three people working a booth at a three-day show where the official app license costs $300 per user if you order before the early deadline, and $400 after it.
- Ordered early: 3 × $300 = $900 for the show.
- Ordered late: 3 × $400 = $1,200.
- Exhibit at six shows a year on the same terms and you spend $5,400–$7,200 on lead retrieval alone, before any integration fees.
To see what that does to your return, put the number into the trade show ROI calculator.
Seven ways to spend less
- Order before the early deadline. Late and onsite prices are where costs jump.
- License only the people who scan. Not everyone on the booth needs a license; one or two scanners can serve a small team.
- Ask what is included. Some booth packages include a license. Ask before you buy extras.
- Check export rights. Make sure you can download your leads as a spreadsheet after the show at no extra cost.
- Skip integrations you won't use. A clean spreadsheet import is often enough for a single show.
- Look at the badge first. If the badge QR code holds the visitor's details, a phone app can read it without the official service (see below).
- Scan business cards too. Many valuable conversations happen away from the booth, where a card is all you get.
Badge types: what any app can read, and what it can't
Whether you need the official service depends on what is inside the badge code:
- QR codes with contact details (vCard or similar). Any good scanning app can read these, so you have a real choice.
- Codes that hold only an attendee ID. The code is just a number that points to the registration database. Only the official service, or an app the organizer has connected to that database, can turn it into a contact.
- Encrypted badges. Some shows encrypt the code on purpose so that only licensed readers work.
A quick test: scan your own badge, or a sample from the organizer, with your phone's camera before the show. If contact details appear, you're not locked in.
Using your own phone instead
For badges your phone can read, and for business cards, a scanning app on the phones your team already carries can replace a rental. Scannly, the lead capture app from the team behind ShowFloorTips, is built for this: it reads QR codes, badges and business cards, works for teams, helps you follow up, and comes in 8 languages. It gives you 50 free scans every month, with packs from 10¢ a scan on iPhone when a busy show needs more. Android is coming soon.
Be realistic about the limits: if a show's badges hold only an encrypted ID, you will still need the official reader or an organizer integration for those badges. Many exhibitors use both: the official service where it is required, and their own app for everything else.
Questions to ask before you buy
- What exactly does the badge code contain?
- Is the price per user, per device or per booth, and what is the early deadline?
- Can I download all my leads as a spreadsheet, and for how long after the show?
- Are custom qualifying questions included or extra?
- Is there a deposit or loss fee for rented hardware?
- Does my booth package already include a license?
Frequently asked questions
Is lead retrieval required at trade shows?
No. It is an optional service. Most exhibitors use some way of capturing leads, but you choose how: the official service, a phone app, business cards or a mix.
Why is official lead retrieval so expensive?
You are paying for access to the registration data behind the badge, plus devices and support during the show. Because one provider usually controls that data for an event, there is little price competition for badges that only the official reader can decode.
Can I scan badges with my phone camera?
Often, yes, when the badge QR code contains the visitor's details. If it holds only an ID number or is encrypted, a regular app won't get a contact from it.
What should I do with leads after the show?
Follow up fast: a personal note to your best leads within 24 hours, the information you promised within three days, and a useful second touch about two weeks later. Our follow-up email templates cover each step.
ShowFloorTips is part of Scannly. Prices above are general ranges for planning, not quotes from any provider; always check your show's exhibitor manual.