Organizing and managing an event represents a significant financial commitment for any organization, and understanding its return on investment (ROI) is paramount. Over 90% of event producers believe that utilizing event management software can help them achieve their business objectives.
Are you planning sports tournaments? A corporate conference? A music festival? All three? 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 assist event producers in planning and organizing various aspects of an event. They're must-have tools for significant events like conferences, sports tournaments, and trade shows—but are also helpful for smaller events.
Ease of use is a crucial factor. You want simple software that's easy to set up and use, allowing you to quickly manage your events without requiring technical expertise, coding, or developer experience.
Modern software solutions provide unparalleled customization features, enabling organizers to create a personalized experience for attendees. Your event management software should be flexible, providing precisely what you need for your event.
When selecting event management software, consider the security and compliance standards the software adheres to: data encryption, access controls, payment security, GDPR compliance, and integration with other security tools.
Advanced reporting and analytics are crucial for data-driven decision-making, optimizing resources, and enhancing the overall attendee experience. Key metrics include attendance numbers, revenue generation, marketing effectiveness, and attendee engagement.
Organizations exploring new funding models beyond traditional sponsorships are finding that hotel booking data offers one of the clearest signals of event value, especially when donor contributions start to plateau.
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. This end-to-end platform helps you 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.
Key Features: Event Housing Management with tens of thousands of hotels and flexible filters; Streamlined RFP Process; Group Block Management; Customizable Booking Site built in 10 minutes — no coding needed; Simplified Attendee Booking with mobile site and waitlist options; Data Reporting & Analytics; and Additional Revenue Streams.
Best for: Event and sports team management
The Stack Sports platform offers a range of solutions for sports management, camps and events, payments, and more. Key features include professional website designs, mobile app tools for team communication, enrichment programs, payment solutions, and a video library with over 11,000 videos.
Accelevents is a top-tier event management platform designed for in-person, hybrid, and virtual events. Trusted by over 12,500 organizations worldwide, it offers captivating event websites, complex registration flows, badge design and printing, various ticket types, multi-track event agendas, automated speaker onboarding, payment processing, onsite check-in, attendee mobile apps, email marketing campaigns and more.
Best for: Large-scale event management
Cvent is an event and hospitality technology company that helps event planners find venues and hotels, plan and promote events, increase attendee engagement, and track ROI. The company provides 24/7 customer service and connects event planners with over 110,000 venues.
Best for: Hybrid events
Whova is an all-in-one event management software designed for planning any event — in-person, online, or a combination of both. Key features include easy upload of event information, customizable mobile event app, announcements and live polls, personalized ticketing, real-time ticket sales insights, and social media promo templates.
Best for: Simplifying ticket selling
Eventbrite is an international platform for ticket sales for a wide range of events, including sports tournaments, music festivals, conferences, and fundraisers. Available in four plans: Free, Flex, Pro, and Premium.
Best for: Virtual events
Zoom Events enables management of all types of events — virtual, hybrid, large, or small. Features include streaming sessions, networking tools, intelligent analytics, various ticket types, venue maps for hybrid events, and a customizable mobile event app.
Best for: Virtual conferences and trade shows
vFairs is a one-stop shop for managing events of all kinds — virtual or in-person, conferences, trade shows, and job fairs. Features include custom mobile apps, 3D virtual environments, badge printing, check-in apps, and real-time dashboards.
Best for: End-to-end event management
Stova merges three brands — MeetingPlay, Aventri, and EventCore — to deliver successful events of all types, from business meetings to social gatherings. Features include an all-in-one dashboard, branded website, email marketing, personalized registration, advanced reporting, and 24/7 global support.
Best for: Integrated webinar and event features
Webex Events combines meetings, calls, messaging, event management, webinars, polling, and more in one unified platform. Features include virtual events with immersive content, branded registration, a customizable mobile event app, on-site badge printing, and virtual communities.
Event management software optimizes time and costs by standardizing processes, automating repetitive tasks, and providing efficient scheduling capabilities.
An event management system facilitates instant communication among all involved parties. Automated notifications and mobile capabilities help keep everyone informed, eliminating problems caused by miscommunications.
Event management software facilitates a thorough analysis of event successes and failures. If you're a CVB or destination, EventPipe helps you track overall revenue, rebates, commissions, pick-up rates, and more — both in real-time during the event and after it concludes.
For small businesses, EventPipe is an excellent choice because it's user-friendly and perfect for smaller events. WildApricot helps manage memberships and events together. Eventbrite is also popular for its simplicity and effectiveness.
When it comes to event housing, EventPipe is the best choice. You can move quickly, wow your guests, and finally bid farewell to the tedious systems of the past.
Zoom Events and vFairs are good options for conference management. If you're looking for support with conference housing, EventPipe is the best fit.
Cvent, Webex Events, and EventPipe all fall into this category. EventPipe's Report Center provides valuable data and analytics, which are incredibly important for large-scale events.
Selecting the right event management software can significantly impact the success of your events. 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.
Jeff is the Marketing Manager at EventPipe. He brings a decade of Marketing experience with a background in social media, events, SEO, and content. Outside of work, Jeff is an independent Hip Hop artist who regularly releases and performs his music and loves to golf and play ice hockey in his spare time. Jeff holds a bachelor of arts in Economics from Union College, with a minor in Spanish.
