Event management software is the category of applications used to plan, promote, register attendees for, run and measure events, from corporate conferences and trade shows to webinars, community meetups and ticketed public events. A full platform typically covers an event website, registration and payments, agenda and speaker management, on-site check-in and badge printing, a mobile event app, virtual or hybrid streaming, and post-event reporting.
This list covers thirteen platforms sold in 2026. They range from enterprise suites such as Cvent, which reports more than 34,000 customers, to self-service ticketing tools such as Eventbrite and Ticket Tailor that charge per ticket. Each entry records ownership, published prices and the vendor's own scale figures, drawn from company pages and named press reports opened in November 2026.
The category overlaps with webinar software, which focuses on online presentations, and with venue sourcing and hotel booking tools used by meeting planners. Platforms in this list are included only where they handle registration and attendee management for in-person or hybrid events, not only video delivery.
Contents
- What is event management software
- History and market
- Key features to compare
- Pricing models
- How to choose
- Methodology
- The list
- Comparison table
- Alternatives by use case
- Recent developments
- Frequently asked questions
- See also
What is event management software
Event management software centralises the administrative work of running an event. The core is registration: a branded website and form that captures attendee data, collects payment, applies discounts and sends confirmations. Around that core, platforms add agenda building, speaker and abstract management (often called "call for papers"), exhibitor and sponsor portals, check-in apps and badge printing, attendee mobile apps with networking and messaging, lead retrieval for exhibitors, live streaming for virtual and hybrid sessions, and analytics that feed into CRM software and marketing automation software.
The category has three main segments. Enterprise event platforms (Cvent, Bizzabo, RainFocus, Stova) serve corporations and associations running many events a year and integrate deeply with marketing systems. Mid-market and per-event platforms (Swoogo, Accelevents, EventMobi, Whova, vFairs, Airmeet, Goldcast) sell annual or per-event licences with lighter implementation. Ticketing platforms (Eventbrite, Ticket Tailor) focus on selling tickets to the public, charge per ticket and rarely include enterprise features such as sponsor management.
Adjacent categories include webinar software, which handles online presentations without on-site logistics; venue sourcing marketplaces used to book hotels and meeting space; and project management software used by event teams for task planning.
History and market
Online event registration emerged around 2000. Cvent dates its work in the industry to 1999, when it was founded by Reggie Aggarwal, and now describes itself as having more than 25 years of event technology experience. Self-service ticketing grew in the following decade with platforms such as Eventbrite, which made it free to list free events and charged only on paid tickets.
The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 forced almost all events online and created a wave of virtual event platforms; several, including Airmeet and Goldcast, have since repositioned toward webinars, hybrid events and content repurposing. As in-person events returned, buyers shifted spending back to on-site tools such as badge printing, check-in and lead capture, which most vendors now sell as add-ons.
Consolidation has continued. Bending Spoons signed a definitive agreement on 1 December 2025 to acquire Eventbrite for about US$500 million, or US$4.50 per share in cash, and completed the purchase on 10 March 2026, taking the company private. Cvent, which states that 89% of the Fortune 100 use its products, has announced a US$1 billion investment in product development between July 2026 and July 2029.
Key features to compare
Registration and ticketing
Check support for multiple attendee types, conditional logic, group registrations, discount codes, approval workflows and payment gateways. Swoogo's Enterprise tier, for example, adds unlimited visibility rules and multi-level conditional logic.
Event website and branding
Most platforms include a website builder. Custom domains and white labelling are often reserved for higher tiers: Accelevents' White Label plan removes its branding and adds a branded app, and Swoogo Professional includes one custom domain.
On-site tools
Check-in apps, badge printing and session scanning are central for in-person events. EventMobi publishes badge printing costs from US$3.99 per pre-printed badge and hardware rental typically from US$1,000. Bizzabo sells Klik SmartBadge wearables for networking and attendee tracking.
Mobile app and networking
Attendee apps provide agendas, messaging, meeting scheduling and gamification. Whova is built around its event app; Stova and Cvent also offer apps and lead retrieval.
Virtual and hybrid delivery
Streaming, simulive sessions and on-demand libraries matter for hybrid programmes. Accelevents sells virtual events as a paid add-on, while Airmeet and Goldcast are built around online sessions.
Integrations and data
Corporate buyers need CRM and marketing automation sync. Swoogo includes more than 30 free integrations on its Professional plan, and EventMobi charges from US$1,000 per standard integration.
Security and compliance
Enterprise buyers usually require SOC 2 and ISO 27001. RainFocus lists SOC 2, ISO 27001:2022 and PCI DSS, and Swoogo Enterprise lists SOC 2, ISO 27001, PCI and GDPR compliance with single sign-on.
Pricing models
Vendors use four main pricing models. Annual platform subscriptions cover unlimited events for a fixed fee: Bizzabo's Event Experience OS costs US$499 per user per month or from US$17,999 a year, billed annually with a three-user minimum; Swoogo Professional is listed at US$11,800 a year; and Accelevents Business starts from US$13,500.
Per-event licences suit organisations running one or two events: Accelevents Professional starts from US$7,500 for a single event, EventMobi from US$3,000 per event, and Airmeet managed brand conferences from US$4,999.
Attendee-based pricing scales with audience size: EventMobi's annual plan starts at US$8,900 and is based on attendee licences, while Airmeet's Premium Webinars plan costs US$167 a month billed yearly or US$199 monthly with an attendee cap.
Per-ticket fees are used by ticketing platforms. Eventbrite charges a 3.7% plus US$1.79 service fee per paid ticket and a 2.9% payment processing fee per order, with free events free to publish. Ticket Tailor charges a flat £0.60 per ticket on pay-as-you-go or from £0.22 with prepaid credits, plus the payment processor's fee. Enterprise platforms such as Cvent, RainFocus and Stova do not publish prices.
How to choose
Large enterprises and associations running dozens of events a year with complex registration, sponsors and CRM integration usually shortlist Cvent, RainFocus, Bizzabo and Stova. Cvent also offers a venue sourcing marketplace, which matters for teams that book hotels and meeting space.
Mid-size marketing and events teams can compare Swoogo, Accelevents and EventMobi, which publish starting prices and include unlimited events on annual plans.
Conferences focused on attendee engagement may prefer Whova or EventMobi, which are built around the mobile event app.
Webinar-heavy and hybrid programmes fit Airmeet and Goldcast; vFairs suits virtual trade fairs and career fairs with booths.
Public ticketed events, such as concerts, classes and community events, are better served by Eventbrite, which provides marketplace discovery, or Ticket Tailor, whose flat per-ticket fee is usually lower for paid tickets. Ticket Tailor supports pricing in GBP, EUR, USD, AUD and CAD.
Methodology
Platforms were selected from vendors active in November 2026 that support registration and attendee management for in-person or hybrid events. They are ordered by breadth of event lifecycle coverage (registration, on-site, app, virtual, analytics), then by the scale each vendor publishes, then by pricing transparency. Enterprise suites rank above per-event tools, and ticketing-first platforms rank last because they cover a narrower part of the lifecycle. No reviews, ratings or hands-on tests were used; vendor-reported figures are labelled as such. All sources were accessed in November 2026.
The list
1
Enterprise event and venue sourcing platform with 34,000+ customers
Best for: Large enterprises and associations running many events a year
Cvent is the largest specialist event management software company. It was founded in 1999 by Reggie Aggarwal and is headquartered in Tysons Corner, Virginia. The company reports more than 34,000 customers, 445,000 active users and more than 5,500 employees, and says 89% of the Fortune 100 use its software. More than 8 million events have been managed on the platform, and Cvent runs over 800 of its own events on it each year.
Cvent covers the full lifecycle: registration, event websites, attendee apps, on-site check-in, virtual and hybrid delivery, and attendee analytics. It also operates a venue sourcing marketplace, with nearly 340,000 venues and more than 150,000 planners active; the company reports more than 3 million requests for proposal and over US$20 billion in business sourced through it each year. The firm states it has been named a Leader in Gartner's Magic Quadrant for Event Marketing and Management Platforms for three consecutive years, and has committed more than US$1 billion to product investment from July 2026 to July 2029.
Cvent's breadth suits large organisations that run many event types. Its drawbacks are cost and complexity: prices are not published, implementation requires training, and small teams may use only a fraction of the suite.
Key features
- Registration and event websites
- Attendee mobile app
- On-site check-in and badging
- Virtual and hybrid events
- Venue sourcing marketplace
- Event analytics and CRM integrations
Pricing
Quote-based. No prices are published.
Ownership and history
Founded in 1999 by Reggie Aggarwal; headquartered at 1765 Greensboro Station Place, Tysons Corner, Virginia.
- Founded
- 1999
- Headquarters
- Tysons Corner, Virginia, US
- Customers
- 34,000+ (company figure)
- Employees
- 5,500+
- Pricing
- Quote-based
Strengths
- Covers the entire event lifecycle
- Largest customer base in the category
- Integrated venue sourcing marketplace
- Large ongoing product investment
Limitations
- No published pricing
- Complex for small teams
- Requires training to use fully
2
Event Experience OS with published annual pricing and Klik SmartBadge wearables
Best for: Corporate marketing teams wanting predictable annual pricing
Bizzabo sells an all-in-one event platform it calls the Event Experience OS, aimed at corporate marketing teams running in-person, virtual and hybrid events. Unusually for an enterprise vendor, it publishes a price: US$499 per user per month, or from US$17,999 a year, billed annually with a minimum of three users.
The subscription includes unlimited events and registrations, contact management, ticketing, private-label branding, email campaigns, an event website builder, advanced registration flows, a mobile app, reporting and analytics, curated onboarding and 24/7/365 support tiers. Bizzabo also sells Klik SmartBadge, wearable badges that support networking, lead capture, gamification and passive attendee tracking; Klik can be bought separately from the platform and is priced by quote.
Premium add-ons, all priced on request, include a virtual production suite, advanced on-site tools, CRM and marketing-technology integrations, sponsor ROI reporting, a speaker portal, a custom-branded app, API access and single sign-on. The main limitation is that many enterprise features cost extra on top of a substantial base fee.
Key features
- Unlimited events and registrations
- Event website builder and email campaigns
- Mobile event app
- Klik SmartBadge wearables
- Private-label branding
- Reporting and analytics
Pricing
Event Experience OS: US$499 per user per month, or from US$17,999 per year, billed annually, 3-user minimum. Klik SmartBadge and premium add-ons (virtual production, integrations, SSO, API) quote-based.
- Entry price
- From US$17,999 per year
- Billing
- Annual, 3-user minimum
- Wearables
- Klik SmartBadge
Strengths
- Published enterprise pricing
- Unlimited events on the base plan
- Distinctive wearable networking hardware
- 24/7 support tiers
Limitations
- High minimum annual cost
- Integrations and API are paid add-ons
- SSO and custom app cost extra
3
R
B2B event platform used for large technology-industry user conferences
Best for: Large technology and B2B user conferences
RainFocus provides B2B event management software for in-person, hybrid and virtual events, including conferences, sales kickoffs, roadshows, field marketing and webinars. Its platform has modules for registration, call for papers, speaker enablement, sponsor activation, attendee engagement, meetings, on-site experience, a mobile app and marketing data, and an agentic AI layer called Nexus.
The company names Adobe, Red Hat, Broadcom, Cisco, NetApp, Oracle, Diageo, Keurig Dr Pepper, RSA Conference and PCMA among its customers, and publishes case studies with Zscaler, ServiceNow, Esri, Trimble and Jamf. It reports being named a Leader in The Forrester Wave for virtual event management platforms in Q2 2026 and holds SOC 2, ISO 27001:2022 and PCI DSS certifications. In November 2026 it announced a connector that lets customers manage attendees, sessions, exhibitors and meetings from the Claude AI assistant.
RainFocus is strongest for large, content-heavy user conferences with many sessions and sponsors. It does not publish prices and requires a demo, and its depth may exceed the needs of teams running small events.
Key features
- Call for papers and speaker management
- Sponsor and exhibitor activation
- Meeting scheduling
- Mobile app and on-site tools
- Nexus agentic AI
- SOC 2, ISO 27001 and PCI DSS
Pricing
Quote-based; demo required.
Notable customers
Adobe, Red Hat, Broadcom, Cisco, NetApp, Oracle, Diageo, Keurig Dr Pepper, RSA Conference, PCMA, Zscaler and ServiceNow, as named by the company.
Security and compliance
SOC 2, ISO 27001:2022 and PCI DSS; states GDPR and CCPA compliance.
- Certifications
- SOC 2, ISO 27001:2022, PCI DSS
- Uptime claim
- 99.999% (company figure)
- Pricing
- Quote-based
Strengths
- Deep session and sponsor management
- Large enterprise reference customers
- Strong security certifications
- AI and assistant integrations
Limitations
- No published pricing
- Oriented to large B2B events
- Headquarters and scale figures not published on its site
4
S
Full-lifecycle event and meetings platform trusted by 700+ organisations
Best for: Organisations combining marketing events with meetings spend management
Stova is an event management platform headquartered in Bluffdale, Utah, that organises its product into four areas: Plan (registration, strategic meetings management, session and speaker management, exhibitor resource centre), Engage (networking, event marketing, virtual experiences, webinars and websites), Experience (mobile apps, on-site services, access control, session scanning and lead retrieval) and Measure (event intelligence dashboards, Stova BI and survey tools).
The company states it is trusted by more than 700 organisations and names New York Life, Arizona State University, Canada Life, Disney, United, DHL, Nokia, Red Bull, Cisco, HSBC, Lufthansa and Mary Kay among its customers. Its inclusion of strategic meetings management, which tracks spending and approvals across a company's meetings, distinguishes it from purely marketing-focused platforms and suits finance and procurement-led event programmes.
Stova's limitations are that it publishes no prices, and its pricing page links to packages without figures. Buyers should confirm which on-site services are delivered by Stova staff and which by partners.
Key features
- Registration and strategic meetings management
- Session, speaker and exhibitor tools
- Mobile apps and access control
- Lead retrieval
- Stova BI dashboards
- Surveys and feedback
Pricing
Quote-based; no prices published.
- Headquarters
- Bluffdale, Utah, US
- Customers
- 700+ organisations (company figure)
- Pricing
- Quote-based
Strengths
- Covers strategic meetings management
- Full on-site toolset
- Large brand customers
- Business intelligence module
Limitations
- No published pricing
- Smaller customer base than Cvent
- Feature breadth requires configuration
5
Registration-focused platform with a published US$11,800 annual plan
Best for: Event teams needing complex registration logic
Swoogo is an event registration and management platform known for flexible registration logic. Its Professional plan is listed at US$11,800 a year and includes one full user and one reporting user, unlimited events and registrations, a check-in app, more than 30 free integrations, one custom domain, attendee approval workflows and automated workflows.
The Enterprise plan, priced through sales, adds unlimited visibility rules and multi-level conditional logic, five branded event URLs, SOC 2, ISO 27001, PCI and GDPR compliance, single sign-on and multi-factor authentication, scalable API access, a customer success manager, personalised onboarding and a 99.9% uptime service-level agreement with compensation if missed. Premium add-ons include on-site tools, mobile event apps, call for speakers and sub-accounts.
Swoogo suits teams that run many registrations with complex rules and want a predictable annual fee. The Professional plan's single full user is restrictive for larger teams, and the mobile app and on-site tools cost extra.
Key features
- Unlimited events and registrations
- Conditional registration logic
- Check-in app
- 30+ free integrations
- Approval and automated workflows
- 99.9% uptime SLA (Enterprise)
Pricing
Professional: US$11,800 per year (1 full user, 1 reporting user). Enterprise: quote-based. Add-ons including mobile apps and on-site tools priced separately; prices exclude sales tax.
Security and compliance
Enterprise plan: SOC 2, ISO 27001, PCI, GDPR, SSO and multi-factor authentication.
- Entry price
- US$11,800 per year
- Users on entry plan
- 1 full + 1 reporting
- Integrations
- 30+ free
Strengths
- Published annual pricing
- Unlimited events
- Strong registration logic
- Uptime SLA on Enterprise
Limitations
- Only one full user on Professional
- Mobile app costs extra
- Security certifications tied to Enterprise
6
Per-event and annual plans with unlimited admin seats and 24/7 support
Best for: Single conferences and growing multi-event programmes
Accelevents is an event management platform for in-person, virtual and hybrid events with published starting prices. The Professional plan starts from US$7,500 for one event and includes unlimited admin seats, unlimited registration types and custom fields, staff-managed or kiosk check-in with badge printing, integrations and an MCP server for AI tools at no extra fee.
The Business plan, from US$13,500, adds unlimited events, an event listing page, cross-event reporting and custom reporting. Enterprise adds approval workflows, call for speakers, API and webhooks and unlimited organiser profiles, and White Label removes Accelevents branding and adds a custom URL, email domain and branded app. Single sign-on costs extra, and virtual events are a paid add-on on any plan. All plans include 24/7 live support.
Accelevents suits organisations that want badge printing and check-in included without paying for an enterprise suite. Its limitations are that billing terms are not spelled out on the pricing page and virtual features cost extra.
Key features
- Unlimited admin seats
- Kiosk check-in and badge printing
- Cross-event reporting (Business)
- API and webhooks (Enterprise)
- White-label branded app
- 24/7 live support
Pricing
Professional from US$7,500 (one event); Business from US$13,500 (unlimited events); Enterprise and White Label quote-based. Virtual events and SSO are paid add-ons.
- Entry price
- From US$7,500 per event
- Multi-event plan
- From US$13,500
- Support
- 24/7 live on all plans
Strengths
- Published starting prices
- Badge printing included
- Unlimited admin seats
- 24/7 support on every plan
Limitations
- Virtual events cost extra
- SSO is a paid option
- Billing basis not stated publicly
7
Event app and registration platform with per-event and attendee-licence pricing
Best for: Associations and mid-size conferences
EventMobi offers registration, ticketing, badge printing, check-in, an event app, lead capture and virtual event capabilities. It publishes unusually detailed pricing. Per-event pricing starts at US$3,000 and scales with attendee count and selected products; registration and ticketing carry no platform fees, though card processing fees apply.
Per-year pricing starts at US$8,900 and is based on attendee licences, with unused licences rolling into future contract periods, unlimited events, a dedicated event success manager and quarterly business reviews. Custom pricing applies above 10,000 attendees. Other published costs include streaming and video storage packs from US$500 per event, pre-printed badges from US$3.99 each, badge hardware rental typically from US$1,000 for two iPads and printers for seven days, and standard integrations from US$1,000 each. Discounts are offered for non-profits, associations and multi-year contracts.
EventMobi suits associations and mid-size organisations that want a strong attendee app and clear costs. Integration charges can add up for teams connecting several systems.
Key features
- Event app
- No platform fee on ticketing
- Badge printing and check-in
- Lead capture
- Attendee licences that roll over
- Virtual event streaming
Pricing
Per event from US$3,000; per year from US$8,900 (attendee licences, unlimited events); custom above 10,000 attendees. Streaming from US$500/event; badges from US$3.99; hardware rental from US$1,000; integrations from US$1,000 each.
- Entry price
- From US$3,000 per event
- Annual plan
- From US$8,900
- Ticketing platform fee
- None
Strengths
- Very detailed public pricing
- No ticketing platform fees
- Unused attendee licences roll over
- Non-profit discounts
Limitations
- Integrations charged individually
- Streaming and storage cost extra
- Hardware rental adds on-site cost
8
W
Event app and management platform quoted by event size and format
Best for: Academic, association and community conferences
Whova is an event management platform built around an attendee mobile app, with registration, agenda, networking and virtual event features for in-person, hybrid and virtual events. It is marketed to conference, association and corporate event organisers.
Whova does not publish plan prices. Instead it asks organisers for the event type (in-person, hybrid, virtual or undecided), event length (half day to multi-day), expected attendance (from fewer than 500 to more than 60,000) and number of events per year (one to ten or more), then provides a quote. Prospective customers can book a 20-minute demo to obtain a trial of the platform.
Whova's strengths are attendee engagement features such as community boards and networking within the app. Its limitations are that pricing is opaque until a quote is received and that its registration and on-site tools are less configurable than those of enterprise platforms such as Cvent or Swoogo.
Key features
- Attendee mobile app
- Networking and community boards
- Agenda management
- Registration
- Virtual and hybrid sessions
Pricing
Quote-based, depending on event format, length, attendance and number of events per year. Trial available after a 20-minute demo.
- Pricing
- Quote-based
- Supported attendance
- Under 500 to 60,000+
- Trial
- After a demo
Strengths
- Strong engagement app
- Handles very large audiences
- Supports in-person, hybrid and virtual
- Trial available
Limitations
- No published prices
- Demo required before trial
- Less registration logic than enterprise suites
9
Virtual, hybrid and in-person fair platform sold as annual licences
Best for: Virtual and hybrid trade shows and career fairs
vFairs offers an event platform covering event websites, registration and ticketing, marketing, badge printing, check-in apps, a white-labelled event app, attendee and exhibitor management, speaker and abstract management, a virtual event platform, networking tools, reporting, accessibility compliance and multilingual support. It is known for virtual and hybrid trade fairs, career fairs and exhibitions with booth-based layouts.
Plans are sold as annual licences payable in any currency, and the company says customers pay only for what their events need. Add-ons include extra sessions, extra booths, accessibility features, more attendees and managed services. Every plan includes support through a dedicated project manager, non-profits may qualify for discounts, and vFairs states it does not offer a free plan. It supports payment gateways including Stripe, PayPal, Authorize.net and BlueSnap.
vFairs suits exhibitions and fairs that need virtual booths. Its pricing tiers are shown only as images and require a quote, which makes comparison difficult.
Key features
- Virtual booths and exhibitor management
- White-labelled event app
- Badge printing and check-in
- Speaker and abstract management
- Multilingual and accessibility support
- Dedicated project manager
Pricing
Quote-based annual licence; add-ons for sessions, booths, attendees and managed services; no free plan; non-profit discounts.
- Billing
- Annual licence
- Free plan
- None
- Support
- Dedicated project manager
Strengths
- Strong virtual exhibition format
- Project manager on every plan
- Wide payment gateway support
- Accessibility features
Limitations
- Prices not published in text
- No free plan
- Extra booths and attendees cost more
10
Webinar and virtual event platform priced by attendee limit
Best for: Webinar programmes and online brand conferences
Airmeet is a virtual and hybrid event platform that has repositioned around webinars and online brand conferences. Its Premium Webinars plan costs US$167 a month billed yearly or US$199 billed monthly, includes two team members and supports 100 to 10,000 attendees per webinar, with live, simulive and on-demand sessions, analytics, engagement tools, ticketing and iOS and Android apps.
The Events plan, priced by quote, adds in-person, virtual and hybrid formats, multi-track events, custom email domains, a mobile check-in app and a dedicated customer success manager. Managed Events adds full-service planning and hosting, with brand conferences starting at US$4,999 per event, and an Agency plan has no platform fee with payment per attendee.
Pricing is based on attendee limits; attendees above the limit can join and are billed afterwards. Airmeet's pricing table lists annual event caps that appear to conflict with its FAQ's statement of unlimited events, so buyers should confirm limits in writing.
Key features
- Live, simulive and on-demand webinars
- Multi-track virtual and hybrid events
- Networking and engagement tools
- Mobile check-in app (Events plan)
- Managed event services
Pricing
Premium Webinars: US$167/month billed yearly or US$199 monthly. Events: quote. Managed brand conferences from US$4,999 per event. Agency: pay per attendee. Overage attendees billed after the event.
- Entry price
- US$167 per month (billed yearly)
- Attendees per webinar
- 100 to 10,000
- Managed conferences
- From US$4,999
Strengths
- Published webinar pricing
- Managed service option
- Agency plan with no platform fee
- Mobile apps included
Limitations
- Event caps unclear on pricing page
- Overage billing after events
- In-person tools limited to higher plans
11
B2B digital events platform combined with AI content repurposing
Best for: B2B marketing teams turning events into content
Goldcast combines a digital events platform with video recording and AI content repurposing for B2B marketing teams. Its products are organised into Content Lab, which turns a video library into clips, blogs and social posts using an AI-trained brand voice; Recording Studio, for local high-definition recordings of podcasts, webinars and interviews; and Events, for webinars, virtual events and in-person field events with calendar holds, polls, Q&A, overlays and automatic repurposing.
An enterprise tier adds team workspaces, single sign-on, custom reports, custom permissions and multi-language support. Content Lab offers a free sign-up, while other plans and custom bundles require a demo; no prices are published.
Goldcast suits marketing teams whose events are primarily a source of video content for campaigns. It is less suited to large in-person conferences that need badge printing, exhibitor management and complex registration, where enterprise platforms are more complete.
Key features
- Webinars and virtual events
- In-person field events
- AI clip and blog repurposing
- HD local recording studio
- SSO and custom permissions (Enterprise)
Pricing
Quote-based; Content Lab has a free sign-up.
- Pricing
- Quote-based
- Free option
- Content Lab sign-up
Strengths
- Strong content repurposing
- Recording studio included in the suite
- Free entry to Content Lab
- Built for B2B marketing
Limitations
- No published prices
- Limited large in-person conference tools
- Billing terms not stated
12
Self-service ticketing marketplace, owned by Bending Spoons since March 2026
Best for: Public ticketed events that benefit from marketplace discovery
Eventbrite is a self-service ticketing and event discovery platform used for concerts, classes, festivals, community events and small conferences. Its model is free for free events, and organisers can publish unlimited free events at no cost. For paid tickets, Eventbrite lists a service fee of 3.7% plus US$1.79 per ticket and a payment processing fee of 2.9% per order; buyers pay these fees by default unless organisers choose to absorb them.
Add-ons include Eventbrite Pro email marketing from US$15 a month, which allows up to 10,000 emails a day, and Eventbrite Ads, sponsored placements available in selected markets. Plans are offered in the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the UK and Ireland.
Bending Spoons agreed on 1 December 2025 to acquire Eventbrite for about US$500 million, or US$4.50 per share in cash, and completed the acquisition on 10 March 2026, ending its NYSE listing. Eventbrite's advantage is marketplace discovery; its limitations are per-ticket fees that rise with ticket volume and few tools for exhibitors, sponsors or complex registration.
Key features
- Free listing for free events
- Event discovery marketplace
- Email marketing (Eventbrite Pro)
- Sponsored ad placements
- Option to pass fees to buyers
Pricing
Free events: no fees. Paid tickets: 3.7% + US$1.79 service fee per ticket and 2.9% payment processing per order. Eventbrite Pro from US$15/month. Ads and sales partnerships priced separately.
Ownership and history
Definitive agreement with Bending Spoons on 1 December 2025 (about US$500 million; US$4.50 per share); completed 10 March 2026.
- Owner
- Bending Spoons (since 10 March 2026)
- Acquisition value
- About US$500m
- Paid-ticket fee
- 3.7% + US$1.79 per ticket, plus 2.9% processing
Strengths
- Free for free events
- Marketplace exposure to buyers
- Quick self-service setup
- Fees can be passed to buyers
Limitations
- Per-ticket fees add up at volume
- Few enterprise features
- Ownership change in 2026 may bring product changes
13
B Corp-certified ticketing platform with flat per-ticket fees
Best for: Independent organisers selling paid tickets at higher price points
Ticket Tailor, operated by Zimma Ltd, is an online ticketing platform for independent organisers that charges flat per-ticket fees instead of a percentage of ticket price. On pay-as-you-go it charges £0.60 per paid ticket plus VAT; prepaid credits bring the fee down to as little as £0.22 per ticket, with a minimum purchase of 100 credits that do not expire. Free tickets are free up to an annual limit stated on its pricing page.
Payment processing is handled by Stripe, PayPal or Square and charged separately; the page cites Stripe examples of 2.9% plus US$0.30 in the US and 1.5% plus £0.20 in the UK. Registered charities receive 50% off fees, and low-priced tickets also get a 50% reduction. Ticket Tailor supports GBP, EUR, USD, AUD and CAD and displays Certified B Corporation and carbon-neutral badges.
Ticket Tailor's flat fees make it cheaper than percentage-based ticketing for higher-priced tickets. Its limitations are that it offers no discovery marketplace and few conference features such as session management or sponsor tools.
Key features
- Flat per-ticket fee
- Prepaid credits that do not expire
- Reserved seating
- Stripe, PayPal and Square payments
- Charity discounts
Pricing
Pay as you go £0.60 per ticket (+VAT); prepaid credits from £0.22 per ticket (100-credit minimum); free tickets free up to an annual limit. Payment processor fees extra; 50% off for registered charities.
- Operator
- Zimma Ltd
- Per-ticket fee
- £0.22 to £0.60 + VAT
- Certification
- Certified B Corporation
Strengths
- Low flat fees
- Credits never expire
- Charity and low-price discounts
- Multi-currency support
Limitations
- No discovery marketplace
- Processing fees charged separately
- Limited conference features
Frequently asked questions
What is the most widely used event management software?
Cvent reports the largest customer base among specialist event platforms, with more than 34,000 customers, 445,000 active users and more than 8 million events managed, and says 89% of the Fortune 100 use it. For public ticketed events, Eventbrite is the most widely known self-service platform, owned by Bending Spoons since March 2026.
How much does event management software cost?
Costs vary by model. Bizzabo starts from US$17,999 a year, Swoogo lists US$11,800 a year and Accelevents starts from US$7,500 for a single event. EventMobi starts at US$3,000 per event or US$8,900 a year. Ticketing platforms charge per ticket instead: Eventbrite charges 3.7% plus US$1.79 per paid ticket plus processing, while free events are free.
Is there free event management software?
Eventbrite lets organisers publish unlimited free events at no cost, and Ticket Tailor charges nothing for free tickets up to an annual limit. These free options cover registration and ticketing only. Conference features such as agenda management, sponsor tools, badge printing and attendee apps generally require a paid plan from vendors such as Swoogo, Accelevents or EventMobi.
What is the difference between event management and webinar software?
Webinar software focuses on delivering online presentations to an audience, with registration, streaming and Q&A. Event management software covers the whole lifecycle of in-person and hybrid events, including venue logistics, check-in, badge printing, exhibitors, sponsors and mobile apps. Platforms such as Airmeet and Goldcast sit between the two, offering webinars alongside some hybrid event features.
Who owns Eventbrite?
Eventbrite is owned by Bending Spoons. The companies signed a definitive agreement on 1 December 2025 valuing Eventbrite at about US$500 million, with shareholders receiving US$4.50 per share in cash. The acquisition was completed on 10 March 2026, and Eventbrite ceased to be listed on the New York Stock Exchange.
Which event software is best for small events?
Small public events are usually best served by Eventbrite or Ticket Tailor, which need no annual contract. Small conferences that need check-in and badges can use Accelevents' single-event plan from US$7,500 or EventMobi from US$3,000 per event. Webinar-only programmes can start with Airmeet's Premium Webinars plan at US$167 a month billed yearly.
What features should event management software have?
Core features are a branded event website, registration and payment, agenda and speaker management, attendee communication, check-in and badge printing, a mobile app and reporting. Larger organisations also need CRM and marketing automation integrations, sponsor and exhibitor portals, lead retrieval, single sign-on and security certifications such as SOC 2 and ISO 27001.
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