Event Management Software Pricing Comparison 2026
5 products · prices verified daily · ✓ AI-verified 39h ago
The cheapest event management software in 2026 is Eventbrite at $15/mo. We compared 5 event management software products — Eventbrite, Bizzabo, Cvent, Splash, Whova — with prices verified on April 21, 2026. 1 of 5 offer free plans.
Event Management Software in 2026: What the Data Shows
Market Overview
Event Management Software in 2026 spans transaction-fee consumer ticketing (Eventbrite) to enterprise annual subscriptions (Bizzabo, Cvent). Published rates: Eventbrite Free events free + Paid events 3.7% + $1.79 service fee per ticket + 2.9% payment processing per order + Pro Plan $15/month email marketing starting tier. Bizzabo Event Experience OS $499/user/month billed annually (3-user minimum = $17,999/year starting) with unlimited events + registrations. Custom-quote: Cvent (enterprise category leader, industry estimates $50K-500K+/year), Splash (brand event experiences, industry estimates $25K-200K+/year), Whova (conferences + hybrid events, industry estimates $2K-15K+/event or $15K-80K+/year multi-event). Major category developments: Eventbrite shifted focus to consumer event discovery + AI tools 2023-2024. Bizzabo independent enterprise event platform. Cvent went private via Blackstone acquisition 2023 ($4.6B). Splash brand event platform. Whova hybrid/conference specialist. AI integration 2024-2026: Eventbrite AI event creation, Cvent AI-powered insights, Bizzabo Klik SmartBadge networking. Target users: consumer events + tickets (Eventbrite), small brand events (Splash SMB), corporate conferences (Whova, Bizzabo), enterprise events + trade shows (Cvent category leader). For virtual-only webinars see virtual-events niche (Airmeet, Livestorm, Zoom Events, RingCentral Events/Hopin, Goldcast).
Key Buying Criteria
First: event type + business model? Consumer ticketed events: Eventbrite (transaction fee model — pay per ticket sold). Corporate conferences + internal events: Bizzabo or Whova or Cvent. Brand marketing events: Splash. Enterprise trade shows + large conferences: Cvent category leader. Second: transaction fee vs subscription? Eventbrite 3.7%+$1.79/ticket + 2.9% processing — small events pay little, large ticket volumes pay more. Bizzabo $17,999+/year subscription regardless of event volume — scale favors Bizzabo for multi-event programs. Calculate breakeven based on expected ticket volumes. Third: attendee count + event complexity? Small community events (under 500 attendees): Eventbrite. Mid-market conferences (500-5K attendees): Bizzabo or Whova. Large trade shows (5K-50K+ attendees): Cvent. Fourth: AI + networking priority? Bizzabo Klik SmartBadge networking (proprietary wearables), Cvent AI insights, Whova networking-focused features. Fifth: ecommerce-style ticketing? Eventbrite consumer marketplace + discoverability (90M monthly users). For public event sales: Eventbrite unique consumer reach.
Our Recommendation
For consumer ticketed events + public event discovery: Eventbrite — free for free events, 3.7%+$1.79 service fee + 2.9% processing on paid tickets. 90M monthly consumer users drive organic discovery. For small brand events (under $1K ticket revenue/event): Eventbrite. For corporate conferences + internal events with 3+ event coordinators: Bizzabo Event Experience OS $17,999/year minimum (3 users included) — unlimited events + registrations + email campaigns + mobile app + analytics. Scales economics vs per-event pricing for multi-event organizations. For enterprise trade shows + conferences (5K+ attendees, multi-track): Cvent category leader custom-quote (industry estimates $50K-500K+/year) — most comprehensive event platform with venue sourcing + complex logistics. For brand marketing events prioritizing design + guest experience: Splash (industry estimates $25-200K+/year). For conferences + networking-heavy events: Whova per-event or multi-event pricing. For virtual-primary events see virtual-events niche.
What to Watch Out For
Eventbrite transaction fee (3.7%+$1.79/ticket + 2.9% processing) economics: for 1,000 tickets at $50 = 1,000 × ($1.85 service + $1.79 + $1.45 processing) = $5,090 in fees on $50,000 revenue = 10.2% effective rate. For 10,000 tickets at $100 = $50,900 on $1M = 5.1%. Eventbrite economics degrade at high ticket volumes vs flat Bizzabo $17,999/year. Breakeven approximately 4,500-9,000 paid tickets/year where Bizzabo becomes cheaper. Calculate specifically. Bizzabo $17,999/year minimum (3-user) is material commitment — for single-event programs or testing, Eventbrite cheaper. Bizzabo economics favor 5+ events/year multi-event programs. Cvent enterprise pricing + post-Blackstone acquisition (2023 $4.6B) may see pricing increases — verify current rates + contract terms. Cvent typical 2-3 year enterprise contracts material commitment. Klik SmartBadge (Bizzabo) + onsite technology add-ons separately priced — can significantly exceed base subscription. Budget add-ons. Eventbrite Pro Plan $15/month email is basic marketing — for sophisticated email marketing, brands often need separate Mailchimp/Klaviyo integration. Splash + Whova pricing opacity creates procurement friction. Request quotes with specific event scope + attendee counts.
| | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing | |||||
| Starting Price | $15/mo | $499/mo | Custom | Custom | Custom |
| Renewal Price | Same | Same | -- | -- | -- |
| Free Plan | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ |
| Free Trial | Yes | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ |
| Pricing Model | transaction-fee-plus-pro-plan-subscription | annual-subscription-user-based-unlimited-events | custom-enterprise | custom-brand-event-focus | custom-per-event-or-multi-event |
| Plans | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| | | | | | |
| Features | |||||
| | | | | | |
How We Track Prices
Prices are scraped directly from vendor websites and verified against published pricing pages. We check for changes daily and update this page automatically when prices change. Last verified: 2026-04-21.
All prices shown are in USD, fetched and verified from United States-based servers. Prices in your region may differ due to local pricing, taxes, or currency conversion. We show the lowest available tier unless otherwise noted. Some products offer introductory pricing that increases on renewal — we show both where applicable.
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Head-to-Head Comparisons
See how event management software products stack up against each other — plans, pricing, and features side by side.
Explore Alternatives
Explore Individual Product Pricing
Deep dive into each event management software product — full plan breakdowns, renewal prices, features, and our editorial verdict.
More Ways to Explore Event Management Software
Quick Pricing Summary
| Product | From | Free Plan | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| $15/mo | Yes | 9/10 | |
| $499/mo | No | 8.9/10 | |
| Custom | No | 9.1/10 | |
| Custom | No | 8.5/10 | |
| Custom | No | 8.3/10 |
Event Management Software analysis on the StackScored blog
Building Your Business Stack?
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Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the cheapest event management software in 2026?
- Eventbrite is the cheapest option starting at $15/mo. Prices are verified daily against the vendor's website.
- Which event management software platforms have a free plan?
- Eventbrite offers a free plan. See the comparison above for feature limits on each free tier.
- What's the average cost of event management software?
- The average starting price across 5 event management software products is $257/mo for the lowest paid tier.
- Which event management software has the best value for money?
- Eventbrite scores 9/10 in our analysis with plans starting at $15/mo, making it the highest-rated option in this category. Scores factor in pricing, features, and reliability.
- Do event management software prices increase on renewal?
- Most event management software providers lock in your rate for the initial term. We verify pricing daily and flag any renewal price increases the moment they appear. Check each product's pricing table for renewal details.
- What hidden costs should I watch for with event management software?
- Common hidden costs include onboarding or setup fees, overage charges when you exceed plan limits. Our pricing tables show all tiers and per-unit costs so you can calculate your actual spend before signing up.
- How often do event management software prices change?
- We verify event management software pricing every 24 hours against each vendor's live pricing page. On average, SaaS providers adjust pricing 1-2 times per year. StackScored detects changes the same day they go live.
- Can I switch event management software providers easily?
- Switching depends on data portability and contract terms. Most event management software platforms offer data export, but migration complexity varies. Check each product's plan details for contract length — avoid annual commitments until you've tested the product. Several event management software providers offer free trials to help you evaluate before committing.