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Event Planner’s Toolkit: 8 Essential Software Tools for Seamless Events

Discover the top 8 event planning software in 2023: explore overviews, use cases, key features, and pricing details.

Event Planner’s Toolkit: 8 Essential Software Tools for Seamless Events
Sabina Sher

Sabina Sher

  • Updated:

The job of an event planner has its rewards, but it also has its share of stress and strain. If you’re in charge of planning an event, you might have to sacrifice sleep to get everything done. We feel for you and your struggles and applaud your efforts. Having reliable software for event planners on your side can significantly assist in saving time and streamlining operations. 

In this article, we have carefully assembled an array of software tools designed specifically to cater to the unique needs and desires of event planners like yourself.

Our choices reflect a careful evaluation of the top business requirements of individual event planners. We searched across the digital landscape to locate software solutions that will assist in making you excel in your craft—everything from Customer Relationship Management (CRM), Project Management tools and Meeting Planner software to 3D drawing apps created explicitly for event planners is covered here!

Whether it involves managing multiple clients at once, overseeing complex event timelines, organizing meetings with pinpoint accuracy or visualizing events in stunning 3D detail, this article serves as your roadmap to finding the best software to make event planning simpler than ever. Let’s dive in and uncover tools that will take event planning to new heights!

Project management software

FuseBase (formerly Nimbus)

Nimbus

FuseBase (formerly Nimbus) is a client collaboration software that fosters effective client interactions while simultaneously unifying teams through seamless team synchronization. It can become an indispensable project management software for event planners. This is because it unlocks strategic event planning through seamless client collaboration and effective project management processes. Businesses hosting conferences regularly for themselves or their clients can benefit significantly from this platform. Organizations that place a premium on quality in event planning will want to use FuseBase (formerly Nimbus) to ensure every aspect of the conference lives up to their expectations.

FuseBase (formerly Nimbus) boasts impressive features, such as seamless integration with external sources and robust task management, client portals, billable and non-billable hours and AI-powered features to save valuable time while increasing productivity. 

Best features:

  • Client Portals. If you are planning an event for a client and they need to see how the planning process is progressing, then client portals are the perfect solution. These portals help you create various brochures, track completed tasks and monitor those still in progress. With client portal, you can distribute documents, contracts and keep track of pricing reports in different tabs. Portals greatly simplify the event planning process and enhance communication with clients like knowledge base.
  • Tasks. Tasks allows you to assign responsibilities, provide detailed descriptions, add comments and attach necessary files as well as set deadlines for completed tasks. The built-in progress bars enable effortless task monitoring while using labels to prioritize tasks effectively. For instance, you could assign someone the task of creating guest lists directly on event pages and report on it seamlessly. This feature helps streamline collaboration and simplify tracking responsibilities across your team.
  • Billable and non-billable hours. Use this feature in various situations – for instance, when hiring contractors for events and closely tracking both billable and non-billable hours worked by them. This feature allows you to track and manage your budget efficiently, guaranteeing payment for hours worked, making it an indispensable asset in event planning endeavors.
  • FuseBase AI. Event planning often necessitates creating engaging event invitations and promotional materials. FuseBase AI assistant excels at automating tedious yet time-consuming tasks by producing new material while refining existing ones, guaranteeing your invitations are engaging and well-crafted.

Who uses FuseBase (formerly Nimbus)?

From solo event organizers to full-service agencies, event planning services rely on FuseBase (formerly Nimbus) for client collaboration, project management andefficient workflows with client-centered solutions for greater efficiency.

Pricing:

  • Free plan is available
  • Paid plans start from $9/user/month

Asana

Asana is a project management platform that facilitates the coordination of any collaborative effort, from routine activities to large-scale endeavors.
Asana has quickly become one of the go-to tools in event planning due to its user-friendly interface and robust project management features. Offering task management, team collaboration and project tracking functions that facilitate event planner workflows while assigning tasks, setting deadlines and monitoring progress more effectively, Asana is a valuable tool in planning successful events.

Who uses Asana?

Event planners of all scales rely on Asana to streamline their event planning processes, from independent freelancers to event management firms.

Best features:

  • Project views. Use a list, calendar, timetable, Gantt chart or Kanban board to arrange your tasks.
  • Boards. Use post-it notes to organize your work and keep tabs on your projects as they progress. You may improve the openness of your operations by using boards.
  • Time tracking. Track how much time you spend working so you can allocate your resources effectively.
  • Portfolios. Your hub for managing cross-team collaboration and keeping tabs on interconnected projects.

Pricing:

  • Basic – $0/ user/month
  • Premium – $10.99/user/month, billed annually
  • Business – $24.99/user/month, billed annually

CRM software

EventHub

EventHub is a specialized platform made for the sole purpose of simplifying the organization of live events. Whether it’s paperwork, applications, files, payments, logistics or anything else, this cloud-based client management software tool can handle it. You may organize sponsors and games, make new event categories and more. By automating your customer relationship management (CRM), the EventHub platform frees up your time to focus on the event itself while still satisfying your customers. In addition, it can be adjusted to fit your specific requirements. 

Who Uses EventHub?

EventHub is an event management platform used by numerous users across the event industry: event organizers, planners, marketing teams, venues, exhibitors and attendees alike.

Best features:

  • Attendee Profiles. EventHub CRM empowers event organizers to build detailed profiles for event attendees, including information like contact info, preferences, past event participation history and interactions between both attendees and event organizers. These profiles are invaluable for enhancing online event management.
  • Lead Management. Event organizers utilize CRM features to capture and manage leads effectively. This may involve following potential attendees or sponsors through tracking interactions with the event, nurturing leads to convert into participants or partners, scoring leads accurately or segmenting leads for targeted attention. 
  • Communication and Email Marketing. EventHub’s CRM often includes email marketing and communication features, enabling event organizers to send targeted emails, newsletters, event updates or event alerts directly to specific attendees or partners lists. Automated workflows streamline communication during every phase of an event’s lifespan ensuring engagement throughout.
  • Interaction History. EventHub CRM systems maintain an in-depth record of interactions between event organizers and attendees or partners—email correspondence, telephone conversations, event registrations or participation at previous events—to facilitate event organization. Keeping such records can enable organizers to understand attendee preferences more fully so they can tailor offerings appropriately.

Pricing:

Contact EventHub to get info about pricing.

Eventmobi

Eventmobi is an all-inclusive event management software that provides virtual, hybrid and in-person event assistance and management services to event planners and organizers. The platform has customizable tools for managing client databases and adaptable features. Easy client and event management, audience segmentation and more. 

Eventmobi provides a digital venue, event networking, registration tools and branded mobile applications to let you connect with customers before, during and after your events. Tools for scheduling meetings, conducting surveys and providing comments are also provided. 

Eventmobi is committed to providing superior event and client management and it does it by providing extensive analytics and insights that can be used for optimization and more. 

Who Uses Eventmobi?

EventMobi is widely utilized by event planners, corporate event management teams, associations, nonprofits and educational institutions as a powerful management and enhancement solution for various events and engagements.

Best Features:

  • Attendee Segmentation. EventMobi allows event organizers to utilize attendee segmentation by interests, job roles or event registration details. By customizing event content to specific attendee groups while creating networking opportunities and communicating more efficiently between events, EventMobi helps maximize the overall event experience for every attendee!
  • Personalized Event Content. By analyzing attendee interactions and preferences, EventMobi provides personalized session suggestions, exhibitors and networking opportunities explicitly tailored toward attendees’ interests and goals.
  • Lead Retrieval and Scanning. EventMobi offers exhibitors and sponsors lead retrieval and scanning features explicitly designed to enhance exhibitor-attendee interactions and ROI. Exhibitors can capture attendee information through the EventMobi app for follow-up and nurturing post-event, increasing ROI for exhibitors and sponsors alike.
  • Feedback and Surveys. EventMobi’s CRM features tools for collecting feedback and conducting post-event surveys, which enable organizers to collect attendee feedback on sessions, speakers, exhibitors and overall event and customer satisfaction from attendees.

Pricing:

Eventmobi’s single event pricing starts from $3,500 per event. Contact Eventmobi to get more info about pricing.

Meeting planner software

Cvent

Cvent is an extensive event management system and meeting planning software with features for online registration, event marketing, venue selection, attendee engagement, reporting and much more. Cvent’s flexibility and scalability allow it to cater for events of all sizes from meetings to large conferences; additionally, it features an event-related services marketplace and integrations with other event technology platforms.

Who uses Cvent?

Event Planners, corporations, organizations and professionals across multiple industries trust Cvent as their platform of choice to manage meetings, conferences and other special events.

Best features:

  • Comprehensive Event Management: Cvent offers comprehensive event management capabilities for meeting room planners. Their services cover everything from initial event planning and registration through on-site check-in and post-event reporting, making their process seamless from beginning to end.
  • Venue Sourcing and Selection. An efficient solution for quickly searching and comparing venues based on specific criteria such as location, capacity and amenities – simplifying an otherwise cumbersome event venue search process.
  • Mobile Event Apps. Cvent offers customized mobile event apps to enhance attendee engagement at meetings and conferences, offering attendees access to event agendas, session details, interactive maps and networking features that enable them to stay informed during an event.
  • Integrated Attendee Engagement. Cvent helps meeting planners engage attendees before, during and after events using email marketing, surveys, attendee feedback tools and attendee experience measurement tools to optimize attendee experiences. 

Pricing:

Contact Cvent to get info about pricing.

Whova

Whova is one of the best event management tools designed to streamline and facilitate any scale meetings, conferences and events. It offers features like event registration, agenda management, speaker management, attendee engagement, tools like live polling/Q&A and mobile event apps designed specifically for participants.

Whova stands out with its robust networking and community-building features, helping attendees meet one another during events and form meaningful interactions. Furthermore, Whova provides event analytics to meet planners so they can assess the success of events as well as make data-driven decisions regarding future planning efforts.

Who uses Whova?

Whova is an all-in-one event management tool used by organizations and professionals from diverse fields – event planners, corporations, universities, associations and conference organizers alike. 

Best features:

  • Event Networking. Through tools such as private social communities, attendee profiles and an intelligent matchmaking algorithm, Whova helps event attendees connect with one another quickly while setting meetings up or engaging in meaningful interactions before, during or after events.
  • Live Polling and Q&A. Whova provides interactive features for event sessions, including real-time polling and Q&A sessions, to increase audience engagement while making sessions more dynamic. Attendees can participate in real-time polls while also sending questions directly to speakers or panelists in real time,  improving engagement levels significantly and making each event session genuinely dynamic!
  • Mobile Event App. A custom event app empowers organizers with tools for providing attendees with event details on mobile devices, such as event information, agendas, different maps and interactive features.
  • Data Analytics and Insights. Track attendee engagement levels, session popularity rates and other event metrics so organizers can assess event success as they make data-driven decisions for future planning.

Pricing:

Contact Whova for a price quote request.

3D drawing software for event planners

SketchUp

SketchUp users use the world’s most widely used 3D modeling and design software to model everything from treehouses to complex, energy-efficient structures. SketchUp is an easy-to-use and potent 3D modeling program developed by Trimble Inc., an innovative corporation committed to transforming the world through the innovative use of technology. 

SketchUp’s intuitive 3D modeling software is used extensively by event planners and designers, featuring tools for building 3D models of event spaces as well as visualizing event layouts, stage setups and booth designs. Event planners frequently rely on SketchUp due to its user-friendly design and active community sharing tips and resources with each other.

Who uses SketchUp?

Event planners and event designers typically utilize SketchUp, an all-in-one 3D drawing application for event planning.

Best features:

  • User-Friendly 3D Modeling. SketchUp’s intuitive user interface makes it an accessible option for event planners without extensive 3D modeling experience, enabling them to easily create 3D models of event spaces, layouts and setups quickly and without much fuss.
  • 3D Warehouse. SketchUp’s 3D Warehouse provides event planners with access to an abundance of pre-made 3D models for furniture, decor items and architectural components that they can quickly import into their event designs for improved efficiency and time-saving purposes. Event designers can use these models quickly for enhanced event designs thereby saving both time and effort during the design phase.
  • Realistic Rendering. SketchUp offers realistic rendering capabilities, which enable event planners to create lifelike visualizations of event spaces for clients and stakeholders to gain better insight into event designs and aesthetics.
  • Integration with Layout. An interactive presentation tool to easily generate professional documents & presentations from 3D models, providing event planners with means for effectively conveying event concepts in terms of floor plans, design boards and presentations.

Pricing:

  • Go – $119/year
  • Pro – $349/year
  • Studio – $749/year

Cinema 4D

With Cinema 4D, anyone can bring their intricate 3D graphical models to life. Cinema 4D is an advanced 3D modeling and animation software offering powerful tools for creating realistic three-dimensional environments. While its learning curve may be steeper compared to SketchUp, Cinema 4D allows more flexibility and creativity—ideal for event planners needing highly detailed 3D visuals or animations for presentations or promotional materials.

Who uses Cinema 4D?

Cinema 4D is a program for making 3D graphics on Mac and PC computers. Anyone can do a lot with animations and textures with this 3D graphics application.

Best features:

  • Advanced 3D Modeling. Cinema 4D provides users with advanced modeling tools and techniques, including parametric modeling, polygonal modeling and spline-based modeling, giving users access to precise 3D objects, characters and environments they can craft quickly with precision and flexibility.
  • Dynamic Simulations. It enables users to simulate lifelike cloth, hair and rigid body dynamics for creating realistic animations and visual effects. This tool makes creating stunning, lifelike animations an absolute breeze!
  • MoGraph Motion Graphics. Cinema 4D’s MoGraph is an unparalleled motion graphics toolkit that enables users to produce complex motion graphics, animations and procedural effects with ease. MoGraph tools have proven themselves popular throughout film, broadcast media and advertising industries alike.

Pricing:

Cinema 4D offers multiple pricing plans from FORGER ($1.24/month) to MAXON ONE + ADOBE SUBSTANCE 3D ($1,399/year)

Bonus: Software powerpack for event planners

FuseBase (formerly Nimbus)

FuseBase (formerly Nimbus) is an outstanding client-management tool that embraces the best project management software features for event planners.
FuseBase (formerly Nimbus) is the preferred project management platform among event organizers due to its focus on collaboration and client interaction management—something few other project management solutions provide. Essentially a client collaboration software at heart, FuseBase (formerly Nimbus) redefines client interactions and team synchronization among event organizers. Notably, this software integrates top-tier project management capabilities. This comprehensive solution addresses common collaboration challenges by centralizing updates, approvals and communication within branded client portals for enhanced client experiences. FuseBase (formerly Nimbus) boasts several critical features for event planners of both individuals and agencies to execute event planning successfully: robust task management, client portals, billable and non-billable hours, an AI assistant and AI customer support software known as FuseBase AI Assistant and much more. Event organizers rely on FuseBase (formerly Nimbus) for seamless client collaboration and project management during successful event planning efforts.

Event Hub

Event Hub is a dedicated and simple event management platform built to streamline live event administration. As an intuitive CRM system, Event Hub streamlines paperwork, applications, payments, logistics and vendor management so event planners can focus on running successful events while this cloud-based CRM takes care of administrative duties for them. Scalable and customizable to suit event professional’s individual requirements, Event Hub serves as an indispensable asset in today’s dynamic event industry.

Whova

Whova is an all-in-one event management platform designed for successful meetings, conferences and events. With features like registration, agenda management, virtual event management, attendee engagement tools and mobile access, Whova makes event planning straightforward while its renowned networking capabilities enable attendees to form lasting bonds. Real-time polling/Q&A services, along with detailed analytics make Whova attractive for both event planners as well as corporations/universities looking for efficient yet interactive event management platforms.

Wrapping up

Selecting the ideal software for event planners is critical to success in today’s dynamic and competitive event management market. We’ve explored an assortment of powerful tools tailored specifically for event planners’ unique needs; each option offers versatile features designed to address modern event challenges. In the end, the right choice depends on you and your individual preferences, so explore these solutions until you discover one that meets them all perfectly!

Sabina Sher

Sabina Sher

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