InStaff, Glowstaff, eventas or StaffConnect? Event staff in Berlin compared
Declaration of interest: StaffConnect wrote this comparison, so we are one of the four providers. About InStaff, Glowstaff and eventas we only state what they publish themselves (accessed 11 October 2026, sources at the end). The “Suits you if” lines are our own assessment. What we say about StaffConnect are our own statements.
All four supply event staff in Berlin, and all four describe how they help when someone drops out. They differ mainly in who picks your staff and in how the staff are employed.
- InStaff You pick your staff yourself from applicant profiles.
- Glowstaff You get sedcards with photos and pick yourself, or leave the choice to Glowstaff. Head office in Cologne.
- eventas You decide from video profiles, or eventas recommends. Focus on trade fairs, head office in Füssen, Bavaria.
- StaffConnect We put your team together in Berlin. You see it in our client portal before the event.
The price for your event in 60 seconds, as a PDF in English, no sign-up needed.
Four models: who picks your event staff?
An example: you need six servers for a company party on a Saturday. All four providers can supply them. What differs is who picks the six people and what you see of them beforehand.
The diagrams show the principle as each provider describes it.
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about 10 profiles per job, you pick InStaff
You pick.
Within a few hours you get a selection of about ten applicants per job, with photos, experience, languages and customer ratings, and you book six of them.[1][2]
Suits you if you want to compare profiles yourself, also in other German cities.
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Sedcards: you pick, or Glowstaff does Glowstaff
Sedcards, your choice.
Glowstaff checks who is available and sends you sedcards with photos, languages, education and experience. You pick six, or leave the choice to Glowstaff.[7][8]
Suits you if you want to choose by sedcard and book hostesses or models in several German cities.
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Video profiles: you decide, or eventas recommends eventas
Video profiles, your call.
eventas presents profiles with experience and, where available, a video. You decide, or eventas recommends based on its experience. An introductory call by phone or video is optional.[19][20]
Suits you if you staff a trade fair stand and want to see people on video first.
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Agency builds the team, portal shows it StaffConnect
We pick, you see it.
We put six people together from our Berlin pool. In the client portal you see them beforehand with name, photo, bio, short profile, ratings and travel time to your venue by public transport.
Suits you if you book in Berlin, want to hand over the selection and still see your team in advance.
InStaff, Glowstaff, eventas and StaffConnect compared
| Criterion | InStaff | Glowstaff | eventas | StaffConnect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Who picks? | you, from about 10 applicants per job[1] | you, from sedcards, or Glowstaff if you prefer[7][8] | you decide from video profiles, or eventas recommends[19] | we do; if you like, you pick from the applicants yourself (up to 48 h before, extra charge²) |
| Where | Berlin and over 40 cities across Germany[1][6] | Berlin and all major German cities; head office in Cologne[9][17] | throughout Germany, including Berlin; head office in Füssen, Bavaria[19][25] | Berlin and Brandenburg |
| Staff, according to the provider | over 123,000 active profiles, Germany-wide[1] | more than 5,000 candidates[9] | over 10,000 professionals nationwide, plus a local Berlin pool[18] | over 200 registered staff, Berlin and Brandenburg |
| Screening before admission | telephone interview on experience and language skills, work permit checked[2] | admission process not described¹; staff are trained regularly, according to Glowstaff[11] | described as vetted and personally cast; the process is not described¹[19][22] | 18 or older, fluent German, experience in at least three areas, a tax situation that fits; required for new staff: video briefing and knowledge test |
| What you see before the event | profiles with age, experience, languages, photos, previous jobs and customer ratings[2] | sedcards with photos, language skills, education and experience[7] | profiles, experience and video presentations where available; optional introductory call[20] | applicants, your team by name, mostly with photo, short profile and travel time, replacements live |
| If someone drops out | equivalent replacement within 24 hours at no extra cost[4] | free outage management; according to its terms, Glowstaff makes every effort to find a replacement at short notice[9][12] | replacement guarantee for every Berlin job, backup usually confirmed within hours; no-show guarantee[18] | we organise a replacement at no extra charge, visible in the portal straight away |
| How to reach them | named contact person for businesses; emergency service 7 days, 8 am to 10 pm[1][5] | personal contact person; Mon–Fri 9 am to 5 pm, according to the home page also around the clock[9][10] | fixed contact for trade fairs; phone and WhatsApp; hours not stated¹[22] | personal contact; by phone at any time during your event |
| Price | published: from 22.17 €/h plus VAT (gross wage of the person you pick plus a 43 % service fee); terms: on average at least two working hours per day[1][3][4] | no hourly rate published¹; terms: net prices plus VAT[12] | no rates published¹; minimum booking hours apply, details in the quote[21] | Companies: from 26 €/h plus VAT (new-client rate²), regularly 28 €/h plus VATPrivate clients: from 30.94 €/h incl. VAT (new-client rate²), regularly 33.32 €/h incl. VATat least 5 hours per person, surcharges depending on the job² |
| How staff are employed | temporary agency work under the AÜG; staff are employed by InStaff[1][4] | temporary agency work through the affiliated Persowerk Deutschland GmbH; also places freelancers through its platform[14][15] | licence for temporary agency work; its terms also provide for self-employed service providers[23][24] | temporary agency work under the AÜG, or a service contract; staff are employed by us |
| Private parties (e.g. weddings) | no, business clients only according to its terms[4] | terms address commercial clients; a German page also mentions private parties[12][16] | not described¹ | yes |
| English-speaking staff | you can ask for languages; you then only see profiles with them[2] | foreign-language hostesses can be booked; sedcards show language skills[7] | business English is standard for all staff, at no surcharge; further languages per trade fair[18][21] | all staff speak German, most also English, at no extra charge; tell us your guests’ language |
| Booking from abroad | international clients pay upfront; no VAT if you state your VAT ID[3] | terms available in English; VAT and payment for clients abroad not described¹[13] | staff for international assignments; terms: 75 % of the order value due 10 days before; VAT for clients abroad not described¹[19][24] | quote and invoice in English; clients based outside Germany pay in advance; reverse charge with a valid EU VAT ID |
As of 11 October 2026. Based on what the providers publish themselves; the information on StaffConnect is our own. ¹ We found no information on this on the provider’s website. That does not mean the service does not exist.
² StaffConnect: for companies, all prices are net, plus 19 % VAT. For private clients, the prices incl. VAT are the final prices. The new-client rate (26 €/h plus VAT or 30.94 €/h incl. VAT) applies to the first 50 person-hours of your first event day, if you create your quote in our price calculator (opens in a new tab), confirm it within 3 days and book with us for the first time. After that, the regular rate of 28 €/h plus VAT or 33.32 €/h incl. VAT applies. The minimum booking is 5 hours per person. Depending on the job, surcharges apply, for example for night, Sunday and public holiday work, short notice or travel. They are shown in the price calculator and in your quote. Picking staff yourself costs 6 €/h plus VAT per chosen person for companies, or 7.14 €/h incl. VAT for private clients. All rates: what event staff costs in Berlin.
Licence for temporary agency work (sections 1 and 2 AÜG)
One point matters when you book in Germany: who employs the staff. InStaff, eventas and StaffConnect state that they hold a licence for temporary agency work.[1][23] Glowstaff names an affiliated company for temporary agency work, Persowerk Deutschland GmbH, and also places freelancers through its platform. The terms of eventas also provide for placing self-employed service providers.[14][15][24] The licence from the Federal Employment Agency is a legal requirement, not an award. Ours is unlimited. Ask which model applies to your booking: it decides who is the employer and who pays wages and social security.
Read more: hiring temporary staff in Germany as a foreign company · Federal Employment Agency leaflet on temporary agency work (PDF, in German) · Supervisory authority: legal notice (in German)
Can I see who will work at my event before it starts?
That depends on the provider. This is how the other three describe it:
- InStaffYou see the profiles with photos, experience, languages and ratings, because you pick yourself. You can also ask a candidate for a short phone interview.[2]
- GlowstaffYou get sedcards with photos, language skills, education and experience, and either pick yourself or leave the choice to Glowstaff.[7]
- eventasYou see profiles, experience and video presentations where available. An introductory call by phone or video is optional, and you get a WhatsApp group with the team and the booked staff.[20]
StaffConnectHow it works with us
These steps apply to bookings with StaffConnect only, not to the other providers. The client portal can be switched to English.
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After you book
You see who has applied, with a short profile, and mark the people you would like with a star, free of charge and without a guarantee. Anyone you definitely want on the team you assign yourself, up to 48 hours before. That is binding and costs 6 €/h plus VAT per chosen person for companies, or 7.14 €/h incl. VAT for private clients.
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Usually one to two weeks before
Your team is set. You see every person by name, almost all with a profile photo. For most there is also a short profile and the approximate travel time by bus and train, without their home address.
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If someone drops out
If someone drops out in the week before the event, the open place immediately shows “Replacement being organised”. Once the replacement is set, you see the new person in the same order. We do not show the reason for the drop-out.
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The day before
The staff overview with names and phone numbers arrives by email. From then on you also see the numbers in the portal.
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After the event
You sign the digital timesheet and can rate every person, with one click in the email or in the portal.
Company party · Saturday, 6 pm to midnight
5 of 6 places filled
AnnaServiceTravel approx. 25 min
JonasServiceTravel approx. 35 min
MiaServiceTravel approx. 20 min
LucaServiceTravel approx. 40 min
SaraServiceTravel approx. 30 min- ?Replacement being organisedWe are on it.open
Phone numbers from the day before
Simplified example view with invented data.
New in the client portalThe “Why this person?” box
For every person on your team you see at a glance what they bring to your event: how often they have worked for you, whether they know the venue and what clients value about them. This is what it looks like.
Anna
assigned to reception and guest list
Why this person?
- 34 jobs with StaffConnect
- over 120 hours on the job
- worked for you 2× before
- Knows the venue
Anna has run your reception twice and knows your routine with the guest list and name badges. Clients describe her as calm and warm.
A Germany-wide pool or a Berlin team?
Both have their advantages. It depends on where and how often you book.
If you book in many cities
123,000+active profiles at InStaff, Germany-wide (according to InStaff)[1]
10,000+professionals at eventas, nationwide, plus a local Berlin pool (according to eventas)[18]
5,000+candidates at Glowstaff (according to Glowstaff)[9]
A large, Germany-wide pool is a real advantage if you need staff in many places.
If you book in Berlin and Brandenburg
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approx. 3,000tried to write to us or fill in the job form
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approx. 600make it through the job form
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approx. 250complete the application and the video interview
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107we sent out on a shift in the last 12 months
Each dot is one person. The first three steps are rounded. 107 is our own count from the portal and covers the last 12 months only (as of October 2026).
A regional pool suits you if you book in Berlin and like working again with people who know your routines.
How new staff join us. All three steps are required before the first job.
- Application on our jobs page (in German). We only take on people who are 18 or older, speak fluent German, have experience in at least three areas and whose tax situation fits.
- Contract and our code of conduct
- Standard briefing on video and a knowledge test in the staff portal
The standard briefing explains what matters on jobs with StaffConnect. It is followed by a knowledge test with seven questions, and you only pass if every answer is right.
After the event you can rate every person. Once someone has three ratings, they feed into our proposal for the next team.
A real person looks after your booking
Behind every order there is a person on our team who knows it and steps in when something goes wrong. During your event you can reach us by phone at any time, also at 5:30 am when the set-up starts. For large teams you can add a team lead on site.
Before the event your team gets a briefing with the schedule, dress code and the contact person on site. Some briefings we also record on video.
Leon Chiosea
Founder of StaffConnect
Leon founded StaffConnect so that event staff would not be handed out as anonymous profiles. Quotes, contracts and timesheets are handled by our software. The people behind them we want to know.
“I want to know every person we send to our clients.”
What happens if someone drops out at short notice?
All four take care of replacements; the way there differs. According to its terms, InStaff provides an equivalent replacement within 24 hours at no extra cost.[4] Glowstaff advertises free outage management; according to its terms, it makes every effort to find a replacement at short notice.[9][12] eventas has a replacement guarantee for every Berlin job and says backup staff is typically confirmed within hours.[18]
How it works with us, an example: a company Christmas party with six servers, and on the morning of the event one of them cancels.
- The cancellation reaches our team.
- The portal immediately shows “Replacement being organised”.
- The replacement is assigned and visible in your order. At no extra charge for you.
Booking from abroad: invoice, VAT, payment
If your company is based outside Germany, three questions come up: Do I pay German VAT? Do I have to pay in advance? Do I get documents I can read? This is what the providers say:
- InStaffInternational clients pay upfront. Foreign clients can be exempted from VAT if they state their VAT ID. According to its terms, the German version prevails in case of doubt.[3][4]
- GlowstaffIts terms are available in English. How VAT and payment work for clients abroad, we found no information on the website.¹[13]
- eventaseventas provides staff for international assignments. According to its terms, 75 % of the order value is due 10 days before the event. How VAT works for clients abroad, we found no information on the website.¹[19][24]
With StaffConnect, as a company based abroad: everything in English, usually without German VAT.
- Your quote in English as a PDF from the price calculator (opens in a new tab), in about 60 seconds.
- You pay 100 % of the quote in advance, before the first shift.
- One invoice in English. EU businesses with a valid VAT ID get reverse charge; we check the VAT ID before invoicing. Businesses outside the EU get an invoice without German VAT.
The details, from employer duties to minimum wage: hiring temporary staff in Germany as a foreign company.
Frequently asked questions
What is an alternative to InStaff in Berlin?
With InStaff you pick your staff from profiles yourself, and according to its terms only as a business client. If you would rather hand over the selection, or you are planning a private party, an agency that puts the team together for you is the better fit. At StaffConnect you also see your team in the client portal before the event.
What is an alternative to Glowstaff in Berlin?
Glowstaff works across Germany from Cologne and sends sedcards; you pick or leave the choice to Glowstaff. If you book in Berlin and want a team picked by people who know it personally, a Berlin event staffing agency like StaffConnect is an option.
What is an alternative to eventas for trade fairs in Berlin?
eventas staffs trade fairs across Germany, including ITB, IFA and InnoTrans, and shows video profiles. For trade fairs in Berlin, StaffConnect supplies stand staff and hostesses from its Berlin pool, with a quote in English from the price calculator in about 60 seconds.
Can I choose who comes at StaffConnect?
Yes, from the people who apply for your order. By default we put the team together. In the client portal you mark the people you would like with a star, free of charge. You can assign people yourself, bindingly, up to 48 hours before the start. That costs 6 €/h plus VAT per chosen person for companies, or 7.14 €/h incl. VAT for private clients.
Does StaffConnect also staff private parties?
Yes. Besides companies, private clients book with us too, for weddings or birthdays, for example. For a party at home: hire a bartender in Berlin.
Do I pay German VAT as a company based abroad?
Usually not. With a valid EU VAT ID you get a reverse-charge invoice from us, and a business outside the EU gets an invoice without German VAT. Clients based outside Germany pay in advance. Details: booking staff in Germany from abroad.
All four supply event staff in Berlin. If you book in Berlin, want to hand over the selection and see your team in the client portal before the event, run the numbers in the price calculator. Your quote arrives as a PDF in English, no sign-up needed.
Sources (accessed 11 October 2026)
- InStaff: Event Agency Berlin – selection of about 10 applicants per job, Berlin and surrounding area, over 123,000 active profiles, from 22.17 €/h, gross wage plus 43 % service fee, licence for labour leasing, replacement at no additional cost, available 7 days a week 8 am to 10 pm, contact person for businesses.
- InStaff: Book staff – profile contents, telephone interview incl. language skills and work permit, filter by required languages, phone interview with candidates.
- InStaff: Costs and benefits – prices exclusive of VAT, international clients pay upfront, VAT exemption with VAT ID.
- InStaff: Terms (last updated 7 August 2026) – § 1 business clients only, § 8 equivalent replacement within 24 hours, § 9 minimum booking of on average two working hours per day, § 16 German version prevails.
- InStaff: Contact – emergency service Monday to Sunday, 8 am to 10 pm (CET).
- InStaff: Home page – over 40 cities across Germany.
- Glowstaff: Hostesses Berlin – selection of sedcards, you or Glowstaff pick, sedcard contents, foreign-language hostesses.
- Glowstaff: Request now – “Free choice: You will receive sedcards (incl. pictures and qualifications) for each job.”
- Glowstaff: Event Staffing Agency Berlin – Berlin and all major cities across Germany, more than 5,000 candidates, free outage management, personal contact person, phone hours Mon–Fri 9:00–17:00.
- Glowstaff: Home page – “Our staff is available around the clock to answer your questions.”
- Glowstaff: Service staff Berlin (in German) – staff are trained regularly.
- Glowstaff: General terms and conditions, 10 April 2026 (PDF, in German) – § 1 commercial clients, § 6 efforts to provide a replacement, § 8 net prices plus VAT.
- Glowstaff: General terms and conditions in English, 29 October 2025 (PDF) – English version of the terms.
- Glowstaff: Terms Glowstaff / Persowerk (in German) – temporary agency work is carried out by Persowerk Deutschland GmbH, which holds the licence.
- Glowstaff: Terms of use – online platform for placing freelancers.
- Glowstaff: Event staff Berlin (in German) – mentions private parties.
- Glowstaff: Imprint – Glowstaff GmbH, registered office in Cologne.
- eventas: Event staff Berlin – over 10,000 professionals nationwide and a local Berlin pool, replacement guarantee for every Berlin assignment, backup typically within hours, no-show guarantee, priority languages per trade fair.
- eventas: Home page – “Personal selection with video profiles. You decide — or we recommend based on our experience.”, available throughout Germany, international assignments.
- eventas: Exhibition hostess Germany – profiles, experience and video presentations, optional introductory call, WhatsApp group.
- eventas: How much does an exhibition hostess cost? – no flat rates, minimum booking hours in the quote, business English standard with no surcharge.
- eventas: ITB Berlin – talents “personally cast”, a fixed contact before and during the fair.
- eventas: Temporary agency work – licence for temporary agency work under § 1 AÜG.
- eventas: General terms and conditions – § 2a placement or temporary employment stated in the offer, self-employed service providers; § 5 75 % due 10 days before.
- eventas: Legal notice – eventas GmbH, head office in Füssen.
- StaffConnect: client portal – team before the event, replacements, timesheets; booking from abroad – payment in advance, reverse charge. Information on StaffConnect is our own; prices according to the cost guide and the price calculator.
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