Organizing and managing an event represents a major financial commitment for any organization and understanding its return on investment (ROI) is paramount in measuring its overall success. Over 90% of event producers believe that using event management software can help achieve business objectives.
Are you planning sports tournaments? A corporate conference? A music festival? All three? How do you choose which event management software is the best fit for your event? This blog post will explore some of the best event management software on the market so you can make your next event a big hit–with much less stress!
Event management software platforms help event producers plan and organize different aspects of an event. They’re must-have tools for big events like conferences, sports tournaments, and trade shows–but are helpful for smaller events too.
Event management software can have a variety of uses, from room block management to creating event schedules and setting up event websites. No matter your event’s needs, these platforms keep track of all the little details that go into making an event happen.
When you're looking for the best event management software, there are some key features you should keep an eye out for.
This may seem obvious, but ease of use is an important one. You want simple software to set up and use so you can quickly manage your events and see ROI–without needing to be a tech expert with coding or developer experience.
Modern software solutions offer unparalleled customization features, allowing organizers to craft a personalized experience for attendees. From personalized communication to custom branding options, the right event management software platform can be fine-tuned to reflect your company, the focus of the event and the needs of your attendees.
Your event management software platform should be flexible so it provides exactly what you need for your event, whether it's a big conference or a small meeting.
When selecting event management software, consider the security and compliance standards of the software. Do they offer data encryption, access controls, payment security, GDPR compliance and integration with other security tools and functions?
By prioritizing security and compliance, you can help to ensure the protection of sensitive data and adherence to legal and industry standards.
Having advanced reporting and analytics functions in event management software is crucial for data-driven decision-making, optimizing resources and enhancing the overall attendee experience. Key metrics to track typically include attendance numbers, revenue generation, marketing effectiveness and attendee engagement.
This data not only helps to evaluate the event's performance but also plays a vital role in securing future funding by demonstrating ROI, evidencing growth potential, and aiding strategic planning and overall credibility for future events.
Let’s take a look at the best event management software platforms in 2024 based on ease of use, features and customer support.
Best for: Comprehensive event housing management
EventPipe stands out as a cutting-edge event housing management solution, offering a seamless and efficient process for event producers, housing companies and CVBs (Convention and Visitors Bureaus).
This end-to-end platform helps you quickly launch customized booking websites, manage hotel blocks and sub-blocks, streamline the hotel RFP process, automate reporting and invoicing and access additional revenue opportunities–all from one place.
From sporting events to corporate conventions, music festivals and beyond, this modern solution simplifies the traditionally complex world of event housing.
Beautiful branded housing sites with additional revenue streams.
Key Features:
Best for: Event and sports team management
The Stack Sports platform provides multiple solutions for sports management, camps and events, payments, and more. This tool is committed to helping teams and coaches by helping with game preparation, sharing quizzes and surveys, pairing documents side by side, and offering mobile compatibility.
Key Features:
Accelevents is a top-tier event management platform designed for in-person, hybrid, and virtual events. This powerful software seamlessly combines advanced features with an intuitive user interface, making event planning a breeze.
As a comprehensive event management solution, Accelevents has earned the trust of over 12,500 organizations worldwide. One of its standout features is its exceptional 24/7 customer support, ensuring you're never alone on your event planning journey.
The platform provides a high degree of customization, tailoring features to the unique needs of each event. With Accelevents, you have the capability to:
Create captivating event websites
Construct intricate registration flows
Manage badge design and printing
Offer various ticket types
Set up multi-track event agendas
Automatically onboard speakers and exhibitors
Handle payment processing and invoicing
Streamline onsite check-in
Provide attendee mobile apps
Send reminders and notifications
Enhance attendee engagement
Execute email marketing campaigns and much more.
Accelevents is ideal for various types of events, including conferences, trade shows, workshops, training seminars, product launches, and career fairs. Whether you're hosting paid or free events, Accelevents can scale to meet your needs.
Best for: Large-scale event management
Cvent is an event and hospitality technology company that helps event planners and producers find venues and hotels, plan and promote their events, increase attendee engagement and track return on investment.
The company provides 24/7 customer service and provides real-time reporting and insights on attendee engagement. Cvent's Business Intelligence tools also allow hoteliers to pinpoint and act on the best market opportunities, connecting them to over 110,000 event planners and producers for their events.
Key Features:
Best for: Hybrid events
Whova is an all-in-one event management software for planning any kind of event, whether it's in-person, online, or a mix of both. It helps you plan your event easily, from setting up sign-ups to creating fun schedules. Whova also allows you to chat with people who come to your event, which is a good way to keep everyone connected and involved.
With Whova, you can create interactive maps, share documents, maintain branding and create a personal agenda.
Key Features:
Best for: Simplifying ticket selling
Eventbrite is an international platform where you can easily set up ticket sales for all kinds of events from sports tournaments and music festivals to conferences and fundraisers. It allows users to create, find, share and attend events that enrich their lives. Eventbrite is all about connecting people around the world through fun and interesting live events.
There are four plans available on this platform, depending on the number of tickets you want to sell: Free, Flex, Pro and Premium.
Key Features:
Best for: Virtual events
Zoom Events is an event platform that allows you to manage all types of events—virtual or hybrid, big or small. It allows you to stream sessions right on the main screen, so attendees can choose what they want to watch. It's also great for networking, allowing attendees, whether they're there in person or online, to connect with one other during the event.
Plus, Zoom Events has smart analytics and tools to help you drive revenue during your events.
Key Features:
Best for: Virtual conferences and trade shows
vFairs is a one-stop shop platform for managing events of all kinds—virtual or in-person, conferences, trade shows and job fairs. You can get custom mobile apps for on-the-go planning to keep your attendees engaged. With a variety of tools for registration, setup and analytics, vFairs ensures that you can plan, market and host your events well.
Key Features:
Best for: End-to-end event management
Stova can be used for a variety of events, from business meetings to social gatherings. The company has over a decade of experience in the field, merging three brands—MeetingPlay, Aventri and eventcore—to deliver successful events.
Key Features:
Best for: Integrated webinar and event features
Webex Events is a collaboration suite that combines meetings, calls, messaging, event management, webinars, polling and more in one place. This platform enables employers to allow flexible workstyles and reimagine workspaces that are safe, secure and supportive. With Webex Events, you can combine in-person and online events to connect with audiences.
Get calling, meetings, messaging, webinars, event management, polling and more—in one unified platform, at one low cost.
Key Features:
Let’s look at some of the benefits you access through event management software.
Event management software optimizes time and costs by standardizing processes, automating repetitive tasks and providing efficient scheduling capabilities. The shift towards a digital-first approach further enhances accessibility and scalability, ensuring that the platform evolves with the changing needs of event planners and organizers.
An event management system facilitates instant communication between all involved parties and makes it easier to share timely information. Automated notifications and mobile capabilities help keep everyone informed of changes and plans, eliminating problems caused by miscommunications.
Event management software facilitates a thorough analysis of event successes and failures. Detailed reporting on every event enables users to identify areas for improvement, refine processes and ensure the satisfaction of all stakeholders.
The biggest part of producing an event comes down to ROI, which is where the software, technology and tools come into play. If you’re a CVB or destination, EventPipe helps you track overall revenue, rebates, commissions, pick-up rates and more. Track every metric both in real-time during the event and when the event is over so you can continue to improve and prove the economic impact of your event.
EventPipe’s Report Center
Let's take a look at some event management software FAQs.
For small businesses, finding the right event management software platform that's affordable and easy to use is important to creating successful events. EventPipe is a great choice because it's user-friendly and perfect for smaller events.
Another good option is WildApricot, which helps manage memberships and events together. Eventbrite is also popular among small businesses for its simplicity and effectiveness.
There are a lot of details that go into planning in-person events, such as hotel accommodations for attendees, venue, transportation, food and more. You need reliable software to make sure everything runs smoothly.
When it comes to event housing, EventPipe is the best choice out there. You can move fast, wow your guests and finally say goodbye to the tedious systems of the past.
Organizing a conference can be a huge task, but the right software can make it much easier. Zoom Events and vFairs are also good options for conference management, though if you’re looking for support with conference housing, EventPipe is the best fit.
It's ideal to have reliable corporate event management software to manage large-scale events like corporate events. Cvent, Webex Events and EventPipe all fall into this category.
EventPipe’s Report Center provides valuable data and analytics, which is incredibly important for large-scale events as it helps you make informed decisions and improvements on future events.
Picking the right event management software can make a difference in how well your events turn out. With so many options available in today’s market, choosing one that fits your specific needs is important.
If you're looking for software to manage your event housing, look no further than EventPipe. From customizable booking sites and group block management to streamlined RFP processes and simplified attendee booking, EventPipe offers a versatile platform that caters to the many needs of event producers.
Its commitment to data reporting and analytics ensures that organizers can make informed decisions, optimize future events and demonstrate the impact of their endeavors.
Ready to revolutionize your event management experience?