It’s one of the questions we get asked most often: is it worth paying for a host, or can we just run the activity ourselves?
Every Wildgoose experience runs through our app, so technically, yes, many of our games can be run self-managed, with no host at all. But having run thousands of activities both with and without a host, we think it’s worth setting out exactly what a host adds, so you can decide what’s right for your team and your budget.
The three ways to run a Wildgoose activity
Before getting into the benefits, it’s worth being clear on the options. Wildgoose activities can be delivered in one of three ways. Some activities are available in all three formats, while others are only available with a host:
Self-managed. You run the activity yourself, using our step-by-step guides and pre-recorded video tutorials. It’s the most budget-friendly option, and a good fit if you’re comfortable taking the lead.
Remote hosted. A professional host beams in via video link. If your activity is virtual, everyone including the host is joining remotely anyway. If it’s in-person, the host beams into your venue or meeting room on a screen while your team takes part in the room.
Onsite hosted. A professional host is there with you, in person, in the room.
Not every game is available in every format, but most give you a genuine choice. So what does a host actually bring to the table?
1. A real, experienced person kicks things off
However you run it, a hosted activity starts with a live briefing from a real person, not a video. Our hosts are experienced. Many have worked with Wildgoose for years, and they know our technology inside out and how to get a room (or a set of Zoom breakout rooms) energised and ready to play.
That matters for two reasons. First, it gives the activity a proper focal starting point, a moment where everyone’s attention turns to the same place at the same time. Second, it takes the pressure off you. On a self-managed activity, that job of setting the tone and getting people going often falls to the organiser, which some people relish and others really don’t. A host means you don’t have to.
2. Support throughout the activity
Once the games are under way, a host stays on hand to help. That might mean troubleshooting a technical hiccup, answering a question about a puzzle, or simply keeping the energy up as teams move through the challenges.
It also matters for scoring. Some of our activities include photo and video challenges, where teams submit content to be judged against a brief. With a host, those submissions are scored by a real person, using their judgement on how well the brief has been fulfilled. On a self-managed activity, this scoring is automated. It works well, but it doesn’t have quite the same nuance or discretion as a human judge.
3. Building the suspense
Many of our activities have a competitive element, tracked on a live leaderboard in the app. When you have a host, we turn that leaderboard off around fifteen minutes before the end. Nobody knows who’s won until the reveal. It’s a small thing, but it makes a real difference: it lets your host build genuine suspense as the finish line approaches, rather than the result being obvious to everyone well before the activity ends.
4. A proper finale
This is the one clients often underestimate. A hosted activity ends with a wrap-up presentation, a live debrief where the host brings everyone back together, picks out the funny moments, and showcases the best photo and video submissions if your activity included them.
With a self-managed activity, you’ll still get access to all the photos and videos afterwards, but you lose that shared, in-the-moment finale. Our hosts are genuinely good at this part. Many have backgrounds in theatre, TV, radio, or warming up live audiences before a recording, so reading a room, timing a joke, and closing an experience well is second nature to them. It’s often the part people remember most.
Don’t just take our word for it
Wildgoose holds a 5-star “Excellent” rating on Trustpilot from over 650 reviews, and what stands out is how often the host gets named personally. A client at Kew Gardens wrote that “Dave was a great host for our spy school activity… Dave’s presentation of the hilarious results at the end was a great final touch.” Another, describing a session in Frankfurt, said they “particularly valued the support of the on-site host, Lili, who did a solid job of briefing the team and creating an engaging, enjoyable atmosphere.” When clients remember and thank their host by name, that’s a fair sign of how much difference a good one makes.
So, is it worth it?
If the budget allows, we’d generally recommend having a host, remote as an absolute minimum, or onsite if you can. Onsite hosting is only available for in-person activities, since it means a host physically in the room with your team. For virtual activities, remote hosting is the option.
As a rough rule of thumb, once an in-person group gets above around fifty people, we’d recommend an onsite host. Larger groups gathered together in person need a bit more management, and it’s genuinely useful to have someone in the room who can command attention and hold focus. Below that, remote hosting works well and is a lower-cost alternative to having someone travel to you, and we’ve successfully remote-hosted some very large activities too. A lot of it comes down to how comfortable your organiser feels handing that role to someone joining by video link.
For groups above fifty, we also bring in additional support crew alongside your main host, whether that’s remote or onsite. These crew members help score photo and video submissions, and on virtual activities, support teams as they move between breakout rooms. The main host is booked and paid separately, but this extra support is covered by the per-person fee, so it scales with your group size rather than becoming a separate cost.
Whichever option suits your team, you’re getting the same thing at the core: a real, experienced professional whose job is to make your team building experience feel effortless, energised, and memorable, from the first briefing to the final reveal.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a host for a virtual team building activity?
You don’t need one, but it’s genuinely worth it if the budget allows. Without a host, participants join a video call and follow a pre-recorded walkthrough themselves. With a remote host, a real person runs the briefing, keeps energy up across the breakout rooms, and delivers a proper wrap-up at the end, which is hard to replicate when everyone’s staring at their own laptop screen.
What’s the difference between a remote host and an onsite host?
A remote host joins by video link wherever your activity is happening, whether that’s an in-person venue or an entirely virtual call. An onsite host is physically in the room with your team, so it’s only available for in-person activities. Onsite tends to suit larger in-person groups, generally above fifty people, where it helps to have someone who can command the room. Remote works well for smaller groups and is a lower-cost alternative to flying or driving a host to your venue. For groups above fifty, we also add support crew alongside the main host, covered by the per-person fee, so larger groups still get the extra help they need.
Can I run a Wildgoose activity without a host?
Yes, many of our games are available self-managed, using step-by-step guides and video tutorials, with photo and video challenges auto-scored by the app rather than judged by a person. It’s the most budget-friendly route, though you lose the live briefing, in-the-moment support, and hosted wrap-up.
Want to talk through the best hosting option for your next activity? Get in touch with the Wildgoose team.
