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20 Best Event Management Software & Tools in 2026

Author: Whova Team | Last updated: April 13, 2026

Looking to streamline your event process and save time?

An event management software can jump in to reduce your workload and simplify other event tasks for you.

With a growing demand in event management platforms, the options are countless with each product having its strengths and weaknesses.

To make your search for the best event management software easier, we've reviewed 20 event software solutions on the market. We'll discuss what is an event management software, go over a checklist of key features, then walk through our detailed comparison to find the best fit for your event!

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Quick Summary

  • When looking for the best event management software, the key benefits are: reliability, ease of use, all-in-one capabilities and high quality customer support.
  • Some platforms provide a wide range of functionalities such as event marketing, registration and networking. Others focus solely on certain aspects of event planning such as communication, ticketing and attendee management.

What is Event Management Software?

Event management software is an online platform that helps organizers plan, execute and manage events efficiently by streamlining tasks such as registration, marketing, check-in, speaker management, attendee engagement, name badge creation and event analytics. Most event management systems are able to host in-person, hybrid and virtual events for conferences, expos, tradeshows, association events and fairs.

How to Choose the Right Event Management Platform For Your Event?

While working with over 50,000+ conferences and tradeshows in the past 10+ years, we’ve heard repeatedly from event organizers on what an ideal event management platform should look like.

An event management platform must have at least these 4 core features to guarantee a smooth event:

  1. Robustness and reliability: Choose a reliable event platform with an uptime of 99.9% and quick responsive interface.
  2. Easy to use: Look for event management software that is much more intuitive and easy to use for admins, attendees, volunteers and vendors. Avoid fancy and complicated set ups.
  3. All-in-one: All-in-one platforms allow you to handle registration, event app, abstract, website, name badge, check-in, attendance tracking and more in one single place without needing to switch between platforms.
  4. High quality customer support: Look for providers with multiple channel supports (phone, chat, email) so you can quickly contact to resolve unexpected problems.

What Are Features And Benefits That An Event Planning Software Should Have?

The most commonly used event management software features are:

  • Registration & ticketing
  • Abstract/speaker submission
  • Agenda builder
  • Event app
  • Email blast + push notification
  • Badging & Check-in
  • Survey & Polling
  • Event website
  • See full list of features

The main benefits of using an event management platform are:

  • Save time and reduces manual work: Automations in registration, ticketing, announcements and check-ins processes can help replace manual procedures and run events efficiently
  • Centralizes all event data: You will be able to access all attendee info, payments, ticket types, schedules and feedback for easier collaboration with other event admins.
  • Stronger analytics and reporting: Event data can quickly be used to track ticket sales, compile feedback and show attendance rate for sessions to help improve future events.
  • Engagement tools: Event management platforms provide engagement tools such as community boards, meeting schedulers and gamification features to keep your attendees alive in the event.
  • Built-in marketing tools: You will be able to track different email campaigns and build your own branded registration page.

Need more ideas for your event? You can explore our resources to keep your inspiration going

Selection Criteria

We've evaluated platforms accounting both negative and positive reviews in reliable review platforms such as G2 and Capterra. These served as a base to take into account the pros and cons of real event organizers and users.

Additionally, we've considered the different features and pricing models for each software to strive for a complete overview. These aspects should help the readers be more informed and confident before choosing one of the platforms.

Event Management Platforms: Comparison & Review

Here is a table to summarize the platforms ratings and main criteria. Skip to detailed reviews

Platform Rating* Best For Pros Cons Customer Support
Whova 4.8/5 All-in-One Management Event management tools that can facilitate registration, abstract collection, check-in, networking, event analytics and hybrid support Does not provide venue/hotel booking capabilities or on-site support Multi-channel support (phone, live chat, email) and dedicated account manager
Cvent 4.3/5 Enterprise Scale Venue sourcing and complex reporting Steep learning curve Phone (24/7), online ticket, community, and knowledge base
Eventmobi 4.63/5 Attendee Engagement High-engagement tools like digital gamification Limited customization for registration logic Phone, email and dedicated success manager
Swoogo 4.8/5 Customizable Registration Advanced conditional logic for registration forms Limited reporting and analytics limitations Live chat, email, and in-app support
Vfairs 4.75/5 Hybrid & Virtual Expos Immersive 3D environments and virtual booth capabilities Mobile app admin functionality limitations and file export constraints 24/7 live support, phone, email, and dedicated project manager
Bizzabo 4.03/5 Event Marketing Smart badges and integrated marketing automation Subscription-only model with high entry price Tiered support (24/7 for enterprise), email and onboarding center
Eventbrite 4.3/5 Ticket Sales & Discovery Leading marketplace for public event discovery Limited landing page customizations and reporting features Email, live chat, phone (varies by plan)
eShow 4.4/5 Specialized Logistics Strong floor plan management and exhibitor management High learning curve and limited customization Phone, email, and knowledge base
Slido 4.7/5 Live Interaction Specialized Q&A and polling with seamless integrations No registration or logistics features Help center, community,email and live chat (paid tiers)
Poll Everywhere 4.5/5 Presentation Polling Broad variety of interactive poll types Free plan restricted to small participant count Phone (M-F), email, and online ticketing system
Zoom Events 4.5/5 Virtual Meetings Familiar virtual platform for users and low technical friction Limited branding and in-person check-in tools Phone, live chat, knowledge base, and community
RingCentral Events 4.4/5 Multi-track Virtual Events Strong virtual stage management and lobby features Complex configuration for sessions and limited branding 24/7 technical phone, live chat, and case submission
BrightTALK 4.0/5 B2B Demand Gen Access to promoting professional webinars to global audience Rigid layouts and limited granular user access control Email, support forum, and online knowledge base
Tripleseat 4.4/5 Venue & Catering Integrated banquet orders and sales CRM for venues No attendee-facing event app Live chat, phone, email
Airtable 4.6/5 Project Logistics High customization for tracking speaker data and assets No built-in event logic and require manual consturciton Email, AI chatbot, and help center
Slack 4.5/5 Staff Coordination Real-time internal communication for event teams with integrated automation workflows Limitations for tasks beyond basic event communication and logistics Tiered support (24/7 for Business+), email, and chat
ProjectManager 4.1/5 Planning & Scheduling Professional Gantt charts and resource management Charts and resource management. Steep learning curve for non-project managers Email, support form, and knowledge base
BaseCamp 4.1/5 Team Collaboration Minimalist, user-friendly hub for file sharing and tasks Lacks native budgeting and reporting tools Email and chat
Trello 4.4/5 Kanban Task Tracking Simple, visual boards for managing event logistics tasks Difficult to manage dependencies for large events Email, tickets, chat (tier dependent)
Asana 4.3/5 Workflow Management Robust timeline tracking for long event planning cycles High cost for premium automation features Live chat (paid plans), support forum, and in-app help

Below are the 20 options we've reviewed with each category in mind.

*All review ratings are calculated using ratings from G2, Capterra and TrustRadius for a custom overall rating

Best All-in-One Event Management Platforms

1. Whova

Rating: 4.8 (4,621)

Key Takeaway: Whova is the best all-in-one accessible event management platform for conferences, trade shows, expos and fairs. It provides a complete set of tools for event planning from start to finish so you can tailor the backend to host in-person, hybrid and virtual events.

Whova is an award-winning all-in-one, reliable and easy-to-use event management system with high quality customer support that has hosted over 50 thousand events and over 15 millions of attendees, speakers and exhibitors. It is an event management software on G2's Global Top 50 Best Software and has received multiple awards in the "Event Technology Awards" such as People's Choice Award, Best Event Management Platform and Best Event App award.

Rather than juggling multiple specialized event software platforms, Whova is built to help you manage your events from beginning to end within one system with no technical skill required.

Watch what real organizers are saying


Features users love:

  • Event registration & ticketing

  • Whova event registration software

    Whova's registration features are able to handle multiple ticket types and registration flows with custom field questions and branded portal. Whether you want exclusive access to certain VIPs or handle specific dietary needs, attendee segmentation can help faciliate communication and management of all types of attendees.

  • On site check in kiosk with integrated name badge printing

  • Whova event check in kiosk

    With Whova's event check-in, registered attendees can get into the event by simply searching for their registered email in a kiosk, scanning their QR code or manually getting checked-in. Whova also provides integration with name badge printing so attendees get their badge as soon as they check-in.

  • Event app for engagement, networking and on site management

  • Whova event check in kiosk

    Whova event app's provides functionalities for organizers to manage announcements, competitions, agenda and attendees in the palm of their hands. On the other side, attendees are able to network, view agendas, interact with exhibitor booths, and keep all their event interactions in a single place.

  • Abstract submissions for academic papers or poster presentations
  • Live polling and surveys for live session engagement
  • QR code lead retrieval for easier exhibitor lead collection
  • Complete event website with agenda schedule
  • Speaker management through accessible speaker forms
  • and more

Pros

Whova is widely used by 50,000+ events with over 10 million attendees in the US/Canada, UK/Europe, Australia, Asia, and more. With the highest ratings on app stores and reviews, Whova offers customers a variety of time-saving tools.

As Brenda Rigdon from Michigan Historic Preservation Network mentioned "using Whova cut our labor by over 200 hours."

With tools in event marketing, registration, attendee engagement and attendee management, Whova can adjust to your event's needs and you only pay for the features you need. As an organizer, you will have easy access to all of your event data in one single backend while also providing necessary features to exhibitors, attendees and speakers through one Whova app.

Cons

Whova is not a fit for smaller events with under 100 attendees, or sports/entertainment events.

Pricing

Get a custom price quote matching your event needs

Whova event management software testimonial
"Having that one platform with the website, the registration, the speakers, the sponsors, the app and the engagement, ALL IN ONE was really appealing for us and that's exactly why we went with Whova."
— Hannah Thompson-Weeman, President, Animal Agriculture Alliance
Whova event planning software - try for free

2. Cvent

Rating: 4.3 (3,273)

Key Takeaway: Cvent is a complete event management system that provides a wide range of tools that can aid in very distinct areas such as venue sourcing, event marketing and attendee management. One main downside is its steep learning curve for utilizing the software which requires previous expert knowledge or constant learning.

Cvent speaker management

Image credit to Cvent

Cvent is an enterprise-grade event management system offering a wide array of features, such as event marketing, venue sourcing, attendee engagement tools, and event analytics.

Organizations with specialized IT teams often find its depth valuable, though smaller teams may find the interface more complex than other streamlined alternatives.

Features users love:

  • Event diagramming through 3d walkthroughs
  • Venue sourcing/RFP
  • Event reporting with attendee tracking and comparison reports

Pros

A large variety of features and tools designed to assist organizers in running large-scale enterprise events. The platform has features to assist with venue and hotel room bookings for events with higher budgets.

Cons

Users have noted some drawbacks of using Cvent, such as a sharp learning curve and varied response times from support. Smaller or medium size events might find the price a bit higher without being able to fully use all features.

Pricing

Contact Cvent for pricing.


3. EventMobi

Rating: 4.63 (432)

Key Takeaway: EventMobi has an easy to use event management software that emphasizes in attendee experience. It might not be the best solution if your event requires more complex ticketing and robust event app.

EventMobi event video networking

Image credit to Eventmobi

Eventmobi is an event planning platform that includes basic tools from session check-in to badge printing. The platform mainly focuses on attendee engagement features such as gamification and video networking. It is an excellent choice for event planners who want to keep participants involved and entertained.

Features users love:

  • Gamification & leaderboards
  • Interactive Live Polls & Surveys
  • Session Real Time Update in Mobile App
  • Live Streaming

Pros

EventMobi is great for virtual conferences with live streaming and attendee engagement. Organizers enjoy utilizing basic features such as online registration and attendee management.

Cons

Despite its engaging features, EventMobi might lack in customizations as well as accessibility, mainly the limited data export flexibility

Pricing

Contact EventMobi for ticket fee pricing.


4. Swoogo

Rating: 4.8 (342)

Key Takeaway: Swoogo is a flexible platform with customizable registration forms and event websites. Despite its clean design, the pricing model might be more fit for organizers with multiple events in a year.

Swoogo event registration form

Image credit to Swoogo

Swoogo is a highly customizable event management platform that allows organizers to create in-person and virtual events. It mainly focuses on providing tools for registration, marketing and analytics. Organizers like the ease of use of its platform as well as readily available support.

Features users love:

  • Customizable registration with conditional logics and branding
  • Attendee Tracking
  • Drag and Drop Event Website Builder
  • Hotel Booking Management

Pros

Swoogo is ideal for organizers that need high customization for their registration forms including integration with hotel bookings. With great customization in event website, organizers can provide clean and enticing designs to attract attendees.

Cons

Despite the high customization for branding, it might require more technical proficiency. Organizers will also have limitations in tools to manage exhibitors.

Pricing

Contact Swoogo for ticket fee pricing. The plan can have a starting price from $11,800 per user, per year.


5. Vfairs

Rating: 4.75 (2277)

Key Takeaway: Vfairs is a visually appealing platform for hybrid and virtual attendees to engage throughout the event. Despite its attractive design, customers have complained about the lack of features and technical issues on the mobile app.

Vfairs 3D event exhibition hall

Image credit to Vfairs

Vfairs focuses heavily on virtual and hybrid events, especially offering a unique immersive 3D experience for trade shows and conferences. The product aims for organizers to provide visually appealing and memorable events.

Features users love:

  • 2D or 3D immersive virtual environment
  • Great customer support
  • Branded and customizable event webpage
  • Online registration

Pros

If you have a high emphasis on how your event looks, Vfairs can provide the virtual tools to engage in-person and virtual attendees equally. Customizable registrations, webpages and 3D venues can integrate virtual attendees seamlessly into your event.

Cons

One of the higher cost-per-user compared to standard webinar tools. Data exports and mobile app managemenrt are limited.

Pricing

For tickets, no registration fees up to 500 attendees. Contact Vfairs for detailed pricing.


6. Bizzabo

Rating: 4.03 (666)

Key Takeaway: Bizzabo is an accessible event management software to expand your event marketing and ticket sales. The lack of comprehensive event management features and the subscription based pricing model might not be ideal for event organizers looking for an all-in-one solution.

Bizzabo event management software

Image credit to Bizzabo

Bizzabo is a user-friendly event management software that allows marketers and organizers to manage events with any size or format. The platform is designed for flexibility and scale for virtual and in-person events.

Features users love:

  • Event Registration
  • Room Block Management
  • Email Marketing
  • Calendar Management

Pros

Bizzabo has a strong comprehensive tool set for event marketing which includes email campaigns, branded event websites and integration with third party marketing automations. Also its unique smart badge increases attendee engagement through easy contact exchange, check-in and session tracking.

Cons

Bizzabo which focuses mostly on marketing and branding elements of your event might not be a comprehensive event management tool. Only premiums tiers have access to some essential management tools.

Pricing

No information on ticket fee pricing. Starting price of $17,999 flat rate, per year.


Best Event Registration Software

7. Eventbrite

Rating: 4.3 (5,885)

Key Takeaway: Eventbrite provides free usage of its platform for handling ticketing management and registration features. It might not be the best fit if your event requires more than just ticketing and registration features.

Eventbrite registration page

Image credit to Eventbrite

This is a popular ticketing solution for events ranging from small meetups to large concerts. The system is customizable and can also be used to send email marketing campaigns, confirmations and reminders. It also allows people to register from both their phones and computers.

They charge an extra 3.7% of the ticket price plus $1.79 per paid ticket. While Eventbrite is well-known, some organizers think the fee is a bit high.

Features users love:

  • Quick, free setup of the registration forms
  • Waitlist management
  • Social media integration

Pros

Popular for smaller or entertainment events that mostly need help with ticketing and registration. It can be considered a great free event planning software for nonprofits as the ticketing setup can be done without a cost.

Cons

Per-ticket fees are high compared to other registration tools and all-in-one event planning software. Lack of attendee engagement and speaker management tools. Limited design customization for registration landing pages.

Pricing

$0 for free tickets. Service fee of 3.7% + $1.79 per sold ticket and payment processing fee of 2.9% of the total order for paid tickets.

Still think Eventbrite is the best option? Check out more relevant Eventbrite competitors before commiting your event


8. eShow

Rating: 4.4 (51)

Key Takeaway: eShow offers solutions for virtual, hybrid and in-person events with tools for registration, event website creation and conference management. The platform may not be as intuitive or provide a wide range of tools as other platforms.

Eshow event registration form

Image credit to eShow

eShow provides web-based tools and solutions for event management teams, such as registration, event websites, and abstract collection. It integrates with some AMS and CRM, and also offers a basic mobile app.

Features users love:

  • Interactive floormap
  • Lead retrieval
  • Meeting logistics

Pros

Deep functionality for trade show and exhibitions with excellent personalized support.

Cons

Its interface may not be as intuitive as some other better rated platforms. Integration between specific modules can be complex to sync.

Pricing

Contact eShow for pricing.


Best Event Engagement and Feedback Tools

9. Slido

Rating: 4.7 (572)

Key Takeaway: Slido is a well known application that can help collect attendee questions and get feedback. Organizers looking for more event planning features might benefit from an all-in-one platform.

Slido polling software

Image credit to Slido

A well-known Q&A and live polling tool, Slido enables users to crowdsource top questions in order to drive meaningful conversations. A live poll increases attendee engagement and participation, so many event apps and conference management tools also provide live poll features.

If you are hesitant to adopt Slido only for QA/live polls, first check whether your event app already offers these features. For example, all-in-one event management tools will display results on a big screen, provide numerous live poll question templates for easy setup, or support question ranking, auto-reminders, embedding Q&A into speakers' slides, etc.

Features users love:

  • Real time Q&A
  • Live polls and quizzes
  • Surveys & feedback

Pros

Slido has a specialized mobile app that can collect attendees' questions or get feedback through live polling.

Cons

Mobile app does not include other event management tools such as personalized agenda, announcement, networking, gamification, document/photo sharing, and more. Events are limited by duration.

Pricing

From $0 basic plan of up to 100 participants to $200/month enterprise plan of up to 5,000 participants.


10. Poll Everywhere

Rating: 4.5 (92)

Key Takeaway: PollEverywhere is a reliable software to manage questions and live responses during activities. Its limited features concentrated only on polls might limit its potential usage during events.

Poll Everywhere poll management software

Image credit to Poll Everywhere

Poll Everywhere is also an audience response software suitable for events. Attendees can use their smartphones to submit live responses to your activities. It supports multiple choice questions, Q&A sessions, word clouds, rankings, competitions, and more. The platform includes a web app, mobile app, and integrates with PowerPoint, Google Slides, and Keynote.

Features users love:

  • Live polling
  • Multiple choice questions
  • Q&A sessions
  • Anonymous participation

Pros

Poll Everywhere is a powerful tool for enhancing audience interaction and engagement across various settings.

Cons

Similar to Slido, this is a specialized software focused on polling. Visual design and UI might feel outdated.

Pricing

From $0 Intro plan to $84/month Teams plan. Contact Poll Everywhere for a Custom plan.


Best Online Event And Webinar Hosting Software

11. Zoom Events

Rating: 4.5 (5,934)

Key Takeaway: Zoom Events is a great fit for virtual events or webinar series that require heavy reliability in online video services. On the other hand, it lacks other event planning features such as exhibitor management or networking tools.

Zoom Events event list hub

Image credit to Zoom Events

Chances are you're already familiar with Zoom and how to use it, making their virtual event/webinar system, Zoom Events, an intriguing option. The platform is meant to help organizers run events online, such as hosting sessions via streaming, helping share events and manage ticketing, and more.

However Zoom Events has mostly been focused on smaller courses and webinar series. It also lacks some of the more advanced features other platforms might have, like digital booths for sponsors and exhibitors, so if you're planning a bigger conference or event, this may not be the right fit.

Features users love:

  • Q&A sessions
  • Polls
  • Live streaming and chat

Pros

Zoom Events combines a few different steps of the virtual event planning process, and is worth considering if you’re planning a small-scale virtual event that won’t need all the features that all-in-one event planning software can provide.

Cons

Networking and engagement features are less immersive than other virtual event platforms. Strict template constraints on branding.

Pricing

Monthly subscriptions, yearly subscription or pay per attendees plans ranging from $149/month (100 attendees) to $26,490/year (3,000 attendees).


12. RingCentral Events

Rating: 4.4 (952)

Key Takeaway: RingCentral Events has an engaging product that caters virtual and hybrid events with tools in video conferencing, attendee engagement and registration. But its heavy bandwidth in virtual tools can sometimes result in glitches and performance issues.

Ringcentral event website

Image credit to RingCentral Events

RingCentral Events (formerly Hopin) is an event management software for organizers to create, host and manage virtual events. Its virtual venue connects attendees with live video, helping them learn and interact remotely. It also offers an event registration and ticketing component. Similar to Zoom Events, RingCentral Events was built for virtual events and webinars.

Features users love:

  • Webinars and livestreams
  • Virtual events
  • Virtual lounges

Pros

Professional built-in broadcast studio for high quality virtual events. Highly customizable appearance.

Cons

Lacks some other event management features such as web page generation, check-in, badge, and certificates generation. Ticket sales lack detailed invoicing and expo booths might be simplistic.

Pricing

From $1490/year for 100 attendees to $9,490/year for 1,000. For 2,000+ attendees, contact RingCentral Events directly.


13. BrightTALK

Rating: 4.0 (134)

Key Takeaway: BrightTALK has a robust platform for webinars and virtual events. It might not be the best choice for in person events with a lot of event management features missing.

BrightTalk online webinar list

Image credit to BrightTALK

BrightTALK is a technology platform businesses use to host webinars, virtual events, and episodic series. The robust platform is geared towards lead generation and works best if you want to generate revenue from recorded virtual sessions.

Features users love:

  • Webinars
  • Virtual events
  • Lead generation

Pros

Best suited to corporations or educational institutions that provide knowledge workshops or seminars with its virtual video hosting features.

Cons

No in-person event management tools. Lacks real-time collaborative comment board for engagement.

Pricing

From $500/month to $1000/month. Contact BrightTALK for custom pricing.



Best Event Schedule and Organization Tools

14. Tripleseat

Rating: 4.4 (496)

Key Takeaway: Tripleseat is a comprehensive hospitality & event management software mainly focused for restaurants, hotels, and event venues. While the software can be a perfect fit for those types of events, some specific financial and reporting features may be lacking.

Tripleseat management software

Image credit to Tripleseat

TripleSeat is an event management software designed for the hospitality industry. As a direct event booking platform, it caters to on-premise private events, off-premise catering, and large party reservations. It offers accurate and detailed event mapping, access to in-depth reports and analytics, customizable branding, and credit card payment processing.

Features users love:

  • Booking and CRM
  • Calendar management
  • Client portal

Pros

Specialized for hospitality and venue sales to keep the chef, manager, and staff up-to-date. Streamlines contract signing and deposit payments.

Cons

For regular event organizers who do not own or manage venues, this platform might lack other general event management tools. Built-in email tool lacks advanced formatting. Room-mapping setup is highly sensitive to detail.

Pricing

Need to contact directly for exact pricing.


15. Airtable

Rating: 4.6 (4,266)

Key Takeaway: Airtable is a collaboration platform that focuses in event planning and task management. Event organizers looking for a more complete platform to manage their event might find this product too simple.

Airtable event planning dashboard

Image credit to Airtable

Airtable is a cloud-based collaboration platform that allows individuals and teams to organize and manage information in a spreadsheet-like database. It combines the ease of use of a spreadsheet with the power of a database to help users organize, track, and manage their work in a flexible and customizable way.

Airtable can be used for a variety of purposes, such as event planning, project management, customer relationship management (CRM), inventory management, and more. It also integrates with various other tools and services, such as Zapier, Slack, and Google Drive, to further enhance its functionality.

Features users love:

  • Workflow automation
  • Third party integrations
  • Readily available templates

Pros

Native AI-powered workflow suggestions. Excellent for managing complex speaker/session data.

Cons

Lacking dedicated event management features such as check-in, badging, event schedule, etc. Cost scales aggressively by user and record volume. Reporting requires third-party extensions

Pricing

From $0 for basic features to $45/month for the business plan. Contact Airtable for Enterprise scale plans.


16. Slack

Rating: 4.5 (55,930)

Key Takeaway: Slack is a great communication tool that can help coordinate your event planning team as well as allow attendees to connect with each other. Like previous mentioned platforms, it does not provide a complete set of tools for event management.

Slack chat

Image credit to Slack

This popular resource for team communication has also been used for session interaction within events. Slack allows you to create different channels for various topics within one workspace; so you can have private channels for your team to communicate, or public ones for attendees to use as discussion topics throughout the event.

In addition to group conversation, users can also message each other one-on-one, make video and voice calls, and share files through the app.

Features users love:

  • Group conversations
  • File sharing
  • Communication channels

Pros

Industry-leading speed for real-time team alignment. Massive integration ecosystem. A great way to get in touch in the moment for event organizers, especially during the planning process and at the event day. Channel creation for attendee communication and engagement.

Cons

High risk of information fragmentation in busy channels. Difficult to manage long-term tasks. No integrated event specific features such as check-in, registration or agenda.

Pricing

From $0 for basic features to $15/month for Businses+ plan. Contact Slack for an Enterprise Grid plan.


17. ProjectManager

Rating: 4.1 (432)

Key Takeaway: ProjectManager is a project management software that can help organize schedules and tasks despite not being specifically designed for event management.

ProjectManager task management software

Image credit to ProjectManager

ProjectManager.com is a cloud-based project management software, scalable to teams and businesses, that provides an approach to organizing, collaborating, and accelerating project delivery. For those in search of a solution that focuses on team efficiency and project organization, ProjectManager is definitely an option worth considering.

While ProjectManager is not designed specifically for events, it offers a centralized interface of tools for event organizers to manage schedules, tasks, and collaboration.

Features users love:

  • Gantt charts
  • Real-Time dashboards
  • Task management

Pros

Great option for project management needs. Multiple views (Gantt, Kanban, Dashboard) for different roles. Strong M365 integration. Library of industry-specific planning templates.

Cons

Lack of comprehensive event management features in comparison to other event management software solutions. Notification settings have limited customization. Interface can be overwhelming for beginners.

Pricing

From $13/month for Team plan to $24 for Business plan. Contact ProjectManager for Enterprise pricing.


18. BaseCamp

Rating: 4.1 (19,732)

Key Takeaway: Similar to ProjectManager, BaseCamp also provides a project management software that might not necessarily be fit for event planning but can help organize to-do lists and coordinate tasks using calendars.

Basecamp event project management software

Image credit to BaseCamp

Basecamp is another powerful project management software useful for event planning teams. It combines message boards, calendars, to-do lists, documents & file storage, and more into one single streamlined and organized place. Every event staff will know what to do.

Features users love:

  • To-Do lists
  • Message boards
  • Document and file storage

Pros

Basecamp is another useful project management tool for your event planning team to get things organized and well coordinated. Consolidated "one-page" project views. Effectively reduces reliance on internal email.

Cons

No interface for participants (such as attendees, speakers, sponsors and exhibitors) to access information. Lacks advanced planning tools (Gantt/dependencies). Messaging is more "forum-style" than real-time.

Pricing

From $15/month for BaseCamp plan to $299/month for Pro Unlimited plan.


19. Trello

Rating: 4.4 (36,752)

Key Takeaway: Trello can be a lightweight project management software that can help streamline your event tasks through different stages until they reach completion.

Trello task management software

Image credit to Trello

Trello (by Atlassian) uses a "card-design" to help you manage your event tasks. Users love how easy it is to start using this software when compared to other more heavyweight event planner software. Trello's design and user-friendly interface makes this software not only extremely effective, but also visually pleasing.

Features users love:

  • Kanban boards
  • Card customization
  • Collaboration tools

Pros

Trello is a lightweight project management software with an easy to use interface. Unique card design to define multiple stages of tasks and keep track of event logistics. Great for small, high-velocity teams.

Cons

No dedicated interfaces for attendee access to event information, such as the event app and web pages. Becomes difficult to manage as projects grow beyond 50+ tasks. Lack of native dependency mapping.

Pricing

From $0 for Free plan to $17.50 for Enterprise plan.


20. Asana

Rating: 4.3 (22,794)

Key Takeaway: Asana is a management tool that connects work and automates workflows to ultimately reach company goals. As an event organizer, you can utilize this platform to integrate with communication tools, CRMs and even emails to automate attendee management and event marketing.

Asana event work management system

Image credit to Asana

Asana’s flagship service is a web and mobile “work management platform” that creates a main project board where you can track tasks and deadlines and collaborate with team members and stakeholders.

This software company offers pre-made templates for common event types, like workshops and virtual events, to ensure consistent and cohesive planning. Asana also integrates with popular apps like Outlook, Slack, and Gmail, so you can turn messages and emails into actionable tasks.

Features users love:

  • Task management
  • Project views
  • Workload management

Pros

Real-time tracking and delegation features. Clear alignment between daily tasks and high-level milestones. Robust task-dependency mapping.

Cons

Lacks event specific tools such as an event app, event web pages, check-in and name badge generation. Deep feature set necessitates a longer training period. System can feel "rigid" for creative teams. Core automations are locked behind high tiers.

Pricing

From $0 for Personal plan to $30.49/month for Advanced plan.



Next Steps - Live Demo & Trial Account

Whova event planning software

As you can see, there is a wide variety of tools and softwares that can assist your event planning process. You must first assess what your event needs and then allow yourself to explore more opportunities that can lead to a bigger event success.

The most recommended ones are the all-in-one softwares such as Whova since as an event organizer, you will require help in more than just simple registrations or task management. But keep in mind that the "best" event software isn't the same for everyone.

Try out our trial account or request a demo so that you can truly see for yourself how your event can take off with the help of Whova.

Click here to request a live demo & a trial account from Whova.

Event planning software - see Whova in action

FAQ

  • Registration and Ticketing: Online registration forms, ticket sales, and attendee management
  • Attendee Management: Safely and efficiently manage check-ins, personal information, and session attendance
  • Event Marketing: Assistance in marketing tools will increase your event's visibility and success
  • Integration Capabilities: Connection with other platforms will help maintain your current processes seamlessly
  • Customer Support: High quality customer support is necessary to get assistance before, during and even after the event
  • Usability: The platform should be easy to use for anyone on your team

There are some key aspects where Whova stands out compared to other event planning tools:

  • Cost-effective: Whova does not charge expensive subscriptions or fees per administration account. Organizers will get an affordable set price for only the features that they need to complete and succeed in their event
  • Easy To Use: With a low learning curve and intuitive user experience, the platform can be used by any member of the organizing team with minimal training
  • All-in-One platform: The platform offers features in various aspects of event management including registration, marketing, attendee management, engagement & networking and analytics
  • High quality customer support: Organizer will be assisted with a customer support team that will always look to bring the best outcome from any problem
  • Award winning app: Aside from the backend platform, the free Whova app will allow organizers to manage their event in their pockets and attendees to fully explore the event

The best software for nonprofit conferences depends on your organization needs. Eventbrite can be the cheapest option but is only mostly able to handle registration and ticketing. Whova is a good affordable option that proposes all-in-one event management platform but does require one time affordable payment for each event.

Appendix: Full List of Event Management Software Features

Below is a comprehensive list of event management tools to look out for:

  • Registration & Ticketing
  • Event App
  • Event Website
  • Abstracts/Speaker Submissions
  • Agenda Management
  • Attendee Profiles & Attendee Management
  • Speaker Profiles
  • Badge Design & Printing
  • Mobile Check-in
  • Self Check-in
  • Push Notifications
  • Real-Time Updates
  • Email Blast
  • Lead Capture/Retrieval
  • Exhibitor Booth Profiles
  • Sponsor Banners
  • Exhibit/Vendor Management
  • Exhibitor/Sponsor Tiers & Payment
  • Appointment Scheduling
  • Waiver/Release Form
  • Event Maps
  • Social Media Promotion
  • Messaging Between Attendees
  • Matchmaking
  • Speed Networking
  • Attendee Ride-Sharing
  • Business Card Scanning
  • Volunteer Support
  • Survey/Poll Management
  • Certificates
  • Posters / Pitches / Art Galleries
  • Gamifications
  • Virtual Event
  • Hybrid Event
  • Community
  • Offline Access
  • Attendance Tracking
  • Reporting/Analytics
  • Session Cap (Seat Limit)
  • Session-Based Survey/Feedback